7

REVIEWS

Glenn Gould : a life and variations. By Otto Friedrich. : Lester & Orpen Dennys, c1989. (xviii, 441p., $27.95) - a review essay by

The Literature in addition to a thousand concert and In 1976, when I put up bookshelves in my record review in newspapers and new study, a mere six inches held all my magazines. (No doubt an enterprising Canadian musical biographies: Lapierre's CAML member will one day compile a Calixa Lavallge, Albani's memoirs, short Gouldiana bibliography.) books on Kathleen Parlow and Leo Smith, a couple of collections of "portraits" I have perused enough of this literature and "soundprints" -- nearly all that was to know that Geof frey Payzant ' s available. Thirteen years later, pioneering study of Gould's work and biography has crowded out three shelf- aesthetics (, Music & Mind feet of other books into basement 1978) will remain a landmark as the first storage; in fact I have given up acqui- in-depth examination of any of our ring every last one that appears. Mart musicians. Of those essays that I have Kenney and Ignatius Rumboldt, Don Messer read I found the one by Sanford Schwartz and Henri Pontbriand, Healey Willan and (The New Republic, Sept. 1, 1986) the Barbara Pentland and other strange most penetrating. And now we have a couples now rub covers; MacMillan and fullscale biography. Friedrich, a New Weinzweig should follow soon. In the York author and senior writer for Time 1980s biography and memoirs became a magazine, was the first person allowed thriving branch of Canadian literature, by the Gould estate to examine the whole and its subjects extended beyond broad- range of materials, including corres- cast personalities and unemployed pondence, scratch pads, scripts, tapes politicians. and discs, films and photos. In addition he interviewed some 80 people and quoted Among the musical subjects Glenn Gould from many reviews, although less fre- occupies a special place, and for more quently from the existing essay than one reason. Let the world celebrate literature. A final chapter outlines the Gould simply as one of the century's sources. This is followed by lists of great pianists -- to us music librarians concert appearances, of discs, CBC radio he holds a second distinction, one he and TV shows, Gould's published writings shares with R. Murray Schafer: they are (the last three edited by Nancy Canning) our first musicians to have produced and and an index. called forth a whole body of writing. When I browsed through the bookstore at Friedrich, the virtuoso writer the National Arts Centre the other day, Friedrichls is a real virtuoso perfor- I found no fewer than six different mance. I admire his skill in presenting Gould books in French! Already this a vast amount of factual material literature is wide-ranging. There are without becoming tedious or pedantic. I essays by and about Gould, anthologies, admire him equally for finding for each conference proceedings, interviews, an of the thousands of-bits of information archival inventory (soon to be pub- that accumulate in haphazard order a lished), a Gould periodical, a Gould suitable place, a place that not only calendar, Gould exhibition guides, all connects with and enhances neighbouring bits of information, but reinforces the precisely the achievement of a large overall understanding of the subject. measure of that desired control, with its attendant overreliance on his own One might call this a technique of inte- judgment, in practical matters of health gration. From the first page, where the and diet as well as in artistic affairs, annoying intrusion of microphones and that proved the disruptive element in television cameras at the artist's Gould's last years? memorial service is linked to Gould's welcome of such technology, Friedrich Life and Work makes every biographical event reveal The traditional dilemma of the biogra-- one more aspect of Gould's personality. pher -- to separate or to interweave the The recording session for the first chronological account of the "life" and Goldberg (p.49) introduces his wearing the orderly review of aspect after of warm clothing and his dependence on aspect of the "work" is neatly solved, all sorts of pills. His compassion for not by Friedrich, but by Gould himself. animals, his hypochondria, his occasio- From prodigy concert pianist Gould con- nal clowning, his need for physical veniently moved chronologically through isolation and other traits, all are one phase after another, many of short introduced in the context of events and duration: composer, lecturer, studio activities. In fact, it is often hard recording artist, documentary designer - to decide whether Friedrich intersperses - first for radio, then for television, his account of external events with the deviser of movie music, transcriber of revelation of character traits, or orchestral scores and, at the edge of whether he examines such traits and death, conductor. Only his work of fleshes them out with biographical facts. pianist and writer continued throughout life. It was therefore easy to organize We pay one price for this gradual un- the book satisfying chronology and peeling of the layers of Gould's subject matter at once. (one phase, persona: the lack of a summing up. At that of festival organizer at Stratford, the end Friedrich modestly admits that Ont., has been given somewhat short Gould's personality remains a mystery shrift. ) (299). Still, should the book not have attempted at least to tie together the But hold it. Is this really a "life and . different traits, such as Gould's work"? Early on it becomes apparent that craving for control, his strategies for the book is first of all about a fasci- self-protection and self-promotion, his nating personality, only secondarily showmanship, his rationalizations as about an artist's interpretation of well as his idealism, pacifism, com- great music and a thinker's coming to passion and communicativeness. The terms with the electronic age. We learn chapters The Private Life (from p.294 more about Gould's approach to recording on) and The Goldberg Variations (11) do session procedures than about his inter- indeed penetrate close to the human pretations of the music he records(l32); essence of Gould, in Friedrich's own we find out about his manner of picking words and in quotations from Harvey a piano but hardly about the nature of Olnick, John McGreevy, Leonard Bernstein the piano he needs(306-307). We do read and others, but hardly arrive at a con- about Gould's work in the sense of nected whole. Such an attempt might activity but much less in that of relate individual traits to the creativity, mission and ideas. The book fundamental problems and contradictions is first and foremost a biography, the of having to live and cope with one's description of a life, and as such it is exceptional gifts and of shaping a life- as detailed, authoritative and sympa- style to suit evolving goals -- to "the thetic a one as ever will be written effort of being Glenn Gould," as about Gould. McGreevy called it (298). Was it perhaps The Gould estate which commissioned the childish desire to shock the grownups, book deserves congratulations for its and perhaps a touch of envy toward liberal attitude. Surely there have music's most celebrated child prodigy" been few "authorized" biographies so (142) but I also feel stimulated by free from imposed restrictions, so unin- Gould's point that the young Mozart, the hibited and honest in delving into all Mozart of the Kijchel 200s, had certain corners of their subject's life, from youthful qualities rarely found in the Gould's relationship with women and his later works. playing the stock market to his increas- ing tendency toward medical self- To be sure, the debunking ingredient in diagnosis and excessive medication. Friedrich's approach is an antidote to those who have tended to build the After not too many pages the book gets genius into a superhuman, a near-saint. to the unavoidable questions of Gould ' S Above all else, Friedrich humanizes personal eccentricities and musical Gould and reveals him as animmensely idiosyncrasies and Friedrich explains gifted but frail human being. He has many of them as rational responses to written a "human interest" book in the specific situations. best sense of that term.

If departing from the even path of What have I learned about Gould? clinical objectivity at all, Friedrich Reading Friedrich's book, all of us will occasionally leans to the negative side. adjust our personal picture of Gould in Friedrich is quite expert in detailing one way or another, but adjust it we Gould's weaknesses in recording the late will. Speaking for myself, I have Beethoven sonatas so early in his career learned, for instance, that his physical (68) and wilfully misinterpreting cer- illnesses were far more real than one tain Mozart works (141-149). But if I would expect in a hypochondriac. From a wished to build up my record collection childhood injury of his spine (27) to a with the best of Gould, I would have pat on the shoulder that turned out to little analytical comment to go by hurt (87-88), or a wrist problem that beyond such labels as "admirable" and affected his muscular functioning (249- "splendid" (Bach, 129), "miraculous" 50), they were real enough to justify (Bach, 132), "gorgeous" and "stunning" worrying. (Grieg and Bizet respectively, 2521, or "beautiful" (Haydn, 273) What does make Similarly, Gould's aversion to giving Gould's playing so distinct, so concerts was more than an obstinate extraordinary? whim. His stage career was not quite the unbroken series of successes disappoin- Similarly, the passages dealing with the ted admirers assumed it to have been. verbal Gould seem designed less to Apart from the obvious troubles of expound the sense than to delight in ex- travelling, there were instances of posing the clever nonsense -- such as harassment by critics (107), even boos heaping extravagant praise on minor com- (81), and an annoying preoccupation of posers or neglected compositions while various critics with his eccentric stage proclaiming disdain for the Appassionata manners. and the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, or writing a "prose style that attempted Another myth that is shattered for me is witty elegance but actually sounded that of the recluse shunning human mannered and artificial" (113). Each company. Gould, it is demonstrated, was had elements of sincere conviction, always anxious for human company. When rationalization and attention rousing. I you read name after name of recording quite agree with Friedrich's suggestion, and broadcast producers, scriptwriters, for instance, that Gould's attitude executives, sound engineers, technicians toward Mozart had an ingredient of "a and cameramen with whom he was in constant visual contact and of friends than Gould's.) I for one want to read with whom he carried on endless late- about Gould's search for new meanings in night telephone conversations, you Bach and Beethoven by accenting inner wonder how the image could ever have voices; about the merits of his detach6 arisen. The answer is that he and his touch; about his attitude towards his- publicity agents cultivated that recluse torical authenticity; about his theory image in order to allow him to organize that compositions should be judged his life to suit his own needs, i.e. to without knowledge of the accumulated be safe from interferences and inter- information about them. And I am eager ruptions, from the nuisance of curious to hear a debate about Gould's admira- spectators. tion for the composer who turns his back on the challenges of his time, the a- Shaken, if not shattered, is the view historical composer such as the later that, like so many great pianists, Gould Richard Strauss. simply "did it" rather than "knew how he did it." He was quite conscious of the Some details functions and actions of different In the hope that a few corrections or muscles and parts of the hand in the adjustments can be made before the book process of playing (245-246). appears in paperback format, as it surely will sooner or later, here are a It also came to me as a surprise that very few specific comments and Gould claimed to be moved most by corrections. chorales and hymns rather than by fugues or canons (269), but then the idea that P. 4 and Index. Robert Aitkin should be contrapuntal music is somehow more spelled Aitken. "moral" than homorhythmic chordal music (an idea which I find objectionable) may P. 11. Angels Hewitt gave the official be an invention of some of his admirers. opening recital of the instrument under the National Library's auspices, but The Gould literature of the future? Steinway CD 318 had been used on 10 In stressing more what Gould had in occasions since its arrival in Ottawa, common with ordinary human beings than usually in recitals arranged by various what distinguished him from them, societies and embassies at the National Friedrich has definitely increased our Library's auditorium. understanding of the man, if not the visionary. His book supplements rather p. 12. The interview for "Quiet in the than duplicates or outdates Payzant's, Land" was with Esther Horch, not Horsch, and it is good that both leave room for and presumably Freissan should be others to dissect, interpret and recon- Friesen, a common Mennonite name. The struct Gould. Most of all we need com- spelling errors would be Gould's. prehensive critical studies of Gould's seminal views on art, technology and p. 18. The Mozart Fugue K.394 is in C society and of his contributions to the major. understanding of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Berg and others. Gould, after p. 48. Friedrich wonders why Gould hit all, went through his labours so we upon the idea to make the Goldberg could understand Bach and Beethoven Variations his own. Apart from the better in their depth and greatness. superficial coincidence of the name -- Most existing discussions however bring until some time in the early 1930s the out what his performances reveal about family name was Gold, the spelling used Gould rather than about the composer. in contemporary city directories and on (Indeed I wonder how many people one or two of the early concert programs l is tening to Gould ' S Goldberg are in which his parents and Glenn partici- conscious of Bach's greatness rather pated -- there was the example of Gould's fellow-pupil, , who p. 341. My pocket diary records that on on Bach's 200th birthday in 1950 had the evening of 9 January 1954, in presented a lecture-recital on the Toronto, I attended a Schoenberg - Berg Goldberg.Variations at the Royal Ontario - Webern concert in which Gould per- Museum, attended by Gould. formed along with "etc".

p. 142, line 10. Surely Bruno p. 346. May 27, 1958. I went to this all Monsaingeon said that Gould was out of Bach concert. It isn't Friedrich's sympathy rather than "symphony" with purpose to document the non-Gould com- Mozart? ponents of concerts, but in case anyone wonders, it was a compound of Feldbrill p. 161. The only years Strauss spent in conducting three cantatas and Gould Austria, five years straddling his 60th playing the Partita in B-flat and four birthday, hardly make him a represen- Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Ten- tative of the "Viennese tradition", pered Clavichord I and 11. (Gould did neither does his early indebtedness to not play the continuo parts of the Wagner . cantatas. ) p. 164. Walter Kaufmann kept his second p. 345 November 11, 1957 recital. While -n to the end. (Can't I sing a song of I can see the need for citing compo- this error!) sitions in their shortest form ("Beethoven #2"), I would prefer to see p. 177, top 178. I was intrigued by John Haydn's Sonata in E flat identified as P.L. Roberts assertion that his Music by Hoboken XVI 49, since Gould also Royal Composers program was Gould's in- recorded no.52. The program indicates troduction to radio music documentaries, that the Finale is a Tempo di minuetto, because I had done much of the research i.e. no. 49. for that program. I don't doubt Roberts' claim, but it seems strange p. 350. I attended the all-Beethoven that Gould would not have listened to program at Stratford on August 7, 1960, the many music documentaries the CBC had and my pocket diary says: Op.30, no.2, aired before Roberts' arrival in Canada. Op.69 and Op.70, no. l. An undated To cite just one instance, in 1951 reference to this concert occurs on Richard Johnston devised "Vienna, the p.92. Glorious Age" for CBC's Wednesday Night. Finally, a few editorial suggestions p. 213. Michelangeli's agent should be which I would love to address to all spelled Koudriavtzeff. writers and fellow-editors. Next to the often futile hunt to find out what an p. 254 and 268. The German Klavier- asterisk signifies (and that does not stiicken is the dative plural; the apply to the present book), the greatest genitive needed on 268 should be Stucke. frustration in reading a biographical or Near the bottom of p. 254 the question historical accound is to come across a is "along with what or whom?" requiring month or season or day without being the dative indeed, but it still sounds sure of the year. Just what year are we awkward, unless written "with the five in at the beginning of the second full Stucken." This kind of mixed declina- paragraph on p.110, 1962 or 64? The tion of English and German rarely works chapter is about Gould's retirement from well. the concert stage in 1964, but the sentence immediately preceding refers to Concert programs. I have compared my 1962. I presume "that June" was 1964. list of the 12 Gould performances and And the next paragraph begins again with one broadcast studio recording that I "that June." Why not say "June 1964" in attended with Friedrich's list. the first instance? Similarly, on p.208 the last paragraph in his schedule, So, when the next begins with a reference to November "of sentence talks about the C-sharp Major that year." On top of the page the and C-sharp Minor, I am not sure which spring of 1963 is mentioned and the set is meant, until the "famous C major attentive reader may remember 1964 as Prelude" suggests that Gould did begin the date of his last stage appearances, with Book I. Clarification comes only on but why not just say "in November 1963?" p.154.

In the same vein, I would be more at A minor irritati0n:throughout the book ease if the second paragraph on p.131 there are quotes from letters to "a reassured me that we were dealing now friend in Berlin" (93, 114, 166, 234). with Bach's WTC Book One. Friedrich has The more often this phrase is repeated, just talked about the two books in the more one wonders why the name is not general and ended on top of p.131 with a given. Is the person sounimportant, or reference to the E Major from Book I1 does the person not wish to be acknow- and an unidentified Fugue. Why should ledged? In the second case, a simple one assume that Gould began his explanation "who does not wish to be recording project with Book I rather identified" would have put me out of my than 11: ~erha~she mixed the two books misery. Could it be the Berlin harpsi- chordist Sylvia Kind (79)?

Le livre d'orgue de Montr6al (La Vie musicale en Nouvelle-France,l). Pref. par Elisabeth Gallat-Morin. MontrCal : Presses de 1'UniveritC de MontrCal et Paris : Editions aux Amateurs de livres, 1988. (RCimpres- sion du fac-simile de la Fondation Lionel-Groulx, 1981. 540p., 68,00$)

Un manuscrit de musique franqaise classique, 6tude critique et historique : le Livre d'orgue de MontrCal (La Vie musicale en Nouvelle -France, 2). Par Elisabeth Gallat-Morin. Montreal : Presses de 1'Uni- versit6 de MontrCal et Paris : Editions aux Amateurs de livres, 1988. (459 p., 65,00$)

A la recherche d'informations sur la Connu maintenant sous le nom de Livre pratique musicale en Nouvelle-France d'orgue de Montr6a1, le manuscrit de dans les archives de la Fondation Lionel plus de 500 pages et contenant 398 -Groux, la musicologue montrealaise Pisces d'orgue anonymes a suscit6 bien Elisabeth Gallat-Morin fit en 1978 la des interrogations: quelle est son dgcouverte d'un volumineux recueil manu- origine? qui etait ce Girard dont la scrit de musique d'orgue. Ce gros signature apparaft a l'interieur de la document ne portait, pour toute identi- couverture? quelle est la valeur de f icat ion, que les inscriptions cette musique? comment se compare-t-elle suivantes: "Pieces d'orgue", "J. J. aux autres sources de cette Cpoque qui Girouard 1847" et "Girard 1724". ont survecu? qui sont les auteurs de ces Comme la graphie de la musique Ctait pieces d'orgue? I1 n'en fallait pas plus manifestement du 17e ou du 18e siecle, pour inciter Elisabeth Gallat-Morin 3 MadameGallat-Morin devint:immCdiatement entreprendre une etude tres poussCe de consciente "d'etre en presence d'une ce document unique, qui s'est aver6 Gtre source importante de mus f que d'orgue le plus important manuscrit de musique franqaise du Grand Siecle ". Grgce B d'orgue franqaise connu jusqu'a main- son initiative, le precieux manuscrit tenant. Ce travail de recherche, long Btait publie en 1981 par la Fondation et minutieux, devint l'objet d'une these Lionel-Groulx et une edition moderne de doctorat qui valut recemment B Madame etait lancCe,.soug la responsabilite de Gallat-Morin un Ph.D. en musicologie de Kenneth Gilbert et de l'editeur Jacques 1'UniversitC de MontrCal. Un amnuscrit Ostiguy de Saint-Hyacinthe. de musique franqaise classique, Ctude et historique ...constitue l'essential de Gallat-Morin, qui comprit l'importance cette thSse remanige en vue de la pr6- de sa d6couverte et en fit rapidement sente publication dans la collection: la profiter le monde de l'orgue. Vie musicale en Nouvelle-France. Cet important volume fait &tat des La seconde partie de 186tude, plus sub- connaissances actuelles sur le Livre stantielle, porte sur la musique du d'orgue de Montrgal dont un exemplaire Livre d'orgue de Uontr6al. L'analyse du fac-simil6, r6imprim6 en 1988, est des oeuvres r6vele "plusieurs 616ments Ggalement disponible dans la meme stylistiques intgressants dans les liens collection. qui existent entre les piGces individu- elles et les divers cahiers dont elles L'gtvde critique et historique se pr6- font partie, d'une part, et entre ces sente en deux volets. La premiere pisces et ensemble du rGpertoire, partie prgsente le manuscrit, notamment d'autre par$'*. Les diverses caract6- la couverture, l'6tude du papier et des tCris tiques observ6es "permettent diffgrents filigranes, les diverses d'avancer l'hypothese d'une chronolo ie graphies indicatives de l'intervention des diverses composantes du manustrit 5 ., . de plusieurs mains, les hypotheses de I1 est int6ressant de noter que les datation du manuscrit, le regroupement pieces identifiges comme 6tant de des 6 Messes, 11 Magnificat, et 2 Te Lebegue n'ont pas 6 transcrites de Deum par ton d'6glise et par genre li- l'6dition imprimee et seraient des turgique, les registrations et une versions antgrieures. De plus, d'autres tentative d'identification de la musique pieces sont 6crites dans un style proche (par comparaison avec les autres sources de celui de Lebegue et pourraient @tre connues de cette bpoque, 16 pieces, des oeuvres inconnues du martre ou de jusqu'ici, ont 6 identifiges comme ses 6lSves. Madame Gallat-Morin est gtant de Nicolas Lebegue). d'avis, apres l'analyse des diverses hypotheses avancees, que la musique du L'auteur essaie ensuite de remonter Zi la manuscrit serait ant6rieure Zi 1690. Par source du manuscrit h l'aide d'un fil contre, les oeuvres auraient 66 re- conducteur aussi t6nu que le simple nom copiees au cours de la p6riode allant de des deux personnes qui y ont appos6 leur 1666 a 1720. En outre, quelques pieces signature: J. J. Girouard au 19e siecle semblent avoir 6t6 modifiges pour les et Girard au 18e. Ce dernier a 6t6 adapter 3 un orgue a un seul clavier identifi6 comme etant Jean Girard, n6 en divisg, type d'instrument vraisemblable- 1698 Zi Saint-M6dard de Bourges, en ment en usage Zi MontrCal B 1'Cpoque de France. Form6 musicalement d2s Jean Girard. l'enfance, ce clerc tonsure debarqua 3 Montreal en 1724 et y vecut jusqu'en En conclusion, l'auteur reproduit un 1760 au S6minaire des Sulpiciens, comme texte de Nicolas Lebegue intitul6 "Le enseignant et organiste 2 Notre-Dame de melange des jeux" et dresse la table du MontrCal . Tout concorde , selon contenu du Livre d'orgue de Uontr6al. l'auteur, pour affirmer que ce Girard a Suivent un catalogue th6matique des 398 bien apport6 avec lui le manuscrit de pieces d'orgue, une bibliographie et un France. Apres la mort de celui-ci index. l'ouvrage, vraisemblablement conserv6 par les Sulpiciens, passa ult6rieurement Si de nombreuses questions demeurent, entre les mains de Jean-Joseph Girouard pour le moment, sans rCponse, il n'en en 1847 pour se trouver finalement dans reste pas moins que le pr6sente ouvrage la bibliotheque du Chanoine Lionel apporte un nouvel Cclairage sur "l'usage Groulx en 1950. Ce n'est que 28 ans plus quotidien que faisait un organiste de tard que le prCcieux document tombait paroisse ou de couvent de son livre par hasard dans les mains dlElisabeth d'orgue: 'composition' de Magnificat Zi partir de versets de Messe, adaptation de Madame Gallat-Morin d'autres sources des oeuvres B des instruments de aussi importantes de renseignements sur dimensions plus restreintes que celui la pratique musicale en France et en pour lequel la musique avait 6t6 &rite, Nouvelle-France au cours des 17e et 18e chif frage des versets e,: plain chant siecles et contribuer ainsi B faire qu'il devait accompagner . avancer d'un grand pas notre histoire mus icale. Grgce 3 Jean Girard, B la communaut6 des Sulpiciens, 3 la famille J. J. Girouard -Claude Beaudry et au Chanoine Lionel Groulx, ce tgrnoin UniversitC Lava1 important de la musique d'orgue francaise de la pgriode classique n'a 1. Elisabeth Gallat-Morin, Un manuscrit pas subi le sort rgservg 2 la plupart de de musique franqaise classique.., ses semblables dont on a jusqu'ici perdu (Montr6al : Presses de l'Universit6 de la trace, ce qui a valu 3 Elisabeth Montrgal, 1988), p.xi. Gallat-Morin de mener 2 bien sa 2. Gallat-Morin, p.315. recherche avec toute la rigueur scien- 3. Gallat-Morin, p.315. tifique qui s'imposait en de telles 4. Gallat-Morin, p.317. circonstances. Puisse le hasard mettre sur la chemin de chercheurs de la trempe

For the love of music : interviews with Ulla Colgrass. Toronto : Oxford University Press, 1988. (vii, 200p., $17.95)

For the love of music contains twenty- mation, where and when the interview two interviews conducted by Ulla took place, and often, more recent facts Colgrass between 1978 and 1987, and about the musician's life and career. originally published in Music magazine, Since some of the interviews took place the journal founded by Colgrass in 1978 ten or more years ago, there have been as "a forum for musicians to speak about many changes in the intervening period. their art and lives". The new information brings the older interviews into closer focus, and Performers, conductors and composers are preserves their relevancy to the included, more than half of them present. Canadians or resident here. The book offers a summary of the thoughts and Several of the interviews were conducted views of several of the most success- under unusual circumstances. R. Murray ful musicians of the past 20 years: Schafer invited Colgrass to a sunrise Aitken, Ameling, Anhalt, James Campbell, taping of Music for Uildemess Lake at Kyung Wha Chung, Forrester, Fox, Golani, O'Grady Lake near Peterborough, Ont. Gould, Keene, Kuerti, Leinsdorf, Ma, Conversations with Glenn Gould took Winton Marsalis, the Orford String place on the telephone, mostly late at Quartet, Ozolins, Schafer, Stoltzman, night. Colgrass did not meet with him Stratas, Vickers, Wiens, and Zukerman. in person, but these characteristic communications are the basis of her The interviews are presented in alpha- printed result. Emmy Ameling was inter- betical order, each preceded by an in- viewed during breakfast in a noisy hotel troduction including biographical infor- restaurant. In the interview with Winton Marsalis, composer Michael growing belief that the audience Colgrass also participated, and ques- interfered with his need for total tioned Marsalis about his career as a musical perfection. For him, a concert jazz musician. artist was "somebody for whom the indi- vidual moment is more important than the Overall, I found the interviews totality", and in his opinion, an fascinating glimpses into the lives of adequate total effect could only be these musicians. Answers to questions achieved in the recording studio. most of us would love to ask are freely Ameling reacts to this by saying that volunteered. Surprisingly, since most there is "no better place to meet for of the interviews cover less than ten the spirits of us earthlings" than at a pages each, a fairly good overview of concert, and for her, interaction with the philosophy and insights of each the audience is the most compelling subject has been drawn. Colgrass knows reason for her singing. Robert Aitken the right questions to ask to elicit agrees, saying "I get everything from information which will be informative the audience when I feel they are right and useful for other musicians as well with me". as for general readers. Gould also didn't see anything wrong For example, I have always wondered why with Muzak or other "elevator music", R. Murray Schafer settled in Maynooth, claiming that it does provide a sort of Ont., quite a ways off the beaten track. musical education. Kuerti on the other His experimentation with the sounds of hand calls Hooked on classics the nature, and desire to be close to it are "supreme perversion", and further states part of the reason. His involvement that Muzak "goes in one ear and out some with music in the community was a result other opening". of his desire to be accepted and to prove that culture exists everywhere, There are few criticisms to make of this not only in large cities. In an earlier volume. A photograph of the Orfords chapter, Glenn Gould's own statements shows the present members, not those who about his recording methods and his were actually interviewed in 1985. And, reasons for ceasing to play in public while often a summary final question provide another source for understanding about .the future .is asked -and answered, his work and personality -- more several of the interviews end rather convincing than interpretations abruptly, without this feeling of expressed by others. conclusion.

Each interview is quite different in In each interview, a different set of approach, but often includes accounts of values and perspectives comes to light. early education, and past and future All these musicians, however, share one goals. Colgrass also usually draws out thing: a love of music and a desire to views on teachers and teaching, the achieve perfection in their work, position of the arts in society, and the whatever their individual definitions of role of the audience in performance. "perfection" might be. Colgrass has All the interviews also touch on the succeeded in portraying this essential personal lives and extra-musical characteristic. activities of the subjects. -Cheryl Martin Contrasts in philosophies are clearly Memorial University of Newfoundland evident. Emmy Ameling and Anton Kuerti both disagree with views of Glenn Gould. Gould's retirement from the concert stage was in part a result of his My orchestras and other adventures hands with a violinist, with a formally- : the memoirs of Boyd Neel. dressed audience in the background. But Edited by J. David Finch. Toronto on p.99 we learn in a quite hilarious : Press, story that the "player" is Raymond 1985. (230p., $24.95) Massey ("tone-deaf" according to Neel), and the "concert"took place only in the This volume of memoirs was completed film Dreaming Lips. The book also after Neel's 1981 death, and incorpor- offers a posed and edited version of ates autobiographical sketches and radio events, but only the hard-hearted would script material. be curious about the contents of the The early chapters describe his family cutting-room floor. background and his first career as a medical doctor. Some of these reminis- A discography listing commercially cences are charming but vague: released recordings from Neel's 45-year Three of my uncles on the French conducting career occupies the last 20 side started a small private pages. It backs up the claim that his bank.. .just off the Place de chamber orchestra introduced a whole new lq0p6ra... I well remember seeing repertoire -- of neglected baroque and Joyce sitting in the bank early classic works, and of contemporary surrounded by the strange compositions. clientele and looking quite at home. (p.7) And his youthful recollections of seeing performances -- by Chaliapin, Nijinsky, and by Strauss as conductor of Cosi fan tutte are tantalizingly brief. An evo- cation of London life in the late 1920s is more illuminating: "I can remember when one had literally to push one's way through the crowds of prostitutes along Jazz in Canada : fourteen lives. the sidewalk in Piccadilly". (p.45) By Mark Miller. Toronto : Night- wood, 1988. (245p., 16.95) The central one-third of the book is a (Nightwood Editions new address is: P 0 slightly-pruned version of his history Box 1426, Station A, London, Ontario, of the Boyd Neel Orchestra, originally N6A 5M2) published in 1957, in which he recounts with enthusiasm its exciting early Six years after its initial publication days. Again, many extra-musical anec- by the University of Toronto Press, this dotes are included, especially about air excellent study of some of the previous- travel to Australia and New Zealand just ly dark corners of Canada's musical life after the war. has been reissued in paperback. There is a very brief updating added to the The concluding sections, covering his preface, with the claim that the text life in Canada as an academic administA includes a number of corrections and rator, his retirement and return to revisions (but the misprint of Khrem for conducting, are written in the same en- Krehm on p.104 remains). Nightwood is tertaining fashion. He describes even to be commended for keeping this attrac- the bitter controversies at the Royal tive title in print at a modest price. Conservatory in the mid-1950s in a P.G. -K. McM. Wodehouse tone of voice. .

The photo chosen for the dust cover re- presents the contents well: it shows Neel on his conductor's rostrum, shaking