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Just a head's up to anyone who's interested in the fallout from the Bosendorfer-Yamaha sale, today's edition of WNYC Radio's Soundcheck program has an interview with Stuart Isacoff on the topic. You can also tune in to hear an interview with Perri Knize about "Grand Obsession."

Here's a link to the show (the audio will be archived here later in the day):
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2008/02/06

Thanks for the link - how do I listen to the podcast?

Couldn't locate the station on Itunes, and there is no link giving you access to the audio archive.


I was interested to read this in the description though:
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I find that quote misleading given the following facts:
"Family-run" - Bösendorfer hasn't been family owned & opperated for many decades: Kimball owned it since the mid 60s, Bawag purchased it a few years ago, and now Yamaha has it.

"in recent years, market share is a fraction of Steinway's" - Well 'no duh'. Bosendorfer has built in it's existence 50,000 pianos. They were established about 40 years before NY Steinway. Steinway has built close to 600,000 pianos since they have been in business. NY Steinway's products are only marketed to the US, Bosendorfer markets to Europe, North America, Asia (and I don't know where else). Of course there will be more Steinways out there, particularly in the US.

Someone who doesn't know better may think Bosendorfer is a sinking ship due to the skewed perspective painted by the phrasing of that one paragraph.

But Jeff, it's the media. What would you expect?

Regarding the archive, note the "Listen to the whole show" link underneath the description of the Feb 5 show. I would expect a similar link to soon appear beneath the Feb 6 show.

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2008/02

Later edit: The archive link is posted and I'm listening now.

There can be little question that Bösendorfers market share is a fraction of Steinways. Look at the current production numbers and current sales. That is the market. (Not when the company was founded or how many were sold over the past century, although those numbers show Bose at less than 10%.)
Steinway sells in the range of ten times as many instruments as Bösendorfer. Is 1/10th a "fraction" or what?

Exactly. The way the paragragh was writen would lead the reader to think this is a recent change, when in fact it has been this way for a very long time.

As I see this subject, at the end of the day,the Bosendorfer is a fine instrument. I had a Steinway model 'A' for 40 years and it needed a great deal of money spent on it, so I eventually found this firm in Kent, England that were experts at rebuilding Bosendorfers. I could not be more pleased with this superb piano I have now.

It matters little on the fact that Steinway have domineered the market on top tier pianos. In all matters of excellence mass production does not preclude even higher quality manufacture of such an item as a piano.The other top tier pianos like Stuart, Fagioli, Phoenix, Steingraber and so on are even lower numbers than the Bosendorfer, I think on production numbers.

My own view.

Alan

For those interested, the interview is well worth listening to and is only 15 minutes long. Much of the sentiment is what has been said in many threads on PW:

1. Yamaha's purchase is part prestige but significantly a segmentation strategy that offers Yamaha access at the high end and also discusses the segmentation of high end, middle and low end pianos (versus American, European and Jazz differentiation).

2. Industry pundits agree that it was a good acquisition for both companies.

3. Pearl River makes 100,000 pianos a year, Bosie 300. Steinway views China as its second biggest market in the not too distant future.

4. Globalization means that it is difficult to get pianos anymore without Asian components. A note of caution is voiced about possible long term quality and durability with Renner knock offs as the specific example.

5. Estonia mentioned as a great piano at a very attractive price point.

6. The question of Steinway marketing tactics discussed and put into context of the history of piano manufacturing in the US

7. A further link exists to an interview with P. Knize. I have not listened to this yet.