NOTE BY NOTE: The making of Steinway L1037
http://www.notebynotethemovie.com/
Directed by Ben Niles
2007, 80 minutes
Click on links below to view trailer:
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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 cabinetmakers, 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.
REVIEWS
"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."
"gorgeously composed and photographed...capable of inducing spiritual/physical rapture"
With its precise editing and thoughtful storytelling, "Note by Note" is a celebration of craftsmanship- of a piano and of film.
"a documentary as harmonious as it is fascinating...rests at a nexus of hand, heart and mind. It's a gorgeous picture, visually and musically...superb."
"a lovely documentary on one of the last holdouts in a techno-centric world"
"full of surprising thrills"
"A heartwarming story about the universality of music"
"Recommended...both calming and engaging"
****"inspirational to watch"
"classy and unexpectedly moving"
"a masterly composition of eye and ear, hand and heart, labor and music."
"a look at people whose hands, eyes, hearts and minds all work together... together they assemble one of the world's most wonderful man-made things."
"a love letter to a vanishing mode of production,
with more than a hint of elegy."
THE BOSTON GLOBE
*****"....engrossing"
"skillfully and adoringly made...a love song to the instrument responsible for so many."
"Ben Niles' Note by Note is a beauty...a lovely adventure."
"in their meticulous attention to detail, the blue-collar workers seem just as artistic as any musician."
"They say that every piano has a soul; if only every movie had one as warm and rich as Note by Note."
"a tribute to the superiority of human craftsmanship over mass production and a celebration of art over pure commercialism."
"...a paean to the rewards of old-fashioned craftsmanship."
"a Miracle--Beethoven would have been pleased."
"fascinating and delightful."
"remarkably absorbing."
****"....essentially New York."
"engrossing! a stirring symphony of specialized labor."
"a sure bet for music lovers."
"delightful."
"a distinct pleasure."
"Ben Niles approaches his subject con amore."
"a fascinating documentary that more than just piano lovers can enjoy."
"it’s the craftspeople and their work, and the pianos themselves, that are the real stars."
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Upcoming Screenings
HELD OVER FOR 3RD WEEK
June 20-July 10, 2008
Broadway Centre Cinemas - Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.saltlakefilmsociety.org/
July 11-17,2008
Myrna Loy Center - Helena, MT
http://www.myrnaloycenter.com/
July 14, 2008
Jane Pickens Theater- Newport, RI
http://www.janepickens.com/
July 18-24, 2008
Denver Film Society - Denver, CO
July 18 & 23, 2008
Cornell Cinema - Ithaca, NY
http://cinema.cornell.edu/
July 18, 2008
Chautauqua Cinema - Chautauqua, N.Y.
http://www.uniplexcinemas.com/Chautauqua/CinemaPage.html
July 19, 2008
Desert Film Society - Palm Springs, CA
July 20 & 21, 2008
Michigan Theater
Ann Arbor, MI
http://michtheater.org/
July 20-22, 2008
Kimball Theater - Williamsburg, VA
http://www.kimballtheatre.com/visit/eventsAndExhibits/kimballTheatre
July 24, 2008
Lake Placid Center for the Arts - Lake Placid, NY
http://www.lakeplacidarts.org/
August 28, 2008
Wood Theater - Glen Falls, NY
http://www.woodtheater.org
August 29, 2008
Colonial Theatre- Pittsfield, MA.
http://www.thecolonialtheatre.org/
October 10-16, 2008
Jacob Burns Film Center - Pleasantville, NY
http://www.burnsfilmcenter.org/
RECENT SCREENINGS
November 7-20, 2007
Film Forum - New York, NY
http://www.filmforum.org/
November 23-30, 2007 (selected screenings)
Two Boots Pioneer Theater - New York, NY
http://www.twoboots.com/pioneer/
December 9,16, 23, 25, 30, 2007 (All shows 4pm only)
January 1, 2008
Symphony Space (Leonard Nimoy Thalia)– New York, NY http://www.symphonyspace.org/
December 31, 2007
First Night Film Festival Boston - Boston, MA
http://www.firstnight.org/FirstNight2008/Events/Evening.aspx?id=74
January 2, 2008
Cinema Arts Centre - Huntington, NY
http://www.cinemaartscentre.org/
Director Ben Niles in person January 2
January 19-20, 2008
Oklahoma City Museum of Art - Oklahoma City, OK
January 18-24, 2008
Gene Siskel Film Center - Chicago, IL
http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/
January 3, 4, 9,12, 24, 27 2008
Museum of Fine Arts-Boston, MA
Director Ben Niles in person January 3
January 26, 27, 2008
Upstate Films - Rhinebeck, NY
http://www.upstatefilms.com/index.php
Dir. Ben Niles in person January 26
January 31, 2008
Detroit Institute of Arts - Detroit, MI
February 1, 3 2008
Cleveland Museum of Art - Cleveland, OH
January 25-February 7, 2008
Real Art Ways - Hartford, CT
January 25-February 21, 2008
The Screen - Santa Fe, NM
http://thescreen.csf.edu/
February 1-6, 2008
Ross Media Arts Center - Lincoln, NE
http://www.theross.org/coming_soon.php
Feb 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 2008
The Times Cinema- Milwaukee, WI
http://www.timescinema.com/
February 13, 2008
Cinema Society of San Diego - San Diego, CA
Director Ben Niles in person
Screening open to Cinema Society & La Jolla Music Society members only.
February 15-17, 2008
Webster University Film Series - St. Louis, MO
http://www.webster.edu/filmseries/index.htm
February 22-28, 2008
North West Film Forum – Seattle, WA
February 29-March 2, 2008
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – Houston, TX
http://www.mfah.org/
February 29-March 13, 2008
Hollywood Theatre – Portland, OR
http://www.hollywoodtheatre.org
March 15, 200Maine International Film Festival - Waterville, ME
Held Over!
March 14-22, 2008
Pittsburgh Filmmakers - Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.pghfilmmakers.org/
March 21-30, 2008
Green Mountain Film Festival - Montpelier, VT
http://www.greenmountainfilmfestival.org
March 22, 28, 29, 2008
George Eastman House - Rochester, NY
http://www.eastmanhouse.org/
March 22-31, 2008
Varsity Theater - Vancover, British Columbia
April 1-4, 2008
Honolulu Academy of Arts/ Doris Duke Theatre - Honolulu, HI
http://www.honoluluacademy.org
April 3-6, 2008
Wisconsin Film Festiva l- Madison, WI
April 4-10, 2008
Lake Worth Playhouse, Lake Worth, FL
http://www.lakeworthplayhouse.org/index2.html
April 4-10, 2008
Rose Theatre - Port Townsend, WA
http://www.rosetheatre.com/
April 6, 8, 10, 2008
Circle Cinema - Tulsa, OK
http://www.circlecinema.com/
Director Ben Niles in Person April 6
April 11-13, 2008
Theatre N At Nemours-Wilmington, DE
http://www.theatren.org/index2.html
April 11-17, 2008
Bryn Mawr Film Institute - Bryn Mawr, PA
http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/
Back By Popular Demand!
April 11-17 , 2008
Gene Siskel Film Center - Chicago, IL
http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/
April 17, 2008
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts CenterBuffalo, NY
http://www.hallwalls.org/
April 18, 19, 2008
Wexner Center for the Arts - Columbus, OH
http://www.wexarts.org
April 18-20, 2008
Bill Cosford Cinema - Coral Gables, FL
http://com.miami.edu/cosford/
April 18-24, 2008
Laemmle's Music Hall - Los Angeles, CA
http://www.laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=4
April 18-24, 2008
Terrace Theatre - Charleston, SC
http://www.terracetheater.com/
April 24-27, 2008
Cinema Paradiso, Fort Lauderdale, FL
http://www.fliff.com/cinemaparadiso.asp
April 26-28 & 30, 2008
Beach Theatre - St. Pete Beach, FL
http://www.beachtheatre.com
April 30, 2008
Beverly Arts Center - Chicago, IL
http://www.beverlyartcenter.org/
April 30-May 5, 2008
Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery-Brunswick, ME
http://www.explorefrontier.com/
May 4-5, 2008
Proctor's-Schenectady, New York
http://www.proctors.org/
May 6-8, 2008
Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center- New Orleans, LAhttp://www.zeitgeistinc.net/
May 8-11, 2008
Retro Cinema & Books- Washington, GA.
http://www.retrocinema.net/
Back By Popular Demand!May 3, 10, 15, 17, 18, 2008
Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, MA
May 9-15, 2008
Cedar Lee Theater - Solon, OH
http://www.clevelandcinemas.com
May 11, 16, 18, 23, 25
Mountain Cinema- Hunter, NY.
http://www.catskillmtn.org/
May 16-22, 2008
Tropic Cinema- Key West, FL.
http://keywestfilm.org/Films2006/ballet_russes.html
May 17, 2008
Jarvis Conservatory- Napa, CA
http://www.jarvisconservatory.com/
May 18, 2008
Nevada Museum of Art - Reno, NV
June 8, 2008
State Theatre--State College, PA
http://www.thestatetheatre.org/
Director Ben Niles in person
HELD OVER FOR 2ND WEEK
May 30-June 12th, 2008
Sundance Kabuki Theatre--San Francisco, CA
http://www.sundancecinemas.com/kabuki.html
Director Ben Niles in person May 30
Pianist Richard Glazier performs May 30.
June 6-12, 2008
Beach Theatre - Cape May, NJ
http://beachtheatre.org/
HELD OVER FOR 3RD WEEK
May 30-June 19th, 2008
Rafael Film Center-- San Rafael, CA
Director Ben Niles in person June 1st.
Pianist Richard Glazier performs June 1st.
June 22 & 23, 2008
Nickelodeon Theatre - Columbia, SC
http://www.nickelodeon.org/
HELD OVER--check website for weekend playdates
June 6-26, 2008
Tivoli Manor Square Theater - Kansas City, MO
http://www.tivolikc.com/
June 28-July 3, 2008
IOKA Theatre- Exeter, NH.
http://www.iokaentertainment.com/
July 2 & 3, 2008
Belcourt Theater - Nashville, TN