Just saw Note by Note, a 2007 documentary showing how Steinway Model D Concert Grand (#L1037) was made and the people who make them. I typically enjoy watching documentaries but found that this one didn't recreate the same feeling of choosing the right piano. Following a family purchasing their first Steinway grand, talking with professional pianists like Lang Lang and Harry Connick Jr. were good conversations, but it was too quick and easily forgotten. Instead, this movie is more about the pride of owning a Steinway Grand than it is teaching you what to look for in a grand piano. This isn't a 'how it's made' type of documentary that you'd find on the Discovery Channel, instead it's a general walkthrough of the process. What could have been better is finding out where L1037 went and then talking to the new owners about their instrument instead of finishing up in the showroom as its resting place.
Overall, an interesting film about the people who make Steinways and an eye opener of the different specialties needed to hand build a grand piano. Certainly the people who make these pianos take pride in their work as they all talk with passion regarding the finished product. Worth watching for those looking to buy a grand piano, especially those looking into the Steinway brand.
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