Abstract

Whereas sounds in American early cinema have been examined by Rick Altman for his ground-breaking book Silent Film Sounds, published in 2004, the musical components of German early cinema remain largely unexamined. Previous research on silent film sound in Germany primarily relied on the contemporary music press and neglected the film press, even though the latter offers much evidence on the topic. Thus, for the first author's master's thesis two of Germany's most important film trade presses were examined: Der Kinematograph and Die LichtBildBühne with the supplement Das Kino-Orchester. As a result, previously unknown facts about the use of music in German silent cinema were discovered, which will be described in this article. The aim of this article is to shed light on German silent film sound practices and to compare them to those prevailing in the USA.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.