Note By Note — The Making of Steinway L1037
The Epic Journey of a Steinway Piano, from Factory Floor to Carnegie Hall
Quick Links: www.notebynotethemovie.com Press Purchase DVD
Read the Latest News (posted 10/31/07)
Upcoming Screenings Schedule
Please visit the Argot Pictures website for the latest schedule.
For bookings please contact Jim Browne at Argot Pictures.
In our age of mass-production and consumption, what is the role of the musician—both an instrument’s craftsman and its player? Musically, what have we gained? More importantly, what are we losing?
The most thoroughly handcrafted instruments in the world, Steinway pianos are as unique and full of personality as the world-class musicians who play them. However, their makers are a dying breed: skilled cabinet-makers, gifted tuners, thorough hand-crafters.
Note By Note is a feature-length independent documentary that follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand, #L1037— from forest floor to concert hall. It explores the relationship between musician and instrument, chronicles the manufacturing process, and illustrates what makes each Steinway unique in this age of mass production. From the factory floor in Queens to Steinway Hall in Manhattan, each piano’s journey is complex— spanning 12 months, 12,000 parts, 450 craftsmen, and countless hours of fine-tuned labor. Filmed in key Steinway locations—the factory, Steinway’s reserved “Bank,” and private auditions—Note By Note is a loving celebration of not just craftsmanship, but of a dying breed of person who is deeply connected to working by hand. In the end, this is an ode to the most unexpected, and perhaps ironic, of unsung heroes. It reminds us how extraordinary the dialogue can be between an artist and an instrument — crafted out of human hands but borne of the materials of nature.
Featuring interviews and performances with a number of world-class artists including Chinese phenom Lang Lang, Hélène Grimaud, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, contemporary singer Harry Connick, Jr. and jazz greats Hank Jones, Marcus Roberts, Kenny Barron and Bill Charlap.
Note By Note — The Making of Steinway L1037
Directed by Ben Niles, Edited by Purcell Carson and Geoff OBrien
Filmmaker Ben Niles is based in New York and available for interviews.
Contact: Susan Norget or Eric Hynes, (212) 431-0090 orsusan@norget.com / eric@norget.com