Unity in Diversity

In 1897 in Vienna, a group of Austrian artists split off from the traditional Vienna Künstlerhaus with the slogan Ver Sacrum (holy spring). “A fresh wind shall blow, which shall sweep away the backwardness of the Künstlerhaus.” Led by Gustav Klimt, many artistic greats followed, among them Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich. They shaped the Secession style, which is often also called Viennese Jugendstil.

With this splitting off, the need for a building for the new artistic association emerged, where the artworks could be exhibited. Inspired by Otto Wagner and Gustav Klimt, Joseph Maria Olbrich drafted the Secession building, a “temple of art” and one of the key works of Viennese Jugendstil. Especially impressive is how the Secession movement realizes its motto Ver Sacrum with the cupola’s leaf canopy. The building’s towering symbol exhibits a diameter of 9 metres. Gossamer gold leaf, ingeniously applied to the green-coloured leaves, accounts for the overwhelming, luminous effect.

The Bösendorfer Secession Grand takes up this symbol of bay leaves in ornamented form from the façade. Gold-plated with 23-carat gold, the leaves on the inside of the lid shine, as does the gold-plated cast iron frame. The inside walls of the case and the pin block take up the delicate green colour of the bay leaves from the cupola. The motto Ver Sacrumis engraved in the music stand letter by letter and likewise gold-plated with 23-carat gold. The edge of the lid and the pedal box are rimmed with gold-plated lines done by hand. The model Secession captivates in size 214VC Vienna Concert Grand with brilliant sound and sheer inexhaustible tone colours. As a collector’s item, the design is limited to 21 instruments. The Bösendorfer Secession Grand Piano exudes the creative power of the Secessionists: unity in diversity as well as the revolutionary thoughts of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony—a zeitgeist that will likely never lose its validity.

Technology, design and craftsmanship combined into a Gesamtkunstwerk. The Bösendorfer Architecture Series.

Bösendorfer Grand 214VC