Bösendorfer ( German: L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH ) is an Austrian piano manufacturer and one of the oldest piano manufacturers in the world. It was founded in 1828 by Ignaz ( obsolete. Ignatius) Bösendorfer [1] .
| Bözendorfer L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type of | |
| Base | 1828 |
| Founders | Ignaz Bösendorfer |
| Location | Vienna , Austria |
| Products | musical instruments |
| Parent company | Yamaha Corporation |
| Site | boesendorfer.com |
History
The Bezendorfer company was founded in Vienna in 1828 . Since 1830 - an official supplier of tools to the court of the emperor of Austria . Since 1859, the factory was managed by the founder’s son Ludwig Bösendorfer (1835-1919). In the years 1872-1913, the Bösendorfer-Saal concert hall, which had become world famous, functioned in which many of the most famous musicians of their time performed.
In 1909, the company was sold to Karl Hutterstrasser. Since 1931, the company was managed by the sons of Hutterstrasser Alexander and Wolfgang.
In 1966, the company was bought by the holding company Jasper Corporation, which later changed its name to Kimball International , and the well-known company Kimball Pianos was also part of the holding.
In 2001, Bösendorfer was acquired by the Austrian banking group BAWAG PSK.
In December 2007, Bözendorfer was acquired by a rival Yamaha concern. At the time of purchase, the company was valued at 15.7 million euros and had 180 employees. [2] At present, Yamaha, while remaining the owner, has a policy of minimal interference in the management of the Bözendorfer company and does not interfere in the production process at all.
Tools
The Bözendorfer brand pianos are considered among the best in the world [3] , along with the Fazioli and Steinway & Sons pianos. The company produces not only standard 88-key instruments, but also grand pianos with 92 and 97 keys - with additional keys in lower case. Although there is a very small number of works that directly use these keys, the resonance that occurs each time in additional strings with the right pedal depressed gives the sound of the entire instrument additional bass tones. Additional keys are all black, so that the artist does not confuse them with the keys of the counter-octave.
The most famous is the Bösendorfer Imperial piano with a length of 290 cm, with 97 keys, costing about 250 thousand US dollars and sometimes called the “Rolls-Royce among the pianos” [4] .
Lineup
Bezendorfer produces various types of pianos - from 155 to 290 cm in length and a piano in heights of 120 and 130 cm.
| Model | Length (m, ft) | Number of keys |
|---|---|---|
| 120CL | Piano (1.2 m) | 88 |
| 130CL | Piano (1.3 m) | 88 |
| 155 | 1.55 (5 '1 ") | 88 |
| 170 | 1.70 (5 '8 ") | 88 |
| 185 | 1.85 (6 '1 ") | 88 |
| 200 | 2.00 (6 '7 ") | 88 |
| 214 | 2.14 (7 ') | 88 |
| 225 | 2.25 (7 '4 ") | 92 |
| 280 | 2.80 (9 '2 ") | 88 |
| 290 "Imperial" | 2.90 (9 '6 ") | 97 |
In addition to the main models, in order to enter a wider consumer market, the Bezendorfer company also launched the release of cheaper instruments of the Conservatory series, intended mainly for music educational institutions.
See also
Notes
- ↑ Bezendorfer, Ignatius // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- ↑ Yamaha purchases all shares of Bösendorfer
- ↑ Bösendorfer - royal pianos
- ↑ Melinda Bargreen. Incredible Instruments: Some find Bösendorfer pianos grand indeed . The Seattle Times (March 24, 2002). Date of treatment March 11, 2010.