July 1, 2024
About the Author: Arwen
A lot of piano brands carry legacies from generations ago, where one person or group took a risk in the world of the unknown. Some failed, some succeeded. Yet there are some that are still legendary brands to this day. Let’s look at some of the most famous and well-known piano brands.
Steinway & Sons
Probably the most popular piano brand ever, Steinway & Sons has built a prestige legacy, having obtained many professional musicians to use their piano. Concert pianists often prefer this renowned brand for their performances.
What makes this brand different from the others? Why choose Steinway?
Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853 by Henry Engelhard Steinway – a German immigrant. According to their official website, Steinway and his sons literally developed the modern piano. They applied skills carried over from generation to generation when building their instruments, creating the legacy we know of today.
Steinway strives for excellence in its pianos, producing masterpieces that catch the eye. This brand is known for its warmth, greater dynamic range, and longer-sustaining tone. Steinway also claims that its pianos’ tones are distinctive and different from other pianos, making the brand stand out even more.
Looking at the price aspect of this piano brand, it is expensive—as expected. Yet the quality of their pianos does not disappoint. Steinway’s soundboards are made with Sitka spruce—the most resonant wood—and that alone is of great cost. Considering their legacy and the high status they have achieved, Steinway & Sons is a luxury with a high price because of its high value.
Yamaha
This brand is known for being the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instruments, producing and distributing various instruments such as pianos, guitars, violins, and so much more.
The brand, Yamaha originates from the founder: Torakusu Yamaha.
He pioneered the production of Western musical instruments in Japan, as stated on their official website.
An elementary school asked him if he could repair a reed organ – to which he agreed and delivered. Yet, while repairing this organ, Torakusu recognised the business potential and, therefore, created a blueprint for it. This led to him creating his own prototype organ.
Trial after trial, he finally completed the organ, which opened many more business opportunities, leading to building the first piano ever made in Japan and earning its spot as one of the greatest piano brands ever since.
Yamaha pianos have excellent sound quality, with a reputation for high durability. Yamaha strives for natural, resonant sound – no matter where you are playing.
I believe it’s safe to say Yamaha looks to suit every need. There are affordable pianos for beginners , digital pianos for travelling artists, and of course more expensive ones for professionals. Yamaha is definitely a hot topic when looking to buy a piano.
Bösendorfer
Bösendorfer is considered to be among the best pianos in the world. Bringing a uniqueness and prestigious legacy to the table, Bösendorfer continues to uphold its excellent standards, even after facing a financial crisis.
Ignaz Bösendorfer, born in Vienna, started his apprenticeship with a man named Joseph Brodmann – one of the most famous piano makers of his time. Ignaz was a very gifted man, eventually taking over his apprentice’s firm when he retired. Franz Liszt – legendary pianist (perhaps the world’s best master ever!) and composer – decided to play on a Bösendorfer Grand for his concert in Vienna, thanks to the recommendation of a friend. The high quality of the piano took Liszt by surprise, encouraging him to not withhold his artistic spirit.
The audience loved his performance so much that Bösendorfer became famous overnight and is still very popular today.
Since 2008, Bösendorfer has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation.
One of the things that set Bosndorfer apart from other pianos is that it is the only piano manufacturer that applied a detachable and independent Capo d’Astro in the upper register, assuring unique sound for more than one generation.
Bösendorfer pianos are not typically the type you would see in every second home. Even at a second-hand price, they are still very expensive. Yet, this prestigious brand is favoured by many renowned pianists.
Fazioli
This piano brand literally handcrafts each and every piano, creating a limited number of pianos each year to be old. Fazioli takes their design just as seriously as the sound, offering the pianist an excellent playing experience.
It all started with a pianist and engineer named Paolo Fazioli. He founded this company in 1981, pursuing his dream of designing and building new pianos. Paolo dedicated his time to the in-depth study of contemporary grand piano production. The Fazioli Piano factory was established in a furniture factory in Sicily, Italy. The factory is still well in use and celebrates its ancient and prestigious tradition in the art of producing pianos.
Fazioli refuses any industrial approach, striving for the objective of uncompromised quality. The unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail are of the utmost importance to the brand. Many even consider Fazioli pianos to be the Rolls-Royce of pianos due to this exact fact. Since they rebuke the use of new technologies for faster production, this company only produces about 140 pianos a year!
Fazioli pianos are also highly-priced, yet one can expect nothing but pure quality and excellent sound. Fazioli gives the buyer a sense of exclusivity since they are produced in limited quantities compared to other piano brands.
Conclusion
These legendary piano makers have a history of taking risks and seizing the right opportunities. Some ideas failed, some succeeded – yet their drive to achieve success is eventually what got them there.
It all started with a dream. A dream that still inspires many to this day.
