Our Steinway Grand Piano was purchased by Pierre du Pont from Steinway and Sons in 1923. He wanted the world's most finely crafted instrument that he, his family, friends and visiting artists could use to play music with the highest quality sound.
History of The Longwood Steinway Grand Piano
The Longwood Steinway was a nine-foot, leaf-figured concert grand, manufactured by Steinway and Sons in Queens, New York. The rare walnut patterned veneer was specially ordered to match the wood paneling in Longwood’s Music Room. Du Pont enjoyed the piano so much that he ordered another one in 1929.
Who Has Played The Longwood Steinway Grand Piano?
The Longwood Grand Piano has been used in dinner dances and played by world-class jazz and classical musicians.
During its long history, the Longwood Steinway Grand Piano has been played by Pierre du Pont, his family and friends; it has been used for formal balls and dinner dances and accompanied voice and choir recitals. Of note, most recent musicians have included gifted young pianists from the Curtis Institute of Music, world-renowned jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Haochen Zhang, and Russian pianist Olga Kern.
The Du Pont Legacy of Pianos and Organs
Pierre du Pont collected many superb pianos and organs in his lifetime. Du Pont’s fascination with keyboard instruments led him to purchase and commission some of the finest pianos and organs ever built. His collection included a world-renowned 10,010 pipe organ that can recreate all the sounds in an orchestra; and two 9-foot Steinway grand pianos, plus an Astor Piano, one of the oldest such instruments in the United States.
