Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

72 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 6, 1918 i ^. g. ^.^.^r^r-^r^.-^r Music for the Picture Conducted by GEORGE W. BEYNON. ^^T7CT^.^.>,.>,.^^^»»»^-^ ^•^^•^•^•^•€-.^-^ Notice. QUESTIONS regarding music, addressed to this department, will receive a carbon copy of the department's reply by mall, when 4 cents are enclosed. Special replies by mail on matter which cannot be answered in this column $1.00. Proper Presentation of Pictures Musically. Orchestral Balance. THE wise exhibitor sees the handwriting upon the wall and is Increasing the number of men in his orchestra. He sees the tendency towards a large ensemble and notes the wonderful possibilities to be derived from a big body of musieians. In the first place it is good showmanship, as it gives his theater a distinction that will be sure to draw a better class of patrons to his box-office. This patronage takes up of the slack in his expense line, and though his overhead has bean U ' will not t» . 1 it appn eiably. A poor orchestra of any size is the most adjuuct to his business. When an orchestra is to be augmented, or a larger one installed. always eon ring vocation of instrumentation. What tne „: | of? How many violins should be Osed Hoo many string and wood-wind will be necessary to balance the brass section or Is ■ harp needed or can a piano be used insi. 'iid violins and violas? ■• has always obtained a sort of general rule as to what constitutes an orchestra of a particular size. This rub D followed more or less as a matter of course without any serious thought I given to the results. As a 001 if an axblbltOI I tenhe tells his leader to get bin one. and the leader lion of men playing the following instruments: Piano, bass, flute, clarinet, cornet, trombone, drums and another violin own. This nally is a vaudeville I action and totally unsuited to properly plaj It bi thoroughly und. rat i why American \au.|. blnatlon I thS many poll o o the mi. Ipotat It is entlrelj . when the brass is playlnc, whll wood-wind pon i, 'ii. mnds peculiarly out of place. When the drums have a forte passage the ,.„,,, D the rumble of sound. \t Inst the performing artists tried I isle arranged for a concert or uous •hobs' in the orchestration, it meant that ail mis desiring npanlmenl wore tot and BS backward that music in America hai take D M :""' " " III si 'untry and are still with us. much to our sh. LS of this make-up ai OOffld in many picturt lh< and are wort hi. agency for plot are i In ordi r that I qnently tl will "mui soil effect but ib "'« la tin o solos are Introduced and are foond effective, but if ov« value. II >..ui or. ' amount 0 tj will cover up the fault. in our opinion a t itra should bs mad( up entirely or rtrln lod-wlnd, with the trap drums for an j oi two rial I violin. bass flute two clarinets and drums would be ideal for a tin. seat' bouse a piano to :""1 r* '" orchestra Thi riolln player could doable without slty of emploj of tours. each pit I have to "be an expert on his Instrument aid nol depend upon the piano to cover up his sins of omission or commission, would be most soothing and yet would be able to ri e to any "• requiring volume. The use of the harmonium with the instrumc wouV ,oubl well take the place of the brass without introducing its blar nave gotten beyond the p.>mt when .11 suffice their musical needs They call for better music, more artistic rendition and mori. U1I, do not want to be entertained, as some leaders seem to think, by the music, for their purpose In coming ia ,,, picture presented Ii I possible way. it la tin business of the orchestra to accompany the feature, not play away from it by giving a concert. Therefore, the smoother the quality of tone the Bweeter the playing, and the fewer the breaks in the music the greater will be the satisfaction of the audlei" For the inroads made by the organ In picture playing, the ore).. have nobody to blame but themselves. Musicians have been looking for jobs, and when employed they have ceased to thing about improving their position. They take it for granted that because the combina tion is the same as they have been accustomed to lead that it fits the situation. They never consider the acoustic properties of the theater; they never think of beautifying their surroundings ; they let their lights shine in the faces of the people, and as for seeking a better solution of their instrumentation problems, that never occurs to them. Orchestral balance is not always possible, even in a careful selection of instruments. Sometimes, because of acoustic propensities, it may be necessary to "hide" the orchestra, allowing the sound to come through a curtain. Again, it may be necessary to change the positions of certain men or shift the whole orchestra to obtain the best results. The exhibitor depends on his orchestral leader to give him the best possible music with what he is given in the way of an orchestra. The first thing the leader must get is balance, and the way he gets it matters little. Change your men. change your instrument, change your position, change your seating arrangement, but get perfect tonal balai The contention may be raised that by dispensing with the brass in a small combination, the playing of the pictorial will suiter, it is a "mistaken idea that it takes brass instruments to make a march sound well. Naturally a march will sound better with all brass as in a band, but we have heard a sc\ enpiece orchestra "put over" marches with nil the vigor and swing of a vaudeville combination and with a better balance. Brass Instruments should not be added to any orchestra until the number of men playing I i bed fourteen. When we speak of brass we do not include In this classification French horns which are really of the wood-wind family in their tonal relation. lack of balance in almost every case is found among the small orchestras, but once In a while we come across this fault in symphony us The habit which we have fallen into of dropping the ...1 violin pans, using the piano instead, is probably to blame for the scarcity of ■tilling" t.. be round In some symphony; orchestras. The tonal quality of the piano prohibits its use In a roper balance be desired. The piano is not orig Inallj estral instrument, but us wide range and facile . tioii has made it the stand-bye of the American orchestra. In small frequently i and when played artistically, . iderful "i ild, but it is not needed in large orchestras ami only tends to spoil the beauty of ton. oJes can be laid dOWl I balance. Much depends upoll be i onsldered, Indiv Idua] Into tlo probb-m. and Instrumentation plays a largi part, but alter all. ii ins with ib. leader to Judge whether bis orcht lanced i ' >'• made from all parti ,,i th, th.aier. listening to the playing of a numbei if ider will lake up this problem conscientiously and solve it. his Bcatlon will be the fact that it will remain a credit to hii lo the tie Music At the Rivoli. i( ,,, pate* and perfect artistry, These two trite .,„ ap the line Show presented at Hi. Rivoli, during ttas week oi Jin,. :< Tlie lull two hours were knit together with a continuity seldom found in motion pli "","• Ttas coslu. for the singers were ill slncl keeping terpi while I ng upheld Hie usual bigb ol the Rivoli li |.;n„, aapee i " overture, "The Marry Wives of Windsor,' i,y -, its a little different Interpretation than is usually in,„ i., this well known number. Ills work ia constantly improving cieai II' ' gaining a bro i in the use of his baton, coupled with '.unite thai will sventually sta him as one of our best conductors ia pictures. ... .. _ This overture was produced In ispi. about a month before the compo8C, ,„1 th( opera to which it belongs still holds the ded upon Shakespeare's play of the same name, It is a delightful musical setting of that rollicking comedy, and there is much charming melody and clever DO in It . Scenic, showing Mexico Today," was beautifully fitted by the use of La Ferla Sum imbe. This was Indeed a happy election, inasmuch as the first two numbers were all that was , i play ,,,,. , des being admirably suited to the picture. Hiss Gladys Rice sang "Mighty l.ak' a EU> a," a little negro moody by \evin "Suwanee River," played by the organ, served as a prelude to this song, and Immediate!] ■ A" the curtains swung back the,, was disclosed a "set ■ representing J hut bare of furniture, save a cradle, which wai rocked to and fro by the 'singer dressed in thi War times. The -re be. ra accompanied the singer unoonducted, With no lights shoving in the stand,. Th. idea was splendid, bu. thi niment was poor. . ■ is sufficiently difficult to "' "'" be8t °. Erector' so why handicap both orchestra and vocalist by dropping the din Ills presence would no. have been conspicuous, the effect would have remained and a smooth performance insured. The music for the pictorial was well chosen, and especially so when