Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-07
BETTER MUSIC IN THE MOVIES
Bl FREDERIC !. nASI>IN

strand, IL is run on in the managers
"'hcc before the manager and the con-
"u'tof "f the orchestra. who then select
'he music To be played for each little
part Not only must the theme of the
H'ehc bc heard in the music, but IL
t'uS' contain the atmosphere Of the
scene Thus. il love is the emotion rem
resented. the music must not only cy
press mat. but II must express the at
"'''Hhhcr"-whcthc the lovers are i'm
"arr""ih' - church. "a yacht. society
ara Wing room or a butcher shop The
strand Th"atcr NOW has the largest
musical library Of any thcater I'm New
York. ana instead OF being cataloRucJ
uhdcf the nam. OF the selection and
'hc composer. u is catalogued under
the nam" Of an emotion. Hence when
'he inahaG.r and the conductor Of the
orchestra 20 over the picture they have
but 4" consult the catalogue Of the H.
brary and select the melodies to suit
IN" scenes Of the feature The libra
rian then gets the music and places |,
ia ia" cue sheets Of the orchestra
Good Music Always Helps.
la the smaller thcatcrs. where there
are only couple Of players or only
one. this system is difficult to follow.
how:Ner. II is Interesting to note that
the introduction Of good music in
,hcaiers where i, has formerly been
bad. with a slight leaning toward clas-
s'ai selections, has in every case been
Speedily followed by a larger attend
anc" and increased gate receipts One
p.'!ist in "A jacksonville thcater tells
AN interesting story OF his fight for
good music for the films. and Of how
II increased tho income Of his man
aScr as well as his own.
When he first accepted the position
! IN this thcatcr the music had con-
sisted Of a young violinist whose i'm
/, pressive repertoire contained "Trau-
IN re- l,n lou,
turcd RATS "cavatina": cornetist
whose training had been acquired Ia n
circus. and pianist whose technique
was the product OF sinGuiarly in
competent musical correspondence
school After vainly cndeavoring TO
improve these three players the new
leader fired them. and in their place
Hired one man--an experienced drum
mrr They started q campaign to edu-
cate the patrons to know good music
The people began TO come from all over
thc city, and to-day this theater has
both better music and better films. for
the manager had 10 improve the stand
ard Of his films TO suit the music.
Moreover. the price Of admission has
been raised 10 10 aud 10 cents, and
the musicians are drawing big sala-
rirS.
Schubert !. Appreciated.
mother illustration that the moving
picture public enjoys good music is
''Nlih III one or TIC 1aNOfltc HtOflcE or
Marcclla Craft. the operate singer.
Miss craft had few hours TO spend
in Il small Western town. she went
! 20 moving picture show. Presently
( she was astonishcd to hear the pianist
playing "a medley of Schubert songs. in
GLIDING 'ErlliinG." Die Forclle." ave
Maria" and others. Miss Craft glanced
tt the faces OF the audience. and TO
her ainazcmcnt everybody was listen
/ ing intcntly. At the end there was a
loud burst Of applause. After the show
( was over the prima donna went for
/ ward and found a. very young girl who
| believed that the moving-picture
thcater afforded q great opportunity for
educating the public taste in music. and
! who was proving it with her own
/ audiences.
Thus with the moving picture pro-
! ducers enlistinG the aid OF music TO in
| tensfy the artistic effects OF the film.
| and with the musicians of the country
enlisting the aid of the movie to edu-
| cate the public taste in music, the days
| OF the rickcty piano appear to be num-
/ hcred. In Europe the poor people are
I FINISHED good music when they haven't
enough bread: but in America the
| raucous melody Of the hurdygurdy is
! the ideal Of the masses. and grand
! opera is only for the atfiuent Now this
/ is going to he changed. II doubtless
| will not be long before the inimitable
| Irving Berlin is heard only in select
drawing rooms. the proletariat having
| turned To Schumann and Chopin.