Glenn Gould

Glenn Herbert Gould (September 25 1932 – October 4 1982) was a Canadian pianist known for his interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach’s keyboard music and for technical proficiency in articulating polyphonic texture.

Gould avoided much of the standard Romantic piano repertoire, including works by Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin. While his recordings emphasized Bach, his recorded output also included pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, Jan Sweelinck and 20th‑century composers such as Paul Hindemith and Arnold Schoenberg. He ceased public concerts at age 31 to focus on studio recording and other projects.

In addition to performing, Gould wrote for musical journals, discussing theory and his musical philosophy; he composed, conducted and worked as a broadcaster. His compositional output was limited and several projects remained unfinished. Evidence suggests that, had he lived beyond age 50, he planned to stop playing piano and devote the remainder of his career to conducting and related activities. As a broadcaster he produced television and radio programs featuring studio performances and musique concrète documentaries about life in the Canadian wilderness.