Steinway and Sons: design in a major key

Pushing the boundaries of luxury is no easy task in interior design. You may use the finest artisans, the most cutting-edge designers, and even call upon the most prestigious visual artists to create on-site works of art. Steinway and Sons, the benchmark of excellence in piano-making, has added an extra dimension to the magic that clients who love the fine art of living might expect. First, there’s the chance to design one’s piano in a bespoke manner, to match one’s interior. The Steinway piano, in black lacquer, is a majestic and legendary piece. But what about the “Crown Jewels” bespoke instruments, with their precious wood veneers in Macassar ebony, rosewood, dappled mahogany, or wild apple wood, vibrating in harmony with an environment designed around it? One could only object if there were no one to play it…Here we have another level of luxury delight. A few years ago, Steinway underwent a true revolution by creating the Spirio technology, which allows the keys to operate on their own. Though mechanical pianos are nothing new, when Steinway got involved in the concept with a combination of fine craftsmanship and high-tech, virtuosity was sure to be at hand. Artists from the Steinway&Sons galaxy were brought in to record their interpretations in the brand’s recording studios. Thanks to its ultra-sensitive sensors, the slightest pressure on the pedals and keys was memorized, in other words, 256 nuances for the pedals and 1 020 dynamic levels. 

“We analyzed the frequency curves of live sound, and the Spirio piano’s recreation of it is identical”, explains Enzo Ungauer, France marketing manager for the brand. “Spirio replays precisely what the artist’s hands played, at the same speed on the hammers, with the same intensity. For an amateur pianist or a neophyte, it is literally magical to have the impression that a concert pianist is playing your piano, in your living room. It’s nothing like a sound system, as sophisticated as it that may be.” Among the hundreds of artists who have been recorded performances are Chinese virtuoso Lang-Lang and American jazz artist Brad Mehldau, and a matching iPad offers a playlist of several thousand songs from the classical, jazz, rock, and pop repertoires…The experience begins by crossing the threshold of the Steinway&Sons showroom on boulevard Saint-Germain, where, in addition to their 750 m2 exhibit space, you’ll find practice studios, as well as a few pieces designed by great artists. The piano designed by Lenny Kravitz, with its legs shaped like African totems and its scarifications, flew out of the showroom within a week.