Glenn Goulds Polyphonic Personality Reflected in the Music of J.S.

Bach

Cameron Ghazzagh Univ. of California, Berkeley - Music 10/20/13

Pianist Glenn Gould (1932-1982) was perhaps most renown for his passion, skill, and interpretation of the highly-structured keyboard music of J.S. Bach. Gould was selfproclaimed in his obsession with highly-structured, contrapuntal, polyphonic textures particularly those of the fugue1. For this reason, he pushed away from most of the
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Romantic piano literature, tending toward the structure of the Baroque and earlyClassical eras. Intriguingly, and central to my thesis, is that Gould was also well-known for his obsessive, eccentric personality and severe hypochondria2. I will argue that
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Goulds interest and skill in Bachs keyboard works are, to a significant degree, reflective of his unique psychology. Underlying my thesis is the idea that musicbe it the composition, interpretation, or performance thereof comes from within an individual, thus telling us more about who the person is or who they desire to be. I will explore this point in parallel with an examination of a Gould recording. This exemplar will be his 1995 recording of Bachs Fugue in E Major, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II. Operas utilize words to express affect, while orchestras use a wide array of instrumental sounds to the same end. Since most fugues lack these tools of expression, it is not immediately apparent what affect this fugue is expressing. Gould plays the expositions first subject with a deliberate and defined marcato. The other three voices enter in prompt succession with the same deliberate feeling, then the answer. The voices
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Payzant, Geoffrey (1978) Glenn Gould: Music & Mind. Toronto; London: Van Nostrand Reinhold Bazzana, Kevin (2003). Wondrous Strange: The Life & Art of Glenn Gould. McClelleand Stewart

all play at the same time for a few moments, before three of the voices yield to one voice, who plays the subject again, before the others join in. Every time the subject is played again, it is varied, feeling increasingly free and liberated. This subject-episode (answer) repeats throughout the entire piece, with constant shifts from minor to major keys, and from soft to loud. The affect is abstract; it expresses an ever-expanding, limitless universe that I can only describe as beautiful complexity. I believe it is impossible to categorize this fugue into the standard affects of happy or sad because the fugue is an abstract expression; as though a non-emotion. Even so, Gould uses the little artistic freedom allowed by the fugue: he adds emphasis on certain notes, makes slight tempo changes, and crescendos and decrescendos where appropriate. The totality of these small artistic liberties resulted in Goulds reputation as one of the most skilled Bach interpreters. Ultimately, this concept of working within a structured framework is consistent with Goulds personality and lifestyle. Although a fairly independent person, he rarely left his house. He had a daily routine he would neither change nor vary, and also engaged in small ritualistic behaviors, such as only playing on a small wooden chair his dad made for him3.
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For the most part, the meter, rhythm, and tempo of this fugue are fairly consistent throughout the piece. Gould subtly slows the tempo at the end of each episode, right before every new subject entry. This gives slightly more emphasis to indicate the beginning of each new subject entry. Gould slows the tempo more noticeably towards the end, making it clear to the listener that the piece is about to end.

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Hafner, Katie (2009) Glenn Goulds Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano Toronto: McClelland

The fugue has four voices, all at different pitches, often playing all at once. Goulds skill and interest in polyphony were evident in other parts of his life. First, he was skilled in creating a range of alter egos, all of whom had distinct personalities4. Secondly, he also
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enjoyed eavesdropping on multiple conversations at once; something he could do without much effort. These two manifestations are clearly connected to his special gifts in polyphonic music, especially those with four individual voices at once. As for melodic shaping and phrasing of the fugue: The voices slowly and smoothly build the melody in the ascent, but the descent is jagged. This continues through most of the piece. There are also multiple inversions throughout the piece. Gould plays the notes of certain sections in a deliberate and marcato way, so that the space between the notes are emphasized, adding to the mechanical, deliberate expressions. As for the form, the piece begins with the exposition, the voicesin order from lowest to highesteach playing the subject. Then comes the first episode, before the reentry of the subject by one voice. This is continued multiple times before an extra-long episode entering before the final subject enters with the tonic key, closing the piece. The subject is played 32 different times throughout the piece. Music comes from within an individual, and their musical expressions can be based in their personality, lifestyle, behaviors, and even underlying conditions. For an individual to connect to a specific genre, there must be a common feeling or message. For example, someone with violent tendencies would likely tend towards metal, or other aggressive genres. Or perhaps someone who desires a life of wealth and fame would

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Bazzana, Kevin (2003) Wondrous Strange: The Life and Art of Glenn Gould. Toronto: McClelland

listen to Rap/Pop albums whose artists paint pictures of that life. Thus, an individuals musical preference and talent can help answer the questions of who is this person? And who does this person want to be? Glenn Gould is described as introverted, obsessive, structured, and bi-centric, among other things. Likewise, the fugue is highly structured, no-frills, polyphonic, and is thus very consistent with Goulds psychology.