A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano

National Bestseller

“A fascinating story, with a wealth of neatly drawn characters and dripping with vivid details, that is sometimes touching, sometimes whimsical, always interesting.” — Kevin Bazzana

Glenn Gould was famous for his obsessions: the scarves, sweaters, and fingerless gloves that he wore even on the hottest summer day; his deep fear of germs and illness; the odd wooden “pygmy” chair that he carried with him around the world, wherever he performed; and his sudden withdrawal from the public stage at the peak of his career. But perhaps Gould’s greatest obsession of all was for a particular piano, a Steinway concert grand known as CD 318 (C to signify its special status as having been put aside for the use of Steinway Concert Artists, and D, denoting it as the largest that Steinway built). A Romance on Three Legs is the story of Gould’s love for this piano, from the first moment of discovery, in a Toronto department store, to the tragic moment when the piano was dropped and seriously damaged while being transported.

In presenting the story of CD 318, Hafner also introduces us to the world and art of piano tuning, including a central character in Gould’s life, the nearly blind tuner Verne Edquist, who lovingly attended to CD 318 for more than two decades. We learn how a concert grand is built, and the fascinating story of how Steinway & Sons weathered the war years by supplying materials for the military effort. A Romance on Three Legs is a treat for readers new to and familiar with the life of this eccentric and captivating man.