I have just finished Kevin Bazzana's biography of Gould. What a treat to find this film online after reading about its production. Thank you for for this.
Wow, this is really a precious clip of him playing it, then, since he didn't record that elsewhere. And moreover, he seems to be playing it in character, looks like Nigel Twitt-thornwaite?
After reading the delightful script in Faber's "Glenn Gould Reader" I was always disappointed this wasn't released in Sony's so-called "complete" Glenn Gould edition twenty years ago -- maybe more due to CBC's incompetence than theirs. Many thanks to erp65 and your two anonymous benefactors for finally making it available.
What comes across so clearly is the complete utter isolation of Gould in his 'home' town, he was obviously so different from virtually everyone else and seemed quite content to have it this way, but it does seem bizzare - he seems to be an onlooker like he's watching tv with the sound turned off or in some parallel universe.
Rd Laing's Glasglow was also in it. In 1979 I was a music student who had just discovered Gould. Our cable channel carried CBC and I caught the original broadcast. It was the beginning of an intensive study of the man's genius. I was disappointed to find it was not included in the sony-cbc project and am very grateful for this upload.
Thanks for posting this! I'm visiting Toronto right now. It is not at all this way anymore. : ( I remember A&A Records and Sam the Record Man on Yonge St. and how the Royal York wasn't dwarfed by tall buildings all around.
Of all the biographies on Glenn Gould, both written and on film, I like to think that Glenn Gould's Toronto is his true, living biography. It would have been something to find his original 45,000 lines that he wrote for this film. I love this film. Thanks again!
Thank you for uploading this gem. Anyone interested in this film might also want to check out poet Maggie Helwig's interpretation of it in her book, Talking Prophet Blues (1989). In a sequence called "The Other Goldberg Variations," Helwig distills the image of Gould walking through the Don Valley, intoning, "Knowing / that I could walk seventeen miles through a ravine / in the heart of Toronto, and never / directly see the city is of some comfort"
Thanks for posting this. It’s amazing to see the city in that era. Glenn Gould’s observations are right on and he is hilarious at times. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Glenn: America calls their society a big melting pot America: YEAH!!!! We blend in! Glenn: It gets very hot and humid in Canada, but we do not melt. Me: What an achievement, since you wear a coat, Glenn.
I saw this series when it was first broadcast on TV and was living in Toronto at the time. Among t;he other episodes, if my somewhat fuzzy memory is reliable, there was Anthony Burgess in Rome, Gore Vidal, somewhere; but altogether an absolutely brilliant documentary series. Glenn's is one of the best but the others are also fascinating and very well produced. The problem is, it is extremely hard to access the whole series either in libraries (at least in Canada), online or where ever.
To: erp65 ... What a wonderfully serendipitous surprise to run across these videos you have so generously presented here. Thank you so much for putting them together and sharing them with us! Your efforts are highly appreciated by this fellow "Gould-Digger"! ;-)
Thank you so much for posting this! Everything about this film is unbelievable, the city, the music, and above all Glenn Gould in his hometown presenting hilariously to the camera. Awesome video, and many many thanks.
It's fantastic. My favorite parts are the Beethoven impersonation, the Toronto mayor's art criticism, every silver lining has a cloud, and a concert tour is the musical equivalent of a penitentiary sentence.
Did you know I have been to Toronto, I liked the airport and I ate at the restaurant called Wahlburgers and I ate the Our Burger and I ate French fries, and I bought a CN Tower souvenir, And I have also explored the airport waiting for our flight to Orlando, Florida, USA. I have been to the birthplace of Glenn Gould, and I have looked at the CN Tower from the distance.
Well put, MM. Gould would have reveled in the anarchic potentiality of TH-cam. That it so rarely lives up to its potential would not surprise, nor dispirit him. The man retains his humanity because we who love him refuse to submit to the Sonyfication of the universe.
This may eventually appear in the CBC's massive Gould video project, but the original film is at the University of Toronto. (Does TH-cam not permit links in posts?)
Thank you for your work on this pearl. I posted lhe link to this yours YT Channel on my public Page on FB dedicated to our Cultural Natural Heritage. I report all your notes. If you want to visit it I'll be happy. The complete name of Page is in italian: "Beni Culturali Naturali & CInema Location" and you are invite on it and if you 'Like' it, let the sign of your passage. Thanks, EN
Bring back this Toronto please.
Thank you so much for this. Love Gould. Loved Toronto when I spend a few months there in 1982. Love the film.
I have just finished Kevin Bazzana's biography of Gould. What a treat to find this film online after reading about its production. Thank you for for this.
It is a treasure.
To all those wondering, the first piece is the "Annie's Dream" movement from Strauss's Enoch Arden
Wow, this is really a precious clip of him playing it, then, since he didn't record that elsewhere. And moreover, he seems to be playing it in character, looks like Nigel Twitt-thornwaite?
After reading the delightful script in Faber's "Glenn Gould Reader" I was always disappointed this wasn't released in Sony's so-called "complete" Glenn Gould edition twenty years ago -- maybe more due to CBC's incompetence than theirs. Many thanks to erp65 and your two anonymous benefactors for finally making it available.
What comes across so clearly is the complete utter isolation of Gould in his 'home' town, he was obviously so different from virtually everyone else and seemed quite content to have it this way, but it does seem bizzare - he seems to be an onlooker like he's watching tv with the sound turned off or in some parallel universe.
Rd Laing's Glasglow was also in it. In 1979 I was a music student who had just discovered Gould. Our cable channel carried CBC and I caught the original broadcast. It was the beginning of an intensive study of the man's genius. I was disappointed to find it was not included in the sony-cbc project and am very grateful for this upload.
Thanks for posting this! I'm visiting Toronto right now. It is not at all this way anymore. : (
I remember A&A Records and Sam the Record Man on Yonge St. and how the Royal York wasn't dwarfed by tall buildings all around.
Of all the biographies on Glenn Gould, both written and on film, I like to think that Glenn Gould's Toronto is his true, living biography. It would have been something to find his original 45,000 lines that he wrote for this film. I love this film. Thanks again!
Thank you for uploading this gem.
Anyone interested in this film might also want to check out poet Maggie Helwig's interpretation of it in her book, Talking Prophet Blues (1989). In a sequence called "The Other Goldberg Variations," Helwig distills the image of Gould walking through the Don Valley, intoning, "Knowing / that I could walk seventeen miles through a ravine / in the heart of Toronto, and never / directly see the city
is of some comfort"
Thanks for posting this. It’s amazing to see the city in that era. Glenn Gould’s observations are right on and he is hilarious at times. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Glenn: America calls their society a big melting pot
America: YEAH!!!! We blend in!
Glenn: It gets very hot and humid in Canada, but we do not melt.
Me: What an achievement, since you wear a coat, Glenn.
Excellent. I remember seeing this when it first aired. Always wanted to be able to see it again. Thanks so much.
Wonderful! Thanks for the memories - I saw this decades ago and never forgot it. Such brilliant wit and talent are rare.
Loved the 'Cities' series and this one in particular as I'm from Tranna. Thanks for posting
I saw this series when it was first broadcast on TV and was living in Toronto at the time. Among t;he other episodes, if my somewhat fuzzy memory is reliable, there was Anthony Burgess in Rome, Gore Vidal, somewhere; but altogether an absolutely brilliant documentary series. Glenn's is one of the best but the others are also fascinating and very well produced. The problem is, it is extremely hard to access the whole series either in libraries (at least in Canada), online or where ever.
very precious, preziosissimo materiale! thank you.
To: erp65 ... What a wonderfully serendipitous surprise to run across these videos you have so generously presented here. Thank you so much for putting them together and sharing them with us! Your efforts are highly appreciated by this fellow "Gould-Digger"! ;-)
Thank you so much for posting this! Everything about this film is unbelievable, the city, the music, and above all Glenn Gould in his hometown presenting hilariously to the camera. Awesome video, and many many thanks.
It's fantastic. My favorite parts are the Beethoven impersonation, the Toronto mayor's art criticism, every silver lining has a cloud, and a concert tour is the musical equivalent of a penitentiary sentence.
@chrish12345 -- Brilliance. Now I know why I love GG so much.
Grazie
Did you know I have been to Toronto, I liked the airport and I ate at the restaurant called Wahlburgers and I ate the Our Burger and I ate French fries, and I bought a CN Tower souvenir, And I have also explored the airport waiting for our flight to Orlando, Florida, USA. I have been to the birthplace of Glenn Gould, and I have looked at the CN Tower from the distance.
Also, the way he looks when the rifles/canons fire.
Well put, MM. Gould would have reveled in the anarchic potentiality of TH-cam. That it so rarely lives up to its potential would not surprise, nor dispirit him.
The man retains his humanity because we who love him refuse to submit to the Sonyfication of the universe.
This may eventually appear in the CBC's massive Gould video project, but the original film is at the University of Toronto. (Does TH-cam not permit links in posts?)
Wow...Thank you for this treasure!!
Wonderful film. Thank you for sharing Eric. Added to Glenn Gould playlist with Love & Gratitude:)
wow. historic.
does anyone know the music gould is performing at the beginning?
Did Italians build this city?
Thanks very much: this is a gem of a film!
@alberopenumbra -- You should contact the Glenn Gould Foundation first. Perhaps they would be. If not, this is as good a place as any to ask.
great, thank you again!
Few historic buildings in Toronto it appears.
In some districts, unfortunately they demolished a lot of them. This is downtown they’re showing, though so what do yoy expect?
thank you so so much
@imaginingtoronto -- Thanks for the poetry reference. I'll check out Helwig's book.
so hes making a film about a city that he's never actually ever seen in its (then) present incarnation?
4:12
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Thank you so much! Finally the complete version!
This is a majestic upload. Yuppiiiii!
thanks for this...very kind
@jibblypop - You are most welcome. Cheers, Ep
Thank you for your work on this pearl. I posted lhe link to this yours YT Channel on my public Page on FB dedicated to our Cultural Natural Heritage. I report all your notes. If you want to visit it I'll be happy. The complete name of Page is in italian: "Beni Culturali Naturali & CInema Location" and you are invite on it and if you 'Like' it, let the sign of your passage. Thanks, EN
Yes, wouldn't let me post with the links
do you if does exist a video of his last live concert, please? EN
I wish! The closest we are going to get to that is the Hologram Tour, lol
test
Thank you for this, it is a gem.