Glenn Gould Memorial Service info

Mon Sep 22 21:29:06 UTC 2025

Hi again Matthew,

I tried the link that you sent, but it's just delivering a blank screen.
I've tried a few variations of that link to see if I could get it to
download. Are you able to download it?

Noel

On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 9:24 AM Noel Roberts <noelgroberts at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Matthew,
>
> I'll try to pursue that. I tried to order it from the National Archives
> using :
>
> *ISN 557676 / Glenn Gould memorial service, part 1, St Paul's [Anglican
> Church, Toronto]*
>
> And they found another recording which they added to my order. (ISN
> 438588 / Glenn Gould memorial service
> <https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=filvidandsou&IdNumber=438588&q_type_1=q&q_1=438588&ecopy=>
> )
>
> They said that I would receive a copyright release form from the CBC, but
> I haven't seen that yet. It's been a month.
>
> The options were to get it in MP3 or WAV format. I've requested WAV audio
> format to maximize the quality.
>
> Thanks,
> Noel
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 8:12 AM Matthew Harding <matt at ktlgroup.ca> wrote:
>
>> Hello Noel,
>>
>> The recording is at least, publicly available from the UofT archives:
>>
>> music.utoronto.ca
>> <http://library.music.utoronto.ca/media/Concerts/CD1982/TP1982--050_01.mp3>
>>
>> <http://library.music.utoronto.ca/media/Concerts/CD1982/TP1982--050_01.mp3>
>> <http://library.music.utoronto.ca/media/Concerts/CD1982/TP1982--050_01.mp3>
>>
>> I also have a copy of the Order of Service which I will post later when I
>> find it.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Matthew
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Matthew Harding
>> President and CEO
>>
>> [image: KTL_logo_transparent_xsm.png]
>>
>>
>>
>> Tel:  613-841-2157 x202
>> Fax: 613-841-2158
>>
>> On Sep 21, 2025, at 6:41 PM, Noel Roberts <noelgroberts at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> There seemed to be some confusion as to who organized Glenn Gould's
>> Memorial Service on Oct 15, 1982.
>>
>> It was John P. L. Roberts, who was asked by Glenn's father Bert. Bert
>> realized that there would be an expectation for the public to mourn, and as
>> John remembers it, Bert said "I'm too old. I can't do it and I don't
>> know all the people." So he asked John to lead it. John consulted with Bert
>> and also kept him informed along the way.
>>
>> It was a mad rush to organize the memorial service in 2 weeks. The venue,
>> the selection of the music, the artists, media handling, notifying various
>> embassies, and so on.
>>
>> John recalls trying to track down Elmer Isler who was on tour with the
>> Elmer Isler singers in the US, Maureen Forrester and others. He mentions
>> they came rushing back, postponing their American tour.
>>
>> John originally reached out to St James Cathedral in Toronto as the venue
>> of choice, but as calls from the press, and the level of media attention
>> increased, he realized that the Cathedral was not going to be big enough.
>> He reached out to St Paul's Anglican church as it was larger, and they were
>> very gracious in accommodating the memorial service on such short notice,
>> as they had to cancel or postpone an event that had been planned for that
>> weekend.
>>
>> The CBC was going to broadcast it in Canada, and I believe that there was
>> a broadcaster in the US who also broadcast it live there (likely at least
>> in New York).
>>
>> Here are a few things that John recalls, that may be of interest:
>>
>>    1. John wanted to involve the congregation in the service, and since
>>    Glenn loved the old hymns, two were chosen. Bert loved the idea of
>>    involving everyone. Many hymns were suggested, and the two that were chosen
>>    were done so in consultation with at least organist John Tuttle and likely
>>    others. John asked Godfrey Ridout to make the musical arrangements,
>>    who probably did so working with John Tuttle. The hymns were:
>>       1. “The Old Hundredth” chorale (from "Glenn Gould, A Life and
>>       Variations", Friedrich, p.4)
>>       2. The chorale "Nun danket alle Gott" - Now Thank We All Our God
>>       (from Alexina Louie's post:
>>       https://www.glenngould.ca/2020/12/07/o-magnum-mysterium/)
>>    2. John wanted representation from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and
>>    worked with Walter Homburger, who was able to assemble the quintet.
>>    3. John also wanted it to end with Glenn playing, and so chose it end
>>    with the Aria da Capo (Track #32 of Glenn's second recording of the
>>    Goldberg Variations)
>>
>> Here's what I was able to assemble as to the music that was performed at
>> the service:
>>
>>    1.
>>
>>    The Music Programme included:
>>    1.
>>
>>       J.S. Bach, Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BMV 544 ;
>>       2.
>>
>>       J Brahms, Motet for Double Chorus, op.110, no. 1 Ich Aber Bin
>>       Elends ;
>>       3.
>>
>>       from the J.S. Bach Motet No.3, BMV 227, Jesu Meine Freude ; (Elmer
>>       Iseler Singers)
>>       4.
>>
>>       J.S. Bach, Allegro from Sonata in G minor for flute and continuo,
>>       BWV 1020 ; (Tuttle and Aitken)
>>       5.
>>
>>       J.S. Bach, Have Mercy Lord from St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244;
>>       (Forrester, accompanied by Staryk and Tuttle. This was a work that
>>       Forrester had performed with Gould)
>>       6.
>>
>>       Cavatina from Beethoven’s String Quartet in B flat Major, op. 130
>>       ; (the Orford String Quartet)
>>       7.
>>
>>       J.S. Bach, Aria da Capo from Goldberg Variations. (Recording. Aria
>>       da Capo, Track #32 of second Gould recording of the Goldberg Variations)
>>
>>
>> John also recalls reaching out to various embassies, which resulted in
>> some countries being represented at the service.
>>
>> On a different and anecdotal note, John remembers being at the hospital
>> with Bert and Vera (Bert's second wife) for the discussion with the doctor
>> who informed them that there would be no recovery for Glenn. The suggestion
>> was to take Glenn off of life support the next day, October 3rd, but as
>> this fell on Vera's birthday, it was decided to take him off of life
>> support on October 4th instead.
>>
>> Here are some of the sources that I used. Supposedly there's a recording
>> of the memorial service, but the CBC has copyright. I would love for that
>> to be available in the CBC online archive.
>>
>> https://discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/otufm51-tp-1982-050
>>
>>
>> https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?idnumber=557676&app=FilVidAndSou&ecopy=
>>
>> Happy reading!
>> Noel
>>
>>
>>
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