Moving Picture World (Jul 1916)

638 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 22, 1916 in the park and for the purpose of introducing another character a suggestion of an accident or runaway is portrayed. Frequently only a flash is seen. You possibly would be using a bright two-step or popular number for the park scene and to change to an agitato which would only last ten seconds would be difficult and unsatisfactory. But to momentarily hurry the tempo of the piece you were playing would give you the desired effect. One thing more upon which Mr. Taylor is certainly to be congratulated is his classification of "North and South." To my personal knowledge, a leader was sent from New York City to take charge of a restaurant in Washington, D. C. On a certain occasion he played a selection of American Airs which contained a certain Northern air still considered objectionable to Southerners, and there resulted an uproar that required all the manager's diplomacy to quiet In the picture theaters of today such incidents are frequently happening players feeling that any patriotic air fits a military figure Space prevents me from dealing more thoroughly with this question, but at a future date I hope to go very thoroughly into this phase of music for the film. Musical Terms (Continued). By S. M. BERG. SImelo™lEpTjyhed. Si8DS indicating temP° and scale * wHich the SI^E.— Similarly ; a direction to perform the following measure o. passages in the same style as the preceding SMORENDO.— Dying away. S' lnsTFm^n°n^nQT^ r|s°u»dinf,y. resonantly, ringingly. SOSTENLTO (SOST.) .—Sustained ; prolonged. Standing alone as a c^£m£0 ™,aVk U 1S mucn the same as Andante cantabilc. viJnnk™ *~ Un d.er'.so»° v°ce, in an undertone, under the breath. bi'iLtAlu. — bee springing bow. SPIRITO, CON.— Spiritedly, with spirit. SPRINGING BOW.— In violin playing, a style of bowing In which the bow is allowed to drop on the string, making it rebound and quit the string between each two notes. STACCATO (STACC.).— Detached, separated: a style in which the notes played or sung are more or less abruptly disconnected STENTANDO ( STENT.) .—Delaying, retarding, dragging' STREPITO. — In a noisy, boisterous, impetuous style STRETTO.— Pressed together; hurried. STRIDENTE.— Strident, rough, harsh. STRINGENDO (STRING.) .—Hastening, accelerating the movement usually, suddenly and rapidly, with a crescondo SUBITO. — Suddenly, without pause. T TACIT.— "Is silent." TARANTELLA. — A dance 6-8, gradually increasing in speed TEMPESTUOSO.— Stormily, passionately, impetuously TENUTO (TEN.).— "Held." means (a) generally, that a tone so markeu is to be sustained for its full time value; (b) occasionally legato TOSTAMENTE.— Boldly and rapidly. TRANQUILLO— Tranquilly, quietly, calmly. TREMOLO.— Quivering, fluttering. TROPPO. — Too, too much. Allearo ma non troppo, rapid but not too fast. TUTTO. — All, whole ; con tutta la 1orza, or tutta forza with full power and strength. TT UXISONO (UNIS.).— Unison. V VELOCISSIMO— Very fast; with extreme rapidity. VIGOROSO.— With vigor, with energy. VIOLENTO. — In a violent, impetuous style. VIVACE. — Lively, animated, brisk. Vivace calls for a movement exceeding Allegro in rapidity. VIVACISSIMO.— Very fast, presto. (The End.) Announcement. By S. M. Berg. These columns in the past have almost exclusively been devoted to the pianist or the orchestra leader. To-day one must realize the enormous strides that the organist is making in interpreting music for the film. It is not an improbable calculation to state that 70 per cent, of the motion picture theaters have some form of organ and that 60 per cent, of this number depends upon this instrument as the only means of musical accompaniment. Realizing the enormous number of players and in reply to many inquiries from correspondents a series of articles will be presented dealing with all phases of this important work. It is hoped that help will be found in them by the pianist aspiring to become an organist or the church organist turning to motion pictures for a livelihood who lacks experience in the industry. Aware of the fact that there would be many questions or technical points to be dealt with I am pleased to inform my readers that I have secured the services of Norman Stuckey to collaborate with me. Mr Stuckey has a thorough technical knowledge of the organ and he is today filling the position of organist in one of New York City's largest motion picture theaters. His capabilities and experience in the musical interpretion of motion pictures are therefore unquestioned. The articles will appear in the following order : 1. THE ORGAN. 2. HOW A PIANIST CAN BECOME AN ORGANIST. 3. TECHNIC. (Including manuals and pedals.) 4 REGISTRATION. (Stops and combinations.) 5. EFFECTS AND PHRASING. 6. SUITABLE MUSIC AND SCREEN ACTION IT DEPICTS. 7. HOW A CHURCH ORGANIST CAN BECOME A PICTURE PLAYER. Inquiries that open any new phase of this work will be dealt with in due course in succeeding articles. An immediate reply, however, will be sent by mail to the correspondent. Brevities. Charles Fang, the Oriental musician who composed the musical score for the Unity Sales Corporation's serial "The Yellow Menace" takes issue with a recent musical article which suggests high tensioned music for pictures with Oriental settings ; this article recommends such music as Oehmler's "Cleopatra," Gruenwald's "Arabian Nights," and Luigini's "Ballet Egyptian." It is useless, inartistic and jarring in its effects upon the audience to use patched-up music for a big serial picture dealing with a topic of "The Yellow Menace," says Mr. Fang, who, by the way, is a graduate of Yale University. Its effect upon the continuity of the action is ruinous, and in many other ways it tends to distract from the value of the pictures. In writing the music for "The Yellow Menace" I tried to carry out a certain definite underlying theme which carries the thread of the Oriental story throughout the pictures. Music is to a picture what the laying on of colors is to a work of art. That is to say, I believe that music holds certain color values, in which I am borne out by the Baklst Russian Symphony Orchestra, which goes so far as to use colors to express the emotions aroused by its music, such as red for passion, purple for anger, blue for disdain, and yellow for jealousy. I think that the music of "The Yellow Menace" will offer a distinct surprise, for while it is Mongolian in its deepest currents the surface tones and values are Caucasian in nature. The Place of the Animated Cartoon Where It Belongs in a Motion Picture Program Told by Harry Palmer, Gaumont Cartoonist. THE animated cartoon is an integral part of any motion picture program, whether the exhibitor places his main dependence upon a five-reel feature or upon pictures shorter in length. It is the exhibitor's aim to provide variety. The cartoon is the farthest remove from the photoplay in method of depiction, and as such comes as a psychological shock to the spectator. His interest is not only arrested for the animated film, but it is also stimulated for what follows. In the old days of melodrama the playwright would always put in an Irishman or a Chinaman who was known as "comic relief." He has been denied comedy in writing features for the screen, and must now provide comedy as a separate entertainment. In pictures comedy now has three divisions, each important; there is polite comedy into which Miss Mabel Normand is being graduated, slap-stick comedy, such as is given in its best form by Charles Chaplin, and animated pictures. The first and second forms of comedy may not both appeal in the same house. There are neighborhood theaters which prefer genteel comedy, and others which have the risibilities of its patrons aroused only by the slap-stick and the seltzer bottle. It is interesting to note that both classes of houses welcome the animated pictures. This is due to the fact that spectators more readily accept the animated picture convention, recognizing that they are not asked to give the cartoon the same credence they do the comedy. Their surrender to the "make-believe" is easier. The best place on the program for an animated reel is right after the big feature.. This may be a five-reel picture or a three-reel picture. Whichever it is, it is usually of a tense nature. Spectators wish to relax after it is over, and — as was explained in showing how the animated picture appeals to the greatest number of spectators — the greater relaxation for the greatest number is secured by snowing an animated picture. Events of national importance, the coming election, the Mexican situation, and general preparedness, afford such striking subjects for caricature that the cartoonist now makes his happiest hits depicting such events in a gently satirical vein. The ideas are grasped immediately by every one. For these reasons the animated cartoon should have a place on every program. GEORGE PROCTOR MARRIES MISS CURRAN. After resigning as scenario editor of the Gaumont company to join the Lasky forces in California, George DuBois Proctor surprised many of his friends in the newspaper and theatrical worlds by announcing his marriage to Miss Eileen Alanna Curran. The ceremony was solemnized in the rectory of All Saints Church, New York City, July 3, and Mr. and Mrs. Proctor left three days later "for Hollywood, Cal. Mr. Proctor, who is a Yale graduate, is well known from coast to coast in the newpaper field. More recently he has been interested in editing motion picture publications, and serving as scenario editor of several of the more important film corporations. Miss Curran, who played last season with Montgomery and Stone in "Chin-Chin," appeared previous to that with "The Pink Lady" and with Lew Fields in "All Aboard." She is an ardent Irish worker, and has been noted as a stage beauty since she appeared first in America with the Irish theater movement.