New Britain herald., 1928-09-05

ly few musicians. But with the development of the moving picture industry and the moving picture palaces" the demand for musicians vastly increased. Silent pictures without music early were found to deficient in "kick" unless an orches- tra went along with the films; and the orchestra grew bigger and bet ter. In a few theaters in every large city the orchestras took on sym phonic dimensions
 Now the movies are beginning to furnish their own erchestras along with the pictures. One orchestra is needed to play the score going with the show and it then is canned with the film. to be played in hundreds of theaters. Manifestly this does not spell prosperity for the musicians. Outside of an organist and small orchestra for special use in the theaters, the whole industry is being greatly reduced. It may be that there will yet be as much distress among the musicians as there is among the textile workers, miners or. agricul- turalists.
 The musicians cannot go back to the legitimate stage because the movies have reduced that to the larger cities; vaudeville offers op- portunities, but in the larger cities there are fewer vaudeville houses, these also having been injured by the movies. There are more dance orchestras than ever before, but not every musician is able to play in 0 dance orchestra, some instrumental ists not being used in these at all. Night clubs offer scant hope, as these are likely to grow less rather than more numerous.
 The action taken by the musicians in Chicago is dubious. The object is to force theaters to employ orches- tras of certain size. It Is difficult to understand how a thcater pro- prietor can be forced to employ a large organization when he doesn't wish to do so. The issue was quick ly drawn and has reached as far as a temporary injunction issued by a federal court.
 The musicians put forth one argument that bears repeating. They say the takers are a novelty and that the public won't stand for canned music permanently; that with reduced expenses incident to employing a small orchestra instead of large one. the Chicago theaters
 
 intend to charge and are charging a high admission rate to the takers than to the silent films. Instead of charging more they should charge less, say the musicians.
 This will solve itself, however. If 6 higher admission price is charged for takers it is due to their novelty. When the novelty wears off the prices no doubt will sink. One of the reasons why the takers have been taken up so assiduously has been that the public demands lower prices to the films and that these can be furnished only with lower oper- ating expense, say some of the theater owners. Naturally they will have to make good on the idea in the course of time
 Small town musicians are the best off in this melee. Most of these occupied themselves with profession al musicianship only part of the time. working at regular occupa- tion" by day and grinding out music in the evening. It is a fine arrange ment for anyone able to stand the position to worry as much as their all-time professional brethren in the large cities. The latter are confront ed with changing conditions that bode no good to the profession.