Motion Picture News (July-Aug 1921)

760 Motion Picture News Music and the Picture Some Midsummer Thoughts for the Picture Musician By Charles D. Isaacson YOU who have the opportunity during midsummer to get a little closer to nature, who can dip in the sea or the inland lake, who can climb to the summit of heaventurned mountains, or meander through the quiet of cool, sweet forests — listen to our round-table chat on some midsummer motion picture thoughts. You who get closer to nature are moving close to the original sources of creation — you are touching the well-springs which inspired the composers of music and the painters of canvases. You are listening to the music of the wroods, of the sea, of the rivers ; you are moving into the atmosphere of the mountains and the forest — "Can't you hear the paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?" Not that I would grow sentimental or poetic, but there is an object lesson to which I would call your attention. When you are preparing to score a picture — to add to it the proper musical setting, you are wondering always just which is most appropriate in your library of compositions. Now the musician or the manager who is not a technical musician but who feels music is better equipped to sense what is just right, if he has himself caught the original voices of nature. As you wander along the forest road, it seems a shame to drag in your business, but once or twice give a thought to this suggestion. What are the woods singing? If this were a motion picture instead of the real thing, and you were trying to select your music, what would be in tune with this singing you hear in the soughing boughs and the dancing leaves and the voices of birds and animals? Strain your ears. Listen tightly. Hear the pulse of the silent woods, catch the color of the harmony that is all about you. Now, if your soul has a wee bit of the divine impulse, you are in the same communion with creation that has inspired Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Schubert, and every master composer. Listen again! What familiar composition seems to fit in with this unseen orchestral performance of the w:oods. Remember Liszt's "Forest Murmurs" and Sinding's "Murmurs of Spring" and Beethoven's "Pastorale" and Debussy's "Afternoon of a Faun." They are not out of tune, are they? Oh, no. And now you can hear for yourself why it is that the picture representation of this forest in the theatre calls for a voice which is music to make it more real and atmospheric. Now think of the ocean. You are at the beach, the waves rolling in, there is a soft splashing on the sands and a swishing as the water retreats. Perhaps a boat digs its nose into the beach as it gains the shore, or perhaps out upon the surf, when the great steamer is rolling and tossing — listen! What do you hear? What are the wild waves saying? What is the keynote of the harmony? Say it! Think now of the. music which is supposed to give the atmosphere of the ocean. Remember it now, and say for yourself if it is in tune with the real sounds ! It seems to me always that if our motion picture musicians could occasionally themselves feel the impulse to creation of music that fits the situations they are seeking to color with harmony, they would make fewer blunders, and more than that, be themselves attuned to the spirit of the thing they are seeking to accomplish. When the original sources of art are visited by our musical interpreters, there is a goodly result all around. So these wandering midsummer thoughts are passed on to those who have the opportunity during this season to get a little closer to nature and humanity in its more native moments. ~ MUSIC FORUM(Under this heading the new ideas, queries, suggestions are gathered. This is where the motion picture gets together on music.) Before my association with the theatre I was a concert pianist, organist and instructor. My piano I studied under the tutelage of Mr. Constantin V. Sternberg, and with earlier assistance of my father, a musician of wide-known reputation. Have appeared as soloist in numerous recitals with various orchestras, with marked success, having obtained favorable comments from the press and my many audiences. I studied the organ under the late Mr. David D. W ood, and held positions as organist in several large churches in this city. When I decided to enter the art of motion picture playing, it was with a sincere desire to do justice to the photo play, organ, audience and my musical reputation. Music for the photo plav is a new and valuable field for music students. To search out and make Application for Membership ASSOCIATION OF MOTION PICTURE-MUSICAL INTERESTS Accepted Temporary Headquarters Suite 402, 729 7th Avenue, New York City I, Address • herewith dest s to apply for membership in this association, Class Dues CLASSES A — Those ot the motion picture industry seeking to broaden their appeal thru music. B — Those of the music industry and musical profession seeking to widen their scope thru the film. C — Those seeking to give the public a greater opportunity to hear good music. Dues are paid in advance. $2.00 for individuals $10.00 for corporations and companies. available selections which actually stimulate the mood of the scene, harmonizing with the theme of the scenario, deepens the appreciation and increases the value for better music for the film. This is the most interesting work the musician can attempt. An absolute essential factor of the musical score arranged for motion pictures is " Synchronization," i. e., exact timing of the accompaniment to the scene of action. It is something which everyone in the audience senses and recognizes at the feature which eliminates sudden disjointed stops and jarring changes in musical settings. It has always been my aim to arrange my programs embracing music ranging fro/n the popular selections of the day to movements from the world's greatest symphonies, so all patrons may have an opportunity of hearing the music of which they are the most fond. Irving X. Cahan, 137 South 56th St., Philadelphia. Dear Sir: If you will, tell me where I can get a music book specially for motion pictures, pieces that suit and changes for different scenes. I am yours very respectfully, (Signed) D. T. Edwards, Musical Director. STILL THE MUSIC TAX Dear Mr. Isaacson: The News carried a few weeks ago a very illuminating article on the activities of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in their relation to the Motion Picture theatres. There are some points, however, which were not cleared up specifically and I am writing you in the hope of obtaining further information. If you cannot give me this information may I ask you to refer me to someone who can? Do the activities of this society cover such works of its composer-members as are published by persons or companies not members of the society when the copyright is held by the publisher? For instance, the Friml numbers copyrighted by Schirmer. Can this society or its members prevent the use of an old song by copyrighting a new version? For instance, the copyrighted version of " Nellie Gray " recently put out and included in the press book of the " Testing Block." For what period of years does a copyright hold good? Can numbers be used without the payment of a tax after the expiration of this period? For instance, some of the old Sousa marches and Herbert musical comedies. Can the list of members, as published by the society, be considered authentic and complete? The May number of " Melody " looks very much like Walter Jacobs is a member of this society or at least in sympathy with their aims, but his name is not included in their list of publishers in the same issue. In explanation of the foregoing let me say that the manager of the theatre where I serve as oreanist has refused to pay any fee to this society. I wish to say further that I am in accord with his decision, not because he is manager of the theatre where I happen to be employed but because this seems to me to be the right and just course. It is possible to have every legal right to do a thing and no moral right whatever. There can be no question but that the performance of the numbers controlled by this society brings far greater profit to the members of the society than to the persons responsible for the performance. Public performance is recognized as the one great factor in the popularizing of music while the difference in profits to a theatre through using taxed and fee free music is practically negligible, in fact the elimination of a large percentage of the numbers controlled by this society will usually result in better musical programs. The composers of merit who have lent their names and influence to this movement are comparatively few. The members of this society have long realized the benefit to themselves of the performance of their works as is evidenced by the amount they expend in furnishing professional people with copies and urging their use. Taking into consideration the quality of the stuff produced under the " staff writer " system, it seems like adding insult to injury to follow up a bunch of these professional copies and letters asking Derformers to use them with a demand that a fee shall be paid for their use. It is a significant fact that the society went to the managers rather than the musicians to collect their fee. It is much easier for the musician to advise the manager to pav the tax than to go through his library and separate the wolves from the sheep and then procure numbers to fill the gaps. However, if he were asked for the fee the chances are that he would soon find means of nresenting creditable programs without standing the " jip." I ask your pardon. Mr. Isaacson, for the length of this letter. Permit me to thank you for the good I have gotten from your department in the News. You are doing a considerable service to the industry — musicians and managers. Yours very truly. Ralph M. Howell. 1700 Villa Ave.. Sioux City. Iowa. Organist. Hipp Theatre.