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{{Short description|Company based in Estonia}} {{Short description|Company based in Estonia}}
]
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
'''Estonia Piano Factory''' ({{lang-et|Estonia Klaverivabrik}}) was founded in 1950 by {{Interlanguage link|Ernst Hiis|et}} in ], ]. The majority of Estonia pianos are now sold in ]. '''Estonia Piano Factory''' ({{langx|et|Estonia Klaverivabrik}}) is a handcrafted grand piano manufacturing company based in Tallinn.


== History == == History ==
Piano-making in Estonia goes back over 200 years under German influence, and from 1850 to 1940 there were nearly 20 piano manufacturers operating in the country. The most famous of these was Ernst Hiis-Ihse, who studied piano making in the Steinway Hamburg and Blüthner factories and established his own company in 1893. His piano designs gained international recognition. In 1950 the Communist-dominated Estonian government consolidated many smaller Estonian piano makers into a factory managed by Hiis, making pianos under the Estonia name for the first time. The instruments became prominent on concert stages throughout Eastern Europe and, amazingly, more than 7,400 concert grands were made. However, after Hiis’s death, in 1964, the quality of the pianos gradually declined, partly due to the fact that high-quality parts and materials were hard to come by during the Communist occupation of the country. After Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the factory struggled to maintain production. In 1994 Estonia pianos were introduced to the U.S. market.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Estonia |url=https://www.pianobuyer.com/estonia |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Piano Buyer |language=en}}</ref>
Ernst Hiis formed his own company, E. A. Ihse, in 1893.<ref name=klaver>{{Cite web|url=http://www.estoniapiano.com/history.html|title=Estonia Pianos|website=www.estoniapiano.com|accessdate=31 March 2023}}</ref> In 1915, he sold his business and worked for other companies. In 1923, he became the leading expert and manager of the Astron piano company. The ] and the ] by the ] stopped production of pianos in Estonia. The factories were destroyed. Only Ernst Hiis continued his grand piano production. In 1950, by the order of ], based on The Peoples' Furniture Factory, the Tallinn Piano Factory was established, and the new piano was called Estonia. In April 1951, the first Estonia piano was presented to the State Board.<ref>{{cite journal|author=M. Kokla, A. Stulov |title=Grand piano manufacturing in Estonia: Historical review|journal= Proc. Estonian Acad. Sci. Engin.|year= 1995|volume=1|issue=2|pages=158–171|doi=10.3176/eng.1995.2.04 |s2cid=256539317 |url=http://cs.ioc.ee/~stulov/klaver1.pdf}}</ref> From 1950 to 1990 the company was state-owned and made two grand piano models ({{convert|190|cm|ftin}} and {{convert|273|cm|ftin}}) for distribution throughout the Soviet Union.


In 1994 the company was privatized under the Estonia name, with the managers and employees as owners. During the following years, Indrek Laul, an Estonian recording artist with a doctorate in piano performance from the Juilliard School of Music, gradually bought shares of the company from the stockholders until, in 2001, he became sole owner. Dr. Laul lives in the U.S. and represents the company here. In 2005, at its 100th-anniversary celebration, the Juilliard School named him one of the school’s top 100 graduates; and in 2015, the President of Estonia awarded Laul the Presidential Medal, in recognition of the contribution Estonia pianos have made to awareness of that country. <ref name=":0" />
The company languished after the ] and the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991, and in 1993 the factory was privatized to its managers. After the factory's decline in the early 1990s with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the firm was revived by Indrek Laul, who invested in the company and introduced its products to the ]. In 1995, it was sold to {{ill|Indrek Laul|et}} (at that time a doctoral piano student at the ] in ]), who took over control of the company.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}


While Indrek Laul developed the business at the North America, he invited ], his father, to be the CEO of the factory from 2005. He built a team to bring the factory to a new level: two new piano models – L225 (2010) and L210 (2012) – were introduced, and an international network of representatives was established. Indrek’s mother, ], headed the quality control team, and each piano was checked for its musical qualities by a family member. Indrek Laul became the factory's CEO in 2018, and his wife Triin-Maret Laul has been the Sound Specialist since 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Team |url=https://www.estoniapiano.com/about-us/our-team/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Estonia Pianos |language=en-US}}</ref>
Components and materials are now imported where appropriate, such as German Renner actions and hammers. In 2003 a new factory building was completed and opened.<ref> Estonia Piano Retrieved 31 March 2023</ref>

In August 2022, as per the 2021 national survey conducted in the Republic of Estonia, Estonian Post, a state postal agency, issued the postal stamp and envelope to commemorate the Estonia piano as "a great and beloved item of the country."<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Omniva: A stamp from the series ‘Great Estonian Things’ will be issued – the Estonia piano |url=https://www.omniva.ee/index.php?article_id=1907&page=888&action=article&|access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.omniva.ee}}</ref>


== Characteristics == == Characteristics ==
⚫ Concert pianist ], after choosing an Estonia piano for himself, commented, "The level of craftsmanship in the Estonia piano can only inspire the highest respect and I have no doubt that this piano will continue to prove essential to sensitive musicians."<ref> Cunningham {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708213254/http://www.cunninghampiano.com/mfg/estonia%20piano/ |date=8 July 2011 }}</ref>
The Estonia pianos, manufactured during the existence of the Soviet Union, were strong and could demonstrate excellent stability, fast mechanic and grand singing tone. Pianos from that period are very rare to find nowadays, almost being an extinct brand. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the new pianos in the early 1990s were plagued by manufacturing defects. Those made since about 2002 have demonstrated remarkable quality and a unique, sweet singing tone. Additional improvements made in the years 2003–05 have placed the Estonia grand pianos in the highest or second-highest tier of quality, based upon the ranking system of ''Pianobuyer'', a recognized reference in the piano industry.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

⚫ Concert pianist ], after choosing an Estonia piano for himself, commented, "The level of craftsmanship in the Estonia piano can only inspire the highest respect and I have no doubt that this piano will continue to prove essential to sensitive musicians."<ref>Cunningham {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708213254/http://www.cunninghampiano.com/mfg/estonia%20piano/ |date=8 July 2011 }}</ref>


== Models == == Models ==
Estonia's pianos are performance quality acoustic grand pianos manufactured in the Republic of ]. Five models are currently{{when|reason= Website copyright date seems to be 2013?| date= May 2021}} offered for sale:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Estonia Pianos|url=http://www.estoniapiano.com/piano-models.html|access-date=2020-12-11|website=www.estoniapiano.com}}</ref> Estonia's pianos are performance quality acoustic grand pianos manufactured in the Republic of ]. Five models have been available, offered in an ebony polish finish as well as a range of custom finishes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Pianos |url=https://www.estoniapiano.com/our-pianos/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Estonia Pianos |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Grand Pianos ===
⚫ * Model 168: {{cvt|168|cm|ftin}}
⚫ * Model 190: {{cvt|190|cm|ftin}}
⚫ * Model 210: {{cvt|210|cm|ftin}}
⚫ * Model 225: {{cvt|225|cm|ftin}}
⚫ * Grand Model 274: {{cvt|274|cm|ftin}}


=== Grand and Upright Pianos === === Special Edition Laul Estonia ===
The Laul family’s timeless dedication to exceptional sound quality and tone is embodied in the Laul Estonia series, where each piano represents a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Venno Laul served as the Manager of Estonia Piano Factory from 2005 to 2018. As the Founder of the Estonian Boys’ Choir (1971) and the Rector of the Estonian Music Academy (1982–1992), he sought specific qualities in a piano. The instrument’s sound and intonation reflect the ideal of a singing instrument, reminiscent of a boys’ choir with its pure, warm, and lyrical tone. Meticulously crafted with premium materials and attention to detail, these pianos seamlessly combine tradition and innovation, blending heritage with modernity. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Special editions |url=https://www.estoniapiano.com/our-pianos/special-editions/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Estonia Pianos |language=en-US}}</ref>
⚫ * Model 168: 168&nbsp;cm (5'6")
⚫ * Model 190: 190&nbsp;cm (6'3")
⚫ * Model 210: 210&nbsp;cm (6'10")
⚫ * Model 225: 225&nbsp;cm (7'4")
⚫ * Grand Model 274: 274&nbsp;cm (9'0")


==References== ==References==
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{{Commons category|Estonia pianos}} {{Commons category|Estonia pianos}}
* {{Official website}} * {{Official website}}
*
⚫ * '']'', 19-08-2011.
*
* '']''. Andrew Whyte, Neit-Eerik Nestor (11 October 2024)
* . Polly Allen (2 April 2024)
* '']''. Tom Edwards (23 February 2024)
* '']''. Andrew Whyte, Maiken Tiits (31 March 2023)
* ] (22 August 2022)
* ''].'' Lennart Ruuda (14 September 2020)
* (28 January 2018)
* '']''. Silver Tambur (11 July 2014).
⚫ * '']'', Isabelle de Pommerau (19 August 2011)
* ''].'' (1 September 2003)


{{Coord|59|26|53.27|N|24|43|48.46|E|region:EE|display=title}} {{Coord|59|26|53.27|N|24|43|48.46|E|region:EE|display=title}}

Latest revision as of 08:24, 21 January 2025

Company based in Estonia
Logo on soundboard

Estonia Piano Factory (Estonian: Estonia Klaverivabrik) is a handcrafted grand piano manufacturing company based in Tallinn.

History

Piano-making in Estonia goes back over 200 years under German influence, and from 1850 to 1940 there were nearly 20 piano manufacturers operating in the country. The most famous of these was Ernst Hiis-Ihse, who studied piano making in the Steinway Hamburg and Blüthner factories and established his own company in 1893. His piano designs gained international recognition. In 1950 the Communist-dominated Estonian government consolidated many smaller Estonian piano makers into a factory managed by Hiis, making pianos under the Estonia name for the first time. The instruments became prominent on concert stages throughout Eastern Europe and, amazingly, more than 7,400 concert grands were made. However, after Hiis’s death, in 1964, the quality of the pianos gradually declined, partly due to the fact that high-quality parts and materials were hard to come by during the Communist occupation of the country. After Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the factory struggled to maintain production. In 1994 Estonia pianos were introduced to the U.S. market.

In 1994 the company was privatized under the Estonia name, with the managers and employees as owners. During the following years, Indrek Laul, an Estonian recording artist with a doctorate in piano performance from the Juilliard School of Music, gradually bought shares of the company from the stockholders until, in 2001, he became sole owner. Dr. Laul lives in the U.S. and represents the company here. In 2005, at its 100th-anniversary celebration, the Juilliard School named him one of the school’s top 100 graduates; and in 2015, the President of Estonia awarded Laul the Presidential Medal, in recognition of the contribution Estonia pianos have made to awareness of that country.

While Indrek Laul developed the business at the North America, he invited Venno Laul, his father, to be the CEO of the factory from 2005. He built a team to bring the factory to a new level: two new piano models – L225 (2010) and L210 (2012) – were introduced, and an international network of representatives was established. Indrek’s mother, Reet Laul, headed the quality control team, and each piano was checked for its musical qualities by a family member. Indrek Laul became the factory's CEO in 2018, and his wife Triin-Maret Laul has been the Sound Specialist since 2013.

In August 2022, as per the 2021 national survey conducted in the Republic of Estonia, Estonian Post, a state postal agency, issued the postal stamp and envelope to commemorate the Estonia piano as "a great and beloved item of the country."

Characteristics

Concert pianist Marc-André Hamelin, after choosing an Estonia piano for himself, commented, "The level of craftsmanship in the Estonia piano can only inspire the highest respect and I have no doubt that this piano will continue to prove essential to sensitive musicians."

Models

Estonia's pianos are performance quality acoustic grand pianos manufactured in the Republic of Estonia. Five models have been available, offered in an ebony polish finish as well as a range of custom finishes.

Grand Pianos

  • Model 168: 168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
  • Model 190: 190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
  • Model 210: 210 cm (6 ft 11 in)
  • Model 225: 225 cm (7 ft 5 in)
  • Grand Model 274: 274 cm (9 ft 0 in)

Special Edition Laul Estonia

The Laul family’s timeless dedication to exceptional sound quality and tone is embodied in the Laul Estonia series, where each piano represents a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Venno Laul served as the Manager of Estonia Piano Factory from 2005 to 2018. As the Founder of the Estonian Boys’ Choir (1971) and the Rector of the Estonian Music Academy (1982–1992), he sought specific qualities in a piano. The instrument’s sound and intonation reflect the ideal of a singing instrument, reminiscent of a boys’ choir with its pure, warm, and lyrical tone. Meticulously crafted with premium materials and attention to detail, these pianos seamlessly combine tradition and innovation, blending heritage with modernity.

References

  1. ^ "Estonia". Piano Buyer. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  2. "Our Team". Estonia Pianos. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  3. "Omniva: A stamp from the series 'Great Estonian Things' will be issued – the Estonia piano". www.omniva.ee. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  4. Estonia piano Cunningham Archived 8 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Our Pianos". Estonia Pianos. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  6. "Special editions". Estonia Pianos. Retrieved 21 January 2025.

External links

59°26′53.27″N 24°43′48.46″E / 59.4481306°N 24.7301278°E / 59.4481306; 24.7301278

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