Evening star., 1916-10-12

II.
Now almost every moving picture the
ater of any pretensions has Il good
sized orchestra.
There are still many small nikelo-
dians where the music is of the crud-
est sort, con-
Small Nickelodions sisting of an
With Crude Music. nIared ~ hr -
careless and unframed performer. Ac-
cording to a recent government esti-
mate. over 100000 persons patronize
moving picture shows throughout the
country every week. and of these
large number hear music nowhere
else
Here is a. great opportunity to edu-
cate the American public-especially
the younger generation-to appreciate
good music. That the public is capable
of appreciation is illustrated by the
fact that the theaters with the best
music drew the largest crowds. To
raise the standard of music in every
moving picture theater is now the am
bition of the musicians of the coun-
try.
Perhaps the first person to recognize
the close analogy Of music to the pic
L
feature production of Queen Eliza
BETH" starring Sarah Bernhardt, that
made its appearance in this country
was accompanied by an original score
of music written for the picture by
Breil.
Since then every big American film
production has carried music specially
prepared, if not specially written. for
it Quo Vadis, Ca biria' and The
Birth of a Nation would have been
laSS nj or wi he
wonderful musical accomplishments
that supplied color to the pictures and
filled out the situations.
Now great many moving picture
companies employ composers, who pre-
pare special scores for each large fea-
ture film, SO that gradually a new field
has opened up for the musician. Just
as all the great Broadway stars have
condescended to act for moving. pic
lures. SO the great composers are now
contributing their musical efforts in
that direction.
Victor Herbert wrote the music for
the recent picture. THE Fall of a Ma
tion.' and Robert Hood Bowers is COM
pleting an original score for the new
Annette Kellerman production. "A
Daughter Of the Gods 1t is not like
ly that the greatest composers will en-
ter the movie field with any great en-
thusiasm. however, since great care is
exercised by the producer to see that
the music is only an accompaniment
and subsidiary to the film.
Not only do the moving picture COM
panies employ composers, but many Of
them also em-
Staff Musicians ploy staff H1u-
Employed to Play. for the PLAYERS
hip norf ha
taken. Acting before the cold. metallic
click of the moving picture camera and
acting before a sympathetic audience
on the real stage are two different mat
ters. and the directors have discovered
that an occasional Russian symphony
produces splendid results.
So much for music from the pro-
ducer's standpoint. Unfortunately, it is
not practicable to send out a special
score of music with every two or three
reel feature. So in the majority of cases
the question of appropriate music is
still up to the exhibitor, and his orches-
ira or pianist must work the matter
out
Perhaps the best example of how this
may be done is a well known theater in
New York. This theater charges so
cents admission for films that are later
exhibited in the 10-cent theaters. but
the house is always crowded from the
first floor TO the gallery.
This is because the films are not the
only attraction offered. There is one Of
the finest theater orchestras in New
YORK and several singers of exceptional
ability. Sometimes 1t is soprano.
sometimes a contralto. and usually
there is baritone or a tenor The Sc
lections are mostly operate and always
OF classical nature.
tnta
pipe organ takes up the work of the
orchestra and plays for periods of ten
ana nfteen minutes. The equipment of
This theater is. Of course, above the or
oina1y. put It is the system by which
tho music is fitted to the film that lifts
It Tar above the average.
When a feature Is recefyea =.
Is run Oh In the managers of.
noe before the manager and the con-
w. Oh .he orchestra, who then Sc
S 1sCS tne music to be played for each
netle part. Not only must the theme
OF the scene be heard in the rn,sic b.,
~ must contain the atmosphere OF the
Inus II love is the emotion rem
press that. but II must exnress ~ 81
Inoopnere-whether the lovers are in a
CHIoom. church. q yacht, a society
craving room or butcher shop.
1" tneater now has tho largest
r1ncA library of all the tbeaters
in New York,
Auzical Library and instead of
in the Theater. neins cataiogued
under the name
or tho selection and the composer 4, Ia
catalosued under the name of an ero.
don Hence, when the manager and Tn.
conductor Of the orchestra go over the
picture they have but to consult tn.
catalogue Of tho library and selec, m.
melodies TO- suit tho scenes of the ,e.-