Steinway Model D

You have surely heard and seen the Steinway Model D in many recordings and concert performances. A great number of prominent pianists have performed on the instrument and love it for the famous Steinway sound and its superb musical expression.

This instrument pack, authorized by Steinway & Sons, offers two variants: Hamburg and New York. The New York Steinway D is the very first produced of Steinway’s groundbreaking new flagship instrument Model D Spirio|r, which has been used by some of the most famous pianists in the world today. The physical model is based on recordings made at the famous New York Steinway Hall.

New York and Hamburg Steinway pianos are very much like twin siblings that share strong family traits but exhibit subtle differences in their personalities. These differences can be attributed in part to the variations in hammer construction and voicing techniques utilized in both production facilities. Proprietary procedures in soundboard fabrication and installation unique to each factory also flavor the nuanced tonal distinctions between Hamburg and New York Steinway pianos. Both use soundboards that are constructed from carefully selected premium Sitka spruce wood.

During the development of the two virtual instruments for Pianoteq, each note was carefully adjusted in its finest detail, just like in a real factory, resulting in stunningly vivid instruments created with the most demanding musician in mind.

Featured Artist

Nadia Shpachenko recently received a GRAMMY® award for her Reference Recording CD The Poetry of Places. Here she performs Alexander Scriabin's Étude in Etude in F-Sharp Minor Op. 8 No 2, rendered in Pianoteq 8 using the New York Steinway D grand piano model, authorized by Steinway & Sons.

Scriabin's innovative musical aesthetics fits as a hand in the glove for Shpachenko who specializes in powerful pieces that possess unusual sonic qualities. This particular piece is especially demanding for virtual pianos due to its vivid nature, with complex resonances and frequent use of repedalling, here gorgeously handled by Pianoteq's physical model.

Scriabin - Etude in F-Sharp Minor Op. 8 No 2 - Nadia Shpachenko

Steinway D grand piano
Listen to Pianoteq Steinway D Grand Piano in action in various musical styles, from classical to jazz, blues or ragtime. All audio examples were recorded with a selection of Steinway D presets using their default settings, unless stated otherwise (customized).
Classical demos (New York Steinway D)
F. Chopin - Fantasy in F Minor, Op. 49NY Steinway D Classical Recording
A. Scriabin - Etude in F-Sharp Minor Op. 8 No 2NY Steinway D Classical Recording
F. Schubert - Rondo Allegretto moderatoNY Steinway D Chamber Recording
G.F. Handel - Suite No. 3NY Steinway D Studio Recording
Pop/Jazz/Blues/Modern demos (New York Steinway D)
P. De Ridder - Room 251NY Steinway D Classical (customized)
P. De Ridder - Stiffy ByngNY Steinway D Blues (customized)
A. Louis - Onj's Jazz ImprovNY Steinway D New Age (customized)
M. Black - Pale MoonNY Steinway D Player Wide
N. Fogwall - Breeze in KamakuraNY Steinway D New Age
L. Davis - Blues etudeNY Steinway D Blues (customized)
M. Black - Moderno BluesNY Steinway D Bass & Piano split
J. Black - Paper DollNY Steinway D Super Tonk
Classical demos (Hamburg Steinway D)
S. Rachmaninoff - Prelude Op. 32 No. 1HB Steinway D Classical Recording
S. Rachmaninoff - Prelude Op. 23 No. 2HB Steinway D Classical Recording
C. Debussy - Prelude, La terrasse des audiencesHB Steinway D Classical Recording
J. Brahms - Capriccio Op. 76 No. 1 (excerpt) HB Steinway D Classical Recording
F. Chopin - Polonaise Fantasy Op. 61HB Steinway D Classical Recording
F. Chopin - Nocturne Op. 48 No. 2HB Steinway D Chamber Recording
J.S. Bach - Fugue in F Sharp Major Book 1HB Steinway D Chamber Recording
Pop/Jazz/Blues/Modern demos (Hamburg Steinway D)
L. Davis - Noodlin' Bass & PianoHB Steinway D Bass & Piano split
J.F. van Dijkhuizen - For Some OneHB Steinway D Close Mic
Ph. Best - The Places We KnewHB Steinway D Cinematic
M. Black - Moderno BluesHB Steinway D Bass & Piano split
MIDI and audio files kindly provided by Phil Best, Miles Black, Paul Van Bladel, Lanny Davis, Jan Frans van Dijkhuizen, Blaž Jurjevčič, Andre Louis, Steve O'laughlin, Piet De Ridder, Nadia Shpachenko, Jacob Smullyan, and the Minnesota International Piano-E-Competition.
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