Since this was a combination symphony/organ concert, I did not expect there to be music before the movie. Sure enough when we got there Dennis James was already delighting the very respectable crowd with a medley of tunes (the event was competing with Ohio State in the Final Four so the large turn out was a nice surprise). It was just like the summer movie series, only more people in attendance and they were mostly well dressed!
Dennis James held the position of Resident Organist at the Ohio Theatre from 1975-1990. It was during this time that he get to see a number of changes and additions to the organ. James also recorded a few albums on the Morton Organ.
In the Summer Movie Series style, James spoke to the audience for a few minutes before the feature. For those symphony patrons who never attended a movie in the theater I'm sure they were surprised to hear him speak and tell about himself and the movie. The program states the movie was from 1925, the version we saw was from 1929.
The
beginning of the film starts with a man walking in a darkened alley.
James helps set the mood by playing Bach's Fugue in G (the one always
played at Halloweeen). An aside: there are three pieces I've always wanted to hear on Ohio's Morton: 1) Theme to 2001 (Strauss), 2) Bach's Fugue in G, and 3) Trumpet Voluntary by Purcell. Two years ago one of the flicks for the Summer Movie Series was "E.T.". Clark Wilson managed to make the Strauss piece the last song of his pre-feature medley. What a rush! While James only played the first 30-45 seconds of the Bach piece, I at least got to hear the big swell dissident chord at the end of the introduction. Nice! So two down, one to go. Hearing #3 on my list will be a challenge. But I digress...
Anyway, having the organ and an orchestra play is a neat experience. The two in ways can sound so different, yet they also can compliment and blend together very nicely. The special effects of the organ such as bird tweets, church bells, and "thunder" helped enhance the film. "Thunder" sounds like the bass you hear when in a movie theater that has a very bassy soundtrack playing in an adjacent theater, only much louder!
When all was said and done, the phantom was killed and the damsel saved from his psychotic control. The symphony and the featured performers received a standing ovation! Below are a few images from the event.
