One hundred years ago libraries were quiet, and films were silent. At least, that’s how we remember them.
In 1925, the Cleveland Public Library built a new branch downtown on Superior Ave. (which still stands today). But as any library patron knows, these temples of knowledge are usually abuzz with activity.
Down the street, the Palace Theater showed films like “Her Sister in Paris,” a screwball comedy starring Constance Talmadge and Ronald Colman. But these films were never silent.
Musicians — usually a small orchestra, organist, or pianist — would bring the images and situations to life, either by compiling generic “photoplay” scores sprinkled with popular songs, or by improvising entire film scores on the spot. And, like any live performance, they’d be slightly different with every screening.
It’s an experience Clevelanders can soon relive.
Beginning on March 15, the Cleveland Public Library and the Cleveland Silent Film Festival & Colloquium (CSFF) will partner for a series of classic silent films to be shown at the main library downtown in honor of the branch’s 100th anniversary.
The free monthly events will take place on select Saturdays, with films accompanied by live music performed by local artists, just as they were when originally released.
Emily Laurance, who founded the Cleveland Silent Film Festival in 2022, got her inspiration by attending silent films in San Francisco.
“Attending those films and hearing the live accompaniment made me think I’d like to do something like that here in Cleveland,” she said.
She was particularly drawn to the music.
“The musicians brought out the dramatic aspects of the films in ways that were unexpected and transformative,” Laurance said. “I have sometimes compared it to live chamber music. It’s that vivid an art form.”
After Laurance moved to Cleveland and began to teach music history at Oberlin, “I thought about various kinds of educational things one could do to expose students to the art of accompanying silent films, either with original, compilation, or improvised scores.”
The first CSFF festival in 2022 celebrated the music of Cleveland composer John Stepan Zamecnik, best known for his photoplay music and his score for “Wings,” the very first Oscar winner for best film, in 1927.
CSFF has since experimented with one-off events at various venues, leading to the current partnership at the Cleveland Public Library.
“The library has always been a place where history and innovation meet,” said Marina Marquez, Community Engagement and Sustainability manager, “and this film series embodies that spirit.”
“It beautifully bridges our past and future as we celebrate the centennial of our historic downtown branch,” Marquez said.
The silent film series premieres on March 15, at 3 p.m. with the 1925 comedy, “Her Sister from Paris,” with an original score performed by Dave Blazer.
The series’ second screening, on April 5, at 4:30 p.m., is Alfred Hitchcock’s 1929 thriller “Blackmail.” The film will be accompanied by the Cleveland Photoplayers, led by pianist Eric Charnofsky and featuring some of the top instrumentalists currently working in Northeast Ohio. Daniel Goldmark, head of popular music studies at Case Western Reserve University, will introduce the film and score.
All films will be shown in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, with a free reception to follow in the Auditorium foyer. The Main Library will also offer complementary film discussions in addition to the CSFF series.
Cleveland Public Library calendar: https://cpl.libcal.com/event/14265397
Cleveland Silent Film Festival calendar: https://www.clevelandsilentfilmfestival.org/events
Editor’s note: The author is married to Emily Laurance.
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