cover image Glenn Gould: A Life in Pictures

Glenn Gould: A Life in Pictures

, , foreword by Yo-Yo Ma, intro. by Tim Page. . Firefly, $29.95 (191pp) ISBN 978-1-55407-289-7

Master cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Pulitzer Prize–winning music critic Page (The Glenn Gould Reader ) provide the text for this large-format collection of photographs assembled by publisher Lester, former manager of the Glenn Gould Foundation and current literary adviser to the Glenn Gould Estate. Arranged more or less chronologically, these pictures span the entirety of Gould's brief life (1932–1982) and provide a unique perspective into his creativity as a pianist, composer and recording artist. The book is divided into four sections: in “Overture,” childhood snapshots reveal the growth of a keyboard prodigy; “Bursting Forth” soars with early accolades and triumphant tours; “New Horizons” depicts the mid-1960s, when Gould abandoned concerts to explore the possibilities of the recording studio; and “Envoi” uses scenes of his silent studio to depict his death, an age 50 finale. As the pictorial parade marches on, the result is like watching an old 16mm documentary film unspool, and Gould's fervor, evident in the photos, is amplified in attractive, appealing layouts. (Sept.)