Pianomania

In collaboration with the Documentary Pavilion, the Grachtenfestival has selected THE DOCUMENTARYPianomania (2009, Dutch subtitles with German and English spoken, 93 min. + 30 min.) by Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis.
Behind every master pianist is a master tuner. The applause is for the musician, but in their maniacal quest for the perfect sound, they're no match for each other. So the piano technician goes to work with felt, scrapers, and custom-designed accessories. And then there's the instrument itself, because not all concert grands are created equal.
The film, which also features pianists such as Alfred Brendel, Rudolf Buchbinder, Julius Drake and Lang Lang, pays infectious tribute to craftsmanship.
This documentary screening was made possible in part by IDFA, and in collaboration with Evert Snel, a demonstration of grand piano tuning was provided afterward.
Tickets cost 13 euros and can be ordered here: https://www.grachtenfestival.nl/concert/-documentaire--pianomania-22-08-2025-19-30