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The older of our two piano duo protagonists is a particularly precious concert grand piano: it was built between 1954-1956 and left the Hamburg Steinway factory on September 24th1956 with the serial no. 353018.

It has performed ever since in the Rudolfinum in Prague, the world-famous concert hall and seat of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. It is safe to assume that legends such as Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter and György Cziffra gave concerts and made recordings playing this instrument.

Almost four decades later, in 1994, the Tyrolean music lover Annemarie Schindler acquired this instrument for her concert series in the famous Villa Schindler in Tyrol, where she offered her predominantly young artists a stage. Today, many of her “children” have grown wings and have become celebrated stars all over the world. Annemarie Schindler’s incentive to make her Steinway available for concerts and recordings as part of the piano duo project is to support and inspire artists.

So far, the life cycle of this piano was not unlike that of an ordinary person: beautiful, tall and powerful in its youth, loved and admired for many years, it was played on one of the greatest stages in Europe. At the end of its youth, it was discovered by a connoisseur and saved from oblivion and put its knowledge, skill and experience at the service of young artists for many more years. At a more mature age, around 50, it experienced the first symptoms of aging and its concerned patroness sent it to Vienna for treatment. Here it recovered splendidly thanks to a therapy lasting several months and returned to Tyrol fully refreshed and continued to perform for a further ten years.

And today, when others have long since thought of quitting or have already fallen silent forever, this incredible instrument is returning to the great stages. Maybe this concert grand piano will be heard by more people today and in the future than ever before…

Because unlike a normal human being, this piano aged 65 has all the time in the world.

piano duo: the timeless-piano-project

The second principal performer of our piano duo project is 65 years younger than its experienced colleague, but no less fascinating and from the same dignified home. On November 18, 2020 he left with the opus no. 615313 the Steinway manufactory for its extraordinary premiere.

The decisive difference between our two pianos is probably that the older one has had a plenty of time to develop its enormous vibrancy and flexibility, comparable to an old violin that has been allowed to adapt to its player over many decades. Today, this grand piano is practically capable of reproducing all timbres, overtones and temporal patterns. The saying “A beautiful grand piano can read minds” is maybe the most accurate description of our 1956 instrument.

Our younger grand piano, on the other hand, is virtually a blank slate. Being played by the best pianists, it will only develop all timbres and sounds with time, completely unbiased and openminded. Certainly, the type of music that will be played on this instrument will have a great influence on its development, as will the acoustics of the halls themselves, which in turn will influence the pianists’ playing. Within a short time, this instrument will exert a great fascination on many musicians. They will play “their” music on it in various concert halls, whereby the grand piano will develop its possibilities and its sound colours further and further according to the artists wishes. Some of the very best pianists will therefore “teach” our young grand piano and will shape this instrument with their knowledge, mature it with their experience and refine it with their art.

We are excited to see what lessons our young student will learn from his piano playing educators.

For we all know that learning never ends.

piano duo: the timeless-piano-project