Moving Picture World (Sep - Oct 1918)

September 21, 1918 "Old Folks at Home" Typically American Closely associated in our hearts and minds with "Home, Sweet Home," but distinctively more American in its atmosphere, is the subject of this sketch. Stephen Collins Foster, composer of a Igreat number of songs which have rei talned their popularity to the present time, jwas born on July 4, 1826, in the city of [Pittsburgh, during the celebration of fifty years of American Independence. His musical talent asserted itself at an age when children are usually considered infants. When he was only two years old :he would place his sister's guitar on the jfloor and pick out hai monies. At eight he Itaught himself the flute and a bit later I the piano.. i One day in 1851 Foster rushed into his brother's office and said: "I have a new I song and need the name of some Southern 1 river of two syllables to use in it." They rtook down an atlas and ran through the pages until they came to a litUe river in Florida. The name suited. Thus "Way Down Upon the Suwariee Riber" became a classic. j Cristie, the famous minstrel, bought the right to sing the song before it was published. He also stipulated that one edition at least should bear his name as j author and composer. I '-Old Folks at Home" has been called the "song of the homesick." Its potency to calm the "Savage Breast" is illustrated in the following anecdote of the Civil War: One of the northern regiments were so discouraged over inactivity and slow pay that they were on the verge of mutiny. Indeed, several of them did break through the lines, and returned again late at night and intoxicated. They refused to obey orders. When even the colonel failed to establish discipline the bandmaster called his men together and told them to play. Soon the strains of "Old Folks at Home" seeped through to the inner consciousness of the half-crazed, despairing soldiers. The melody touched their hearts and the chastened "Boys in Blue" wept themselves to sleep. Authorities seem agreed that the style of Foster is more distinctive than that of any other American composer. The melody of his songs is simple and the words are always his own. He gave to the world one hundred and seventy-flve songs in all. "Old Black Joe," "Massa's in De Cold, Cold Ground" (said to be inspired by his grief over the death of his father), "Old Dog Tray," "My Old Kentucky Home" and "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming" are his best loved songs. The latter is his most ambitious composition and his own favorite. So much for the poet and musician! What of the man? Stephen Collins Foster was gentle and kind, adoring his family. But he was also proud and sensitive, resenting the least slight. A woman of his acquaintance once said to a friend: "Tell Stephen to come to my party and to be sure to bring his flute." Foster sent his flute but absented hin.self. He was an indefatigible worker. Ii;deed, it was not at all out of the ordinary for him to write a song in the morning, dispose of it in the afternoon and spend the proceeds before bedtime. When he was only thirty-eight, at the age when most men have not reached the zenith of their careers, his life was snufiCed out. He died suddenly at Bellevue Hospital, In New York City. His identity was not known and his body was sent to the morgue. Friends traced it and sent the body back to Pittsburgh to rest where the composer was born. The Shakespearian axiom was reversed in Foster's case, for his strength lives forever and only his weaknesses were interred w^ith his bones. His passing reminds one in its grim warning of that of one other great American genius, Edgar Allan Poe. Both were aristocrats of Southern antecedents; both spoke in an idiom peculiarly American; each bequeathed to his country poetry that is practically immortal, and neither ever learned to control himself. THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1755 We hear so much these days of the idiocyncracies of geniuses. We applaud their achievements and condone their mistakes. But We are overjoyed when we read of the splendid men who have given of their best to the world and have taken nothing beautiful away from it. ater, it never fails to bring enthusiastic applause, and the air is so easy to follow that audiences soon sing it with gusto. great "We'll Wallop the Kaiser" Makes Appeal Another evidence of the entente cordiale existing between those of French and American blood is four.d in the latest song to make its appearance in New York City, entitled "We'll Wallop the Kaiser," the words being by Mrs. Woodallen Chapman, an American, and the music by Madame Elsa Gregori, a French composer, whose work is even better known upon the continent than in our own land. The author of the words was, through her ordinary occupation, brought into frequent contact with the boys in the training camps. As a consequence she was given many interesting glimptes of their point of view and something of a knowledge of their characteristic expressions. The phrase "We'll Wallop the Kaiser" came often to her ears and finally became a sort of refrain that rbang itself over and over in her mind. Other phrases began to cluster themselves about it, until finally they seemed to call for some sort of formal expression. The various experiences that came to her and the phraseology that so appealed to her were related to the composer, who finally went to the piano one day saying, "These words of the boys should be put into song — the kind of song that the boyi will love to sing. The music should be bright, catchy, stirring — something like this" — and she played the opening strains of the present well-known song. Inspired by the music the American woman then took up the task of weaving into poetical form the words so often on the lips of the doughboy himself. Thus with mutual criticism and encouragement the song was evolved, with the thought always in mind of writing something which the soldier boy himself would enjoy singing and which would serve to raise his spirits when on a long, tiresome hike. That their aim was accomplished has been proven by the reception given the song by the boys. Its sentiment appeals to them: "Come boys, help wallop the Kaiser, Beat him till he's sf>re; He says that we're lazy; We're cowards, we're crazy — Just watch us make him roar." It has the right sort of ring to it, for it sounds like business, like sticking at it until the job is done: "Yes, boys, we'll wallop the Kaiser, We're bound to win the war. We'll ram him, we'll jam him. Eternally slam him — Then damn him and pound him some more." Camps in many different parts of the country are being provided with orchestra and band parts and also with slides containing the words, so that all the boys may enjoy the pleasure of singing it in unison. The cover — a color cartoon by John B. Gruelle — showing the Kaiser's countenance badly damaged by the fists of the Allies, has also been reproduced in colors for the screen, and always brings a roar of applause. The song has proved itself an inspiring addition to the music of the day and the author and composer may congratulate themselves upon having done a very practical "bit" toward winning the war, for their production cannot fail to increase, in every individual who hears it, the sort of patriotic determination essential to ultimate victory. Thrown on the screen in a. picture the New Music Offered at Bargain Prices. Chappell & Co., realizing that the field of Picture playing offers a splendid medium for distribution, and fully aware of the vital importance of this crmparatively new vocation, have placed before our readers a proposition that should appeal to every exhibitor, his pianist, organist and musical director. In another column you will find advertised twenty orchestral numbers ranging from waltzes to entr'acte numbers, for the ridiculously low price of ten cents each, when ordered togfether. Everywhere has been heard the cry for "New Music." Manageis continually "kick" about constant repetition. Patrons want up-to-the-minute stuff. This galaxy of musical numbers should certainly be welcomed by every hard pressed, worried musician in the countiy. "Evensong," "Sunbeams" and "Mother o Mine" make splendiii themes. They are varied in treatment and adaptable to almost any picture. Then you will note that popular Irish song, "Mavourneen Roamin'," sung with such success by Lambert Murphy. It breathes the scent of the Emerald Isle and is prettily arranged for orchestral combinations. "Waiting" is timely and homey, a true prediction of the reward of mothers after the war. Other patriotic numbers are "Allies March to Freedom" and "Laddie in Khaki." "Amaryllis Waltz" is found suggested on many cue sheets and every leader needs it. Nothing like this has been offered before and it behooves the picture player to take advantage of it at once. "For Husbands Only" Draws Many Women. Will the exhibitor never regard his music seriously? He must know that the public demands a form of entertainment in connection with moving pictures that is educational and musical. He surely has learned from the failure of others that the best pictures in the world, the finest advertising stunts and lobby displays, will not hold his patronage if his music is neglected. The music at the Broadway for the week commencing September 1 could only be classed under the one heading — -careless. A grand opera overture — "Barber of Seville" — was programed, but a comic opera selection was played. The organist seemed in a hurry to finish his selection, and although it was one of his own composing, he gave the impression that he hated it. The cat-calls during the comedy cheapened the performance, detracted from the picture because of their frequency and became an unmitigated nuisance. The Trio — "Largo" — from Zerxes by Handel was great. The instruments blended well and the tonal balance was evenly distributed. It was real chamber music of the highest order and sparkled— a gem in the crown of music. "For Husbands Only" was featured as the cinema attraction, but by the number of ladies present one could see that the injunction had not been followed. The music fitted the picture fairly well, but there was no synchrony nor attention paid to relative keys. This spoilt it for us. Nevertheless the people enjojed the picture and some praised the music. James C. Bradford, the mus'cal director at the Broadway, is a lovable chap and a fine musician. His experience in picture playing dates back to the early days of the industry and on occasion he has risen to enviable heights In picture scoring. "Jimmie" is well liked by his "boys" and gets lots of work out of his orchestra. With so much ability and loyalty upon which to depend, it seems a shame that a little carelessness should creep into the work of so popular a conductor.