Joseph Pramberger
Encyclopedia
Joseph J. Pramberger was a manufacturer of pianos
and the founder of the Pramberger Piano Company.
of Germany
. Johann Joseph Pramberger, born in 1779, began making pianos in Vienna
, Austria
. Joseph Pramberger's father, Anton, began his apprenticeship at an early age handcrafting fine works of art, becoming a Master Artisan in the tradition of Old World European craftsman. The Pramberger family decided to leave war-torn Europe
for the United States at the urging of family members who had been working at Steinway & Sons since 1913, in Astoria, New York. Anton had been promised work at the piano factory. There, he put his skills to work, dedicating 25 years as a Pattern Maker and designing and creating the equipment required to build fine pianos.
, where he spent 29 years perfecting his skills, first as a Design and Project Engineer, then as Vice President of Manufacturing.
Joseph further expanded his skills as a Mechanical Engineer at New York University
in 1966, by studying, refining and documenting established piano making operations. He traveled the world visiting and consulting with suppliers and major piano manufactures in the U.S., Europe, Japan
and Korea
.
In 1987, he formed his own company, Pramberger Piano Ltd., where he and his father Anton worked together in the restoration and rebuilding of pianos.
Joseph joined Young Chang
in 1995 where he made dramatic innovations in sound and action design to help improve the quality of their affordable grand pianos. That led the company to produce a new line called the Pramberger Series. Mr. Pramberger saw the culmination of his work in 2000 with the launch of his own piano line, the Pramberger Platinum Piano. Most new Prambergers are re-badged Samicks, earlier models are re-badged Young Chang.
Mr. Pramberger died of cancer on December 15, 2003.
Pianos
Pianos is a two-story bar/restaurant/live music venue in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan at 158 Ludlow Street.Its stage attracts local and national alternative rock groups as well as DJs, though a more typical performance consists of smaller name local and touring acts...
and the founder of the Pramberger Piano Company.
Lineage
The Pramberger family's history of piano craftsmanship dates back to the late 18th century in the Black ForestBlack Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Johann Joseph Pramberger, born in 1779, began making pianos in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Joseph Pramberger's father, Anton, began his apprenticeship at an early age handcrafting fine works of art, becoming a Master Artisan in the tradition of Old World European craftsman. The Pramberger family decided to leave war-torn Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for the United States at the urging of family members who had been working at Steinway & Sons since 1913, in Astoria, New York. Anton had been promised work at the piano factory. There, he put his skills to work, dedicating 25 years as a Pattern Maker and designing and creating the equipment required to build fine pianos.
Career
When Anton came to America in 1950, he brought his son, Joseph Pramberger, who would become the modern-day link in the Pramberger lineage of piano makers. Starting in 1958, he honed his craft at Steinway & SonsSteinway & Sons
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway , is an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos, founded 1853 in Manhattan in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg...
, where he spent 29 years perfecting his skills, first as a Design and Project Engineer, then as Vice President of Manufacturing.
Joseph further expanded his skills as a Mechanical Engineer at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1966, by studying, refining and documenting established piano making operations. He traveled the world visiting and consulting with suppliers and major piano manufactures in the U.S., Europe, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
In 1987, he formed his own company, Pramberger Piano Ltd., where he and his father Anton worked together in the restoration and rebuilding of pianos.
Joseph joined Young Chang
Young Chang
Young Chang is a Korean manufacturer of pianos and industrial wood working machinery, headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. Young Chang also currently holds 50% of the Korean piano market....
in 1995 where he made dramatic innovations in sound and action design to help improve the quality of their affordable grand pianos. That led the company to produce a new line called the Pramberger Series. Mr. Pramberger saw the culmination of his work in 2000 with the launch of his own piano line, the Pramberger Platinum Piano. Most new Prambergers are re-badged Samicks, earlier models are re-badged Young Chang.
Mr. Pramberger died of cancer on December 15, 2003.