Comments on: West Coast Live

By: Rob Jacobs

Rob Jacobs — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:47:01 +0000

Hello, I found your book, “A Romance on Three Legs” absolutely fascinating, and I could relate to it also in the following respects: In 1959 I played first clarinet in the orchestra at UCLA which was conducted by Lukas Foss. And, coincidentally, in 1963, served in the
US Air Force, and was stationed in Niagara Falls, New York (roughly 20 miles from Buffalo). Lukas was the conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic, and, as I remember it, Richard DuFallo, who I played under many times at UCLA, was his assistant. I attended concerts there at that time. Little did I know that Lukas’s wife was having an affair with Glenn Gould, until, now. One point – you called this affair “discreet,” however, Lukas, and many others knew about it. That’s about it for now. You are a great writer and the research involved was staggering. Thank you very much.

By: Katie Hafner

Katie Hafner — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:23:11 +0000

Hi Erika,

I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. What is is that made you wonder whether the piano was dropped in Cleveland?

And re the Chickering and the cottage, it’s quite possible that I got the date wrong. I was relying on people’s memories, especially Verne’s memory of when he first encountered the Chickering (and refused to tune it!). And it’s quite possible that he was misremembering by a couple of years.

I look forward, too, to your reaction to The House at the Bridge.

All the best,
Katie

By: erika neher

erika neher — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:09:13 +0000

I read your book Romance on Three Legs and found it profoundly informative. I had never thought how much technical work is involved in bringing a piano to the perfect sound. I learned so many things from your book. This helped me understand Glenn Gould’s obsession to get perfection out of his CD318. This book is absolutely fabulous.
I was led to wonder, whether the piano was dropped before it left Cleveland, rather than on its arrival in Toronto…

This book led me to find others you have written. Since my mother was from Berlin and was locked behind the wall, the story about the small village by the wall will be interesting to me. I am always amazed how widespread my reading interest has become through my interest in Glenn Gould.

I have one question about your book….You state that the Chickering was moved from the cottage to Toronto in 1962…..could the date be off by a couple of years? I am sure when I visited the cottage in 1964, it was the Chickering that was there.
I could have my date wrong….but supporting events say no.

Hope to hear from you on this

thanks
erika

By: Eduard Potecho

Eduard Potecho — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:04:58 +0000

Hello, Katie. My name is Eduard Potecho. I am 1984 graduate of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory (Russia). From 1996 I reside and work in Vancouver (Canada). So far I’ve got 22 years of professional music studies, 32 years of piano teaching experience, and 42 years of music making life (relationship that starts with torture and finishes with pleasure). Actually, degrees and numbers are meaningless in the art of music. I am using them because it is my first (OK, honestly – second) attempt to write someone I do not know, and I have no idea what the protocol is. I know some of the people you are talking about in your book, at some point (purely for amusement) I even studied with Franz Mohr. I would like to discuss your latest “Romance…” (which is wonderful, by the way) and some other musical matters with you. It will all make sense though, if only you still have appetite for music, still have unanswered questions regarding music itself (its creation, interpretation, performance), and yes – yourself in connection to that special world. Please, let me know if you are interested. I will also appreciate negative respond, so I won’t bother you again (I realize how busy you are, and the fact that this book is a sort of a detour on your “technological highway”). I wish you well. Respectfully, Eduard. PS. I do respect privacy of others as much as my own, so I apologize for intrusion (and for my poor English). I would also like to ask you to keep my e-mail address confidential, and I thank you for reading my letter.