NEW YORK (January 14, 2003) — Steinway & Sons, renowned for creating the world's finest pianos, kicks off a year of sesquicentennial celebrations by searching the country to locate the oldest Steinway grand piano and upright. Considered the gold standard of pianos, Steinway & Sons is true to its heritage of excellence through hand craftsmanship, producing over 563,000 Steinway pianos since its founding, in comparison to some manufacturers who mass-produce pianos each year.
"Each and every Steinway piano ever produced has its own unique identity, personality and story," said Henry Z. Steinway, great grandson of the founder. "We're conducting this search because many of our pianos have been passed from one generation to the next. We take great pleasure in tracing their rich, enduring history, from one that was hidden during the Civil War to those recently purchased by symphonies around the world."
Every Steinway piano has a serial number and information is kept on record, including the day it was completed, the style, the craftsman who worked on it, as well as where and to whom it was sold. The serial number is located on the lower interior of the cast iron plate. The owner of the oldest Steinway may have their Steinway piano restored or replaced with a new Steinway piano comparable to their own. In addition, the oldest Steinway grand and upright piano will be publicly announced in June at Carnegie Hall, in New York City, during a three night series of classical, jazz and pop concerts performed by renowned Steinway artists to celebrate the anniversary.
Consumers will have until May 1, 2003, to visit their local Steinway dealer and register their piano in the "Search for the Oldest Steinway." Authorized Steinway & Sons dealer organizations can be located by calling toll-free, 1.800.345.5086. Consumers can also send a postcard with their name, address, phone number, e-mail and the piano serial number to the attention of:
"Search for the Oldest Steinway"
c/o Steinway & Sons
One Steinway Place
Long Island City, NY 11105
In addition, consumers who visit an authorized Steinway dealership between February 1st and April 15th, 2003, will have the opportunity to enter the "Musical Experience of a Lifetime" sweepstakes to win an all expense paid trip for two to the Carnegie Hall concerts, June 5-7, 2003. No purchase necessary.
For 150 years Steinway & Sons has set the world standard for piano quality with unsurpassed sound and response, which continues to enchant music enthusiasts the world over. The contemporary Steinway piano incorporates more than 120 patented innovations and 1000 details of design and construction which set Steinway pianos apart from all others. Some of these historic innovations include the combination of a full cast-iron plate with over-stringing. The cast-iron plate versus reinforced wood construction allowed higher string tension which, coupled with the Steinway over-strung scale, permitted longer bass strings for more volume and better soundboard resonance. The combination of these two innovations established the "Steinway System," the standard to which all contemporary pianos are built. More importantly, they established the fact that Steinway pianos deliver a fuller, richer sound.
Steinway & Sons was founded on March 5, 1853, by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway and his sons in New York City, the center of the piano-making industry. Henry, a master cabinet- maker, built his first piano in the kitchen of his Seesen, Germany, home. Over the next forty years, Henry and his sons developed the modern piano, patenting some of the most significant technologies in the piano making industry. Legendary pianists such as Paderewski, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein, Horowitz, as well as prominent contemporary pianists Van Cliburn, Alfred Brendel, Billy Taylor, Ramsey Lewis, Roger Williams, Billy Joel, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and 1,300 others are counted among the roster of "Steinway Artists."
Steinway & Sons, headquartered in Astoria, New York, produces the world's finest pianos. Steinway pianos are sold by approximately 70 authorized dealers throughout the United States. The company's corporate parent is Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. which also owns Conn-Selmer, the nation's leading manufacturer of orchestra and band instruments. Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LVB for Ludwig van Beethoven.
Press Contact:
Jamie Grayson, Fleishman Hillard, 212.453.2154, graysonj@fleishman.com
Joanne Freed, Fleishman Hillard, 212.453.2131, freedj@fleishman.com