The Unusual Suspect

I can think of few 20th century classical performers as well-documented (or as deserving of documentation) as the mad Canadian keyboard genius, Glenn Gould. This YouTube clip from his earlier days demonstrates much of what made him fascinating to countless classical music lovers: the incessant humming punctuated by occasional bellowing, the absurd posture, the uncanny ability to stop-and-start at the drop of a hat, and (of course) the amazing technique and unexpectedly nuanced lyricism of his music:

(For a considerably less idiosyncratic experience, here is one of my most cherished recordings: Gould performing Bach’s third keyboard concerto with Vladimir Golschmann and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra — Part OnePart Two, and Part Three.)

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  • Joseph Susanka

    Joseph Susanka has been doing development work for institutions of Catholic higher education since his graduation from Thomas Aquinas College in 1999. Currently residing in Lander, Wyoming — “where Stetsons meet Birkenstocks” — he is a columnist for Crisis Magazine and the Patheos Catholic portal.

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