Château Piano: the timeless sound of a legend reborn

Deep within the French countryside, just north of Paris, sits Château d’Hérouville a place that holds an extraordinary chapter of music history. In its grand salon stands a 1901 Steinway B, a piano whose sound has echoed through some of the most iconic recordings ever made. Once owned by the composer Michel Magne, the instrument became the heartbeat of the legendary Château d’Hérouville studios, where artists such as Elton John, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, and Pink Floyd crafted their defining works.

After the studio closed in 1985, silence fell over the piano for decades. Dust and time took their toll, and what was once a vibrant creative space became a shadow of its former self. But in 2020, the Château reopened under new ownership — and with it began a meticulous restoration of the Steinway B by master tuner Bastien Herbin. Every component, from the aged hammers to the worn ivory keys, was restored with the care of someone reviving a soul rather than simply fixing an instrument.

The result is Château Piano — a virtual instrument that captures every nuance of this historic grand. Recorded with exceptional precision, it preserves the warmth, resonance, and delicate imperfections that made the original so unique. Each note carries a trace of history: the soft creak of the pedals, the shimmering decay of a sustained chord, the quiet weight of a century-old mechanism reborn.

This piano does not chase perfection — it celebrates character. Its tone is both intimate and cinematic, capable of filling a score with emotional depth or a song with nostalgic clarity. Whether played solo or layered within a modern arrangement, it brings an unmistakable personality that connects eras, bridging the sound of the 1970s recording rooms with today’s digital studios.

Available for Kontakt Player 8.6 or later, Château Piano runs on macOS and Windows and delivers the unmistakable voice of an instrument that shaped decades of music. It’s more than a sampled piano — it’s a conversation with history, ready to speak again in the hands of today’s creators.

https://www.spitfireaudio.com/en-us/products/chateau-pianopaid library

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