The piano used by Freddie Mercury on several occasions, including during the composition of the classic "Bohemian Rhapsody," was auctioned off last Wednesday, the 6th, for approximately R$10.9 million at the current exchange rate. The buyer was not identified.
Purchased in 1975 and imported from Japan to England, the Yamaha G2 was among dozens of items that went up for auction in the first of six auctions dedicated to the late singer.
A handwritten draft of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that revealed Freddie Mercury initially titled the song "Mongolian Rhapsody" was sold for R$8.4 million at the current exchange rate.
The items, which were put up for sale by Mary Austin , a close friend and former business partner of Mercury, were auctioned for a total of £12.2 million (R$7.7 million). They included costumes, jewelry, and paintings from the singer's extensive art collection.
In a press release prior to the sale, Mary said of the piano: “Freddie treated the Yamaha with absolute respect. He considered it more than an instrument; it was an extension of himself, his vehicle for creativity. He would never smoke on the piano or put a glass on it and ensure that no one else did. The piano was always immaculate.”
Other Queen songs that Mercury used the piano to write include “Don't Stop Me Now” and “Somebody To Love,” according to Sotheby's, the auction house responsible for the transactions.
When Freddie died in 1991, he left the house and all its contents to Mary. For three decades, Austin kept everything almost exactly as it was when Mercury died, but now she has decided to sell the collection.
Commenting on the decision, she wrote in a press release: “For many years, I have had the joy and privilege of living surrounded by all the wonderful things that Freddie sought and loved so much,” Austin said in a statement. “But the years have passed and the time has come to make the difficult decision to close this very special chapter of my life.”
When Freddie died in 1991, he left the house and its contents to Mary, his former girlfriend and longtime friend. For three decades, Austin kept the house and its contents almost exactly as they were when Mercury died, but now she has decided to sell the collection.
Austin will donate a portion of the sales proceeds to the HIV/AIDS charities Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
"Bohemian Rhapsody"
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was composed in 1975 by Freddie Mercury and included on the album A Night at the Opera . The track features five acts, almost entirely written by the singer.
Upon its release, "Bohemian Rhapsody" became a commercial success, topping the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks and selling over a million copies by the end of January 1976. It reached the top of the charts in several other markets, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
