Colin Batt Removals — Exclusive Piano Movers for Beethoven’s Original Piano
When the National Museum of Hungary and EMI needed a specialist piano mover to transport Beethoven’s original Broadwood Fortepiano on a European tour, they chose Colin Batt Removals — your family-run, award-winning piano removals company based in Kent.
We were honoured to be selected as the exclusive piano mover for this priceless instrument, trusted to handle every aspect of its movement and safety throughout the Beethoven Broadwood Fortepiano Tour.
A Unique European Journey
The tour celebrated Beethoven’s musical genius by performing his most famous works on his original Broadwood piano. After being meticulously restored to its authentic 1817 sound by David Winston of the Period Piano Company, the piano embarked on a European tour organised by EMI and performed by Melvyn Tan — with every move managed by our professional piano movers.
Our team at Colin Batt Removals planned and executed each stage of the journey, ensuring the piano travelled in complete safety between Vienna, Bonn, Bath, London, and Budapest.
Moving Beethoven’s Piano with Care and Precision
The security and protection requirements for the tour were exceptional. As the only piano moving company permitted to handle the instrument, our team created a bespoke transport system to safeguard the Broadwood at every stage.
We carefully:
- Wrapped the piano in protective blankets and bubble wrap
- Secured it inside a custom-built wooden crate
- Placed the crate within a reinforced metal container, bolted to our lorry floor
- Designed and built specialist lifting and access equipment to move the piano into each concert venue
Every step reflected our family company’s values of care, precision, and pride in craftsmanship — qualities that have defined our piano moving services in Kent and London since 1978.
A Legacy of Trust and Excellence
Being chosen as Beethoven’s piano mover of the modern era remains one of our proudest achievements. We safely returned the piano to England for the first time in 175 years, ensuring that audiences could once again hear Beethoven’s music played on the very instrument he composed it on.
It’s unlikely this piano will ever travel again — making us perhaps the last piano movers to handle this world-famous instrument. For our team, it was not just a job, but an honour — a testament to our professionalism, experience, and genuine passion for music and history.
Why Leading Institutions Choose Colin Batt Removals
For more than 45 years, our piano moving company has been trusted by private owners, concert halls, and museums to move the world’s most valuable instruments. Our clients choose us for:
- Decades of specialist piano removal experience
- Family-run service with personal attention to every move
- British Standards EN 12522 and 14873 accreditation
- Full insurance for total peace of mind
- Award-winning service and care
Across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and London, our team provides safe, professional piano removals that musicians, collectors, and institutions rely on.
Experience You Can Trust
Whether you need to move a family upright piano or a priceless concert grand, you can trust Colin Batt Removals — the award-winning Beethoven piano mover and specialist piano moving company.
📞 Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote and experience piano removals handled with skill, care, and passion. 01233 740395