Status, Standards, and Stereotypes: J. S. Bach’s Presence in the Silent Era

Abstract

To date, J. S. Bach’s role in silent cinema has not received much attention, in part because so few sources seem to point in his direction. Bach is barely mentioned in film music’s major encyclopedic sources of the period. Likewise, his music is absent from silent-era mood music compilations, accompaniment manuals, and photoplay collections. But a close reading of the American film trade press, particularly from 1915 to 1925, suggests a more complex story. Bach did have a presence in silent film music, although perceptions of the composer varied widely. For some, his name and music represented the pinnacle of excellence and a standard for raising the quality of film music overall. Others openly disparaged his music, calling it too obtuse and complex for film accompaniment. These contradictory views are further complicated by the confusing cue sheet references to Bach, some of which most certainly refer not to Johann Sebastian but to other composers named Bach. The greatest saturation of Bach references in cue sheets occurs in the years 1916–1920, during which time Bach, or at least the name Bach, appears as suggested music for scenes in over 200 films, ranging from Westerns (e.g., Hair Trigger Burke) to dramas (e.g., A Wife’s Suspicion) to war movies (e.g., The Zeppelin’s Last Raid). Many of these suggested pieces are likely not by J. S. Bach, but rather by a collection of other Bachs (Christopher, Leonhard Emil, Karl). However, no effort was made at the time by the cue sheet compilers or the trade journal editors to clarify this distinction; all of the suggested pieces were simply by “Bach.” The work titles, moreover, offer only marginal guidance: some point directly to Johann Sebastian (“Air on a G String”), but others are too vague (“Fantasia”) or implausible (“Christmas Dreams—A Waltz”) to provide much insight.