Note By Note – Making of Steinway L1037

Note By Note

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a screening of Note By Note – the Making of Steinway L1037, a terrific documentary by Ben Niles which follows the construction of a Steinway grand from the Alaskan forest, to the Steinway factory in Queens, to Steinway Hall in Manhattan. The film has been making the rounds at film festivals and private showings since 2007 and it’s a gem. If you have a chance, see it.

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.  (more)