Silent Cinema Music in the Netherlands: The Eyl/Van Houten Collection of Film and CinemaMusic in the Nederlands Filmmuseum by Theodore van HoutenReview by: David KershawNotes, Second Series, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Sep., 1994), pp. 154-155Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/899211 .

Accessed: 15/06/2014 21:14

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Music Library Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Notes.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 21:14:46 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

NOTES, September 1994 NOTES, September 1994

not a correspondent and neither wrote nor preserved letters. But Craggs has found this assertion to be disingenuous, and has uncovered letters in collections both public and private, including the BBC, the British Library, and the Walton Museum. This lat- ter archive contains letters to such notables as Laurence Olivier, Queen Elizabeth II, and George Szell.

In the chapter on recordings, Craggs confines himself to recordings conducted by the composer, and to recordings of Wal- ton as speaker (largely in interviews), a use- ful addition that should be of interest to oral historians. Entries in the bibliography are organized under the heading of the composition to which they refer, and these headings appear in alphabetical order (books and articles not devoted to any par- ticular work are located under "General"). This arrangement possesses many practical advantages to the researcher. The bibliog- raphy reveals that the literature on Walton is extensive but not deep. Aside from a few dissertations, professional musicologists, especially in the United States, have not devoted much serious, critical attention in scholarly journals and monographs to Wal- ton's music. Craggs has not only begun to provide the means to correct this but some- thing more-the inspiration.

WALTER AARON CLARK University of Kansas

Silent Cinema Music in the Nether- lands: The Eyl/Van Houten Collec- tion of Film and Cinema Music in the Nederlands Filmmuseum. By Theo- dore van Houten. Buren: Frits Knuf, 1992. [328 p. ISBN 90-6027-628-0

(pbk). $38.90.]

"The fact remains that the silent movie needed music as a dry cereal needs cream." So wrote Kurt Weill in 1946 (re- printed in Charles Hofmann, Sounds for Silents [New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1970], [unpag.]), but through the following quarter-century it was not uncommon for silent films to be screened unaccompan- ied, or at best to be served by a solitary pianist or three-piece ensemble. Orchestral accompaniment-once the norm in deluxe

not a correspondent and neither wrote nor preserved letters. But Craggs has found this assertion to be disingenuous, and has uncovered letters in collections both public and private, including the BBC, the British Library, and the Walton Museum. This lat- ter archive contains letters to such notables as Laurence Olivier, Queen Elizabeth II, and George Szell.

In the chapter on recordings, Craggs confines himself to recordings conducted by the composer, and to recordings of Wal- ton as speaker (largely in interviews), a use- ful addition that should be of interest to oral historians. Entries in the bibliography are organized under the heading of the composition to which they refer, and these headings appear in alphabetical order (books and articles not devoted to any par- ticular work are located under "General"). This arrangement possesses many practical advantages to the researcher. The bibliog- raphy reveals that the literature on Walton is extensive but not deep. Aside from a few dissertations, professional musicologists, especially in the United States, have not devoted much serious, critical attention in scholarly journals and monographs to Wal- ton's music. Craggs has not only begun to provide the means to correct this but some- thing more-the inspiration.

WALTER AARON CLARK University of Kansas

Silent Cinema Music in the Nether- lands: The Eyl/Van Houten Collec- tion of Film and Cinema Music in the Nederlands Filmmuseum. By Theo- dore van Houten. Buren: Frits Knuf, 1992. [328 p. ISBN 90-6027-628-0

(pbk). $38.90.]

"The fact remains that the silent movie needed music as a dry cereal needs cream." So wrote Kurt Weill in 1946 (re- printed in Charles Hofmann, Sounds for Silents [New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1970], [unpag.]), but through the following quarter-century it was not uncommon for silent films to be screened unaccompan- ied, or at best to be served by a solitary pianist or three-piece ensemble. Orchestral accompaniment-once the norm in deluxe

movie theaters-was not contemplated, for its expense could not be covered by what became a minority audience even amongst film buffs.

Academic interest in silent film music was stimulated by the publication of Hofmann's Sounds for Silents, and by the reprinting of Erno Rapee's Motion Picture Moods for Pi- anists and Organists (New York: Schirmer, 1924; Arno Press, 1970) and of his Ency- clopaedia of Music for Pictures (New York: Belwin, 1925; Arno Press, 1970). Enthu- siasts sought out other early practical man- uals and, taking a lead from Charles Ho- fmann and Arthur Kleiner, began to recreate a moviegoing experience lost since the advent of sound-on-film in 1929. Within the last fifteen years, major silent feature films have, remarkably, attracted full houses, thanks as much to the excite- ment of live orchestral performance as to the opportunity to see fine prints of re- stored classics.

Theodore van Houten's Silent Cinema Music in the Netherlands follows in the wake of two related publications: Gillian B. Anderson's Music for Silent Films 1894- 1929: A Guide (Washington: Library of Congress, 1988) and Donald J. Stubble- bine's Cinema Sheet Music: A Comprehensive Listing of Published Film Music from "Squaw Man" (1914) to "Batman" (1989) (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1991). Anderson's au- thoritative, accessible guide documents the combined collections (cue sheets, scores, ar- rangements, and instrumental parts) of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress. Now microfilmed, individual copies may be ordered for research and performance. Also listed are the holdings of three other American collections and the silent film scores in the Federation Internationale des Archives du Film in Brussels.

Van Houten has himself worked on the modern presentation of classic silent films, notably The New Babylon (scored by Dmitri Shostakovich), on which he collaborated with the film's director, Leonid Trauberg. Silent Cinema Music catalogues what were formerly three independent collections: that of Ido Eyl from the Rembrandt Theater in Utrecht; the Nederlands Film- museum's existing collection; and Van Houten's own private library. The accumu- lated works (approximately 3,300) give "an

movie theaters-was not contemplated, for its expense could not be covered by what became a minority audience even amongst film buffs.

Academic interest in silent film music was stimulated by the publication of Hofmann's Sounds for Silents, and by the reprinting of Erno Rapee's Motion Picture Moods for Pi- anists and Organists (New York: Schirmer, 1924; Arno Press, 1970) and of his Ency- clopaedia of Music for Pictures (New York: Belwin, 1925; Arno Press, 1970). Enthu- siasts sought out other early practical man- uals and, taking a lead from Charles Ho- fmann and Arthur Kleiner, began to recreate a moviegoing experience lost since the advent of sound-on-film in 1929. Within the last fifteen years, major silent feature films have, remarkably, attracted full houses, thanks as much to the excite- ment of live orchestral performance as to the opportunity to see fine prints of re- stored classics.

Theodore van Houten's Silent Cinema Music in the Netherlands follows in the wake of two related publications: Gillian B. Anderson's Music for Silent Films 1894- 1929: A Guide (Washington: Library of Congress, 1988) and Donald J. Stubble- bine's Cinema Sheet Music: A Comprehensive Listing of Published Film Music from "Squaw Man" (1914) to "Batman" (1989) (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1991). Anderson's au- thoritative, accessible guide documents the combined collections (cue sheets, scores, ar- rangements, and instrumental parts) of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress. Now microfilmed, individual copies may be ordered for research and performance. Also listed are the holdings of three other American collections and the silent film scores in the Federation Internationale des Archives du Film in Brussels.

Van Houten has himself worked on the modern presentation of classic silent films, notably The New Babylon (scored by Dmitri Shostakovich), on which he collaborated with the film's director, Leonid Trauberg. Silent Cinema Music catalogues what were formerly three independent collections: that of Ido Eyl from the Rembrandt Theater in Utrecht; the Nederlands Film- museum's existing collection; and Van Houten's own private library. The accumu- lated works (approximately 3,300) give "an

154 154

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 21:14:46 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Book Reviews Book Reviews

impression of the kind of music library a proper cinema could have in the Nether- lands in the late twenties and the early years of sound film" (p. 51). They are avail- able for study and use in performance.

The fifty-seven pages preceding the cat- alogue itself summarize the history of silent cinema music in the Netherlands, identi- fying prominent figures and quoting ex- tensively from their recollections. The text is enhanced by photographs of screen ac- tors, musicians, cinema and set exteriors and interiors. But the presence within the catalogue itself of photographs of Claude Debussy, Edward Elgar, and Maurice Ravel (none of whom actually wrote for the cin- ema) and the omission of photographs of Giuseppe Becce and J. S. Zamecnik (both of whom did) is curious. The several full- page facsimiles of manuscript and printed scores are, however, of real interest.

About a third of the collection consists of "mood music" -incidental music composed specifically for use in the cinema. The more detailed catalogue entries, including tim- ings, are given for these. The remainder comprises arrangements of preexisting "classical" music; popular and light music; songs and the like from early sound films (but also performed during the years of transition to sound); some original music (such as a copy of Edmund Meisel's piano score to Sergei Einsenstein's Battleship Po- temkin); and a few pieces published later than 1939. This last category should have been excluded, as should some of the other miscellaneous sheet music listed in an ap- pendix. It is incongruous to find, in this context, Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Con- certo (1941), and later entries such as a song from Rio Rita (1939) and Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk" (1962). With such entries omitted, the remainder had pref- erably been listed not in one alphabetical composer sequence, but by genre, such that dedicated cinema music might be distin- guished from concert music (which here ranges from Rameau to Rachmaninoff).

The index is essentially reserved for mood music, unhelpfully listed not by mood or situation, but by individual title. Given the almost complete absence of cue sheets from this collection it is impossible to search comprehensively by film title, the natural starting point for most readers seeking to ascertain which music originally

impression of the kind of music library a proper cinema could have in the Nether- lands in the late twenties and the early years of sound film" (p. 51). They are avail- able for study and use in performance.

The fifty-seven pages preceding the cat- alogue itself summarize the history of silent cinema music in the Netherlands, identi- fying prominent figures and quoting ex- tensively from their recollections. The text is enhanced by photographs of screen ac- tors, musicians, cinema and set exteriors and interiors. But the presence within the catalogue itself of photographs of Claude Debussy, Edward Elgar, and Maurice Ravel (none of whom actually wrote for the cin- ema) and the omission of photographs of Giuseppe Becce and J. S. Zamecnik (both of whom did) is curious. The several full- page facsimiles of manuscript and printed scores are, however, of real interest.

About a third of the collection consists of "mood music" -incidental music composed specifically for use in the cinema. The more detailed catalogue entries, including tim- ings, are given for these. The remainder comprises arrangements of preexisting "classical" music; popular and light music; songs and the like from early sound films (but also performed during the years of transition to sound); some original music (such as a copy of Edmund Meisel's piano score to Sergei Einsenstein's Battleship Po- temkin); and a few pieces published later than 1939. This last category should have been excluded, as should some of the other miscellaneous sheet music listed in an ap- pendix. It is incongruous to find, in this context, Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Con- certo (1941), and later entries such as a song from Rio Rita (1939) and Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk" (1962). With such entries omitted, the remainder had pref- erably been listed not in one alphabetical composer sequence, but by genre, such that dedicated cinema music might be distin- guished from concert music (which here ranges from Rameau to Rachmaninoff).

The index is essentially reserved for mood music, unhelpfully listed not by mood or situation, but by individual title. Given the almost complete absence of cue sheets from this collection it is impossible to search comprehensively by film title, the natural starting point for most readers seeking to ascertain which music originally

accompanied a particular film. Despite this, the catalogue will assist musicians wishing to select appropriate items from the Eyl/ Van Houten collection. Its value to a wider audience is limited, residing primarily in its preliminary matter, for the catalogue itself serves only to confirm that virtually all (but avant-garde) music was grist to the mill in the eyes of a hard-pressed silent film music fitter.

DAVID KERSHAW University of York

Modernism in Russian Piano Music; Skriabin, Prokofiev, and Their Rus- sian Contemporaries. By Peter Deane Roberts. 2 vols. (Russian Music Stud- ies.) Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993. [xiv, 175 p. (v.1); viii, 236 p. (v.2). ISBN 0-253-34992-3 (set). $89.95.]

Peter Deane Roberts plants a fertile seed in Modernism in Russian Piano Music, open- ing up a host of unfamiliar Russian com- posers and compositions to those eager for an introduction to the works of this his- torical period. The first of the two volumes contains Roberts's text and the second pro- vides musical scores to illustrate its argu- ments. Roberts introduces this lost era by describing the artistic and political scene in Russia around the year 1910, marked by Vasili Kandinsky's abstract paintings and Aleksandr Blok's Russian Symbolist writ- ings. This was a time when composers be- gan to depart from the old nationalist school, finding their way into the avant- garde and creating innovative compositions until 1929 when opposition to Modernist experimentation essentially marked the end of this era. As one who has been fas- cinated by the Russian Symbolist move- ment, I discovered in this book a wealth of fine literature that I was unaware existed (for more on the period see my "Alexander Scriabin, A Russian Symbolist" [Ph.D. diss., Northwestern University, 1990]). Only since the 1960s have we even heard much of Aleksandr Skriabin's music and his strong appeal and influence. For pianists, there is an abundance of good music com- ing from these lesser known or completely unheard of composers, such as Arthur

accompanied a particular film. Despite this, the catalogue will assist musicians wishing to select appropriate items from the Eyl/ Van Houten collection. Its value to a wider audience is limited, residing primarily in its preliminary matter, for the catalogue itself serves only to confirm that virtually all (but avant-garde) music was grist to the mill in the eyes of a hard-pressed silent film music fitter.

DAVID KERSHAW University of York

Modernism in Russian Piano Music; Skriabin, Prokofiev, and Their Rus- sian Contemporaries. By Peter Deane Roberts. 2 vols. (Russian Music Stud- ies.) Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993. [xiv, 175 p. (v.1); viii, 236 p. (v.2). ISBN 0-253-34992-3 (set). $89.95.]

Peter Deane Roberts plants a fertile seed in Modernism in Russian Piano Music, open- ing up a host of unfamiliar Russian com- posers and compositions to those eager for an introduction to the works of this his- torical period. The first of the two volumes contains Roberts's text and the second pro- vides musical scores to illustrate its argu- ments. Roberts introduces this lost era by describing the artistic and political scene in Russia around the year 1910, marked by Vasili Kandinsky's abstract paintings and Aleksandr Blok's Russian Symbolist writ- ings. This was a time when composers be- gan to depart from the old nationalist school, finding their way into the avant- garde and creating innovative compositions until 1929 when opposition to Modernist experimentation essentially marked the end of this era. As one who has been fas- cinated by the Russian Symbolist move- ment, I discovered in this book a wealth of fine literature that I was unaware existed (for more on the period see my "Alexander Scriabin, A Russian Symbolist" [Ph.D. diss., Northwestern University, 1990]). Only since the 1960s have we even heard much of Aleksandr Skriabin's music and his strong appeal and influence. For pianists, there is an abundance of good music com- ing from these lesser known or completely unheard of composers, such as Arthur

155 155

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.134 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 21:14:46 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions