A Trip to See a Piano

The new Yamaha concert grand on display at The Paragon in Bangkok. The sign says that it has already been sold.

Paragon Mall. Bangkok, Thailand. March 27, 2011. Only a piano nut would go to see a piano, and that’s exactly what I did, when the new Yamaha concert grand was on display at The Paragon, one of Bangkok’s premier malls. The respected Japanese instrument manufacturer has spent nearly 20 years working on a concert grand piano it now hopes will lead to love at first touch among the world’s pianists. To get its message out, the company is sponsoring concerts and competitions around the world to show off its new 9-foot-long flagship, the CFX concert grand, which carries a US $185,000 suggested retail price, but appears to be available at a discounted US$115,000. It looks beautiful, but I’ve yet to hear it played. I doubt very much that it will displace the Steinway, which is preeminent and will probably remain in first place for as long as Steinway is not taken over by accountants, Wall Street types, and hedge funds.

A very beautiful large Bosendorfer was on display and for sale at US$143,000. Decorating one’s home with an expensive piece of furniture does not come cheap.