Glenn Gould was renowned for the control he had over every aspect of his playing environment:
He invariably insisted that it be extremely warm. [T]he air conditioning engineer had to work just as hard as the recording engineers. The piano had to be set at a certain height and would be raised on wooden blocks if necessary. A small rug would sometimes be required for his feet underneath the piano. He had to sit fourteen inches above the floor and would only play concerts while sitting on the old chair his father had made. He continued to use this chair even when the seat was completely worn through.
There’s something quite admirable about those who know what they need and demand it, repeatedly — to the point of threadbareness.
