Cinema News and Property Gazette (1913)

Al'KII. 2, 1913. THE CINEMA. 53 THE PICTURE MUSICIANS' PAGE HOW AND WHAT TO PLAY. By MUSICUS. This page is intended as an aid to the musicians employed in the cinema theatre, and will contain reviews of the latest music, rolls (or automatically played instruments, and records for talking pictures and talking machines received by us for that purpose. Musicians are invited to send in lists of suggested music for current or forthcoming releases, or any useful hints for the benefit of their confreres. All communications should be addressed to the Kditor of The Cinema, 30, G.rrard Street, London, \V., and should be endorsed in top left hand corner "Musicus." A. L. (Newcastle), writes: " I have lately started playing in a new picture theatre, and as this is mj first experience in this line of business 1 wish you would tell me what kind of music I will need and some pointers on how to use it. The work interests me very much, and I am anxious to do it right, so any advice you can oiler will be gratefully received. " These letters are always interesting to me from their sincerity. The writers are in the same boat with myself and main others. They " want to know." Now, the best I or anyone can do is to offer a personal opinion on the subject. The rest is largely a matter of your own application, experience and individuality. In previous articles on this page I have endeavoured to set forth my ideas as to the fundamental principles of the application of music to the pictures, but any suggestions along this line must, from the nature of the work, be general in character. As I have frequently pointed out, there can be no definite rules laid down which will apply to all pictures alike, for the reason that there is no limit to the possibilities of pictorial Subjects and their treatment. Each one presents its own peculiar problems of musical definition, and nearly every musician who has an) ideas at all, has his own methods of handling these problems. Most of them (perhaps all) have some good in them, but in the present chaotic state of picture music it is unwise for any one to insist that his is the only correct " system," and all others are wrong. Some time ago I visited a picture theatre where a pianist held forth who had a reputation for " catching every move on the screen. They said " he never let anything get by him." The first picture was a comedv. Music : " Oh You Beautiful Doll," " Mv Wife's Gone to the Country," &c, all through. Sometimes only a few bars, sometimes a whole strain or more. Everything applied perfectly ; so well, in fact, that it would have been difficult to improve upon it. I said to myself, ••'Phis pianist is all ri;_rht." The next picture was a rural comedy-drama of the present time. Music: •"Barn Dance," " Bv the Light of the Silver) Moon," "Who Were You With Last Night?" &c, &C. Still very good. Everything fitted, and the audience was kepi in a good humour. The last picture was of the ancient Roman period. Music opened with a modern wait/. Cleopatra goes up to the boat : " Parted." The boat moves away: "The Gondola Song." Later, she is discovered sleeping surrounded by slaves waving palm branches over her: " Neath the Shade of the Sheltering Palm." And so on, ad libitum, lie certainly "caught every move," and I don't think anything " got by him," but he did not work up the picture as it should have been done. Such pictures are serious, and a vein of levity in the musical accompaniment destroys their dramatic value, whether the audience realised the fact or not. In this case, everybody appeared to be satisfied, but the picture was not presented in the spirit the producer intended it to be, and for that reason the audience did not get what they were entitled to. There wasn't the suggestion of a laugh in the whole film, nor was it necessarv to introduce one. The other two reels had enough comedv to balance up the eveninq-'s bill, and the effect as given on this night was the same as when nn actor " gaqs " his part. The piece was spoiled. One thing I have always maintained is the neccssitv of crettipq the spirit of the picture — the impression you think the producer intended to convey, and then bring that out as well as you can. ll the picture is comic, then am laugh you help to get carries out the purpose of the producer. Dramas may have both serious and comic elements; very often a laugh may be introduced where none was intended, without detracting from the general idea, but it must not interfere with a serious seen, or one of importance. What kind of music will be needed? " is another ver) natural question. livery kind of music ma\ possiblv be used at some time or other, from grand opera to "ragtime"; Irom the classic sacred music to the Salvation Armv hymns. I here is no limit to what you might need or could us occasion. Luckily for our purses, the average pictures run SO nearly along the same lines that a little careful observation will' show us what is most frequently called lor. I do not believe it necessary at present to again mention the music ordinarily required, as I have gone over the routine frequently. Those who wish mas find plenty of hints along this line by consulting the back numbers of The ClNBHA. 1 he last request : " (live me some pointers on how to use it " [i.e., how to use the music), is the one big question which involves all the others. It is equivalent to asking, " How shall I work up pictures." To some it comes natural to apply dramatic music to scenes. Other niniblewitted players find the song chorus, with its suggestive title or " catch-phrase," to be a convenient form of describing pictures. Both are good, but neither should be used to the exclusion of the Other. The latter needs no explanation. The principal requirements are a large stock of upto-date popular stuff stored in your memory and a read\ wit. Practice, however, works wonders in this, as in everything else. As to applying dramatic music to the scenes, practice is also an important factor the more you do, the easier it is. Here also exists the necessity of memorising a number of pieces of this character (dramatic music). In fact, pianists cannot " work up " pictures with an) degree of satisfaction unless they have a considerable quantity of ordinary music in their noddles and at their fingers' ends," as one correspondent put it. Some time ago a young lady inquired as to the proper manner of applying dramatic music to pictures. I advised her as a beginner to pick out those scenes which she was sure of — that is, scenes so pronounecd that there could be no mistaking their character—and fit them only at first. Later, as -he got more accustomed to this kind of work, she would be able to go further. She wrote me a short time ago that she/ had followed m\ suggestion, and was getting along exceedingly well. Said she could see thinys in the pictures she never could see before. Of course, as is to be expected, one develops with practice, and learns in a measure to analyse pictures as to their dramatic elements the application of fitting music fellows as a matter of course. Your work will be elaborated by introducing "local colour," in the shape ol song's peculiar to place, to time or to people; by introducing (wherever appropriate! up-to-date song choruses. National and patriotic songs, of course, have their place, and must not he overlooked. In the case of the " Cleopatra " picture referred to above, although we have nothing which could be called " Early Roman " or " Ancient Egyptian " music . \ 1 there is much characteristic and descriptive stufl which will answer the purpose. The march from " Aida " (Verdi) and " Antony and Cleopatra" (Grunewald) are both broad and dignified marches, and are '_'ood for processionals, as well as for " fill-in " purposes. Pryor's " Egyptian Love Dance," Joyce's '• Salome," " Zallah," the intermezzo " Iris," Beethoven's " March from the Ruins of Athens" (sometimes called Turkish March); Schubert's "Moments Musical," and many others can he used which bv t heir quaint character will serve as a musical background for this class of picture. I'se dramatic music also when necessary