Footnotes

This piano is being sold by Nigel Frieda owner of Osea Island and Matrix Recording Studios. He purchased the historic Wessex Studios, which he incorporated under the Umberella of Matrix Studios, in 1993 from the Crysalis Group which was headed by Sir George Martin. Within the purchase of Wessex he aquired all the studio equipment which included this Imperial Bösendorfer piano. The piano was housed in Studio one and was played by an array of artists who recorded at the studio from 1977, when the piano was purchased, until the studio was eventually closed in 2003. Following it's closure the piano was moved to Frieda's Osea island where he had intended to use it in a purpose built third studio.

The piano has been played by some of Rock and Pop's biggest names. In the accompanying letter from Frieda he states that Wessex chief engineer Bill Price ...recalls an amusing story of an occasion when Queen and the Sex Pistols were both recording their albums simultaneously at Wessex and how Jonny Rotten decided to make a suprise appearance to meet Freddie Mercury while Freddie was actually playing the Bösendorfer. Queen recorded their sixth studio album News Of The World at both Wessex and Sarm West Sudios between July and September 1977. It was also during this time that the Sex Pistols put down their only studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols also at Wessex.

Frieda while owning the studios also has recollections of thoes who recorded there and used this concert piano. This includes it being featured on iconic records such as Coldplay's first studio album, he states ...Coldplay spent several months working on the 'Parachutes' album. which was released in 2000 and includes the singles Shiver, Trouble and Yellow. This piano was also used by Talk Talk on their Spirit of Eden album and was the piano was played ...when cutting the track 'Angels'... for Robbie Williams.

Imperial Bösendorfer pianos have a unique sound quality and are the only concert pianos to cover a full eight octives. This is achieved by having 97 keys rather than the standard 88. The extra keys which cover bass notes are coloured black to allow the player to recognise the additional keys.