Doc/Fest - Sheffield

Like singers need their voices, pianists need their instruments in top form. And nobody can tune a piano like Stefan Knupfer, head technician at Steinway in Vienna and indispensable tuner to some of the world’s most eminent pianists. Eschewing measuring instruments Stefan “uses his ears” and often unusual tools such as tennis balls to find the perfect tone. With each piano producing vastly different sounds and every pianist holding a different opinion, he has his work cut out for him. In Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis’ lovingly crafted observational documentary, we step into Stefan’s remarkable world for a year, and observe him behind the scenes as he scrambles to please his distinguished clients. Chief amongst them is Frenchman Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who is preparing some Bach recordings, and sets Stefan the seemingly impossible task of making his piano sound like a harpsichord. A joyful, often funny look at a majestic instrument, and men who have devoted their lives to it.

"All in all, this is a musical jewel and a contemporary artistic document of distinction!" - Filmbewertungsstelle Wiesbaden (FBW)