Glenn Gould: The Ecstasy and Tragedy of Genius

Rating:
Summary: My opinion
Review: I guess I have to say that I enjoyed the book itself while reading it, since I am such a big fan of Gould but, it just doen't give me any insights on his musical world and Oswalt emphasizes too much about how close they were... Maybe because Oswalt was a doctor, not a musician himself..

Rating:
Summary: Interesting perspective, but flawed in many ways.
Review: I had high hopes for this book, reserving a copy the second I heard of its existance. And though it provided some new perspectives, not on new material. I also felt that while he continued to talk about Gould's ego problems, his writing seemed to reflect some of his own ego problems. One cannot forget his contradictory parenthetical statements about Gould's views, and the amount of himself that can be found in a biography about Gould. Overall, it was a good idea, but not necesarily as well implimented

Rating:
Summary: In Depth analysis.
Review: I like this book inspite of its short comings. We know Gould was opinionated, and ostwald was patronizing but, Ostwald, Psychologist, musician and friend of Gould, who better to Write a book about him? Every thing is analyzed. Moreover, the pics are a great selection. Don't get me wrong, I think Psychology is art of Philosophy (psycho-babble), and not a science. For example Ostwald fails to mention Amphetamine-induced psychosis is clinically indistinguishable from paranoid schizophrenia, and many other symptoms could arise with the drug cocktails Gould was taking. But he was rite about Aspergers Syndrome, I had suspected that for years.

Rating:
Summary: In Depth analysis.
Review: I like this book inspite of its short comings. We know Gould was opinionated, and ostwald was patronizing but, Ostwald, Psychologist, musician and friend of Gould, who better to Write a book about him? Every thing is analyzed. Moreover, the pics are a great selection. Don't get me wrong, I think Psychology is art of Philosophy (psycho-babble), and not a science. For example Ostwald fails to mention Amphetamine-induced psychosis is clinically indistinguishable from paranoid schizophrenia, and many other symptoms could arise with the drug cocktails Gould was taking. But he was rite about Aspergers Syndrome, I had suspected that for years.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent, interesting life review and interpretation
Review: Ostwald has done an excellent job of ferreting out the details of an unusual life and making it readable, regardless of the readers experience in music and/or medicine. The book can be read cover to cover, or the reader can easily jump around without losing too much from not reading previous chapters.
I have heard it said that Ostwald is somehow "jealous" of Gould and that his book is a restitution for Gould's scorning of the Psychiatrist-author. On the contrary, I don't think that Ostwald is severe enough in his description of Gould's neurotic antisocial behavior. Nor is he critical enough of Gould's self-serving (mis)interpretation of various piano pieces, such as the very difficult sonata #29 by Beethoven. Or, try listening to Beethoven's "pathetique" sonata played by Gould. It is so violently fast as to lose all sense of musical flavor, phrasing and inflections.
My only other criticism of Ostwald is his (or his editor's) less-than-perfect grammar usage, such as the misuse of the words "whom" and "myself". Small points, at best.
In all, Gould was brilliant at the keyboard and an interesting though troubled figure away from it. This book captures the essence of the man to the point that I feel like I met him, and wish that I had.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent, interesting life review and interpretation
Review: Ostwald has done an excellent job of ferreting out the details of an unusual life and making it readable, regardless of the readers experience in music and/or medicine. The book can be read cover to cover, or the reader can easily jump around without losing too much from not reading previous chapters.
I have heard it said that Ostwald is somehow "jealous" of Gould and that his book is a restitution for Gould's scorning of the Psychiatrist-author. On the contrary, I don't think that Ostwald is severe enough in his description of Gould's neurotic antisocial behavior. Nor is he critical enough of Gould's self-serving (mis)interpretation of various piano pieces, such as the very difficult sonata #29 by Beethoven. Or, try listening to Beethoven's "pathetique" sonata played by Gould. It is so violently fast as to lose all sense of musical flavor, phrasing and inflections.
My only other criticism of Ostwald is his (or his editor's) less-than-perfect grammar usage, such as the misuse of the words "whom" and "myself". Small points, at best.
In all, Gould was brilliant at the keyboard and an interesting though troubled figure away from it. This book captures the essence of the man to the point that I feel like I met him, and wish that I had.

Rating:
Summary: Two good new books on Gould
Review: Ostwald's new biography of Gould is warm and familiar and solidly grounded in personal acquaintance and reflection. May I also recommend the extensive essay on Gould in The Saints of Modern Art by Charles A. Riley II, University Press of New England

Rating:
Summary: A shrink scorned?
Review: Probably not, but this is a surprisingly shallow psychobiography of a remarkable musician of enormous attractiveness; Glenn Gould was so gifted one might call him laden, and indeed Ostwald genuinely recognises this extraordinary condition, only to question the idea of such a thing, let alone its value, for the length of the book. Well, it was simply a fact, and for all Gould's self-oppression, it's clear that he lived his extraordinary life as he wished, on his own terms, without regret; and considering the gifts of art left to the world by this magisterial musician, one cannot but admire the whole man, eccentricities and all! In any case, Ostwald was never Gould's shrink, at least not in a professional sense, and who knows, perhaps the author is a better musician than writer. As to Glenn Gould and how much of him is conjured in these pages, there is a great deal more to be said about Gould, but you'll not find much in this book. The writing style is inapt, a reminiscence of sorts but with no warmth, certainly none to match the indelible warmth of its subject; Glenn Gould's artistic legacy remains not only intact, but warm and alive. Though I have read most of Gould's own writings (a worthwhile endeavor, by the way), and a number of compilations including various appreciations of the man, this was the first full-scale biography for me; surely there are others more appropriately seasoned with right perspective. Ostwald doesn't go very deep; one suspects he probed as deep as he was capable, but in the end one is left concerned that not much but the surface was peeled away. Disappointing for us Gould-aholics, but not a complete waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: A shrink scorned?
Review: Probably not, but this is a surprisingly shallow psychobiography of a remarkable musician of enormous attractiveness; Glenn Gould was so gifted one might call him laden, and indeed Ostwald genuinely recognises this extraordinary condition, only to question the idea of such a thing, let alone its value, for the length of the book. Well, it was simply a fact, and for all Gould's self-oppression, it's clear that he lived his extraordinary life as he wished, on his own terms, without regret; and considering the gifts of art left to the world by this magisterial musician, one cannot but admire the whole man, eccentricities and all! In any case, Ostwald was never Gould's shrink, at least not in a professional sense, and who knows, perhaps the author is a better musician than writer. As to Glenn Gould and how much of him is conjured in these pages, there is a great deal more to be said about Gould, but you'll not find much in this book. The writing style is inapt, a reminiscence of sorts but with no warmth, certainly none to match the indelible warmth of its subject; Glenn Gould's artistic legacy remains not only intact, but warm and alive. Though I have read most of Gould's own writings (a worthwhile endeavor, by the way), and a number of compilations including various appreciations of the man, this was the first full-scale biography for me; surely there are others more appropriately seasoned with right perspective. Ostwald doesn't go very deep; one suspects he probed as deep as he was capable, but in the end one is left concerned that not much but the surface was peeled away. Disappointing for us Gould-aholics, but not a complete waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: Rare Glimpses of Gould
Review: This book is valuable for many new anecdotes about Gould when he was out of the spotlight. For example there is a description of a night of chamber music playing at a friend of the author's house that displays both Gould's strengths as a musician and his limitations as a social being. For those tired of the endlessly repeated tales about wearing gloves in the summer and eating arrowroot biscuits, this is a refreshing book. I won't comment on the psychobiographical aspects of the book because I don't know anything about psychology, but at the very least, Ostwald was an intelligent man who had experience with psychiatry, music, and Gould, so I think there is some value in what he says. Also, unlike some of the other books about relationships that authors have had with pianists (read: Evenings with Horowitz by David Dubal) Ostwald keeps himself in the background for much of the book. I disagree that Ostwald used the book to get back at Gould. It is admittedly a book based on personal experience, and one of his experiences with Gould was that he was ultimately rejected. Why shouldn't he write about being hurt by this experience? At least he didn't try to cast himself as the most important thing in Gould's life, a la Dubal, and recognizes that any relationship with Gould was tenuous, something that he explores in the book.