{"id":4789,"date":"2023-11-20T07:07:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T06:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.klaviano.com\/piano-blog\/?p=4789"},"modified":"2023-11-08T12:10:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T11:10:37","slug":"august-forster-piano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.klaviano.com\/piano-blog\/august-forster-piano.html","title":{"rendered":"August Forster review – remarkable history, sound and endurance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Discover the secret of the unmistakable sound of August Forster pianos. We invite you to delve into the extraordinary history of this brand and learn about their unique patents. Thanks to which, their pianos stay in tune for a very long time. And an August Forster piano can play without major overhaul for up to 80 years! What famous pianist played on it? And is August Forster the same as Forster? You can find out all about it in the article below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of five generations of constructors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The history of the August Forster brand begins in the 19th century in L\u00f6bau, a small town in south-eastern Germany. The founder of the brand was August Forster, who began his adventure in piano production with passion and determination on 1 April 1859<\/strong>. Initially, he worked independently, concentrating on handcrafting pianos with the highest sound quality and exceptional precision workmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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August Forster factory in L\u00f6bau, Germany<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After August’s death, his son Caesar Forster took over the company. In 1900, he established a second branch of the factory in Georgswalde (Czech: Jirikov) in the Czech Republic<\/strong>. He did this to avoid the high import duties that were then in force in the Kingdom of Austria-Hungary. By setting up a production facility directly across the border, just 15 km from L\u00f6bau, the additional duties could be avoided and the sales area increased. This move resulted in later confusion in distinguishing original pianos of the August Forster<\/a> brand<\/strong>. More on this later in the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fate of the August Forster brand was not without its difficulties. During the period of nationalisation after the Second World War, the factory was taken over by the state. This created many challenges for continuity of production and maintaining high quality. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Forster family regained control of the factory<\/strong>. Restoring the brand to its former glory and continuing the tradition of producing pianos of the highest quality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"august<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Today, the August Forster brand is still run by the fifth generation of the F\u00f6rster family!<\/strong> Their commitment to maintaining consistently high sound quality and craftsmanship contributes to the continuation of the brand’s heritage and success. Which remains one of the leading piano manufacturers internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

August Forster or Forster piano?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned earlier, a second branch of the Forster factory was established in the Czech Republic in 1900<\/strong>. After 1945, it was already in Czechoslovakia. It was nationalised by the communists and handed over to Petrof<\/a> administration. It also lost all links with the German subsidiary<\/strong>. Despite this, production of Forster pianos<\/a> and grand pianos continued until 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until 2000, grand pianos with the August Forster logo<\/a> were also produced at the Czech Petrof factory. However, apart from the name, they have nothing in common with pianos and grand pianos from L\u00f6bau<\/strong> – the German factory of August Forster. They have a completely different sound, quality and lower prices<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How do you tell the difference between a German August Forster piano and a Czech Forster piano?<\/strong> Carefully check the markings on the soundboard or the cast iron frame.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
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\"German<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"German<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Czech<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"German<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Czech<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

High-quality sound<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the very beginning, August Forster attached great importance to sound quality<\/strong>. His quest for perfection led to the creation of exceptional design solutions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • The uniquely shaped resonance plate<\/strong>, patented in 1866.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Very strong cast iron frame<\/strong> with specially constructed rear posts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The secret of the incredibly warm and seductive sound of August Forster pianos lies not only in their unique soundboard. It is also due to the precise handcrafting of each piano. Today, around 40 skilled craftsmen and specialists work to produce around 110 grand pianos and 150 upright pianos every year!<\/strong> See the rest for yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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