Glenn Gould, one of the world’s most celebrated pianists, will be honoured this weekend with a posthumous lifetime achievement award at the Grammys in Los Angeles, almost 30 years after his death.
Those who knew Gould, who passed away in 1982, say he would have been “amused” by the honour.
“He would have been amused. Because of all the fanfare and the light that comes with this type of award. It’s something he eschewed,” said Stephen Posen, a friend of the pianist.
Born in Toronto, Gould first won world acclaim in the 1950s for his interpretation of Bach’s Goldberg variations.
"He was unconventional. He was young. He was handsome. They used to refer to him when he first came on the scene as the James Dean of the piano," said his friend Ray Roberts.
In later years, Gould was also known for his quirks, such as wearing gloves and a hat year round, and avoiding performing live.
After his death, some friends thought his legacy might wane.
"We assumed that he would fade into obscurity after X number of years -- eight, 10 whatever -- and that has not happened,” said Brian Levine of the Glenn Gould Foundation.
Gould won four Grammys while he was alive.
Also receiving lifetime achievement awards at this year’s Grammys are Charlie Haden, Lightnin' Hopkins, Carole King, Patti Page, Ravi Shankar, and the Temptations.
A special invitation-only ceremony will be held on Saturday, and Gould, along with the other honorees, will be formally acknowledged at the main Grammys ceremony on Sunday.
With a report from CTV’s John Vennavally-Rao
