Wendl & Lung History
1890-1956
In 1890 Stefan Lung (1876 – 1954) began his training as a piano builder at the Brüder Mikula piano factory in Vienna. After successfully completing the trade test he continued his training at the Öser und Wirth company, where he then successfully completed his master’s exam.
In 1910 the very first frames and cabinets were built in a flat of the 6th district of Vienna. Within the same year, shortly after moving to the Aegidigasse no.6 in the same district, the first pianos were produced. After merging with Johann Wendl the company Wendl & Lung was recorded in the commercial register.
In 1926 for the first time the number of produced instruments exceeded the 1.000 unit mark and the company moved to Mariahilfer Straße 101, location of its headquarters until 2004!
The pianos of Wendl & Lung were distributed throughout the whole of Europe and the near east. The “Wendl & Lung Model X”, with a mere 147 cm, was the most popular of the grand models and well known for its astonishing full and rich sound. This quality feature can still be found today on all the Wendl & Lung models.
Born in 1912 as the only child of Stefan Lung, Stefanie (married name Veletzky) studied piano making and achieved her trade title as pianomasterbuilder, an extra-ordinary achievement for a woman at the time. In the Austrian piano-building history Stefanie Veletzky was second only to Nanette Streicher who achieved this title in the 19th century.
1956 – 1994
Her son, piano master-builder Alexander Veletzky (1933- ), took over the company in 1956. He was the president of the federal guild for producers of musical instruments. As acknowledgement of his life-long achievements, including the restoration of historically valuable pianos for diverse Museums, Alexander Veletzky received the “Golden merit of order” from the city of Vienna.
1994 – 2003
His son, Peter Veletzky, now represents the 4th generation of Wendl & Lung and already at the age of 22 he became the youngest ever piano master-builder in Austria. In 1994 he took over the family business.
Since 1999 Peter Veletzky has been the technical advisor for diverse piano factories in China.
Until the 31st of December 1999 Peter Veletzky solely controlled the company Wendl & Lung. On the 1st of January 2000 he joined forces with Ernest Bittner, composer and piano tuner. Thus the Wendl & Lung Klavierbau u. Vertriebs GmbH was founded.
Through Bai Lin, the Chinese born wife of Ernest Bittner, the business relationship to China was further developed.
2003 –
In 2003, the production of pianos under the name of Wendl & Lung resumed at our partner’s factory NINGBO HAILUN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CO.LTD. in Ningbo, China.
The development of improved assembling processes, stricter quality controls, as well as the selection of highest quality raw materials and piano parts resulted in the ability to produce a piano which would be robust, durable, and suitable for all climates.
Worldwide sales of the Wendl & Lung piano model 122 began in August 2003, proving convincingly that the partnership is a very successful one, from which all future piano models stand to profit.
The commercial partner factory Hailun Musical Instruments Ltd. is known as one of the most modern piano factories in China. With high-tech precision machines, it is the producer of all diverse piano parts and is supplier to many other piano factories and world renowned piano brands. Wendl & Lung pianos excel in quality and sound even when compared to other leading piano makers. As an added control and quality mechanism, the whole production process takes place under the direct observation of Peter Veletzky and his team of piano technicians.
The outcome speaks for itself; within a very short period of time, Wendl & Lung instruments are already being sold in over 300 piano dealerships in Europe alone!
