Bösendorfer VS Fazioli VS Steinway (Three Way Comparison)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ก.ย. 2019
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I had the rare chance to play three world-class pianos, side by side, in the very same room! It was really interesting to see how a Bosendorfer, Fazioli, and Steinway compared against each other, and I hope you enjoyed it, too!
Here is the owner's channel:
/ @frazzledude - เพลง
I've loved pianos my entire life (well almost! - since I was 2 or 3, anyway!) Mine's a much more humble Kawai - I've never been able to afford anything in this league - so hearing all three, in the same film clip - and hearing these opinions on each of them - means a whole heap to me.
While I was at the Conservatorium (half a century ago!) my teacher had two pianos - one was a Steinway (they seem to turn up all over the place!) and I can no longer remember the maker of the other one. But it was lovingly restored for my teacher, after he found it and bought it. And every now and then, he would let his students play on his "special" piano. Which was awesome! - the action was really incredible, you could just about play the soft notes by merely breathing on the keys, and the more pressure, the louder the sound became - with no distortion. Like all the other students, I loved when I was lucky enough to be invited to use it - and the lure of gold was irresistible, it was the best possible inducement to work hard, practising my piano concertos, so that I had this piano for the solo part while he took the accompaniment on the Steinway!
Way back at the beginning, I started on a Blüthner, and I was fascinated by the mention of them in the clip. Like most other kids' "startup", that one was simply an upright - a cast off from the Conservatorium - excellent to learn on, great action and tone, but regrettably, the action of an upright is no competition with the action of a grand - too many things happening, too slow to "restore" everything, and I found as I progressed that it was hard to avoid overriding the speed of the action. A grand becomes the inevitable solution, in the end.
I enjoyed hearing the history of pianos in your life. It is very clear that music has moved you your entire life and still does to this day. Thank you for being a part of my channel for it is those just like you who make my channel interesting to me. Thank you, JPS
You're so blessed to have been given the gift of taking lessons...I was intrigued and fascinated by the piano when I first saw one...I was 4 years old and I sat on the bench and then I made up the most beautiful music I have ever heard...of course I had no idea what I was playing. But to me it was "music to my ears"...the begging and non stop pleading for a piano only began to fade away...my folks were very cruel and told me that I was too stupid to learn how to play piano...I finally gave up...then my dearest life long friend. Lolita died suddenly and unexpectedly...allergic reaction to latex days before Christmas. ..I sunk into a deep depression that I didn't want to climb out of...until Valentine's Day...3 men standing at my front door with a huge heavy item on a big roller dolly..covered with blankets ...was getting ready to snow so I couldn't leave them out in the rain and then my husband told them to come in and set it up in the living room....wow...what my dear husband of 45 years knew that it was time for me to begin my journey with learning how to play piano...3 months later I played Prelude in C major as a "thank offering/gift" at our church...300 people who have known me 35 yrs we've been attending had no idea that I could play piano...I was very nervous but my hours and hours of practicing 4 to 5 hours per day enabled me to play without any mishaps...my parents were very wrong...what do you think?
I love Kawai too -
Marny McDonald 7(
does anyone know the song he is playing?
The Steinway's tone was super well balanced. The Fazioli's bass was astounding. The Bosendorfer had a rich warm tone. All of them are amazing
I CHOOSE THE FAZSTEINDORFER !!!
My sentiments exactly! :)
Never heard of that pokemon....
@@MicroageHD AAAA WHoooo's that PPPOOOKKeMON????
sounds like german
"Ill take a Fatsenburger with some fries and a shake please !!!" "Ohh, hold the onions !!!"
I was born to a poor family who didn't own a piano but I somehow developed a love for the sound of piano music. In the early 1950's, when I was ten years old, my older sister somehow wound up with an upright piano. It was in her room and I was not allowed in there. But like any self-respecting ten year old boy I snuck in when no one was home and over the next four or five years I'd taught myself to play - by ear of course.
She never did pick it up and never played it, so there was never any fake books or sheet music in the house. As a teenager, girls were suddenly interesting, and there were sports - and one day on a clandestine mission to the room I discovered the piano was gone. For the next twenty years, still poor, I never saw or touched a piano again. Too busy trying to put food in my mouth and keep some kind of a roof over my head.
In my travels - usually looking for work, I would encounter a piano in a hotel lobby, or a school where I was working temporarily as a janitor. I would play, any and every chance I got. Or in a house I was cleaning. i had learned to read music. I became acquainted with Mozart and Franz Liszt - and the music filled a certain ache in an otherwise empty life. In my thirties, I played a Steinway concert D at Steinway hall on 57th street in New York. It was magical. The piano actually helped me play - as if it knew I had never played so fine a piano before.
In Sydney Australia once, I got to play an old Baldwin S10 with its sweet sentimental sensuality in the action. Played a proud old Bluthner in Berlin in the sixties. Now that I'm pushing 80 my vagabond days are over and I survive on Veteran's benefits. But I'll never have the opportunity to play a fine piano again. I hope you know you are blessed by God to be able to play these masterpieces - and I can see by the smile on your face when you get up from that Fazioli that you play with your heart, not your hands. Thank you for the sharing the joy with me.
I had similar situation. Couldn't think about own grand nor upright , anyway already for my own children I couldn't stop myself and purchased very old used upright and smallest possible also used Casio keyboard. . And this way it started for me too. In my dreams was grand piano but in meaning time shifted to practicing on better light weight keyboards. Even with years I could at last afford "any" grand I had no chance to find a place it in my home so I got Technics PR170 hammer action electronic piano which was at least comparable to classic instruments .. Later no more in range of my hands . Having now small apartment I purchased MIDI CME 88 keys and GEM Sound module I started to build my own electronic piano . All this works surprising fine and saves the space while it coast some 1500USD plus own make. I think today electronic pianos, even those not crafted but factory made may sound satisfactory.
Beautiful comment, God bless.
Stephen Ryder Thanks for sharing your story 💕! May God bless you!
Beautiful story Stephen. 🙏🏽
That's silly, What the HELL are you waiting for?? It ain't over til it's over. You ain't dead yet! Hell, you might live another 20 years!
This is why God gives us credit. Send it over, send me a bill.
Geez, you can get a FREE one if you get movers. Maybe 500 for a spinet and pro PIANO movers, NOT your idiot neighbors. Lol.
Those public pianos are THE WORST. Never in tune. That's if you're lucky.
I loved the transparency and clarity of the Fazioli for each thing he played
Now after 17 minutes of the video I can tell that:
Steinway is a shy timid girl, loving sad ballads.
Fazioli is a young guy, full of energy, always happy and willing to help anyone.
Bosendorfer is a wise old man, who is always ready to give an advice for life.
All three are great, have their own virtues and flaws and you absolutely cannot tell which one is better - it mainly depends what music you like and want to play
Beautifully said. We're a work in progress. love all 3, but Bosendorfer sure makes us sound like a concert pianist and wish I was!!
I fell in love with a HUGE upright grand Bosendorfer. Guy was going to sell it for 3,000! No joke! And even tho it's worth an insane amount over that, I STILL wouldn't sell it! He reniged. A great regret of my life.
Fazioli would be as fast as an Italian driver
All 3 piano's sound just beautiful... But if you notice - this man has a really big smile after he plays the Fazioli.
Holy cow. He's the Doug DeMuro of pianos.
I'll say!!!!
this is a 15-thousand-dollar piano, yes! you spent 15 thousand for a piano! today I'm going to explain why！
Peter Pista you left a zero off for these pianos
He needs to show us some more quirks and features of each piano.
Hey where are the quirks and features?
Bosendorfer has yet to be topped for me. The richness of the almost dark and imposing tone of the lower-mid to bass register balanced with the lighter, icy cold treble... Nothing compares.
The Bosendorfer, by a long, long, way. Beautiful, rich, deep, and showing its quality. Yes all three have merit.. but my musical ear says Bosendorfer.
If you long press the letter O you can get this character: ö
Definitely the Bose
Me too, to my ears the Bösendorfer sounds best. Steinway 2nd, Fazioli 3rd, because it sounds too "bright" for my taste.
@@johndavolta3124 On a Mac: Option-U, then the O: ö
I love the sound of bosendofer too.
Thank you for allowing James to play and comment on your 3 pianos. It was most interested.
I've always enjoyed the listening and watching James demonstrate different instruments.
I had goose bumps when Bosendorfer was played the first time. But after listening the whole thing, I ended up with the Fazioli sound. It has the finest sound of all three.
Facts, the bosendorfer sounds good in recordings, but Fazioli in real life is just anothee world, bosendorfer and steinway don't even come close
Such an amazing treat to compare these three fantastic pianos in a private home. Thanks to the host for sharing these treasures with us.
What an amazing opportunity to play these 3 pianos! I will always remember the only day I played a Fazioli. I have played many Steinway and some old Bosendorfer, but only with the Fazioli I felt I could do whatever I wanted, and the sound was the most beautiful I had ever heard. Of course I think it's only my personal experience, all of them are really good.
I've enjoyed this video very much 👏👏
The King of the comparison video's! Nice job and ,great Owner!
Fascinating!
Thanks for this rare treat to hear the top end concert grands of three top manufacturers.
I have a Bösendorfer. It's a beauty and a beast and I wouldn't trade it for any other piano. It made me a better player because I couldn't wait to practice. This is a great video. Thank you!
Bösendorfer uber alles, Fazioli excellent, I don't like too much Steinway's sound... in my opinion ;-)
I'm jealous !!!
That Bösendorfer sounds amazing! The other two are also "fine" :P
♥️Fazioli takes you to the realm of imagination.♥️
thank you for this once in a lifetime video for both the pianist and the viewers. appreciate it
I liked the clarity of the Fuz, but it’s voicing in the upper range in the Debussy piece was a little tinny. The Bose was overall the best for me with mellow upper range in Debussy but equally clear/distinct voicing across the range. The Steinway somehow seemed to have indistinct voicing that was nice and rich, but lacked clarity, as if there was an “overlap” from one note to another.
Thanks for the wonderful demo, and the the kind owner for allowing this demonstration. A rare comparison indeed!
Love the 'growl' the Bosendorfer has when you did that Adele? bit. Thanks to you and the owner giving us a chance to hear this as well.
I love your videos. It‘s so interesting and entertaining to watch your piano reviews. And you‘re a such a positive and sympathetic person, keep on!!
Gorgeous pianos, thanks for posting.
Fazioli gives the most clear interpretation of Debussy... I grew up with a Steinway and a Bosendorfer at my grandmother's... I would have the 3.
Holy moly, imagine waking up every morning knowing you have 3 stunning concert grands in the comfort of your own home! Thank you for the comparison video. My personal favourite is the Bosendorfer Imperial.
Isn't the Bose amazing?
You mean Bösendorfer 😏
Super awesome! Thanks for the comprehensive review but most of all your enthusiasm! Have a happy day everyone 🤸
A very enjoyable video review. Nicely done and an excellent analysis.
I heard somewhere the rim of the Bosendorfer piano was made of soundboard spruce so the entire piano resonates not just the soundboard, which might also be true of the Fazioli. I think this is why they sound so powerful. I have a 5'7 steinway in my home and it is powerful enough for me. All three are amazing and each person should have the one he or she likes or loves best... for this reason I really appreciate these videos. I normally don't care for a lot of talking but this young man is both knowledgeable and interesting.
Typically I find Bosendorfers to ultimately be a bit less powerful than other brands, but they are often stronger in other areas. They definitely have a beautifully unique sound and I adore them.
The Fazioli blew me away with the rich full sound on the Debussy! Wow!
Very interesting comparison. I've never got a chance to hear that before.
The audio is very good too and easy to hear the differences you were pointing out!
Great video again! I’m envious of you! If I entered that room, I don’t think I’d leave! All the pianos have their own character and is unfair to compare but they all sound great, even out of my iPhone speaker!
I have become aware that dealers and rebuilders are advertising on my channel before and during the videos. I do not support any company unless I chose to do videos at their location.
Now I'm curious. Gonna turn off adblock for a bit, but only for this channel.
I have not seen any since I pinned that comment, but there was one really shady Steinway reseller from Texas, and also one large rebuilder that I know little about. I do not want people to think that I endorse these businesses. If I like a company I would gladly go to their place of business to review their hard work.
Fazioli for me, hands down. I just love the bright sound and then the depth of the bass. Bosendorfer is wonderful as always and very classic. The Steinway was just so so for me. Thank you so much. That was really fun!
Beautiful sound and, even more touching to me, there are so many beautiful comments. Thanks for having this interesting video. It has soothed many beautiful souls here.
Thanks so much for sharing this experience/opportunity! I admit the differences were hardly there for me - at first. But with each new piece you played, the differences became more audible. You summed them up really well.
Gorgeous sounding pianos. Love the clarity of the Fazioli in the mid and high ranges and the rich bass. But would love to have any of them though.
I recently became aware of Fazioli pianos, so I was very intrigued to watch your comparison of these three pianos. Thanks, James, for this enjoyable and informative comparison!!!
My pleasure!
The 3-way I never knew I wanted :) Thanks, James!
I wrote too soon.
Yes, I stayed to the end, and appreciate your break down of the action of each piano, and answered my questions. Thanks so much!
Three beautiful pianos with their own personalities! And an able bodied performer to bring them to life! Very enjoyable! Thanks for posting!
Woww I can't believe those 3 pianos are together in the same rom! It's insane! Very good comparison James, as for my personal taste I stick with the Bosendorfer, but it would be difficult to chose between the Steinway and the Fazioli.
Enjoyed this comparison, thank you!
I loved this review. As you were playing the different instruments with your full range of songs I could very clearly hear the differences between the tonal quality and richness of the tones and under and overtones. Of course the quality of the compressed file from TH-cam doesn't do full justice to any of the pianos, but listening with good quality headphones really highlighted the differences. I was happy that your opinions of the sound quality of each instrument pretty much matched my own. It means that 40 years of working on mostly jet aircraft and having to deal with tinnitus 24/7 has not diminished my ability to hear the subtle nuances in music and has not affected my enjoyment of it.
Wow, this is cool! Thanks for posting this. I tuned the Fazioli and Bosendorfer not long before this video was made and had no idea at the time that it would be posted. The Steinway was waiting for some work to be done on the player unit so I didn't get the chance to tune that one. They are all amazing instruments whichever one you prefer.
So the question is to you then: would the Steinway be less ‘timid’ had you tuned it? And the damper issue the pianist mentioned: are the post-damper reverberations on the Steinway something that can be adjusted, or is it a trait?
Thank you for your part in all this.
Dave Stahl, the Steinway was perfectly in tune when we arrived and was very well regulated. We were told it had just been tuned a couple of days before and I thought they had been all tuned by the same person. You reminded me however that one of Steinway's top techs had come in from Southern California and stayed for two days tuning, regulating and setting up the player mechanism. The player mechanism seemed to be having a lot of problems and the Steinway also had some pretty severe overtones on the bass side. Also, the Steinway also had some severe fit and finish issues.
The damper issues on the Steinway are undoubtedly fixable if they haven't been already. I haven't worked on a Spirio damper system before, but some other player systems can interfere with pedal function to varying degrees.
Bosendorfer has the best sound, warm and rich. Fazioli has a big sound and a lot of clarity, it speaks very well. The new Steinway was a bit of a letdown. It sounds muted. It also needed tuning, and I think it needs to be played in and then adjusted by a technician to get it to perform better.
I listened several times and agree. I liked the bosendorfer the best. the Fazioli seemed brightest and clear. There was something off in the steinway with how it seems muted
I have always dreamed of owning a Fazioli, however I agree with you the Bosendorfer sounded better to me.
i agree fully except i like that sound lol
that's because you haven't heard their esortic wood collection.
The tuner actually commented on this video and said he just got done working on the other two and hadn't had a chance to work on the Steinway yet. So perhaps it was at a disadvantage! I still thought it sounded wonderful though.
Such a great video I am enjoying for the second time in a year. The dark brooding base of the Bosendorfer is my favourite.
the indulgence of video highlights that a good piano just makes you love playing it!
Bosendorfer sounds amazing - a no-nonsense adult. The Fazioli was bright and fun. The Steinway is beautifully balanced and somber. I think I prefer the Fazioli
Great video, thanks from the land of Fazioli!
love your videos. tyvm!
Outstanding review for pianists or those who just appreciate and love the piano.
My former teacher, Mrs Simpson, would have adored this programme .......and those gentle raps across my knuckles when I dropped my hands down proved ever so useful......
James Hennighan
Yorkshire, England
There’s no comparison. They are all incredible.
Bosendorfer by far, personnal taste of course
AGREE!
That Fazioli is pretty special though. Still thing I like the Bosendorfer the best.
more weight, more warmth, more character
All the way.
well its austrian, of course its the best!
Great video, privilege to hear all 3 :)
I feel so privileged each time I am allowed to play such wonderful instruments, never mind three in the same room. I can not honestly believe that someone would allow me play instruments of that calibra. I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world.
You were spot on to what I observed. I couldn't feel the play of keys but I watched your fingers move and that difference chunky verses smooth was noticeable. Thank you this review. I love the piano but it was not an instrument I could play, eye to brain to fingers just didn't work in my brain. You were a dream to listen to. My version of heaven♡
I can't believe I am saying this but the Fazioli seems to me to be the better sounding piano here. Nice job on the video
What I love with the Bösen (both as tuner and musician) is that is has a both a very round sound (oddly both discinct and rich) and it is very even in timbre and volume between all regesters. I’ve always loved the Fazioli, but never had the oportunity to tune one. I’ve tuned more Stieinways than I can count... very clear discanto rich timbre - in many ways similar to the Blütner - (the Yamaha is based on a Steinway but I hate it as a tuner because how they build it, making it very hard to tune), but I always find the Bösen the smothest sound.
The Steinway, Blütner and Yamaha fit well for more sticking out in jazz or a piano concerto, as the Bösen is better for solo piano works or something that blends into an orchestra.
And I agree with you about the bas of the Bösen. The reason ”loud” ”sounds better” on the Steinway and tha Fazi is because of their brilliant and strong overtones which give them a more brilliance and thus cuts through more.
For me, it is like a violin and and alto violin... the alto doesn’t stick out as much, but is more rounder and richer.
Really enjoyed it!
Complimenti James, ottima recensione!
Without even going to the end I liked the Fazioli the first time I heard it. Love them all :)
Totally depends on personal taste. For me the Bösendorfer. Very soft, warm and still full.
Beautiful comparison. Love all three of them.
the Fazioi is Amazing! the pianissimo so sweet..... Bosendorfer lower register and Steinway upper register ...
I had the pleasure of hearing Paolo Fazioli in discussion with a group of Renner technicians in 1994 where he discussed the modifications he had made to their action and why. This happened at Music Messe in Frankfurt. I was working the show and would go to the Fazioli stand each morning to play his incredible pianos before the public arrived. One morning I was playing, Paolo tapped me on the shoulder, asked me to stop playing and then I got to be the fly on the wall as I listened to a mind blowing discussion in which the Renner engineers would listen, comment, sometimes disagree and then Paolo would blow their minds with the proof which was in the sound but also a brilliant differentiator in what he did as a performance action nuance. Renner insisted that a pianist would want the hammer to get to the string with as little resistance as possible. Fazioli said that he had modified the action to give the player more control as the hammer was headed to the string, almost like the ability to hold it up slightly. It was fascinating to hear this entire discussion and after the Renner techs left I checked the action and could actually feel what he was talking about. He gave me a knowing look and a nod. I can't wait until the day I own one of his pianos.
Greg Lee ‘
Thank you for this lovely insight!
The Bösendorfer sound great. so warm, harmonic and a beauty sound.
UFFFFFF....
so different and so wonderful
Being that I love the music of Schubert I absolutely adore the clean crisp tones of the Bosendorfer... They are all wonderful pianos in their own way!
When you realize this room costs more than 1million
Playing the Fazoli starts at 3:50. Sounds so beautiful, like playing crystal clear ice bells. Love the comparison of the Big Three!
My thoughts exactly. Crystalline. There’s really not one better. But the Fazioli is that particular.
whats the name of the song at 3:50
Can you tell me what is this piece name please? thanks a lot.
I can’t believe you have my 3 favorite pianos in one room. What heaven this place is.
Now this is an education ! Thank you
I'll take all 3, one for the living room, one for the bedroom, one for the kitchen
Each one of them has their only personality... But the Bosendorfer is powerful and at the same time, peaceful... and you can literally feel its strong when you call for it. But i am a Steinway kinda guy, so... :)
Thanks for this amazing video!
Excellent! Very good!
James, I must confess, you are a great pianist. Btw, I really like the fazioli sound. My faforite
Fazioli has the finest and clear, crystalline sound. Bösendorfer has a powerful acoustic sound. Steinway is a normal piano.
I almost agree! The Steinway piano is not a normal piano, it is great piano! The Fazioli and Bösendorfer are better!
I think it is correct!
personally i like the steinway and the bosendorfer the best
József Pala steinway is great enough but i wonder why it has so many fans
Fazioli.
@@jozsefpala5487 a great piano is actually a normal piano.. Otherwise its not a piano
I listened on two different occasions about four days apart. I intentionally did the first listen with really (atrociously) bad laptop speakers; nowhere near TH-cam Quality (sic) Sound. The second time I listened with really good electronics and headphones; way better than the TH-cam source. The first time I had figured out you would probably choose the Fazioli because of the way you lit up while playing it; it does have monstrous bass and a great, modern action. I chose the Bösendorfer as my favorite; I love the bright voicing.
Oddly, I made the same choices the second time after a lot of critical listening. What I didn't hear on the first listen is the way complex chords on the Fazioli seemed to sound busy and congested with overtones and sympathetic vibration, where the Bösendorfer remained clean and clear on the same piece. The Steinway is a drop-dead gorgeous work of art. It does everything well, but it was easy to tell that the action and big sound of the Fazioli won your heart on that day... playing those pieces...
BTW, I don't play, all pianos feel the same to me, so it took your explanation of the different piano actions before I figured out why you liked the Fazioli so much. I spent a lot of the second listen watching your face and body language, and now it all makes sense.
Thanks-enjoyed it.
They are all good. Excellent workmanship. Well played His opinion matters most as he is playing and evaluating as he plays
Fazioli fan here. You mentioned all the things I love about this brand. Fun to “hear” the comparison of all three. Thanks for sharing.
Clair de lune on the Fazioli is something special
Thank you for your selection of music with explanation.
The Fazioni,had a most wonderful sound and was on power with the Bosendofer.i loved them both.ofcourse the Fazioni has the length and therefore volume.was glad of your explanation of the lighter touch of the steinway.however the steinway comes 3 rd in my view.thank you once again for your demonstration of several pieces.look forward to your next demonstration.thank you so much. Romaine
All so different, yet all so equally beautiful.
The deep low growling bases of the Bösendorfer and bright roundness of her trebles is a signature of that timeless maker. Also, the projection in a larger room would be filled to overflowing.
There is another comparable piano that may be worth a trial, the Feurich, a handmade German piano. I played a Feurich concert grand in the 1980s, and a Bach chorale was absolutely transparent played in the bottom two octaves! The sustain power was amazing! It sounded like real voices singing.
Man, what a great comparison - what an opportunity! Nice format. Awesome to be able to hear nuances of tone etc A really unique experiment. Debussy heaven - omg the Fazioli specifically for the Debussy! :-D The Fazioli seems to reach into the soul ..... for me at least. What a blast - esp "Pirates" .....:-D Loved your review as well (learn a lot),
Forget the pianos! My gosh, what is that BEAUTIFUL piece you are playing?!
For this particular three pianos in this video, I would first choose Bösendorfer, second Fazioli and third Steiway & Sons.
Based on the clearly projected sounds. Pedalling issue whether is accounted or not, we could listen to the interesting varieties of tones.
They all sound SO beautiful! The Steinway has a gorgeous blend and mellow honey tone with rich bass. The Fazioli seemed to have more clearly defined individual notes, and bigger differences in the character of each register, with an awesome voice-like low range and creamy mid-range. The Bosendorfer was beautiful but I felt its tone was a little more hollow.
Ditto, the Faz. I owned a perfectly restored Steinway Model M, made in 1929, bought it from an “artists’ pianos” company in L.A. Boy, I loved that Steinway. I moved many times and the piano even fell down a flight of stairs, pinning the mover to the wall. Served him right! I was shocked to hear the upper treble range notes of the Steinway in this vid as like an ice pick in my ears. The plodding Bosendorfer would also be my 3rd choice. I bet I was the only 10 y/o child who begged for a piano, but also happily practiced every day. James, you’re awesome and we look forward to your musical future.
Oh to be surrounded by a half million dollars worth of keys! I know I would have felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. Your playing certainly does justice to these magnificent instruments. They all sound different and each is perfectly beautiful in it's own right. My own "died and gone to heaven" moment happened when I was taking my last piano exam in a concert hall and being judged by two incredible edudicators ... the instrument was a Bechstein and till then I had not touched a more perfect instrument ... I had to remind myself several times that this was an exam that I was doing and to get over the fact that I was conversing with perfection.
Fazioli is emerging as the best piano producer in the world. I sell pianos in ny, over the last 2 years I see Fazioli demand exploding, while Steinway dropping. The thing is that Fazioli are extremely rare due to their small production. A top school wanted to replace all their old steinway and baldwin with Fazioli, but Fazioli factory could simply not sustain the production.
Steinway has really fallen from grace lately. I mean the dogmatic view a lot of the employees and company big wigs so to speak have really brought that company down. I mean they are a good pianos, but it they have problems. For 1 they do not seem to be willing to abandon the soundboard crown creation method which has been replaced with much better methods. They still say that their action is the best out there despite Wessel Nickel and Gross closely followed by Renner being miles ahead. The back action is still in the stone age so to speak with massive problems that have been pointed out to them time after time for literally decades with the position of Steinway being that to change a Steinway action would be to make it somehow worse.
That mentality has mean that all of the other piano manufacturers have gone from copying them to improving upon their design and surpassing them. Yamaha, Mason and Hamlin, Fazioli, kawaii, bechstein, and others have evolved massively over the years while Steinway has refused to adapt and therefore has been left behind.
You pair that with the letter they sent out to all of the piano technicians and many piano stores threatening a lawsuit for rebuilding their pianos with non-Steinway parts did not land well either. My mentor responded to that by saying he would never allow a piano to leave his shop in such a low condition. Insinuating that Steinway's pianos were blatantly inferior to what he produced after a rebuild. And he was right. the Steinway soundboard, action, stringing, scale all were far below the standard of that shop. Even the pinblock was not up to standard when compared to their custom pinblock design.
Man I’d love to put my hands on all these grands!! I’ve played the 9 foot Steinway at performance halls & on the road, and there’s nothing more exciting than sitting at a 9 foot grand piano!!! (Love your playing at 12:11, & at 19:01 !!!). Only grand I traveled with was a Yamaha.
I completely agree with your critique about the low ends, touch, pedals, resonance, etc.
Besides the sound, My two biggest peeves are:
(1) feeling any mechanical movement pounding back up on my fingertips after I’ve pressed a key down, and then
(2) any mechanical slop or ringing after a keys released. That greatly reduces your speed playing. My 71 fender Rhodes had the absolute WORST key release ringing, until I fixed it with some felt for the hammers to fall back on. (I should’ve told Fender about that mod. That was the Cheapest most significant mechanical modification I’ve ever made to a piano)
(3) how smoothly rounded the edge of the keys are, which spares your thumb when performing thumb slides up & down the full keyboard.
(4) how solid the low end is! **I must have a strong low A!** I own an inexpensive Casio Privia PX-350 that I tote around for practice, which has an incredibly strong low A!! I have one composition that HAS to have a strong low A fundamental!
The owner is truly living his best life.
I hope to play like you eventually. I started piano at age 58 and love it. Oh....and, all the pianos sound amazing. I'd probably pick the Steinway sound for me. OK...i'm at minute 27 now. You've changed my mind. I prefer the Fazioli. Very interesting about those high harmonic resonances of the Steinway dampers in the lower register. Great observations. Subscribing.
Three excellent instruments. I opined that the Steinway had the best tone, but that would be as heard through my less-than-excellent audio system. I do not know if I would have the same opinion in person.
Anyone would be thrilled and over joyed to have any of the three. The tone of the Bosendorfer would be my choice, but any of them are glorious! The high end is also clearer and more tonal than the other two as well.
Incredible James :)
Being new to learning differences between acoustic pianos and now, after listening to quite a few, I can say there's one that slightly and consistently stands out on certain music being played. I'd never heard of these piano makes before watching this channel, and I find the Bösendorfer to be the one. But, the other two in this video I'd quite happily own instead!