Film concert Humoresque (second screening)

Fritz Kreisler plays Humoresque: recordings available on YouTube.

See entry 22 Feb 2005. - SECOND HUMORESQUE FILM CONCERT, music arranged by Tuula Hällström, with Paula Nykänen (violin) and Tuula Hällström (piano). Themes from Dvorak, Kreisler, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Bruch (Kol Nidre). Orion, Helsinki, 25 Feb 2005. Excellent musical interpretation by the two young professionals, deeply felt and well timed. This musical arrangement would be worthy of touring and a release on DVD.

ADDED NOTES: For 20 years I have been involved in organizing music for silents, and I have heard more than a thousand attempts. This interpretation I think of as exemplary because of the match of the image and the music and because of the beauty of the performance.

Again a reminder of how misleading the concept "silent movie" is. Also in Finland, 1896-1931, live music was as essential in the cinema experience as the film itself. As it was the golden age of Finnish music, the music must have been wonderful. In Orion (then Athena) 7 musicians belonged to the staff.

Some highlights: Leon Kantor "playing for his own", including the Kol Nidre, with the montage of the Jewish audience. The Rendezvous with Death, Leon's farewell piece before entering the war.