Dear Mr. Chappell:

How do you go about playing an improvisation for a silent film?

— Soundless

Dear Soundless:

I watch the film once while taking notes on the story. I then assign musical motifs to each character and event—for example, the hero, the heroine, the big struggle, and the victory at the end. Sometimes these are my own original ideas, but the film subject might also suggest specific material that already exists. For example, a film set in 1920s Paris would invite the use of music by French composers of that time. I also hold to the purpose of playing music that supports the story without drawing attention to the music itself. I have found that repertoire such as Shostakovitch Preludes or Poulenc Nocturnes is very useful in this regard, because they are unfamiliar enough to escape recognition by the audience while still being fresh and tonal enough to be easily accessible. I conscientiously avoid any familiar clichés that the audience would associate with silent films, such as villain or chase scene music.

For the screening, I have the first page of several pieces of music on the piano in front of me, one for each musical motif, usually photocopied in reduced size to eliminate any page turning. As I watch the film, I refer to these “reminder” notations. Occasionally, I play what is written, but most of the time I just improvise on that material. This means using a lot of sequences, repetition, modulation, and fragmentation of the musical ideas. The action on the screen dictates the tempo and dynamics of the music. It also tells me when a particular important moment needs a precisely coordinated musical commentary to illustrate it.

The real challenge is to keep playing non-stop for the duration of the film, which could be up to two hours. There is rarely any opportunity to rest one’s eyes or hands.

— JC