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Other Kenjari and I celebrated our new year with romantic movies.

Other Kenjari got me the 5-hour BBC production of Pride and Prejudice for Christmas, so we watched it on New Year's Eve. It's glorious - every bit as witty and romantic as the book. Other Kenjari seemed to enjoy it, too, even though Jane Austen is not really his thing.

On New Year's Day, we went to Atonement. I read the book a while ago, and loved it. The movie is very good - it's a faithful adaptation, especially in terms of the emotional tone. All the subtle complexity of the book is there, especially in the first third. It's every bit as heartbreaking and troubling as the novel. And the casting is spot-on. James McAvoy is a perfect Robbie and Keira Knightley really gets Cecilia's combination of sophistication and raw intensity. Saoirse Ronan is incredible as the young Bryony. Oddly enough, though, I thought the film actually pulled back from the bloodiness and violence of the Dunkirk and hospital sequences. I remember the book as being gorier and more brutal.

L1037 and I

Last night I went to see Note By Note, a documentary about the construction of a Steinway 9' concert grand (L1037), at the MFA. I'd written the program note for the MFA's presentation of the film, so I'd already watched it, but I wanted to see it on the big screen and see the special guests.
It's a good documentary. It really focuses on the instrument and the people who built it and doesn't come off as an advertisement for Steinway as a corporation (Steinway did not provide any financial backing for the film). There is lots of warmly-lit footage of the construction process, most of which is done by hand. There are interviews with the crafstmen who worked on L1037 in which they talk about what they do and what they think about it. And there are interviews with pianists as they choose pianos from the Steinway concert division for their upcoming performances. It's quite fascinating, and does a good job of integrating the idea of the piano as a work of artistry in and of itself and the piano as a vehicle for the artistry of the musicians who play it.
The director, Ben Niles, was there to take questions. But the most important special guest was L1037 itself, transported up from NYC. After the movie, Robert Wyatt gave a brief Gershwin recital, there was a question and answer session, and then the audience was allowed to come up and take a closer look at the piano. No serious playing was allowed, but I did get to look at all the innards and plink around a tiny bit. epilimnion did let me hang around until everyone else had left so that I could noodle a bit more. L1037 is a magnificent instrument - truly beautiful sound and an action to die for. An absolute pleasure to play.
And I'm going to get to play it more. Representatives from Steinert and Sons, Boston's Steinway dealer, were also there to take questions - they handled the transportation of the piano and are housing it during its stay in Boston. I chatted to them a bit about piano buying and such and they asked if I wanted to come in and play L1037. I have an appointment at 2pm tomorrow to play it for an hour. By myself, in a private room. I'm very excited. I've got a hot date with a piano.