Bösendorfer

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Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center; padding:16px 0 16px 0;">Image:Bösendorfer logo.PNG</td></tr>
Type	Subsidiary
Founded	1828
Headquarters	Vienna, Austria <tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Key people</th><td>Ignaz Bösendorfer, Founder</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Industry</th><td>Musical instruments</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Products</th><td>pianos</td></tr><tr><th style="text-align:right; padding-right:0.75em;">Website</th><td>www.boesendorfer.com</td></tr>

Bösendorfer (L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH) is a piano manufacturer, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BAWAG PSK Gruppe, and is based in Vienna, Austria.

1 History
2 Models
3 External links

[edit] History

Established by Ignaz Bösendorfer in 1828, Bösendorfer is the oldest piano manufacturer still producing its own instruments today and has had a history of producing some of the finest instruments in the world. In 1830, it was granted the status of official piano maker to the Emperor. Ignaz's son Ludwig Bösendorfer (April 15, 1835 – May 9, 1919) took over in 1859, operating from new premises from 1860. Between 1872 and its closure in 1913, the associated Bösendorfer-Saal was one of the premier concert halls of Vienna. In 1909, the company was sold to Carl Hutterstrasser, who was succeeded by his sons Alexander and Wolfgang in 1931. In 1966 Bösendorfer was taken over by the Jasper Corporation (later renamed Kimball International), parent company of Kimball Pianos, where it remained before returning to Austrian hands when it was purchased by BAWAG PSK Gruppe in 2001. The company's logo is written in the Notre Dame Roman typeface by Linotype.

Bösendorfer pioneered the extension of the typical 88-key keyboard, creating the Imperial Grand (Model 290), which has 97 keys, and later the Model 225, which has 92. One of the earliest and most important artists to be associated with Bösendorfer was Franz Liszt, who found that their pianos and those of the Bechstein company were the only instruments capable of withstanding his tremendously powerful playing. Still today Bösendorfer is known as a piano that will withstand the rigors of concert halls and tours.

The newest Bösendorfer model is called the CEUS Computer Grand Piano.

[edit] Models

[edit] Standard Black Models

Model #	Length	Keys
170	5' 8"	88
185	6' 1"	88
200	6' 7"	88
214	7'	88
225	7' 4"	92
280	9' 2"	88
290	9' 6"	97
130CL	Upright	88

[edit] Conservatory Series

In order to appeal to a wider market, Bösendorfer designed the Conservatory Series for colleges and universities who could not afford Bösendorfer's standard black model pianos. The production of the two CS Series pianos spends less time in "non-critical areas," cutting down costs of production and purchase, making them more affordable than standard models.

[edit] Special and Limited editions

Bösendorfer has a number of specially designed pianos named after famous composers such as Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin, as well as pianos designed for special occasions, such as Bösendorfer's 170th and 175th anniversaries.

[edit] Designed models

Several people, including Giorgio and Ferdinand Alexander Porsche have designed pianos for Bösendorfer.

For example, there are only 2 Hans Hollein specially designed Bösendorfer Imperial Grand pianos in the world. One is located at the Westin Grand Bohemian hotel in Orlando, Florida. The other is in Shanghai, China. The Bösendorfer in Orlando was constructed out of 80% of the same wood and has brass legs worth $14,000.00 each. The value of the Hollein Bösendorfers is estimated at $250,000.00 each.