This is old video recorded in 2010. In 2017 Fazioli redesigned their soundboards and frames. The newer Fazioli pianos have a richer, fuller sound. Also, the f278 here is not the top of the line model. Their f308 sounds better and has more sound projection than the Shigeru Kawai SK EX in my opinion.
I never WANTED to like KAWAI. In fact, my circle of friends have always been Yamaha or Baldwin fanboys. Wanting to fit in I’ve oft tried playing Baldwin’s and Yamaha’s before purchasing yet I find myself always buying KAWAI. There action always feels best to me. Their warm rich sound always bests the competition IMHO
Well, Baldwin has changed and thing with Yamaha and Kawai is the constant revisions and refinements. Yamaha, though, has changed more in its tonal character than Kawai has. Kawai is one of the fullest pianos and deepest sounding pianos I can think of. It especially works well with their lower-priced and smaller grands. Yamaha keeps tweaking their sound and now goes for the "ringing" type of sound. If Yamaha were a pen, it would be a fine point or a wine it would be light to medium bodied where Kawai is medium point and full bodied. Kawai should get more publicity.
The Fazioli impresses by its sovereign tone and projection, wider and more defined than the Shigeru, which has its own merits (the beautiful intimate midrange) but is not quite of the same class. Confusing is the very differing pace at which the nocturne is played, giving an artificial advantage to the Fazioli, because the tempo is much slower and therefore the definition of the sounds better.
The Fazioli had more clarity, considerably more, in the loud sections. The Shigeru goes for more atmosphere and depth in the quieter sections. I don't look for winners though. There were 4 pianos used in this competition and the Steinway and Yamaha were played much more than Fazioli and Shigeru for whatever reason. But they're all fine pianos. Very fine pianos.
The Fazioli is crystal clear, each note is well separated from the others and it's an almost out of this world experience of purity. Kawaii is soft and slow with less dynamic range, which ultimately makes me fell uninvolved and kind of "blah".
I hear a crisp and clear sound from the Fazioli, but the Shigeru Kawai sounds so warm and inviting. I'd take the SK, but one piano that cannot be topped (in my opinion) is a Hamburg built Steinway & Sons Model D.
Shigeru sk-ex concert grand is the best piano to my opinion. But these are nearly identical. Only the recording volume and room and pianist makes the very minor difference. The price could differentiate them, maybe.
I’ve never had the opportunity to playa Fazioli. Sight (should say touch/sound) ‘unseen’ I’d probably choose the Fazioli. After hearing these on my iPad imbedded mini speakers, I liked the KAWAI. They are both THE BEST two in the world. Blind: it would be a toss up of listeners. I think the choice would boil down to touch/feel/control and price. At a $75,000 difference in the 7’ ebony, the Kawai wins hands down. With an unlimited billionaire budget, Id have to do a side by side feel/touch/control. Even if the Fazioli is better, we’d be looking at an A++ vs A+. However, both are magnificent. When I brought my wife to hear the K.KAWAI I liked, she said nothing. 45 minutes on the way home (w/45 min to go) I asked, “What did you think?” Three words “It was magnificent!” Then why didn’t you say something? ‘I was afraid you’d buy it.” A few weeks later we did. Magnificent and not even the Shiguru.
They both sound great, and had this been a blind test, I would have mixed them up. I looked up the price of the Shigeru Kawai, it is up for grabs for a bit over 160,000 €.
Agree 100%. As I commented...we only get a very vague idea of the differences. They weren't even both the same size. One was a semi- and the other a full concert sized grand. Played by 2 different players on different days. It wasn't as if they could have pushed aside one piano and pushed iin the other into the same spot every few minutes. :) Nor were they even placed (at least) side by side. Same player. But as much as RU-vidrs listen to the sound to get a glimpse of the sound differences...if one is a shopper..other factors play into the decision. Like the customer service history of that company. What measures they took to make sure the grand arrived to our homes jin one piece. To be setup properly. Do they leave the dealer/shop to pre-delivery inspection? Voicing? To my knowledge Kawai goes to the most lengths with their Shigeru Series pianos...sending a qualified technician to the buyer's home from Japan. To voice the piano according to the acoustics of the room in the home or stage. Which actualy shouldn't be surprising when we're talking about near $200k grands (Fazioli)...the Shigeru $20k less. :)
@@AGC828 Absolutely right. Both are excellent crafted pianos. There was an ignorant idiot that wrote in another video's comment that "Kawai sucks and a Steinway is 1000x better." It is purely subjective and of preference.
We all have preferences. I've listened to many of the performances multiple times in this particular Chopin competition. To me, the European pianos were fuller but somewhat harsher and more "rhapsodic" in FF sections. The Yamaha CFX, most popular among the contestants there, and this Shigeru SK-EX, not as popular but played by more contestants than the Fazioli, were sweeter and more lyrical but neither made as large a sound in the tuttis. It really didn't depend on the players either. That quality came through. They all "sang" in their trebles but in different ways. I particularly found the Japanese pianos more lyrical and "emotional." I personally never prefer Faziolis so far in terms of tone. I don't find they sound any more orchestral than Steinways, personally. Both sound like large European pianos to my ears. But piano sound preference is very personal. And I may like Faziolis more down the road. I haven't really heard that many yet. That said, you can voice pianos in different ways and no two of any of these brands sound exactly alike.
Thank you so much! This tight comparison reveals the truth ... that I grasped intuitively before but did not trust my insight until I had the final proof by this recording. In the high-dynamics range with romantic music, the Kawai is much to loud, too 'banging' and the Fazioli has the much better equilibrium, being smoother in general sound quality, like the Steinways, having that important buffer for peaks in dynamics that the Kawai is lacking out on. Same characteristics by the way for the Yamaha Concert Grands that all 'bang' when being played grand fortissimo. Richter preferred Yamaha over Steinway but all his recordings, for example of Debussy, on Yamaha Grands are banging terribly in the fortissimo passages.
Got admit. At beginning I loved how warm Kawai sound at pianismo. But when it got fortissimo FAZIOLI is the winner all the way. Kawai right hand couldn’t be as expressive as FAZIOLI both good piano though. I will go for FAZIOLI
Hard choice, talking about two world class grandpianos... In a way F seems more dry and somewhat muffled, perfect for romantic literature, K resembles a hybrid between Boesendorfer and Yamaha with a class of its own... Great basses and cristal clear treble... Wonderful both of them.
Shigeru Kawai sk-ex concert grand is listed $225k + taxes. How much the Fazioli? I ill do like M.Jackson. I will take two of these..no three of these..
How can you compare pianos played by two different pianists?....Fazioli is powerful but lacks a little colour.. Shigeru K is a little weaker... But but both are good in their own right. Bosendorfer now has the Vienna Concert series....Other pianos are not seen on the concert stage... Seiler, August Forster. Ant Petrof,, Schimmel Konzert, Grotrian.Bluthner< C Bechstein... I wish someday we have all these pianos compared played by one artist in the same auditorium with the same microphones etc...
Microphone type and placement would have to be identical not sure it was. I know Shigeru barrowed from both the Fazioli design and the Hamburg Steinway bridge. It also uses a carbon fibre action . And double duplex scaling .
Read the description above: “Sound was recorded during 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw Symphony Concert Hall (9 October 2010). Microphones settings and position of pianos on the stage is the same for each recording.”
Kawai piano is more truly contains sadnesses in the first and second track. Whilst the Fazioli has a good sound, but not Gloomy as the Shigeru Kawais. These two pianos are very beautiful and I can't choose which piano wins. For this one, I think the sound is Fazioli, but the emotion is Shigeru Kawai.
Two different recordings, two different pianists, probably different technicians and different acoustics. In addition the sound I'm listening to is recreated electronically in a computer. In short: It's really hard to tell what the actual difference is.
This was recorded at the Chopin Competition in 2015 in Poland. The pianos shared the same stage and I'd have to guess that the mics used to record were the same. The pianos were positioned near the same part of the stage, as well.
Read the description above: “ Sound was recorded during 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw Symphony Concert Hall (9 October 2010). Microphones settings and position of pianos on the stage is the same for each recording.”
Some might perfer the sound of the Fazioli....but even in most major cities around the world....there is likely only ONE dealer with ONE certified service man. Should you for whatever the reason not get along one day....Whereas, I'm assuming Shigeru-Kawai has a vew dealers in each large city with a few service man qualified. Close to the network Yamaha has...as far as acoustic grands go...
Both great pianos. I own a Kawai GX2 Blak and absolutely love it! I couldn't afford a more expensive model. I haven't tried Fazoli but after spending two months back and forth between Yamaha and Kawai I chose Kawai because it had a richer sound. I know it's a personal preference, but Yamaha was too bright for my tastes.
Your recordings are different in quality the dynamic range and microphone placement are totally different as well. Not comparable at all! However I enjoyed the music, thanks
Read above: “Sound was recorded during 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw Symphony Concert Hall (9 October 2010). Microphones settings and position of pianos on the stage is the same for each recording.”
Ok headphones on Fazioli wins to my ears. Richer bass for sure but without getting swept up in its own wash of sound little punchier too when called on.
This is a very difficult and delicate test. First of all, it is impossible to hear the true qualities of each piano on a computer. Ex you would need some very high quality electrostatic headhones, or a very high quaity (Priced) amp and speakers in an empty room with no furniture to simulate the near surroundings of the concerthall .Secondly we have the problem with the recording, and two different players. Only a robot could do it perfect. The placement of the mics in exactly the same position is difficult. The only real way is physically to be present. The rich sound of them both will be much more destinguishable, an the true characters revealed. Having said that - they are both very fine 'grands',. Could I have done the recording or comparison any better? No, probably not. I don't think so. Like redwine we are also unware about our prejudgies. We all have our impressions from marketing, hitory, the looks, age and wear of the piano, the awareness of the price, the touch and sensitivity of the keyboard and pedals, colours , materials and the impression of wonderful looking pianists and famous names. We are so to speak not objective. The honest tests (in theory) would be to listen blindfolded not able to see anything, then moving the piano and subsitute it with the next in line keeping the same seat. Life is not like that. Wheather you are a concertpianist or 'just' a musiclover, do yourself a favour. Take the time and visit a pianoshop or concerthall, where they display more of these grand pianos. You'll probably end up having several favorites for different styles. Bösendorfer, Steinway , Steinweg, Yamaha, Fazioli, Sigeru Kwai, Pleyel, Steingraeber & Söhne Blütner, Baldwin, Mason & Hamlin. LIsten to the piano, and then look at it later. You would be surprised to realise what really is to your taste. Who can call themselves experts? The recording engineer, any casual listener ,the composer? Khatia Buniatishvili playing Rachmanininov or Oscar Peterson? If I was standing next to you claiming that the best piano is the Playel from Paris, I could probably persuade you, because I could tell you a story about Chopin, who actually played and made his compositions on a Playel. Mozart didn't play these grand and famous pianos, since they were not yet develloped. Most likely he only had 54 keys to play and in the beginning no pedals. I have my own favorites, one of them beeing he Fazioli but I really like and prefer many types of 'chocolates'. Allow yourselves to be honest and to be seduced by the sound and not only listening to all of us betterknowing experts.
A me pare più aperto e pieno il Fazioli, ma le differenze mi sembrano minime, due gran pianoforti. Poi accordatura e intonazione possono fare molta differenza.
Shigeru è più equilibrato. Riesce ad avere un suono penetrante ma allo stesso tempo ben proporzionato ed educato. Fazioli è più asciutto e duro e forse ancora più penetrante rispetto al nipponico. Per questo notturno propenderei per sk, ma può benissimo essere che sia congeniale al pezzo. Detto questo forse sceglierei fazioli. In entrambi i casi due gran pianoforti
Bösendorffer Shegeru Steinway ( not clean bus lauder... I played hamburg b and 225 bösendorffer and sk3) sk3 best inturms of cleanliness bösendorffer interns of bass) steinway is laser version of sk ex
