Ben Model’s blog
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RIP Harry Weiss (1917-2016), an inspiration and a friend. He passed away peacefully January 7, two months shy of his 99th birthday, active right up to the end…playing piano every day and working on another CD. Harry was the Cinema Arts Centre‘s first silent film accompanist, playing for silents there…
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episode 16: Norwegian edition – Too Much Johnson, Roald Amundsen, Chaplin’s City Lights
episode 16: Norwegian edition – Too Much Johnson, Roald Amundsen, Chaplin’s City Lights Welcome10th anual “Silent Film Days” festival in Tromsø, NorwayShows for 6th grade school kids, childrens’ show on SaturdayRecording: in performance at Verdensteatret cinema, Baby Peggy in “Carmen Jr.” October DVD release of Baby Peggy in “The Family…
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episode 15: Laurel & Hardy, orchestral Chaplin gig, scoring Technicolor at MoMA
episode 15: Laurel and Hardy, orchestral Chaplin gig, scoring Technicolor at MoMA WelcomeSilent Film Sound and Music ArchiveRecap of June shows: Clara Bow in “Mantrap” in Lake Placid, Mostly Lost 4 at Library of Congress, a special L&H program concept from Bruce Lawton at Silent ClownsRecording: in performance at Silent…
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episode 14: silence in the theater, Docks of NY, playing into the film, an orchestral organ
episode 14: silence in the theater, Docks of NY, playing into the film, an orchestral organ WelcomeSilent Film Sound and Music ArchiveRecap of May shows: Mary Astor in “Heart to Heart”, Buster Keaton in “Battling Butler”, plus “Docks of New York” and a faster fpsRecording: in performance at MoMA, from…
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episode 13: programming vs. what I like to play for, staying inside a character’s head, legacy piano at NYU
episode 13: programming vs. what I like to play for, staying inside a character’s head, legacy piano at NYU WelcomeSilent Film Sound and Music ArchiveRecap of April shows, playing for 5th graders at the Museum of the Moving Image playing and presenting at the Toronto Silent Film Festival(correction: Toronto SFF…
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episode 12: cineconventions, music from out-of-print DVDS, being easy to work with, Marcel Perez review
episode 12: cineconventions, music from out-of-print DVDS, being easy to work with, Marcel Perez review WelcomeSilent Film Sound and Music Archive35th annual/final Cinefest, the future of cineconventionssilent film in a church and at Columbia U. film schoolRecording: from out-of-print DVD from Unknown Video “Flaming Flappers”, performed on Miditzer organJim Henry,…
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episode 11: song cues gone wrong, scoring One Week, Lee Erwin, silents in schools
episode 11: song cues gone wrong, scoring One Week, Lee Erwin, silents in schools WelcomeSilent Film Sound and Music ArchiveLibrary of Congress shows: Leap Year, The Patent Leather KidCinema Arts Centre show: Linda, dir Dorothy DavenportRecording: Patent Leather Kid, live in performance at the LoC Packard Campus Theatre, on their…
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episode 10: presenting silent films to kids and to seniors, interview with Harry Weiss pt 2, listening to the audience
episode 10: presenting silent films to kids and to seniors, interview with Harry Weiss pt 2, listening to the audience WelcomeSilent Film Sound & Music ArchiveThe Cinema Arts Centre on Long Island – “Within Our Gates”, virtual theatre organPalace Theatre family programming, Stamford CTRecording: Charlie Chaplin in “The Adventurer”, live…
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episode 9: Boise Philharmonic, musical cross-cutting, interview with Harry Weiss pt 1, inspiration for main themes
episode 9: Boise Philharmonic, musical cross-cutting, interview with Harry Weiss pt 1, inspiration for main themes WelcomeSilent Film Sound & Music ArchiveBoise, ID: working with Boise Philharmonic, playing at the historic Egyptian Theater, showing One Week to 700 5th-gradersRecording: Charley Chase in “Dog Shy”, live in performance on the Robert-Morton…
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new DVD release: “The Marcel Perez Collection”
I’m very excited announce the release today of my new DVD, The Marcel Perez Collection! The DVD contains 10 rare short silent comedies in new digital transfers from prints preserved by the Library of Congress and by the EYE Filmmuseum (Netherlands), and each has a brand new piano score by…