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When Chopin and George Sand spent a winter in Mallorca, they took a piano with them. They were unable to find accomodation in Palma, and stayed in a the town Valdemossa in an old monastery that was partially converted into living quarters for rent.

There were substantial difficulties moving the piano and stiff tariffs. When they returned to France, there would have been stiff export tariffs on the piano, so it was sold.

In the 20th century, the rooms where they stayed were converted to a museum, decorated the room as it was when they were there, including acquisition of Chopin's piano. Chopin completed the Preludes while he was there. I'm not sure how far along they were when they arrived, but at the very least a substantial amount of the compositional effort took place there.

Interestingly, the piano was an upright, as can be seen in this picture of it:

Chopin's piano in Mallorca.

It appears to have a 78-key keyboard.

Very cool, tx for posting.

What he said.

There is a very good book by Paul Kildea called 'Chopin's Piano - a Journey through Romanticism'. It's about the author's search for the piano on which Chopin composed his 24 preludes, among other musical and cultural matters. I highly recommend this!

Furthermore, I'd read that for many years, tourists to Mallorca - especially those to the Charthusian Monastery of Valldemossa wishing to get close to the 'spirit of Chopin', were directed into a small room known as cell #2, alleged to be where Chopin had resided, and to get a glimpse of 'his' piano. But it appears that hundreds of thousands of tourists were hoodwinked, as the piano on display there and placarded by the Ferra-Capllonch family as Chopin's actual piano - was not a Pleyel.
His actual Pleyel is now there in cell #4, and now officially recognised as the room in which Chopin had lived with his mistress George Sand).
The piano fraudently displayed at the time is reported as having 82keys, constructed in Palma by Juan Bauza around 1850, some 15 years after Chopin's departure. Link

Interesting related links follow:

https://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2098425,00.html

Photos of museum cell#4 and adjacent views:

https://www.tripadvisor.nl/Attraction_Review-g580319-d10332578-Reviews-Frederic_Chopin_George_Sand_Museum-Valldemossa_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html#photos;aggregationId=&albumid=101&filter=7

Imagine what Chopin could have done if he only had a nice grand!

Lowering the tone?

Chopin on M&H and Steinway

Keith, had a nice grand been available, he may even have died earlier from heart-failure as the charge for release of a grand would probaby have been in excess of 300 francs imposed for his Pleyel, reportedly held up by customs in Palma from 20 Dec 1838 until 4 Jan 1839.

So cool. Gotta love preserved history

Possibly, although the tariff seemed more like the Mallorcan govt of the time extorting some money out of a minor French aristocrat (Sand) than a fee commensurate with the value of the piano.

Or if he had a digital with dog bark effect.

Chopin's last piano in the Chopin Museum in Warsaw, from Wikipedia
I wonder how 'less than nice' the grand piano is?

Chopins music was written for the pianos of his time.
The ONLY thing that could have enabled Chopin to write more
music ( or if you Really think better music ) would have have been to cure him of Tuberculosis .
The music we have of Chopin were inspired by the elegant sound of the Pleyel of his day .Forget Steinway, forget Japanese pianos !

We have this 80's Roland keyboard somewhere in our home ,
where one of the "novel effects" with one switch was a dog bark.I cannot imagine what Chopin would have thought.....laughing😆

Just to make sure I am not misunderstood, I was not being serious.

I thought so ! But it really is amazing how many posters are not . Who does really know though how he would have reacted? (Once he got used to the instrument )

Liszt would probably have adjusted much quicker to a modern day Steinway piano. (perhaps)