[78-L] OT Musical genres^

[Jeff Sultanof]

The biggest theatres most definitely had staff orchestras that played for
prologues and the movie itself. Most movies had cue sheets that specified
the music that was recommended to be played. The musical director of the
theatre (Hugo Reisenfeld was one) would compile the score from hundreds of
orchestrations that were in the theatre's library, and it would be rehearsed
and played. If the movie was big enough, the score would be newly composed.
At least one orchestra on staff at a movie theatre made a short - the
ensemble for the Capitol Theatre in NYC, one of whose members was Jimmy
Dorsey; this was once on laserdisc. It could play absolutely any kind of
music from classical to the pop music (jazz) of its time.

In fact, when sound came in, musicians for these orchestras realized that
their jobs would end. Many of these musicians had been brought in from
Europe, and some committed suicide. An adventurous group traveled out to
Hollywood to join studio staff orchestras there.


AFAIK, NO theatres
> had "house bands" to provide the musical accompaniment to their film
> offerings...?!
>
> Steven C. Barr
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