At Steingraeber we think of the D-232 Semi-Concert Grand as the brother of the Concert Grand Piano E. The family resemblance is immediately apparent in the shape of the outer casing: the piano’s sound reflection zones, symmetrical shape, tone modulation and tightly-controlled soundboard area – with a wide dynamic range from the softest pianissimo to the most energetic fortissimo – create an especially cantabile tone. The capo d’astro bar extends across forty-six notes to just above the middle of the keyboard, so that only forty-two strings are bound by agraffes. This concept results in even more brilliance and resonance, and makes it the only model of its kind in the world.
This piano is a solo and chamber music instrument best suited to medium-sized auditoriums. At present, the most famous location for a D-232 is at the Bagsværd Kirke in Copenhagen, a monument to twentieth-century architectural history. Jørn Utzon, architect of the Sydney Opera House, conceived the design for this custom-made Steingraeber D-232, and his son Jan undertook the completion of the project at the Steingraeber workshops. Other important sites include universities of music and music academies from Brno to Dresden, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, Munich, Vienna, and Stockholm.
Specifications
- sound-reflecting casing wall, straight form in the rear
- particularly sonorous discant resulting from:
- precise high-frequency dimension of the treble-range soundboard
- treble backstrings constructed using ‘Mischklang’ (unified sound) principle
- sound bridges on the capo d’astro bars
- induction-hardened capo d’astro bars
- 2 frame flanges in the treble region for extra tension
- hardened bridge pins in nickeled iron
- agrafes hardened by steel pins
- perfect touch
- 5-section weighting of the keyboard: 52–48g (sharp notes 1g lighter)
- fast-responding keys (20% more up-weight)
- reliable key tops (to avoid ‘aquaplaning’)
- frame design without front cross struts (for New Music ‘extended techniques’)
- responding touch by aluminium action rails with wooden fillings
Utzon Grand Piano in the Bagsværd Church, Denmark
In July 2015 a video was recorded of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz no. 1 S514. The recording took place in Bagsværd Church in Denmark, a church designed by the world renowned Danish architect Jørn Utzon, of Sydney Opera House fame.
Utzon also designed the church organ and the piano used for this recording. The piano was built by Steingraeber & Söhne Bayreuth from Utzon’s drawings.
