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Note by Note

IN PERSON: Filmmaker Ben Niles with Steinway L1037

The nebulous link between artist and artisan is delicately explored in filmmaker Ben Niles paean to that quintessential instrument of culture - the Steinway Concert Grand Piano. Filmed at the Steinway Factory in Queens, NY, the film documents the yearlong birthing process of piano L1037 from a 20 foot plank to a full size concert grand. Niles focus is on Steinways stubborn adherence to a dying tradition of artisanship. Interviews with the workers document the different approaches each particular individual brings to his job a stark contrast to the machine production methods used in the rest of the industry. It is this craftsmanship that contributes to the subtle nuances of a Steinway; nuances that musicians look for in pianos to fully express their art. Inter-cut are interviews with world-class musicians discussing what they look for in choosing a piano and what draws them to the Steinway name. Jazz legends Hank Jones, Kenny Barron, and Marcus Roberts, along with Classical Maestros, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Helene Grimaud, perform as well as discuss the relationship between an artist and his instrument; while Harry Connick Jr. stops by to let us know how he likes his pianos to push back a little. A gem of a movie that will satisfy that anachronistic impulse in all of us who appreciate all things unique and singular. Note by Note shows us why the slow way is sometimes better.

USA, 2007, 80 min., color