Spending time with Stephen is like going to the library - the knowledge and wisdom literature is all there, ready to enrich and inform, but not in an overbearing way . . . simply a wonderful resource to delight, enrich and enlighten . . .

Thank you - you're so very kind!

He is awfully lovable, isn't he?

'tis an adjective oft-times applied to the head of yours truly, but never to that of the esteemed Mr. Fry . . .

How sweet thou art, dear Rachel, with thy honeyed words and keenness of ear . . .

I heartily agree. I would like to nominate Stephen Fry to be named a Living Global Treasure!

And he should've been knighted aoens ago!

@@MsFoland Is there a petition for such honours? I'll sign, even if we're from the Colonies!

@@BrianLevine-ku1xf That needs looking into!

I've had tea and crumpets with him, and I can attest to his civility! (well, truthfully, it was a North American brunch, but it's the thought that counts.)

Maybe Stephen should have a special one-man delegation to the UN. They might get more done - or at least they would stop fighting and start laughing, listening and learning.

I've met many gifted, creative, smart people over the last half-century - none so kind as Mr. Fry. He puts the "humane" back in "human"

Seconded - motion carried.

Truly, Stephen has a gift. His mind is like sticky tape - knowledge just clings to it!

Heaven's above! Where is it going to be? I am here in Aus, too. And a corpse farm does not really appeal.

@@kalayne6713 Somewhere in the Hunter Valley inland from Newcastle

@@kaloarepo288 I don't know, with all those microorganisms feasting themselves, it will be a definitive reposte to those who accuse Austria of lacking culture.

Please forgive me, I meant Australia - REALLY I did. The curse of auto-correct (and my bad typing) strikes again. I know that nobody wears lederhosen and drndls in the Outback!!! My apologies!

@@BrianLevine-ku1xf Did you say "Austria" on purpose? We would have loved to have created Mozart but perhaps not Hitler!

Knowing Stephen has been a great joy. We are very fortunate that he's a long-standing admirer of Glenn Gould, both as a pianist, a thinker, and a fellow technophile. When Stephen agreed to serve as a juror for The Glenn Gould Prize (the Laureate was Leonard Cohen), I really felt as though we'd won the lottery. It is such a privilege for The Glenn Gould Foundation that Stephen has remained a good friend to our organization all these years. Thank you for your kind comments, and please do subscribe to The Gould Standard . . . tell your friends, too!

You are sooooo right, Cathy. I never cease to be amazed by the breadth of Stephen's knowledge, but also the elegance and wit with which of spontaneously generates a bon- mot a minute! He is one of our true cultural treasures. I hope you'll share this podcast with friends and subscribe to The Gould Standard . . . further treasures await within!

Viggo is a treasure, and I think he's universally respected. What sets him apart is that he seems to be immune from what I call "Hollywood narcissism" - he is inquisitive, uncompromisingly ethical, and has a pan-artistic world-view that includes photography, music, poetry, painting, directing and publishing. He commands enormous respect in all of these areas, and takes his art very seriously, deeply researching and preparing for every role. I've seen the concentration and attention to detail he devotes to everything he does - including when he agreed to be Master of Ceremonies for our Glenn Gould Prize presentation to the late, great opera singer Jessye Norman. He was on-stage with her for us in 2019 at Toronto's Four Seasons Centre in what turned out to be her last public appearance, and I can honestly say that Jessye - not an easy woman to impress - was truly smitten! The other thing you need to know about Viggo is his absolute integrity - he would rather do a small, independent art film in Spanish that really speaks to him than a Hollywood Franchise blockbuster that pays many times as much. That doesn't mean he was anything other than awesome in Lord of the Rings, and none of sequels, prequels or Nyquils will ever be as good. But at heart, he's a true artist, and that's what makes him so special in this era of big budget superficial cinematic mental junk food (careful, it'll rot your intellectual teeth!). Thanks for your kind feedback. Please tell your friends about this podcast, subscribe and explore the other Gould Standard treasures!

The word "journeyman" has somehow come to take on a negative connotation, but Viggo embodies the word in a marvellous way - because every aspect of his life and works is a journey of discovery, a freedom of spirit that enables him to go against the grain in his insatiable curiosity and desire to explore through his art what it means to be human, and to reflect that back to us in his portrayals, his poetry, music, photography, etc. One of the rare ones, indeed! I hope you, too, will take a journey with us and subscribe to the Gould Standard, Paula. Discoveries and many a precious pearl lie within.

A great pleasure. Please do subscribe, and check out our other Gould Standard programs.

Thank you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g53Tf3VmjMqEl7M

We couldn't agree more. What a privilege to be invited to "eavesdrop" on this private conversation, which shows both Glenn and Tim at their best.

Well, we will always have people, artists, thinkers and institutions that congregate around the middle - it's what we call mainstream, where originality and creative thinking goes to die, but there is the sheltering presence of the herd. And then there are the Beethovens, Schoenbergs and Picassos and other rule-breakers who smash up people's preconceptions and chart an original path. Was Gould one of them, or, as George Szell said, merely a "nut" who was also a "genius" - right now, based on the continuing interest in Gould, that spans the globe and all media, while the public following of other keyboard titans of the past wanes, the judgment of history seems to be bending more towards genius than nut. Opinions may differ, of course - just like the radio DJ Peter Schickele played in his first PDQ Bach album, "Report from Hoople" - that announcer didn't think much of Beethoven, either . . . and come to think of it, neither did Glenn Gould! For myself, I find the rule-breakers, even when willful, arbitrary and impossible to agree with, vastly more interesting - at least they make you think!

​@@BrianLevine-ku1xf, БРАВО!!! 🤝

@@nadia0660 Thank you, Nadia! Please subscribe to the podcast!

Thanks for your kind words, Mike. I'm glad you enjoyed this episode and hope you'll stick around as a subscriber, check out our other episodes and tell your friends. We'll keep 'em coming!

We're thrilled and delighted that you enjoyed this podcast. Please tell your friends, Cheri, and subscribe to The Gould Standard.

@@BrianLevine-ku1xf Sir, I have. Most of them are jazz and rock musicians. Unfortunately, they just make fun of me. It is their problem not mine. With deep appreciation and respect to you.

@@cheri238 Give it time, Cheri. Most people discover the riches that have been spread before them for years only when they're ready to make that leap. For the jazz folks, you might check out what Oscar said when he received The Glenn Gould Prize - you can hear an audio clip on the GGF website, under the Prize tab - click on Oscar Peterson's photo. All in good time, Cheri!

Glad to have your comments - we will pass your kind words along to Tim. Please check out our other episodes, Cheri!