As you sit in a darkened theatre and wait for the opening credits and music to set the mood, it probably doesn’t cross your mind that at the turn of the last century movies were silent. Music was provided live by a musician playing a piano or organ. The invention of ‘talking pictures’ in the late 1920s meant no more job security for the house organist but did improve the movie-going experience for millions.
Moviegoers now recognize the sounds of various composers that rightfully dominate the industry today, and these soundtracks are immensely popular with fans of both the music and the film. But as much as technology has improved in recent years, nothing has come close to replicating the sound of a live orchestra performing the scores that fans have become so familiar with.
Why is the sound so important? As composer Howard Shore once said, “Music is essentially an emotional language, so you want to feel something from the relationships and build music based on those feelings.” The emotion represented by these scores truly brings each film to an entirely new level, helping viewers connect with the characters and storyline.
For that reason, the Jacksonville Symphony has introduced a new series this season, Symphonic Night at the Movies, where guests can experience well-known films on the big screen, but with a twist – the soundtrack is performed live by the orchestra.
There are two upcoming performances of this series to note: Back to the Future on March 12, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on April 9. Both presentations are on a Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m., and the series has been made possible by CenterState Bank, Claude Nolan Cadillac and Sight and Sound Productions.
Article written by Amy Rankin
