Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

August 31, 1918 THE MOVIXC, PICTURE WORLD 1277 Leaders' Service Bureau. Questions Answered — Suggestions Offered. Q WHERE ran I procure some classical music that will 111 plctu I have been playing all the Hurrys and Agitatos that are sold, and 1 find that our patrons are desiring a better class of music. Please help me with your kind suggestions. A. Almost any of the recognized music publishers can supply you with what you want. You have not stated the size of your orchestra or whether you need only piano or organ selections, and this makes it difficult to specify particular numbers suitable for picture playing. There are many works of Wagner, excerpts from Beethoven and Schubert, many standard Overtures, and practically all the Grand Opera selections, which provide an adequate musical setting for pictures. They can be obtained, for piano, organ or orchestra, from Schirmer, Dltson or Fischer. • • • Q. Help ! My orchestra leader has decided to strike and call out his men. They are non-union and considered the best players in this little town. The leader realizes that he can demand any salary and get it or I shall be forced to dispense with my orchestra. This is not the first raise I have been forced into, and I would be pleajed to know what you could suggest that would bring them to their senses. A. Buy an organ. This will effectually cure the strike-bee sting. If you get an organ cut down your orchestra and play both. If the orchestra decide to leave, you will then not be placed in a position where you have no music. The organ in itself will find favor with your patrons, and if your orchestra behave and act in concert with the organist you will have a fine combinaton that will have an added box office value. Another method might prove effective if feasible. Try to get a Union orchestra. The rates are fixed and you will have no re-occurence of the dissension now prevailing. Q. Kindly advise where I can get collection of music for pictures, any suggestions appreciated. A. The re has been formed the Belwin Music Co., which handles all classes of photoplay music and a large assortment of the standard pieces. They are a little cheaper than the publishing houses and yet they can supply you with everything that has been published. Their address is the Columbia Theatre Building, New York City. . * • » Q. Could you tell me who were the great violin makers of the fifteenth century. A. Stradavaris, Amati and Guarneri. Of the three, Stradavaris was regarded as the best, and his violins are almost priceless at the present day. * * * Q. What is a Tympanon? A. This instrument dates back into the fourteenth century, and was played extensively in the days of Louis XIX. It is a cross between a harp and a xylophone in that it has the strings of the harp placed horizontally and is played much as the xylophone by striking the HONOR ROLL "GOD BE WITH OUR BOYS TONIGHT" By WILFRED SANDERSON Published by Boosey & Co. New York Tin's is a fine ballad, admirably adaptable as a theme. Leaders will find it a most welcome addition to their libraries. It can be used as a violin, cello, cornet or flute solo with orchestral accompaniment. strings with small hammer . The leading i cponi at ol today of ib« Tympanon is Sasclia Votlchenko. * • • Q. There docs not seem to be any Improven although an article of yours In a recent issue brought to the attention of the producers the Inadequacy of most cue sheets as prepared today. Truthfully, ninety per cent, of them are of no u e whatever, and something should be done to either improve the service or else stop thr waste of money. Can't someone get at the men "higher up" and point out to thani the absolute uselessness of the so-called "service" they are paying for? A. In almost every issue of the Moving Picture World we have hammered this subject of cue sheets, and yours Is one of many like complaints. The most direct route to better service is to send your kick to the executives of the companies at fault. These men are lm y men, and may never read all that is printed about cue sheets, and It Is a "moral certainty" that the guilty offender is not going to bring the matter of his shortcoming to the attention of these executives. Although they are busy they will welcome any reasonable suggestion or just complaint that might tend to improvement in any of their service departments. * * * Q. I note in the papers Walter Damrosch is to take a symphony orchestra overseas to play at the rest camps under the auspices of the Y. M. C. A. Is it a fact that the musicians services are being contributed gratis as a patriotic act or are they in the pay of the GovernA. All expenses and salaries of the musicians who are going abroad are paid out of a fund for that purpose in connection with the Y. M. C. A. Mr. Walter Damrosch is contributing his services free. Q. How are the back-stage effects worked and what do they consist of In productions like "Hearts of the World?" A. Cues are given to the electricians, and by watching the screen action from behind the screen or from the wings they are able to exactly synchronize all the effect. The Instruments used off stage are usually a big drum for shots, wind machine, water machine, sand blocks, and ratchet. Q. I visited a picture house where the orchestra consists of piano, two first violins, and cello. The violins were not together, the cellist could not be heard, and the pianist was right there with the "drown-out" stuff. For four pieces could not a better combination be used, and what would you suggest? I am a violin leader, but I would hate to think my fiddle sounds as weird as the two "first" in that theatre. A. This is a good combination of Instruments for an orchestra of four, and because of their bad execution we can hardly blame the instrumentation. Index. Cue Sheets. PICTURE. PRODUCER. "ANGEL CHILD" Plaza "BREAD" Universal "BURGLAR FOR A NIGHT, A" Paralta "DECIDING KISS, THE" Universal "GREAT LOVE, THE" Artcraft "GREEN EYES" Paramount "HOUSE OF MIRTH, THE" Metro "INSIDE THE LINES" World "MERELY PLAYERS" World "PAIR OF SILK STOCKINGS, A" Select "PETTICOATS AND POLITICS" Paralta "TALK OF THE TOWN" Universal ARRANGER. PAGE G. W. Beynon 1270 Bradford 1270 G. W. Beynon 1270 Bradford 1270 Gottschalk 1272 Gottschalk 1272 Berg 1274 Berg 1274 Berg 1274 Gottschalk 1276 G. W. Beynon 1276 Bradford 1276 Advertisements. PAGE. ASTORIA PUBLISHING COMPANY 1273 BELWIN, INC 1273 BOOSEY & COMPANY 1271 BRYANT MUSIC COMPANY 1275 FISCHER, J., & BROTHER 1273 GREINERT, CHARLES 1275 HINDS, HAYDEN & ELDREDGE 1275 SEEBURG 127S