The Frying Pan Piano

27 September 2023

Did you know that the concert grand piano at the National Library Building once graced the stage of the Victoria Memorial Hall? Now a public piano, it was once criticised by many international pianists for its abysmal tone, with world-renowned pianist Claudio Arrau comparing it to "a cooking pot and a frying pan". Find out how it came to replace the original Steinway at the Memorial Hall, and how it ended up with such a reputation.