View of Vienna
Brodmann pianos, Beethoven and von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber's Brodmann
Ludwig von Beethoven
Brodmann grand piano circa 1815
Carl Maria von Weber

Joseph Brodmann was a pioneering piano maker in Vienna in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. As a young man, he came to Vienna and apprenticed with the piano builder Frederick Hoffmann.

Vienna was the center of the musical world. Influenced by the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, Joseph Brodmann was one of the first and best known piano designers and craftsmen.

World-famous musicians and composers, including Beethoven and von Weber, owned and played Brodmann pianos.

Brodmann's contribution to piano design laid the groundwork for his most talented apprentice, Ignaz Bösendorfer, whose pianos are still considered among the finest in the world.

Portrait of Ignaz Bösendorfer

A great master, Brodmann, found an ingenious pupil, Bösendorfer, who took everything he learned and began to make Bösendorfer pianos when he took over Joseph Brodmann’s workshops in 1828.

Today, Vienna-based Brodmann continues the legacy with three lines of Brodmann grand and upright pianos.

Strunz soundboard on a Brodmann piano

The soundboard is the soul of the piano. Brodmann demands premium German soundboards from Strunz. Hand made from the finest Alpine spruce, these Strunz soundboards are planed and tapered to precise specifications. The result is a warm and sustained tone typical of fine Viennese pianos.

Fine German Röslau piano strings for a Brodmann piano

Select Röslau wire allows Brodmann pianos to achieve a fullness of tone not found in other pianos. German strings by Röslau have long been acclaimed as the pinnacle in the piano arena and are the finest available.

Inspecting rims for Brodmann pianos

Brodmann piano rims are a fortress of the hardest beech and maple. A Brodmann is an heirloom quality piano built to last for generations. The rigid and strong rim allows for the tremendous power and tonal projection of a Brodmann.

Brodmann grand piano rim with radial bracing

Solid spruce bracing in a radial configuration ensures a heirloom quality piano. These spruce braces also contribute to the Brodmann sound by reinforcing the piano’s acoustical body. Each brace is individually dovetailed into the inner rim for strength, in keeping with traditional Viennese piano building.

Treble bell on a Brodmann grand piano

The 'bell tone' collector, or treble bell, dates back for nearly 150 years. This unique design element is found only on premier, concert level pianos. Enhancing the treble on a grand piano, the feature actually collects harmonics in the upper register of the piano creating clear, bell-like quality typical of the European sound.

Voicing a Brodmann piano German felt hammer

The most celebrated European pianos, such as Brodmann, demand the finest hammers. Brodmann’s German cold pressed hammers allow the craftsman to manipulate the wool to achieve a perfectly balanced tone and customize a singing quality that is unrivaled.

Brodmann grand piano hand cast plate

Brodmann piano plates are hand cast on a wet mold in the traditional Viennese method, creating a superior plate. The plate withstands tremendous tension from the strings and is the backbone of the piano. Our plates are specifically designed to prevent inharmonicities often found in less expensive plates. This allows the pure tone of a Brodmann. Our craftspeople hand sand the plates to achieve a perfectly smooth bronze finish.

Brodmann grand piano

Our pianos have an essential common element: the distinctive and highly valued Brodmann sound, which is both dynamic and natural. Beautiful in performance and appearance, they are destined to be the classics of tomorrow.