
Keeping the Art of Silent Film Music Alive - tintinnabula
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/keeping-art-silent-film-music-alive-organ-cinema-comedy
======
mrob
Not only did theater organists improvise music, they also improvised sound
effects. See this booklet describing such techniques:

[https://archive.org/details/TheatreOrganistsSecrets](https://archive.org/details/TheatreOrganistsSecrets)

The right justified text after each heading is the list of organ stops, i.e.
the list of timbres played at once. The numbers after each stop name are the
pitches. They're specified as the length of an open pipe that plays the lowest
note on the keyboard. 8 foot pitch matches a piano, and other pitches are
transposed, so by selecting multiple pitches at once you can play chords with
a single finger. See:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_stop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_stop)

~~~
jerrre
Thanks for the link! Should be fun to spend an evening trying to emulate these
sounds!

------
Tharkun
Years ago, I got to watch a Japanese movie narrator (benshi) in action.
They're a dying breed who narrate silent movies in real time, on stage, next
to the big screen. It's a mixture of narrating, voice acting and
improvisation. The same movie could be entirely different with another benshi.

This performance was accompanied by live piano music, played by a pianist who
hadn't seen the movie, who didn't speak Japanese, and who didn't have a score.
It was over an hour of improvisation, based on what he could see of the movie
and his interpretation of narrator's intonation. It was incredible. It was
fun, and it was unique. Out of all the movies I've seen, this performance
stands out. It would be a shame to lose out on this.

~~~
mrob
Live narration lives on in some African countries as the "video joker". The
narrator translates as well as adding their own jokes and commentary. You can
hear an example in the only surviving copy of the famous Ugandan film "Who
Killed Captain Alex?"[0] I thought it would be annoying at first, but VJ Emmie
does a great job and really adds to the entertainment.

[0]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEoGrbKAyKE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEoGrbKAyKE)

------
biztos
In Budapest there's a local bar that does silent movies with live music
weekly. Pretty cool, and it only takes over half the bar. Kisüzem on Sundays
last I checked.

Check out Club Foot Orchestra[0] as well. It's a great way to watch films!

[0]: [http://www.clubfootorchestra.com](http://www.clubfootorchestra.com)

~~~
arximboldi
Here in Berlin there is this theater, where they do silent movies with live
music/effects regularly:
[http://www.babylonberlin.de/](http://www.babylonberlin.de/)

Very much recommended!

------
tribby
the valerie project[0] was a psychedelic folk band that toured the US playing
screenings of "valerie and her week of wonders," a 1970 czech surrealist
horror movie (highly recommended!). they were pretty awesome, especially for a
one-off super obscure thing like that.

related but different: guitarist loren connors did a soundtrack for "the
passion of joan of arc" (1928)[1] that I find incredibly moving. for those not
familiar with connors' work, it comes from a kind of catholic guilt that makes
his score and this particular film an artfully brutal pairing.

0\. [http://www.dragcity.com/products/the-valerie-
project](http://www.dragcity.com/products/the-valerie-project)

1\. [https://vimeo.com/53953169](https://vimeo.com/53953169) (excerpt)

~~~
cpete
Awesome recommendations, thanks! Was able to find the Valerie Project
soundtrack album on YouTube in its entirety. The first track or two is
reminiscent of The Mars Volta without the frenzy. Enjoying the heck out of all
the tracks though.

~~~
tribby
If you like the valerie project's music, check out espers, helena espvall +
masaki batoh, meg baird, fairport convention, greg weeks, ilyas ahmed, lau
nau, gavin bryars, orion rigel dommisse, heron oblivion (definitely chaotic
though) and trees (there have been a few bands with this name -- UK 1970s).

------
cpete
In 2008 or so The Hot Club of San Franscisco[0] (gypsy jazz/hot jazz a la
Django Reinhardt) played a live accompaniment to some work by the silent film
actor/comedian Charley Bowers[1]. It was definitely one of the better
performances I've ever seen/heard. What a perfect juxtaposition, not even
taking into account the obvious caliber of the musicianship.

Ever since I've been on the lookout for similar "soundtrack" concerts,
improvised or composed. A live rendition of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
orchestrated by a Denver jazz guitarist is another favorite.

[0]HCoSF Sample Song:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZlPBYVOXXg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZlPBYVOXXg)

[1][http://brightlightsfilm.com/forgotten-charleys-i-charley-
bow...](http://brightlightsfilm.com/forgotten-charleys-i-charley-bowers-
silent-comedys-wizard-of-the-bizarre/)

------
nickhalfasleep
A music professor at CU Boulder accompanies silent films at the Chautauqua
event hall every summer. It's a wonder to behold the duration, speed, and
exceptional timing to bring together a multiple reel silent film.

[https://www.denverpost.com/2012/07/06/denver-pianist-hank-
tr...](https://www.denverpost.com/2012/07/06/denver-pianist-hank-troy-
provides-music-for-silent-films-at-chatauqua/)

[https://www.chautauqua.com/events/film/](https://www.chautauqua.com/events/film/)

------
adaven_xt
I was excited to see a number of silent movies on Amazon Prime Video, but gave
up in disgust after trying only a couple. None of the music even remotely
matched the film, even when Wikipedia says a full orchestral score was
originally produced.

Instead, each was backed by a piano playing Scott Joplin ragtime songs.

Nothing like watching the hero getting struck by an arrow in a sudden betrayal
while listening to the Entertainer or Maple Leaf Rag.

------
erebus_rex
A little off-topic but if you want to give silent cinema a go try Abel Gance's
Napoleon. It is a 5 hour epic and incredible technical achievement. Some of
the tricks in its bag (like the 3 screen finale) haven't ever been attempted
since (as far as I know).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6504eRh5h6M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6504eRh5h6M)

~~~
verylittlemeat
If we're sharing our favorites then I don't think you can go wrong with La
Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928).

The criterion collection version is great and watch it with Richard Einhorn's
Voices of Light, especially if it's your first time.

It's one of the more high profile silent films but with good reason. If you
want to try something different with friends but don't want them to fall
asleep I've had good success with this film.

