Finally! An Imperial!! Bosendorfer

I finally got the chance to play a special edition Bosendorfer Imperial at the recent NAMM conference in Anaheim, CA. Of the pianos produced today, this was definitely one of the most ornate I've played with a beautiful finish in gold and pearl and intricate wood carvings. I sat down at the 97 keys to find myself at first feeling poorly alligned. Yes, the nine extra keys in the bass are all black in color to help you keep yourself centered, but it still took some getting used to. You no longer sit in the center but slightly right. The tone is truly fantastic with a resonance that lasts seemingly forever. The extra soundboard area and sympathetic vibrations of the extra bass notes give the piano this unique quality. You can literally see and count the vibrations of the lowest C on the Imperial. It is quite amazing, but I've also read that these extra notes are nearly impossible to tune properly. All Bosendorfers in general, with this one being no exception, have a very mellow tone. Despite the unbelievable size, the sound is very intimate and perfect for Haydn, Mozart, most Beethoven, and even Debussy. Composers such as Rachmaninoff or Liszt are still better off played on a Steinway Model D. The action is excellent. It had a medium resistance and great repetition. Overall, this is a great piano, but I don't think it excels in all types of music. Nevertheless, the music it does excel in, it plays beautifully--Mozart can never sound better on any other piano. Still, I would take a perfectly built and cared for Hamburg Steinway D over it.Recommended:Yes

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