... an engrossing film that makes the process of crafting a piano and the people involved come alive.
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06/28/08
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Note by Note: The Making of the Steinway L1037 (2007)
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Reviews Counted:20
Fresh:18
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.6/10
Theatrical Release:Nov 7, 2007 Limited
Synopsis: Building a piano is arguably as much an art as the playing it, and its creation lies at the of this documentary. NOTE BY NOTE: THE MAKING OF THE STEINWAY L1037 follows a concert grand from its... [More]
Starring: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Harry Connick, Hank Jones, Marcus Roberts
Director: Ben Niles
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Reviews for Note by Note: The Making of the Steinway L1037
With its precise editing and thoughtful storytelling, 'Note by Note' is a celebration of craftsmanship - of a piano and of film.
06/20/08
Note By Note: The Making of Steinway L1307 doesn't need any cameos by celebrities, musical or otherwise, to hold our interest.
06/19/08
Like an elegant set of theme and variations, director Ben Niles' beautiful, probing documentary about music and craftsmanship takes a simple idea and follows it in a number of directions.
05/30/08
Top CriticThe story of one piano is a microcosm of art, commerce, perfectionism and the American dream in a thorough, but repetitive, documentary.
05/30/08
Note by Note is a reminder of the deep working class roots of high culture.
02/22/08
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02/22/08
This narrative gambit allows Niles to score a quiet but stunning rhetorical point: in their meticulous attention to detail, the blue-collar workers who've spent their lives at the plant seem just as artistic as any musician.
02/01/08
Top CriticAlthough Note by Note has the qualities of an industrial or promotional film, it also is a lovely and lyrical look at a labor of love.
01/31/08
It's inspirational to watch and listen as the Steinway employees demonstrate with pride their part in producing an instrument that will sell for more than $100,000 and may succeed some of its brethren on the stage at Carnegie Hall.
01/18/08
Top CriticA modestly scaled but enjoyable documentary.
01/04/08
Top CriticA fascinating documentary that more than just piano lovers can enjoy.
12/11/07
Top CriticA slimy log dumped into frigid Alaskan waters emerges as the hand-selected Steinway for a world-class performance. A fascinating look at the mini-city within New York City where hand work still prevails.
11/16/07
As a study of stubborn artisanal tradition in the Pro Tools age, Note by Note is a stirring symphony of specialized labor.
11/13/07
Top CriticThis unexpectedly charming documentary from filmmaker Ben Niles follows the construction of one piano from the bending and molding of the raw maple that will become the piano rim in workshops of the Steinway & Sons factory in Queens.
11/09/07
Gorgeous, visually and musically.
11/08/07
Top CriticInfomercials are seldom this leisurely paced or austere.
11/08/07
Ben Niles' picture is a fascinating and delightful thing.
11/08/07
Top CriticNote by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037 follows the painstaking yearlong process of building and fine-tuning a handmade nine-foot concert grand piano.
11/07/07
Top CriticNiles purposefully seeks out quirkiness rather than providing meaningful demonstrations of craft.
11/05/07
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