Topic: THE DEBACLE OF THE FOODSTUFFS (Read 8695 times)

John G. · « **Reply #60 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:06:07 AM »

Three!

bk · « **Reply #61 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:06:23 AM »

I'm up, I'm up - maybe seven hours of sleep.

John G. · « **Reply #62 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:08:50 AM »

ChasSmith, I’m so glad you had a sold-out house for the movie. I’ve only seen one silent movie with live organ music, Broken Blossoms. It’s been more than 30 years, and I’d like to do it again.

John G. · « **Reply #63 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:10:20 AM »

In honor of BK’s notes, I’m having chicken enchiladas with a tomatillo salsa. These are good.

John G. · « **Reply #64 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:19:25 AM »

I hadn’t thought of that showing of Broken Blossoms in years. Lillian Gish was in attendance and I got to meet her briefly at a press conference. The event was the placing of the movie theater on a historic registry. it was in Lexington, Kentucky, which was near where DW Griffith was from, so she came to pay him homage, tell stories and enjoy seeing one of her movies she made for him.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #65 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:26:15 AM »

I've seen a bunch over the years, but my real appreciation for them developed several years ago when I attended CapitolFest, an annual weekend-long celebration of the years that the Capitol Theater in Rome, NY was first opened. With just a couple of special exceptions, they run nothing but films that were seen there in their first couple of years, and others from the same period. All silents are accompanied by two or three of the top silent film organists. (Robert Israel is one, and one of his recorded DVD tracks (I forget which at the moment) was made on that very organ.

Once you sit through a few, or through an entire weekend of them, or through a couple of those weekends (I've been up there twice and will happily go again sometime), the "feel" for the films of that era gets into your bloodstream, so that watching and enjoying them becomes second nature...as opposed to a "new and unfamiliar experience" that silent film watching would be otherwise. I can now get just as excited about a new silent release on DVD or Blu-ray as for anything else.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #66 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:28:33 AM »

However, I'd never seen one accompanied by an orchestra, even though there have been many opportunities.

Jane · « **Reply #67 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:29:30 AM »

Quote from: John G. on November 19, 2018, 10:19:25 AM

I hadn’t thought of that showing of Broken Blossoms in years. Lillian Gish was in attendance and I got to meet her briefly at a press conference. The event was the placing of the movie theater on a historic registry. it was in Lexington, Kentucky, which was near where DW Griffith was from, so she came to pay him homage, tell stories and enjoy seeing one of her movies she made for him.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #68 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:33:35 AM »

So here's what yesterday's setup looked like. This was a presentation by the Waterbury (CT) Symphony Orchestra, and the dozen or so players for this piece were stupendous. It was shown/performed in a brand new theater complex, in the one auditorium they designed for live presentations of various types. I think this was their first silent film. They said this room seats around 140. It would accommodate many more with traditional seats, but all the new state-of-the-art theaters are going with this kind of luxury seating. Looks like you can click to enlarge these.

Jane · « **Reply #69 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:35:38 AM »

Nice setup.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #70 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:37:29 AM »

The view from top center, with the 13-piece orchestra setup. We were on break between our morning rehearsal and run-through with the film and the performance.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #71 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:42:34 AM »

The conductor would be blocking lots of people's views if standing in the center, so he conducted from the side, which he probably still would have done if the score had been written for a larger orchestra. A 1925 film of course does not take up the full width of the screen, and the bottom of the picture was raised to just about where people's heads were, so that all worked out very well. This audience was there not only to see the film, but to also enjoy seeing the music played.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #72 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:48:23 AM »

The keyboard department.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #73 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:55:32 AM »

This was a new score composed by Sheldon Mirowitz in conjunction with seven of his students at Berklee College of Music where they offer one of the few film scoring courses anywhere. Sheldon was there yesterday and he explained that each student is assigned one reel of a given film, The Freshman being a seven-reel feature. He provides themes and ideas, and oversees their composition to make sure that the final result is cohesive and doesn't sound like the work of seven wildly divergent composers. I think we're the ninth venue to have screened/played this one. I loved the score (way more than the Carl Davis one on the Criterion label) and hope to hear - and yes, perform - others.

Jane · « **Reply #74 on:** November 19, 2018, 10:59:01 AM »

I didn't realize the keyboard department would be so large.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #75 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:12:34 AM »

I wouldn't, however, take the conductor's job (or, in theory, a solo musician's job) for anything. They must keep the music strictly in sync with the movie by watching it on their own screen. Their copy is a "p & s" one with superimposed "punches and streamers" constantly flying by. (Don't ask.) We were given copies of it to see what it was all about, which I'm very glad to have, but I don't imagine ever learning to competently use such a thing myself.

This system would be similar to how symphony orchestras are able to play along with West Side Story and whatnot. Our conductor had performed a few other silent scores, and he said this was the most challenging. One reason is that in a comedy, you're going to have any number of comedic "hits" and sound effects going on. For the players, it's a new form of "live theater" in which a lot of tense moments can, and did, occur. Loved it, though.

ChasSmith · « **Reply #76 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:14:04 AM »

Quote from: Jane on November 19, 2018, 10:59:01 AM

I didn't realize the keyboard department would be so large.

I'm just being silly calling it a "department". There are only two there - which, in a film score composed for 13 players, would be pretty typical.

bk · « **Reply #77 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:29:45 AM »

I shall now be on my way to rehearsal.

George · « **Reply #78 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:30:38 AM »

Quote from: Jrand68 on November 19, 2018, 06:43:25 AM

I am beyond upset at the treatment DR TCB and other cast members are getting.....a THREE HOUR wait for rehearsal to start???

I know! I can't imagine anyone trying to get away with that. $:-\$

Jrand74 · « **Reply #79 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:50:10 AM »

Rehearsal and staging vibes for MR BK & Co.

DR CHAS SMITH thanks for the lowdown and photographic evidence of your gig....most entertaining and informative.....

Jrand74 · « **Reply #80 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:50:54 AM »

There is something I did once 30 years ago that I would like to do again, but unlike DR JOHN G, it has NOTHING to do with silent movies OR Lillian Gish....or Dorothy Gish for that matter.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #81 on:** November 19, 2018, 11:51:06 AM »

DR ELMORE must be busy today......

John G. · « **Reply #82 on:** November 19, 2018, 12:04:20 PM »

Quote from: Jrand68 on November 19, 2018, 11:50:54 AM

There is something I did once 30 years ago that I would like to do again, but unlike DR JOHN G, it has NOTHING to do with silent movies OR Lillian Gish....or Dorothy Gish for that matter.

Well, well.

youngreps@sbcglobal.net · « **Reply #83 on:** November 19, 2018, 01:06:25 PM »

BK: the answer to all foodstuffs issues is matzo ball soup

Hello HHH folk---
Just want to share that we saw the Sunday matinee of A CAROL CHRISTMAS, it is a delightful show, lots of energy and the cast is clearly having fun. (one of my daughters is swing for the show, she had a great time working with BK and the cast on this).

Unlike musicals like DEAR EVAN HANSEN (which I enjoyed very much), A CAROL CHRISTMAS has memorable melodies that you'll be humming as you leave the theatre. "Little Miracles" and "This Christmas" are two of my favorite songs, both done admirably by the cast.

A good Thanksgiving to all!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #84 on:** November 19, 2018, 01:34:19 PM »

Quote from: Jrand68 on November 19, 2018, 11:51:06 AM

DR ELMORE must be busy today......

I have been occupied with a score and two cats.

George · « **Reply #85 on:** November 19, 2018, 01:42:36 PM »

Quote from: Laura on November 19, 2018, 07:36:02 AM

It appears I picked up a virus of some kind at Disneyland.

~~~Feel Better Quickly Vibes for Laura!!~~~

George · « **Reply #86 on:** November 19, 2018, 01:43:36 PM »

Quote from: John G. on November 19, 2018, 10:19:25 AM

I hadn’t thought of that showing of Broken Blossoms in years. Lillian Gish was in attendance and I got to meet her briefly at a press conference. The event was the placing of the movie theater on a historic registry. it was in Lexington, Kentucky, which was near where DW Griffith was from, so she came to pay him homage, tell stories and enjoy seeing one of her movies she made for him.

That's so cool, John!

George · « **Reply #87 on:** November 19, 2018, 01:43:55 PM »

Quote from: ChasSmith on November 19, 2018, 10:37:29 AM

The view from top center, with the 13-piece orchestra setup. We were on break between our morning rehearsal and run-through with the film and the performance.

Nice. And the other pictures, too.

Ginny · « **Reply #88 on:** November 19, 2018, 02:10:36 PM »

Monday afternoon greetings! I’ve spent today finishing up one Thanksgiving prep task and getting ready to do another one tomorrow. We’re going to my niece’s in Illinois and she, my sister, and I will continue our Black Friday crafting tradition. For that I’ve die cut the pieces for the first 24 of the 40-50 party favors I’m making for a spring DAR meeting. On Friday I’ll assemble them in Laura’s fabulous craft studio.

Tomorrow’s task is pie baking, so I just returned from Kroger.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #89 on:** November 19, 2018, 02:13:33 PM »

Thanks for the on the spot report DR leichenfou

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Author Topic: THE DEBACLE OF THE FOODSTUFFS (Read 8695 times)