PETROF 160 – Piano as a Technical Masterpiece
The exhibition "PETROF 160 – Piano as a Technical Masterpiece" was created on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the founding of the company, which is one of the most significant European manufacturers of acoustic pianos and grand pianos. It is a joint contribution of the National Technical Museum and the PETROF company to this year's Czech Music Year.
The exhibition provides a glimpse into the history and present of the significant Czech company and sheds light on the process and technical background of creating instruments whose sound resonates worldwide, spreading the good name of Czech craftsmanship.
The ambitiously conceived project introduces visitors to a Czech manufacturer of global stature with a long tradition and allows them to peek behind the scenes of the production of these unique instruments. The human factor has a permanent and indispensable place in piano production, and the final product depends on watchmaker precision and the collaboration of many specialists. The exhibition combines technology, craftsmanship, and design, along with an educational component offering opportunities for listening and reflection.
"Perhaps visitors might wonder why an exhibition on pianos is opening at the National Technical Museum. However, there is a simple answer! A piano is not only an extraordinary musical instrument but also a remarkable technical masterpiece. Moreover, how many people know, for example, how the soundboard with a cast iron frame is made? Who truly knows how a string is created or what wood is used for the body and lid of this instrument? And it is precisely these aspects that visitors will learn about in the exhibition," says Karel Ksandr, the director-general of NTM, who initiated the idea of the exhibition and developed it in collaboration with the leadership of the jubilant PETROF company this year.
The exhibition is housed in NTM's largest exhibition hall. It features a spatial installation shaped like an enlarged concert grand piano. On the inner side, there is a historical timeline resembling a musical score, with notes symbolizing various milestones. Exhibits representing a cross-section of the historical development of PETROF instruments are installed on a raised podium shaped like a grand piano's cast iron frame in oversized dimensions. The third main section of the exhibition dedicated to production technologies is structured so that the manufacturing process is presented in the form of catalog tabs with individual semi-finished products in chronological order, from the tree trunk through the acoustic element and the paint shop to the concert podium.
Visitors to the exhibition should not overlook the Petrof piano from 1865, the Neo-Bechstein – PETROF piano from 1933, the PETROF pianola from 1929, the PETROF 173 BREEZE piano with a self-playing system from 2024, or the MAGIC EGG instrument from 2018.
