Silent Film piano?

[Petter]

Is anyone familiar with this? Is the music usually written or improvised? My prejudices against it is that it´s all diminished chords played up and down. I read something about a pianist who stumbled upon the job for some silent film without knowing what to play but later ended up only doing these kinds of job.

[thalbergmad]

I remember watching a TV programme about the history of film. One of the old silent film piano players admitted that she had in her head a tune for every type of action. So if there was a fight or a love scene, she already knew a piece that was appropriate.

I am pretty certain that none of it was written down, although sometimes famous themes from classical works would be used. The "Gipsy Airs" by Sarasate always seemed to be used for love scenes.

Love it or hate it, this particular artform appears to be dead. 

Thal

[liszt1022]

There's a massive book in my university library, I think it's called "Movie Moods for All Occasions." It's got written-out classical excerpts arranged by mood, like chase scene or love scene. I suppose you study the book a while, learn a couple pieces for each mood, and then you're ready to accompany a silent film.

But as for the diminished-chord improvised accompaniment style, I've not seen any literature describing exactly what's going down with that, because it varies from performer to performer.

[slobone]

Love it or hate it, this particular artform appears to be dead. 

Actually it's had a comeback in recent years. I knew a guy in NY who made a pretty good living playing live for films at the Museum of Modern Art, etc. But a lot of the people who do this use theater organs or even ensembles rather than just a piano.

[thalbergmad]

But a lot of the people who do this use theater organs or even ensembles rather than just a piano.

Th theatre organ has had comeback here in the UK. Some of the mighty Wurlitzers have been lovingly restored.

Thal

[Bob]

I think some written, some improv.

There was a book they used with pieces listed by mood.  Whatever mood the pianist thought the film was, he played that piece.  So you end up with different films with the same music.  But you have to match that to the film too.  Timing.

I don't know if it's the one mentioned above but there was some standard book.  I remember reading that in a music appreciation textbook, a sectino on film.

[Petter]

I read that ~55000 musicians lost their job only in US (which was a third of all employed musicians) when sound movies began to take over. In the middle of the great depression... Quite staggering.

[thalbergmad]

I think a few actors lost their jobs as well when the talkies came.

I guess some of them had crappy voices.

Thal

[Petter]

I read about a contemporary silent film pianist who uses todays musical clichés to illustrate the scenes and feelings. He also wrote a book intended for the layman about it. It would be interesting to find out how it has changed since then and what those diminshed chord runs represented back then.

[Bob]

Listhp's and some couldn't speak English.  From what I understand of it.

[slobone]

I wouldn't feel too sorry for the pianists thrown out of work at the end of the silent era. I'll bet most of them found good jobs playing in whorehouses...

[Petter]

or at funerals ....

[Bob]

As long as they get paid.... the pianists I mean.