Music
and cinema extends back before the implementation of recorded dialogue in film
with the release of The Jazz Singer (1927).
Prior to this, music was performed live at the theatre, accompanying moving
picture shows and serving to connect scenes, create moods related to on-screen
drama, and even cover up the humming of the projector.
Silent
films first became popular in the 1890s. Often times a pianist or organist
would improvise or play classical and popular music from memory. Pieces were
chosen based on what best fit with the plot. In larger theatres, small
orchestras would play music that was written specifically for the film.
Over
time, filmmakers began to notice that films with appropriate music had a better
audience reaction so, in 1909, they began providing cue sheets for musicians
that indicated each scene with suggestions as to what types of music should be
played at given moments. Music publishers took advantage of this newfound idea
of film music and released anthologies organized by mood and circumstance so
that musicians could easily find appropriate music during a performance.
Next
time we will look at The General (1926)
and how the music certainly does play a significant role in silent film.
