Music has been part of Biltmore’s life since George Vanderbilt opened its doors in 1895. The estate’s tradition of musical entertainment was ongoing, even though the Music Room itself wasn’t completed during George’s lifetime.
He did, however, purchase two pianos for his home. Vanderbilt ordered the Steinway Model D concert grand piano in the Tapestry Gallery from Steinway Hall, the company’s grand New York City showroom. It was built at the Steinway factory in Astoria, Queens and completed in January 1902. The piano was then shipped to Biltmore House by train, arriving on June 13, 1902.
During a visit to Biltmore in March 1905, Edith’s sister Pauline Merrill wrote to a friend and described it as “a wonderful-toned concert piano which Mr. Webb plays at any hour, on request or without it!” Mr. Webb was the brother of George’ brother-in-law Seward Webb, the husband of his sister Lila.
The Tapestry Gallery piano is believed to have been played by famed American pianist Van Cliburn when he visited Biltmore in the 1960s.
Not surprisingly, there’s also a piano in the Music Room—a pianoforte or square piano made by Joseph Newman of Baltimore around 1835.
There was even a piano in the Banquet Hall’s Organ Loft in the early 1900s, according to Biltmore House employees at the time. Mattie Alexander Duke played it and sang regularly for the Vanderbilts and their guests. But it took until 1998 to finally install a pipe organ in the loft—a restored Skinner pipe organ dating from 1916.
With the 18th year of our Biltmore Concert Series kicking off August 7, music continues to play an important role on the estate. See Biltmore’s stellar line-up and join us for these outstanding performances.
(Photo: Shown here in the Music Room, the Steinway piano Vanderbilt purchased in 1902 now resides in the Tapestry Gallery.)
(Copy written by Judy Ross.)