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I went to see a concert at Greene music (Steinway dealer) a few years ago and won a copy of Note by note in a raffle. It was ok but it seemed rather political to me. It seemed much more about the builders, many of which didn't seem to enjoy or play music, than the Steinway history and legacy or why they are different or better.

I mean one guy went down the list of all the nationalities that worked there, even some that didn't even speak English, and called the company the United nations? I don't care if martians that hate earth people build my piano, I just care if it does what its supposed to do.

What am i supposed to get out of that? That I'm supposed to buy a Steinway because working guys like me build them? All of which by the way cannot afford to buy the very pianos they are building? Or am I to have sympathy for their plight because, at that time, the company is in trouble so "buy our pianos so you can save our jobs?" Or buy from us becuase we're racially diverse and all the others are not? Weird. Just weird.

I actually do sympathize with american workers and craftsman of all trades because I am one of them. But buying a Steinway somehow seems to line the pockets of the stockholders and dealers than the builders and craftsman.

They should have made a modern film about "Why Steinway is a better piano than all the other!" than this. I mean you have to really stand out these days to justify charging the prices Steinway is charging compared to what you can get from so other companies now.

Now if I want to see a film about how a piano is made or see excellent, dedicated well dressed Master Craftsman that look and play the part I would watch the numerous other films put out by the European and Japanese Makers such as Schimmel and Bosendorfer than this.

As a film its just not well made or thought out.

As a promotional piece its just not convincing.

As a self pat on the back it great.

As a Political piece its a turn off.


All that said... I still love the pianos they make but it has little to do with the originators of the brand.

BTW before anyone jumps on me and calls me a racist for pointing out that Steinway was using the race card, my wife is Asian and my daughter is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen on earth... so don't go there.

Theodore,

This film was not made by Steinway. It is an independent documentary film about the making of a Steinway piano. Steinway is not "using the race card" (strange way of talking about the fact that the filmmakers showed the diversity of the work force). How you got politics out of this is beyond me.

Sophia

Theodore_Slutz, it sounds quite like you're criticizing a documentary film for not being an extended commercial. Say what you will, but clearly Steinway didn't consider it to be a bad film, or the dealer would likely have chosen to raffle off something else instead. The filmmakers needed significant buy-in from Steinway for the access they were given. I expect from Steinway's point of view it was quite uncontroversial.

I liked seeing all of the featured musicians.

They should have let you pay for it, I did and for me it became a fascinating and inspiring documentary

Another thumbs up for Note by Note and I fall into the the camp of Steinway "bashers." I found the human diverstity interesting and of thel real world. Pianomania was good too.

Kurt

Interestingly, Pierre-Laurent Aimard who featured so prominently (and is a Steinway Artist), has been moonlighting occasionally on Yamaha CFX in concert in recent years.....