Movie Review: Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

Steinways are awesome! I'd recommend this movie, if not enthusiastically. It made me want to tour the Steinway factory in Queens.

Basically, the movie follows the making of a Steinway Grand Piano. It is a fascinating process which takes over a year and is almost completely done by hand.

The director was at the screening. Afterward he took questions. This was a mistake, as the audience was filled with old people. One old man thought that "question taking" was the same as "boring story telling." He went on and on about how he had visited the Steinway factory in the fifties and how he bought the second oldest Steinway piano in existence and generously gave it away. He was clearly well off (to give away a piano). If I were rich, I wouldn't give away pianos, I'd hoard them. He talked very slowly, stretching the story's length way past the breaking point. He talked without raising his hand too, an injustice that I thought I'd left behind in grade school. But he was a Columbia alum, so I cut him some slack. By this I mean stayed awake while he talked.

After the old man finished I finally got to ask my question. I wanted to know how much money the Steinway factory workers made. The director didn't know the answer. I stumped him, which is really the point of question and answer sessions. I think the other patrons were impressed.