The worst way to watch “Jaws” is sans music. A good way is to watch it with the famous John Williams soundtrack blaring through your speakers. But the best way to experience this classic could well be during a concert with a live orchestra playing this iconic music.
The New York Philharmonic performs four times a year at Lincoln Center for film screenings. Almost every session is sold out.
“A live orchestra touches audiences in a way that no recorded sound can match,” says Debra Borda, former interim executive director of the orchestra. “It’s like you’re sitting in the very heart of the orchestra. »
In the era of silent cinema, live music always accompanied films, and these screenings were landmark events.
“Over the years, movie theaters have gotten smaller,” says Steve Linder. “Then people started watching them on TV. Then, on their computer. Then, on their phone. »
Linder is the co-founder of Film Concerts Live, one of several companies that rents sheet music and equipment needed by orchestras for these performances. “What we are doing is bringing cinema back to its origins, with live music and in a collective experience. »
For Borda, one of the most exciting aspects of live film soundtracks is their ability to attract new audiences, including young people, to concert halls. “Nearly 50 percent of the people who attend our film series are experiencing the New York Philharmonic for the first time, and this is their first visit to the theater,” she says.
For the conductor, these performances represent a challenge. You have to keep one eye on the musicians, one eye on the score and one eye on a special monitor showing the film. But how do you know exactly when to bring in the orchestra in sync with the action? That’s where moving vertical bars, called “streamers,” come in. These streamers and the light spots serve as countdowns to key musical moments.
Anthony Parnther directed the Philharmonic’s screenings of “Jaws.” But his main occupation is directing the recording sessions in Hollywood for films such as “Oppenheimer,” “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Asked about his fellow conductors’ perceptions of these concerts, Parnther replied: “All I know is that when I turn around from my score to address the audience, every seat is occupied. »
So how flexible is it to adapt a live score to a film? “I have a bit of leeway to tailor the orchestra around the streamers,” says Parnther. “There may be some variations. And I think that’s what makes these performances particularly appealing to musicians and conductors. »
Nowadays, there are over a thousand film screenings with live orchestras every year. Classics, like “Jurassic Park,” “Superman,” “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings,” generally work best.
“It has to be excellent music that the public wants to hear, of course,” says Linder. “But it must also be music that the orchestra wants to play. »
Ryan Roberts is an English horn and oboe player with the New York Philharmonic. Unfortunately, at screening concerts he sits right under the screen, so he never gets a chance to see movies, even when he’s not acting.
“But we have some low-key tips for watching the movie in the woods section,” Roberts says. His favorite? A rearview mirror he bought on Amazon. “We attach it just above our desk lamps. »
And management approves of this? “I plead the fifth!” » exclaims Roberts, laughing.
With the New York Philharmonic putting on four performances of four films a year, all of which are sold out, shouldn’t there be 10 performances of each film? Borda responds: “We are a symphony orchestra. We play Mahler. We play Bach. We play Mozart. We have a responsibility towards the classical repertoire. And no, we are not a movie theater; we are a symphony orchestra. »
Well, okay. But even Borda acknowledges that orchestral film concerts have become a popular and important option for American orchestras. “We must be places integrated into the fabric of the community,” she emphasizes. “So we want the New York Philharmonic to be as popular as the Yankees or the Mets. And movies can help us get there. »
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Original article written by: Gabriel Falcon. Editor: Joseph Frandino.
These events are not only a replay of classic films, but also an opportunity for rediscovery and cultural sharing. Creating connections between orchestral music and cinema can inspire everyone to further explore these two artistic forms. What impact does this have on our perception of music in general?
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