Cinema News and Property Gazette Technical Supplement (1924-1925, 1943, 1946)

February 19, 1925. Supplement to THE CINEMA NEWS AND PROPERTT GAZETTE. 19 MUSIC IN THE CINEMA. MUSIC DRAMA AND THE FILM SETTING, (A Reply to Mr. Edwin Evans.) By DR. G. TOOTELL, MUS D [DUNELM], F B CO. In our last issue a letter appeared from Mr. Edwin Evans, in which he took me to task for some of my remarks in the article on the " Standardising of Film Music," which appeared in cur issue of last October. Mr. Evans' arguments are such that I feel it necessary to reply, if only to clear up one or two small points upon which he has apparently misunderstood me ; and I will take these points in the order in which they arise in his letter. MUSIC-DRAMA AND FILM. Mr. Evans writes : " Dr. Tootell is convinced that the technique of Wagner — that is to say, of leading-themes and of music-drama — is applicable to the musical setting of a film " ; and as two chief points of conflict between the art of music-drama and of the film he mentions that in music-drama " the movement is slow, often much slower than it would be in real life. On the film it is rapid, and sometimes even faster than in life." Also, " In music-drama each episode is developed uninterruptedly to its full length. On the film it is developed by sections which are often very brief, and which are constantly interrupted." As illustrating his points, Mr. Evans cites a very extreme case (probably the most extreme he could find) that masterpiece lor all time, the second act of " Tristan and Isolda. " In the first place I did not advocate the technique of Wagner, for Wagner's technique is obvioulsy not applicable to film-music; but, on the contrary, I advocated the adoption of Wagner's pr'niciplcs in the use of leading-themes — in other words, to build up the film setting on leading-themes. I made this point sufficiently clear, I think, in my article, and I do not see that any useful purpose can be gained by misquoting my words, or trying to place upon them a meaning which was not intended. My statements are not ambiguous. Wagner's principles and his technique arc not quite the same thing, as he himself showed. If any film director attempted to reproduce on the screen the second act of " Tristan and Isolda " as it stands in the opera, he would be a suitable guest for the same place as some " modern " composers — the mental hospital. COMPARISONS. It is absurd to cite such a case in refutation of mv arguments. The " action " of music-drama is very often slow — sometimes even too slow — and on the film is of necessity more rapid, but in what way does that prevent the use of leading-themes in film-music? " In music-drama " (I quote again) " each episode is developed uninterruptedly to its full length." But has Mr. Evans seen the film " Salome," with Nazimova in the stellar role? The whole of this film was practically one episode, developed uninterruptedly. Or did he see " The Nibelungs," to which Wagner's own music has been used as a setting? In some respects, Nazimova's Salome " approximated more nearly to perfection in film art than any other film I have yet seen. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that it ruined her. Mr. Evans' reference to the development of film action in brief and interrupted sections (as contrasted with the action of music-drama) does not apply to the real point at issue'; for the brief and interrupted character of episodes in films is, very frequently, not owing to the action of the film or even of the story, but rather to the manner in which the film has been edited and assembled after all the shots have been taken. For some unaccountable reason many editors assemble films in a manner resembling some jig-saw puzzle, resulting in a series of frantic flashes frcm one scene to another. This is especially the case in a large number of British films. If Mr. Evans would study the action of a few photoplavs he would find that in a surprising number of cases the film could be reassembled in a way which would not only be more logical and intelligible to the audience, but which could, at the same time, lend itself to the musical treatment which I have consistently advocated with an entirely satisfying result both as to picture and music. SUCCESSFUL METHODS. Mr. Evans says : " A successful method for the film does not exist." But Mr. Evans should study the subject a little more deeply before making such a tremendous statement. It is true that a system has not yet been perfected , simply because the art of the film has not been perfected, and cannot be so long as producers will persist in trying to imitate. But to say that a successful method does not exist is absurd and displays an ignorance of the subject. I advocate a method, based upon Wagner's principles in the adoption of a leading-theme for characters, ideas, atmosphere, &c, utilised and developed in conjunction with the film action. Since I first urged this method — now some years ago — it has been utilised (though not in a fully complete way according to my theories) in both original music written to films and in the adaptation of existing music; not only that, but American journals have given me credit for my ideas on film music, and have approved them ! As instances of the former (specially composed music) I cite (as films which occur to my mind as I write) "When Knighthood was in Flower," "Robin Hood," and Charles Wakefield Cadman's most effective setting to " Omar Khayyam " ; and of the latter (adaptation of existing music) " Scaramouche," " Prisoner of Zenda," " Trifling Women," " The Four Horsemen," and " Little Old New York " (partly specially composed). That in these cases the method of fitting the music to the film was successful (under present conditions) cannot be doubted, and in all cases leadingthemes were utilised. But until we get the perfect form of film art we cannot very well — so far as my vision goes — approximate to the perfect musical setting. It would be a long stride .along the road to perfection if, in the first case, all films were sensibly edited and assembled. Mr. Evans says : "In spite of Dr. Tootell, I main