The Glenn Gould Collection

Glenn Gould's life was almost as fascinating as his revelatory performances of Bach, and this three-DVD set comprised of material drawn from the CBC archives--with each disc featuring a television documentary as well as bonus snippets--will prove a treasure trove for his legion of admirers. The first, Life & Times, presents a fairly conventional biographical treatment, along with performances of two movements of a Bach concerto and a keyboard fugue, as well as a clip of Gould talking (in rather extravagantly theatrical style, it must be said) to an audience of children. The second, The Russian Journey, chronicles the 1957 Russian tour that helped make Gould a classical star, and includes separate post-tour interviews with the pianist and his manager, as well as a performance of a Beethoven bagatelle. The final disc, Extasis, offers an impressionistic appreciation of Gould's extraordinary persona, accompanied by a performance of a Sweelinck organ fantasia played on the piano. All of this material is relatively rare and therefore valuable to aficionados. Given the age of the material, the picture and sound quality are highly variable, but the intrinsic interest of the content easily outweighs these drawbacks. Gould was not only a master musician but also a remarkable character, and this set captures both facets of the man. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)