Note by Note (The Making of Steinway L1037).(Video recording review)

Note by Note (The Making of Steinway L1037), directed by Ben Niles. Plow Productions, LLC., 2007. www.notebynotethemovie.com; 80 minutes. (626) 388-7974. $24.95.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This DVD offers viewers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the creation of a single Steinway concert grand piano, from the gathering of raw materials in December 2003 to the completion of the finished product with more than 12,000 parts in November 2004. The winner of impressive awards for best documentary, the film successfully meets the goal of director Ben Niles: to share stories told by the people who make and play the instruments to an audience eager to learn more about their creative process. Those with an interest in the subject will likely not be disappointed; the film is engaging and satisfying to watch from start to finish. Others who may not typically gravitate to a film like this may be pleasantly surprised by their response to it.

The manufacturing process itself is intriguing and informative, but the individual characters give this story its warmth and appeal. Through a series of vignettes we come to see and appreciate what a labor of love it is to produce one of ...