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MARIA NEWMAN, Composer

Recent Commissions

Silent Film Library

SCOTT HOSFELD, Conductor

 
Not-So-Silent Films at MAHMA
A Montgomery Arts House Tradition
Vintage Silent Film Presented with Live Music

Here at MAHMA, and on national concert tours,
much interest has been garnered in the rejuvenation and musical scoring of rare vintage silent-era films, which for so long have been sitting lifeless in a vault hidden from view of the modern public. These valiant pieces of American film history, some as early as 1909, now have been brought to the attention of our public through live presentations of the films, paired with present-day musical scoring, breathing life into an era once forgotten...

Montgomery Arts House Composer-in-Residence, Maria Newman, has scored a major library of these rare and classic silent films.

Scott Hosfeld leads the Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra in vibrant and inviting performances of our not-so-silent films, bringing audiences not just concerts,
EXPERIENCES!


Our Silent Movies are Not-So-Silent

As a part of the Malibu Coast Musical Soirées, and our Annual Summer Season Malibu Coast Music Festival,
classic feature length silent films and rare silent film shorts
are screened regularly,
always with world-class performances
of original music live to the film.

Guests will recognize musical programs dedicated to these
silent film screenings
under the MAHMA in-house title of:

"A Night at the Not-So-Silent Movies."

Be sure to further peruse all
Malibu Coast Musical Soirées chamber music scheduling,
as well as the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra concert scheduling,
as many rare vintage silent short films are paired in concert with other genres of musical programming,
sure to provide concertgoers with:


Not Just Concerts,
EXPERIENCES!




Library of Silent Films Scored by Maria Newman
In 1997, American Composer Maria Newman was approached by Timeline Films President, Hugh Munro Neely, then Director of the Mary Pickford Library, to score the 1919 Mary Pickford silent classic film, Daddy Long Legs. A highly noted film historian and documentarian, Mr. Neely was interested in the music of Maria Newman for its distinctive voice, ceaseless energy, thematic and melodic continuity, and rich imagery, feeling that it would lend itself well to the breathing of new life back into silent classics of our great American film history.

Firstly a composer of concert music, Newman was reticent to take on this initial task. Sensitive to Newman's bold aesthetics in her own field of music and music-making, Neely assured the composer that her musical voice would be utilized as a collaborative force in the restoration (and subsequent DVD release of the film), rather than as a subordinate, giving Newman the freedom to write to the film as though it were indeed a commission for the concert stage.

Seeing the project possibilities in a new light, Newman eagerly rose to this task, savoring the idea that the vintage silents could be viewed in a highly modern, operatic fashion. The composer was able to give herself artistic permission for the characters, storyline and thematic development, both musical and literary, to take on an equal partnership, with both the visual and musical forces working in tandem in a way that had not really been explored in the past.

Newman was further taken with the notion that, just as poetry could be construed very differently by various readers, then so could the emotions, motivations and feelings of the characters in silent film. The music would not need to be wallpaper, nor live inside a box. Rather it would liberated to make a statement, an interpretation, one living composer's vision of what was put to film nearly 100 years earlier.

Newman felt this opportunity to be a great gift, and is to this day, honored to have the continued privilege to compose music for the art of silent film. The Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra regularly performs Newman's fearless and vivid silent film works for delighted audiences throughout the United States, most of whom have never experienced silent films in the past.


Library of Vintage Silent Films
Scored by Maria Newman

Daddy Long Legs (1919)
Mary Pickford (as Judy Abbott)
(Running Time: 85 minutes)
For Piano Quintet and Percussion
-or-  Full Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned by Timeline Films
Released by Milestone Films

The Heart O' the Hills (1919)
Mary Pickford (as Mavis Hawn)
(Running Time: 87 minutes)
Directed by Marshall Neilan for
First Nationl Attractions
For String Quartet and Percussion
-or-  String Orchestra, Piano and Percussion
Commissioned by Timeline Films
Released by Milestone Films

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917)
Mary Pickford (as Rebecca Randall)
(Running Time: 78 minutes)
Directed by Marshall Neilan
For Flute, Two Violins, Viola, Cello, Piano and Percussion
Commissioned by the Mary Pickford Institute and
Grand Performances, Los Angeles

The Love Light (1921)
Mary Pickford (as Angela)
(Running Time: 89 minutes)
Directed by Frances Marion
Produced by United Artists
For Piano Quartet
Commissioned by Timeline Films
Released by Milestone Films

Quality Street (1927)
Marion Davies
Conrad Nagel
(Running Time: 110 minutes)
Produced by Marion Davies
For Flute, Harp, Piano Quintet and Percussion
Commissioned by the Annenberg Foundation
Special Thanks to Robert Board

Tom Sawyer (1917)
Jack Pickford (as Tom)
(Running Time: 45 minutes)
For Flute, Violin and Percussion
-or-  String Quartet
Commissioned by the Library of Moving Images

Cinderella (1914)
Mary Pickford (as Cinderella)
Owen Moore (as Prince Charming)
(Running Time: 52 minutes)
Directed by James Kirkwood
Famous Players Film Co.
For Chamber Orchestra
-or-  Piano Quintet and Percussion
Commissioned by the Omaha Conservatory of Music

Mr. Wu (1927)

Lon Chaney (as Mr. Wu)
(Running Time: 92 minutes)
Produced by MGM
For Piano Quartet and Percussion
-or-  Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned by Turner Classic Movies

The Gibson Goddess (1909)
Marion Leonard (as the Gibson Goddess)
Mary Pickford (as an extra)
(Running Time: 9 minutes)
For Violin, Viola and Piano
-or-  Cello Quintet
-or-  String Orchestra
-or-  Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned by the Omaha Conservatory of Music

What the Daisy Said (1910)
Mary Pickford
Owen Moore
(Running Time: 12 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith for the
American Biograph Company
For String Quartet
-or-  Solo Piano
-or-  String Orchestra
-or-  Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned by the Icicle Creek Music Center
and Timeline Films
Released by Milestone Films

Ramona (1910)
Mary Pickford (as Ramona)
(Running Time: 17 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
American Biograph Company
For Violin, Piano and Percussion
-or-  Viola, Piano and Percussion
-or-  Cello, Piano and Percussion
Released by Milestone Film and Video
Commissioned by Turner Classic Movies and
the Mary Pickford Institute


Willful Peggy (1910)

Mary Pickford (as Peggy)
(Running Time: 12 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
American Biograph Company
For Piano Quartet
-or-  String Orchestra and Piano
Commissioned by the Young Musicians Foundation

As it is in Life (1910)
Mary Pickford
(Running Time: 12 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
American Biograph Company
For Soprano, Flute, Viola, and Piano
-or-  Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano
Commissioned by the Family of Mary Lofdahl


Tender Hearts (1909)
Mary Pickford
(Running Time: 3 and 1/2 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
American Biograph Company
For Violin, Viola, Piano and Percussion
-or-  Viola, Piano and Percussion
-or-  Cello, Piano and Percussion
Commissioned by the Malibu Friends of Music
Dedicated to Elaina Archer

They Would Elope (1909)
Mary Pickford
Billy Quirk
(Running Time: 12 minutes)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
American Biograph Company
For Piano Quartet and Percussion
Commissioned by the Malibu Friends of Music

The Dream (1911)
Mary Pickford (as Nell)
Owen Moore
(Running Time: 12 minutes)
Independent Moving Picture Company
(IMP)
For Wind Ensemble and Percussion
-or-  Chamber Orchestra, Piano and Percussion
-or-  Woodwind Quintet and Percussion
-or-  Piano, Violin, Viola and Percussion
Commissioned by the Sierra Symphony Orchestra



...and Starring

Ma
ny of the vintage silent films shown under the auspices of the Malibu Coast Silent Film Series
feature:

"America's Sweetheart:"
Mary Pickford

"The Man of a Thousand Faces"
Lon Chaney

"The Gibson Girl"
Marion Leonard

The inimitable
Jack Pickford

The Hilarious
Jack Gilbert

...and the brilliant and beautiful:
Marion Davies


The Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra

Always bringing you world-class performances
of original music live to the film,
musicians from near and far
gather at MAHMA to comprise the
Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra.


Special Thanks
The Malibu Friends of Music is grateful to:

The Annenberg Foundation

Hearst Castle
San Simeon, California

The Annenberg Beach House
Santa Monica, California

The City of Malibu

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
Wendy Eidson, Executive Director

Hearst Corporation

Elaina B. Archer,
Director of Archives and Legacy for the
Mary Pickford Foundation

The Mary Pickford Library

Mr. Keith Lawrence

Grand Performances, Los Angeles

The Downtown Alliance of
Des Moines, Iowa

Mr. Robert Board

SPaCE Salon
Wendy Prober, Executive Director

Turner Classic Movies

Hugh Munro Neely
Timeline Films

Omaha Conservatory of Music

The Malibu Arts Commission

Yakima Symphony Orchestra Association
Washington State

The Mary Lofdahl Family

Trans Nebraska Players

Pepperdine Collegium Musicum
N. Lincoln Hanks, Director

Dennis Doros
Milestone Films

Christopher M. Allport
Allport Productions

Malibu Film Society

Pasadena Film Festival

Luther College

Rancho Camulos Ramona Days
Piru, California

The Sierra Summer Festival
Mammoth Lakes, California

Malibu High School

Portola School
Los Angeles, California

for their gracious facilitation
of this fabulous music-silent film partnership!

..and many more

Thank You!

Silent Film Music Leadership Supporters

Scores have been commissioned by:
The Annenberg Foundation,
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
The Mary Pickford Institute,
Timeline Films,
Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble,
The Malibu Friends of Music,
Luther College Dorian Festival,
Omaha Conservatory of Music,
Icicle Creek Music Center,
Central Washington University,
The Family of Mary Lofdahl,
Milestone Films,
A&F Productions,
Sierra Summer Festival Symphony Orchestra,
Grand Performances Los Angeles,
and Turner Classic Movies.