"Concert pianists can be a fussy bunch, but they’re nothing compared to the temperamental demands of a Steinway grand piano. Pianomania gets up close and personal with a group of world famous virtuosos – Lang Lang, Alfred Brendel, Rudolf Buchbinder, Till Fellner and Pierre-Laurent Aimard – but the real stars of this penetrating documentary are Stefan Knüpfer, the earnest piano tuner doubling as physician and voice coach, and the beautiful instruments themselves. The film observes Knüpfer over the course of a year as he assembles, tightens and fine-tunes a series of magnificent grand pianos, bringing a rare spirit of ingenuity, knowledge and extraordinary competence to his work. Knüpfer’s year-long collaboration with Aimard is at the center of the film as the pianist prepares to record his interpretation of Bach’s The Art of the Fugue.
The film allows Knüpfer and associates the space to think, ponder and hold forth on camera, providing an inside look into a rarefied world of time-honored culture." (San Francisco International Film Festival)
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Ah, the obsession of musicians. If you're a musician, you'll be like, "yeah, that's usual". If you're not, maybe you'll find the people in this doco a bit much or a bit funny. I'm not sure. Also sound geeks should see it, so you can hear/see the differences that come from minute changes in the piano. The doco includes performances and interviews with famous pianists such as Lang Lang and Pierre-Laurent Aimard, which is worth seeing for pianists. The star though is Steinway technician Stefan Knupfer. An obsessed man who loves his work. Amazing.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 1st Jan 2009.
Release date: January 1st 2009.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
