SPECIAL MODELS

Personalized Production—
Out of Love for Design
When Ignaz Bösendorfer founded the Bösendorfer piano
company in 1828, piano building was in a phase of strong
growth and development. Instrument manufacturers
were confronted with the constantly increasing demands
that pianists made on their instruments. A unique
atmosphere for the piano’s rapid development arose in
Vienna’s exceptionally creative musical environment.
Ludwig Bösendorfer’s collaboration with artists such
as Franz Liszt and Anton Rubinstein, who during their
lifetimes were closely connected to the Bösendorfer
company, was legendary.
Responding to the challenges of sound, playability
and formal design were always primary concerns for
Bösendorfer as a piano manufacturer and remains so to
this day.
A piano manufacturer worthy of the name (Latin
manus—hand, and facere—making) can also give proof
of its ability by building special models and one-of-a-kind
instruments. At Bösendorfer, instruments are made by
genuine craftspersons!
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 The Prizewinner—Model EDGE
Configure your dream piano
The model EDGE was proclaimed winner of the first
international Bösendorfer Piano Design Award in 2006
by Edelweiss Industrial Design. Part of their philosophy is
turning products into an enduring positive experience for
consumers.
EDGE exhibits a number of distinctive features:
• The music desk can be pulled in very close to the
pianist.
• The fabric-covered music stand padding elegantly
allows for pleasing transmission of the piano sound.
• Even when the lid is closed, dampened sound can still
be projected outward thanks to the increased spacing.
At the same time, the larger slot serves as a wide grip
that makes opening the lid easy.
• The elegant lyre is both durable and discreet.
• The modern piano legs are perhaps most
remarkable; they echo the piano’s origins as
a table instrument.
• The matching seat features an improved
pneumatic spring action.
Elegance and modernity—
A great combination for a “grand” piano!

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 The Dancing Model—Johann Strauss Model
Let’s waltz!
Viennese musical history and the Bösendorfer piano
factory are inextricably linked. Instruments made by
Bösendorfer, the imperial and royal supplier of pianos,
were owned not only by royalty and the nobility, but
also by the great musicians of their day, including Johann
Strauss II.
Johann Strauss’s formal title was “court ball director,” but
he was more popularly known as the “waltz king.”
With Strauss’s music, the popularity of the Viennese
waltz spread rapidly. Austria came to be identified
with this music—and still is today. The “Blue Danube,”
for instance, composed by Strauss in 1867, is Austria’s
unofficial national anthem.
The Johann Strauss model produced by Bösendorfer
today is inspired by the instrument on which the great
master wrote his compositions, which is still
in the Strauss memorial rooms in Vienna.
With this instrument you are acquiring a
piece of Viennese musical history.

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 “To my esteemed friend, the most perfect tarot player,
the great Ludwig Bösendorfer, with pleasant memories.”
Johann Strauss
Ischl, Austria, August 24, 1897
 The Poetic One—Franz Schubert Model
Inexhaustible richness
Franz Schubert died on 19 November 1828 at the age
of 31 and was laid to rest in Vienna beside Ludwig
van Beethoven, as he had wished. A few months
earlier, Ignaz Bösendorfer had received his licence to
take over his master’s workshop and start producing
instruments under his own name. The time at which
young Ignaz Bösendorfer was realising his dreams was an
exceptionally rich and sensitive one in terms of music. It
also coincided with the period 1815 to 1848, whose style
of painting, literature and furniture has been known since
the beginning of the 20th century as Biedermeier.
Schubert’s works always revealed an effervescent
inventiveness coupled with an inexhaustible richness of
melody and harmony.
Created as a homage to this great musician, our Franz
Schubert model combines Biedermeier-period and
contemporary style elements.

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“The keys become singing voices
underneath the hands.”
Franz Schubert

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 The Serious One—Senator Model
Pointing the way
The exceptionally majestic casework of the Bösendorfer
Senator model is created by using a combination of
two different woods. The external rim, the lid and
the fallboard are in polished pyramid mahogany with
pear-wood inlays. Our pyramid mahogany is sourced
from controlled forest concession areas in West Africa
where mature mahogany trunks are felled in keeping
with environmentally sound forestry practices. Rough
pyramids are created from suitable forks in the wood
at the sawmill. Veneers made from this wood are
particularly beautiful because of the unique smooth
cut and the striking, decorative pyramid design which
reflects the light. Over time, the initial light red to
reddish-brown colouring darkens to the characteristic
warm mahogany tone with its golden shimmer.
For centuries, mahogany has been an elegant
and expressive wood for fine period furniture.
The superb workmanship of this noble wood
by Bösendorfer turns every instrument into
an individual masterpiece. The Bösendorfer
Senator model is as individual as you are.

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Leonard Bernstein

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 The Unshakable—Franz Liszt Model
Ennobled by the master
As Ignaz Bösendorfer started his own piano
manufacturing business in 1828, the young Franz Liszt,
with his impulsive playing technique, was wrecking nearly
every piano made available to him. Upon the advice
of several friends, he tried doing this to a Bösendorfer
grand—which withstood his playing! At a single stroke
the Boesendorfer became famous as a concert grand,
and this at a time when there was no shortage of piano
makers. At the time the Bösendorfer company was
founded, there were over 150 piano builders active in
Vienna alone…
The Bösendorfer model Liszt came about in honor of the
exceptional pianist and composer Franz Liszt.
The Bösendorfer model Liszt is veneered in Vavona—a
premium veneer which needs to be dried exceptionally
slowly in order to avoid cracks in the grain, and which can
only be handled with very sharp tools and the
greatest care. During Franz Liszt’s time, playing
music at home was extremely popular and
small pianos of this scale could be found in
many households.

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“ You have already learned
of the superb success of
the concert given by Prince
Geza Zichy. His playing
was wonderful, and the
Bösendorfer grand piano
too. Humbly yours”

Franz Liszt
27 January 1879, Budapest
 The Contemplative One—Louis XVI Model
Of lasting value
The European transitional style between late Baroque
and Classicism is called “Louis-seize” after Louis XVI of
France. Classicism’s return to the world of antiquity led to
a taste for naturalistic forms, such as baskets of flowers,
willow boughs, garlands of fruit, ribbons, swags and
classical ornaments. Marie Antoinette herself—wife of
Louis XVI—is said to have sparked off the rediscovery of
naturalistic décor.
Rediscovery and a return to the past, the search for mea-
ning and lasting value and things that can be relied on
in life: these are all recurring themes to which thinking
people have come back time and again throughout the
ages.
Since 1828, music lovers have known that there is one
thing they can rely on: our determination to
build the best pianos and grand pianos in the
world. The value of a Bösendorfer lasts longer
than a lifetime…

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Gabriela Montero
 Opulence—Baroque Model
Timelessly beautiful
We call the European stylistic period in the 17 th and 18th
centuries, whose creative energy extended to all of
Austria’s regions and fields of activity, the Baroque. From
the seat of imperial representation all the way to peasant
arts and crafts, everywhere the Baroque marked—and
continues to mark—Austria’s artistic and cultural
landscape like no other style. The pinnacles of European
achievement arose from mutual competition.
A typical characteristic of the Baroque era was the quest
to ascribe at least as much importance to form as to
content. It’s easy to love the Bösendorfer model Baroque.
At Bösendorfer, since we don’t need to consider assembly
lines and robots, genuine artisans are still engaged in
instrument making!
That is also the reason for the attention to detail,
beginning with the piano bench all the way to
the music stand.
Baroque is simply timelessly beautiful.

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“Bösendorfer is a symbol of European musical
culture. Through these excellent instruments,
the remote voices of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
and Schubert speak directly to us. To play their
music on a Bösendorfer concert grand piano is a
special pleasure and a real privilege.”
András Schiff

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 The Romantic One—Frédéric Chopin Model
My second self
“The piano is my second self” declared Frédéric Chopin.
He certainly knew what he was talking about; almost his
entire oeuvre was composed for the piano.
To mark the 150th anniversary of Chopin’s death, we
created an exclusive masterpiece using the superior
technical workmanship for which Bösendorfer pianos are
renowned. Many of the lovingly crafted carvings were
inspired by pianos on which Chopin played during his
tour of England and Scotland in 1848. These beautiful
details reflect the care lavished by English piano builders
on producing their works of art. The name board of this
piano has a hand-engraved plaque in gold-plated solid
silver, which features the composer’s signature.
This model is available in a variety of sizes, veneers and
finishes. Our Chopin model is an investment with a
truly unique character.

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“The piano is my second self.”
Frédéric Chopin

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 A Design Item—Design by F. A. Porsche
Welcome to the 21st century
In close cooperation with the world-famous Porsche
Design company, we have created a masterpiece, a
contemporary approach to grand piano design. In keeping
with the Bösendorfer motto—“cherish traditions,
transcend limits”—this new interpretation incorporates
ground-breaking new features that will have a lasting
impact on the development of grand piano design.
While the body of the instrument has maintained its
traditional curved form, a thinner, lighter lid is inserted
flush into the piano rim. The lid is made of a lightweight
high-tech honeycomb material allowing it to be opened
and closed by a gas spring mechanism. The hinged
front portion of the lid has been replaced by the front
crosscover into which a fold-out music desk has been
inserted. The sound volume can be adjusted through
variable opening of two aluminum sliders placed on
either side of the music desk. The music shelf is
also made of aluminum.
The simple shape of the lyre, which resembles
a fourth leg, is of equally serene elegance,
combining form and function in a masterly
fashion. Aesthetics and sound in step with their
times. Welcome to the 21st century.

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Philippe Entremont

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 The Traditional One—Vienna Model
Homage to the music capital of the world
Vienna and music are inseparable. Vienna is inextricably
linked with Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert and Arnold
Schoenberg, to name but a few. World-famous icons
such as the Viennese waltz, the Vienna Boys’ Choir and
the Vienna Philharmonic epitomise Vienna’s image as the
music capital of the world.
Vienna is also the city where Ignaz Bösendorfer
founded his company on 25 July 1828 after completing
his apprenticeship as a piano builder. The company
has always kept one thing close to its heart: the
determination to build the best grand pianos in the
world.
We view the Bösendorfer Vienna model as a homage
to the city which loves and lives music like no other
city in the world. With its fine carved and inlay work in
the noblest materials, amboyna wood veneer
and 19th-century-inspired stylistic features,
this grand piano combines the very roots of
musicality with 21st-century technical and
craftsman expertise.

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 “ There are pianos,
and then there is Bösendorfer.”
Joe Zawinul

Joe Zawinul
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 The Artistic One—Artisan Model
Art’s great mystery
The Bösendorfer Artisan model, a stunning display of
fine hand inlay techniques, is a beautiful work of art even
before a single note has been played.
As long ago as the second millennium BC, inlaid
work featuring geometric and figurative designs was
produced in the Orient as facing for very special objects.
The design hallmark of the Artisan is its discreet floral
ornamentation worked—by hand, of course—with a
variety of excellent woods such as walnut, maple, pear-
wood, cherry-wood, mahogany, aruba and burr amboyna.
For as long as anyone can remember, creative minds
in all walks of life have grappled with art’s great
mystery and the question of what makes art art?
The Bösendorfer Artisan model could—by its
very name—symbolise the quest for the great
mystery of art.

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 “Bösendorfer:
the shortest path
from a Keyboard
to the heart of Music!”
Andrea Padova

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Anything is possible—the world of finishes
In principle any veneer can be used. The following consi- color sample in order to ensure that the color precisely matches.
derations are important in connection with veneers: Bösendorfer also offers the possibility of producing two to three
sample boards so that the customer can decide which veneer
1. Veneer pattern
treatment he or she desires.
2. Horizontal/vertical grain
Below are several examples of commonly used veneers.
The direction of the veneer grain can vary. Generally, ve-
There are of course other possibilities as well, such as Aruba or
neers with lengthwise grains, such as Aruba, are applied
intarsia work composed of various veneers. This can be seen in
vertically. However, it is also possible to use the veneer
the Chrysler model on the following double-page spreads.
horizontally.
3. Veneer treatment
The veneer’s treatment relates to the color. Every veneer
can be treated differently. Therefore, it’s especially im-
portant for the customer to provide the dealer with a

Rosewood Burr walnut

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Walnut Pommele

Bubinga Mahogany

Amboyna Bird’s eye maple

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 “To my beloved piano
company with best wishes
for the future. In long-
standing solidarity”
Dr. Rainer Keuschnig
Pianist for the
Vienna Philharmonic

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Tori Amos
Distinguishing Features
a bösendorfer is special 1 2
1 To achieve the highest sound quality, we use naturally
dried woods exclusively. No other piano contains even
remotely so high a proportion of Austrian spruce.

2 No other piano is equipped with a independent

capo d’astro bar in the treble. This enables precise
adjustment and guarantees that the original sound
of your personally selected Bösendorfer will last for
generations.

3 The individual stringing ensures that the piano holds its

tuning for the longest possible time.

4 The Bösendorfer resonance case principle treats the

entire instrument as a resonating body and thereby
achieves Bösendorfer’s unique richness of tone color
and its typical singing timbre.

3 4
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Bösendorfer 
Model 290 Imperial
97 keys
Length: 9’6” | 290 cm
Width: 5’6” | 168 cm
Weight: 1.256 lbs | 570 kg
Model 225
92 keys
Length: 7’4” | 225 cm
Width: 5’3” | 159 cm
Weight: 923 lbs | 419 kg
Model 200
88 keys
Length: 6’7” | 200 cm
Width: 4’11” | 151 cm
Weight: 753 lbs | 342 kg
Model 170
88 keys
Length: 5’7” | 170 cm
Width: 4’11” | 151 cm
Weight: 692 lbs | 314 kg
Grand Pianos Overall View
Model 280
88 keys
Length: 9’2” | 280 cm
Width: 5’3” | 160 cm
Weight: 1.168 lbs | 530 kg
Model 214
88 keys
Length: 7’ | 214 cm
Width: 4’11” | 151 cm
Weight: 826 lbs | 375 kg
Model 185
88 keys
Length: 6’1” | 185 cm
Width: 4’11” | 151 cm
Weight: 727 lbs | 330 kg
Model 130
88 keys
Length: 5’ | 152,5 cm
Depth: 2’1” | 64 cm
Height: 4’4” | 132 cm
Weight: 656 lbs | 298 kg
 L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH
Bösendorferstraße 12 · A 1010 Vienna · Austria
Telephone +43 / 1 / 504 66 51-0
Fax +43 / 1 / 504 66 51-139
mail@boesendorfer.com
www.bosendorfer.com