The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-24
Music at Movies Is Not Hit or
Miss Program.
Film Makers Orchestrate Every
Picture Sent Out.
ALL DEPENDS UPON THE LEADER
Musicians Have Plenty To Do
Without Watching Screen.
Electric Button Under Leaders,
Foot Controls the Signals.

The average movie fan does not
greatly banker for front row seats. In
fact, if he can, he takes something
at least midway of the house, so far
from the front he would not know
there was an orchestra except he hears
it Only few who have been forced
to take front seats have observed the
music pit" its inhabitants and their
workings All know, however, that
some way the music seems to fit
right in with the action Of the picture
and occasionally some one makes men
ton of the fact that the musicians
much watch the screen pretty closely.
The musicians in a movie theater
seldom pay any attention to what is
going on on the screen. They have
reams and reams OF music on their
stands before them. much of it they
have never seen before. They must
watch every note rest and cleft or
they will soon be watching the want
ads hunting for another job. No, they
do not see the pictures. They are
too busy working to pay attention to
anything but their jobs.
Only Leader Watches Screen
The only man who pays any atten-
ton to the screen is the leader. He
plays one of the Instruments but it is
his ability to watch and play that
makes him the leader and draws
sicians who become leaders. He is not
watching the screen for amusement
either. He is looking for music
cues" OF course being a master mu-
sician he does not have to watch the
notes quite so closely as the other mu-
sicians.
When each picture is sent a theater.
there is lots more than a few reels OF
film to it. In addition to complete
Instructions for the operator of the
machine as to how the picture shall
be run, and Information regarding
publicity and advertising, for the
house manager, there is special cue
sheet" for the orchestra leader. on
it are given the names of each of the
pieces of music needed to play the
show" With each piece, there is the
Information as to just when during
the story the piece shall be started
and just when that piece shall be
stopped and another started. Also the
leader is told whether the music shall
be played loud or soft quick or slow
ct cetera. Just how many minutes
each piece shall be played is also
mentioned
Use Electric Signals.
When the musicians arrive at the
theater they find their racks filled
with music scores Each sheet IS
marked where the start shall be and
where the finish. Sometimes only
parts of a certain piece are played as
accompaniment for the film story.
/ No, the musicians do not finish one
and start in at the indicated place for
the next They get their signals from
the leader who is watching for his
cues Beside each music rack there
Is a tiny electric bulb. Beneath the
leaders foot there is a button. A
short flash warns the musicians to
start on the next Instrumentation at
the finish of the strain they are then
playing. A long flash halts the music
There are other signals too and it is
only by real team work that the musi-
cans make the program a finished
orchestration.
It takes a whole library of music
to keep the orchestra leader prepared
for the programs that change with
each picture. Perhaps the largest of its
kind in the city is that of the leader
at the Orpheum theater. He has a
pile Of sheet music that would be
hard to replace in anything less than
a ye9r and which he keeps insured for
$4,000.