Sauter History

Sauter is the world’s oldest piano company that has been continuously in business. It has been producing pianos since1819 and is still owned by the Sauter family. Even though the production principles have evolved the core philosophy of sound has been maintained until today.

The Stein Fortepiano Company, Mozart and Carl Sauter Pianos

The first piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori. The invention was picked up by Gottfried Silbermann who produced the first hammer mechanism in 1726.Johann Andreas Stein (1728-1792) was working in the Silbermann workshop under the direction of Johann Daniel Silbermann. Johann Andreas Stein opened his own keyboard workshop in Augsburg, Germany, in 1759. Stein was quickly recognized as the finest piano builder in Germany.

A close friend of Johann Andreas Stein was Leopold Mozart who was also from Augsburg but had moved to and married in Salzburg, Austria. The family friendship between the famous piano builder family Stein from Augsburg, Germany, and the musical Mozart clan is documented during a visit of Leopold Mozart and his son Wolfgang in Augsburg, Germany, from June 22nd until July 6th 1763. Also at that time the father of the famous musician and composer purchased a Stein piano which would be subsequently intensely used by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

On October 17th 1777 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Andreas Stein, and his daughter Anna Maria Stein performed together at the Fuggerhaus (a prominent hall in Augsburg) together. To his father he wrote:

"I must now tell you about Stein’s pianos. Before seeing these, Späth’s pianos were my favorites; but I must own that I give preference to those of Stein, for they damp much better than those in Ratisbon. If I strike hard, whether I let my fingers rest on the notes or lift them, the tone dies away at the same time it is heard. Strike the keys as I choose, the tone is always remains even, never either jarring or failing to sound. His instruments have a feature of their own: they are supplied with a peculiar escapement. Not one in a hundred makers attends to this; but without it, it is impossible that a piano should not buzz or jar."

After the death of the company patron Johann Andreas Stein the Stein Fortepiano Company moved to Vienna under the leadership of Nanette Stein who had married Johann Andreas Streicher. There they continued to build pianos and soon became the most influential piano company in the world’s musical capital at that time. In 1813 Johann Grimm joined the Stein Fortepiano Company as an apprentice. He apprenticed from 1813 to 1819 what became his most formative years professionally. The “factory” included 6-12 workers who produced hand made instruments. During the time that young Johann Grimm worked there, the Stein Fortepiano Company built two instruments for Ludwig van Beethoven..

Note that the technical principles that the Stein Fortepiano Company embodied are today famous as the Viennese sound. Johann Grimm learnt very carefully at the Stein Company. After founding his own company he went carefully continued to built his pianos exactly to the standard he had been taught. The sound of a Sauter piano resembles most closely the tonal qualities preferred by Mozart and his contemporaries.

Beethoven and Sauter

During Johann Grimm’s apprenticeship at Stein Company he helped built at least two instruments for Ludwig van Beethoven. Mrs. Nanette Stein was helping Ludwig van Beethoven with the management of his home. Ludwig Beethoven also considered the Stein Pianos as one of his favorite as he composed most of his music on these instruments.


Letter by Ludwig van Beethoven to Mr. Streicher who was the husband of Mrs. Nanette Stein-Streicher. Her refers to having received his piano which he is delighted about.

The Sauter Dynasty

1819-1900: Johann Grimm-Carl Sauter- Johann Sauter

In 1819 impressed by what he had learned at the Stein factory in Vienna Johann Grimm returned to his hometown of Spaichingen and began to faithfully build square pianos in the tradition that he had been introduced. As Johann Grimm did not have any children he asked his nephew Carl Sauter to join the company and later transferred its ownership to him. Under Carl the company became the leading piano manufacturer in Southern Germany making sure to adhere exactly to the construction principles handed down from the founder. After Carl Sauter’s early death, Johann Sauter, at the tender age of 17, took the company over along with his mother.

Johann Sauter: American Innovator

It was Johann Sauter who left Germany for extensive trips to the USA where he explored the technical innovations by Chickering and Steinway. Upon his return Johann Sauter went to work combining the advantages of the US piano production principles with the tradition of Viennese piano manufacturing. The business was thriving and Johann Sauter managed to establish the company firmly in Central Europe.

Carl Sauter II: Protecting a Jewel

With the beginning of the 20th century most piano manufacturers ran into economic difficulties. However, under the leadership of Carl Sauter II the Sauter Piano Company expanded even further by streamlining and modernizing its production. Sauter became the benchmark for European Piano Craftmanship. Despite the economic woes and amidst the bankruptcy of many piano manufacturers, Sauter continued to thrive. In 1952 Sauter focused on producing grand pianos and again expanded its production.

Into the Future: Ulrich Sauter

Since 1982 Ulrich Sauter became part of the company leadership. Preserving the heritage and yet venturing forward into new territory has made the Sauter Piano Company today’s leading piano manufacturer in sound, quality and design. The Carl Sauter factory is among the two leading piano manufacturers who have not given in to outsourcing parts of production to Eastern Europe or Asia. Under the leadership of Ulrich Sauter the company has come to new heights with the new concert grand 275 being accepted by many noteworthy artists all across the world.

Mr. Ulrich Sauter is the leading piano authority in Germany. He currently serves as the president of the German Piano Technicians Guild, is on the board of the German Association of Piano Manufacturers and is an active contributor to German industry magazines.

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