‘A Perfect Fit’ – Sabine Grubmüller of Bösendorfer

A storied name in the design and craft of high quality and aesthetically refined pianos, Bösendorfer has been setting the standard for excellence since 1828. Innovative build techniques and meticulous attention to detail have made Bösendorfer pianos the instruments of choice for everyone from Liszt to Oscar Peterson and Stephen Schwartz.

In the fall of 2015, Sabine Grubmüller was named managing director of Bösendorfer, who has great pride in the brand’s history, while keeping a keen eye on future opportunities: “Our team here in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt, Austria is dedicated to this very human element of life, and we are committed to live up to this diversity by offering artists a true choice – freedom of expression. Bösendorfer instruments are built for the broadest expression and sharing of pure human emotion, and aspiring as well as established artists choose our instruments for their sensitivity and nuance. We plan to continue our exclusive service of taking the personal time needed with each of our cherished pianists. Whether we are by an artist’s side at our facility throughout the day-long selection of the piano or meeting with them at a concert hall, exclusivity cannot be measured in numerical terms but rather in only the most precious currency: time. We are dedicated to achieving and preserving both freedom of expression and personal attention for pianists throughout the world.”

How do you strike a balance between Bösendorfer as a performance instrument versus being a design instrument for collectors?

Ultimately, Bösendorfer is and has been dearly dedicated to delivering a unique concert experience by living up to the highest expectations of today’s artists and audience. A Bösendorfer concert grand is built for stage, however big or small that stage may be.

To some, this instrument not only has to live up to its signature and enchanting sound quality but to a customized appearance as well. By offering exclusive design instruments and limited collector’s editions, Bösendorfer creates symbiosis, joining the brilliant Viennese sound with pleasing aesthetics.

Naturally, this is nothing new for Bösendorfer. Since the company’s very beginning, Ignaz and Ludwig Bösendorfer took part in competitions that would show the mastery of the Viennese artisans. By offering these particularly shaped and styled instruments, Bösendorfer is remaining true to its roots and shows the audience what masterful craftsmanship creates: art.

What is at the “DNA” of Bösendorfer?

All Bösendorfer instruments are manufactured 100 percent in Austria, and each combines three important elements – uncompromising traditional handcrafting, beauty, and the Viennese soul. There is no standard Bösendorfer, and the moment you meet yours, you will recognize your Bösendorfer is, and always will be, one thing: unique. Our DNA is combining traditional Viennese piano manufacturing and exclusivity into the creation of your instrument.

The only constant in this world is change. Over the past 188 years, Bösendorfer has witnessed many changes, yet an ardent dedication to handcrafting the world’s finest pianos has – without comparison – been the manifesto of this traditional Austrian manufacturer. Selecting the utmost precious materials and cultivating handcraftsmanship passed on by generations of artisans has always been the central basis of what is magically revealed as the famous Viennese sound.

Gustav Mahler, who was famous for radically changing the basic concepts of music composition in his time, once said, “Tradition is not to preserve the ashes but passing on the flame!” We build our instruments based upon Ludwig Bösendorfer’s original designs and remain true to our very own sound character (warm and colorful, singing tone and glorious bass). And, we handcraft each of our instruments according to the resonance case principle.

Nevertheless, we are obliged to continuously prove that we can meet the demands of today’s extremely sophisticated artists and highly selective audiences. To offer those discriminating pianists and music lovers a true and exciting alternative, we have embraced change and modern engineering in order to refine the traditional art of piano manufacturing.

You can either wait for change to happen or make change happen. At Bösendorfer, we prefer the latter. Anyone who is passionate about music – whether we’re talking about professional musicians, spare-time enthusiasts, collectors and appreciators – will find the perfect combination of aesthetics and sound in our Bösendorfer instruments.

To what extent does Bösendorfer engage with its artists to gather input when piano design enhancements are underway?

Our artists are part of our Bösendorfer family and continuously provide valuable feedback to our technicians and artisans. We engage with artists after concerts – which is the most extreme setting for any instrument, its moment to shine – and at informal gatherings at our factory. We talk to our piano professors at universities, to artists of all genres, to conductors, and to specialists in the piano manufacturing industry. Their collective insights and great inspiration have allowed Bösendorfer artisans to remain ecstatic about creating the finest pianos for more than 188 years.

You’ve been with Bösendorfer since 2008 when Yamaha acquired the brand. How has the move affected the company?

Yamaha and Bösendorfer have each been dedicated to the music industry for more than a century.

Hence, Yamaha and Bösendorfer are a perfect fit to develop the global piano business further and to bring incomparable products to our customers. We are both united in the quest to find perfection in product design, production, quality and reliability. Similar to different languages, however, we are keenly aware of our different cultural backgrounds and we cherish those differences. Each of the two pianos, the Yamaha CFX Concert Grand and the Bösendorfer Vienna Concert Grand, has its unique construction and qualities. Taste and preferences depend upon personal favor, occasion, composer, genre, and mood. Our pianos are the means of communication, and the voice is expressed by the artist.

What’s your take on the overall health of the U.S. piano market?

Contrary to the general economic situation, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in consumer interest towards digital and hybrid pianos. Yamaha certainly holds a leadership position in these product categories, but the company equally cherishes the Viennese tradition of Bösendorfer, and has remained true to its promise to preserve the integrity of our pianos and our 188-year legacy. At the same time, Bösendorfer has willingly embraced the benefits offered by technology-enhanced pianos. We have offered our proprietary player system, Ceus, for many years. Now, we integrate the Yamaha Disklavier technology into our Bösendorfer model 200 in the United States, and the Yamaha Silent SH system for some of our pianos designated for the European market. Further, in the U.S. market, we see a strong desire for customized pianos, like our Grand Bohemian model, which we consider to be the most opulent piano in the world. While the U.S. acoustic piano market, as a whole, might show slight slowing, Bösendorfer continues to grow, especially in the past year.

What, if any, significant product introductions or other developments are on the horizon for Bösendorfer in the coming months?

We just introduced our new 280VC concert grand piano and three design models at this year’s NAMM show in Anaheim. There is currently no plan to introduce additional new models at this moment, but please visit us again at NAMM 2017 where we will raise the bar again for the finest Viennese piano craftsmanship.