Latest News
| David Helfgott & Petrof Pianos |
| When at home David Helfgott performs on a Petrof Piano |
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| Dizzy’s Jazz Club Select Petrof |
| One of the best Jazz Clubs in Australia has purchased a hand-crafted Petrof Storm as their main piano |
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| Australian Guild of Music Education Inc. call Petrof piano 'beautiful', 'remarkable' and 'very responsive to play' |
| The Australian Guild of Music Education Inc. used a Petrof piano at their recent Graduation Ceremony |
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| Tickets on sale for David Helfgott Fundraising Concerts |
| A fascinating man with an amazing gift, David Helfgott’s life has taken some of the most improbable |
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| Petrof Support David Helfgott Fundraising Concerts |
| The benefits of music in education are well documented, but many school music departments |
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| Limited Edition Petrof Mistral Concert Grand Piano Now Available in Australia |
| The 145th Anniversary Limited Edition Petrof P284 Mistral Concert Grand Piano is an absolutely stunning instrument in every sense of the word |
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The History of PETROF The story of PETROF family printed in the MUSIC TRADES magazine 1839 - Birth of the company founder Antonín Petrof. 1857 - Antonín Petrof goes to Vienna to learn how to build grand pianos at the companies: HEITZMAN, EHRBAR, SCHWEIGHOFER. 1864 - Hradec Králové – construction of the first concert grand piano. 1865 - transforms his father’s joinery workshop into a piano maker’s workshop in the old town behind the Cathedral of the Holy Ghost – the first grand piano is built. 1866 - Austro-Prussian battle at Hradec Králové – production is interrupted. 1874 - The company relocates to a new property outside of the city in the direction of Brno; apart from upright pianos, the company also starts making bourdons. 1880 - A subsidiary in Temesvar in Hungary is opened. 1881 - The company starts keyboard production and the construction of action. 1883 - Production of upright pianos is introduced.  1895 - The company starts exporting instruments, and a warehouse and service centre are established in Vienna. 1899 - Antonín Petrof is appointed by the Emperor as court piano-builder for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and secret councillor. Both titles are later transferred to his sons. 1908 - The company is transformed into a limited liability company, and Marie Petrofová is the confidential clerk. Not only the founder, but also his sons Jan, Jan, Antonín and from 1914 the youngest Vladimír (2nd generation) work for the company. 1915 - Antonín Petrof and his wife Marie die. Throughout the years of the war, the company is managed by the youngest son Vladimír. 1924 - Production of electro-pneumatic pianos and later radio-acoustic pianos is introduced. Exports to Japan, China, Australia and South America.  1928 - PETROF together with the significant American manufacturer STEINWAY open a subsidiary in London at Wigmore Street. The company management enlarges the company administration with the 3rd Petrof generation: Dimitrij, Eduard and Eugene. 1934 - GRAND PRIX – PETROF instruments win the gold medal at the world EXPO in Brussels. 400 people work at the factory. 1948 - Nationalisation of the factory. The Petrofs’ property and rights are confiscated.  1954 - A development department for upright pianos and grand pianos is established. 1958 - Bourdon production is stopped – the PETROF Mondial grand piano wins the gold medal at EXPO Brussels. 1991 - Ing. Jan Petrof (4th generation) takes over after 43 years of totalitarian regime – start of the privatisation process. 1994 - A new modern research centre is opened with its own large-capacity free-field measuring chamber, the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic. 1997 - Továrna na pianina, a. s. is established in Hradec Králové.  1998 - Privatisation of the company by PETROF, spol. s r. o. is finalised. 1999 - 135th anniversary of establishment of the PETROF company. 2001 - PETROF, spol. s r. o. – the factory passed successfully into the hands of the Petrof family, the 5th generation enters. 2003 - Magnetic accelerated action is patented. 2004 - The first instrument using MAA action is built and presented at Frankfurt 2004 in Germany. 140th anniversary of establishment of the PETROF company – Mgr. Zuzana Ceralová - Petrofová (5th generation) becomes president of the company – production of upright and grand piano action of private construction is renewed.  2005 - Mgr. Zuzana Ceralová - Petrofová is appointed president of the European Federation of Music Instrument Manufacturers – CAFIM. 2006 - Production series of 5 grand piano sizes, addition of the P 210 Pasat and PETROF VI concert pianos. Upon request from the customer, it is possible to fit the instrument with its own magnetically balanced keyboard. 2007 - PETROF instruments are marked with the new seal of EUROPEAN EXCELLENCE (acronym EEX). This brand emphasises the European origin of the instrument and guarantees a long lifetime, expert service and high user value. Custom piano building for the most demanding customers, Storm concert grand piano. 2008 - Opening of the subsidiary PETROF USA, new P 237 Monsoon, P 173 Breeze and P 159 Bora grand pianos. |
