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Zombie Glenn Gould to Play Goldberg
Ok, it’s not that dramatic but Glenn Gould’s 1955 rendition of the Goldberg Variations is being reperformed, sort of. John Q. Walker, a computer programmer and musician has created software that will allow a piano to very accurately reproduce performances.
The Globe reports on the intriguing invention:
“There are about 10 different musical attributes that we analyze,” continues Walker, “including pitch, moment of impact, strike velocity, duration, how the note ends, and the angle of the key when it’s depressed. We can do everything we want with the instrument through the computer.”
The article goes on to talk about the impact this might have on a classical music field that’s already struggling with relevancy and that critics argue worship past greatness. We’re a little more optimistic and think of it as a chance to rediscover one of the greatest musical performances by a Canadian ever.