Re: GG: Hearty Slap/GG's Psychology

[Jeremy Smith <jcs@grove.ufl.edu>]

On Sun, 5 Sep 1999, John Hill wrote:

> I don't remember either of those accounts.  Does anyone have a reference
> for those anecdotes?  I can't imagine GG brushing that kind of thing
> off lightly.

Sorry, can't give you a precise reference, since I don't have my books
with me.  But I think I read about the 'stepping on his hands' incident
this summer, which must mean that I read it in Friedrich.  The story was
something like this: Someone was conducting, and Gould was standing behind
and below the podium, watching the action.  I guess he was getting into
it, since he was apparently drumming his fingers on the podium or
something.  The conductor, unaware that this was going on, took a step
backwards and stepped on Gould's hands.  I think I remember that the whole
room went silent and waited for GG's reaction, and he good-naturedly told
them that everything was fine.  Quite different from his reaction to the
slap on the back.

Sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm almost positive that you'll find
it in Friedrich.

-Jeremy