Bösendorfer Phoenix Imperial 290

Bösendorfer pianos deservedly enjoy a reputation for being special. They are hand-built by master craftsmen in the old tradition, using only the finest materials throughout the instrument. The company produces remarkably few pianos each year – somewhere around 200. Currently they are producing very few - if any - Imperial concert grands, so their flagship model may well be increasingly hard to find in the future.

The Bösendorfer Phoenix we use for recording is a very special instrument. Prior to being fitted with Richard Dain's pioneering Phoenix bridge agraffe system at Hurstwood Farm Pianos, it was used for recital work by András Schiff, and has since been used for recording by André Previn and many others with the Phoenix system installed.

What is the Phoenix system?

This is a series of bridge agraffes that transfer the strings' energy into the bridge itself, which in turn passes the energy into the piano soundboard. The agraffe body is made from manganese bronze. It contains stainless steel depressor rollers and beryllium copper knife edges are found at the point of string termination.

The result of this system is increased sustain and immense clarity, especially in the treble registers.

The traditional bridge system, whereby the strings pass around angled pins, has gone fundamentally unchanged for well over a century, and delivers lower efficiency whilst putting unwanted stress on the soundboard.

Such stress, resulting from a downwards load applied by the strings typically of about a half tonne, is eliminated by the Phoenix system, leaving the soundboard more free to respond to vibrations. The more efficient conversion of vibration energy in the strings to vibration energy in the soundboard enables the pianist to achieve the same sound volume with less finger energy input. This enhances accuracy and confidence from the artist.

Further to this our piano has a key-depth adjustment system, again innovated by Richard Dain. The resulting keyboard touch can be made to vary from light, delicate and fast, all the way to heavy and powerful - and anything in between - in a matter of seconds. Adjustment is made via a lever located under the keybed.

Pianists with smaller hands may well opt for a lighter touch when playing technically demanding works. Those requiring greater power from the piano may lean towards a heavier touch. It usually takes a few minutes for a pianist to find their optimum setting, which is then noted for future reference.

Some pianists report that the piano has an easier action than most concert grands, even when at a standard setting. Interestingly this is likely to be a product of the increased efficiency of the Phoenix system, as in every other respect the action itself is standard for a Bösendorfer 290.

The piano is kept meticulously well-tuned and voiced. The tuning stability is excellent, but we can fine tune unisons during recording if necessary.

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