[Thanks to Denise Shrout, Harvard ’11, for providing the basis for this post, with assistance from Martin M. Marks, MIT.]
During the silent film era, it was standard to have live musical accompaniment for movies. Especially for feature films from the late teens on, accompanists would often use cue sheets that suggested mood, action, or character pieces to use for each particular scene in a movie. They were designed to convey meanings clearly and concisely, scene by scene. These pieces were published by the thousand and many were purchased by theater music directors, who then “programmed” them repeatedly in film after film, as part of a score played by the in-house orchestra or organist. Renowned musicologist John M. Ward has recently donated a collection of this kind of silent film music to Houghton. This collection includes many wonderfully specific titles, such as:
ABC Dramatic set no. 1: musical description for premeditated murder scenes
ABC set no. 19: Russian scene. Introduces military color, leading to agitation followed by lamentation, interrupted by joyous characteristic cut-ins.
Schirmer’s Photoplay Series, volumes I-II provides several opportune mood works, as seen on this series listing.
Agitato no. 3: suitable for gruesome or infernal scenes, witches, etc.
Schirmer’s Photoplay Series, volume V continues the series, as seen on this listing.
Dramatic allegro: extreme tension followed by riot, terrific storm, or volcanic eruption.
Allegro precipitoso: pursuit, intense wrangling almost to blows.