Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

438 Music and the Picture Grauman’s 100% Program Managing Director of Los Angeles Picture Palace Explains Reasons for Musical Policy IN these days of curtailed patronage in many theatres, when managing directors exasperated by continued diminished net profits, look about for possible remedies for an apparently chronic condition and in so doing, allow their thoughts to dwell on the advisability of lessening the overhead by decreasing the size and effectiveness of the theatre orchestra, the following expression of views by Sid Grauman, managing director of Grauman’s and Grauman’s Rialto Theatre, Los Angeles, written exclusively for the News, will be of timely interest. Mr. Grauman says : When any exhibitor engages an orchestra to play every day and every evening in a picture theatre and an orchestra of authentic symphony proportions and quality (65 musicians) to play every Sunday morning, he must have his reasons' When, in addition to this he laboriously works on prologues, engaging talent and genius to participate as preluding entertainment agencies to the presentation of a feature picture he must be convinced that the time, and effort and the money spent, pays. All of which explains why my theatres devote so much attention to the musical program, not occasionally but week after week and month after month. The problem of the picture exhibitors is to produce what he calls “ one hundred per cent entertainment ’’—that is entertainment that will give to 100 per cent of his patronage their “ money’s worh.” The picture hasn’t been made to do that; the vaudeville show hasn’t been assembled yet that accomplished that goal and the musical program hasn’t been presented either that achieves such perfection — but a combination of all three elements, plus others has and does. Let us say that your taste in pictures does not run to stories of adventure, but that you do like revelations of the elegancies, follies and foibles of society. You go to the cinema and perhaps you pay to see a picture by the greatest of all exponents of the adventurous and heroic in all screenland — Bill Hart. Your neighbors on all sides of you thrill to the well-told story, but vou remain unmoved. The entertainment this far has been, let us say, 75 per cent perfect— it has hit the entertainment-requirements of 75 per cent of the audience, but it has missed you. But on the bill is an act like that we are presenting this week in the engagement of Max Fischer and his “personality band” as an extra touch to a fashion show in which a stage full of feminine beauties display a quarter of a million dollars worth of furs. You begin to feel that the exhibitor has remembered that every one doesn’t care for even Bill Hart. Then jazz syncopation and social spectacle is succeeded by sublime music from an orchestra capable of playing anything from Beethoven to Victor Herbert or from Brahms and Schubert to Sullivan and Lehar. You have enjoyed at least half the bill. The entertainment has been made 100 per cent and nobody remains ungratified. It has all been worthy and on a high artistic plane — the wants of all have been consulted and gratified. Educational elements have not intruded Sid Grauman themselves, but have been present; esthetic taste has been excited and satisfied and the imagination has been stimulated in wholesome and healthy manner. That is the reason why Grauman’s theatres will continue to serve every kind of taste except coarse taste by a diversity of entertainment that is aimed week after week at the bullseye of “ 100 per cent.” A New Stringed Instrument In Berlin one Waldemar Giese has been giving a concert on a newly invented stringed instrument called the “bass-baritone.” It is said to be a cross between a ’cello and a double bass and is tuned a fourth higher than the double bass. The tone is small and without expression and characteristic color, and correctness of intonation is difficult to attain. Harmonics were much used by the player, who presented a dull concerto by the famous double bass player, Kussewitzkv. Lipschultz Returns to Minneapolis George Lipschultz, Milwaukee’s best known photoplay orchestra leader, is back again at the Strand. Mr. Lipschultz left Milwaukee some months ago to go to the Pantheon theatre, Chicago. After he had left Saxe brothers found they had a gap in their organization that somehow they could not fill. Finally arrangements were made with Lubliner and Trinz, Chicago, to release Mr. Lipschultz from his contract and he returned to Milwaukee. Motion Picture News | History of First Perform j ance of “Rhinegold” A writer in the Paris Temps recalls how | Paris first heard the music of “ Rhinegold," which has just been restored to the stage of the Opera. It was on May 6, 1893. The orchestra pit was covered with a platform. A little table was put there, lighted with a kerosene lamp with a green shade. The curtain rose and showed the setting of the nuptial chamber in “ Lohengrin.” Then entered, like a wedding procession, Messrs. Renaud, Fournets and Vergnet, and on their arms Mmes. Renee Richard, Bosman and Jane Marcy, who sat down in six chairs placed for them. There were two grand pianos, at which Raoul Pugno and Claude Debussy took their seats. Lecturer came forward, took his seat at the table and read a substantial essay: It was Catulle Mendes. After the lecture some scenes from the music E drama were sung and played with great success. '■ l — Witmark Song Scores at Rialto A very interesting musical score, which in ’ j eludes many old time New England favorites, J has been arranged for the New York Rialto ; Theatre feature this week, “ Get Rich Quick \\ allingford,” but the tune that is being used ] as the special thematic material for the score I is a comparatively recent song, “My Home L : Town Is a One Horse Town,” published by M. ( Witmark and Sons. Carl Rollins, the featured singer, is using the I : song also as his vocal number with the Rialto I I Male Quartettte singing the chorus on the second repeat. Niagara Falls Theatre Has “Music Lovers Week ” D. H. Finke, manager of the new Bellevue ^ theatre, Niagara Falls, N. Y., put on a ' Music Lovers’ Week,” as an added attraction last week, offering to play songs and selections re \ quested by patrons on the big orchestral organ. The patrons of the Bellevue wrote their requests. The numbers receiving the largest number of requests were played. Mr. Finke also | staged a prologue showing famous composers in connection with the stunt. C. Sharpe Minor Will Play at Buffalo C. Sharpe Minor is coming to Buffalo. The I famous organist of the Grauman Theatre on the I west coast has been engaged by M. Slotkin, general manager of the new Lafayette Square I Theatre, Buffalo, to act as organist on this 4,000 I seat house, which opens January 15. Mr. Slotkin has installed a $50,000 Wurlitzer I HopesJones unit orchestral organ in the LaI favette Square, which is said to be one of finest I instruments in the world and which C. Sharpe I Minor will play. The announcement of the coming of this I famous musician has created much comment I in Buffalo and western New York and is only! one of the many surprises which Mr. Slotkin j has in store for Buffalo theatregoers when the mammoth house opens next month. niwinnwwnnnwwHWiiw«ww«roniwmin^m\wwTOWW