The World's Most Amazing Pianos

The piano is one of the world's best recognized instruments and dates from many centuries ago; despite the technological evolution during the last decades, pianos have suffered minimal transformations as far as their design is concerned. No matter whether speaking about horizontal pianos or their vertically-oriented versions, they all look pretty much the same, and by all means, quite close to what pianos were some 200 years ago.

Well, it seems that this situation is about to be disturbed by rather dramatic changes in the piano-world, once visionary designers have dared tread a completely new path in creating an original shape for the piano of the future.

The next three pianos look very space-age, yet their creators are aiming for serious functionality and are very determined to make a change in what pianos are. The first and most fluidly-shaped of these three instruments comes from a prestigious piano manufacturer with quite some history behind: Schimmel. The Schimmel Pegasus Grand Piano is a most daring apparition in the field; it looks like nothing ever before and has been created by two exceptional minds: the German designer professor Luigi Colani and his fellow-citizen Nikolaus Wilhelm Schimmel, the Schimmel family's third generation of high-class piano master builders.

Based on an almost aerodynamic concept, the Schimmel Pegasus Grand Piano boasts a fluid and flowing shape, heavily transforming what traditional pianos used to be into a future-ready design which can equally fit in a concert hall or on the deck of a starship. With only 14 such pianos made, this item is a really exclusive piece of technology. Price varies upon the seller: last spring, an American owner was willing to give a Pegasus away for $100,000, but actual prices might be quite different.

The next on the list is Fazioli M. Liminal Piano from designer Phillipe Gendre, and is a true milestone for the blending between the classic approach and modern ideas. The Fazioli M. Liminal Piano looks indeed more traditional than the Pegasus, yet brings a new idea in supporting the whole instrument. Usually, piano construction relied on three or more sturdy feet which gave the structure a very firm placement on the floor. Phillipe Gendre has eliminated these feet and replaced them by a veritable “monopode” (unique foot), creating a more aired look while maintaining the same stability.

The Fazioli M. Liminal Piano boasts a design that reminds of a speedboat: a compact construction and clean cut, edgy lines contribute decisively to the very modern and “actual” look of this piano. Finished in solid and powerful colors, the Fazioli M. Liminal Piano manages to mix together in a very neat way the traditional glossy “piano black” with the silvery polished metal and the rose red soundboard. Don't expect something cheap on the price side: Fazioli pianos are some of the most expensive in the world.

Finally, the most striking piano design comes from a brand that needs no introduction: Yamaha. Far from being as old as Europe's Renaissance brands, Yamaha have a very strong point in everything they do: very powerful ideas stretching anywhere between classic and post-modern and with their amazing R&D departments, it looks like the sky is the limit, literally.

The Yamaha piano has been created in collaboration with designer Yves Plattard and has a very interesting concept attached: “key between you”. Now, what's that, you might ask. The “key between you concept” was invented while trying to eliminate the traditional distance between the pianist and his instrument and the audience. Yves Plattard's Yamaha piano manages to reduce this distance to an incredible minimum; OK, we're not talking anymore about the huge concert grand piano, but the result is amazing. Technically, you can now sit around the piano like you would at a table, and have an almost direct contact with the piano, the music or the player.

Designed to bring music lovers and piano players together in a more intimate bond, Yamaha's Yves Plattard-signature piano adds a completely different approach to enjoying music and brings the sonic experience to a more personal level. No word on pricing, unfortunately.

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