The piano is one of the most well-known and popular instruments in the world. Most people either have had a piano in their home, or know a friend or relative who does. It's easy to take the piano for granted, but there are some marvelous stories behind it. As an introduction to this page and this instrument, here are some fascinating facts to share the next time you gather around a piano at a party or event.



1. The largest piano ever made was 11 feet, 8 inches long, and weighed about a ton.

2. The fastest pianist ever, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not, was Liberace, who was said to have played over 6000 notes in only 2 minutes.

3. The largest piano ensemble ever according to the Guiness Book of World Records was a group of 555 pianists playing together in Seoul, South Korea.

4. Piano is the most widely studied instrument in the United States. 21 million people have played the piano at some point, which is about 1 in every 11 Americans.

5. The world's smallest piano is approx ten inches long and 7 inches wide. It is fully playable even though its keys are 4mm wide. (See the video demonstration)

6. The piano that John Lennon used when he recorded the song "Imagine" is considered the most expensive pop memorabilia item ever. It is valued between 8 to 12 million dollars.

7. Every U.S. President has either owned or had a piano placed in the White House except for Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. You can find more about Presidential pianos at WhiteHouseMuseum.org.