In other words, if you press middle C on a severely out-of-tune piano, you might actually hear C#. In fact, if a piano goes long enough without being tuned, it will eventually get to the point where the note actually being played is half-step higher or lower than the key being pressed. Unfortunately, changes in humidity affect the wood in a piano, which changes the pressure on the piano strings and over a period of time will cause it to no longer be tuned to A440. This means that just about all professionally recorded or performed music that you listen to will use this standard, so it’s what our ears are used to hearing. It has been the recognized international general tuning standard for musical pitch since 1939. Piano technicians tune pianos to what is known as A440, which has a frequency of 440 Hz and represents the note of “A” above middle C. This is definitely worth mentioning, for rarely do visuals, mood, and plot come together on such a pitch perfect note.Piano tuning is very important for musicians of all levels, whether they be performers, music students, or just occasional piano players. That’s a shame, as the Piano Tuner manages to succeed in the one department where so many online shorts fail-a strong, well-written story. The film, which has played at several major festivals, has yet to find many viewers online. Minor quibbles aside, Treiner has crafted a true sensory experience, expertly supported by assured direction and solid acting. If I have a minor structural complaint, it’s that I wish the film cut out its first 50 seconds, which provides an unnecessary preview to the wonderfully creepy, deliciously ambiguous climax. The magnification of our main character’s eye as he peers through a fishbowl is one such example, highlighting the film’s constant use of both the visual and auditory senses as a cinematic leitmotif. Visually, the film looks sharp, filled with beautiful, moody cinematography, as well as playful visual quirks that are just understated enough to not be distracting. Being that the majority of the music is diegetic, the suspense builds naturally, never feeling manipulative. Simple and oddly suspenseful, the beautiful piano notes are far more effective than your standard, hackneyed suspense drones. His aural profession provides a perfect contrast to his supposed disability, his acutely developed ear functioning as counterbalance to what he “lacks.” In service to the plot, it also allows him access to the homes of several people, a silent witness to that which he should be unable to see.Īll of this drama is accompanied by-what else-a classical piano score. All of this is supplemented by our main character’s occupation as a piano tuner. In what could have easily provided enough engaging content for a feature narrative, the film relates an entire range of character development and emotions in thirteen short minutes, from depression, to humor, to sensuality, and ultimately, suspense. The Piano Tuner deceptively transforms from intriguing premise to smartly crafted thriller in an admirable, almost Hitchcockian, style. It’s also incredibly well executed, tightly scripted and perfectly paced. This leads to the film’s gripping narrative hook, the kind of thing you’d see in bold letters on the bottom of a movie poster: if you’re supposed to be blind but can actually see, what if you see something that you shouldn’t?īut, Treiner’s film is more than just a great concept. What starts somewhat innocently slowly develops into something more off kilter, a voyeuristic existence where those being watched can readily see their watcher, unaware of his true facilities. A young man-in this case a disgraced musical prodigy come piano tuner-pretends to be blind. Such is the case with Olivier Treiner’s ingenious short thriller, The Piano Tuner (L’accordeur). Some premises are just brilliant-with just a simple pitch you’re hooked.
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