[f_minor] Inner Genius Film Oscar??

[Robert Merkin]

I imagine GG thought about his legacy, and about the things he wanted to do to secure it. But I can't imagine he believed Raw Numbers would be the most important structure of his legacy. That would put him more in the category of Michael Jackson, or Cher, or Madonna. Whose work will also endure -- or continue to get airplay -- but largely on the strength of professional ballyhoo and mega-hype.

Alive and in his prime, even in Canada, GG was always an acquired and a rarified taste. It was not sheer numbers of fans that ranked him so highly in the national and musical worlds. Primarily he devoted his energies and talents to a traditionally marginalized, "underperforming" corner of the arts, classical music.

In 2004's CBC Greatest Canadians, GG appears on neither the Top 10 Greatest Canadians of All Time, nor on the 10 Worst Canadians list. (Pierre Eliott Trudeau is 3rd Greatest, and 1st Worst, surpassing on the Worst list the serial killer partners Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.)

GG's equation had a high-coefficient term of excellence, even perceived perfection. Others on such lists depend for their perceived immortality more on Big Noise and Splashy Headlines. Or hockey.

But if it's sheer number of fans we hope for -- well, as Judy Tenuda said of her dates with the Pope: "It could happen!" In the arts, the careers of the dead take strange, unforeseen upturns. Karen Carpenter and Kurt Cobain, not to mention Elvis, still earn huge royalties. Michael Jackson is expected to begin turning huge annual profits because the mega-spending phase of his life has abruptly ended.

The most likely rediscovery and explosion of new generation fans will be GG's music backing a hugely successful Hollywood movie. If the movie has a widespread and accessible emotional impact, people will want more of the music they associate those emotions with.

Bob


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kpapademas at aol.com 
  To: f_minor at glenngould.org 
  Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:42 PM
  Subject: [f_minor] Inner Genius Film Oscar??


      
  Hello Everyone!

  Oscar Nod for Inner Genius film??

  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i188fd3103facd85e8a99687a2cd8e716

  The film will be shown in Chicago tonight (9/17/2010) -

  Only 5% of Americans know about Glenn Gould?? There has to be more of us!

  K



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