Yamaha Restores Glenn Gould Piano

In celebration of Glenn Gould’s 80th birthday, Yamaha in Canada has restored Glenn Gould’s CFII Yamaha Concert Grand Piano, which has been on display at Roy Thomson Hall for many years. This is the very Yamaha piano Gould recorded his last four piano albums, including the Grammy award winning 1981 Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

The process of restoring Gould’s piano has been a meticulous one for all of the piano technicians involved, as the utmost care was necessary when in taking apart and moving pieces around. Paul Gilchrist, the lead technician on the project, made sure to include Glenn Gould`s piano technician, Verne Edquist, on the project to ensure the sound and touch replicated that of the Gould days.

‘I’m impressed,’ praised Edquist, ‘this piano is as ready as it would be for Glenn…he would have loved to play on it.’

Edquist reminisced about his years working with Glenn Gould, mentioning some of the idiosyncrasies that Gould was well known for. ‘I would describe him [Gould] as an enigma wrapped in mystery,’ Edquist said fondly. Rob Barg, Vice President of Corporate Planning for Yamaha also remembers the day Glenn Gould came into Yamaha headquarters to purchase a grand piano. ‘It was very interesting,’ remarked Barg, ‘Glenn came in with his signature cap, long coat and gloves and pulled out his famous stool from the back of his Green Lincoln to try our Yamaha grands.’