Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. Today I have something really special to share with you. We are going to explore three Baldwin concert grands from three different eras, and you will hear them with the same musical excerpt so you can compare their sound for yourself.
What a rare opportunity it is to hear three extraordinary Baldwin concert grands side by side. We begin with a Model D from 1901, then move to an SD-6 from 1941, and finally to an SD-10 from 1996, one of the last of the great Baldwins. As you listen, you will notice that each instrument has a distinctly different character. It is fascinating how the same performance can take on a different personality depending upon the instrument.
Baldwin pianos were the choice of countless legendary artists including Leonard Bernstein, Dave Brubeck, and Liberace. Hearing these instruments from different eras really brings that legacy to life. I would love to hear your impressions, so be sure to leave them in the comments here at LivingPianos.com and on YouTube to join the discussion. Thanks for joining me here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.
6 thoughts on “3 Baldwin Concert Grands: 1901 vs 1941 vs 1996 — Can You Hear the Difference?”
Love the SD-6. The SD-10 is too bright similar to a Steinway. I prefer the fat round tones of a Baldwin and that 1941 displays them perfectly.
The 1941 caught my ear. The SD10 also sounded really good. I guess I would have to play them to give a real good opinion. I hope to come up this summer and meet you and play these great pianos.
1941!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEST!
To my surprise, the 1996 model sounded the best to me.
The Baldwin SD-10 went up against Steinway in a blind test. They assembled concert pianists, recording engineers and other professionals, and the Baldwin SD-10 beat the Steinway D!
2026.04.09
Dear Robert,
What a pleasure to hear these three 9′ Baldwin concert grands!
I grew up with a Baldwin M 5’2″ and used it for all my practice associated with my lessons.
As a boy of about 11, and having had a Baldwin Acrosonic since I began piano lessons at age 5, my mother took me to the Mason & Hamlin store in Pittsburgh, PA, near where we lived and I tried their smallest baby grand. Then she took me to the Steinway store and I tried a Steinway Model S, and then she took me to the Baldwin store and I tried a Baldwin Model M. For me it was “hands down,” that I preferred the Baldwin M, and so that was the baby grand she bought for the and so she bought the new house we were moving into.
So in today’s Living Pianos episode, I expected that of the three 9′ Baldwins, I was going to prefer the 1941 Baldwin. But “hands down,” I preferred the 1996 Baldwin. I thought the 1901 piano was sort of muddy, and between the 1941 and the 1996, I preferred just slightly the 1996 because of its brighter sound. My wife listened to all three and preferred the 1901. So there you go, as the old say goes: “one person’s meat is another person’s poison.” Thank you for this excellent presentation along with all the excellent presentations you have been making over many years. We have enjoyed all of them immensely and have learned so much about music in general and pianos in particular.