Glenn Gould

In 1956 Glenn Gould’s first Columbia Masterworks release, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, took the music world by storm and immediately established the 23-year-old Canadian pianist as one of the most brilliant, original, charismatic and provocative classical performers of his time. Sixty years later, Gould’s prolific recorded output remains a stimulating presence, thanks to Sony Classical’s newly remastered collection of his complete authorized recordings. "The Sound of Glenn Gould" presents highlights from this definitive presentation of the legendary pianist’s discography.

"Bach: The Goldberg Variations" is the 1955 debut album of the Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould. An interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988), the work launched Gould's career as a renowned international pianist, and became one of the most well-known piano recordings. Sales were "astonishing" for a classical album: it was reported to have sold 40,000 copies by 1960, and had sold more than 100,000 by the time of Gould's death in 1982.

“Canada's a place to live comfortably, amicably, and with reasonable anonymity”. Thus Gould's response to a Toronto Telegram survey on “Canada Day”. The recording of these three works appeared during Canada's centennial celebrations on 1 July 1967.

Glenn Herbert Gould September 25, 1932 – October 4, 1982) was a Canadian classical pianist. He was one of the most famous and celebrated pianists of the 20th century, and was renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Gould's playing was distinguished by remarkable technical proficiency and a capacity to articulate the contrapuntal texture of Bach's music.

Gould rejected most of the standard Romantic piano literature by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and others, in favour of Bach and Beethoven mainly, along with some late-Romantic and modernist composers.

In 1955 Glenn Gould signed his exclusive contract with Columbia Masterworks, and remained with the label until his untimely death in 1982. Gould s first release, Bach s Goldberg Variations, released in January 1956, took the music world by storm, and immediately established the 22-year-old Canadian pianist as one of the most brilliant, original, charismatic and provocative classical performers of his time.

This release comes from one of the hardest-working and most respected pianists in the world today- Stewart Goodyear. Every album from Goodyear is released to widespread critical acclaim, and this one is sure to be no different. Goodyear writes of this release: “It was the year Glenn Gould died when I first heard his legendary name. It was his Bach that introduced me to his playing. His sound struck me immediately… a sound that was compelling and uncompromising.

2017 marked the 85th birth anniversary of Glenn Gould, the solitary composer/pianist from Canada. To commemorate this, an array of special exhibitions and concerts were held around the world commissioned by the Glenn Gould Foundation in Canada, among which Ryuichi Sakamoto was asked to curate an event in Japan.