Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)
Reading and Downloading:
Record Details:
Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!
Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.
Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.
View OCR Text
We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
14
BETTER THEATRES SECTION OF January 31, 1925
Scoring Music to Picture Action
How the Howard Theatre Does It Is Revealed in This Article By —
ALEX KEESE
Musical Director, Howard Theatre, Atlanta, Ga.
|Y/| USIC is the language of emotions, and if the picture arouses emotions, whether lofty or base, it will find a ready interpretation in musical phrases.
Keeping this thought always in mind, my work, though seemingly complicated, after all becomes very simple. For I have set a routine whereby I am able to determine the emotional scenes and dramatic climaxes.
When I .“screen” a picture I write the entire stoiy. Sitting in the projection room with my typewriter, I make a note of every move, every emotion, every close-up, fade-outs and fade-ins, every title, change of reel and in fact every move of any kind, whether emotional, dramatic, comic or neutral, is noted on my cue sheet, which by this time has really become a scenario. ^ ^
My next step is to “block” my cue sheet. This is done by the use of of a pencil and ruler and simply consists of blocking off every change of emotion or scene.
After I have done this much on my program I have a very good idea of the kind of music which the picture will need for a proper interpretation, and I get the conductor scores of ^numbers I am con t e m p 1 a t i n g using.
I sometimes begin by fitting a scene in the middle of the picture, then working towards both ends.
“Themes” are first selected and I review the story and find the spots where the love theme will fit, inserting this wherever I think it advisable. My other character themes are next placed in their postion, then the neutral and emotional places are fitted by proper music.
* * *
After a little experience this system of cueing can become so simple and yet so effective that it would seem the only sensible way to score a picture. I am able to gauge the number of measures necessary to fit almost any scene and therefore can state definitely how many measures the orchestra will play. This enables me to make a segue at a given point in the number and I always find these points and segue to nurnbers in the same or related keys. This gives me a continuous musical accompaniment, with no abrupt stops nor inharmonious changes.
My musical settings for every picture are really scores; just as much so as any score which is published and put up in bookform, since I follow the same structure in building my musical accompaniment.
Alex Keese
After I have selected the music and fitted it to the picture, I make up an “Orchestra Cue Sheet,” which I send to the printer on Friday of each week. He prints fifty copies and these are put iu the books with the music and distributed to the orchestra men on Saturday. Each man arranges his own m u s i c, copying parts where necessary, and marking the others so that he may turn Monday rehearsal pared and we are formance.
*
ORCHESTRA CUE SHEET HOWARD— ATLANTA Wetk of Dec. 29. 1924 A1.EX KEESE, Director LLOYD BEMUS, Associate WM. LTERMOEHLEN, Arranger KARL PATHE. Asst. Arranger fOVERTURE. “AIDA”— Cots as oiarked NEWS as posted TRAILERS as posted “FIVE FINGER LAKES"
1. Indian Dawn
2. Indian Love Call, script
3. Woodland Sketches V at 11
1. Wine. Women and Song at Maestoso, no repeat in waltz No. 1. Waltz No. 2 play Intro, and 1st strain, take fine and cut to No. 3. Take second endings In waltzes 3 and 4, cut to coda in waltz No. 4.
2. Atonement of Pan. Dance of the Nymphs. No repeats and cut from C to E.
3. Tinker Bell Script.
FEATURE. “PETER PAN"
1. Babes in Toyland.
2. Coming of the Fairies Script.
3. Mile. Modiste at 6/8 Andantino segue after 1 bar of 2 /4.
4. Babes in Toyland 1 bar after “D”. 4 bars only.
5. Fairy Pipers at “A”. 12 bars segue.
6. Bab^ in Toyland. I bar after “D."
7. Fairy Pipers at “A", 4 bars segtle.
8. Babes in Toyland at “B”. repeat from tempo di valse.
9. Mile. Modiste at 6/8 andantino.
10. Fairy Pipers.
11. Mile. Modiste at 6/8 Andantino, 10 bars segue.
12. Babes in Toyland, 1 bar after “D". play 4 bars segue.
13. Babes in Toyland, 1 bar after “B". repeat at 3 4 to “B."
14. Mile. Modiste at 6/8 andantino.
15. Mile. Modiste at 4. 4 .\ndante, 8 bars only
16. Babes in Toyland at “A”, 8 bars only
17. Mile. Modiste at 6 '8 Andantino. 4 bars.
18. Babes in Toyland at “A”. 2 bars.
19. Mile. Modiste at 6/8 Andantino, 4 bars segue.
20. Babes in Toyland, 1 bar after “D.”
21. Sweet Spirit Hear My Prayer at 4lh bar, 3'/j bars.
22. Petite Suite II at Cadenza.
23. Fair} Pipers at “A.” 12 bars segue.
24. Scherzo.
Danse des Mirlitons, cut from 3 to 4.
26. Fairy Pipers at "A". 12 bars segue.
27. Bean Stalk Script at 23rd bar.
28. Fairy Pipers.
29. Danse des Mirlitons at 3rd bar.
30. Fairy Pipers at “A”.
31. Danse de la Fee Dragee, Fischer Edition.
32. Scherzo. 4 bars only segue.
SS. Beanstalk Script.
34. Scherzo. 4 bars segue.
35. Beanstalk Script.
36. Svherzo.
37. Beanstalk Script tt “B"
38. Scherzo. IGlyars, segue.
39. Toyland Minor Scrips.
40. Coming of Fairies Script, take 2nd ending.
41. Beanstalk Script at “C”.
42. Nordland at 2/4 Alio Marcato (Indian Dance).
43. Reminiscenses o*f England.
14. Ameer al pick-up before 2nd bar of Alio Miste* rioso. 4 bars.
45. Reminiscenses of England at up-beat before 3rd bar.
46. Ameer at up-beat of 2nd bar of Alio Mlsterioso, 2 bars.
47. Reminiscenses of England at up-beat of 3rd bar.
48. Ameer at up-beat of 2nd bar of AUo MUte* rioso.
49. Reminiscenses of England at up-beat of Srd bar.
50. Chant Elegiac at 7th bar. after 2.
51. Fairy Pipers, segue at 4th bar after "D”
62. Melancholie (Bubeck) at 9th bar
INTERMISSION
53. Pirates of Penzance, segue after 1st beat of 18th bar.
54. Reminiscenses of England al up-beat before 3rd bar.
55. Ameer at up-beat before 2nd barof AUo Misterioso, 8 bars.
56. Pirates of Penzance al up-beat of Srd bar. play 15 bars segue.
57. Babes in Toyland at “D”
58. America in “F”. six bars only
59. Reminiscenses of England at up-beat of Srd bar.
60. Peter Clock Script.
61. Pirates of Penzance at Vivace (Fischer Edition).
62. Reminiscenses of England.
63. Pirates of Penzance al Vivace (Fischer Edition)
64. Danse of the Gnomes.
65. Pirates of Penzance at Beginning
66. Star Spangled Banner Script.
67. Ameer al up-beat of 2nd tar AUo Misierioaoi. 4 bars.
68. Scherzo.
69. Toyland Minor Script.
70. Scherzo. 4 bars only
71. Toyland Minor Script. 2 bars.
72. Coming of the Fairies.
73. Home Sweet Home Toyland Script, aegue.
74. Babes In Toyland al 5lh bar after “A"
75. Scherzo. 16 bars segue.
76. Toyland Minor Script, 2 bars.
77. Babes in Toyland, 1 bar after “V.
78. March of the Toys.
79. Coming of the Fairies, aegne at 2/4.
80. Petite Suite II at Piu Animate.
81. Atonement of Pan I at 2nd Bar.
Chaser. “March of the Toyt" al “D”, fliileh on Srd beat of bar before “F”
AFTER NEWS REEL EVERYTHING MUST BE MUTED.
Reproduction of cue sheet used by Alex Keese, musical director, Howard theatre, Atlanta, Ga.
to it readily, and by the score is all preall set for the per
In order to successfully use this system a director must have a good memory. The orchestra will play with assurance only when the director is sure of himself. And he cannot be sure of himself unless he is thoroughly familiar with his score. I make it practice to study each score just as much as I expect my men to study it, and it is seldom that I have to refer to my music even on Monday. I conduct from my cue sheet, or “scenario,” as I have previously called it. Since I have recorded every move I am able to hasten or slow up, as needed to make the cues fit as I planned.
I am sending my cue sheet on “Peter Pan.” Also one reel of my “scenario,” vyhich shows better than I can tell, how I operate.
“Peter Pan”
Music Scenario
The following furnishes an explanation of the “scenario” form used by Mr. Keese, being his working scenario for the first reel of “Peter Pan.”
“Peter Pan” — Direction— Cast — Members of Peter’s Band — Pirates.
■ A note on the acting of a fairy play ( two titles) .
Note: Babes in Toyland selection. Play first two strains.
Bedtime in the Darling Nursery. Coocoo seven times. Fades out to room.
Note: Coming of the fairies script.
Nana yawns. Coo coo. Nana listens, turns on light, pulls down bed covers, gets pajamas, to fire scene into bath room, fixes bath. Scene back in bedroom, dusts carpet out.
Note: Mile. Modiste at 6/8 and antino seque after 1st bar of 2/4.
Mr. Darling Was a Fidget. Michael rides dog into bedroom, scene, I won’t be bathed, shakes head, rides out.
Note: Babes in Toyland at 1 bar after “D” 4 bars only seque.
Pan appears at window. Mother in sees, “Who Are You?” Peter leaves. Mother runs to window.
Note: Fairy Pipers at “A,” 12 bars seque.
Goes in bath room, scenes with Michael, she back in bedroom, other children in, she loves them, father in scene with tie he points.
Note: Babes in Toyland 1 bar after “D."
Peter on eaves of house listens (short).
Note: Fairy Pipers at “A,” 4 bars seque.
Mother ties tie, father rides Michael on his back scenes, scenes, dumps him in bed, Nana in, children watch, Nana plays, scenes, father scolds John, Michael calls, father turns.
Note: Babes in Toyland at “B” repeat from tempo di valse.
Brushes against Nana, he, angry, “I have an uneasy feeling.”
Note: Mile. Modiste at 6/8 andantino.
Mother listens, “We Must Be Good to Nana,” she tells him of PETER, he incredulous, she sits him down NOT THE FIRST TIME tells him more scenes, he thinks, gets up, they go to the drawer, find shadow, look like scoundrel, examine shadow, AND THAT ISN’T ALL— scene, A SHADOW— NOW YOU SEE they talk — he turns, hands behind.
Note: Fairy Pipes.
Nana in with medicine — she pours, mother gives spoon to Nana, he starts off.
Note: Mile. Modiste at 6/8 andantino 10 bars seque.
Theatre, stores and apartments at Archer and Leavitt St., Chicago, to cost $1,100,000. Work started. Theatre to seat 2,500. Large stage, lot 100x380. Garard & Co. has financed the building with a ten year 2nd mortgage bond issue. R. Levine & Co., and E. P. Rupert, architects.
.1