NEW SOUND PICTURES WILL RAISE STANDARDS OF MUSIC

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6814, 18 January 1929, Page 4

NEW SOUND PICTURES WILL RAISE STANDARDS OF MUSIC

Venture That Will Bar Mediocrity

Mediocrity in music is on the way to a place well in the background through the development of “sound pictures,’’ says John P. Marshall, dean of Boston University College of Music, in a university bulletin discussing the future.of music as affected by the now film developments. “Tho possibilities of the ‘talking movie ’ for aural and visual reproduction of music are almost without limit,” says Mr. Marshall. “In the present stage they are not perfect, but still they are good and are serving admirably to widen the general appreciation of good music. Not all of tho devices for synchronising sound with pictures are good, nor is the music chosen for reproduction always of the best, but there is enough good music to make this mechanical representation a valuable contribution to education.

“When the talking pictures first began to achieve popularity theatre musicians immediately felt that they would soon be -without a means of earning their living. But as tho situation has developed they have tended to weed out only the mediocro musicians and leave greater opportunities for those better fitted for the profession. Tho services of the orchestra and the organ give a feeling of warmth and joy to the theatregoer which cannot be reproduced by the orchestration in ‘sound pictures.’ “One of tho outstanding criticisms against tho ‘sound pictures’ in their present stage is that tho voices and often certain instruments sound too loud. This, of course, can be remedied, for, like the talking machine, tho ‘sound pictures’ must go through a period of evolution boforo a finished product results. .“Regardless of how well sound is reproduced by the ‘talkies’ there will always remain a great demand for

actual concerts by artists. So much of the pleasure of a concert comes from the personality of the artist, as the individual sees and feels it in the music that is presented. No two-dimension photography can supplant that, re gardless of how well sound may be reproduced. “Yet the ‘sound pictures’ have this particular value. They enable tho artist to record his best performance and apply his utmost ability to every

presentation. He has a greater incentive to rise to heights in musical creation and reproduction, owing to the opportunity for preservation there is in the ‘talking movie. ’ Posterity will see as well as hear the spirit of our times as portrayed by favourite musicians. By this new method of reproduction, mediocrity in music will bo relegated to a place well in the background and the best will be pushed to the front.”