Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg / "Steinway AND Sons"

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Steinway AND Sons

This year the music world with the big pomp marks the 150 anniversary from the date of creation of piano Steinway and Sons. Anniversaries have already turned for a long time to a unique way to urge on sale of unique tools behind which there is no time were built in turn aristocrats of Old and New Light.

In the morning on June, 29th, 1850 steamship Helena Sloman has finished the next transatlantic flight and has moored in the New York port. Because of the big overload the ship floated from Hamburg almost one and a half month - its cabins, open decks and even coal holds have been filled by the German emigrants running to America from economic consequences of revolution of 1848.

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In the chain of refugees which was going down on a gangway, anything especial did not allocate family Steinweg. The elderly German burgher with the wife and the whole brood of emaciated children have uncertainly stepped into Manhattan. After some years they will redeem its considerable part in the family property, and some streets will name the names altered on American manners, - Harry Steinway str., Teddy Steinway ave. Etc.

Till 1848 SHtejnvegi were one of the most safe families in Zeezene. Master Cabinetmaker Henry Engelhart Steinweg has convinced local perchatochnogo manufacturer Fimmera to give out for it the daughter. After wedding Henry has taken a great interest in experiences on perfection of sounding of musical instruments.

Fimmer actively encouraged new hobby of the son-in-law - in itself musical business did not promise superincomes, but the social status of masters was very high, acquaintance to them aristocrats did not disdain also. Fimmeru possibility was represented, having expanded a circle of own communications to deliver gloves to the most brilliant court yard of Europe.

SHtejnveg did not aspire to destroy its illusion, however the stage of preparation for intrusion of the provincial bourgeois into high society was a little tightened. Only after ten years after wedding Henry Engelhart has started creation of the first piano.

Firm H registered in 1836. Steinweg, Instrumentenmacher made 25 - 30 tools in a year which were bought willingly by German princes for the personal orchestras.

In March 1848 student's union supporting revival of the German empire, has provoked revolt in Vienna which has ended with resignation of the chancellor of prince Metterniha. Soon excitement had been captured all German earths. To the German princes grasped by revolutionary whirlpool, became not to music. SHtejnvegi could go through time absence of demand for their production, but the problem became complicated also that elder son Henry Charles was the participant of March events. At once after closing of National meeting the revolutionary ran to America.

The former clients and admirers of talent have turned to persecutors, Henry declared in Zeezene the persona non grata. He was arrested some times by police, in a workshop have arranged pogrom, children came back from street in tears and bruises. At last, even Fimmer has refused to support them. Charles wrote in the meantime from New York: «Here there live best of Germans. Local authorities do not stir it thanks to what many have succeeded». Then SHtejnvegi have bought tickets in fantastic «the riches and democracy country».

SHtejnvegi, at Charles's possessing in certain weight in zemljachestve support, have managed to be fixed in the USA though their life was far from the promised iridescent Utopias. They have established accurate priorities of the new American life: were interrupted from a potato on bread and saved money on the business. During the same period Henry has forced all family to Americanize names - SHtejnvegi have turned in Stejnveev.

At last, in March, 1853 family company Steinway and Sons which by the end of summer has opened on Verik-strit a workshop on manufacture and repair of grand pianos has been registered. Affairs have gone not bad - in the first year Stejnvei have sold 74 tools, on the average on $400 for a piece. And it was only the beginning. In 1880 in States the piano already on $15 million was on sale, and 60 % of this market were supervised by company Steinway and Sons.

The boom beginning has been connected by that the piece German grand piano was perceived nuvorishnoj by the American bourgeoisie which has grown on railway and commodity gamble 1850 - 1860th years as imidzhevyj attribute. For years of Civil war the piano price in the American market has trebled - the standard room grand piano cost not less than $800, and exclusive concert copy Steinway was on sale for $2500 - 3000.

Steinway and Sons made very qualitative, but it is far not a unique product: by the moment of opening of their workshop only in the Western Manhattan five similar companies already worked. Stejnvei owned more than 100 patents for separate mechanisms and "know-how" of tools that allowed them to name itself «inventors of a modern piano», but in many respects this loud title was advertising dodge.

The grand piano and the piano have been invented still in the seventies XVIII centuries, key elements and completions which have given to the tool modern sounding - such as a cast frame, the cross tension of strings and the mechanism of double rehearsal, have been brought in a design in 1820th years by the French master Sebastjanom Erarom and American Alexander Babkokom. Patents Stejnveev protect basically insignificant improvements of details of a classical piano.

Main invention Steinway and Sons was the unique marketing policy, which authorship, probably, belonged to second son Henry, William. The order for a concert grand piano from Ferentsa Sheet was the greatest success of the company in the middle of 1850th years. The well-known Hungarian unlike the majority of colleagues on musical shop presumed to reserve the new tool in America. The grand piano has liked sheet, it began to act constantly with it, that has served the American firm as the best advertising.

William's idea consisted in creating over an industrial complex some kind of entrepreneur a superstructure which would be engaged in the organisation of tours of talented pianists. This activity should not be business in the pure state, the firm incurred all organizational expenses, gave to the executor the tool and services in its transportation during tours, and the gain from concerts almost in full got to the musician. The unique requirement of the sponsor to the executor was to play on Steinway.

In the beginning of 1870th years firm Steinway and Sons has started to form well-known «the list of executors». One of the first well-known Russian pianist Anton Rubinshtejn who in 1872 - has won back 1873 under the contract with Steinway and Sons 218 concerts has entered into it. Following the results of concert round it has received 200 000 gold francs - that is a $16 million order in modern monetary units.

In the end 1850 - the beginning of 1860th years Stejnvei have developed in New York scale civil work - they have redeemed in the property some quarters on Lond Island under a new building of factory. On Manhattan Stejnvei have redeemed the earth for building of the concert hall first in New York on 3000 places. Choosing suitable places under building sites, they have turned for some time to the largest ground speculators of New York.

All operations with the real estate in a family sons William and Teodor managed. Formally they did not own shares in family business and were engaged in political activity. William in 1870 has held a visible post in City council, and Teodor sat at the commission on development of high-speed transport - in particular, it was one of authors of the first project of the New York underground.

Steinway and Sons grew together with the market till 1929. For the first years of Great depression indicators of sales of a piano in the USA have fallen from 344 000 tools in a year to 51 000. The majority of the factories, before trying to compete with Stejnvejami, were closed by 1932, and only the leader of the market easy waited, when vague times will end.

The grandson of founder Henry Stejnvej supervising at that time firm refused to reduce established still in «rattling the twentieth» the overestimated prices for tools. That who advised to it to change the price policy according to market realities, he told a family legend about how "grandfather Henry" is no time has thrown out from a window brisk the hardhead, come to it with the project of reduction in price of grand piano Steinway.

Ill-wishers asserted, that Stejnvei felt so confidently as counted on the state purchases and grants. Roosevelts and Stejnvei were on friendly terms families since 1890th years. And manufacturers of musical instruments quite could count on that their company will be recognised by national property and is rescued at the expense of treasury.

Absolutely improbable episode which many researchers explain lobbyism Stejnveev, took place in days of the Second World War. In December 1943 squadron of the American bombers has made some starts in which course group Bechstein enterprises - the only thing during that moment of strong contender Stejnveev in the piano world market were destroyed exclusively.

To stop distribution of hearings, Roosevelt had to make the public statement. As he said, rojalnye factories and warehouses have been switched on in the list of the military-industrial objects which are subject to prime destruction for the reason, that manufacturer Behshtejn gave financial support NSDAP on elections of 1933.

In post-war years Steinway and Sons, really, for short time became the world leader on piano manufacture, however with radio and TV development the market of musical instruments has started to undergo changes. Thanks to development of mass-media rapid development of a new phenomenon - a mass culture has begun.

In the mid-fifties at the head of the company there was Teodor Stejnvej, a person extremely conservative views in culture questions. Philately was passion of his life - it has collected one of the best in the world of collections of stamps. As to business, with it at Teodora was worse - it hardly was has not finished the family company to bankruptcy.

Teodor Stejnvej supported tradition of "lists of executors», but, first, to them did not get dzhazmeny, secondly, financing of this project even residual to name it was possible only with the big stretch.

At the height of "cold" war in 1958 in music world there was something inconceivable: in the USSR Texas pianist Van Klibern for participation in Competition of P.I.Tchaikovsky has been invited. On either side of the Iron Curtain millions the people far from the world of classical music, guessed - will go or will not go? And Van Klibern in the meantime went on offices Steinway House, eliciting some hundreds dollars on road to Moscow. At last the director of concert department of the company Alex Grejner has removed from a finger a ring with a brilliant and has given to the pianist. The money obtained from sale for transportation to Moscow of grand piano Steinway and Sons has not sufficed, therefore the American has won at the main musical competition of "empire of evil", playing on the tool «Red October».

In 1960th years the company it is sad observed, how interest of a society to piano playing music thaws. With not smaller grief bookkeepers Steinway and Sons observed of a status of corporate bills. In 1972 family company Steinway and Sons has been sold by owners to media giant Columbia Broadcasting System. Transaction details were not disclosed, however later one of Stejnveev has blabbed out to the journalist from New York Times, that by 1972 on all its credit cards the limit has been settled.

Columbia during this period put courageous experiments on transformation of classical stamps of musical instruments into elite brands of show business. With the big success there has passed, for example, upgrade of image of guitars Fender. CBS has redeemed stagnirujushchego the manufacturer, tools have distributed to musicians of fashionable groups a producer by it. After several concerts expensive old-fashioned guitar has turned to fate-n-rolnyj fetish.

With Steinway and Sons this focus has not passed. The white grand piano round which events in John Lennon's the most lyrical clips are developed, Bills Dzhoela and other cult executors 1970 - is 80th years a monument to heroic work of employees of the marketing department CBS, more than ten years struggling with an unsoluble problem of positioning of brand Steinway and Sons in pop culture.

With traditional commodity markets too there were problems - concert Steinway cost an order $50 000 at the average price of the similar tool at direct competitors in $35 000. On any offers of managers CBS, concerning changes in the price policy, Stejnvei, the saved armchairs in board of directors, responded «history about grandfather Henry».

In 1985 Columbia has for nothing given Steinway and Sons to brothers Birmingham, which, «having optimised management structure» (read: having exposed from a management of the last Stejnveev), have resold the company to the international manufacturer of musical instruments Selmer, Inc.

The new command of managers, led by the chairman of board of directors Kajlom Kirklandom and SEO Given Messino, has made still bolshy revolution in economy Stejnveev - actives Steinway and Sons in 1996 have been passed to balance of corporation Steinway Musical Instruments.

Affairs at the company have started to be adjusted after Steinway Musical Instruments has offered the market "national" models of a piano designed by Steinway and Sons under brands Essex and Boston. They are going to in the Asian branches and in the same place find sale. Grand pianos under original stamp Steinway and Sons well are on sale only in anniversary years when the manufacturer lets out the limited number parties. Probably, the reason that collection tools the same as also antiquarian, can serve as object of investments - their price annually increases by 5 %.