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Background

SILENT FILMS WERE SELDOM SILENT; they were meant to be accompanied. 21st century musicians are approaching that challenge in a number of creative ways; reconstructing the original scores, composing their own, or improvising on the mighty Wurlitzer.

HESPERUS does something different. Our scores connect with the time and place the film was set; they combine early music and improvisation, and we play them on early instruments.

PRESENTERS SAY

  • “Perfectly done!”
  • “Simply fabulous! The music was enchanting and worked so well with the action.”
  • “This is how these movies were intended to be enjoyed.”
  • “The most frequent comment from our audience members was ‘Wow!’”
  • “When can you come back?”

For more reviews click here

THE MARK OF ZORRO: PROGRAM DETAILS

FILM / FORMAT: DVD (2 copies provided)
ROYALTY: $0 (public domain)
RUNNING TIME: 107 minutes
MUSICAL REPERTOIRE: Spanish renaissance music including villancicos by Juan del Encina, improvisations over ground basses, guitar pieces by Mudarra, Gaspar Sanz and Santiago de Murcia. New World music in indigenous languages (Chiliugu, Quechua) from Colonial Mexico, Peru, New Mexico, Bolivia and Chile.

PERFORMERS: Four musicians on more than a dozen early instruments

  • Tina Chancey, Director, viola da gamba, renaissance violin, recorder
  • Grant Herreid, baroque guitar, vihuela, tenor
  • Priscilla Smith, recorders, shawm, renaissance bagpipe, crumhorn, soprano
  • Nell Snaidas, soprano, renaissance guitar

PROGRAM MATERIALS: Program includes descriptive notes, a list of musical selections, Hesperus bio and performer bios. Also available is a four page illustrated program insert with articles on Douglas Fairbanks, Who was Zorro?, the Music of New Spain and Hesperus creates a Soundtrack. Separate young audience activity pages are also available.

EDUCATIONAL & COMMUNITY RESIDENCIES:

  • 50 minute INFORMANCE (all ages) with instrument demo and an accompanied scene from the film
  • 50 minute WORKSHOP (8-adult) “If you can’t improvise, then just fake it”
  • Four-session of 45 minutes each or one 3 hour RESIDENCY/WORKSHOP (8-adult) “Create your own film soundtrack”

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: Venue will provide–

  1. Movie screen, DVD player & projector, with a 15+” TV monitor hooked up to the DVD player so the musicians may watch the film as it’s being shown
  2. 1 6 or 8-foot table
  3. 4 armless, straight-back chairs (X)
  4. 4 Manhasset (black orchestra) stands with stand lights
  5. Spotlights on the 4 musicians at 20% brightness so they can be seen by the audience.

NOTE—We see the performance as a partnership and prefer to play on stage facing the audience looking into a monitor.

Hesperus Stage Layout

Download THE MARK OF ZORRO: PROGRAM DETAILS as a PDF