Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Philadelphia Sounds: Relache Channels Hitchcock
What does a 1926 silent film have to say to modern audiences? With new music by Joby Talbot, arranged by Darin Kelly, Philadelphia�s Relache Ensemble hopes it is as meaningful as any modern thriller. Alfred Hitchcock�s The Lodger was the subject of the Relache Sonic Cinema Event at the Annenberg Center. This was the fourth in Relache�s annual series of music to accompany silent film.
The Lodger was Hitchcock�s second film and a big success. The story has a serial killer prowling foggy London and killing blondes. A mysterious man comes to lodge with the Buntings, and the detective boyfriend of the daughter becomes suspicious.
The theme of an innocent man on the run is illustrated with claustrophobic lighting and ominous camera angles.
The score fit right in, arranged for saxophone, clarinet, flute, bassoon, viola, keyboard, bass and percussion sounding appropriately old fashioned and not too obviously programmatic. Dynamics followed the arc of the story and tempi the action, with a deliciously sweet Daisy�s Theme introducing the daughter.
What was more interesting is how different film technique was then � the blatant facial hysterics made the audience laugh, and the series of short takes seemed jagged and metaphoric, rather than telling a story. (Reposted from Penn Sounds 2/5/06)
posted by Deborah Kravetz
2/07/2006
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