STEINWAY & SONS’ LIMITED EDITION IN MONOCHROME DESIGN
Steinway & Sons elevates its legendary craftsmanship by unveiling the Ultra Black and Ultra White Limited Editions, two strikingly contemporary grand pianos that embrace pure, uncompromising monochrome design. Produced at the Hamburg factory, this collection is limited to just 52 instruments worldwide — 26 in each finish, split between 18 Model B and 8 Model D concert grands. The most radical design departure is the instruments’ total color saturation, culminating in the all-black and all-white keyboards. At the exclusive press event, the launch was celebrated with a live performance by the Piano Brothers, perfectly matching the evening’s theme.
‘Performing on the Ultra Black and Ultra White pianos in a concert setting was a unique experience. When I first found out that all the keys would be the same color, I was intrigued as to how this would feel, especially in a situation where I was expected to deliver at concert level. Elwin and I had a very short time to acquaint ourselves with the instruments; at first it was a surreal experience, particularly for the Ultra Black. I think this is because the keys on a normal piano are predominantly white, so for every single key to be black took some getting used to. But after a few hours of playing, it became much easier – particularly as I was playing the Ultra Black for 90% of the concert – so we spent a lot of time together. As with every Steinway, each of the pianos had its own personality – both Elwin and I were so pleased that they complimented each other perfectly,’ comments Dominic Ferris, one of the musicians, after having debuted the pianos.
Steinway & Sons’ Ultra Black and Ultra White Limited Editions | all images courtesy of Steinway & Sons
FROM HERITAGE TO NEW EXPRESSIONS IN PIANO MAKING
Since its founding in 1853, Steinway & Sons has set the uncompromising standard for sound, craftsmanship, and design in piano making. As the choice of nine out of ten concert pianists, the brand balances a deep heritage with continuous innovation. The Ultra Black and Ultra White editions mark a departure from the classic finish, experimenting on new expressions with a sharp, modern design sensibility.
‘We were looking for a design in a pure and yet modern style, with a smooth and sleek charm, a design that exudes elegance and sophistication. We started experimenting with the colours of the cast-iron plate and the soundboard. We did the first renderings with the standard keyboard and at that moment, we simply asked ourselves, what if… and once we saw the monochrome keys on each piano, we knew we had reached the concept we were looking for,’ explains Camilo Daza Tapia, Head of Product Management at Steinway & Sons Germany. The entire limited run is produced at the company’s factory in Hamburg, Germany, a facility that, along with its New York counterpart, maintains the brand’s global standard.
the contemporary grand pianos embrace pure, uncompromising monochrome design
ULTRA BLACK & ULTRA WHITE ENSURE UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE
The design of the two editions is meticulous and total. The Ultra Black strikes with a bold, all-black identity. Its rim is finished in Jet Black, celebrated for its dramatic depth, and the monochrome look is carried through every detail: a stained black underside, a black-stained soundboard, and a cast-iron plate in Liquid Black Yellow. Even the metal fittings are Black PVD, extending the palette with a subtle sheen, culminating in an all-black keyboard.
the most radical design departure is the total color saturation, culminating in the all-black and all-white keyboards
The decision to invert the traditional keyboard color raised functional questions, yet the design team had a precise solution: ‘We knew it was going to be an unexpected if not puzzling visual surprise for some pianists, so we decided that the 36 sharp and flat keys should have a matte surface, and the 52 keys for the basic notes should have a polished surface, which makes them perfectly distinguishable,’ explains the Product Manager. This subtle, tactile difference ensures the pianist’s required orientation is maintained. The functionality was confirmed by internal testing.
‘We are lucky to have many colleagues at Steinway who play the piano well, some even professionally. They were the first ones to have had access to the prototypes. When we saw the ease with which one of them started to play Rhapsody in Blue and another played some boogie-woogie, all our worries disappeared immediately,’ Daza Tapia further explains.
the Ultra Black and Ultra White Editions are limited to just 52 pianos worldwide
Conversely, the Ultra White is a striking contrast, featuring a Pure White rim — a luminous, soft white radiating clarity and brightness. It features a washed underside, a white-stained soundboard, and a high-gloss white cast-iron plate, accented by chrome metal fittings and studio double casters. In a discreet design move, both pianos only feature an engraved Steinway logo on the front, leaving the sides completely clean.
Additionally, both models are equipped with Steinway’s SPIRIO | r technology, the world’s most advanced high-resolution player piano. This technology uses Steinway’s patented sensor system to capture every nuance of the performance. It’s an innovation to preserve live performances for the next generation, replicating the artist’s exact motion to create an experience that feels authentic, unfiltered, and immediate. The feature allows the instrument to play live and even share performances in real-time globally via SPIRIOCAST.
both models are equipped with Steinway’s SPIRIO | r technology
The launch also celebrated a collaboration with Bentley Motors, where the Ultra Editions were mirrored by a Bentley Flying Spur Speed finished in Arctic White with a Piano Black veneer interior. The partnership underscores the shared tradition of craftsmanship, with both brands exchanging knowledge on woodworking and veneering to create objects designed to last for decades.
‘As part of this partnership, we didn’t just design side by side. We exchanged knowledge. Bentley’s team visited our workshops and our artisans visited theirs. And what came from it was a deeper understanding – that precision and passion aren’t industry-specific. It has been and continues to be a conversation, a dialogue between two worlds, discussing the best of craftsmanship in the details. It is about the finishes, the story behind the wood, mastering the veneers, the way every line, every curve, every stitch carries intention,’ the Product Manager concludes.
the launch event also celebrated a collaboration with Bentley Motors
the Piano Brothers live at the press event in Hamburg
the Ultra Editions were mirrored by a Bentley Flying Spur Speed in Arctic White with a Piano Black veneer interior
project info:
name: Ultra Black and Ultra White Limited Editions
company: Steinway & Sons | @steinwaygermany
product: 52 grand pianos — 18 Model B in Ultra Black; 18 Model B in Ultra White; 8 Model D in Ultra Black; 8 Model D in Ultra White
partnership: Bentley Motors | @bentleymotors
location: Steinway & Sons Manufactory, Hamburg, Germany
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