The Piano Man – Glenn Gould – Wawa

Pianist Discovers Back Roads – Wawa Solitude

By Back Roads Bill

One of the important aspects in the routine of visiting a single place and getting to know one area really well, is taking the time to check in with your feelings and allow yourself to just ”be.”

It is why people look for camps and cottages and return to the same vacation spots time and again. At a local level many look for what is called a “sit,” “magic,” or “me” spot. It is a place for solace, inspiration and rejuvenation. We all seem to look for these special places within nature.

Recently at the Grammy Awards, Canadian pianist Glenn Gould was awarded a lifetime achievement more than thirty years after his death. Not many Canadians have been awarded Grammys (Oscar Peterson, Joni Mitchell and the Band). When he was alive he won four Grammys. He shunned fanfare and actually retired at a young age from public performances, spending the rest of his performing life in the recording studio. He revolutionized the way we listen to the classics.

He was one of the worlds most acclaimed and renowned piano virtuosos and he chose Wawa as the place to “get away from it all.” Within documentaries he described Wawa as “an extraordinary place” that captured his imagination and acknowledged the location inspired some his “best writing of my entire life.”

He was equally famous for his eccentricities   which included the heavy overcoat worn during the summer, scarves, fingerless gloves, (before Michael Jackson,), his ever present cap and aversion to live performance.

Johanna Rowe and Toni Rutland operate ‘Soul of Superior Tours,’ they know a great deal about Glenn Gould’s (GG) haunts in and around the Wawa area. They have created a tour package that highlights GG heritage.   It is their belief, “Wawa was important and soul fulfilling for him.”

 

Why Wawa?

The completion and opening of the Trans Canada Highway at Wawa occurred in 1962. For some unknown reason GG drove north and fortuitously discovered the land of the ‘Big Goose.’   “He would always stay in the same room (101) at the Wawa Motor Inn, “said Ms. Rutland . “He was rarely recognized by locals, though by this time (1960’s), he was at the peak of his fame. The odd attire that made him so recognizable elsewhere drew little attention in town. They found him a bit eccentric, but welcomed him.  Here in Wawa there are many eccentrics and all were accepted so perhaps his style was deemed less ‘odd’ here.”

Ms. Rowe recalls that her mother worked at the inn’s front desk and Magpie High and Silver Falls would have been the recommendations to visit. It became a favourite haunt for him. “At that time, the falls were truly magnificent and powerful, and the site was not developed at all (as compared to the roadside stop of today).   Rarely would one encounter many people there. GG relates that he felt inspired to compose while here at the High Falls;” (Google: Wawa Ontario Silver Falls and Magpie Falls; for YouTube videos).

GG didn’t need a piano when he came to Wawa. He practised on imaginary keyboards and he could “feel “the music. There is a famous scene of him walking by the falls and conducting an imaginary orchestra.

Wawa became a magical destination for him, a place of respite and restoration and renewed creativity. “GG also (“as a non-drinker but night hawk”) liked to drop in to a local restaurant, frequented by locals who would sit story-telling and drinking coffee late into the early morning hours. They remember him as the odd guy, often in a hat, who always drummed on the table while sitting with them. In that respect, we were a very non-judgmental community,” said Ms. Rowe. “ Also, respectful of privacy and not too interested in celebrity. GG was often recognized but few approached him.   We speculate that he quite liked this relative anonymity, that allowed him to be free of the Toronto persona he had cultivated . And that he also liked the friendliness and authenticity of the locals who just accepted him.”

His life became a quest for pursuit of many ideas and he played with recording techniques, and wrote many articles for a variety of print media. Out of this came his famous CBC ‘Ideas’ program, ‘The Idea of North’ series, a beginning of his radio and film documentary phase of creativity.   Film segments highlighted the Wawa area. (Google: Glenn Gould ‘The Idea of North’).

“His life, acquaintances in Toronto were few and not diverse; perhaps Wawa represented a bit of an adventure for him.  Into the wild in many respects and it certainly did spark his amazing existential musings about the north, the character of our country, the importance of isolation, solitude, nature,” said Ms. Rutland.

Be with GG

You can visit some off GG favourite locations and discover his inspirations (all are well signed; stop at the ‘Big Goose’ visitors centre for a map.   For access to Silver Falls and the sandy beach, drive south of Wawa on Highway 17; five km; and find the road heading west to Michipicoten Harbour.   Drive about 1 km you will come to an intersection.   Turn right (north), drive to the small wooden bridge; that is Silver Falls (it is an unusual place, in that you can visually see three falls at three different levels; Glenn Gould stood on the bridge; N47º 56’ 21.6” W84º 49’ 48.2” or WGS 84, Zone 16 T 662053 5311836. For the sandy beach drive on past the cemeteries, up the steep hill and down to Lake Superior ;(N47º 57’ 25.0” W84º 51’ 12.7” or 16 T 660247 5313744).  Magpie High Falls is easily found on Highway 17; 1.8 km south of the only exit into Wawa; just past the OPP detachment; it is well signed.

Glenn Gould found his back road, there are many out there for you to find.