AN EVENING TO REMEMBER

PIANOS AND PERFORMANCES DELIGHT
AT 175TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

More than 200 guests joined dignitaries from the governments of Austria and Japan for a one-night-only celebration in honor of Bösendorfer ’s 175th Anniversary, hosted by Bösendorfer New York at its new piano showroom in Midtown Manhattan. The renowned Viennese piano maker unveiled its 175th Anniversary Collection of limited edition and special-design pianos, highlighted with performances by six classical, jazz and contemporary pianists. The concert inaugurated a rare piano exhibition at the Bösendorfer New York showroom.

Following opening remarks from Bösendorfer New York’s Gerhard Feldmann, the artists were introduced to the audience and took their seats at the pianos. Classical pianists Valentina Lisitsa and her husband Alexei Kuznetsoff unveiled the Model Vienna and Model F.A. Porsche Design pianos, to perform Anton Arensky’s Waltz from Suite No. 1, Op 5, and Darius Milhaud’s Braziliera. The pair was followed by jazz pianist D.D. Jackson, who performed his composition Hopes and Dreams from his recent release, “Suite for New York,” on the magnificent Model Emperor of Japan.

Mariam Nazarian performed Frederic Chopin’s Ballad No. 1, G-Minor, on the Model Marquis, followed by Matthew Savage, the 11-year-old child jazz prodigy who performed his own composition, The Wild Rose, Ballad in E Minor, on the handsome Model Artisan. Next, Valentina Lisitsa performed a solo of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 on the Porsche piano, followed by contemporary pianist Seth Kaufman, who rounded out the performances with his September Song, performed on the Model Swarovski.

The evening marked the world premier of the Swarovski Crystal Piano and the Emperor of Japan Piano, the two most expensive pianos Bösendorfer has ever produced. The Model Swarovski is the product of collaboration between Bösendorfer and the legendary Austrian crystal house. Priced at $750,000, it is the most expensive piano Bösendorfer has ever produced, featuring 9,000 shimmering crystals handset on Swarovski’s new micro-crystalline finish. The Model Emperor was replicated from a 19th century piano, originally commissioned by Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austria in 1869 to be given as a gift to Emperor Meiji of Japan to recognize the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Model Emperor features decorative accents and ornamental mythological figurines created especially for the instrument and executed in 23 Karat Gold. The piano is valued at $500,000. The four additional Limited Edition and Special Design pianos included: the Porsche Design Piano, based on a design by F.A. Porsche, grandson of the legendary car designer; the Vienna Piano, an expression of the essential style of the 19th century Classicist movement; the Artisan Piano, an extraordinary example of hand inlay techniques featuring the rich exotic woods of Aruba, Burl, Amboyna, Burl Maple, European Walnut, Cherry and figured Mahogany; and the Marquis Piano, with its combination of Austrian and European Walnut and the marquis inlays in special Maple is a fine example of the Bösendorfer tradition of artistic design, attention to detail and elegance.

“This was a great opportunity to bring together inspiring pianists with Bösendorfer’s best designs,” said Gerhard Feldmann, president of Bösendorfer New York, and one of the world’s most accomplished concert technicians. “I thought that in the presence of such powerful designs I would have to emphasize that Bösendorfer pianos are foremost about quality of sound, but that fact was driven home by these great pianists.”

Mr. Feldmann added that it was an honor to have representatives of the governments of Austria and Japan in attendance, Ambassador Dr. Michael Breisky, the Consul General of the Austrian Consulate General, and Masahiro Fukukawa, the Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of Japan, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik, Manfred Aichinger. “This was a truly important night for Bösendorfer , and we’re so please that we had the opportunity to host this special occasion in New York.”