The first major redesign of the piano in more than a century has been unveiled by a Hungarian pianist.

The curvaceous Bogányi, which has already been dubbed the ‘Batpiano’ for its sweeping black curves, is the result of a ten-year project by its namesake, former child prodigy Gergely Bogányi. Where other attempts to reinvent the piano have focused on its appearance, Bogányi says his design focuses solely on the sound, with even the piano’s legs sculpted to improve sound projection into an auditorium.

The pianist wanted to create an instrument more “human” than the traditional grand pianos found in most concert halls, but that would also be less susceptible to humidity and temperature changes. Hence the Bogányi is largely made from carbon fibre, right down to its soundboard.

The Guardian’s Tom Service reports that while the tone of the piano is “rich”, the action is “incredibly light, recalling older instruments from the dawn of the piano, before manufacturers began to prioritise power to appeal to Romantics such as Liszt.”

Gerald Clayton, who performed at the piano’s debut concert this week, said: “It feels like you are in a spaceship, like you are hovering above gravity. When you play a lot of notes, or you play a chord, the sensation is different. It’s super-clear.”

Tamás Horváth, a sound engineer at Bartók Rádió, suggested that the Bogányi had “a great sound for jazz pieces”.

Have a look at the piano in action in the video below. And no, you can’t afford it. “With these materials it will definitely not be cheap,” says Bogányi. Perhaps Bruce Wayne would be interested.