Sir András Schiff about Bösendorfer pianos

Sir András Schiff recently completed the final leg of his U.S. tour, performing exclusively on the Bösendorfer 280 Vienna Concert grand piano. Check out his exclusive interview at Yamaha Artist Services New York!

[VincentSPICER]

I played on a couple of Bösendorfer (9 foot) - and it was a breath-taking experience to effortlessly achieve the most subtle different textures of touch. Outstanding qualty; I was in disbelief. Only the Fazioli came this close (from the individual pianos I tried) - and the Steinway a definite 2nd place to either B or F. (But I still love the Steinway).

[felixsatia]

Bosendorfer is really singing, melodious, deep tone and resonance.

[MsrAlaindeFerrier]

I had the absolute pleasure of playing a bosendorfer imperial and I can honestly say that I fell deeply in love with it instantly. Its tone was everything I had dreamt and the action was the most superb and the easiest to play I have ever had the utmost pleasure of experiencing

[benjaminsmith]

Thank you Sir Andras Schiff for bringing the 280VC to New York's Carnegie Hall on April 3 and April 5. I attended the April 5th concert. Hearing this master play this glorious, magnificent instrument live was true bliss.

[arthurthroovest]

I play Bosendorfer every year at the Frankfurt Musikmesse... with my good friend Chris King. Tonally, it puts everything else in the dark

[studentjohn]

Note how each string has its own hitch pin. If one breaks in the heat of the moment, you still have 2 remaining to finish the gig. Not like Steinway's system where one hitch pin serves two speaking lengths of string. Even Bechstein stopped doing the individual hitch pin thing over a decade ago: Bosendorfer and August Forster are the only ones left.

[pianolessonsboulder]

I love Andras Schiff more and more ! If I had all the money in the world, I would buy a Bosendorfer concert grand:)

[prowlermadmax]

A concert grand is a concert grand, but a Bosendorfer, now that's a masterpiece.

[ternitamas]

the most majestic piano sound! I don't why there's so much craze for steinway, they don't compare to the imperial!

[xjAlbert]

Slight Correction regarding location of Eastman School of Music: it is in Rochester, NY (the state of New York), not "MD" as seen at 0:21

[mozartiikodesu]

Bösendorfer is my favorite use.The Austrian piano speaks in the Austrian language.　
3:06 He told us about music spirits.

[temptress]

Nothing compares to a beautiful Bösendorfer 😍

[HarryHodgman]

I have played all kinds of pianos, Steinway, Bechstein, Marshall & Rose, Danemann, Stuart & Sons, even the worlds longest; the Alexander Piano. But the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand is the first on my shopping liszt.

[felixiris]

"I own a couple of bosendorfer imperials"
You own more than one!? Those are crazy expensive

[dibaldgyfm]

I like this video where he says that a grand should not be 100% egale, the composers wrote for other pianos (should be another study) but Boesendorfer has much of those qualities.

[...] a bridge to the past. Soundwise I find that it has the best quality of
Boesendorfer, but somehow I hear more the registers on it. It is very important for
the music I like to play, for example Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, that you
have distinct ... eh, ... tonal qualities for the top, the middle and the bass on
the piano. And it should not be absolutely even, and that's how, - the composers
wrote like that; You have to have these levels of distinction, and I think that this
piano has that: It has a wonderful action, and it is very easy and comfortable to
play, but what I am really looking for is the sound. I think this is a singing
instrument, and seems to be a contradiction in terms, for most people think
that the piano is a percussion instrument! I beg to differ. All instruments try to
imitate the human voice, and I think this piano does it on a very high level.

[jordidewaard]

"All instruments try to imitate the human voice" is a very interesting quote that I've heard Schiff say more than once now

[peteherrera]

It is considered a percussion instrument because the mallets strike the strings when the Piano keys are depressed. A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck. Percussion instruments are most commonly divided into two classes: Pitched percussion instruments, which produce notes with an identifiable pitch, and unpitched percussion instruments, which produce notes or sounds without an identifiable pitch. Percussion instruments may play not only rhythm but also melody and harmony. Which is why it is called a percussion instrument. And I also think Bosendorfer makes the best sounding piano's on the planet. And I hope someday I get a chance to hear a prodigy play that instrument in person before I die.

[davidkettlewell]

I agree...Bosendorfer Imperial is tops, it was what I started on...never equaled, I play a restored 1883 Steinway A, which is a nice piano, but not up to this standard. Bosendorfer action is divine, the sound is divine. I must get one.

[daviddctx]

For such a valuable piano, whoever raised the lid didn't know what they were doing, and even the artist didn't notice - the lid support is in the wrong hole - it should be at a 90-degree angle with the lid. The hole that it is in is designed for the short support. This is very risky, since the long support can come out of the outer hole, causing the lid to fall and possibly crack.

[LondonarabS]

I have 2 imperials as well one is call OLGA and GRETA, such different characters. I am blessed. Nothing else really come close