Author : Alicia Parker
Many musical instruments tend to play their own characters and their own melody. Among all of them, the piano is a musical instrument, which represents both class and style. The word ‘piano’ was derived from the Italian word ‘pianoforte’. The latter term was used to identify the instrument in the early 1700s. Nevertheless, pianos come in several price ranges. In this blog, you will get to know the 7 most expensive pianos in the world:
#1. As Time Goes By ($3.4 million) – The piano is famous for its whopping price of $3.4 million, which was sold in an auction back in 2014. There were 2 of them, with one getting featured in the movie ‘Casablanca’ in 1942. After 2014’s auction, the piano went on to become one of the most expensive pianos in the world. The piano is quite attractive as it is unusually small than most other pianos on the list. It features only 58 keys rather than the usual 88.
#2. Heintzman Crystal Piano ($3.22 million) – This unique piano was designed by Heintzman Pianos. Although its name consists of the word ‘crystal’, the piano is actually made up of acrylic and not crystal. The main highlight of the piano lies in its design. The crystal clear and white transparent design makes the piano the second most expensive in the world. This piano was played in front of the public only once by famous piano player Lang Lang in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Later, the piano was bought by an anonymous person for $3.22 million.
#3. Steinway & Sons Pictures at an Exhibition ($2.5 million) – Painted by artist Paul Wyse, it is the third most expensive piano you can find in the world at the moment. The artwork that the piano showcases truly justifies its price tag of $2.5 million. The customization done by Paul Wyse is one to look out for as the artist took a Steinway Model D piano and painted it with various designs to add a charming yet royal look to it. The pictures in the artwork portray Modest Mussorgsky, as the piano is capable to take people on a ride of Russian culture. The piano is up for sale at the Steinway Vault.
#4. Steinway & Sons Fibonacci ($2.4 million) – Coming at number 4, this piano is another masterclass from Steinway & Sons. Priced at $2.4 million, the piano is a result of more than four years and 6,000 hours. The piano was actually made to celebrate the milestone of the 600,000th piano by the company. This is a luxury limited edition executed by Franck Pollaro. The design perfectly justifies the name of the piano as the golden ratio design further highlights the Fibonacci sequence to represent the pursuit of perfection.
#5. Steinway Model Z ($2.37 million) – This simple-looking piano from Steinway was purchased by John Lennon for £1,000. The song ‘Imagine’ was composed by John Lennon with this piano. The piano is well known for its cigarette-burn mark from John Lennon. The piano was later bought by George Michael back in 2000. He then went on to donate the piano to The Beatles Museum. The legacy that the piano brings still today makes it a worldwide attraction as it tours the world occasionally.
#6. Steinway & Sons Red Pops for (RED) Parlor Grand ($1.925 million) – Coming at number six, this piano holds a very special and inspiring story behind it. The piano was actually inspired by U2 singer Paul David Hewson (popular by his stage name Bono). Bono demanded a special piano appearance from Steinway & Sons, which would bring a unique charm to the Red Auction event in New York. The auction was actually meant for raising money for donations to fight malaria and AIDS in Africa. The event went on to generate $26 million and the piano was sold for $1.925 million.
#7. Sound of Harmony Concert Grand, Steinway & Sons ($1.63 million) – The last and the 7th on the list is also from the famous piano from the German-American company. The construction of the piano consists of 40 different types of wood, which portrays the Chinese art of Shi Qi. This piano is a result of more than 3 years of hard work by Steinway, which was ultimately bought by Chinese collector Guo Qingxiang. The piano was specifically chosen for use at the 2010 Expo in Shanghai, China. Some of the woods that were used while making this piano are Amboyna Burl, Tulip Wood, Rosewood, Birdseye Maple, Tamo Ash, etc.
The world of pianos is full of new additions, which are capable of stealing the attention of instrument lovers. Apart from the top 7 list discussed in this blog, there are many uniquely designed pianos such as the Galaxy Piano, Kawai Crystal Grand, Fazioli Gold Leaf, and many more.
