Get it while you can
Glenn Gould lives up to the sound bite given by George Szell -- "That nut is a genius."

Gould's interpretations are controversial. Some detest his singing along with his playing. Others think he is too mannered, too idiosyncratic in his interpretations, still others regard him as too romantic, especially in his Bach.

However, more than anyone except perhaps Wanda Landowska, he is responsible for the revival of interest in the keyboard music of Bach. Yes, there are other superb interpreters of Bach, among which I particularly like Rosilyn Tureck. But if fascinating insights are your cup of tea, you must own and listen to Gould's Bach.

I also find his Beethoven, especially the late sonatas, to be insightful and revelatory.

This collection provides the entire discography of Gould's Columbia/CBS/Sony studio performances. Yes, I already own many of these performances grouped differently in various iterations and rereleases. Yes, it is sometimes easier to listen to other pressings that combine the works of the same composer into a multi-disc set.

But for those of us who grew up in the LP vinyl era, seeing the original covers replicated and having a chance to reread original album notes is a pleasure not to be passed up.

Amazon has made this set available at an extremely attractive price and in a very well done package. I congratulate them and thank them.

I strongly recommend lovers of the art of keyboard, and especially those like myself who appreciate the insights of Glenn Gould, to buy this set.

an astounding collection
In recording technology, Glenn Gould saw a new future for music -- a future not of the public concert, or even of the "embalmed concert moment" (as he referred to un-edited "live" recordings), but one in which the artist was able to splice and edit until he reached a recording as close to his ideal as possible. He also believed that, listening to these recordings at home, free from the social trappings and musical limitations of the concert hall, we would be able to come to a much deeper understanding of the music. With this philosophy in mind, Gould produced in incredible wealth of recorded material that survives and speaks to us even 25 years after his death.

Gould did not live to see the advent of the CD, nor of earbuds and portable music players, but when I listen to this remarkable collection on my iPod, I think that Gould would have liked this part of the future (though perhaps not other aspects of our modern zeitgeist) very much.

As for the collection itself -- it's very well compiled, and I had none of the problems with CD37 that others have mentioned, so I think perhaps sony/amazon have resolved that. I am particularly pleased with the preservation of the original jacket, complete with liner notes. Often written by Gould himself, these liner notes are by turns insightful, hilarious, and outrageous, and always a pleasure to read. (The imaginary reviews of his recording of Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's fifth are particularly amusing.) The fact that, by necessity of CD:LP size ratios, the liner notes are very small and sometimes require a magnifying glass is a minor annoyance, and it would be a dream come true if, as another reviewer suggests, Sony released these notes full-size on CD-ROM. A similar project that I would whole-heartedly (and whole-walletedly) support would be a glossy coffee table book of Gould's album jackets and liner notes.

All-in-all, this is a wonderful collection worthy of Gould's legacy.

Useless repetitions
Unfortunately, this company had already issued a 12-CD set of Glenn Gould's Bach (not all of his Bach's recordings, of course) in this Original Jacket Collection, so that those who bought it may be well bound to feel deceived: Sony could well have now issued separate albuns so collectors who bought the first could also buy the new ones (instead of buying everything again and giving away 12 CDs, which are not cheap after all.

Pianistic brilliance
This is a treasure trove. Each Cd is an absolute treat. This man was a brilliant pianist and entertainer. If the performances dont astound or enthrall you, then the provocative sleeve notes that accompany each CD will more then make up for it.

It's a real collectors' choice
The CDs are all in the oringinal jacket of the issued LPs. I have not get time to listen to all the tracks. Controversy is common on Gloud's way of presenting music. If you do not care the other comments, you worth to own it.