Articles from Sound & Silents

Femme Fatales & Clowning Women in Sound & Silents

May 26, 2010 | No Comments | ByClare Callan

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo who stars in The Temptress

This week we present a selection of three of our very best live music to silent film commissions ever in: Sound & Silents, BEV’s mini-season of live music to silent film. The events including The Temptress with music from Natalie Clein in which Greta Garbo stars as a melancholy vamp in an emotional rollercoaster with live musical accompaniment from the Classical Brit Award Winning cellist, My Best Girl accompanied by The Elysian Quartet; A delightful romantic comedy starring Mary Pickford with music from the only British string quartet of its generation dedicated exclusively to contemporary and experimental music and I Don’t Want to be a Man! accompanied by Zoe Rahman + The Danger Girl accompanied by Juice; A fantastic double bill of silent comedy featuring Ossi Oswalda and Gloria Swanson with music from the acclaimed jazz pianist and experimental vocal trio. Although we have been blogging like mad about the musicians we have not said much about these iconic films. Screened originally as part of our festival seasons Screen Seductresses: Vamps, Vixens & Femmes Fatales and Clowning Glories: Women in Film Comedy Before 1930 here’s a bit about each upcoming film, the musians compositions and some fascinating articles about femme fatales and funny women. Read the full story

Brit Award-Winning Cellist Natalie Clein Talks To BEV

May 20, 2010 | No Comments | ByClare Callan

Natalie Clein

Natalie Clein

Natalie Clein’s exceptional musicality has earned her a number of prestigious prizes including the Classical Brit Award for Young British Performer, the Ingrid zu Solms Cultur Preis at the 2003 Kronberg Academie, and the BBC Young Musician of the Year aged just 16. Her playing is incredibly passionate. On the May 27th she brings her improvised accompaniment to the brilliant silent vampy flick The Temptress starring Greta Garbo as part of our Sound and Silents season. We caught up with her earlier this week. Read the full story

BEV chats to Zoe Rahman

May 13, 2010 | No Comments | ByClare Callan

Zoe Rahman

Zoe Rahman

Zoe Rahman has firmly established herself as one of the brightest stars on the contemporary jazz scene. Described in The Observer as “one of the finest young pianists in Europe”,  Zoe has recorded four critically acclaimed albums. Melting Pot, was nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize and was voted ‘Jazz Album of the Year’ at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

We are lucky enough to have her performing her specially commissioned live score to I Don’t Want To Be A Man! On the 29th May as part of out Sound and Silents Season. Here’s what she had to say.

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Sound & Silents Video Tasters: Natalie Clein / Zoe Rahman / The Elysian Quartet

May 12, 2010 | No Comments | ByClare Callan

As part of our Sound and Silents Season coming up in a couple of weeks classical Brit Award winning cellist Natalie Clein, Mercury Award nominated jazz pianist Zoe Rahman and the only British string quartet of its generation dedicated exclusively to contemporary and experimental music, The Elysian Quartet will perform their specially commissioned live accompaniments to four silent films featuring icons such as Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson.

From sultry femme fatale filled drama to slapstick romanic comedy, the films The TemptressI Don’t Want to Be A Man! and My Best Girl are brought to life by these accomplished musicians. To give you a taste of their sound we have selected some of our favourite videos of them performing live from trusty Youtube.

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BEV get the Juice on Juice: Experimental Music Trio

Apr 29, 2010 | No Comments | ByClare Callan

Juice

Juice

We caught up with experimental vocal trio Juice ahead of their live musical accompaniment to The Danger Girl as part of the double bill with I Don’t Want to be a Man! accompanied by Zoe Rahman Birds Eye View Sound & Silents Season this May. They talk to us about what inspires them, writing music for film, the gender gap in the music industry when it comes to composers, what their dream score would be and what they are up to at the moment.

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Musicians meet Silent Stars at BEVFF 2010

Feb 16, 2010 | No Comments | ByBirds Eye View

Marion Davies in The Patsy

Marion Davies in The Patsy

The Birds Eye View Sound and Silents Retrospective this year features three delightful blonde and boisterous stars. Kelly Robinson, BEV retrospective programmer, gives her insights into these actresses and the flaxen-haired characters they play.  The Musicians: Patti Plinko, Gwyneth Herbert and Jane Gardner,  who will be putting their own spin on the films with specially commissioned original scores, tell us how it’s going and what their personal take is. Read the full story

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