-
Famous Beatles pianos
Apparently the top most famous pianos in history involve a Beatle. In this top 5 most famous piano list, John’s upright piano he used towards the end of his career makes it in the list, in the company of pianos owned by Mozart and Beethoven. The Beatles impact on music is just so prolific!
Top 5 most famous pianos in history:
1. MOZART’S LAST PIANO
Housed at the Mozarteum museum in Salzburg, the piano Wolfgang Mozart used during the final 10 years of his illustrious life is only 3 feet wide, 7 feet long, and 187 pounds. And it’s a good thing—Mozart would schlep his piano to concert halls all over Vienna rather than relying on them to have one for his use. He wrote with it, too, using the instrument to compose many of the 600-plus pieces he finished before his death in 1791 at the age of 35.2. BUILT LOUD FOR BEETHOVEN
Given to Ludwig van Beethoven in 1826, a year before his death, the piano on display at his namesake museum in Bonn, Germany, was quadruple-strung and therefore believed to be especially loud. Extra volume would’ve been nice, on account of Beethoven’s deafness, but scholars believe the instrument wasn’t actually louder than other pianos. By the final years of his life, the legendary composer had mostly stopped tickling the ivories, so this thing didn’t get much use. But it’s a beauty nevertheless.3. CHOPIN’S FINAL PIANO
In 2010, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Polish composer Frédéric Chopin was honored with his very own museum in his hometown of Warsaw. Items displayed there include a plaster death mask and, more happily, the final piano the Romantic composer wrote with before his death in 1849. It was built by Ignace Pleyel, one of the era’s most respected piano makers.
4. BRAHMS’S TEACHING TOOL
It’s hip to be square—at least if we’re talking about the piano Johannes Brahms used to give lessons from 1861 to 1862. Built by Hamburg piano maker Baumgardten & Heins in approximately 1859, this square-shaped instrument is among the prized possessions at The Brahms Museum in Hamburg, the German icon’s hometown.5. LENNON’S FAVORITE UPRIGHT
Even in a city brimming with Beatles artifacts, the so-called “John Lennon piano,” now on view at the Beatles Story museum in Liverpool, is pretty special. Lennon played the instrument—outfitted with special tacks to produce a more percussive sound—on his Walls and Bridges and Double Fantasy albums. It was a constant part of his post-Beatle life in NYC, and he reportedly had it moved to every studio where he was recording. He even played it on December 8, 1980, the day he was gunned down outside his apartment building.
-
4 Replies
-
I posted this delightful little video a while ago on a previous post, but thought it most fitting here as well. Apparently George Martin made a deal with the Beatles. If the Beatles would teach George the guitar, he would teach them to play piano.
Now, who was the best pianist among the Beatles?
-
Another source mentions this piano made famous by Paul McCartney.
Paul McCartney’s “Yesterday” Piano
Paul McCartney came up with the melody of “Yesterday” in his sleep.At first, he thought that the tune was so simple, so he had to confer with his close friend, Alma Cogan, to make sure that the melody hadn’t already been written.Today, the song is perhaps the most covered song in history and McCartney composed the hit on this 1926 green Eavestaff mini piano that belonged to Cogan. McCartney’s “Yesterday” piano sold to a private buyer for $230,000 in 2011. ( Image Source: Beatlesnews.com)
-
Hey Jung, Really enjoyed the info you compiled here. One thing I will say the picture of John’s piano. That piano has a lot of history. But it looks like it’s been through a war. Wow !
Paul’s 1926 green Eavestaff mini piano looked good. I like that shade of green. I saw a price for this one. I can imagine what the other would cost. Mozart, Beethoven ,Frédéric Chopin.
-
Joe I’m glad you liked it. His piano looks like a customized hot rod modified and stripped down to it’s raw elements, kind of like what a mechanic would do to squeeze out maximum performance out of his beloved machine.
Here is the creative genius at his craft, in the studio in his elements with his band, making beautiful music. I wonder if this is his famous upright piano he is playing on before he removed all the panels. Here George is with him.
Log in to reply.
