Sounds for the Silents: Early Cinema Music

It seems difficult to believe that motion pictures have been with us now for more than a century. Since their invention by Thomas A. Edison 1891, the "movies" have evolved from humble beginnings in Victorian America into perhaps the most influential art form in human history. And despite the appeal of today's high-tech films, many still find great enjoyment and meaning in the works of Hollywood's pioneers—legends like D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, and the great Charlie Chaplin.

The first movie audiences in the 1890s were enchanted simply by the movement of the silvery, ghostly pictures. The early "flickers" were a brief minute or so in duration, and anything that moved was mesmerizing ("Fred Ott's Sneeze," depicting one of Edison's hay-feverish technicians, was a blockbuster). But gradually the novelty of pure motion began to wear off, and it was realized that to hold interest the pictures would not only have to move, but also tell a story. The first generally-acknowledged film to do this, "The Great Train Robbery," appeared in 1903.

Motion pictures were initially introduced to the public on programs of live vaudeville entertainment. Though enthralled by the new technology, many patrons found cinema exhibitions to be nerve-wracking, not just because of the films themselves (which often seemed "eerie" or "otherworldly"), but because the auditorium had to be completely darkened to show them. Theatrical performances had always been done with the audience almost as brightly lit as the performers on stage. Now, plunged into darkness, some felt vulnerable to attack by pickpockets, "mashers," and other unsavory characters. Also, many found the loud, incessant clatter of the movie projector itself to be a source of irritation. Clearly, exhibitors needed to find a way around these problems, and they did—with music: it occurred to somebody that the same orchestra that played for the live acts could also accompany the movies.

At first, little...