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History
Since 1853, the incomparable quality and craftsmanship of the C. Bechstein piano have served as the benchmarks for the art of European piano-making at its very best. Though widely popular in Europe throughout its history, the first C. Bechsteins didn’t appear on American soil in 1923, when they were sold exclusively at the famous Wanamaker department store. In 1963, Bechstein was sold to the Baldwin Company, who held control of the brand until 1986. It was then that German master technician, piano-maker and entrepreneur Karl Schulze (now C. Bechstein’s Chairman of the Board), purchased Bechstein back from Baldwin and revived the vision of the company’s founder—a vision deeply rooted in C. Bechstein’s key role as an integral part of the universal culture of sound. In 2003, C. Bechstein formed a partnership with Korean musical instrument manufacturer Samick Music Corp. to market their pianos in several important overseas markets, including America

In October 2006, C. Bechstein re-acquired ownership and distribution in America from Samick, and selected a site in the “heart” of New York City, just blocks from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, to be it’s flagship showroom/national selection center and the corporate headquarters of Bechstein America, LLC. For the first time in its history, C. Bechstein would be in control of its own destiny in North America. After months of extensive renovations to the space, and the establishment of an exclusive dealer network, Bechstein America officially launched in the Fall of 2007 with a week-long celebration marking the grand opening of the beautiful new Bechstein Piano Centre.

Crafted by Artisans, Coveted by Artists
Throughout its history, the legendary voice of a Bechstein piano—richly-colored and incomparably expressive—has been a favorite of some the world’s most beloved artists including Claude Debussy, Richard Wagner, Frank Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Camille Saint-Saens; André Watts, Leonard Bernstein, Wilhelm Kempff and Artur Schnabel. Not as commonly known, is the fact that Bechstein pianos have also played an important role in 20th-century popular music. The Bechstein grand from Trident Studios in London, was used by the Beatles to record “Hey Jude” and most of the tracks on the White Album; Elton John, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury also played on the instrument. Bechstein has also been the preference for performance, composition and/or recording among popular artists Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Gwen Stefani, and jazz legends Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea and Count Basie.