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Steinway D-274

D-274 (or D) is the model name of a concert grand piano, the flagship of the Steinway & Sons line, first built in 1884. It is generally described as the first choice of most concert pianists.

At 274 cm (8′11¾″) long, 156 cm (5′1¼″) wide and 480 kg (990 pounds), the D-274 is too large for most domestic situations. In concert hall settings, on the other hand, the D-274 is a major presence. An example would be the famous Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which traditionally offers contestants a choice of two D-274s owned by the Van Cliburn Foundation, supplemented with another choice from an outside source.

An estimate from 2003 suggested that more than 90% of concert grand pianos worldwide are D-274s.

Design

Virtually all critical design elements of the Steinway 'D' were developed during the 19th century. Among them are the action and string scale designs perfected by Henry Steinway, Jr., the company founder's son; the hammers, cast iron frame and laminated wooden rim, all originating in designs patented by C.F. Theodor Steinway, another of the founder's sons; the trapwork (pedals), first devised by Albert Steinway, a third son; and most aspects of the soundboard. Since those early years, only two notable improvements have been made: a concentric shaping of the soundboard, a design patented by younger family member Paul Bilhuber, was introduced in 1936; more recently the Steinway action was changed to provide a greater mechanical advantage to the player, resulting in less touch resistance with no loss of power.