April 17, 1877

Ideological conflict between William Steinway and his older brother C.F. Theodor Steinweg reaches its apex. C.F. Theodor Steinweg writes to William Steinway on that day: “We should be guided by only one principle: cheap, cheap, cheap and fabricate simply so that we can meet every competition. The name of Steinway is strong enough to remain at the top without all this noise only if the price of our pianos is not too high, which can only happen if we get rid of all that is a burden in the business! […] I will find my next task in building certain cheap pianos; others, with all kinds of patents, are expensive.”