Boganyi piano brochure English

The focus of the revolutionary Bogányi piano is on the clearest, boldest, premium quality sound possible. For this we have created a unique composite soundboard, within a traditional, yet modified iron and wood piano frame. This new soundboard is weather resistant.

Taking piano playing into a beautiful purity. Where sound quality is crystal clear and stable, uninhibited by humidity or dryness.

Holding its tune for longer. The piano features over 18,000 parts, as we looked into every area possible to enhance the quality of sound.

The breathtaking Bogányi piano design is based upon the movements and flows of classical music. With waves, curves and clean lines. Pleasing to the eye as it is to the ear. A feature is the more open design, with only two legs, to allow an additional bottom passage for the sound to reach the audience.

Gergely Bogányi has made his desire a possibility with over 10 years of research and design going into the project. A crew of the finest craftsmen and designers have combined to create this masterpiece.

Searching everyday to refine sound beyond time.

The Bogányi piano is born out of deep love, and humble respect

for classical piano tradition. Built upon a lifetime desire to improve

upon it with fresh, innovation in sound and design. Gergely Bogányi,

a world-renowned Hungarian pianist, is the ambitious innovator

behind this project. A new, Hungarian instrument is born.

BIRTH OF A NEW GRAND PIANO

photo: Tamás Bujnovszky

“For years I have played with a sound in myhead, different to that which I was playing. It was always in another dimension different from the actual sound coming from the piano. Somehow, it was a more beautiful, harmonious, flowing sound. I understood this might have been the same with J.S. Bach, Beethoven and Franz Liszt. To the extent that Liszt, for example, worked with the piano manufactures at the time to modify and improve the sound to match the expectations he had in his mind.

In those days these famous composers made a difference and some strides in the traditional piano design. Today, I have taken the same approach. I felt passionately and was intrigued to find out how I could make a difference. How could I bridge the gap between the ‘miraculous’ sound in my head and that of the sound I was hearing?

I had also spent countless hours with my professional piano tuner, who travelled the world with me. Trying to find that consistent, quality sound in every piano. It was always so difficult with each concert hall having such different conditions that affected the piano. Dryness, dust, humidity

were always a factor. Could we find a way to keep this quality consistent?

Once upon a time, in the nineteenth century there was a legendary – yet somehow forgotten – Hungarian piano-maker, Lajos Beregszászy, whose brainchild revolutionized the sound of piano. His modifications of the action, and the so-called cello soundboard “resonanz boden”, were actually bought by Bösendorfer. The shape he reached by installing an agraffe system on the bridge gave birth to the resonance we expect from a piano nowadays. His achievements were

duly praised in Munich, Paris, London and Vienna. Yet the thought of renewing piano tradition in the Hungarian way had not been fulfilled after his death. His memory and brilliance did not let me rest. We have actually applied an agraffe system in the Bogányi piano inspired by him.

Fortunately, a devoted, genuinely talented team of designers, engineers, piano craftsmen and music technicians joined me on this journey.

They too shared the enormous ambition to create a new dimension of modern day

piano, while paying all respect and attention to the finer points of traditional classical piano heritage. Then we experimented through some 8000 ‘team’ engineering hours with modern materials, particularly with the soundboard, searching for new technical solutions, constantly analysing the derived new spectre of sound.

Now that we have come full circle with the piano complete; I feel the Bogányi piano delivers “sound beyond time”.

Gergely Bogányi

A PIANIST’S DESIRE FOR A PIANO


photo: Judit Marjai

1Created with over 10 years of pioneer experimenting, engineering and craftsmanship

2It includes a revolutionary production technology of the new composite soundboard – more resistant to most exterior conditions, including heat, humidity, cold, damp and dryness. Thus, it keeps the quality and consistency of the sound as stable as possible. Holding its tune for longer.

The new soundboard, due to its richer vibration produces a sound transmission performance that could eclipse that of the traditional pianos. This also has an effect on the maintenance – less is needed

3The Bogányi piano comes with a renewed agraffe system which liberates the soundboard when playing.

4The new soundboard and the reconstructed agraffe system together with the new shaping concept of the cast-iron frame – all create a new quality that affects and provokes a novel perception of sound. The absolute distinction of tones let us reveal more of the inner structure of music – with a more refined tone sensation.

This is a piano rethought, reassessed: reinter- preted from the origins of classical piano.

The new action of the piano, produced and delivered by Louis Renner of Germany is founded on years’ long, meticulous scaling and calculating of the Bogányi piano team.

A new philosophy of piano timbre is born: the piano will give concert pianists the ease to play through massive orchestral sound.

5The design minimises the piano into two legs, instead of the traditional three, enabling sound to reach the audience with higher efficiency and more clarity. The curved shape and structure of the leg creates a supporting effect, thereby conducting the sound, from below the piano, towards the audience.

6The design also turns the piano into a piece of functional art and design. As spectacular architectural compositions have mastered the style of new performing arts centres and concert halls alike, the new approach to piano design may well enrich the tradition of instrument making.

The Bogányi piano design is a unique answer to a shift in time and style.

7It is a piano inspired by a pianist. With a deeper insight into the sound and quality that enriches the playing experience for both pianist and audience. This is the modern piano for the modern times, providing another option for expert pianists, soloists or connoisseurs of classical music. Through its new philosophy of sound the Bogányi piano is the bridge between past tradition and future.

NEW PERCEPTION OF SOUND

In the second half of the 18th century, the fortepiano entered a period of rapid development. A new model would become obsolete after just five years and this continued until the 1880s. During the lives of the great classical composers such as Haydn and Beethoven, there were considerable changes of piano type and this is reflected in their piano compositions. The “Klavierlöwe” technique of Liszt and other romantics, and the demands of their compositions stimulated new developments, which in turn stimulated innovations in styles of playing. It is a real chicken and egg situation and hard to know which came first. Certainly, the processes moved hand in hand. Piano makers and pianists enjoyed personal relationships

and were often friends. Frequently artists became piano makers themselves (e.g. Clementi, Pleyel, Herz.) Everyone had their own favourite type, Chopin loved the Pleyel pianos, Liszt preferred Erards. Manufacturers regarded the great artists of the day as ‘faces of their products’ for advertising purposes.

The other driving force for development (itself created by audience demand) was the increasing dimensions of concert halls. The piano had evolved by the end of the 19th century to be able to fill the largest enclosed halls with sound and stand as a worthy partner of romantic orchestras. Its mechanics were sufficiently sensitive and quick to satisfy virtuoso demands, and durable enough to withstand each concert

Why would further developing the piano in the 21st century be worthwhile? After all, by the late 19th century, it had taken close to 200 years for the piano to attain the perfect

form we know today. And if something has not changed subsequently for 130 years, it probably means it is perfect. But if it has remained the same for such a long period of

time, hasn’t the time come to indeed make changes? Have no new musical vistas surfaced since then? The answers to both are ambiguous. To root out the contradictions

we must look back to the past and take a quick look at the present.

WHY IS IT WORTHWHILE?


without major retuning or servicing. Once these aims had been realised, to all intents and purposes the development of the instrument ceased.

The concert piano type that virtually rules supreme now is the Steinway Model D. made in Hamburg, it was developed in the last decades of the 19th century and has been almost unchanged ever since. Indeed, nothing has really surpassed its capabilities, at best a couple of other firms have made concert pianos that are its equivalent. According to statistics, it remains the first amongst a very small number of equals. Steinway is justly proud that 98% of the world’s concert halls use its model. Only exceptionally do we attend a concert or hear a recording featuring a Fazioli, Bösendorfer or Yamaha.

While it is true that no two pianos are exactly alike, different examples of an identical model agree in all their basics. The untrained ear is largely oblivious to any differences between one piano and the next. But there are subtle differences between pianos of the same type despite their identical construction. One may have a slightly softer sound, while another will be brighter etc. There are also even clear differences between the mechanics of each piano. So the leading manufacturers ensure that prospective buyers have a selection to choose from to find the one most suitable for them.

The instruments used by different piano makers vary much more markedly from each other. But not to the extent that it causes any disturbance in the playing,

or in its reception. Even professionals are frequently mistaken what type of piano is being used, either in a hall or recording, unless they look or are told. In the past 60 to 70 years, piano sonority has become entirely uniform. The differences are practically restricted to differences between individual Steinway D models.

What makes it harder still is that the judgement of each instrument is exceptionally subjective. It is not just the case that one artist may like something different to another, but their opinion of any given piano also depends on the momentary conditions, mood or even excitement before the concert.

Professional instrument makers are no different: they hear differently in the morning than they do in the evening and it can happen that what they like one day, they dislike the next. And the state of a piano changes too. Precise tuning is like carrying water in a sieve. The audience sits down and this slightly alters the humidity, one or two stronger fortes and the perfect tuning is no more. After a solo recital by an artist who tends to pound the keyboard, the mechanics need to be readjusted and serviced from scratch.

It is an interesting phenomenon that not just the piano but also most of the other orchestral instruments used today have not changed much in over a century. But let us admit it: the repertoire favoured by the general audience is not exactly fresh either.

Today’s piano manufacturers are not forcing innovation due to the caution (to put it mildly) of the artists of which they are only too aware. Change conceals great business risk, and in this realm, the same demand for novelty found in other industries does not operate. It is easy to understand why: over the years and decades of study, the piano becomes virtually an extension of the artist’s body. So it is hard to grow accustomed to new instruments or different types. Experiments in developing pianos in the 20th century essentially died out which does not mean that new musical trends or changes in performance practise did not suggest new instruments. Just think of prepared pianos or the seven decades of early music playing. But nearly three quarters of a century have passed since these new movements emerged.

If today someone starts to develop a piano, he does so not to make one better than

before, because that is not only very difficult – as we have discussed – it would make no sense. They do so because they want something different. A different sonority, a different weighting of inner parts, a different resonance, the different manifestation of physical and intellectual energies, in short, different possibilities.

As an artist, Gergely Bogányi has always looked for new challenges and gladly connects performing traditions with his own personal ideas. He finds the path to this with electrifying results in his concerts.

A similar desire brought about this initiative for instrument construction: to rethink the creation of a piano from its physical parts with a tried and tested team of committed professionals. Because once again the time is ripe for the piano, as many times before in its development, to again stimulate the performer in an inspiring way, making it possible reinterpret to a degree, much of the repertoire. And also to see if there are susceptible composers who are stimulated to write fresh compositions. New materials and methods give possibilities for the instrument makers: for example composite materials or computer modelling. For this reason, it not only makes sense, it is absolutely necessary for the piano to change: it is still a fundamental instrument, and still one of the most important vehicles of musical communication and human self-expression.

János Mácsai music historian, piano technicianphoto: László Járai

The soft-spoken and usually smiling, accomplished pianist, Gergely Bogányi, was quick to make acquaintance with some like-minded, young Hungarian technicians who were deeply interested in piano playing. They also shared an interest in the renewal of this beautiful instrument following the footsteps of Mr. Beregszászy, from the 19th century.

Let’s briefly name a few of those who joined Gergely in this long journey and are still close to him in developing the piano project.

THE TEAM IN FRONT

Mr. Attila Bolega

Chief constructor

Mr. Attila Peter Üveges

Chief designer

Mr. Jozsef Cs. Nagy

Piano technician

photos: László Járai


From a young age, Gergely Bogányi has had success in several national and international competitions. He won a prize at the national piano competition in Nyíregyháza at the age of six, and three years later he won top prize there. Other early competitions include the third prize in Ettlingen, Germany in 1990 and the second prize in Epinal, France in 1991, where he was the youngest competitor. In Helsinki he was a three-time winner of the Finnish radio “Helmi Vesa Competition.” He won first prizes in both the Chopin and the Mozart competitions in Budapest in 1993, and Indiana University’s music competition in 1994. In 1996 he earned the gold Medal at the “International Franz

Liszt Competition” in Budapest, one of the most distinguished piano competitions in the world.At the exceptionally young age of 22, Gergely Bogányi was appointed a citizen of honor in his native town of Vác. In 2000 he was awarded the “Liszt Prize” by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage in Hungary. In 2002 he was also presented the “Cross of Merit of the White Rose” of Finland by the President of the Finnish Republic. In 2004 he received the “Kossuth Prize” from the President of the Hungarian Republic, the highest artistic award of his native country. In November 2010 he was awarded a unique “Art Citizenship/Chopin year” passport by the Polish government.

Gergely Bogányi is a born musician, from a musical Hungarian family. His brilliant technique, coupled with a deeply expressed, artistic interpretation has made him an

outstanding international performer. Born in Vác, Hungary, he began playing the piano at the age of four. He continued his studies at the Liszt Academy in Budapest with Lászlo

Baranyay. He also studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Professor Matti Raekallio, and at the university of Indiana in Bloomington with Professor György Sebök. He participated in several master classes by Annie Fischer and Ferenc Rados. Among his professors he fondly remembers Annie Fischer who made a deep impression upon his art.

She instructed him regularly and was a cherished mentor until her death.

THE PIANIST BEHIND THE PIANO

photo: Judit Marjai

boganyi-piano.com

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2640 Szendehely, Ady Endre utca 17.,

Hungary

zengafons.hu

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Boganyi piano brochure English

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