Ben Model’s blog
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Sitting in the theater of what used to be called The Museum of Broadcasting in 1985 (it’s now the Paley Center), I was transfixed by the interview I was watching. The 1961 television program on screen was an episode of “The Lively Arts”, a program on the CBC. The guest…
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Episode 45 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
Video releases, Kickstarters, Marion Davies, and MOMA Ben’s live appearances seem to be increasing in Winter 2022 Festivals are announcing schedules, such as TCM Classic Film Festival in April, Capitolfest in Rome, NY Edward Everett Horton’s silent shorts are breaking out Effective as a silent film performance Harold Lloyd’s company provided…
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ep. 45: Home Video Releases, Kickstarters, Marion Davies, Wesleyan and MoMA
Ben talks about: the process of scoring “Zander the Great” and “Beverly of Graustark” for home video release; a recent Kickstarter that funded super-quick; Marion Davies’s talents as a silent film actor; teaching in-person and on-campus again after two years; accompanying Edward Everett Horton shorts and “The Fire Brigade” at…
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ep. 08 (re-posted): “A Trip to the Moon” in Tromsø, an Organ in Oslo, live comedy show “Everybody Gets Cake”, Marcel Perez
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 8, which originally posted on February 4, 2015. Welcome – News from January: composing and performing music for Parallel Exit’s “Everybody Gets Cake”, running off-Bway thru Feb 8, 2015 – Recording: instrumental from “Cake” show: “A Shakespearean Smoke Break” – the restoration of…
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ep. 07 (re-posted): News From the Road, “Peter Pan”, Hitchcock’s “Blackmail”, physical comedy show “Everybody Gets Cake”
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 7, which originally posted on January 21, 2015. Welcome – News from the road – December 2014 recap: the Silent Clowns Film Series, Chaplin Mutuals, Library of Congress holiday party, the Powers kids in “The Skeleton” – Recording: live performance, accompaniment to “Peter…
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ep. 44: Exploring the Music of “City Lights”…From Inside the Score
Ben relates the journey of playing piano as part of a full orchestra live accompanying Chaplin’s City Lights under the baton of the score’s restorer, Timothy Brock, during the Silent Film Days Festival in Tromsø, Norway. Ben also explores how he experienced Chaplin’s score “from the inside” and what he…
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ep. 06 (re-posted): Re-Starting the Podcast, Recap of 2014, “The Spice of the Program”, Marcel Perez on DVD, Arthur Kleiner, SFSMA
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 6, which originally posted on January 7, 2015. Welcome — Mea culpa, and welcome to the podcast reboot — The Silent Film Sound and Music Archive — My new DVD label Undercrank Productions and the LoC — Live performance: “My Best Girl” at St.…
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ep. 05 (re-posted): Marathon of shows, Music for Doug and Mary, Organ Benches and Piano Lights
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 5, originally posted on March 18, 2013. Welcome – A whirlwind week of performances and travel – 7 shows in 8 days Live performance: “The Mark of Zorro” at Central Baptist Church – Preparing for a performance: music prep, bench height, piano light,…
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ep. 04 (re-posted): “Accidentally Preserved” Kickstarter, getting clues from film intros, return to Boise
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 4, originally posted on January 14, 2013. Welcome – Playing the organ at the Library of Congress theater – My Kickstarter project to release rare/lost silents on DVD and YouTube – Live performance: Raymond Griffith in “You’d Be Surprised” at Silent Clowns –…
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ep. 03 (re-posted): Two Silent Griffiths (Raymond and D.W.), Music for Weddings and Funerals, DVDs, Alternate Scores
This is a re-posting “flashback” of episode 3, originally posted on July 12, 2012. Welcome – Playing for “The Avenging Conscience” and “Paths to Paradise” – Live performance: “Paths to Paradise” at Silent Clowns – Thoughts on scoring “The Saphead” and “The Devil’s Needle & Other Tales of Vice and…