Whatever Happened To C. Bechstein Pianos?

[@TheTubeTube2]

I really enjoyed that, thank you. A couple of days after I bought my beautiful 1909 C. Bechstein boudoir grand (recently refurbished by Wigmore Galleries) , it was being transported across the Cabrach in the Scottish Highlands to my home when the removal lorry was caught in a really serious blizzard and crashed onto its side into a very deep snowdrift. Such was the winter snow that year that there was no recovering the lorry for a couple of weeks. In the meantime the snowstorm continued to howl and eventually completely buried the removal lorry. When, finally, my piano was transferred to another lorry and brought to its new home thankfully there wasn’t a mark on it and it was beautifully in tune! What an instrument it then was, and still is thank goodness.

[@kedduff1814]

wow

[@PS-vm3we]

Guarded by angels

[@timmotion6494]

So glad your piano survived and that you still have it. My 1906 C.Bechstein is also, I believe, a Boudoir Grand, at just over 6 feet in length (2 metres approx.).

[@khuoh]

I fell in love with a C. Bechstein A192 Concert…. It’s now in my living room!

[@hastensavoir7782]

Year model?

[@HS-wp5vb]

Good! I just don't have that space in my living room and opted for an upright.

[@jonathanidiagbonya6773]

I have a Bechstein Model 10 upright from 1907, restored by Harrods. It’s the best upright I’ve ever played.

[@timmotion6494]

The same year as my C.Bechstein Grand, also most likely bought from Harrods! See my other comment..... My sister had an upright Bechstein and it was a joy to play - best of the upright pianos in my opinion.

[@jonathanidiagbonya6773]

​@@timmotion6494Absolutely! I'm now looking to upgrade to a grand, going to look at a Model B from 1900 today.

[@robbbmm]

Wow! Such confidence in an instrument that you’d get one over a century old. Did you get it?

[@jonathanidiagbonya6773]

@@robbbmm Yes I did! It's a Model V from 1892, it's even better than a Model B. It plays and sounds absolutely beautifully! Not sure there's a better piano ever made, and I've played most of the top range, including some recording I did last year on a new Fazioli.

[@thomasbrown7980]

Thanks for the fascinating history. As always an excellent presentation.

[@SeaDrive300]

That L 167 baby grand that Stu Harrison reviewed a few months ago was a spectacular-sounding instrument. Although I could never afford to buy one, I wish I played well enough to convince myself that I *deserve* to own one! :-)

[@vickigreene4288]

Love the history lesson! So interesting. Thank you guys

[@albertpeckham8708]

Years ago, I played a 1926 7' Bechstein and I fell in love with it! Such a great sound! Sadly...it wasn't for sale!

[@hastensavoir7782]

Describe to us, the sound you witnessed.

[@timshanasy9649]

It's interesting that the wrong pronunciation of Bechsteeen is used here. Has anyone said Steeenway?

[@studentjohn35]

Post 1945 Steinway: The management were close friends with a high-ranking US Army officer who was posted to the "American Sector" of Berlin. The Bechstein factory was in ruins. Despite the willingness of surviving German piano technicians to get back to work, the US officer ordered his men to post an UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE sign on the site, which remained in force for several years. The locals weren't fooled, and gradually looted all of the stored lumber from the factory site. This set production back almost a decade. And the late 1950's pianos had to resort to artificially seasoned wood, so they tended to fall apart quite quickly. As i said, the quality resumes around serial number 160,000

[@timmotion6494]

I have a well travelled 1906 C.Bechstein grand piano which belonged to my grandfather. It was always referred to as a 'Boudoir' Grand. It is just over 6 feet in length, with ivory keys. I believe it was restored in the 1930s when my grandfather bought it, probably from Harrods in London! What Model would it be? It is a very sympathetic instrument to play, though the bass strings are not strong. I love it and enjoy its sound, and value the fact that it has been played by a number of fine musicians from bandleaders in the 1930s to classical and jazz musicians in the 1960s until today. One historic memory is that of Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington's musical partner, playing and recording his famous song "Lush Life" on my piano; he also sang the lyrics while playing and I have the recording.

[@michelprimeau4531]

So far, the C.Bechstein Concert 8 is the best upright I've tried. After that, it would be the Seiler SE132. Blüthner and Schimmel are farther. I need to try the Steingraeber & Sohns, August Föster, Sauter, Grotrian and Mason & Hamlin.

[@hastensavoir7782]

Every list you mentioned are excellent!

[@andrerappsilber1775]

A beautiful good morning ! That was a very good report about what is not only in my opinion the best manufacturer of pianos and grand pianos in the world. Personally, I fell in love with a studio grand piano from C. BECHSTEIN, which I can't afford at the moment, the B212 from the Concert series. But C.BECHSTEIN now also has other tempting offers in its range, namely the WH206P from W.HOFFMANN (C.BECHSTEIN Europe) which is made in the Czech Republic and costs only a third of the B212. And this WH206P is so damn close to the already very good Academy series by C. BECHSTEIN.

[@raykeys7001]

Very interesting , but you’re mispronouncing the the name. It’s stein. Not steen. Like Steinway.

[@hastensavoir7782]

Steenway 🤭

[@phillewis8839]

I have a 9 ft. 2 inch - Concert Grand C.Bechstein - ivory key tops, purchased new in 1983 - Have documentation of it from C.Bechstein. Am 80 and considering selling the piano - its tuned twice a year since purchase and stays in tune too. Great instrument for the serious Pianist ! Phil

[@rogershaffer1]

Very interested. Where are you located? What is the asking price?

[@phillewis8839]

@@rogershaffer1 Located 40 miles south of NYC - Jersey Shore area - open to offers

[@phillewis8839]

@@rogershaffer1 Location - Spring Lake New Jersey - offers ?

[@phillewis8839]

@@rogershaffer1 Location - New Jersey USA

[@phillewis8839]

@@rogershaffer1 Make an offer

[@studentjohn35]

Do more research, guys. (Confession: i was a Bechstein dealer, working under the legendary Hans Moeller [1901-1995] between the years 1983 and 1990. I met Schulze and Thomma) 1; in 1937, Bechstein installed a model E270 piano in Hitler's chalet in the Obersaltzberg. The only person to ever do a gig on it was Putzi Hanfstangl, a programme of his light songs.The piano was lost when the USAF flattened the Berghof in 1945. 2: The brief grainy footage of Shostakovich playing his own 1st piano concerto from 1940 is on a Bechstein E270. 3: Bechstein was in ruins for a number of years after 1945. But the instruments they did make from 1955 to 1965 were sub-standard because of the lack of properly seasoned lumber, serial numbers in the 150,000's. 4: After 1966 (ser. no's 160,000 and up) they were great again. 5: the old style Bechstein grands were produced up to 1994, with agraffes for every note, no capo d'astro bar. It gave the instruments a special sweetness and color. 6: the product Bechstein make now in Sefhennersdorf bears no resemblance to the piano that Debussy loved. Everything has been re-designed to make the grands play louder. They threw out the baby with the bathwater.

[@andrerappsilber1775]

You have to kiss a lot of frogs in life and one day you run into the right person with whom you want to spend your whole life completely. It's the same with playing the piano 🎹 and with a wide variety of piano manufacturers. And one day you play a C. BECHSTEIN and it's unconditional love 💘 at first sight and tone and you have found your love 💘 for life. Once C.BECHSTEIN always C.BECHSTEIN 🎹🎼🎵🎵🎶🎵🎶🎶🎵👍👍👍!

[@svenvermeiren939]

Amazing history telling… I adore the sound of Bechstein …together with Grotrian Steinweg and Bosendorfer thee produce that typic European sound… a warm romantic sound nothing like it to me

[@unequally-tempered]

I have tuned Bechstein for 37 years and know the sound and how to tune for it specifically. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYSlh5ZjjdSBjJY is an 1885 instrument and I get all Bechsteins of all ages to sound as good as this.

[@Kref3]

Just a few days ago I visited a piano store and played on a Bechstein model IV (220 cm) from 1899. It was beautifully rebuilt and it was a very fine instrument. And I played on a beautiful mahagony B203 from the early 1980s and it sounded so incredibly beautiful at least from treble to tenor - the bass of course was a bit thinner than on the bigger instruments I had the chance to play the same day. I would be very happy with it. And I played an E280 grand from the 1930s. Gorgeous. the sound was fantastic, nicer than sound of a S&S D274 standing right next to it, although the action was a bit worse - needed some regulation. My piano teacher owns a 1920 A180 which also sound great, yet has a bit unclean bass. and it is an actual b#tch to play, when played too loud the tone cracks very early. I would not enjoy owning it, but I have to admit, that it is a great practice piano. If you can play it nicely, you can play anything. I love the older models (A180, B203, C221, D240 and E/EN280) - the ones with the agraffes all the way to the highest trebble instead of a capo d‘astra bar. The new models also sound wonderful, but they lack the specific Bechstein sound I know and love. I just heard Andras Schiff playing some Beethoven some months ago and immediately wondered: Sir Andras usually plays his Bösendorfer or a rented Steinway, but this did not sound like either. I immediately thought that this sounds very much like my piano teacher‘s 1920 A180, except being much stronger and cleaner in the bass. I checked. Andras played on a 1922 or 1923 E280. It was so obvious.

[@General5USA]

So why did British antique roadshow thumbs down a Beckstein and the purchase one at $5.05 pounds. Another description was a lower quality lower price piano. That really didn’t get off too well?

[@vincentdisalvo-yv3ge]

Your brief history of the Bechstein piano was very interesting. A lot of people are not aware that the Bechstein family were closely associated with Adolf Hitler in the early days of the Nazi period as you briefly alluded to in your podcast. As a matter of fact they were his early financial supporters. For this reason Bechstein pianos were the state preference of pianos throughout Germany and Bechstein concert grands were in all of Hitler's residences. Steinway had a factory in Hamburg at that time but because of it's American affiliation was kept in the background as a second rate instrument. The Steinway factory was totally destroyed during the allied bombings during the second world war and rebuilt after the war ended. As a point of trivia, Madame Bechstein had a special interest in Adolph Hitler not for herself but as a possible husband for her unmarried daughter since he was unmarried at that time. Obviously he wasn't interested. Bechstein belongs in the family of the great world pianos ! It's precision made.

[@myboibill]

How much is this piano? It is a shame not to price it so it can be rebuilt.

[@gregdixon3797]

It’s listed on their website.

[@wimvanmoerbeke]

Liszt only had his big concerts between 1830-1850 and he played a lot on Erard ... they didnt brake ;-) Bechstein didnt make grand pianos until the 1860's

[@komoru]

That's right. Pianos don't "brake". Cars do.

[@rogershaffer1]

Did Liszt drive a car? Maybe it was a Porsche, they have great brakes

[@stemart1641]

You were very fortunate to get a model B with a good iron frame. The frames weren't terribly well manufactured.

[@studentjohn35]

Most of the well-documented plate fractures were on the earlier model V, predecessor of the model B

[@louisrost]

We've got a c.bechstein at the family home. They got the piano since the 1960s, and thankfully because the house is a very old one, it means there any central heating damaging the piano. these pianos that are so old need to be preserved. we get it treated regularly and it's just the most gorgeous sounding thing ever. I was only born in 2002, so I have only had it in it's most recent years so I can't say how it sounded 60years ago or so, but hopefully it will continue to age like fine wine lol

[@badkid73]

The most recent concert series Bechsteins are the best pianos in the world. Cost is no object superlative quality in materials and obsessive regulation. A modem Bechstein is nothing like a vintage Bechstein.

[@subbbass]

I doubt that Queen Victoria ever started a sentence with " Hey you know ...."

[@markhomiak6966]

It's ridiculous that neither of you could pronounce the name correctly throughout the entire video. (Since it is "ei", it's pronounced as an I. If it were "ie", then it would be pronounced E.

[@mfurman]

“Americanizing” the foreign words is is really annoying (especially German)

[@hastensavoir7782]

@@mfurman except for Steinway which sounds infinitely better than SteinVeg

[@WelcomeToClaires]

Also the "ch" sound.

[@mrDoveRock]

Come on...😄..you guys ROCK .. HELLO FROM IRELAND.. 👋 education and review.. WHAT DO I GET ..DIGITAL CA59 ( 79 IS UNAVAILABLE IN IRELAND 🇮🇪 AT PRESENT..yamaha 745.. casio 310 gp.. I'm siding with kawai..help.. OH..no to the jab ..

[@hastensavoir7782]

Don’t leave out Mason & Hamlin! And NO ONE talks about Steingraeber 😐

[@komoru]

Yes, love Mason & Hamlin, but the video is clearly about Bechstein. @ 16:40 they mention they do have entire video dedicated to Mason & Hamlin

[@studentjohn35]

Steingraeber have copied their concert grand from an older Bechstein E-270 and improved upon it. Fair enough, Bechstein themselves haven't made a model E since 1973 . The Steingraeber E-272 is indeed a great piano.

[@hastensavoir7782]

@@studentjohn35 Great thing! They should do the same down to their B192!

[@FrancisAsin-Gioro]

I just don’t get it why people have such a bad taste and keep playing shit on the wonderful pianos

[@rogershaffer1]

My exact thought 😅

[@mfurman]

Please do not say “Beksteen”

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Besh-tine

[@mfurman]

@@benjaminsmith2287 It is actually closed to Bechstin (where ch is pronounced closer to loch with Scottish pronunciation)

[@thomasg321]

Just a suggestion: before you do a video like this, you might want to learn how to pronounce the name of the company properly

[@TheIrrationalist]

I will never buy a Bechstein. Every time I saw the name on the fallboard, I'd experience deep grief and rage at Mrs. Bechstein's promotion of Adolph Hitler. Who needs that? The company's post WWII owners, in my opinion, made a mistake in keeping the name. Its legacy is too scarred by the horrors of Nazism. They should have started fresh.

[@andrerappsilber1775]

Please excuse Mr. Fred Morgenstern, but that is really a stupid comment. Of course, it is bad what Adolf Hitler and his henchmen did back then, but please what does that have to do with today's C. BECHSTEIN manufactory? How many people were this crazy gentleman from Austria on the glue back then and just because a woman by marriage, Helene Bechstein so adored this tyrant, has nothing to do with the C. BECHSTEIN family history. Before the end of World War II, C. BECHSTEIN was No. 1 among the entire piano manufacturers where Steinway & Sons are now ... and if it hadn't been for this incident with Helene Bechstein, C. BECHSTEIN would still have been No. 1 in the art world, and The reputation of the C.BECHSTEIN manufactory, which has meanwhile been very good, is damaged by people like you, who are eternally yesterday, and by their stupid concrete-headed opinion. Many Jewish pianists were very successful on C. BECHSTEIN instruments then and again today. It is also people like you who probably demonize everything that comes from Germany. Or listen to Wagner's music or wear Boss suits or use Boss perfume ... or even drive a German-made car because all of these companies were involved in Adolf Hitler's machinations during World War II. If you wear Hugo Boss suits or use his perfume, you should refrain from doing that as soon as possible because Hugo Boss designed and produced the uniforms for SS henchmen back then ... and I could go on and on ... think about it ... !

[@lalahohoable]

so what? and? the piano is not called Hitler. I can understand your disgust against the Monster that was Hitler, I have the same feeling as you. However, I own 2 Grand Bechsteins, one of which is a Concert Grand completely restored, and the other a historic one from 1870 with twisted legs, and sculptures of lions etc. . The 2 are gems that fascinate me every day when I play them. I never had the association with Hitler but with Bach, Beethoven, Brahms etc.. these are the great names of Germany.

[@unequally-tempered]

My art-case Bechstein of 1885 kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3SohISYha11aas was nothing to do with the 1930s and is a piano kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYSlh5ZjjdSBjJY which puts Steinway in the shade

[@mfurman]

Associating music, composers or even manufacturers with politics is ridiculous.

[@paulcapaccio9905]

Liszt owned a bechstein and I played on it