C. Bechstein has been supporting piano culture since its founding in 1853. When the company opened concert halls in Berlin, London, Paris and Saint Petersburg, they quickly became focal points of the musical scene in those capitals. Like Carl Bechstein himself, who maintained close contacts with the greatest pianists of his time, C. Bechstein keeps up an active exchange of ideas with important artists today. The ensuing dialogue influences Bechstein's art of pianomaking.