In the world of cinema where visual storytelling and special effects often steal the show, there exists a rare, enchanting art form that brings silent films to life through live musical accompaniment. Now, two of the best artists in this genre, Donald Sosin and Alicia Svigals, are bringing their own brand of “Cinema Concerts” to a St. Louis audience.
Their upcoming performance at the Webster Film Series features a silent film with an unexpected twist – “The Man Without a World,” a creation of contemporary filmmaker Eleanor Antin.
“This is our third scoring project together. I’m the violinist and he’s the pianist,” said Svigals. “What’s so cool about this movie is that it’s made with a ‘wink’ and it has a sense of humor, but it’s also very serious and very emotional.”
The wink
The film is credited to legendary Soviet director Yevgeny Antinov, but Antinov is nothing but a persona created by Antin, a world-renowned Jewish artist, author and performer who has exhibited her work at museums and galleries around the world.
Svigals and Sosin
The duo are no strangers to the world of silent film. Svigals is one of the world’s leading klezmer violinists and a founder of the Klezmatics, and pianist Donald Sosin has performed his silent film music all over the world since the early 1970s.
Sosin’s family roots go back to the Jewish communities of East Europe while Svigals’ childhood education was shaped by the Yiddish-speaking schools of “Der Arbeter Ring,” the Workmen’s Circle in New York.
“I first saw Alicia play at a silent film festival in 2017. After I heard her play, I literally ran up to her and I said I’ve been commissioned to do a score for a Jewish-themed film called ‘The Ancient Law’ and asked her whether she’d be interested in collaborating,” remembered Sosin.
A month later the two were in the studio. They followed up “The Ancient Law” with a second collaboration on a restoration of a 1924 German silent film by HK Breslauer, “The City Without Jews.”
Playing Live, Watching Live
Although Sosin and Svigals play live, just feet apart while the movie is playing on the screen, the actual scoring for this film happened much differently.
“We scored this film during the pandemic, so it all happened remotely,” said Sosin. “Alicia lives in upstate New York. My wife and I live over the border in Connecticut and so we were sending files back and forth to each other and trying to get everything synched.”
With their eyes on both the film and their iPads, the pair seamlessly synchronize their performance with the on-screen action.
Both Sosin and Svigals emphasize that the movie itself remains the star of the show. Audiences are invited to embark on a unique cinematic journey, where the live music enhances the emotions, characters, and action on the screen.
“We’ll be in the dark. But if anybody really wanted to look at us, our iPads would light us up a bit. But it’s really all about the movie,” said Sosin. “And they will hear 90 minutes nonstop of this extended composition.”
And as far as tips for the audience on how to enjoy a movie with live music.
“People tell us that their attention goes back and forth. Sometimes they are purposefully listening to the music, but then most of the time they say they’re watching the film and then suddenly they think, ‘Oh my God, there’s music going on,’” said Sosin. “So, it’s a kind of a strange experience. But. I think it’s much more enjoyable for them to have live music than to just be listening to a recording because it’s a very special and completely unique art form.”
“The Man Without a World” at the Webster Film Series
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27
Where: Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 E. Lockwood Ave.
How much: $12
More info: The 1992 silent film has English inter-titles and runs 98 minutes. The new score will be performed is live by Donald Sosin on piano and Alicia Svigals on violin. Filmmaker Pier Marton of University City helped make and performs in the film and will be in attendance to discuss it.
