A Romance on Three Legs

Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano

By: Katie Hafner

Narrated by: William Coon

Hugely talented and famously eccentric, pianist Glenn Gould fought a running battle with a long list of less than perfect pianos. A Romance on Three Legs is the story of a love that changed Gould's life: his partnership with the Steinway CD 318, a piano whose peculiar action and temperament ushered Gould closer than ever to interpretive perfection. Katie Hafner weaves the compelling tale of Gould, his favorite piano, and the men who worked on it, revealing new details and nuances in the work and mind of one of the twentieth century's greatest artists.

©2008 Katie Hafner (P)2013 Katie Hafner

Critic reviews

"When Gould was paired with the right composer...he could make you wonder if he was altogether human. And reading Hafner on Gould is sometimes as much fun as listening to him play. And that's saying a lot." ( Newsweek)

Finally! An Audible book lives up to the hype!

I have listened to many Audible books and this one by far has been the best. Great narration, great story, well written! I finished in a week, mostly listening in my car. It could only have been better if some actual recordings of Glenn Gould playing would have been included.

As a Pianist (of sorts) I Was Engaged

And the three legs are not really the legs of a piano (if that was what the author was thinking), but they are the artist, the piano, and the tuner, all of which the book covered in-depth, making for three stories in one.

Delightful, engaging, and instructive.

I loved this book for many reasons. The story is engaging and even gripping. The narration is not only clear, but read in a way that enhances the message and makes me want to hear more. In a few places there may be a little more detail than required, but I would find it difficult or recommend cutting it. Overall, a highly engaging and informative account of Glenn Gould and be quest for the perfect piano. I highly recommend it.

Love

This book made me fall in love (upon hearing him play "the Tempest" sonata by Beethoven 08/15) with Glenn Gould.

Amazing story for pianists and piano geeks

Gripping story about amazing, idiosyncratic with incredible details about the art of piano building, restoring, tuning and voicing. Loved it!