Glenn Gould, prophet of social media

April 29, 11:54 AMDesign Trends ExaminerNeal Shaffer

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Pianist Glenn Gould is no longer a household name (if he ever was). There was a time, however, when he was not only one of the world's greatest musicians, but also one of its greatest eccentrics. Primarily for one grand, dramatic gesture: walking away from live performance at the height of his powers and turning his attention solely to the recording studio.

The move is nicely addressed in this LA Times essay by Michael Hiltzik. Essentially, Gould believed that the act of live performance was a far from ideal way for listeners to experience his music, and that through the technology of recording he could give them the tools to define his work for themselves. To use Gould's work, in other words, as a means of creating exactly the Bach (for example) they want.

It was a stunning act of prescience.

Gould's philosophy not only foresaw the rise of mix tapes, Napster, and iTunes, but in a sense he predicted the rise of new/social media itself. If that sounds like a stretch, consider that the very core of new media is the "user defined" experience -- the shift of power from creator to consumer (or, at least, a shift to power sharing). Gould saw that technology would make it possible.

He was certainly not the only one to notice, even then, and he seems like the kind of person who wouldn't want credit anyway. But it's fascinating to look back now and marvel at just how much sense he was making, even if precious few of his contemporaries could see it the same way.

Photo via glenngould.com