The Washington times., 1927-03-11

| lklpo ) aphonograph record.
This record is linked. electrically,
60 sho huge apparatus up in the
projection room. at the back OF
the theater under the roof, then
sent out by telephone wires to
simplifying horns back Of the screen
on which the picture Is being
shown. s
There are four horns. Two are
behind the black cloth at the lower
border of the picture. two In the
upper corners OF the film. That is
why the music seems to permeate
the whole picture. That Is why
one finds himself leaning over the
balcony to see IL the orchestra is
not really in its accustomed place.
Costs S3O,OOO
The 'installation'p Of the Vita
phone cost NCrandall's theater. $780,
600. 1t is for a period OF five.
years-a lease In fact. The price
seems fictitious, until one sees it.
It looks to the uninitiated more.
ike a railroad round house" with
its switches. its batteries, its many
signals, It requires expert opera
tors
The sound element Is the thing
that concerns us, however.
The Western Electric Company,
the Victor Talking Machine Com
pany and the Warner Brothers in
their film Of don Juan" have
brought about this latest achieve
ment for the Movies.
We see two phonoaraph records
the Don Juan TEXTURE il on
placed on two separate machines.
They are used alternately, so there
will be no break in the music. The
spot for beginning is marked with
red chalk.
A long arm, that holds the needle,
connects the record with the picture
projection machine. The "time-cue"
/ with al cue-sheet chart to 90 on
must be. the: most difficult part OF
the accomplishment. But when set"
| it Is again automatic.
There are four insulated telephone
wires. with two more as reserve"
in case anything goes wrong. that
extend to the horns on the stage.
experimentation
And then we come to the biggest
question. How have the two ele-
ments. sound and picture. been
mechanically caught at the same
I timer
This involves the two processes.
With the Will Hays speech, the
Philharmonic Orchestra playing
under Hadley and the Martlnelli
tenor aria, the taking" of film
and sound have been simultaneous.
That remains the great marvel
that. is. not disclosed. but that has
brought about a new revolution
through science-in the world of
music.
Artists are demanding fees be-
yond all sense Of proportion. Yet,
they argue:
II the artist may be seen and
heard on the screen at SO cents 1t
reduces the benefits he may be ex-
pected to derive from his art. UNI
less he be fully protected by an ade-
quate fee for recording"
|. The. fear is a new reduction in
concert engagements, even extending
over into operator the invention il
in it's infancy.
The Don Juan" feature film and
its Vitaphone accompaniment played
by the whole New York Philhar-
monte Orchestra Of 107 men, under
the direction of Herman Heller,
fwere taken separately. They were
then 'cued' together, as is usual
with the regular theater orchestra.
Ten Days Of Rehearsing
/ Only when we see the perfect
accord of movement. even of each
subtle gesture with the music, we
realize how 10 whole days of re.
hearsing by the orchestra, going
through. the. picture time and time
again went into the final perfect
recording Of the music.
Mathematics may play its part,
in the final adjustments, but they
are so keenly sensitized that they
make for an apparent freedom that
destroys the feeling of mechanics
in this last great musical gift to
the world.
Think what 1t will mean to com.
munities where no symphony or.
chestra is ever heard! y.
The future? Six pictures are now
ready with Vitaphone orchestral ac-
compartment. One is the Better
ole" another is a new John Bar.
,r!ymore film, when a Man Loves"
Here are some of the artists al
ready. enlisted for the shorter
features: Marion Talley, Schumanrl-
Helnk, Werrenrath. Zimbalist, Anna
Case, Elsie Janis, AL Jolson--the
first Of the. joy-makers in mrsic to
pc put on the list-Howard
Brothers of the Schubert revues.
George Jessel, Roy Smeck with his
banjos. etc., his CLUB instrument
orchestra"
Harry NJ. CrandaIl deserves com.
mendation for this "first time'' Of
the Vitaphone in Washington. And
Just because we are the National
Capital, we secured this premiere
almost simultaneously with New.
York. Had 1t been sent here In the
order OF requests. it wouldn't have
reached US until October, they saw.
Three weeks, for any picture. is
establishing a precedent for \
Crandall Theater in Washington.
| Me- Ne