Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont internship
FAIRLEE — It’s been a century since live pianists regularly accompanied silent films. Now, Fairlee Community Arts is reviving that experience, hosting a silent film series accompanied by live performer Jeff Rapsis.
“It’s funny how some things never change, and that’s, I think, one of the appeals of these films,” Rapsis said. “A hundred years ago, they were just movies. Now they’re almost like time capsules come to life.”
The FCA already has shown two films this fall at the Fairlee Town Hall: Our Hospitality from 1923 and The Cat and the Canary from 1927.
On Sunday, the organization will screen its final film of the series, Girl Shy from 1924. These showings are free, including the popcorn.
“One of the reasons we try to have it free of charge is so that anyone can go, and that it’s for everybody,” said Denis Lambert, FCA’s board president.
The all-volunteer nonprofit organization was co-founded by Lambert and Elizabeth Wilson in 2017. The FCA started with a summer concert series before branching out into film and other arts.
The FCA has shown silent films before, but is the first time the arts group invited a live pianist.
Lambert stumbled across the pianist’s website in 2020 and planned to host Rapsis, but the event was canceled due to COVID. The fall series is the FCA’s second attempt to recreate a 1900s silent movie viewing experience with a live soundtrack.
During the film, Rapsis plays a digital synthesizer, an electronic instrument similar to a piano. He has no prepared score – he improvises the entire time.
“I don’t know how he manages to play for so long without a break,” Lambert said. “I mean, he’s playing for an hour or more nonstop. And one’s fingers, I would think, would get quite tired.”
Rapsis said his 20 years of experience composing for silent films helps him feel prepared when performing during the movie.
“The movies, if you sort of look for this, you’ll see, they all follow certain patterns, there’s a lot that they have in common in terms of the rhythm and the structure,” Rapsis said. “So as an accompanist, I can work with that.”
Watching the movies with a live pianist provides an authentic experience and allows the viewers to see the films as they are meant to be watched, Rapsis said.
“If you can put the audience back together and show them on a big screen, it really is funny how these films come to life,” Rapsis said.
The movies shown in the FCA’s film series are all in the public domain. Anyone can watch them at home, but there’s something special about viewing them as part of a larger audience, Lambert said.
“You know, if somebody laughs, you’re more likely to laugh if you’re in a group than if you’re sitting at home by yourself,” Lambert said.
Barbara Lantery, Fairlee’s assistant town clerk, has attended all the silent films in this series. Lantery said the live music performance helps bring out the excitement of the film’s ups and downs.
“Everyone loves them who goes, they really do,” Lantery said.
Lambert said the series has enjoyed good turnout. Depending on funding, he is considering bringing Rapsis back for more silent film screenings next year.