A grand piano in form of an upright
An upright piano with the sound, volume and feel of a concert grand
C. Bechstein Concert 8 upright piano: try it and you won’t look back!
Discover a new piano experience. Thanks to its sound and feel, not to mention its finely controllable action and deep, differenti - ated resonance.
This upright is about as close to a good grand piano as you can get. You will never forget its energy, the sense of space which it generates or its subtle pianissimo.
The power, transparency and presence of a grand piano
For a number of decades now, the Concert 8 has been regarded as a benchmark for upright pianos. It isn’t just a big upright, as it stands out on account of its inspiring voice and an exceptional action assembly, which provides a particularly pleasant touch. From the performance of the action to the top-quality acoustic assembly that delivers an impressive sound volume and a pure, crisp and colorful voice, this model easily fulfills the expectations of ambitious pianists who are accustomed to the power and precise reaction of grand pianos.
Ahead of its time from the very beginning
The C. Bechstein Concert 8, which has been setting new standards for upright pianos since the early 19th century, has been completely remodeled: its new acoustic assembly incorporates the latest innovations already integrated in top-ofthe-range C. Bechstein concert grands.
Experience it yourself and enjoy its re - fined dynamism, the delicate nuances of its voice and the incredibly subtle way in which the sound unfurls. You will encounter many features from the most recent C. Bechstein grand piano models.
The C. Bechstein Concert 8 has a rich singing voice with a colorful and clearly defined fundamental tone. Its sound based on a remarkable keynote is of long-sustain. Numerous great artists – from the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel to Sir Simon Rattle – have made this model their instrument of choice to work on.
The Sound of Excellence
Which technical features are the basis for the remarkable performances of the Concert 8?
The C. Bechstein Concert 8 boasts a truly exceptional acoustic assembly. All its elements – the soundboard, its ribs and bridges, along with the cast iron plate, the back posts and the case – are shaped specially and harmonized to optimize the acoustic energy.
This acoustic assembly is a kind of “sound generator”. As regards the action, it also boasts a special design that enables you to get the best out of the acoustic assembly: much like a conductor leading an orches - tra, the action transmits all your musical intentions to the “sound generator” without any loss. And the hammerheads, manufactured by C. Bechstein, transfer all the nuances of your touch or play to the strings. Read on to find out more about the details.
Highlights of piano-making – An attempt to explain the technical features behind a special sound
A large, super-resilient soundboard
Thanks to its ideal dimensions, the Concert 8 soundboard acts like a topquality loud speaker. It’s manufactured from the finest spruce wood which grows slowly in the Alps; its crown is realized with the same technique used to produce the soundboards for C. Bechstein concert grands. The fine vertical woodgrain makes a key contribution towards the outstanding quality of the sound diffu - sion. The precision positioning of the soundboard in a special wooden frame of the soundbody allows the sound to resonate at all points without any loss of energy.
What makes this piano so unique is pre - dominantly the design of the C. Bechstein soundboard. In order to optimize the clarity and amplification of the sound, the thickness of the membrane varies accord - ing to the particular characteristics of the piece of wood used, producing ideal vibrational properties. Such a soundboard has ideal string swinging relationsships. This membrane system rounded off by its ribs and bridges, can get the best out of both the copper-coated bass strings and the particularly short, high frequency treble strings.
Resonators that boost the soundboard
The resonators are additional elements which improve the performance of the soundboard even further by optimizing it according to the size of the strings. This dynamic system really adds to the unique volume and richness of sound of the C. Bechstein Concert 8.
The acoustic assembly: a powerhouse
The unique engineering and high quality of the acoustic assembly is responsible for the special sound of this concert upright piano. Designed as an entity, this ensemble manages the energy without the slightest loss: however intense your playing or touch might be, the acoustic assembly renders your music without losing any subtlety.
A “concert-quality” cast iron plate
This model’s cast iron plate exhibits the same properties as that of a concert grand: its subtle design ensures elastic vibrations and thus contributes to the sound quality. The C. Bechstein cast iron frame is one of the elements which enable you to switch seamlessly from the quietest pianissimo to the most resound - ing fortissimo.
An action that sets benchmarks
The great pianist Artur Schnabel once said that a Bechstein piano enables a musician to forget everything about the need to deal with technical problems during a performance. Indeed, the action responds so delicately, so effortlessly, so precisely and so elegantly to the slightest of touches that you almost forget about it. The secret to such perfection is the combination of a multitude of factors, including the length of the keys, the ideal lever ratios or geometry for an optimum transfer of your touch.
A fantastic voice and sumptuous sound
This concert upright’s voice opens up like a flower. Singing at its highest point, it allows every note to soar and breathe. It moves with ease from the most delicate pianissimo to the loudest fortissimo. Furthermore, the different registers are wonderfully balanced while the sound stands out on account of its rich colors, subtlety and a warm, rippling character.
In a nutshell: a fantastic voice and sump - tuous sound for a piano that responds to the slightest of touch
The best hammerheads
As hammerheads transfer your music to the strings, their quality is essential to avoid losing musical information along the way. This is why C. Bechstein produces its own hammerheads for all its upright and grand pianos – the only European manufacturer to do so today.
The C. Bechstein hammerheads were designed with optimized weights and dimensions for each piano model and undergo rigorous tests. The mass and density of the felt and the wooden core are defined with painstaking precision. And you can hear the difference… You are bound to enjoy the dynamism and rich - ness of color that the hammerheads of this outstanding upright piano produce.
Exceptionally powerful
The unique design of this piano’s acous - tic assembly maximizes sound amplifica - tion, optimizes sound transfer and generates a long-lasting sound that is rich in harmonic partials. The sound volume and exceptional power of this piano are very pleasantly surprising.
Tuning stability, resistance to torsion and climatic variations
On big upright and grand pianos, the torsion due to string-traction can cause the wooden beams or braces to become dis - torted.
This doesn’t occur on the Concert 8 model, however, which is absolutely stable. This is due to the fact that, like on most grand pianos, its back posts are tapered or conical, not rectangular.
A sophisticated assembly using classical mortise and ten - on joints warrants stability of the backpost-assembly, which has a great positive effect on the formation and spectrum of the sound. This traditional technique, recently improved with modern preci - sion to a fraction of a millimeter, fully resists warping; it also guarantees good tuning stability and resistance to climatic variations.
Consequently, even profes - sional pianists who use this instrument intensively can do so without limitations. The C. Bechstein Concert 8 is a musical partner, which will never let you down.
Open pinblock for ultra-precise tuning
This model is equipped with what is re - ferred to as an open pinblock, i.e. without wooden dowels between frame and tun - ing pin. Common in grand pianos, open pinblocks facilitate ultra-precise tuning and ensure a tuning stability rarely found in upright pianos.
Case
The case of the C. Bechstein Concert 8 model is made of top-quality solid wood. Thanks to the use of this precious mate - rial, the case helps control the acoustic energy and therefore the sound diffusion.
Concert 8 Dimensions
Dimensions H 51.6'' / 131 cm × W 60.6'' / 154 cm × D 26.3'' / 67 cm Weight 562 lbs / 255 kg
https://www.bechstein.com/en/upright-grand-pianos/c-bechstein-concert-8/