Composer Stephen Prutsman brings original score and humor to silent film screening at Bravo! Vail
Courtesy photo
Pianist and composer Stephen Prutsman is no stranger to the world of silent films. Buster Keaton’s “Seven Chances,” which will be screened July 16 as part of Bravo! Vail’s Chamber Music Series, is the third of 15 silent films he has scored throughout his prolific and award-winning career.
“I love scoring silent films,” Prutsman said. “In Buster Keaton features, there are typically three essential characters — a hero played by Keaton, a villain, and a sweetheart — and then an iconic chase scene right at the end. … I enjoy coming up with themes to reflect these characters and other key elements throughout the films.”
The story of “Seven Chances” falls in line with this typical story arc. Debuted in 1925, the film follows Jimmy Shannon, played by Buster Keaton, as he learns he will inherit $7 million from his grandfather’s estate if he is married by 7 p.m. on his 27th birthday, which happens to be that same day.
What follows is a hilarious series of events, including hundreds of prospective brides chasing Jimmy throughout the town, down a steep hill with rolling boulders, over a lake, and more. Naturally, Jimmy finds his sweetheart just in time, and she agrees to marry him.
While audience members will enjoy pinpointing Prutsman’s key musical themes throughout the film, they can also listen for his punch points—or musical quotes. These take place during dramatic visual moments, typically with a more contemporary musical reference. For example, a scene with a football game underway is accompanied by the NFL theme, or when Jimmy is on a raft paddling away from a hoard of prospective brides, Prutsman throws in Styx’s “Come Sail Away.”
Support Local Journalism
“Just like a comedian, I’m always learning which musical jokes fall flat and which ones really work,” Prutsman said. “Sometimes the humorous quote is a little too esoteric, and I rewrite it and take it out … sometimes I keep things in for my own musical amusement.”
“For example, I like hiding a Schönberg 12-tone row in Buster Keaton scores,” he laughs.
At Bravo! Vail’s screening of “Seven Chances,” Prutsman’s score will be performed live by an eclectic ensemble of outstanding musicians: the Dalí Quartet, known for performing Latin American quartet music alongside Classical and Romantic standards; two-time Grammy-nominated flutist Tara Helen O’Connor; The Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bass Joseph Conyer; and Prutsman himself on piano, bringing an impressive background of classical performance accolades, including medals at the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elizabeth Piano Competitions.
Equally impressive is Prutsman’s breadth of compositions, as he has written extensively for the Kronos Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Leon Fischer, and more. And that’s not to mention Prutsman’s work on silent films. This gives him a unique perspective on what makes scoring films like “Seven Chances” so distinctive from typical commercial films.
“People have a really hard time listening to dialogue and music at the same time, so the best underscoring for commercial, non-silent films is when you really don’t notice the music and it enhances the dialogue,” he explained. “But in silent film, there is no dialogue … there’s much more musical activity throughout the film to support each action, transition, and character you see on screen.”
Hear Prutsman’s original score performed live during Buster Keaton’s ‘Seven Chances’ as part of Bravo! Vail on July 16 at 7 p.m. at the Vilar Performing Arts Center. For tickets and further information, visit BravoVail.org or call 877-812-5700.
