Partita for Glenn Gould
An Inquiry into the Nature of Genius
Description
Glenn Gould (1932-1982) was a giant of twentieth-century classical music, but one whose eccentricities have sometimes obscured the moral seriousness of his approach to art. Countering this common misperception, Partita for Glenn Gould is an eloquent tribute to the artist that illuminates his versatile genius, his thinking, and our reasons for loving his art.
Reviews
"Leroux's modesty shines through: he reveres Gould, but there is little sense of propriety, of snaring the inevitable elusiveness of genius. In other words, he does not pretend to own Gould by offering the definitive take on his art and philosophy ... Ler
"In an essay at once learned and personal, comprehensive and concise, Georges Leroux moves freely among the multifarious issues raised by Glenn Gould's life, personality, ideas, and work, offering original, sometimes provocative insights on even the most familiar Gouldian themes. Leroux gives welcome emphasis to the contradictions and paradoxes that made Gould such a fascinating figure, and his meditations on authenticity, genius, solitude, asceticism, and other pertinent topics are nourished by his wide reading in philosophy, literature, and the arts." Kevin Bazzana, author of Glenn Gould: The Performer in the Work and Wondrous Strange: The Life and Art of Glenn Gould
"In the end, Leroux raises as many questions as he seeks to answer - another glorious paradox - but it is undeniably a most stimulating read." Julian Haylock, International Piano