Bosendorfer!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 19 Nov 2007, 21:18

Now owned by Christian Höferl and Colin Taylor... aka Brodmann!

At last they will be able to back up the meaningless hype in their Brodmann brochures about Bösendorfer heritage. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely wish the guys all the best with their new acquisition, bought for a mere M11-odd Euros, which, let's face it is probably less cash that the tosspot heading-up Northern Cock-up will "earn" as a farewell bonus when he's kicked out at the end of the year, but in common with that fine financial institution poor old Bosie comes with a fair load of debts for that price. No, at last they will have a real connection with Bosendorfer instead of simply being two ex employees cashing in on history which is tenuous to say the least.

As most long-term readers of these pages will know, I am a fan of Brodmann pianos, but what never sat too easily with me was the fact that Taylor and Höferl simply dragged out of history an old Viennese piano maker's name to plonk on their decent but very very Chinese pianos. Not just any old maker, but the feller who taught Ignace Bösendorfer all he jolly well knew about piano making. Read the brochures carefully and they're not saying anything false, just suggesting there's actually a connection between their Chinese instruments and those built by Joe Brodders in downtown Vienna more than a Century and a half ago. Come on boys! You don't expect us to fall for all that do you?... Except their best sales have been in the good old US of A where a couple of decades ago people believed that Spinets were pianos, so maybe......

I realise they're both ex Bosie employees, but really it's a bit like two former Rover workers sticking the name Lea-Francis or Lanchester on a new 'British' sports-car built by Nanjing Automotive and then suggesting that the guys who bolt them together actually know anything about the heritage of the things they're building, let alone care.

Still, at least for the moment, Bosie is in hands that care about its future and the bank who formerly owned it can breathe a sigh of relief that it no longer has to deal with its losses. And Brodmann can claim actual Bösendorfer heritage.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 21 Nov 2007, 01:11

.... Oh, and let's hope the new owners concentrate on producing good definitive pianos rather than the 'designer' sh***e that we've been subjected to in the last few years.

A production run of the superb 130 Upright would do for starters followed by the deletion of that foul Swarovski pile of old w**k. I'd love to know how many they've sold of that particular model, and I'll show you an identical number of people with lots of cash and zero taste. My guess is less than five.....

PGx

Oh, and stick to pianos not shiny home cinema speakers maybe?

Big Bird · Post by **Big Bird** » 21 Nov 2007, 09:07

I am sure I could find more than five people with lots of money and bad taste.

Just not all of them would own a piano.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 21 Nov 2007, 09:42

Big Bird wrote:I am sure I could find more than five people with lots of money and bad taste.

Yeah, but not This tasteless surely?

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 21 Nov 2007, 10:01

PianoGuy wrote:.A production run of the superb 130 Upright would do for starters

Depends where they are made - if they are made in the land of the rising chopsticks then no matter how good they are you will get negative comments.

Barrie,

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 21 Nov 2007, 10:06

PianoGuy wrote:.... Oh, and let's hope the new owners concentrate on producing good definitive pianos rather than the 'designer' sh***e that we've been subjected to in the last few years.

like this one

Big Bird · Post by **Big Bird** » 21 Nov 2007, 10:15

And to Piano Guy,

Oh yeh baby!!!

Now I understand that this forum is based in the UK and therefore most of its members would be rather sensible and have a decorating penchant that coud best be described as tastefully understated.

Those of us here are probably not as rampantly subjected to the tasteless stylings of peoples such as the Americans or the Japanese.

These groups are yet to learn that expensive does not equate to tasteful.

Now I must admit that from time to time I purchase or create things that would not appeal to the masses, but that does not make them tasteless...does it?

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 22 Nov 2007, 23:03

Barrie Heaton wrote:
PianoGuy wrote:.A production run of the superb 130 Upright would do for starters
Depends where they are made - if they are made in the land of the rising chopsticks then no matter how good they are you will get negative comments.

Barrie,

I would wager that this would never happen, after all, much discussion was rumoured to have been made in the sale of Bosie being kept Austrian.

What I would almost bet on is that Brodmann will be badged up as "by Bösendorfer" in the same way that S&S do with Boston and Essex. A quick check of the Bosie website shows Brodmann's pages now integrated with a big Bösendorfer banner at the header.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 23 Nov 2007, 09:01

Was there a press release

Barrie,

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 23 Nov 2007, 09:19

Barrie Heaton wrote:Was there a press release

Barrie,

In Austria only so far.

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 23 Nov 2007, 09:57

no doubt there will be some info in Music trade, Pianist etc some time soon.
so PG, do you speak German and read the Austrian Times then?

Or do you know a few people in high piano world places?

athomik · Post by **athomik** » 23 Nov 2007, 10:40

During the last week, there have been conflicting reports in the Austrian media as to whether Brodmann won the race for Bösendorfer.
However, according to http://www.diepresse.com/home/wirtschaf ... =simarchiv no decison has been made as of 20th November, although Brodmann seem to be the preferred option, despite Yamaha apparently beating Brodmanns rumoured 11m Euros.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 23 Nov 2007, 22:30

sussexpianos wrote:no doubt there will be some info in Music trade, Pianist etc some time soon.
so PG, do you speak German and read the Austrian Times then?

It's all over the 'net!

sussexpianos wrote: Or do you know a few people in high piano world places?

Yes, I know a few of them too!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 27 Nov 2007, 20:27

So what's acually happened then? It seems that the Österreiche Freiepresse jumped the gun rather.

According to yesterday's Thunderer, Yamaha's still in the running. It's getting more and more like the Northern Crock saga by the day.

Quite honestly it's a mystery to me why Yamaha wants it so badly. They're not really into loss-making. Brodmann on the other hand have an understandable reason for wanting it. It'd add kudos to the Brodmann brand and it's always nice to see the little feller get the upper hand occasionally.

jackg · Post by **jackg** » 27 Nov 2007, 22:22

From the 6th paragraph
Bösendorfer was bought by a Viennese bank when, five years ago, it appeared that Bösendorfer would be sold to the American guitar specialist Gibson. Now, Bawag, the Austrian bank, is keen to dispose of the loss-making business, which sells only 200 pianos a year.

Last paragraph
Family control ended in 1913, as Ludwig had no descendents, and the business passed into another family, before passing into American ownership between 1966 and 2002. Still manufacturing in Vienna, the company makes 450 pianos a year, of which 90 per cent are exported.

There must be a lot of stock then if you believe what you read.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 27 Nov 2007, 22:30

They must a lot of stock then if you believe what you read.

Maybe that's how they can afford to give one away to that couple whose original Bosie fell off the back of a certain lorry earlier this year.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 28 Nov 2007, 00:30

Openwood wrote:
They must a lot of stock then if you believe what you read.
Maybe that's how they can afford to give one away to that couple whose original Bosie fell off the back of a certain lorry earlier this year.

Well it gave Bosie a bit of the publicity that they desperately need, although I guess they're getting a bit out of this whole "who'll be the winning bidder" shenanigans. At least Brodmann will get a bit of exposure out of the David and Goliath battle they're having with Yam even if they lose Bosie. Better publicity for them than their entire decade's advertising budget would stretch to I reckon.

As for the Music Festival, the best thing they can do is trade in that ridiculously unsuitable Imperial that they so speedily chose instead of a more manageable model, and buy a new S&S model B like they were trying to bid for at the auction in the first place.... They'd better do it quick since the value of used Imperials plummets faster than they fall off the back of a lorry. If a decent removal firm like G&R had trouble getting a 9-footer into their venue it'll only be a matter of time before the Imperial follows its predecessor down the ditch. No doubt when it happens, Mrs. Festival will be there with her camcorder ready to sell the chuffing film rights.

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 28 Nov 2007, 11:32

is there going to a removal firm willing to move it? I doubt it. Unless there's a lot of money being thrown around. They were very stupid buying a big grand to move around.
When are they going to invent a carbon frame? I had a long conversation with an engineer who said it can be done but it will cost a lot more, but surely it will save on removal costs?

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 29 Nov 2007, 22:39

sussexpianos wrote:is there going to a removal firm willing to move it? I doubt it.

After the publicity that G&R got out of it, only a damned fool would take the job on.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 30 Nov 2007, 09:34

My money is still on Brodmann to win this.

I reckon the bank of Vienna will come in for a load of flak if they flog their crown jewels to the Japanese. The Austrians are after all, the most fiercely nationalistic people in Europe, often unpleasantly so. Investors will be deserting them in droves if they think they've been swayed by a simple little thing like a bit more cash. When BAWAG bought Bosie back from the Yanks a few years ago they knew it was a loss-maker, but it was National Pride and all that.

In the UK, we've forgotten what that means.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 01 Dec 2007, 15:41

Well what can I say.

Wrong on all counts.

Commiserations to the Brodmanns.

http://www.boesendorfer.com/index.php?m ... 46&lang=en

A440 · Post by **A440** » 02 Dec 2007, 02:13

When are they going to invent a carbon frame? I had a long conversation with an engineer who said it can be done but it will cost a lot more, but surely it will save on removal costs?

When indeed. I remember Alistair Lawrence talking about Broadwood doing reserch on it many moons ago and telling us not to tell anybody! Because it was the next big thing.
I'm into bikes and I know it can only be done by very large production runs (usually made in China). Surprising it hasn't happened yet really. It probably will revolutionize the piano to some extent.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 02 Dec 2007, 09:35

A440 wrote: When indeed. I remember Alistair Lawrence talking about Broadwood doing reserch on it many moons ago and telling us not to tell anybody! Because it was the next big thing.

I remember this too!

Of course with the money that Broadwood wouldn't have spent on the research, the result would have been as flaky as the Barless Upright; a worthy design blighted by rubbish build quality.