STEINWAY LIMITED EDITION Selection

STEINWAY & SONS has collaborated with some of the most notable artists and designers of our time to create a special series of pianos that reimagine what uncompromised expression looks like. Custom built at our STEINWAY & SONS New York and Hamburg factories, our limited editions combine classic STEINWAY craftsmanship, with inspired and expressive designs — making each LIMITED EDITION STEINWAY both a majestic musical instrument and a completely unique work of art.

STEINWAY COMMEMORATES A LEGEND
On October 9, 2010, John Lennon would have celebrated his 70th birthday. To commemorate this real legend and his achievements, THE IMAGINE SERIES LIMITED EDITION was launched by Steinway & Sons in that year. Like the songs of John Lennon, the Imagine Series is the perfect harmonisation of music with creativity to achieve an end result that is much greater than the sum of its parts.

THE IMAGINE SERIES LIMITED EDITION
The Imagine Series Limited Edition WASs modeled after the white Steinway grand piano that John presented to Yoko Ono on her birthday in 1971. Each piano incorporates John's signature on the key cover, the first notes of his song “Imagine” on the iron plate and a medallion indicating its uniqueness.
 
Some of his unique drawings are further features of this Limited Edition. One of these is incorporated on the music desk of each piano. The customer could choose between one of seven different John Lennon original drawings: “Come Together”, the title of the opening track on the Beatles' historic album, "Abbey Road," which reflects John Lennon's desire to bring people together, “Grand Piano”, a drawing that captures the songwriting process — as musician and piano become one, or “Freda People” which exemplifies John Lennon's passion for using music for the benefit of mankind. “Self Portrait”, perhaps John Lennon's most famous drawing, was sold out more or less immediately. “Borrowed Time”, “Frog Pondering” “Power to the People have been further motives.
  
Only 25 pianos of each design have been produced so that the total number is limited to 175 grand and upright pianos worldwide.

YOU MAY SAY I’M A DREAMER …
“You may say I’m a dreamer” – a portion of the lyrics “Imagine” that changed the world grace the inside of the piano, in clear view when the lid is open, and a special medallion with the series name/number and Lennon’s signature in Asian style are further features of this extraordinary grand piano.

THE GRAND PIANO

In 2005, to celebrate the founding of the Hamburg Steinway factory 125 years earlier, Count Albrecht von Goertz designed a special anniversary grand piano, an instrument notable for its elegant simplicity. Count Goertz was the legendary designer of the BMW 507, considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful sports car. 
True to his design principles, Count Goertz, chose to retain the classic Steinway black finish, focusing instead on endowing various components with the sleek lines for which he is renowned.

The result was a timeless design with a hint of sensuality. Not one to tamper with the perfection of the Steinway’s iconic shape, Count Goertz decided to accentuate the finish, creating a dynamic interplay between contrasting satin and highly polished surfaces. By focusing on the essentials, Count Goertz’s 125th Anniversary Limited Edition Grand Piano, this very special Model A-188, is remarkably elegant and beautiful.

THE DESIGNER

Count Albrecht Goertz was an industrial designer and creator of arguably the world’s most beautiful sports car, the BMW 507. He gladly accepted Steinway’s invitation and prepared to face his “last challenge,” as he put it. From stylish cars to exclusive fountain pens and functional furniture, the connection between these very different products created by Count Goertz is their timeless aesthetic appeal. His designs have never been elf-referential or extreme. Rather, he focused on the essentials, underlining the functional elements of each individual product without introducing distractions.

Count Goertz has always treated the creation of this anniversary grand piano as the end of his career. He died on October 27, 2006, at the age of 92. The cooperation with him remains unforgettable among the Steinway staff.

"Music is movement, and with the adrenaline flowing, I began to play with ideas for suggesting it in the design."

THE TRICENTENNIAL LIMITED EDITION

The introduction of this piano marked the first time since the early 20th century that a Model A grand piano was offered by Steinway in the Americas. In addition, the Tricentennial was the first Limited Edition piano to be jointly created at Steinway & Sons’ factories in New York and in Hamburg. In order to reflect Steinway pianos’ international appeal, this particular piano combines the expertise and craftsmanship of both Steinway factories.

This Limited Edition design embodies Steinway’s tradition since 1853 of creating each piano by hand, while celebrating how this extraordinary instrument changed the world of music. As a renowned designer, a pianist, and a Steinway aficionado, Dakota Jackson was a natural choice to design the Tricentennial. “To me,” Jackson says, “Steinway is synonymous with Piano. I wouldn’t consider designing a piano for any other company.”

As Jackson approached the complex task of creating a design that would be innovative while maintaining the traditional beauty of the Steinway piano, he was aware that great care had to be taken. “The very simplest alteration to the classic form would require a change in the way people perceive the piano,” he says. “After all, it has been an iconic symbol for three centuries. Therefore, any alterations could be considered only if they enhanced the design and validity of the piano.” As a first step towards creating the new Tricentennial design, Jackson reduced the piano to its essential form – a wood case enclosing a cast-iron harp or plate - and began designing it from the “instrument’s soul” out.

Jackson asserts that the final design of the Tricentennial breaks with traditional piano design by creating a continuous, flowing line from the back of the piano to the floor, merging the piano’s body and legs. Typically, Jackson says, this flow is interrupted with a series of stepped details reminiscent of classic Hellenic columns and structures.

INNOVATIONS

Aside from reconceiving the overall “look” of the grand piano for the Limited Edition Tricentennial, Jackson also redefined many of the piano’s individual components for heightened functionality and elegance:

 Lid design: when open, the lid folds back on itself in a series of tapered sections, which fall at an angle, creating a fanned effect.

• Lid topstick: the topstick hugs the case’s inside “S” curve when the lid is closed, and becomes a striking design element when opened.

• Music desk: designed to hold sheet music like a pair of open hands, the angular music desk is mounted on a bearing to roll smoothly toward and away from the player.

• The piano’s lines: the rim line slopes down at a 6-degree angle as it approaches the tapered leg, and then takes what Jackson calls, “a dramatic turn toward the floor.”

• The rim and legs: the rim is raised in back, and the rear leg has been pulled forward and inward, creating a cantilever. All three unadorned legs taper gently to the casters on which they rest.

DAKOTA JACKSON

Dakota Jackson was chosen to collaborate on the design of Steinway’s Tricentennial grand piano not only because he is one of America’s foremost furniture designers, but because his creations are noted for their pure, clean lines that celebrate function and beautifully uncluttered form. Jackson began building his reputation for furniture design more than 35 years ago, and he has created couture, one-of-a-kind pieces for celebrities and private residences around the world. Moreover, his corporate client list is filled with names such as Estée Lauder, The Four Seasons Hotel in New York, and The Regent Hotel in Hong Kong, as well as the executive offices of General Motors, IBM, Dell Computers, Columbia Pictures and Time Warner.

With the commission to design Steinway & Sons’ Tricentennial Limited Edition piano, Jackson returned to his design-by-commission roots. Growing up in a family of magicians in New York City, Jackson toured the country as a child performer, later turning his creative focus to custom-designed furniture for the private and corporate clients listed above. Jackson says that “innovative design is inextricably linked to innovative technology,” and he approached the Tricentennial design on that basis. A lecturer at design schools and museums across the country, Jackson has won numerous design awards, including a National Endowment of the Arts Award, and an American Institute of Architecture Award for the design of a Winnetka, IL synagogue designed in collaboration with H. Gary Frank.

In 1998, Jackson also collaborated with well-known architect Peter Eisenman on the design for a Dakota Jackson showroom in the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. Jackson designed the David Yurman Boutique on Madison Avenue, and currently is designing the chapel at the North American headquarters for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, both in Manhattan. Jackson’s furniture is displayed in museums throughout Europe and the United States, and his company has 20 design showrooms across the country. The company’s main showroom is in Manhattan, and its two factories are in Long Island City, N.Y. where Steinway & Sons’ North American headquarters and factory are also located.