ABOUT TODAY'S CONCERT
-the timeless-piano-project-The fact that our ‘Op. 353018’ made it into the programme booklet of one of the most renowned concert halls, the Alte Oper Frankfurt, and was mentioned there is unique and a very great and special honour for our exceptional grand piano! At over 70 years old, it is probably one of the most beautiful and youthful concert grand pianos in use worldwide!
The remarkable history of the ‘353018’ can be read in the programme booklet of the Frankfurt Alte Oper for Pierre-Laurent Aimard's concert on 17 March 2025.
ABOUT TODAY'S CONCERT
When a violinist goes on tour, he naturally takes his violin with him. It is his faithful companion at all times. The pianist, on the other hand, has to make do with the instrument provided by the organiser. In larger venues, he may be able to choose between several instruments, but even then he has to adjust to unfamiliar keyboards and pedals in a very short time. However, pianists who are willing to go to the effort can bring their own concert grand piano for their performance – a decision taken by Pierre-Laurent Aimard, tonight's performer.
The instrument on which he is now playing piano cycles by Beethoven, Schoenberg and Schumann, as well as miniatures by the Hungarian composer György Kurtág – combined with dances by Schubert – is a particularly precious concert grand piano built between 1954 and 1956. The instrument, with the opus number 353018, was made by the Steinway factory in Hamburg and spent the first four decades of its life at the Rudolfinum concert hall in Prague, where it was played by legendary pianists such as Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter. In 1994, Tyrolean music lover Annemarie Schindler purchased the instrument to continue 25 years. Since then, the grand piano, carefully maintained by Viennese piano tuner Stefan Knüpfer, has been made available to artists for special projects. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who has already recorded a programme of Schubert dances with the ‘353018’, is thoroughly impressed by the ‘passion of this companion to song and confidence’ and its ‘indescribable level of excellence’.
We wish you an inspiring concert experience. Photography and audio and video recordings are not permitted. Please switch off your mobile phones before the concert. Thank you very much!
