2017 Articles (#1 – #85)

85. Queen Victoria’s Broadwood Piano For Sale (20-Dec-2017)
A Broadwood grand piano once owned by Queen Victoria is being auctioned in 2018. This piano has a truly extraordinary provenance… (more)
84. The Hindenburg’s Blüthner (13-Dec-2017)
The story of the Bluthner piano that was specially designed to entertain passengers on the first Atlantic crossing of the Hindenburg airship… (more)
83. Surviving Hiroshima Piano at Nobel Peace Prize Concert (7-Dec-2017)
A piano that survived the atomic bomb at Hiroshima (an “Hibaku Piano”) will feature at this year’s Nobel Prize Peace Concert… (more)
82. The Upright that thinks it’s a Grand (5-Dec-2017)
The Phoenix 130 upright thinks it’s a grand. Check out this new video and decide for yourselves. It’s pretty impressive… (more)
81.  Boston Pianos – A Rainbow in Curved Air (28-Nov-2017)
Boston Pianos launch their Rainbow Collection, and offer to lacquer the lid of your new grand in one of 170 colours… (more)
80. 70 years of the Pierce Piano Atlas (23-Nov-2017)
The Pierce Piano Atlas (the “Bible of the Piano Business”) celebrates its 70th birthday… (more)


79. The MINIM-UK Musical Instrument Database (14-Nov-2017)
A new online database detailing over 20,000 instruments from over 100 museums / collections… (more)
78. The Butterfly Piano—Fighting for Beauty (7-Nov-2017)
A stunning new Fazioli piano, on show at the Fight for Beauty exhibition in Vancouver, Canada… (more)
77. Yamaha’s Red Envelope (2-Nov-2017)
Yamaha have produced their first ever US TV commercial for their pianos… (more)
76. The White House Pianos (31-Oct-2017)
A look at these iconic instruments with reference to a new book “Music at the White House”… (more)
75. The Piano Room (24-Oct-2017)
World famous musicians performing their most popular songs on the “Elton John Radio 2 Piano”… (more)
74.  “Masque de Femme” Steinway sells for $1.5 million (16-Oct-2017)
A Steinway-Lalique collaboration — the “Masque de Femme” piano… (more)
73. The Walter Cave Bechstein (10-Oct-2017)
Walter Cave designed an iconic Bechstein piano in the Arts and Crafts style… (more)
72. The Spectacular Piano Drop (5-Oct-2017)
Although of little musical value, the piano drop is a spectacular way to draw attention to an event… (more)
71.  New Product: Korg C1 Air Digital Piano (3-Oct-2017)
The C1 Air sits nicely between the more expensive G1 Air and the Korg LP-380… (more)
70.  First Appearance of World’s Longest Concert Grand Piano (25-Sep-2017)
Luigi Borgato unveils the Borgato Grand Prix 333 to the general public…(more)
69.  Linking an Acoustic Piano and a Tablet—No Mods Required (20-Sep-2017)
The ONE Piano Hi-Lite is a piano “add-on” offering access to interactive music learning programs…(more)
68. Four New Roland Digital Pianos (18-Sep-2017)
Roland unveil four new digital pianos in time for the Christmas season. These pianos all integrate with the new version 2.0 of Roland’s Piano Partner2 app… (more)
67. The All-New Yamaha AvantGrand NU1X Hybrid Piano (14-Sep-2017)
Yamaha have revealed the successor to the remarkable, award-winning AvantGrand NU1—the NU1X. Their brief… “make a hybrid that’s as good as an acoustic”… (more)
66. More News of Elvis’ Piano (11-Sep-2017)
Following the sale of Elvis Presley’s famous white piano last month on eBay, it has been announced that the instrument is to return to Graceland(more)
65. Bringing Chopin Back to Life (5-Sep-2017)
The Warsaw Tourism Office has released two new apps and a self-guided tour of the city to celebrate the life of the great composer Fryderyk Chopin… (more)
64. Jane Austen’s Piano (1-Sep-2017)
Jane Austen died 200 years ago this year at the age of 41, and in celebration, the Jane Austen’s House Museum is telling the story of her life and legacy… (more)
63. The 100 Piano Project  (30-Aug-2017)
Huawei, the Chinese telecoms giant, have donated 100 Pearl River pianos for distribution to some of New Zealand’s poorest schools… (more)
62. Prince’s Purple Piano Pantone  (25-Aug-2017)
The Pantone Color Institute has released a new standardised custom colour inspired by the purple piano Yamaha made for Prince… (more)
61. Victoria & Abdul and a Piano  (22-Aug-2017)
There’s a new film coming out shortly called Victoria & Abdul. It is the true story of the friendship between Queen Victoria and a young clerk from India… (more)
60. The Beethoven Broadwood Celebrates Two Anniversaries  (17-Aug-2017)
Exactly 200 years ago Thomas Broadwood (piano manufacturer) gave Ludwig van Beethoven one of his finest grand pianos… (more)


59. Elvis’ White Piano for Sale on Ebay (14-Aug-2017)
The white Knabe grand piano once owned by Elvis Presley, and installed in the music room at Gracelands from 1957-69, has just been put up for sale on eBay… (more)
58. Piano Brands and Trade Marks—What’s in a Name?  (11-Aug-2017)
The UK Intellectual Property Office has received a trade mark application from a Chinese owned company for the mark “Johannes Broadwood Cum Filiis”… (more)
57. Learn to Play the Your Songs in Your Music Library 
(9-Aug-2017)
Is the learn-to-play feature of the new Yamaha CSP-150 and CSP-170 Clavinova pianos a quantum leap forward?… (more)
56. Piano Factory Tours Around the World.  (7-Aug-2017)
Visit a piano factory and learn so much more about the instrument. Organised tours are widely available—full information listed here… (more)
55. Buy a Brand New Acoustic Piano for 130 Dollars (2-Aug-2017)
Kawai have just remodelled their very successful P-32 range, and these are selling for less than 130 USD. Too good to be true?… (more)
54. Two More Million Dollar Steinway Pianos (1-Aug-2017)
More Million Dollar pianos in the news. Both are Steinway grands. Both have a history. Both have a price!… (more)
53. Piano Sanctuaries. Good or Bad? (25-July-2017)
Is a piano sanctuary just a dumping ground for old pianos, or a valid and useful art installation, that can be both educational and a tourist attraction?… (more)
52. Korg’s New Grandstage Piano is an Award Winner (24-July-2017)
The new Grandstage pianos win a “Gotta Stock It” award at this summer’s NAMM Show… (more)
51. The Perfect 25th (Silver) Anniversary Gift (20-July-2017)
Looking for that perfect silver anniversary gift? How about a limited edition silver-styled grand designed to celebrate Boston Pianos’ 25 year history?… (more)
50. New Casio Digital Pianos at Summer NAMM Show (17-July-2017)
Casio unveil three additions to their excellent Celviano and Privia ranges of digital pianos at the 2017 Summer Namm Show in Tennessee…. (more)
49. A Chance to See the Grandest of Grands (12-July-2017)
A new exhibition celebrates the work of painter/designer Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and features his stunning art-case Steinway grand piano… (more)
48. Two Bombs Found in a Piano (3-July-2017)
Two pipe bombs have been found in a piano in Millbrook, Alabama. Luckily no-one was hurt. A bomb in piano is not a new thing… (more)
47. Two Million Dollar Pianos (29-June-2017)
There are two million dollar pianos in the news. Here we look at the actual Yamaha piano Elton John uses in his Las Vegas Million Dollar Piano Show… (more)
46. What is a PIano Baby? 
(26-June-2017) Find out what a Piano Baby is, and why it is probably the strangest piano accessory ever. (more)
45. Modesto’s Intersection of Art. More Fun Theory. (12-June-2017)
Downtown Modesto has been enlivened by the appearance of a somewhat unusual set of pedestrian crossings that re-kindle the “Theory of Fun”. (more)
44. Steinway in Paris—142 years Late? In a Copycat Building! (31-May-2017)
Steinway open their stunning new showrooms in Paris… but there’s something familiar about the building. (more)
43. Hello to the Grand Rhapsody Piano (25-May-2017)
A plugin that samples the actual piano used on Adele’s “25”. (more)
42. Millennium Falcon Piano for Sale
A one-off piano, styled to look like the Millennium Falcon (Star Wars). (more)
41. A Piano and a Joyful Train
Piano bars and luxury train travel around the world. (more)
40. Alien: Covenant. Sterling Stuff
The Steinway piano in Ridley Scott’s new film. (more)


39. A look back at the Chicago Music Trades Convention, 1917
The most important piano show in the world – 100 years ago. (more)
38. The Orpheus Piano and the 13 inch CD?
A player piano from 1899, up for auction. (more)
37. The Cobbe Collection, 2017
A stunning historical collection of pianos. (more)
36. Steinway’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” Piano
The new art-case piano inspired by Mussogsky’s composition. (more)
35. Update: There’s Gold in them there Broadwoods…
The gold hoard found in a 1903 piano. (more)
34. No News Today… Pianos at the BBC
How the BBC used the piano on slow news days. (more)
33. Cristofori Speaks
The inventor of the piano regrets his brainchild. (more)
32. Yamaha SX Series (Musicmesse 2017)
New Yamaha grand pianos. (more)
31. Piano Returns to Brighton Pavilion after 170 years
A royal Tomkison grand piano is returned to its original home. (more)
30. A Piano on a Bare Mountain
Piano recitals in unusal places. (more)
29. Korg G1 Air at (Musicmesse 2017)
A new, long-awaited, digital piano. (more)
28. If the piano could talk…
An album celebrates the piano at the Chateau Marmont hotel, L.A. (more)
27. All About Piano. Be Prepared!
A unique festival celebrating the piano including a lecture on prepared piano. (more)
26. The Dolceola Revisited
What is a Dolceola? (more)
25. Ship Shape and Yamaha Fashion
Pianos and Cruise Ships. (more)
24. SuperDroid: A Piano Player… not a Player Piano
A 21st century piano player. (more)
23. The Walled Off Piano Bar
Banksy’s dystopian hotel in Palestine. (more)
22. Pedal Power — Soft and Softer
Steingraeber & Sohne’s sordino pedal. (more)
21. Oscar Time
More cock-ups at the Oscars. (more)
20. Pianos and Melodeons
The global piano melodeon market. (more)


19. 21 Piano Giveaway after Concert at King’s College Cambridge
An ensemble of 21 pianos perform Chopin, then the pianos are given away. (more)
18. From “Play Me, I’m Yours” to “Find Me, I’m Yours”
Luke Jerram’s hidden gold artefacts and a piano free-for-all. (more)
17. Burning Issues
Historic piano immolations. (more)
16. Kawai and Parsons do a deal and eye growth in China
Hong Kong music industry merger. (more)
15. Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano – Modelling and Sampling
New top-end digital piano. (more)
14. Piano Day 2017
The 5th annual worldwide celebration of all things piano. (more)
13. Coming… Coming… Soon! Next UK Piano Auction
Piano Auction Limited’s spring piano sale (UK). (more)
12. Piano Destruction Ritual: Pianos were harmed in the making of this video Conceptual artist Raphael Montañez Ortiz’s latest performance. (more)
11. Pianists have faster reaction times. Fact.
University of Montreal research project. (more)
10. Fazioli unveil new generation F278 Concert Grand (NAMM 2017)
New grand piano launched at Winter NAMM show. (more)
09. La La GRAND
What was that instrument Ryan Gosling was playing? (more)
08. …When life throws you a Piano!
Powerful piano-based advert for a Middle Eastern chain store. (more)
07. The Search for Napoleon’s ‘Persian’ piano.
Did Napoleon once give a square piano to a Persian king? (more)
06. Turn your keyboard into a grand for about a grand.
How to make your digital keyboard look like a grand piano. (more)
05. There’s gold in them there Broadwood pianos…
Mystery surrounds a piano tuners find of hundreds of gold coins in an old upright. (more)
04. George Michael’s generosity saved John Lennon’s piano, but which one?
The Steinway Z1 upright that was “saved for the nation”. (more)
03. Nord’s “Dummy Head” Piano Library
A new piano sample library recorded using a binaural head is now available. (more)
02. Are MP3s making you depressed?
Research suggests that compressed audio formats can make the listener feel down. (more)
01. Roland introduces the GO:PIANO (CES 2017)
A new 61 note battery powered digital piano. (more)
00. The Westworld Effect on Player Piano Sales
The HBO show has unwittingly boosted sales of self-playing instruments. (more)