The Competition

One of the contestants in the film was a real classical pianist: Adam Stern, who portrayed the virtually silent Mark Landau. He is now a full-time symphony conductor living and working in Seattle.

In addition to coaching the film's six "competitors" in piano technique, Jean Evensen Shaw stayed on throughout the production, providing technical advice. Actress Lee Remick recalled that Shaw's help was "invaluable. Remick recalls that Shaw's help was "invaluable. Remick explained: "She kept us from making awful mistakes for which a real musician would have hooted us off the screen". One such scene was a verbal sparring match between Lee Remick) and Amy Irving over Richard Dreyfuss' intrusion in their well-ordered lives. Both women are sipping wine and as the argument escalates, Remick puts her goblet down on the sounding board of a grand piano and rises to confront her student."No, no." Shaw cried out as if in personal pain: "I don't care how excited you are. You must never put food or drink near such a beautiful instrument. You could damage it forever". The scene was re-staged.

The theme of the film, said writer-director Joel Oliansky, could focus on almost any profession. Both of the film's co-stars, Amy Irving and Richard Dreyfuss, had strong reactions to the film's theme. Oliansky pointed out: "We live in a competitive society in which there is more and more direct rivalry between men and women. Being less successful than someone you love is a hell of a battering for an ego to take. That's true on a college campus, in business, in the arts, anywhere. We chose classical music because it's a field in which the odds against even earning a living are so high. And it enables us to intensify the drama with some glorious music."

The link between music and temperament determined the six concerti which the finalists would perform. The selection, including Concerto #5 in E Flat Major, Opus 73, "The Emperor" by Beethoven (Dreyfuss), Piano Concerto #3 in C Major, Opus 26 by Prokofiev (Irving), Concerto 4f1 in E Flat Major by Lizst (Stern), Concerto #1 in E Minor, Opus 11 by Chopin (Henderson), Concerto #1 in D Minor, Opus 15 by Brahms (Kreigler) and Concerto #2 in G Minor, Opus 22 by St. Saens (Cali), was made by musical director Lalo Schifrin who then took on the monumental task of abridging each work.

In preparation for their roles playing pianists in this film, according to the film's production notes, actress Amy Irving and actor Richard Dreyfuss trained in piano playing for around four months. The 23rd January 1981 edition of show-business trade paper 'The Hollywood Reporter' stated that the piano playing training period with music consultant Jean Evensen Shaw prior to principal photography ran for about almost three months.