Carl Bechstein

Carl Bechstein (1 June 1826, Gotha — 6 March 1900, Berlin) was a German piano maker and founder of the renowned C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik company. Bechstein was born in Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (modern Thuringia) and trained as a piano builder abroad in France and England, working as a contractor for various manufacturers. Between 1844 and 1848, Carl Bechstein made instruments for a local workshop in Dresden before joining Klavierfabrik Perau in Berlin. In October 1853, he established the C. Bechstein Piano Factory. As an ambitious maker, Carl Bechstein undertook a daring quest to build instruments that could withstand Franz Liszt's ferocious playing technique, on par with renowned Bösendorfer grand pianos from Austria. In 1857, Hans Von Bülow, the great pianist's son-in-law, gave a critically acclaimed debut performance on Bechstein grand piano in Berlin, playing Liszt's Piano Sonata in B-minor. With endorsement from Liszt and Hans von Bülow, the new brand soon proliferated, and Bechstein's instruments appeared at prominent concert halls and aristocratic houses. By 1870, C. Bechstein stood among the world-renowned industry leaders, such as Bösendorfer, Steinway & Sons, and Blüthner. In 1880, Carl Bechstein constructed a second piano factory in Berlin. In 1885, Carl Bechstein began supplying instruments to Queen Victoria's Royal Court of the United Kingdom, with a piano in a lustrously decorated gilded case delivered to Buckingham Palace and several grand pianos for Windsor Castle and other residencies. Bechstein opened a London branch and earned a prestigious "Royal Warrant" by January 1886; numerous orders came from local mansions and British foreign embassies. Back in Germany, Carl oversaw the construction of the third factory in Kreuzberg, launched in 1897. After Carl Bechstein passed away, his sons took over the family business.