Glenn Gould

A documentary on the mysterious and influential pianist.

Part III in the series "Glenn Gould Plays Bach" spotlights Gould recording Bach's "Goldberg Variations" in a sound studio. In a brief introduction, he reminisces about his first recording of the pieces and explains why he wanted to record them again now, a quarter of a century later. It was to be his last recording of the "Goldberg Variations" and perhaps the last time he played the work: Glenn Gould died the year after the recording was made.

A retrospective of the life and work of Glenn Gould, Hereafter synthesizes an incredible wealth of archival material from various sources.

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Filmmaker David Langer traces the short but remarkable life of classical pianist Glenn Gould, an eccentric artist who took the world by storm when he made his professional debut at age 14 but had stopped performing entirely by the time he was 32. Extras include Gould's performances of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Concerto No. 5 in F minor, Largo and Presto" and "Fugue No. 4."

A look at the acclaimed pianist's 1957 trip to the Soviet Union, when he became - at age 24 - the first North American to perform behind the Iron Curtain. The film features previously unheard recordings of Gould's concerts in Moscow and Leningrad, including his recital and lecture at the Leningrad Conservatory.

Academician and piano expert David Dubal narrates this absorbing documentary chronicling the instrument's history and featuring some of the 20th century's finest pianists via archival film clips. Among the keyboard virtuosos are Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Van Cliburn and Glenn Gould. Extras include Arrau's 1983 performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 4, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra under maestro Riccardo Muti.

A collection of recollections and opinions of and about Glenn Gould, interspersed with excerpts of archive footage of the great Canadian pianist speaking and playing.

Glenn Gould: A Portrait is a biography of pianist and "explorer of sounds" Glenn Gould. The 105-minute program -- a montage of interviews, photographs, recording sessions, and concerts -- depicts the life and times of this late musician. Highlights of the film include pictures and scenes from Gould's life in Canada, as well as interviews with Geoffrey Payzant, broadcaster Margaret Pacsu, musician John Peter Lee Roberts, and music critic Paul Hume. Gould's personal views on animals (especially his affinity for skunks), his psychiatry, pacifism, and solitude are reflected on by family and friends.

Part I of the series "Glenn Gould Plays Bach" is devoted to Bach's "Art of Fugue." Gould's performance is followed by a lively repartee with Monsaingeon, in which the pianist provides dazzling insights illustrated by music examples. He explains, for example, why he plays some pieces extremely slowly, and bemoans the "musicological overkill" of scholars who insist that Bach's keyboard music should only be played on a harpsichord.