Cinema organist Richard Hills tells Garry Fraser about his unusual profession
Cinema organist Richard Hills is keeping an old tradition going, as Garry Fraser finds out.
THE term silent movie is a bit of a misnomer. Admittedly, there is a lack of dialogue, but the music that accompanies the action is an integral part of the proceedings.
This music was often improvised on the spot by talented individuals on piano or organ.
Although it’s not as widely practised nowadays, this art form continued unabated throughout the decades, and there are still some musicians replicating a speciality that goes back 100 years.
“There are a few dedicated organists who learned from their masters, who learned from their masters before them, and who have kept the tradition going in an unbroken line from the 1910s to the present day,” Richard Hills, organist at St Mary’s, Bourne Street, London, says.
“Those who learned from the ‘old masters’ still employ many of the same methods – especially the way in which they use the instruments and the techniques for some of the more specific special effects in comedy films.
“The basics of good film scoring – how to convey mood and drama – haven’t changed since the early days.
“You only have to listen to the film scores of John Williams to hear the same skills in operation today, albeit with added dialogue.
“I would say there has been a nostalgic interest in silent movies for years, and there is a cult following among a younger audience who don’t remember them from the first time around.”
The National Film Theatre plays a big part in the renaissance of silent movies, and has been promoting silent showings since the 1970s.
“There is a developing concept of silent pictures as an art form in their own right,” Richard continues.
“This has undoubtedly been given a shot in the arm through enterprises such as the International Youth Silent Film Festival.
“This competition gives young filmmakers under the age of twenty the opportunity to create a modern-day silent film.”
My granny was a silent movie pianist, and it’s a skill which I regret hasn’t been passed down the generations.
So when I saw Richard in action, I was both impressed and a little envious.
He was adding music to two classics of the silent era – Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill, Jr” and Laurel and Hardy’s “Big Business”.
His playing didn’t detract from the films and that, he believes, is of paramount importance.
“Good accompanists are those the audience forgets; those whose presence is subservient to the movie.
“I have witnessed many occasions when the performance has become all about the accompanist, as though they are putting on a concert with a film running in the background.
“Playing too loudly, drawing attention to yourself in any way that distracts the audience from the film (like choosing an inappropriate combination of sounds, or employing a well-known piece of music for a cheap laugh at the film’s expense) is destructive and disrespectful both to
the audience and to the film-makers.”
“Timing is also very important,” he continues. “If you are even a fraction of a second out of sync with the film at key moments then it can really ruin the effect of what you are trying to do, especially in comedy films.
“I always think people who regularly accompany pictures develop a sort of ‘sixth sense’ of what is going to happen and at what moment.
“The best accompanists almost seem to bypass the organ machinery and play their emotions straight into the organ pipes and, thereby, into the characters or storylines.
“This gives a wonderful flow and can be very powerful, but it takes lots of time and experience to get to that stage.”
But sometimes things don’t go according to plan!
“There was once an occasion where, owing to a mishap in the projection box, I found myself accompanying entirely the wrong film,” Richard continues.
“The venue had obtained permission to show a version of a certain movie on DVD, and the projectionist just pressed ‘play’ without realising that there was another film on the same disc.
“In this situation, once you’ve started you can’t stop until the end!
“Fortunately, it was a short film, and I had accompanied it before, but it certainly got the blood pumping.
“I have also experienced a performance when a projectionist got the reels of a feature film in the wrong order.
“That’s a situation where being able to be flexible is a godsend, as you can change your score accordingly.”
This look back to the silent era shows no sign of dissipating. In fact, it is an art that is blossoming.
“There is fresh interest from the general public, and this has resulted in a welcome influx of musicians who are keen to turn their hand to this speciality,” Richard says.
“Recent years have seen many predominantly classical organists take an interest in playing to picture, and it’s not uncommon to find silent movie screenings taking place in churches, cathedrals and concert halls.”
If there’s a chance to see someone like Richard in action, jump at it.
Silent movie stars and inventive accompaniment is, without doubt, a combination to savour.