Each Steinway is a journey. At first, I consider any new model from afar, with as much impatience as shyness. Then I approach it with tons of questions in mind, carried by a first look at its board, and possibly with a first chat with the person in charge of it in the long run. Then I put my hands on it, gently or firmly, depending on the mood of the day, and suddenly fall into a world of wonder and surprise. From one note, to any complex chord or line, I try to guess who I am dealing with... knowing that I will never have a complete idea of it. So I play, first for the instrument itself, then gradually for myself and the others. And a few minutes or a few hours later, when I step away from the keyboard, I console the sadness of separation with the deep feeling of having learned a little more about myself.

Pierre de Bethmann