Young Chang - A Short History

Young Chang was founded in 1956 by three brothers Jai-Young Kim, Jai-Chang Kim and Jai-Sup Kim. Initially they distributed Yamaha pianos into Korea and other parts of Asia. South Korea was becoming widely known for producing high quality musical instruments and in 1964 the first Young Chang factory was built in Seoul.

When in 1985 the Aeolian Piano Company came to an end, Young Chang purchased the rights to use the brand name ‘Weber’ and in the following year established the Weber Piano Company. The practice of using old, respected European-sounding names to increase sales of pianos has been part of the long history of the piano trade. For whatever reason, the Weber subsidiary was sold to Samsung America in 1987.

Needing extra capacity for producing iron frames, Young Chang opened a foundry at Tianjin, China in 1988. The project there was further expanded a few years later when they opened a complete piano manufacturing complex. The Chinese facility allowed Young Chang to start serving the lower-end of the piano market.

Joseph Pramberger, a former head of manufacturing from Steinways joined the company in 1995. He brought many innovations to piano design at Young Chang, including an improved action and an asymmetrically tapered soundboard. The Pramberger Platinum series - incorporating some German action parts from Renner - was Young Chang's top-of-the-models range for three years. 

In 2018 Hyundai acquired Young Chang in 2006, renaming the company HDC Young Chang.

© Steve Burden

 

Yamaha - A Short history

The piano industry in Japan was slow to gather momentum during the later years of the 19th century. Early development of the piano was very much a European affair. At the Paris Exposition in 1878 a Japanese square piano (not a Yamaha) was exhibited. In 1880 Torakusu Yamaha began making Western musical instruments.

Beginning by building an organ, and confident enough of its qualities, he carried it over the mountains of Hakone to the Music Institute for their inspection and approval. Perhaps unkindly, the organ was harshly criticised for its poor tuning. This set-back only spurred Tarasuku on to further studies. Like any self-respecting musical instrument maker, he began studying music theory and tuning!

After much hard work, he mastered the basics and was able to apply his newly acquired knowledge and deeper understanding to making his western musical instruments.

Piano tuners are almost duty bound to approve of Yamaha's using tuning forks in their logo - after all, it emphasises the fundamental importance of tuning!

The 3 tuning forks of the Yamaha Logo represent the 3 pillars of the business - technology, production and sales. They also symbolise the essential elements of music: melody, harmony and rhythm.

He began production of pianos in 1900 and by 1910 he was making 600 pianos per year. The 20th century threw up many challenges for the piano industry - especially in Japan. Yamaha lost a factory to fire in 1922 and and office to an earthquake in 1923. The second world war was no less devastating. After the war, Yamaha restarted production with the benefit of casting their own metal frames.

The constant quest for product improvement has borne fruit in Yamaha's unquestionable reputation for consistency and a rugged reliability. Their pianos have become an industry bench-mark standard.

© Steve Burden

Welmar - A Short History

The story of the Welmar piano begins at the end of the first world war. The hardships of the post-war economy gave the piano trade an uphill struggle as it sought to re-establish sales and profitability. Whelpdale and Maxwell began business in 1876 importing Bluthner pianos from Germany and until the war, they had built a strong business on the qualities of the Bluthner pianos. In 1919, the public were now unhappy about buying German pianos, and Whelpdale & Maxwell had to find an alternative source of income until the mood against German pianos had softened.

Cremona Ltd. of Camberwell, London, made pianos for the trade and used names like Squire & Longson, Ronson and Paul Newman. In 1919 Whelpdale & Maxwell commissioned Cremona Ltd to make pianos using the trade name Welmar.

The Cremona team continued to develop and improve their pianos - particularly the metal frame and the soundboard. But in 1929, disaster hit when the factory was burnt down. The company never recovered from the catastrophy and closed the business in 1934.

Whelpdale Maxwell & Codd (as it now was), managed to acquire the Cremona designs, jigs and templates and began making Cremona-designed pianos but using the Welmar name at a new factory at Clapham Park Road. 

Production continued at Clapham until 2001, when, at an extremely difficult time for the piano trade, all was moved for a short time, to Stroud in Gloucestershire.

The Welmar piano has always been appreciated by serious piano players and students. They were built with the Bluthner tone in mind, by craftsmen devoted to the art of piano-building. Welmar pianos are almost universally admired by piano tuners! And, as they are generally hard to please - this is no small achievement.

© Steve Burden

 

Weinbach - A Short History

The Weinbach name was first associated with an organ-making workshop in the Weinbach region of Germany. Founded by Gerhard Wein in 1887 the business quickly grew enough for him to take on two apprentices - who had been working with piano makers in Vienna. Production was soon to move away from organ-building. Instead, pianos became the focus of the operation and by 1893, they were solely making pianos! 

Establishing a firm reputation for quality pianos, demand grew strongly. Soon healthy Weinbach Piano sales led to increased production, expanding sales beyond Europe and into the American market. When Gerhard Wein died, both his sons continued the good work thus ensuring the continuation of family involvement for another generation. 

It is frustrating, that good, hard facts about the development of the Weinbach business during the 1920s- to 1950s is very difficult to find.  Pleased that these esteemed names are preserved but I shall revisit the quest from time to time.

The piano-making giant Petrof, operating in the Czech Republic, added Weinbach pianos to their growing portfolio of piano names.  Using these different names they cater for the complete range of price brackets. In the ever competitive market place of modern business, the ability to satisfy demand across these ranges, provides better sales as a whole. And, it allows names like Weinbach to endure for the foreseeable future.  

© Steve Burden                                                                                            

Steinway - A Short History

The history of the Steinway Piano begins with Heinrich Steinweg. His father, a forester, had to leave his large family while taking his older sons with him to fight in the Napoleonic wars. On the father's return, only Heinrich and 2 other children had survived from the lack of proper food and shelter. Even this was not the harshest blow to hit the young Heinrich - shortly after, his father and the remainder of his family were all struck by lightening! Henrich's ability to survive was further proved when he was awarded a medal for bugling in the face of the enemy during the Battle of Waterloo.

After the war, while still in the army, he devoted his spare time to woodwork and the making musical instruments. He made a mandolin, a dulcimer and a zither. Perhaps he had absorbed an understanding of wood from his father, but his talent with wood was permanently to change his fortunes and by so doing, give the world of music the gift of the Steinway Piano!

Before long Heinrich had decided to devote all his time to the making of pianos. The political turmoil of 1848 threatened to interrupt the onward progress of the Steinweg family and business. His son Charles who had previously moved to New York, persuaded his father to join him in America. So it was that Heinrich Steinweg emigrated and changed his name to Henry Steinway.

Henry took great care in selecting timber for all the different parts of the piano. His innate understanding of wood was at the core of his piano building principles. His sons each absorbed Henry's vision and brought to the business their own skills and abilities as engineers, craftsmen and researchers.

1980s UK Letterhead

Firmly established as among the very best of piano makers, Steinways strengthened their place in the music world still more by sponsoring concerts and tours featuring the most prominent pianists from Europe and America. Consistently building success upon success, the Steinway Piano has earned its place on the concert platforms of the world. Many Steinway pianos become treasured heirlooms handed down from generation to generation.

The story of the Steinway piano began in the privations of the early 1800s but looks into the future with assured security and universal acclaim. - This is a worthy legacy from a young survivor with a talent with wood!  

© Steve Burden 

Seiler - A Short History

Eduard Seiler began making pianos in the town of Liegnitz in 1849.

His ambition was always the pursuit of excellence in piano design, construction, tone and playability.

In 1872, SEILER was awarded a gold medal in Moscow for the outstanding quality of his instruments. Many more awards were to follow: Vienna, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Chicago, Berlin, and Milan. Thus establishing the Seiler name among the most highly regarded of international Piano makers.

Johannes Seiler inherited the family business in 1875 - then employing 120 piano builders. His enterprising approach introduced systems of quality control to ensure product reliability. This is no small matter in piano construction - this extra layer of attention to detail boosted the reputation of his pianos across the world.

In 1945, after the war, having lost the factory, Steffen Seiler managed to save the moulds for the cast-iron frames and design drawings of the Seiler pianos. These, along with the accumulated expertise of a century’s-worth of piano-building history, enabled him to begin again, the manufacture of his pianos - first in Denmark and later, 1961, in the town of Kitzingen.

Since then, continuous innovation in the pursuit of that ‘excellence’ that inspired Eduard Seiler back in 1849, has produced superb pianos that are, and will continue to be, a joy to own, to play, to treasure and to enjoy!

© Steve Burden

Schimmel - A Short history

Schimmel Pianos, established in 1885, have a proven record of building pianos of excellence. For me these pianos have become one of my personal favourites - simply because they are so very good. I have had a couple in my workshop over the last few years and have been deeply impressed by the sheer quality. Always respond well to work and are mechanically and tonally reliable. They are a piano Tuner/Tech's piano! 

The Schimmel Piano Company has navigated itself through tough economic conditions by manufacturing some pianos, for a time, in Poland and China. Making the most of computerised machinery, together with their traditions of handcrafting expertise, the Schimmel Piano deserves the highest esteem of all who have the privilege of playing one!

Established in 1855 in Neuschonefeld, the company grew steadily and had a factory built in nearby Leipzig - opened in 1897. During the Great Depression, production was moved to Braunschweig as part of a co-op of piano manufacturers.

In more modern times, 2003, a more moderately-priced range of pianos was produced in Poland under the 'Vogel' name. These were replaced by the Wilhelm Schimmell brand some 10 years later.

In 2007, like some other piano manufacturers, Schimmel imported a Chinese-made piano. These 'May Berlin' pianos were discontinued about 5 years later.

Personally, I'd like to see many more Schimmel pianos here in England - simply because they are so good!

© Steve Burden

 

Schiedmayer - A Short History

The first Schiedmayer Piano was built around 1735 - still early days in the history of the piano. It is not known how Balthasar Schiedmayer, who was born in 1711, came to be building pianos but his name would be associated with piano-making of distinction and excellence long into the 21st century.

By 1845, the business was based in Stuttgart and headed by Johann Lorenz Schiedmayer who brought his sons into the business and changed the name to Schiedmayer and Soehne.

The younger sons of Johann Lorenz, Julius and Paul, spent some time in London and Paris and eventually established themselves in Stuttgart around 1853 building harmoniums under the name of J & P Schiedmayer.

In 1860, when the harmonium market was saturated, the shrewd business decision was taken to concentrate solely on building pianos and thus the business name was changed to Schiedmayer Pianofabrik. 

A while back, I worked on a Schiedmayer Grand. It was very old - I reckon it was made about 1895. I have commented elsewhere that I do not think anyone should spend serious money on pianos of this age. For this piano, a day spent regulating the action so as to make the best of its existing state was as far as I was prepared to go.

I was impressed that though so old, this piano still has all the qualities of a respectable and durable piano. Reassuring to know that a quality instrument such as this Schiedmayer, used daily, continues to sing out its piano music with a good deal of finesse even after more than 100 years.

© Steve Burden 

Samick - A Short History

Hyo Ick Lee established the Samick Piano Company in South Korea in 1958. At the start conditions in the country were difficult but, he built his pianos using imported parts. As circumstances improved during the 1960s Hyo Ick Lee was soon exporting his pianos around the world.

Very quickly, Samick became one of the largest piano manufacturers in the world. Naturally, they were soon making their own parts and able to oversee every aspect of production and closely monitor the finished product.

European pianos have always been revered as the ideal blend of build-quality and tone, so, during the 1980s, Samick appointed Klaus Fenner, a German piano designer to rework the designs of the Samick pianos.

In 1992, because the labour costs in Korea were becoming ever more expensive, they opened a factory in Indonesia. The mid 1990s proved to be very troublesome. The huge and speedy expansion of the company at a time of economic hardship proved unsustainable and the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1996. 

However, they were able to dispose of the non-profitable business ventures and most of the debt, so that they began once again to report a profit. In 2002, a consortium of Korean businessmen acquired Samick and cleared all of its debt and by 2006 all production had been moved to the factory in Indonesia.

© Steve Burden

 

Rosler - A Short history

Piano production under the Rösler name began around 1878 in Česká Lípa. Until his death in 1891, Gustav Rosler established a secure reputation for the quality of his pianos.

After his death, his wife, Helena Rösler, ran the firm until 1899 when her Ludwig Gatter bought further developed the company.  In 1910 they employed more than 100 workers and were generating sales to Vienna, Great Britain and South Africa.

Gatter was able to increase the production from 100 instruments per year up to 1000 per year. Then, the effects of the 1914-1918 war, hit piano production hard. The loss of valued skilled labour and difficulty accessing quality parts and materials. These were challenging times, 

In 1918, after the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Monarchy, the first Czechoslovak Republic was formed. International trade began to improve, along with the availability of skilled workers and quality raw materials. 

Within a decade, whatever economic recovery there might have been, was rocked to the core by the Great Depression. Most of Czech family businesses were destroyed. Rösler pianos, bucking the trend, survived the crisis and were even able to produce some very fine pianos up until the Second World War. 

Under the Nazis, piano production declined again. Workers had to transfer their skills from making pianos to supporting the German war industry. They now had to produce ammunition boxes and aircraft parts. 

After the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic,  Ludvik Gatter’s sons Reiner and Walter led the company. The business continued to prosper until the 1948 communist takeover, when it was nationalised.

In 1958, the company was managed by the Czechoslovakian Musical Instruments(CSHN). When the Iron Curtain fell, privatisation of businesses began a drive to quality improvements - a welcome development. In 1993, Rösler was bought by Europe’s leading piano maker PETROF.  

© Steve Burden

 

Pleyel - A Short History

Ignace Pleyel was a student of Haydn for 5 years, spent some time at the court in Naples, moved to Strasbourg where he devoted much time composing. In 1793 he moved for a short time to London appearing in concerts but soon returned to Strasbourg. 

During the French Revolution, to prove his loyalty to the cause of the Republic, he was ordered to compose music to a revolutionary drama. His composition was so well received that his allegiance was no longer doubted.

In Paris, 1805, he began a Music Publishing business. In 1807, opened a piano factory. The piano of the early 1800s was still a primitive instrument but being an accomplished player, Ignace could direct technical developments from a pianist's perspective. 

1824, he transferred the business to his son Camille who spent several years learning the art of piano making in London at Broadwoods and with Collard and Clementi, Camille too, was an accomplished musician and formed a close friendship with Frederick Chopin who became a great champion for Pleyel Pianos.

When Camille died the business underwent various changes of name: Pleyel Wolff & Co. and late to Pleyel Lyon & Co. Under Gustav Lyon, the company developed the metal frame for the piano. Right up until our modern times, the Pleyel has always been a maker of fine pianos. They recently collaborated with Peugeot to produce a stunning concept piano. 

It is a very sad day when a well established piano maker has to close their operation down. All that history abruptly brought to an end! Pleyel is the most recent of the long line of piano makers who, due to a sharp decline in the demand for new pianos, have 'played through the final few bars' of their masterful piece of piano-making history.

Their passing is a great loss to the piano world. Let us hope that the makers that remain can weather the 'storm' until brighter times return. We must not lose the great diversity the piano world has always cherished. 

© Steve Burden

Petrof - A Short History

Antonin Petrof studied the art of piano making with his uncle, Jan Heitzmann in Vienna. Returning to Bohemia in 1864 established the Petrof Piano Company and began building pianos. The following year his father’s joinery behind the Cathedral of Svaty Duch was repurposed to make it more suited to building pianos.

In 1874 Petrof pianos moved to larger facilities for manufacturing operations, eventually producing their own keyboards and actions. Business was steadily gathering momentum so that in 1894, they began exporting their pianos abroad, and were able to set up a service centre and warehouse in Vienna.

Antonín Petrof was appointed in 1899 to be the court piano maker of Austria-Hungary. The growth of the business continue over the next 20 years so that Petrof expanded their foreign sales - selling to Japan, China, Australia and South America.

1928, Petrof together with the American company Steinway opened a subsidiary in London. When Petrof pianos won the gold medal at the World Exhibition 1934 in Brussels, the Petrof factory employed about 400 people. 

The 100,000th Petrof piano was produced in 1963 and has their research centre for continued scientific development. After a period of state ownership the company was privatised in 1998 and was returned to family control in 2001. 

© Steve Burden

Hoffmann - A Short History

W. Hoffmann Pianos was established in 1893 by Wilhelmine Sophia Friederike Hoffmann, a visionary woman from Berlin. This was a golden era of piano-making in Europe: demand was strong and prospects for the stronger manufacturers was bullish.

Wilhelmine’s dedication to building her pianos with a diligent and exacting approach to every stage of production, laid the foundation for an enduring brand that would be associated with the very best names of the piano world. 

In 1950 Berlin, now divided because of the great wall, skilled workers were hard to find. In order to maintain production, the company relocated to Langlau. A staff of 160, using the best available materials, aimed to meet the demand for moderately priced pianos. 

The W. Hoffmann company, having navigated numerous periods of extremely difficult trading conditions, was acquired in 1991 by C. Bechstein, Berlin. The following year, production of W. Hoffmann pianos was again relocated to Seifhennersdorf, Saxony. 

The piano-making sector of manufacturing businesses, seem to suffer blow after blow, now, global competition threatened to disrupt any fragile signs of regeneration. To address this, ‘C. Bechstein Europe’ was founded, based in Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic in 2008.

W.Hoffmann pianos are built at the Czech factory in Hradec Králové. The significant backing from the Bechstein Group, means that the Hoffmann brand has a secure future - enjoying the commitment to excellence that so inspired Wilhelmina Hoffmann at the beginning of the story.

© Steve Burden

Nordiska - A Short history

Nordiska Pianofabriken was founded around 1921 in Stockholm by Emanuel Lager. In 1926 the factory moved its operations to Vetlanda. Their pianos justifiably earned wide recognition in Europe for consistently reliable quality pianos. Later, in 1952, premises were built on Brogårdsgatan where the business was conducted until the end of 1988. 

The involvement of German piano designer Dotzek from 1958 boosted further the design and manufacturing processes - all of which resulted in their being rated by the German trade magazine ‘Music Instrument Industry’, in the top 10 piano makers globally.

The workers enjoyed working at the factory - so much effort was made to keep industrial relations in good shape! Harmony in the work force always bodes well - particularly in a piano factory! 

In 1980, Emanuel's son Birger Lager and his sons Kennet and Torbjörn became sole owners of the business. About this time there were more than 120 employees producing about 4,000 pianos a year. 

From 1967 to 1988, some Nordiska instruments were also manufactured by Nordiska Piano KG in Kronach, Upper Franconia.

Alas! like so many other European manufacturers, Nordiska could not compete with the Asian manufacturers, where production costs were significantly less. Sadly production in Sweden ceased around 1988 when the Dongbei Piano Group of China acquired the company's assets.

The scale designs and manufacturing equipment was relocated to the Yingkou Piano Factory in Liaoning, China. Producing the Nordiska Pianos in China, Nordiska retained its high European quality standards while benefiting from lower production costs in China. 

© Steve Burden

Knight - A Short History

Alfred Knight was born into a family of piano makers - his great-great-grandfather worked for Broadwoods. While still at school he helped at the Hicks factory where in 1913, he began his apprenticeship. On the completion of his training he worked at Squire & Longson, where, the much respected Cremona piano was built. The pianos that were built under the name of Welmar were based on the Cremona designs.

Alfred Knight was involved in developing further these pianos. Working particularly on the iron frame design. He used a distinctively linear shape - a style he perfected later in his own Knight Pianos. 

In 1929 the Squire factory was destroyed by fire but was soon rebuilt. This was a difficult time for the industry, but despite the unpromising odds, in 1931, Alfred Knight set up a new business at Stoke Newington, Booker & Knight. By 1935, he was able to buy out Booker, calling the business the Knight Piano Co.

1955 the Knight Piano Co. moved to Loughton in Essex. 

In the late 1950s, there were, in the UK, only 2 piano action manufacturers: Herburger Brooks, and British Piano Actions who were based in Llanelli in South Wales. The American owners of Herburger Brooks tried to buy British Piano Actions - a move which would have established a virtual monopoly.

It was Alfred Knight who formed an international consortium of piano makers so that the British Piano Actions could remain independent. Of course, a ‘British Piano Actions’ action was fitted to into Knight pianos until BPA was closed down. 

The Knight K10, in my opinion, remains one of the finest modern-style pianos ever made in England. The tone was bright and clear and the robust build-quality, no doubt partly due to the large and heavy iron frame, made it an excellent choice for schools and colleges.

The closure of the Knight Loughton factory was the close of perhaps, the most progressive chapters in the history of British Piano-making - even though, for a while the Knight pianos were made elsewhere.

© Steve Burden

Kimball - A Short History

The Kimball story began in 1857 by William Wallace Kimball as a simple piano dealership in Chicago. By 1864 he was able to move to larger premises selling pianos from many of the well established piano makers on the East Coast. Sadly, all was destroyed by a tragic fire 1871. Despite the heavy loss W. W. Kimball carried on business by selling the pianos from his home.

In 1877, W.W. Kimball, seeing there was a strong demand for reed organs, began producing his own, using organ parts from the J.G. Earhuff Company and cases make by contractors. After only three years, the reed organs he was offering for sale were made completely in house. Progress was impressive and In 1882, the company was incorporated, a huge factory built and production increased to 15,000 organs a year. By 1922 when production stopped, the company had made 403,390 instruments. A spectacular achievement!

Meanwhile, in 1887, Kimball began building his five-story factory for making its own pianos. At first these instruments were of unexceptional quality, but hiring skilled craftsman from the likes of Steinway and Bechstein, the standard of his pianos improved markedly. By 1893 Kimball pianos were highly rated for their build quality and the company noted for their efficient manufacturing processes. With 35–40 traveling salesmen, covering vast areas of the country, the company’s sales practices were very aggressive.

Diversifying somewhat, in 1901 he was associated with making Player Pianos. From 1917 until 1929 he produced Phonographs.

When piano production resumed after 1945, W.W. Kimball Jr was by now, leading the company. Due to some bad financial decisions over the next ten years or so, the company’s prospects slipped into downward spiral. In the mid-1950s, a new, up-market factory in Melrose Park was built. But with the high costs, poor performance and weak sales, Kimball was all but insolvent - having been toppled from being the largest piano maker to being merely the seventh largest! How the mighty have fallen!

In 1950, Mr. Arnold F. Habig began ‘The Jasper Corporation’. In 1959, the Corporation purchased the W. W. Kimball Company from the Kimball family, and piano productions relocated to West Baden, in Southern Indiana. The Jasper/Kimball company was by now known as Kimball International. A decade later, The Kimball piano was once again the world’s largest piano Company. 

© Steve Burden

Kemble - A Short History

Kemble Pianos was established in 1911 by Michael Kemble in Stoke Newington. Details about the history of Kemble pianos are hard to find - even on the Kemble website, the ‘history’ page is confined to 9 bullet points. 

And yet, Kemble Pianos, having survived both the war periods and the consequent economic hardships, went on to build good, quality pianos and attract the attention of the giant Japanese piano maker - Yamaha. 

Examples of early Kemble pianos must survive but as a tuner in the SW of England, rarely does one see a pre-1920 Kemble. During the post, First World War years, reestablishing the momentum of sales must have been particularly difficult. 

When the ‘minipiano’ became so popular, Kembles Launched the ‘Minx’. The Minx was a neat, small piano with a full keyboard - probably the best of the minipianos on offer. As an overstrung piano and yet being so short, the design of the Minx was all about getting a small piano to perform and sound as well as what was expected from a standard upright piano. The distinctive Minx remained in production for 30 years! The case altered in later years but the inner workings of the the piano were recognisably very similar to the original. 

A 1960s Minx

Under Robert Kemble, in the 1950s Kemble Pianos moved to a factory in Bletchley, near Milton Keynes. It must have been around this time that the The Kemble ‘Classic’ was designed, built and launched - another small but full 7 octave piano - taller than the Minx, but a very slim, 47 cm from front to back.

In 1968, Kembles began a joint venture with The Yamaha Corporation of Japan and, a few years later, Yamaha-Kemble Music (UK) Ltd. was formed. In 1985 Kemble and Co. started making some of the Yamaha range of pianos to be sold in the UK market. The Kemble pianos now reflected the Yamaha influence and used the high quality Yamaha actions in their pianos.

Kemble pianos, since 2009, are now made in Yamaha's factories in the Far East but the Kemble name - quite deservedly, lives on!

© Steve Burden

Kawai - A Short History

The Japanese culture greatly values respect and honour. Kiochi Kawai established the Kawai musical Instrument Research Laboratory in 1927 but for him, manufacturing pianos is not just about business, it is more the pursuit of dreams and destiny. 

By 1935, production reached 85 pianos per month. Due to the War production was suspended from 1937 - 1948. Within ten years of production resuming, Shigeru Kawai, having taken over the business from his father, set about to to be among the first to embrace modern scientific aids and technology to transform the piano making process.

The traditions of philosophy and the joining of mind and spirit, all throw their weight behind the push towards perfection. Kawai pianos have developed their own actions using ABS carbon for some of the action parts. Their painstaking research has been rewarded with a unique result which stands up well to the stiff scrutiny of purists who prefer the more standard and accepted traditionally-made actions.

In 1999, the elite range of Shigeru Kawai Pianos was launched. These extraordinary pianos are built by the best of Master Piano Artisans. These technicians seek to elevate their work - making it more of a mystical quest. The role of Master Piano Artisan is to present the artist with an instrument of inspirational and limitless possibilities.

Having had the privilege of tuning one of these very special pianos, I can only praise the workmanship and acknowledge the pursuit of excellence in piano manufacture. I look forward to tuning many more of them!

Good to know that even the standard range of Kawai Pianos is impressive. They are always well put together and convey the essence of the Kawai philosophy.

© Steve Burden

Bechstein - A Short History

 Carl Bechstein had a firm grasp of piano making while still a young man, he also had an acute understanding of how to use publicity to further his business. His first grand piano was built in 1856 - a piano on which Hans von Bulow gave a concert playing Liszt's piano sonata. This concert earned the Bechstein Piano universal praise, and thus Bechstein became a piano-making force to be reckoned with!

The following year, Hans von Bulow is believed to have written that, "Bechstein is, in my opinion, the foremost maker of grand pianos in Germany, although he has built only three so far..." In 1861, still seeking to further the cause of Bechstein Pianos, he wrote to Klindworth insisting that the Bechstein Piano be properly demonstrated at the upcoming International Exhibition in London.

Sure enough, at the 1862 London Industrial Exhibition, Bechstein was awarded the English Grand Prix. The pianos were described as "distinguished by outstanding freshness and breadth of tone, quality of play and uniformity of the different registers..."

The Bechstein Piano appealed to the musical elite and to numerous Royal Households. In 1881, a Bechstein Piano was sent to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. In 1885 what was to become the largest dealership in Europe was opened in London. During the early years of the 20th century the list of royal clients grew to include the tsars of Russia and the royal families of Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Denmark.

The annual production from the Bechstein factories grew steadily. In 1900, annual production was about 3,700 pianos. By 1910, this had increased to about 4,600. 

Bechstein Pianos still have the something of their 'freshness and breadth of tone'! The build quality is legendary and even today, many pre 1900 Bechstein Pianos are thought worthy of total rebuilding. The Bechstein Piano deserves its status as one of the foremost Piano Makers of all time. 

© Steve Burden