Wilson Pereira asks:

>Is anyone on the list familiar with Thomas Bernhard's book Der Untergeher
>(The Castaway)?

The English translation of the title is "The Loser".

>But how the reading of this book could enhance our enjoyment or
>understanding of Bach's Goldberg Variations?

I don't think it does.  The book is about the two artists and Austrian
society not about Bach's music.

BTW - In this book Bernhard took poetic license with Gould's life details.
For example, Gould died at the age of 50 (not 51 as claimed in the book),
Gould did not suffer from a lung disease, he did not cut his relation with
his family, did not die while playing the Goldberg variations, his visit
to Salzburg was in 58 not 53 and I don't believe he ever studied with
Horowitz.  Bernahrd mixed his own biography with Gould's.

I did not enjoy the book. Too convoluted and weird for my taste.

Dan Zimmerman
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