Mozart's piano set for Vienna return

25 October 2012, 15:32 | Updated: 25 October 2012, 15:55

The piano used by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his later years is to be returned to his former home in Vienna for the first time since his death.

Mozart's piano, used throughout his later life to compose his late piano concertos, is to be returned to the composer's former home, now the Mozarthaus museum, in Vienna for the first time since his death in 1791.

The instrument was previously be housed in the Mozarteum museum in Salzburg. The museum's director, Matthias Schultz, told Reuters: "If we didn't know it was in the best hands, we wouldn't have done it."

The piano was originally made by Anton Walter, who is said to be the most famous Viennese piano maker of Mozart's time. It will now be kept in Mozart's old apartment on Domgasse in Vienna.

Russian pianist Alexander Melnikov is due to give a concert of Mozart's music using the restored piano on November 7th. He commented: "The emotional implications of such an experience are overwhelming. It's easily the biggest day of a musician's life."