Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1920)

Motion Picture New* Music For Your Theatre (Continued from page 4086) A synchronizing of effort must be arranged between producers, musicians, musical distributing agencies and the theatres to coincide with release dates. Where are the specialized conductors and musical showmen who can jump in and handle the whole situation? When is it right to use classical music, when is it right to stick to jazz, and which is the best business ? Why is it that the motion picture theatre finds its best channel in emulating the concert and opera house and not the vaudeville house? Not to compete with but to draw from the musical houses is the desire ot the picture man. The motion picture theatre can direct to it the better and ever better members of the community and can attain a prestige and glamour which delight the heart of every serious showman. Together the two industries joined in an organization can do much more than ever will be accomplished by the individual sputtering around and fussing about of a few in scattered territories. These ideas and viewpoints are in the minds of the men and women who are being drawn to the conference. " Birds of a Feather," etc. — and as remarked, it will be particularly true of the great meetings of January 24-5-6 in New York City. There will be no loss of time. Be assured of that. There will be none of the meaningless discussion of the machinery of organization — no frittering of time on matters of politics. The conference will get down to serious business from the first moment of the meetings. All this is being worked out now — in advance. The program of activities will be definitely unified, constructive and continuous in its progress of intent. At the beginning the proposal of the Society of Motion Picture Music will be presented and voted upon ; the selection of a board of governors selected from the various industries. To this Board of Governors all matters pertaining to music in theatres will be submitted during the year, and the Board will pass its judgment, thereby stamping the viewpoint of the allied industries. One of the first matters to be submitted before the newly organized body, in entirety, will be the matter of the Music Tax; and it is purposed to offer a pact to be signed by the Composers' organization which levies the tax and the Picture Industry, whereby that problem will be settled definitely and finally. Brief, plainly spoken and picture-worded addresses will bring the latest word to the industry from the best-equipped men in these fields; the producer, the composer, the managershowman, the little theatre owner, the publisher, the conductor, the orchestra man, the dancer, the singer, the club women, the concert managers, the new artist distributing organizations, the vaudeville representative, the newspaperman, the cue-maker, the instrument manufacturer, the organ maker, the music publisher, the organist, etc. The subjects will be all those which are in the minds of the " birds of a feather." Among the prominent speakers will be Samuel Rothapfel, Hugo Riesenfeld, Edward Hyman, Joseph Briel, Edward Voigt, Nat Finston, Erno Rapee, John C. Freund, C. M. Tremaine, and a list of others to be announced in detail. There will be special trips and definitely explained versions of shows to the Rialto theatre, with Hugo Riesenfeld going into careful explanations ; to the Brooklyn Strand with Edward Hyman ; to the Capitol with Samuel Rothapfel in charge, etc. There will be close-up versions of some of the latest musical ideas offered to the industry. The full program is not made up yet. But in the six weeks between the day that this is written and the time that the conference gets together, the last detail of the arrangements will have been completed. THE TIME TO SEND IN YOUR REGISTRATION TO THE CONFERENCE IS NOW— IF YOU WISH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION WRITE AT ONCE TO CHARLES D. ISAACSON AT THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS, 729 7th Avenue, New York. I The New Music Forum | (Under this heading the new ideas, queries, suggestions are gathered. This is where the motion picture fraternity gets together on music.) Editor Music Department : " I am sure you will be interested to know that we had an innovation idea in our theatre. We gave out cards with the title, ' What's your favorite melody?' On the back were, 'Please play (name of selection). Requested by (name of patron),' also address and telephone. Then by mail we inform our patrons when their music is being played at our theatre. It is working like a charm. Kindly let us know what other managers and musical directors think of this idea." — R. E. Moulton, Musical Director, American Theatre, Butte, Montana. Music Editor: " Will you please send me a list of the music publishers whose music cannot be played in theatres without tax." — Bowen & Charles Theatre Circuit, Tenino, Wash. Music Editor: " I am most heartily in sympathy with your campaign looking toward the improvement of music in the motion picture theatres, and particularly with the more logical synchronization of music with pictures. " It seems to me that every producer of big pictures should furnish orchestra leaders with such a schedule as you have arranged and printed in your columns for some prominent pictures. With the cooperation then of such a bureau as you propose there would be no further excuse for hit-and-miss music in the picture houses. " You will doubtless be interested to know that the American Indian Film Company is now making a one-reel feature picture entitled, ' The Land of the Sky-Blue Water,' from the legend which inspired Charles Wakefield Cadman to write his famous song of that name. For this little picture Mr. Cadman is writing a complete musical score to synchronize throughout the picture. This little picture is the first product of our company and is put out really as a sample of the type of product that may be expected from us. Incidentally it introduces Tsianina, the famous Indian singer, to the film, to the film public. Mr. Cadman is also under contract with us to write the most complete musical score yet attempted in the picture world for a super-production Indian film that we have in preparation. Mr. Cadman will compose an overture and an orchestral intermezzo in addition to the synchronizing music and will also provide one or two impressive choral numbers for the larger theatres where bodies of singers are available. This score will be issued with orchestral parts for full orchestra, a condensed form for smaller orchestras and also a score for piano or organ. It will also be cut for the mechanical organ roll. You can see that we regard music as of great importance from the fact that we are making such elaborate arrangements for the use of Mr. Cadman's music with this picture. " Wishing you all success in your campaign for better theatre music and assuring you of my desire to be of any assistance possible." — /. C. Wilcox, Manager, The American-Indian Film Co., Denver, Colo. Dear Mr. Isaacson: Too often theatre managers have let themselves become swayed into the belief that their audiences would be so deeply absorbed in the pictures that they would not pay much attention to the musical scores or how nearly or not they came to being in the right strain. That condition, it is pleasing to note, hai changed a great deal within the last two years but still despite the efforts of motion picture producers to introduce the musical cue sheets, many theatre managers have continued to ignore the real bona fide value of good music to the successful screening of pictures. " Slipshod methods have been pursued and have not gained anything for the theatre. If more attention is paid to music it will enhance the possibilities of the theatres. It makes no dfference if the theatre has a piano, an organ or an orchestra, proper music is essential. Furthermore, proper music is not only essential but it is also essential that the person or persons playing be qualified to understand the merits of music in conjunction with pictures. And the demerits, I might add. " The formation of an organization to be known as the Association of Music and Motion Picture Men which will meet in New York next January, I believe to be a very excellent idea. Through the means afforded by cuch an association, I feel that much of beneficial nature to the theatre is to be gained. It will be possible to thoroughly discuss the questions involved and to bring a broader and more general understanding of the subject. I note that one of the questions to be discussed is the question of G. Schirmer's GALAXY and MISCELLANY The Two Famous Series For Orchestra Found on Every Cue Sheet aStt special price offers G. SCHIRMER 3 E. 43rd St. New York