Notable Historical Piano Manufacturers
illustration of the square pianos Steinway & Sons built up till the late 1800s
Throughout history there were many eminent piano makers that have influenced the world of pianos, some of which have successfully lasted over a century.
As the piano’s popularity surged during the 19th century, high quality pianos were produced in the United States by known manufacturers such as Chickering (1823), Steinway & Sons (1853) and Baldwin (1857); whereas across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe, long-established instrument makers such as Broadwood (1728), Sébastien Érard (ca 1777), and Pleyel (1807) were also highly popular.
The legacies of these brands can be witnessed by their impact on the modern-day piano, the endorsement from history’s most notable composers, as well as patronage by Royal Families across the globe.
Amongst other piano developments, Chickering & Sons were known for introducing the one-piece cast iron plate to support greater string tension in the piano, while Steinway & Sons pioneered the shape of the modern-day grand piano.
In endorsements, while Chopin used a Pleyel at his last concert in Paris in 1848, he along with Liszt, Mendelssohn and Wagner were known to favour Sébastien Érard’s instruments.
As for the sphere of royalty, a Broadwood piano was accepted as a gift for the Kensington Palace at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981, while Steinway & Sons alone holds about a dozen Royal and Imperial Warrants from rulers around the world.
Instruments from these piano makers are no doubt masterpieces in their own right - have you had the pleasure of playing on any of these brands?