Itzhak Perlman: American Masters

Glenn Gould: Genius Within

AMERICAN MASTERS pierces through the myths and misconceptions about Glenn Gould to unravel the layers of an iconic, but intensely private, musician who had revolutionary understanding of the Baroque masters. Gould followed his sensational 1955 New York City concert debut at the age of 22, by taking his talent to the Soviet Union and became an equally prodigious star there. After a decade-long thriving international career, he defied the critics and shocked his fans by leaving the concert circuit. In 1964, he chose to focus exclusively on the recording arts, believing that this medium could create a transcendental relationship between artist and audience. He used music to reach across language, culture and ideology, rediscovering Bach for a new generation. "Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould" is a consideration of the western cult of celebrity that surrounded this reclusive artist. Told with benefit of his remarkable recordings and through interviews with those who knew him best -- his lover, his manager, his personal assistant and his collaborators -- Gould is revealed and newly revered.