Performers Flashcards

1
Q

What happened in 1949 that launched Peterson’s international career?

A

American impresario Norman Granz arranged for him to appear on “Jazz at the Philharmonic” at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Gave sensational performance

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2
Q

Who was Gould’s piano teacher?

A

his mother, at 4 years old

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3
Q

Where and when did Peterson teach?

A

taught part time at York University beginning in 1985, and served as chancellor from 1991-1994

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4
Q

Give some details on Peterson’s Hymn to Freedom

A
  • gospel inspired song
  • later arranged for choir
  • text expresses hope and brotherhood among all people
  • 1 of 6 songs performed at 2009 inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama
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5
Q

Where was Gould born/raised?

A

Toronto

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6
Q

What was evident at age 3 in Gould?

A

absolute/perfect pitch

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7
Q

Who was a companion of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario?

A

Peterson

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8
Q

Describe Gould’s style of piano playing.

A
  • lean and clearly articulated, although he could also be expressive and lyrical
  • experimented in extremes in tempo, quirky phrasing, and ornamentation
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9
Q

In what year did Gould permanently retire from public performance?

A

1964

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10
Q

How many Grammys and Junos did Peterson win?

A

7 Grammy awards, 2 Juno awards

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11
Q

Gould made a historic recording of what in 1955, and when did he re-record the work?

A
  • “Goldberg Variations”

- 1981

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12
Q

What years did Glenn Gould live?

A

1932-1982

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13
Q

Who was internationally recognized, but based himself in Canada throughout his long and distinguished career?

A

Peterson

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14
Q

How did Peterson gain national recognition in his teens?

A

performances in nightclubs, hotels, and on CBC Radio

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15
Q

Describe Peterson’s playing.

A

great technical facility, clear articulation, tremendous skill and ability

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16
Q

When was the Oscar Peterson Trio formed and who was a part of it?

A
  • 1953
  • Ray Brown (bass)
  • Herb Ellis (guitar)
  • toured USA under Norman Granz’s management
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17
Q

Who did Peterson take piano lessons from?

A
  • first lessons with older sister Daisy, who became a respected piano teacher
  • at age 15, began studying with Paul de Marky: Hungarian born pianist whose teacher had been a student of Franz Liszt
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18
Q

Where did Gould study, and what did he study?

A
  • the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music)
  • studied theory, organ, and piano
  • obtained the conservatory’s highest degree: the Associate Diploma, at age 12 with the highest marks ever awarded at the time
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19
Q

Who also wrote film and tv scores, and completed commissions including music for the 1998 Calgary Winter Olympic Games?

A

Peterson

20
Q

Where did Peterson live?

A

Montreal (hometown) until 1958, Toronto, Mississauga

21
Q

Who made extensive annual concert tours in the 1950s, and appeared with many major orchestras and conductors in North America and abroad?

A

Gould

22
Q

Who was born into a musical family and was 1 of 5 children?

A

Peterson

23
Q

What did Gould do after retiring from public performance?

A
  • devoted himself to studio recording, broadcasting, filmmaking. Preferred this controlled environment to what he felt was the artificiality of the concert stage
  • produced countless programs for CBC Radio and television, favoured radio and TV recitals that were unified thematically or tied together with his own spoken commentary
24
Q

Give some details on Peterson’s Canadiana Suite

A
  • each track inspired by a different region of Canada
  • “my musical portrait of the Canada I love”
  • “Ballad of the East” is an ode to the Maritimes
  • “Place St. Henri” is a musical snapshot of his Montreal neighbourhood
25
Q

Name some awards that Peterson received.

A
  • DownBeat Award for best jazz pianist 13 times between 1950-1972
  • numerous Canadian and international awards: Glenn Gould Prize (1993); Unesco International Music Prize, Order of Arts and Letters in France; Society for American Music Award, Praemium Imperiale Award (Novel equivalent for the arts)
  • recipient of 13 honorary doctorates, 8 “Hall of Fame” awards: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1997), BBC Radio, Atlanta International Jazz Society, Bosendorfer Piano Company, Governor General of Canada, City of Toronto
26
Q

What are Peterson’s most famous recordings?

A
  • most popular are the numerous Oscar Peterson Trio recordings (1951-1958) with Ellis and Brown
  • “Night Train” (1963)
  • “History of the Artist” (1973)
  • several video documentaries on his life and work including “Songs in the Key of Oscar”, and the CD/DVD “A Night in Vienna”
27
Q

What years did Oscar Peterson live?

A

1925-2007

28
Q

Who are some major stars that Peterson recorded with?

A
  • Charlie Parker
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Dizzy Gillespie
  • Louis Armstrong
  • Duke Ellington
  • Count Basie
29
Q

Name some of the awards Gould received.

A
  • Harriet Cohen Bach Medal
  • Honorary Doctorate from the University of Toronto
  • Canadian Confederation Medal
  • Canada Council’s Molson Prize
  • The Canadian Music Council Medal and Grand Prix du Disque
  • named to Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame (1983)
  • Grammy Award (1983, 1984) and Juno Awards (1983, 1984)
30
Q

Who published 4 volumes of “Jazz Exercises” and “Pieces For the Young Jazz Pianist”?

A

Peterson

31
Q

Describe Gould’s controversial performance in 1962

A
  • Brahms concerto no. 1 with Leonard Bernstein (renowned conductor)
  • before the performance, Bernstein expressed his reservations regarding Gould’s interpretation, while at the same time acknowledging his respect for Gould’s artistry and individuality
32
Q

When was the Glenn Gould Foundation established and what does it do?

A
  • established in Toronto in 1983
  • awards a triennial $50,000 Glenn Gould prize in music and communication
  • sponsors the Friends of Glenn Gould Society
  • publishes the semi-annual journal “Glenngould”
33
Q

Who cofounded the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto in the 1960s?

A

Peterson

34
Q

Where and when did Gould make his professional recital debut?

A
  • Toronto’s Eaton Auditorium

- 1947

35
Q

Name the 2 DVDs about Gould.

A
  • “The Alchemist” (2003)

- “Hereafter” (2005)

36
Q

Who died in October 1982 at 50 years old after suffering a stroke?

A

Gould

37
Q

Who is Norman Granz?

A
  • arranged for the performance that launched Peterson’s international career
  • served as Peterson’s manager until 1998
38
Q

Who was Peterson influenced by?

A
  • Nat “King” Cole: pianist-singer

- Art Tatum: virtuoso jazz pianist

39
Q

Name 2 of Peterson’s best known works.

A
  • “Hymn to Freedom”

- “Canadiana Suite” (nominated for Grammy)

40
Q

Name 5 ways Gould was honoured after his death.

A
  • papers and personal effects housed at National Library of Canada and Canadian Museum of Civilization
  • childhood home now a historic site
  • Canada Post issued a 1999 stamp to honor him
  • 5 major conferences held between 1987-1999 to examine his life and work; numerous smaller Gould events have been held throughout the world
  • Since his death, his international following has continued to grow; popular figure on the internet; subject of fan sites, databases, discussion groups
41
Q

As a composer, what style was Peterson’s music?

A

jazz trends from the 1940s from traditional blues, gospel, and stride piano, to the more progressive bebop style

42
Q

Name 3 other things that were named after Gould.

A
  • the Glenn Gould Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Toronto
  • the Glen Gould Professional School at the RCM
  • the Glenn Gould Studio at CBC
43
Q

What did Gould’s unconventional choice of performance repertoire include?

A

16th and 17th century keyboard music, plenty of Bach, a small selection of Classical and Romantic works, and a generous amount of 20th century music, incl. works by Canadian composers and the complete piano works of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern

44
Q

When did Gould make his CBC Radio broadcast debut and what significance did it have?

A
  • 1950
  • marked the beginning of his lifelong interest in recording technology: realized he could improve performances, wanted to create the perfect, artistic conception
45
Q

Describe Gould’s posture at the piano

A
  • unusual posture at the piano and unconventional stage mannerisms generated much criticism
  • used a battered wooden folding chair modified by his father for most of his life. Famous chair allowed him to sit very low at the keyboard in unorthodox position
46
Q

Solo and concerto performances as a student earned critical acclaim for who?

A

Gould

47
Q

Name 6 of Gould’s recordings.

A
  • “Goldberg Variations” (1955, re-recorded in 1981)
  • “The Well-Tempered Clavier” books 1 and 2
  • Symphony No. 5 in C Minor (Beethoven-Liszt)
  • “Music of Arnold Schoenberg”
  • “Glenn Gould Plays His Own Transcriptions”
  • “Brahms: Ten Intermezzi”