Glenn Gould's Chair

After nearly a year of research, we bring this series about Glenn Gould and his chair to a close. Episode 5 begins with a conversation with Canadian pianist James Parker about the mechanics of Gould’s eccentric playing style. We also meet award-winning journalist and music biographer Peter Goddard at Fran’s Diner, Gould’s favourite place to eat. After some reflection, we get to the heart of Gould’s relationship with his famous chair.

After building our own version of a Glenn Gould chair replica, we find out there are so many interesting replicas out there, that we’re going to devote this whole show to finding them. These include an 8 ft. tall chair covered in flowers, a fancy one made by an Italian furniture designer, and a futuristic hologram coming to a city near you.

The week we dig deep into finding more about Hourd & Co, the company behind Gould's Chair, but come up short. An expert antique appraiser steps in with some answers — all for except one. This leaves us with a decision to make, that once made, could potentially ruin one of our Gould chairs. The episode includes John D. Sewell, an appraiser and former antiques columnist for The Toronto Star, and Los Angeles-based poet Mandy Kahn.

In this episode, we take a trip to Ottawa to visit Glenn Gould's chair and are surprised by where we find it. We also take a tour of the backroom collection of Gould artifacts at the Canadian Museum of History. The tour opens up a discussion about and significance behind maintaining seemingly everyday objects once owned by Gould, as historical artifacts. Interviews include Canadian Museum of History curator Judith Klassen, and National Arts Centre archivist Robert Vanderberg. 

For Glenn Gould, his chair was his closest companion — a foundation which offered a sense of stability for a performer who struggled with fame. Glenn Gould used it from the very beginning of his career to his last breath, at the young age of 50. In this episode, we make a discovery, and in the process, meet Gould’s former recording engineer, and best friend — Lorne Tulk. He walks us through his deeply personal recollections of Gould, explains the significance of the chair, and how it came to be.

On September 19, we’re taking you on an in-depth journey into the relationship between classical pianist Glenn Gould and his beloved folding chair. A mystery unfolds, launching host Michael Vincent down a path into the heart of one of history's most enigmatic musicians. Here’s a sneak peek of our story.