Petrof is a
Czech piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
manufacturer founded in 1864. It is the leading
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
an piano manufacturer, exporting to more than 60 countries.
[Northwest Pianos, Petrof](_blank)
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History
The company was founded in 1864 in Hradec Králové, Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia (), sometimes referenced in English literature as the Czech Kingdom, was a History of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages, medieval and History of the Czech lands, early modern monarchy in Central Europe. It was the pr ...
, by Antonín Petrof (d. 1915), who had apprenticed at Viennese companies such as Heintzman & Co., Friedrich Ehrbar and Schweighofer.
The owner Antonín Petrof was awarded an imperial and royal warrant of appointment
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The royal warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the issuer of t ...
to the court of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
. In 1924 the company was exporting its pianos to Europe, Japan, China, Australia and South America.
At the World Exhibition 1934 in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, the Petrof instruments won the gold medal. At that time, approximately 400 people worked at their factory.
After the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, the company was nationalized.
In 1991, the company was returned to the Petrof family.[
] Petrof is currently led by two sisters from the fifth generation of the Petrof family and produces annually approximately 2,000 grand piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
s and 12,000 upright pianos.[
][
]
After 1993, the piano company G. Rösler of Česká Lípa, Bohemia was acquired.
Notable performers
Petrof pianos have been used by many famous musicians, including among others: Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
, Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter, Count Basie
William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...
, Richard Clayderman, Ennio Morricone, Renato Carosone and Mark Levinson.
Models
Grand pianos
Current Grand Piano Models:
* Master Series
** P 284 Mistral:
** P 237 Monsoon:
** P 210 Pasat:
* Standard Series
** P 194 Storm:
** P 173 Breeze:
** P 159 Bora:
Upright pianos
Current Upright Piano Models:
References
External links
Official siteJan Petrof Interview
at NAMM Oral History Library (2012)
Martin Kobza Interview
at NAMM Oral History Library (2012)
Zuzana Petrofová Interview
at NAMM Oral History Library (2012)
{{Authority control
Companies established in 1864
Piano manufacturing companies
Czech brands
Hradec Králové
Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the Czech Republic
Purveyors to the Imperial and Royal Court
Piano makers
1864 establishments in the Austrian Empire