Bösendorfer piano factory

Vienna plays along in the elite of instrument making. Number one is the Bösendorfer piano factory, which has been taking care of materializing Viennese sound since 1828. Johann Strauss’ son was a friend of Ludwig Bösendorfer and gave him one of his pianos. A small temporary exhibition in the Stadtsalon to mark the Johann Strauss 2025!

Music and sound in perfect harmony – it has to be Vienna. The city has not only always been home to world-famous musicians: instrument makers based here produce the tools that make their incredible feats possible.

200 years as a premium manufactory

The biggest name of them all, Bösendorfer, is almost 200 years old and the oldest piano maker in the premium segment. Over a year of manual work gives rise to an instrument that enchants with the uniquely lively and brilliant Bösendorfer sound and sensitive mechanism.

It all began with the founding of the company by Ignaz Bösendorfer in Vienna in 1828. His son Ludwig (1835-1919) developed the company's global reputation: In 1862, he exhibited his "patent grand" at the World's Fair in London, for which he received an award. The big breakthrough arrived with the 1867 World's Fair in Paris, also for the magnificent exterior design of his grand piano.

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Ludwig Bösendorfer 1877, portrait — Ludwig Bösendorfer (1835-1919): One of the most striking personalities of Viennese musical life. He consorted with the likes of Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Johann Strauss, and established valuable business relations with Sweden, Brazil, Hong Kong, and Japan. His pianos enjoyed success at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair. – © Wien Museum

Ludwig Bösendorfer - Graphic in \"World Exhibition Album of Kikeriki\". — Piano maker Ludwig Bösendorfer in the World's Fair album of Kikeriki magazine (April 13, 1873). – © Wien Museum

Picture postcard showing the former Bösendorfer Hall in Vienna. — Sadly demolished in 1913: The Bösendorfer Hall (Herrengasse 6) supposedly had acoustics equivalent to those of the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. Musicians and audiences were thrilled. – © Wien Museum

Concert of Alfred Grünfeld at Musikverein 22.3.1923 — Concert by Alfred Grünfeld on March 22, 1923, in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. The 1873 Vienna World's Fair was the launchpad for his career. He also played in the Bösendorfer Hall. Emperor Franz Joseph bestowed up him the titles of Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso and Imperial and Royal Professor. (Print E. M. Engel, Vienna, 1907). – © Musiksammlung der Wienbibliothek

Pianist Alfred Grünfeld - caricature ride on the \"thoroughbred Bösendorfer Imperial — Pianist Alfred Grünfeld on a "thoroughbred Bösendorfer Imperial", riding the high road. He was considered to be "Vienna's pianist". And the Bösendorfer concert grand 290, also called "Imperial", was – and is – a jewel with a tonal range of a full eight octaves and a length of 2.90 meters. – © Musiksammlung der Wienbibliothek

Grand piano for empresses

Empress Elisabeth, herself the owner of a grand piano designed specially for her in the "Ringstrasse style", gifted Empress Eugenie (wife of Napoleon III) a grand piano designed by Theophil Hansen, which was auctioned at Sotheby's in 1978 for the staggering amount of DM 400,000.

As a great sponsor of culture, Ludwig Bösendorfer left 14 grand pianos to the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna for their new theater with the Golden Hall – today the Musikverein, also world-famous for the New Year's Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic. As a patron of young pianists, Ludwig Bösendorfer made these high-quality instruments available to them free of charge – these connections were intended to endure.

Stars in the Bösendorfer Hall

The who's who of the concert world performed in the acoustically brilliant Bösendorfer Hall from 1872 until its demolition in 1913: Including Alfred Grünfeld ("Vienna's pianist"), Hans von Bülow, Fritz Kreisler, Sophie Menter, Franz Liszt, Gustav Mahler, Ferruccio Busoni, Max Reger, Anton Rubinstein, Richard Strauss, and Hugo Wolf. These artists contributed hugely to the company's success – the Bösendorfer soundwave rippled around the world.

Innovation then and now

Around 1900, Bösendorfer presented what remains a sonic gem of the company to this day: The concert grand 290, also called "Imperial". It measures 2.90 meters in length and has a tonal range of a full eight octaves. Composers like Busoni, Dohnanyi, and Bartok created pieces that could only be authentically performed on the Imperial. The innovation continues: Today, the VC - Vienna Concert technology combines traditional craftsmanship with the technological possibilities of the 21st century. The result is a seemingly endless variety of sound, unique depths of tone, and space-filling radiance.

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Two grand pianos opened up in the Bösendorfer Salon. — Every year, 300 Bösendorfer pianos leave the factory in Wiener Neustadt, some 50 kilometers outside Vienna. They are all unique, not mass-produced. – © WienTourismus/Paul Bauer

Sir András Schiff at his Bösendorfer concert grand in the Wiener Konzerthaus — Sir András Schiff first played his custom grand piano at the Wiener Konzerthaus on June 3, 2018. His Bösendorfer has accompanied him to all of his European concerts ever since. – © www.lukasbeck.com

Bösendorfer special model with Gustav Klimt's \"Golden Adele\" on the inside of the lid — A special edition that brings together music and visual art: Gustav Klimt’s Golden Adele can only be found on 25 Bösendorfer pianos. – © L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik

The secret of the sound

Only 300 pianos are produced each year nowadays in Wiener Neustadt, just under 48 km outside Vienna – but ‘produced’ is the wrong word: 120 piano-obsessed artisans shape each and every instrument, with painstaking attention to detail. Even the apprentices are given piano lessons. All employees are part of this musical world – which you can hear in the instruments.

Take a look inside!

In addition to all the passion and care, one kind of tree plays a major role: local spruce. The seasons, the sun, the wind, and the cold allow its wood to mature slowly. It is then left outside to dry in the open air for up to five years before it can be put to use following the Bösendorfer resonance case principle, which states that the starting point and center of the construction plan is the immaterial sound. Bösendorfer builds the instrument “around the sound” for an unmistakable, magical performance.

Each instrument is as individual as its future owner – client's can give free rein to their wishes in terms of color, veneer, initials or personal dedication. The result is a perfectly unique piece of piano making that fascinates both visually and in with regard to its sound.

Vienna city salon

The most talented pianists play Bösendorfers – from Duke Ellington to Oscar Peterson, from the Beatles to Bernstein, from Liszt to Gulda, and from Michael Jackson to Tori Amos.

The showroom – the Bösendorfer Salon and Flagship Store – has been located in the Musikverein building, where the capital’s musical heart beats, since 1914. To play a Bösendorfer here means to touch the sound. And never to forget it again.