
Jean Cocteau Bösendorfer Model 200
Artist Series Limited Edition 3/12
PROFESSIONAL PIANIST REVIEW

Jean Cocteau Bösendorfer Model 200
Artist Series Limited Edition 3/12
Review by Pianist-Composer John Ryan
(johnryanpiano.com)
I personally selected this piano to record several new solo piano compositions for an album project that I have been working on. The piano is a special Collector’s Edition Jean Cocteau grand piano from the Bösendorfer Artist Series.
Sound and playability are absolutely amazing, but they are not the only virtues this piano possesses. What this piano puts forth in sound is complemented by the visual appeal and splendor of the case itself. This model 200 (6’-7”) grand piano in high-polished white is adorned with a reproduction of Cocteau’s ‘Orpheus’ on the inside of the piano lid.
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) was a French writer, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. He was a contemporary of Picasso and had working associations with many world famous artists and musicians like Igor Stravinsky and Erik Satie. The Collector's Grand is designed for model size 200 and 214VC. It can be ordered in either black or white polyester with chrome fittings or a silver colored frame and is limited to 12 pieces.
I have played on many Bösendorfer 200’s and in my opinion, the Jean Cocteau 3/12 is truly an exceptional piano. I particularly love the ability of this piano to produce everything from the most gentle and expressive pianissimo to the most powerful forte notes with incredible detail and clarity.
The action and keyboard have been so expertly designed and handcrafted that there is definitely a noticeable increase in the level of dynamic control available to the player not found on most other pianos manufactured today. This increased level of control allows the player to better express their intent because the piano is able to capture the nuances and emotions they are expressing with greater detail. The more the piano gives back to the player, the more inspired the player becomes.
This piano plays and records exceptionally well due to the richness and clarity of the sound it projects. This is made possible partly due to the extra-long length of the bass strings and the increased size of the soundboard found in this 6’-7” model. Pianos in this size-range are especially good for recording as the bass is less likely to overwhelm the other registers (as concert grand pianos sometimes do), resulting in a more balanced and detailed sound recording. When listening to the piano live in a room, it has just the right amount of projection; the bass notes are neither lost nor overwhelming, they are just perfectly balanced with the higher octaves lending a solidity and richness to the overall sound.
Everything I played on this piano sounded very, very good. It is the kind of piano that you lose yourself in; I found myself sitting down to play for a few minutes and realizing that an hour had gone by. I especially liked playing slow to medium tempo compositions with open-airy chords; this is where you can really hear the beauty of this piano. The notes just seem to sustain indefinitely with a pronounced richness and clarity that is really quite remarkable. Bösendorfer pianos have often been described as being ‘darker’ and ‘richer’ sounding than most American and Asian pianos. I would not say that this is a particularly dark piano; in fact is sounds a bit brighter in the middle register than some other Bösendorfer pianos I’ve played, but not overwhelmingly so; it sounds just right. The action is an absolute pleasure to play on. It is smooth, even, incredibly responsive, and as I mentioned earlier, there is a very high degree of control to this keyboard, as well. All said, this is one fine instrument and a shining example of the superiority of Bösendorfer's quality and craftsmanship. A true work of art.

Jean Cocteau ( 1889-1963 ) was a French writer, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. He was a contemporary of Picasso and had working associations with many world famous artists and musicians like Igor Stravinsky and Erik Satie. The Collector's Grand is design for model size 200 and 214VC. It can be ordered in either black or white polyester with chrome fittings and a silver colored frame and is limited to 12 pieces.

"When a work appears to be ahead of its time, it is only the time that is behind the work."





Jean Cocteau, (1889-1963), the French poet, artist and filmmaker, met Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) in June 1915.
Within the year he was pressing Picasso to design sets for his revolutionary ballet, Parade. When the play was first staged, its impact was so ground-breaking that it caused a scandal. This was the beginning of a friendship that lasted 50 years. Cocteau marveled at the way Picasso replaced the human figure 'with a splendid metaphor of lines, masses and colors'. Their prolific collaboration played a vital role in the Modernist movement.

“The Bösendorfer 200 feels luxurious and felty. At 200cm long (6’7″), it’s wonderfully a ‘big piano in a small body’. OK maybe not small, but it feels very concert-like for being a 200. The pianissimo is light and feathery. At louder dynamic ranges it feels more bold. The tone in bass and middle are warm and soft, contrasting to the fairly brilliant top end signature of Bösendorfer. Clear bell sustain in the top is fabulous!” —Glen Barkman

It's All in the Details...

The Jean Cocteau Bösendorfer piano is a collector's item and a temporary clear protective plastic is covering the entire case, of which alters the color in photographs.

Very similar in principle to a violin the whole body - not exclusively the soundboard - supports sound formation. The actual core of the piano rim consists of a 10 mm quarter-sawn piece that is specially grooved by our craftsmen to allow it to be bent to the silhouette around the inner rim. This is unique to Bösendorfer. When a note is played, the integrated spruce components become acoustically active, forming a complete resonating body that allows the whole instrument to project your play. An outstanding richness of tone color and our legendary pure and brilliant sound is crafted this way. This complex construction is part of the Viennese tradition of piano making.




A Bösendorfer Grand shows optimal controllability. Developed in cooperation with artists and technicians our action is crafted to our own, refined specification. This action is built to transfer the finest articulation of masterful play. Controllability at play.





