When I began playing for silent films while at NYU film school I made a point of meeting all the accompanists in NYC. It was at the Carnegie Hall Cinema that I met theatre organist and composer Lee Erwin. I… Read More »The Sounds of the Silents — Theatre Organ Accompaniment in NYC, part 2
I don’t remember how or when I started doing this, but I’m certain it’s something I picked up or learned from Lee Erwin. I start playing before the film begins. I’m pretty sure it’s a traditional way to begin a… Read More »Playing The Audience In To A Film
In selecting “appropriate music” for a scene in silent film accompaniment, there’s a fine line between support and simply mirroring what’s onscreen. It’s something I learned and developed during the first few years I was accompanying silents at NYU. It’s… Read More »Matching Music: Dramatic Boost or Overkill
I know, I know, I haven’t posted any video here in a few weeks. To keep you happy, here is a 1929 Mack Sennett short co-starring Carole Lombard that I just uploaded to YouTube. It has a score by Lee… Read More »interim post: Lee Erwin-scored short
Played a matinee of L’Inconnu – or The Unknown – at MoMA today. The print came from GEH and has French titles which looked like they were made in the ’40s(?), white helvetica-ish against black. There is a print with… Read More »Lon Chaney in “The Unknown”
I made my Radio City Music Hall debut yesterday, playing for the graduation ceremony of the School of Visual Arts. I improvised 90+mins of music while the graduates came up and received their diplomas…17 groups in all. I used the… Read More »Radio City Music Hall
[FYI…I have now fixed the setting on this blog that allows you to post comments so that it works now.] Played for DeMille’s The Squaw Man (1914) twice last week, and brought my MD recorder to the second show to… Read More »Squaw Man shows; Chaplin orchestral performance
I attended a theatre organ concert at Radio City Music Hall last Tuesday. This was the third time that NYTOS (the New York Theatre Organ Society) had held this annual event. I had gone the first year, then missed it… Read More »Radio City Music Hall concert Jan 16