Pianomania

Pianomania
Directed by Lilian Franck
Robert Cibis
Produced by Vincent Lucassen, Ebba Sinzinger, Robert Cibis, Lilian Franck
Written by Lilian Franck, Robert Cibis
Starring Stefan Knüpfer
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Alfred Brendel
Rudolf Buchbinder
Julius Drake
Till Fellner
Lang Lang
Igudesman & Joo
Cinematography Jerzy Palacz, Robert Cibis
Edited by Michèle Barbin
Production
company
WILDArtFILM[1]
OVALmedia Berlin&Cologne, OVALinternational GbR[2]
Release dates
 2009
Running time
 93 minutes
Country Germany, Austria
Language German, English

Pianomania is a 2009 German-Austrian documentary film by directors Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis. The film presents Stefan Knüpfer, a virtuoso piano tuner from the piano company Steinway & Sons, in his work with pianists such as Lang Lang, Alfred Brendel and Pierre-Laurent Aimard.

Synopsis

The collaborative work between Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Stefan Knüpfer is at the centre of the film. Bach's The Art of Fugue is to be recorded. Pierre-Laurent Aimard has decided in favour of concert grand piano Nr. 109 for the Bach recording. The film begins one year before the recording.

Knüpfer wants to study instruments from the time of Bach for Aimard. He experiments with sound absorbers made from felt and with glass sound mirrors. But as fate will have it, the number 109 grand piano is sold to Australia a few months later; and that is not the last obstacle that gets in their way. Knüpfer and Aimard meet regularly, and when the tension is so thick it can be cut with a knife, Knüpfer saves the day with his sense of humour. The road toward the pianist’s longed for “bravo” is long.

One afternoon, a rather sleepy artist in jeans and sneakers shows up. It is the Chinese star pianist Lang Lang, who will be giving a guest performance in the Viennese concert hall. Still suffering from jet lag, he has to choose an instrument to play. His overcrowded tour calendar leaves little time for individual settings. Instead, and almost shyly, he asks for a heavy bench that will hold up through his extrovert style of playing without sliding around. The piano superstar completes his performance in the large hall in a dark suit and wild hairstyle. The bench holds up, and he receives thunderous applause.

The sketches of the comedy duo Igudesman & Joo always parody the elitist music world. Together with Knüpfer they come up with some of the craziest scenarios for the next show.

One of Alfred Brendel's last concerts takes place at the Grafenegg Music Festival. Knüpfer prepares the piano for him while the star pianist gives his directions humorously.

Technical aspects

Corresponding to the struggle of the protagonists to find the perfect sound, the sound recording of the film itself was made with great efforts. All the scenes were recorded in Dolby Surround quality and on up to 90 separate sound tracks.

Nominations, awards and prizes

Official selection in international festivals in 2010

Official selection in international festivals in 2009

Directors biography

Played tracks in the movie and artists

References

  1. ↑ http://www.wildartfilm.com
  2. ↑ http://oval.media/de/
  3. ↑ http://www.sffs.org/SF-Intl-Film-Festival/Golden-Gate-Award-Winners/2010-winners.aspx
  4. ↑ http://2009.diagonale.at/fetcharticle.php@puzzle&page=5774.htm
  5. ↑ http://2009.diagonale.at/fetcharticle.php@puzzle&page=5774.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.oval-film.com/PDFs/PM_wiesbaden_en.pdf
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