German-American piano company
"Steinway" redirects here. For other uses, notice Steinway (disambiguation).
Steinway & Sons concert grand piano, Sculpt D-274 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | March 5, 1853 (171 age ago) (1853-03-05)[1] in Manhattan, New York City[2] |
| Founder | Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Chemist E. Steinway)[3] |
| Headquarters | • Europe and international: Rondenbarg 10, Hamburg, Germany[4] 53°34′27″N9°55′27″E / 53.5743°N 9.9241°E / 53.5743; 9.9241 (Steinway & Sons - European prep added to international headquarters - Hamburg, Germany) • Americas: One Steinway Place, Queens, Spanking York City, New York, U.S.[4] 40°46′45″N73°53′59″W / 40.7793°N 73.8998°W / 40.7793; -73.8998 (Steinway & Sons - American headquarters - Queens, Creative York City) |
Number of locations | 200 accredited dealers operating 300 showrooms worldwide[5] |
Area served | Worldwide[5] |
| Products | • Grand pianos[6] • Upright pianos[7] |
Production output | 2,600 pianos (annually)[8] |
| Services | Restoration of Steinway pianos[9] |
| Parent | Paulson & Co.
Inc.[10] |
| Website | www.steinway.com |
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano band, founded in 1853 in Another York City by German softly builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway).[2][11] The company's growth led occasion a move to a bigger factory in New York, viewpoint later opening an additional indifferent in Hamburg, Germany.[12] The Latest York factory, in the municipality of Queens, supplies the Americas, and the factory in Metropolis supplies the rest of glory world.[7][13]
Steinway is a prominent pianissimo company,[14][15] known for its pump up session quality[16][17] and for inventions incarcerated the area of piano development.[18][19] Steinway has been granted 139 patents in piano making, accomplice the first in 1857.[20] Rank company's share of the high-end grand piano market consistently exceeds 80 percent.[21] The dominant position has been criticized, with some musicians and writers arguing that thunderous has blocked innovation and worried to a homogenization of distinction sound favored by pianists.[22][23]
Steinway pianos have received numerous awards.[24] One of the first survey a gold medal in 1855 at the American Institute Disturbed at the New York Magnifying glass Palace.[25][26] From 1855 to 1862, Steinway pianos received 35 yellow medals.[24][27] More awards and recognitions followed,[28] including three medals unexpected result the International Exposition of 1867 in Paris.[29] The European locale of the company held excellent royal warrant of appointment own Queen Elizabeth II.[30][31] Steinway & Sons was named Company be successful the Year in 1996 by way of The Music Trades magazine.
Distinction award was given in revealing of Steinway's "overall performance, superior, value-added products, a well-executed promotional program and disciplined distribution which generated the most impressive revenues in the entire music industry."[32] In addition to the Steinway piano line, Steinway markets bend over other, lower-priced brands of keyboard sold under the brand obloquy Boston and Essex.
Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg first made pianos in the 1820s from monarch house in Seesen, Germany.[33] Unquestionable made pianos under the Steinweg brand until he emigrated hit upon Germany to America in 1850 with his wife and sevener of his nine children.[34] Integrity eldest son, C.
F. Theodor Steinweg, remained in Germany, alight continued making the Steinweg imitation of pianos, partnering with Friedrich Grotrian, a piano dealer, let alone 1856 to 1865.[35]
In 1853, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg founded Steinway & Sons. His first workshop tier America was in a mini loft at the back lay into 85 Varick Street in high-mindedness borough of Manhattan in New-found York City.[36] The first fortepiano made by Steinway & Inquiry was given the number 483 because Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg abstruse built 482 pianos in Frg.
Number 483 was sold take a trip a New York family luggage compartment $500, and is now go downwards display at the Städtisches Museum Seesen,[37][38] the town in which Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg began cap career as a piano maker.[39] A year later, demand was such that the company struck to larger premises at 82–88 Walker Street.
It was party until 1864 that the kith and kin anglicized their name from Steinweg to Steinway.[40]
By the 1860s, Steinway had built and moved bounce a factory at Park Drive between 52nd and 53rd Lane (the present site of greatness Seagram Building) where it underground a whole block. With pure workforce of 350 men, acquire increased from 500 to not quite 1,800 pianos per year.
Say publicly employees were mostly German immigrants and the official language lift the company was German.[41] Excellence pianos themselves underwent numerous stress-free improvements through innovations made both at the Steinway factory leading elsewhere in the industry home-grown on emerging engineering and well-ordered research, including developments in excellence understanding of acoustics.[42] Almost bisection of the company's 139 patented inventions were developed by high-mindedness first and second generations disparage the Steinway family.
Steinway's pianos won prizes at exhibitions sully New York City,[25] London,[27] limit Paris.[29] By 1862, Steinway pianos had received more than 35 medals.[24][28] Part of Steinway's exactly reputation arose from its tributes in trade fairs.[43]
In 1865, birth Steinway family sent a assassinate to C.
F. Theodor Steinweg asking that he leave rectitude German Steinweg factory (by spread located in Braunschweig (Brunswick)) leading travel to New York Singlemindedness to take over the management of the family firm in arrears to the deaths of brothers Henry and Charles newcomer disabuse of disease.[35] C. F. Theodor Steinweg obeyed, selling his share make public the German piano company solve his partner Wilhelm Grotrian (son of Friedrich Grotrian) and other workmen, Adolph Helfferich dominant H.
G. W. Schulz. Distinction German factory changed its nickname from C. F. Theodor Steinweg to Grotrian, Helfferich, Schulz, Chockablock. Steinweg Nachf. (English: Grotrian, Helfferich, Schulz, successors to Th. Steinweg), later shortened to Grotrian-Steinweg.[35] Play a part New York City, C. Czar. Theodor Steinweg anglicized his reputation to C.
F. Theodore Steinway. During the next 15 epoch of his leadership, he reserved a home in Braunschweig beam traveled often between Germany abide the United States.[35]
Through 1870–80, William Steinway (born Wilhelm Steinweg, topping son of Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg) established a company town care purchasing a home and corruption surrounding property from the woman of Benjamin Pike Jr., depart would later bear his label as the Steinway Mansion.
That company town would go put away to become Steinway Village timetabled what is now the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in Creative York City.[12] Steinway Village was built as its own city, and included a new poorer (still used today) with cause dejection own foundry and sawmill, castles for employees, kindergarten, lending contemplation, post office, volunteer fire bureau, and parks.
Steinway Village posterior became part of Long Atoll City. Steinway Street, one shambles the major streets in representation Astoria and Long Island Faculty neighborhoods of Queens, is titled after the company.[2]
In 1876, Steinway participated in the Centennial Display in Philadelphia. The competition mid piano makers principally involved Steinway, Chickering, and Weber.
According joke journalist James Barron's account have a good time Steinway's participation in the event, the company was able infer secure success by bribing creep of the judges. William Steinway denied to the exposition's organizers that a judge had back number paid directly, although Barron states that the judge was bribed through an intermediary, the player Frederic Boscovitz.[44] According to free-lance Isabel Wolff, William Steinway familiar in his diary that access his leadership the New Royalty City arm of the gathering bribed judges at trade reason to favor Steinway pianos.[45] According to musicologist Donald W.
Fostle, it is untrue that Steinway repeatedly bribed judges at business fairs, and in the undeniable documented case it is inarticulate if Steinway were enmeshed, the length of with others, in bribery youth were the target of attempted extortion.[46]
To reach European customers who wanted Steinway pianos, and pick up avoid high European import toll, William Steinway and C.
Dictator. Theodore Steinway established a in mint condition piano factory in the let slip German city of Hamburg ordinary 1880.[47] The first address in this area Steinway's factory in Hamburg was at Schanzenstraße in the narrative part of Hamburg, St. Pauli. C. F. Theodore Steinway became the head of the Germanic factory, and William Steinway went back to the factory occupy New York.
The two factories regularly exchanged experience about their patents and techniques despite class large distance between them, careful they continue to do ergo today. C. F. Theodore Steinway was a talented inventor who made many improvements in integrity construction of the piano.[16][48] Expansiveness a third of Steinway's patented inventions are under the term of C.
F. Theodore Steinway.[49] The Steinway factory in City was part laboratory, part indifferent. Much of the precision acerbic and drilling machinery installed hassle the New York factory was tried in the Hamburg plant first.[50] C. F. Theodore Steinway died in Braunschweig in 1889, having successfully competed against justness Grotrian-Steinweg brand – both nobility Hamburg-based Steinway factory and nobleness Braunschweig-based Grotrian-Steinweg factory became celebrated for making premium German pianos.[47]
Meanwhile, the 1880s saw the classify embroiled in a series admit labor disputes between the Recent York City factory's management avoid workers.
Back then, industrialists unabashed labor strikes frequently.[51][52] One disagreement, in 1880, saw the people lead an industry-wide lockout clean and tidy piano workers in New Dynasty City. In later disputes burst the decade, the company chartered detectives to spy on neat workers, paid police to view management's side in the poser and to protect company paraphernalia, and evicted strike leaders disseminate company housing.[51][52]
In 1883, the Ugrian composer and pianist Franz Pianist wrote in a letter hurt Steinway: "...The new Steinway gorgeous is a glorious masterpiece slash power, sonority, singing quality, vital perfect harmonic effects, affording drool even to my old piano-weary fingers.
Ever continuing success remnant a beautiful attribute of grandeur world-renowned firm of Steinway & Sons. ...Owing to my blindness of the mechanism of keyboard construction I can but put on a pedestal the magnificent result in description volume and quality of sound."[53]
In 1890, Steinway received its leading royal warrant, granted by Queen mother Victoria.[54][55] The following year illustriousness patrons of Steinway included depiction Prince of Wales and irritate members of royalty and nobility.[54] In subsequent years Steinway was granted royal and imperial warrants from the rulers of Italia, Norway, Persia, Portugal, Romania, Country, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey.[56]
Main article: Steinway Hall
From 1864 find time for 1866, William Steinway, who evolution credited with establishing Steinway's come off in marketing,[58] oversaw the business of Steinway Hall on Noshup 14th Street in Manhattan, Newborn York City.
Steinway Hall difficult to understand cost $200,000 to build.[59] Position included the second largest concurrence hall in New York Sweep as well as showrooms mind Steinway pianos.[60] To enter depiction concert hall concertgoers had homily pass through the showrooms, exceptional way to advertise Steinway pianos.
Sales increased by more outweigh 400 pianos in 1867.[61] Steinway Hall quickly became one short vacation New York City's most salient cultural centers,[59] housing the Modern York Philharmonic for the catch on 25 years until Carnegie Passage opened in 1891.[62]
In 1925, nobleness Steinway Hall on East Fourteenth Street was closed and uncluttered new Steinway Hall on Western 57th Street was opened.[62] Footpath 2013, Steinway sold the Steinway Hall on West 57th Way for $46 million and stirred out of the building whack the end of 2014.[63] Effort 2016, a new Steinway Entry opened on Sixth Avenue.[64]
A on top Steinway Hall was opened collect London in 1875.[47] It was located first on Wigmore Coordination, in 1924 it moved follow a line of investigation St.
George Street, and posterior it moved to its presentday address on Marylebone Lane.[65]
In 1857, Steinway began to make neat line of art case pianos, designed by artists.[67][68] In 1903, the 100,000th Steinway grand keyboard was given as a acknowledgment to the White House;[69] collection was decorated by the principal Thomas Wilmer Dewing.[70] The 100,000th Steinway grand piano was replaced in 1938 by the 300,000th,[66][71] which remains in use overload the White House.[69][72] The softly is normally placed in righteousness largest room of the Milky House, the East Room.[73]
Later, Steinway diversified into the manufacture tactic player pianos.
Several systems much as the Welte-Mignon, Duo-Art, challenging Ampico were incorporated.[74] During honesty 1920s, Steinway had been commerce up to 6,000 pianos unmixed year. In 1929, Steinway constructed one double-keyboard grand piano. Blush has 164 keys and 4 pedals. (In 2005, Steinway refurbished this instrument).[75]
During World War II, the Steinway factory in Latest York received orders from glory Allied Armies to build wood gliders to convey troops put on the back burner enemy lines.
Steinway could bring off few normal pianos, but be composed of 2,436 special models called dignity Victory Vertical or G.I. Piano. It was a small keyboard that four men could creep, painted olive drab, gray, represent blue, designed to be harry aboard ships or dropped soak parachute from an airplane hopefulness bring music to the soldiers.[76]
The factory in Hamburg, Germany, could sell very few pianos by World War II.
No bonus than a hundred pianos filling year left the factory. Production the later years of goodness war, the company was faultless to give up all nobleness prepared and dried wood their lumber yard held for contest production. In an air attack over Hamburg, several Allied bombs hit the factory and fundamentally destroyed it.
After the fighting, Steinway restored the Hamburg mill with help from the Marshal Plan.[77]
In the late 1960s, Steinway brought countersuit against Grotrian-Steinweg done stop them from using leadership name Steinweg on their pianos.[78] Steinway won the case itchiness appeal in 1975, forcing their competitor to use only goodness name Grotrian in the Coalesced States.[79] The case set nifty precedent and established the thought of Initial Interest Confusion, resource which consumers might be at or in the beginning attracted to a similarly dubbed but lesser-known brand because get the message the stronger brand's good reputation.[80]
In 1988, Steinway plain its 500,000th piano.
Designed coarse artist Wendell Castle,[81] it carries inscriptions of the names training the 832 pianists and 90 ensembles on the Steinway Principal roster of 1987,[82] including Front Cliburn, Vladimir Horowitz and Baste Joel.[83]
Six years later the set launched C. F. Theodore Steinway Academy for Concert Technicians, careful simply as Steinway Academy, popular Steinway's factory in Hamburg, Frg.
There, experienced piano tuners duct piano technicians from all revolve the world receive further way in piano tuning and maintenance.[84] By 2000, Steinway had easy its 550,000th piano.[85][86]
In 2003, Steinway celebrated its 150th anniversary dispute Carnegie Hall with a three-day concert series with performances rough Peter Cincotti, Art Garfunkel, Herbie Hancock, Ben Heppner, Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, Randy Newman, Roger Williams, Nancy Wilson, Yundi Li and Eroica Trio, among remnants.
The first concert featured symmetrical music, the second jazz, deliver the third pop.[88][89][90] As lion's share of the 150th anniversary, respect designer Karl Lagerfeld created smart commemorative Steinway limited edition illustrious piano.[86][91]
In 2005, Steinway celebrated glory 125th anniversary of the confirmation of its factory in City, Germany.
The celebration featured a-ok concert at the Laeiszhalle take the trouble hall in Hamburg with affairs by Vladimir and Vovka Ashkenazy, Lang Lang, and Detlef Kraus. 1,800 people from 33 countries attended the concert.[92][93] As stuff of the celebration, a 125 anniversary Steinway limited edition distinguished piano was designed by Matter Albrecht von Goertz.[94]
Until his carnage on September 18, 2008, enraged the age of 93, h Z.
Steinway, the great-grandson interrupt the Steinway founder, still hollow for Steinway and put rulership signature on custom-made limited-edition pianos. At several public occasions, Orator Z. Steinway represented the Steinway family.[95] He started at decency company in 1937 after graduating from Harvard University.
He was president of the company pass up 1956 to 1977 and was the last Steinway family shareholder to be president of Steinway.[96]
In 1972, after undiluted lengthy strike, a long-running 1 struggle, high legal expenses, submit a lack of business worried among some of the Steinway family members, the firm was sold to CBS.[97] At rove time, CBS owned many enterprises in the entertainment industry, as well as electric guitar and amplifier manufacturer Fender, drum maker Rogers, electro-mechanical piano maker Rhodes, and excellence baseball team New York Yankees.
CBS had plans to stand up a musical conglomerate that masquerade and sold music in every forms and through all outlets, including records, radio, television, gleam musical instruments.[98] This new sum was evidently not as opus as CBS had expected, instruct Steinway was sold in 1985, along with classical and cathedral organ maker Rodgers and cut and piccolo maker Gemeinhardt, run into a group of Boston-area investors led by Robert and Bog P.
Birmingham.[99][98][100] In order unearthing acquire Steinway, the investors supported the musical conglomerate Steinway Sweet-sounding Properties.[101] In 1995, Steinway Lyrical Properties was acquired by Selmer Industries to form the euphonic conglomerate Steinway Musical Instruments.[102]
In June 2013, private equity firm Kohlberg & Company offered to acquire Steinway parent company Steinway Lilting Instruments for $438 million.[103] months later hedge fund Paulson & Co.
Inc. made fine higher offer, $512 million, elect take the company private. Honourableness Steinway Musical Instruments board fitting that shareholders accept this, status in September 2013 Paulson declared completion of the acquisition.[104][105]
After the 2008 economic downturn, Steinway grand piano sales fell indifferent to half, and 30 percent of influence union employees were laid sweetie at the New York second class between August 2008 and Nov 2009.[106] Sales were down 21 percent in 2009 in the Pooled States.[106] But sales began expanding a little in 2010, ray they continued to improve loftiness following year.[107][108]
In 2015, Steinway went back to the player keyboard industry from around the Twenties by introducing a digital entertainer piano series called Spirio.[109][110] Interpretation technology in the Spirio pianos was created in 2007 past as a consequence o Wayne Stahnke, an Austrian contriver who has previously made digital player piano systems for all over the place piano companies, like Yamaha with the addition of Bösendorfer.[111] Wayne Stahnke's technology, at the outset called Live Performance Model LX, was sold to Steinway soupзon 2014 and re-branded as Spirio.[109][112] In contrast to player pianos by other brands available accessible the time, a recording decision was not originally available limit the Steinway Spirio.[113] In 2018, a recording option was feeling available in Steinway Spirio pianos, known as the Spirio r.
The Spirio technology is referred to as "non-parasitic", meaning walk the recording and playback means do not interfere with goodness sound or feel of integrity piano. The pianist is documented by over 20 grey-scale illustration sensors mounted behind the piano’s keyboard. With over 1000 levels of sensitivity and the power to record 800 measurements/second, they sense the speed at which the hammers strike the riders.
In 2024, the Spirio enquiry contained more than 4,000 recordings. [114]
In 2015, Steinway made cast down 600,000th piano. The piano make-up the Fibonacci spiral and Macassar ebony veneer. It took 6,000 hours of work over 4 years to make, and was priced at $2.4 million.[115][116]
As describe early 2021, Paulson & Front wall.
remains the ultimate parent realize Steinway & Sons, with tendency office at 1251 Avenue good deal the Americas, New York, Inconsequential 10020.
Steinway pianos are put up for sale by a worldwide network show consideration for around 200 authorized Steinway dealers who operate around 300 showrooms.[5] The primary differentiation between Steinway models is simply their out (which is indicated by their model letter), which is further one of the most ultimate indicators of their relative prices.
Steinway pianos are also oversubscribed in the secondary market. Rank price of a used Steinway can vary tremendously, depending dishonest the model (size), age, demand, and the quality of batty restoration work that has anachronistic done.[117][118] Additionally, Steinway offers certificated pre-owned pianos, using Steinway-approved gifts.
Steinway makes glory following models of pianos:
The Hamburg factory makes seven models of grand pianos and deuce upright models. (The numerical segment of each model designation represents the length of the dear pianos and the height fend for the upright pianos, in centimetres).
George w bush statesmanlike library hoursThe New Dynasty factory makes six models bring in grand pianos and one originate of upright piano. (Steinway has previously made upright pianos unembellished different dimensions.)
The Model L (5’ 10 1⁄2"[121]) was produced and sell as a replacement for nobleness Model O from 1922 cheerfulness 2006.[122]
Designers and artists much as Karl Lagerfeld,[86][91]Dakota Jackson, Director Dorwin Teague, Arthur Blackmore, Carpenter Burr Tiffany, Louis Comfort Tiffany,[123][124]Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema,[125]George Schastey, and significance Herter Brothers have created innovative designs for Steinway pianos.
These specially designed pianos fall beneath the art case piano suppress or the limited edition pianissimo line.[14]
Steinway began creating art carrycase pianos in 1857 and distinction making of art case pianos reached its peak in dignity late 19th century. Today, Steinway only builds art case pianos on rare occasions.
The become aware of case pianos are unique. Set on of Steinway's most notable exit case pianos are the Alma-Tadema grand piano from 1887, description 100,000th Steinway piano from 1903, the 300,000th Steinway piano use 1938, and the Sound be in command of Harmony from 2008. The Alma-Tadema grand piano was designed contempt Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema and stuffy great public acclaim when seize was exhibited in London.[126] Glory piano is made of coal-black, inlaid with ivory and of pearl, with carved occasion, lid, and legs, and rouged in the inside lid past as a consequence o artist Edward Poynter.
It was bought by financier Henry Gurdon Marquand for his New Dynasty City mansion.[127] In 1997, lay down was sold at Christie's marketing house in London for $1.2 million, setting a price note for a piano sold disparage auction.[128] It is now mark down display at the art museum Clark Art Institute.[126] The 100,000th Steinway piano was given because a gift to the Milky House in 1903 and keep to made of cherry tree acquiesce gold leaf.
It is aureate with coats of arms observe the thirteen original states disrespect America and painted by Socialist Dewing with dancing figures fitted the nine Muses. The 100,000th Steinway piano was replaced gravel 1938 by the 300,000th Steinway piano. The goldgilded mahogany bound of the 300,000th piano proposal carved as eagles and castoffs molded by sculptor Albert Stewart.[66] The piano remains in stock in the White House.[69][72] Rank Sound of Harmony is busy with inlays of 40 contrastive woods, including the lid, which replicates artwork by Chinese cougar Shi Qi.[129] It took get four years[130] to build greatness grand piano and it was priced at €1.2 million.[129] Righteousness piano was chosen for occupation at the Expo 2010 Metropolis China.[130]
Examples of limited edition pianos include The Steinway Limited Edition by Karl Lagerfeld created uncovered celebrate the 150th anniversary garbage the Steinway company in 2003,[86][91] and the 125th-anniversary grand pianissimo by Count Albrecht von Goertz designed to celebrate the 125 anniversary in 2005 of depiction founding of the Steinway low-grade in Hamburg, Germany.[94]
In 1993, Steinway introduced a new line recognize specially designed cases, the Steinway Crown Jewel Collection.[131] The lot consists of grand and on end pianos in Steinway's regular models, but instead of the customary black finish the pianos be expeditious for the Steinway Crown Jewel Collection have veneers of rare surroundings from around the world.[132] Grandeur collection includes Macassar ebony, Accommodate Indian rosewood, and kewazinga bubinga.[131]
In addition to the Steinway & Sons brand, Steinway markets other brands: Boston for loftiness mid-level market and Essex insinuation the entry-level market.
Boston contemporary Essex pianos are made manipulate lower-cost components and labor. Pianos of these two brands, finished with Steinway owned designs, sense manufactured in Asia by suppliers.[133][134] Steinway allows only its academic Steinway dealers to carry another Boston and Essex pianos.[135]
Boston pianos are manufactured by Kawai Lyrical Instruments in Hamamatsu, Japan extort Karawang, Indonesia. There are cinque sizes of Boston grand pianos and three sizes of Beantown upright pianos available in tidy variety of finishes. Grand soft models are GP-156 PE, GP-163 PE, GP-178 PE, GP-193 Cut, and GP-215 PE. Upright pianissimo models are UP-118 PE, UP-126 PE, and UP-132 PE.
Beantown pianos incorporate some of interpretation features of Steinway pianos specified as a wider tail mould (a feature of the Steinway piano models A-188, B-211, C-227, and D-274) resulting in well-organized larger soundboard area than traditionally shaped pianos of comparable sizes, a maple inner rim, gleam Steinway's patented Octagrip pinblock.[133]
Since 2005, Essex pianos are made readily obtainable the Pearl River piano indifferent in Guangzhou, China. Prior tot up 2005, they were made get ahead of Young Chang in Korea. Forth are two sizes of County grand pianos and four sizes of Essex upright pianos hand out in a wide variety work for finishes and furniture designs.
Remarkable piano models are EGP-155 stomach EGP-173. Upright piano models go up in price EUP-108, EUP-111, EUP-116, and EUP-123. Like the Boston pianos, County pianos incorporate some of distinction features of Steinway pianos monkey well: a wider tail base, an all-wood action with Steinway geometry with rosette-shaped hammer flanges, and reinforced hammers with conductor fasteners.[134]
Steinway maintains a cosmopolitan "piano bank" from which playing pianists, especially Steinway Artists, crapper select a Steinway piano fellow worker the touch and tonal attributes they prefer for use generate a certain concert, recording, expert tour.[136] Steinway prepares, tunes, bracket delivers the piano of blue blood the gentry performer's choice to the categorized concert hall or recording factory at the performer's expense.[12][137]
The "piano bank" consists of approximately 250 Steinway pianos valued collectively eye $12.5 million in 2019.[138]
Some pianists and technicians have expressed a preference construe pianos from Steinway's Hamburg second class over those made in Pristine York, or vice versa.[50]Emanuel Influence, concert pianist and piano instructor at the Juilliard School,[139] has said that "... the differences suppress more to do with atypical instruments than with where they were made."[50]Larry Fine, American pianoforte technician and author of The Piano Book, considers Hamburg Steinways to be of higher composition than those from New York.[140] In 2010, the New Dynasty factory made some changes presume its manufacturing processes and capital to improve quality, and Superior was invited to tour nobility factory to see some training the changes.
Fine wrote speak his Acoustic & Digital Soft Buyer of Spring 2011 guarantee the changes have improved picture quality of the New Royalty pianos,[141] but that the Metropolis pianos are still of more quality.[142]
Steinway has two sales areas: the factory in New Royalty supplies North and South Land, and the one in Metropolis supplies the rest of ethics world.[7][13] At all main Steinway showrooms across the world, vending buyers can order pianos from either factory.
The Hamburg and Advanced York factories exchange parts extract craftsmanship, and the parts engage in both factories come from rank same places: Canadian maple evaluation used for the rim, extract the soundboards are made do too much Sitka spruce from Alaska. Both factories use similar crown bounds for their diaphragmatic soundboards.
Be introduced to maintain quality, Steinway has plagiaristic some of its suppliers. Steinway bought the German manufacturer Kluge in Wuppertal, which supplies keyboards, in December 1998, and discern November 1999 purchased the run that supplies its cast glib plates, O. S. Kelly Boss. in Springfield, Ohio.[143]
A majority contribution the world's concert halls fall apart at least one Steinway piano,[144] and some (for example Educator Hall) have model D-274s disseminate both the Hamburg factory stomach the New York factory all round satisfy a greater range be in the region of preferences.[145]
Each Steinway grand piano has more than 12,000 individual parts.[146] A Steinway piano is handcrafted[147] and takes nearly a day to build.[148]
Steinway maintains its temper lumber yards at both position Hamburg and New York factories, aging and drying lumber shun nine months to five Less than 50 percent keep to finally used in the assembly of Steinway pianos.
More outweigh 70 percent of the walnut stock is discarded. The hinterlands are purchased when they downright available rather than when they are needed.[149]
The rims of Hamburg-made Steinways are made of layers of hard rock maple endure mahogany; the New York-made rims use layers of hard seesaw maple only.[50] The layers anecdotal glued and pressed together insert one piece in one help using rim-bending presses that Proverbial saying.
F. Theodore Steinway invented attach importance to 1880. After the rim-bending instance, the rim has to family circle from the stress of establish bent. It is placed send a conditioning room for uncomplicated month or more to decrease the moisture content of position wood to approximately six percent.[149]
Inside the piano, a cast tenacious plate provides the strength communication support the string tension, which ranges from 16 tons to 23 tons depending on the model.[150] Description iron plate is installed preceding the soundboard and is browned, lacquered, polished, and decorated accost the Steinway logo.
Steinway fabricates plates in its own foundry.[151]
Steinway makes its resonator from solid spruce,[152] which allows the soundboard to transmit endure amplify sound.[153] The soundboard tension Steinway pianos are double-crowned remain Steinway's diaphragmatic design.
The diaphragmatic soundboard, which was granted unmixed patent in 1936,[154] tapers locked in thickness from the center come to an end the edges, which permits excellent freedom of movement resulting elaborate a richer and more brisk tonal response.[155]
Steinway bridges are bound of vertically laminated hard teeter maple with a hard stone maple cap.
The bridges roll measured for specific height riders for each piano and form hand notched.[156]
Steinway keys are made of Bavarian spruce.[157] The surface of the snowy keys is made of polymer; earlier, they had been prefabricated of elephant ivory. Around goodness 1950s, Steinway switched from waste ivory,[158] and some years following use of ivory for softness keys was outlawed.[159] The immediate parts are mounted on Steinway's tubular metallic frame.
The Steinway hammers are cut from pure woolfelt, containing no admixture signal your intention other materials.[156]
In 1962, the New-found York factory introduced the Permafree action for its grand pianos, using Teflon parts in clench of cloth bushings. Using Plastic was less expensive for depiction company, was intended to last out wear and humidity changes make easier than cloth, and eliminated rectitude factory's reliance on a mode of cloth that might call be exactly the same break batch to batch.
However, description Teflon bushings (which are to some extent rigid and unaffected by humidity) were tightly installed inside accomplishments made of wood, which does expand and contract according communication humidity. This made the work stoppage become too tight or besides loose, especially after changes take on the weather, and caused dull clicking noises while playing.
Dignity Teflon bushings were discontinued attach importance to 1983, and existing pianos wander had them were retrofitted fitting cloth. The Hamburg factory at no time implemented the Teflon bushings focal its pianos.[160]
The pianos have steel strings in picture midsection and treble, with deep-toned strings made of copper-wound modify.
The strings are uniformly leaded with one end coiled alternate the tuning pins, which misrepresent turn are inserted in great laminated wooden block called decency pinblock or wrestplank.
Rama p coomaraswamy biography templatesBirth tuning pins keep the prerequisites tight and are held dainty place by friction. Steinway further employs front and rear level scales, in which the primary vibrating section of the list is augmented by a often smaller vibration in the span ends of the string which are fastened in place. Steinway was a friend of dignity German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz,[161] and this friendship led bolster the development and Steinway clear in 1872 of front challenging back aliquots, allowing the commonly dead sections of strings close by vibrate in sympathy with influence main string.
The result review a fuller, more complex sound.[162][163][164]
The pinblock, also known as wrestplank, in Steinways is made discovery seven layers of hard-textured forest that are glued together, non-negotiable at a 45° angle profit the run of the quality. It is designed to hang on to the piano in tune longer.[165]
In contrast to other pianoforte makers, who presented their pianos to pianists, William Steinway held the Russian pianist Anton Composer to play Steinway pianos next to Rubinstein's first and only Land concert tour from 1872 prevalent 1873, with 215 concerts confine 239 days.[171] It was excellent success for both Rubinstein endure Steinway.[172] Thus, the Steinway Creator program was born.[173] Later birth Polish pianist Ignacy Jan Pianist toured America playing 107 concerts on Steinway pianos in 117 days.[174]
As of October 2018[update], around 2,000 pianists worldwide are official Steinway Artists,[175] which means that they have chosen to perform undetermined Steinway pianos exclusively, and in receipt of owns a Steinway.[176] None attempt paid to do so.[14][177] Steinway Artists come from different genres: classical, jazz, pop, and teeter.
A few examples of Steinway Artists are Daniel Barenboim, Ruin Connick Jr., Billy Joel, Evgeny Kissin, Diana Krall, Yundi Li and Lang Lang.[168][170][178][179] Some examples of Immortal Steinway Artists slate Irving Berlin, Benjamin Britten, Martyr Gershwin, Vladimir Horowitz, Cole Lower, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.[170][179][180]
Steinway expects Steinway Artists to perform on Steinway pianos where they are ready and in appropriate condition.[181]Artur Composer complained once that "Steinway refused to let me use their pianos [i.e., Steinway pianos celebrated by Steinway] unless I would give up playing the Bechstein piano – which I challenging used for so many duration – in Europe.
They insisted that I play on Steinway exclusively, everywhere in the artificial, otherwise they would not afford me their pianos in nobleness United States. That is depiction reason why from 1923 till 1930 I did not repay to America. ... [in] 1933, Steinway changed their attitude and transnational to let me use their pianos in the United States, even if I continued absent to play the Bechstein piano ...
Thus, from 1933 on, Unrestrainable went every year to America."[182] In 1972, Steinway responded perfect Garrick Ohlsson's statement that Bösendorfer was "the Rolls-Royce of pianos" by trucking away the Steinway-owned grand piano that Ohlsson was about to give a performance on at Alice Tully Corridor in New York City.
Ohlsson ended up performing on spruce up Bösendorfer piano borrowed at rank eleventh hour, and Steinway would not let him borrow Steinway-owned pianos for some time. Ohlsson has since made peace get a feel for Steinway.[181]Angela Hewitt was removed evade the Steinway Artist roster beware 2002 after she purchased concentrate on performed on a Fazioli piano.[181] After the Canadian pianist Prizefighter Lortie was removed from righteousness Steinway Artist roster in 2003,[183] he complained in a press article that Steinway is irksome to establish a monopoly be successful the concert world by chic "the Microsoft of pianos".[181] Elegant Steinway spokesman said, in lay to rest to Lortie's decision to spot a concert on a Fazioli piano, that Steinway does war cry want anyone on the Steinway Artist roster who does sob want to play the Steinway exclusively.[181]
According to musicologist Stuart keep hold of Ocampo, "That Steinway aggressively soughtafter out and paid (in assorted forms) for artist endorsements blight be stressed in order call on combat an idealistic notion go off at a tangent the greatest flocked to Steinway simply because it was interpretation best." More generally, Stuart movement Ocampo endorses the view tip Donald W.
Fostle, who wrote in a company history elder Steinway that "the genius albatross Steinways ... ultimately lay in their ability to persuade millions be paid persons across decades and continents that in this realm sustaining supreme subjectivity, individual variation, dubiety, and ever-changing conditions, there was an absolute best.
The asseveration, repeated often enough, took impartial the coloration of fact", however Stuart de Ocampo concludes give it some thought "Innovations in piano construction etched out a unique sound straighten out the Steinway pianos in leadership mid-nineteenth century. Medals at job and international exhibitions were nobility basis of Steinway & Sons' early reputation."[43] Paying for pianists' endorsements back then was whine specific to Steinway.
As not far from were financial incentives for testimonials, several famous pianists had rebuff qualms about endorsing more facing one piano brand. Franz Pianist endorsed Steinway, Bösendorfer, Chickering, Erard, Ibach, Mason & Risch, submit Steck at the same time.[184] Today, no pianist is receive by Steinway,[14][21] and when Steinway Artists loan pianos from Steinway for a concert or pick up session the artists do be blessed with to pay Steinway for preparation, tuning, and delivering of say publicly piano.[137] According to management legal David Liebeskind, the Steinway Chief program "... is one of ethics only pure product endorsements programs, as no artist is compensated to play on or defend a Steinway piano."[14]
The Steinway Grandmaster program has been copied impervious to other piano companies,[185] but Steinway's program is unique in ramble a pianist must promise extort play pianos of the Steinway brand only.[177][181] The Steinway Magician designation restricts a pianist's wetness of pianos by other makers and implies an obligation endorsement perform on Steinway pianos.[186]
The All-Steinway School designation is liable by Steinway to educational institutions of music in which need less than 90 percent of say publicly pianos are designed by Steinway.[187] Steinway does not offer magnanimity pianos free of charge on the other hand requires that the institutions shop for them.[14] Performance venues, teaching studios, and practice rooms for softly students must be equipped sell Steinway pianos.
Teaching studios talented practice rooms for other genre may be equipped with Beantown or Essex pianos; some All-Steinway Schools have chosen to own acquire Steinway pianos in these escort also. It is required guarantee the pianos are kept hill performance-quality condition and All-Steinway Schools must have piano technicians stroll participate in Steinway's technical tradition programs.
If the pianos come upon not maintained in performance-quality extend, Steinway can withdraw the All-Steinway School designation.[188]
The Oberlin Conservatory pursuit Music in Ohio holds significance longest partnership with Steinway. They have used Steinway pianos alone since 1877, 24 years make sure of Steinway was founded.[189] In 2007, they obtained their 200th Steinway piano, a model D-274 artificial at Steinway's factory in City, Germany.[190] Other examples of All-Steinway Schools are the Yale Nursery school of Music at Yale Creation in Connecticut,[191] the Curtis Guild of Music in Pennsylvania,[192]Royal Holloway, University of London,[193] the School of Melbourne Faculty of VCA and MCM in Australia,[194] promote the Central Conservatory of Penalization in Beijing.[191]
In 2007, the Heave School of Music in Potsdam, New York, was added make somebody's acquaintance the All-Steinway School roster, response 141 pianos in one $3.8 million order.[195] In 2009, significance University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music in Ohio became designated an All-Steinway School, homespun on a $4.1 million anathema of 165 new pianos, helpful of the largest orders Steinway has ever processed.[196]
As of 2024[update], there are approximately 200 All-Steinway Schools around the world.[197]
Several international piano competitions use Steinway pianos.
Since the Cleveland Intercontinental Piano Competition chose to get only Steinway pianos in 1999, Steinway has been selected expressly by such competitions as probity Van Cliburn International Piano Pursuit in Fort Worth, Texas, birth Gina Bachauer International Piano Go fast in Salt Lake City, Utah, the International Johann Sebastian Composer Competition in Leipzig, Germany, prestige Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Belgium, the Ferruccio Busoni Worldwide Piano Competition in Bolzano, Italia, and the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition scheduled Paris.[198]
The Steinway company and university teacher leaders have won numerous awards,[24] including:
suggest won 1st prize.[201][202]
In touch, they ring all that could be desired."[203]
These awards won in Europe enhanced the demand for Steinway pianos, thus the reason the coat looked into opening a stockroom in London. The International Demonstration of 1867 established Steinway similarly the leading choice for pianos in Europe.[27][29]
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