Up next: 'The General' with live music in Newport, R.I. on Thursday, May 21, plus the perils of using Vivaldi for Civil War battle scenes

Buster with his co-star in 'The General' (1926).

Even if we weren't celebrating the 100th anniversary of its release, Buster Keaton's 'The General' stands as one of the most requested silent films 

But this year, thanks to the big round number, I'm accompanying 'The General' more than ever. Next up: Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, R.I. 

More details on this screening in the press release pasted in below.

My experience with 'The General' dates back to my undergraduate days at Fordham University in the 1980s. 

I was involved with the 'Cinevents' committee, the student group that scheduled and showed feature films on campus. 

This was back in the days before anything was available at any time via streaming—but that's a whole other topic.

Even then, long before I actively started doing live music for silent film screenings, I was notorious for advocating for their inclusion in college schedule, forever pleading for 'Safety Last' to be screened at Fordham.

At one point, by classmates relented, and we booked Keaton's 'The General' as part of Fordham's classic film series, which took place on Tuesday nights at Keating Hall.

Keating Hall at Fordham, where we showed movies to the students on campus.

However, when the 16mm print arrived from the Swank rental agency, it turned out to be truly silent, with no recorded soundtrack!

What to do? 

 Someone got a cassette tape of Vivaldi's 'The Seasons,' and that's what we pumped through the sound system as Buster's Civil War epic unfolded.

I have to say, for the most part it worked wonderfully. A lot of Vivaldi's music is repeated notes chugging along, which went well with all the scenes set on moving trains. At one point, a movement ended just as a scene faded out. Wow!

Alas, our luck didn't hold. As the film reached its climax, the large scale Civil War battle scenes were accompanied by the lilting strains of Vivaldi's 'Spring,' a pairing that didn't quite work. 

I'm hoping to avoid that fate when I do live music for 'The General' on Thursday, May 21 at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, R.I. More info and details in the press release below.

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 Buster Keaton in 'The General' (1926).

Buster Keaton's 'The General' with live music at Jane Pickens Theatre on Thursday, May 21

100th anniversary screening! Civil War railroading comedy/adventure film lauded as stone-faced comic moviemaker's masterpiece

NEWPORT, R.I. — He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of "the Great Stone Face." But Buster Keaton's comedies rocked Hollywood's silent era with laughter throughout the 1920s.

See for yourself with a 100th anniversary screening of 'The General' (1926), one of Keaton's landmark feature films, on Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Admission is $18; members $16. Tickets at the door; advance tickets are available online at janepickens.com. For more information, call the box office at (401) 846-5474.

The screening is a chance to experience this landmark film as it was intended to be seen: in a high quality print on the big screen, with live music and with an audience.

'The General,' set during the U.S. Civil War, tells the story of a southern locomotive engineer (Keaton) whose engine (named 'The General') is hijacked by Northern spies with his girlfriend on board.

Keaton, commandeering another train, races north in pursuit behind enemy lines. Can he rescue his girl? And can he recapture his locomotive and make it back to warn of a coming Northern attack?

Critics call 'The General' Keaton's masterpiece, praising its authentic period detail, ambitious action and battle sequences, and its overall integration of story, drama, and comedy.

It's also regarded as one of Hollywood's great railroad films, with much of the action occurring on or around moving steam locomotives.

Accompanist Jeff Rapsis will improvise an original musical score for 'The General' live as the movie is shown, as was typically done during the silent film era.

"When the score gets made up on the spot, it creates a special energy that's an important part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said.

With the screening of 'The General' at the Jane Pickens Theatre, audiences will get a chance to experience silent film as it was meant to be seen—in a high quality print, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Recreate those conditions, and the classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that can still move audiences today."

Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, stands today as one of the silent screen's three great clowns. Some critics regard Keaton as the best of all; 

Roger Ebert wrote in 2002 that "in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, (Keaton) worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies."

A remarkable pantomime artist, Keaton naturally used his whole body to communicate emotions from sadness to surprise. And in an era with no post-production special effects, Keaton's acrobatic talents enabled him to perform all his own stunts.

 

Buster Keaton on location while shooting 'The General' (1926).

Critics review 'The General':

"The most insistently moving picture ever made, its climax is the most stunning visual event ever arranged for a film comedy."
—Walter Kerr, author of 'The Silent Clowns'

"An almost perfect entertainment!"
—Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

"What makes the film so special is the way the timing, audacity and elegant choreography of its sight gags, acrobatics, pratfalls and dramatic incidents is matched by Buster's directorial artistry, his acute observational skills working alongside the physical élan and sweet subtlety of his own performance."
—Time Out (London)

The Keaton films are a great introduction to silent films for modern audiences, accompanist Rapsis said.

"Keaton's comedy is as fresh today as it was a hundred years ago — maybe more so, because his kind of visual humor is a lost art," Rapsis said.

‘The General’ (1926) starring Buster Keaton will be shown with live music 

on Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Admission is $18; members $16. Tickets at the door; advance tickets are available online at janepickens.com. For more information, call the box office at (401) 846-5474.

 

Leavitt Theatre opens silent film season with 'Girl Shy' (1924) on Saturday, May 16; D.W. Griffith's 'America' provides a surprisingly satisfying afternoon at the movies

Silent film comedian Harold Lloyd showing his aggressive side in 'Girl Shy' (1924).

Up next: it's Harold Lloyd's 'Girl Shy' (1924), which I'm accompanying on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.

More info on the film and this screening, which opens the 2026 silent film series at the historic venue, in the press release pasted in below. 

But first, a report on an unusual screening yesterday: D.W. Griffith's rarely shown Revolutionary War epic 'America' (1924), which I did music for at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

The screening was part of a week-long celebration of the nation's upcoming 250th birthday, organized just a bit early so Wilton wouldn't have to compete with other towns as we get closer to the 4th of July.

I had never done 'America' before, and really wasn't aware of the film until longtime Town Hall Theatre proprietor Dennis Markevarich asked if it would work as part of the town's event schedule that weekend.

How would I know? Only one way to find out...

A poster promoting D.W. Griffith's epic 'America' (1924).

And what happened followed a pattern. With every D.W. Griffith film I've ever done, the same thing happens. Previewing it by myself, I always come away thinking "How is an audience going to buy this?"

Hoaky plots. Cardboard characters. Obvious plots. Cornpone humor. Moralizing intertitles. Stodgy film technique. And with 'America,' we don't even get stalwart Griffith leading lady Lillian Gish, but instead Carol Dempster, who is many things, but is not Lillian Gish. 

It would all add up, I thought, to a long and unsatisfying afternoon at the movies. 

But then, when you DO put a Griffith epic in front of audience, as the film was intended to be shown, it somehow comes to life. Audiences respond, just as they did in Griffith's heyday. The technique, though primitive, still works.

And that's what happened with 'America' on Sunday in Wilton, N.H. About 60 people became quickly engrossed in the movie, and stayed "in the zone" for the full 2½ hours. They laughed at the comic relief. They cheered when villain Lionel Barrymore finally met his end. It worked!

It was the shared experience of silent film at its best—afterwards, attendees came up to say they thoroughly enjoyed it. And so did I! Overall, it made for a very satisfying afternoon at the movies. So bravo, Mr. Griffith.

In fact, it was so successful, it made me curious about another lesser-known Griffith film starring Neil Hamilton and Carol Dempster: 'Isn't Life Wonderful' (1924). I now plan to program it next year to see if it holds up as well when presented as intended: on a big screen, in a theater, with live music, and with an audience.

Speaking of the big screen: that's where you can see Harold Lloyd's comedy 'Girl Shy' (1924) on opening night of this year's silent film series at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.

More info and details below. See you Saturday by the seaside! 

*    *    *

 Harold Lloyd and co-star Jobyna Ralston in 'Girl Shy' (1924).

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Leavitt Theatre to screen Harold Lloyd comedy 'Girl Shy' with live music on Saturday, May 16

Classic comedies, action-packed dramas highlight 2026 Silent Film Series schedule for historic Ogunquit venue's 101st anniversary season

OGUNQUIT, Maine—Classics of the silent film era return to the big screen this summer at Ogunquit's Leavitt Theatre, which is planning another season of vintage cinema with live music in the historic venue.

The series gives area film fans a chance to see movies from the pioneering days of cinema as they were intended to be shown—on the big screen, with an audience, and accompanied by live music.

The Leavitt, located at 259 Main St. Route 1 in Ogunquit, is celebrating its 101sst anniversary, having served the community continuously since 1925.

The silent film season starts on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. with 'Girl Shy' (1924), a classic silent comedy starring Harold Lloyd. Admission is $18 per person.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based musician and composer who specializes in accompanying silent film screenings.

'Girl Shy' (1924) stars Harold Lloyd as a timid young man from a small town who pens a book about imaginary female conquests.

Trouble begins when bashful Harold falls in love for real, and then must rescue his beloved from marrying the wrong man in the big city.

Harold's dilemma prompts a climactic race to the altar that stands as one of the great chases in all of cinema. The sequence was so successful that MGM used it as a model for the famous chariot race in the original silent film version of 'Ben Hur' (1925).

The film is bursting with visual comedy typical of the silent era, but the romantic storyline was strong enough to act as a counterweight, creating a new hybrid genre now known as the romantic comedy, or "rom-com."

The Leavitt, a summer-only moviehouse, opened in 1925 at the height of the silent film era, and has been showing movies to summertime visitors ever since.

More recently, the Leavitt has added restaurant and bar service, and has expanded its entertainment schedule to include live music and special events.

The silent film series honors the theater's long service as a moviehouse that has entertained generations of residents and visitors to the seaside resort community, in good times and in bad.

"These movies were intended to be shown in this kind of environment, and with live music and with an audience," said Max Clayton, the Leavitt's manager. "Put it all together, it's great entertainment that still has a lot of power to move people."

Following 'Girl Shy' (1924) on Saturday, May 16, other programs in this year's Leavitt silent film series include:

•  Friday, June 19, 2026, 6:30 p.m.: "Three Ages" (1923) starring Buster Keaton. Keaton's first feature-length comedy interweaves tales of romance from three epochs: the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, and "Modern Times," meaning 1920s California. See why Buster is regarded as one of the great clowns of the silent era. 

• Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Beau Geste" (1926) starring Ronald Colman. Michael "Beau" Geste leaves England in disgrace and joins the infamous French Foreign Legion. He is reunited with his two brothers in North Africa, where they face greater danger from their own sadistic commander than from the rebellious Arabs. 

• Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Cat and the Canary" (1927); Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123. Can a group of distant relatives survive the night in a haunted house to learn the secret of a madman's will? Find out in the original Gothic thriller from silent film director Paul Leni. Just in time for Halloween!

Harold Lloyd's classic silent comedy 'Girl Shy' (1924) will lead off this season's silent film series on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; admission is $18 per person, general seating.

For more information, visit www.leavittheatre.com.

 

Celebrate our 250th birthday (a little early) with D.W. Griffith's 'America' (1924) on Sunday, May 10

A poster promoting 'America' (1924) and highlighting the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, which is depicted in the film.

This weekend, I'll be at the keyboard to accompany a screening of D.W. Griffith's historical epic 'America' (1924), a drama set during the American Revolution.

The film, which I've never scored before, will be shown on Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. 

The screening is part of the town's slightly early multi-day celebration of the nation's upcoming 250th birthday. For more info about all of this weekend's events, visit https://www.wiltonnh250.com/.

(The showing of 'America' is described as "a silent film masterpiece meets a powerful live piano score." Well, I'll do my best.)

The fact that Sunday, May 10 is Mother's Day...well, I don't how that might affect attendance. Celebrate Mom's Big Day by taking her to a film about the War for Independence! 

But before moving ahead, here's a quick look back in the rear view mirror at recent screenings.

Selfie in front of Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall and Community Center.

Saturday, May 2 saw this year's Silent Film Series at the Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall and Community Center open with a screening of the MGM historical epic 'Annie Laurie' (1927) starring Lillian Gish and with live music by me.

I've worked up some strong material, I think, for this film, which is set in Scotland and includes lots of on-screen bagpipe playing. It's a challenge to create music that evokes the sound of bagpipes when called for, but also speaks to the story line which under pins it all. 

About 75 people enjoyed the program, which made for a strong start to this year's season of monthly silent film screenings, which runs through November. 

We saw an equally strong turnout for Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' (1928), which I accompanied on Sunday, May 3 at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Audience reaction was strong throughout—I guess we could all use a laugh these days. But people were so into the experience, spontaneous applause and cheers erupted at two scenes: when a two-story building front falls onto Buster, who is saved by an open window; and when he pilots a riverboat into a floating structure to rescue his father. 

More shows coming up later in May. But for now, I hope you'll join us for a rare screening of D.W. Griffith's 'America' (1924) on Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. More details in the press release below.

 *     *     *

D.W. Griffith directing actors in costume during the filming of 'America' (1924).

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

D.W. Griffith's epic 'America' (1924) to screen on Sunday, May 10 at Town Hall Theatre

In honor of the nation's 250th birthday! Revolutionary War drama to be shown with live music at historic venue in downtown Wilton, N.H.

WILTON, N.H.—It was among Hollywood's first attempts to bring the story of the American Revolution on the big screen.

It was 'America' (1924), a sprawling epic directed by D.W. Griffith, which thrilled audiences by recreating Paul Revere's midnight ride, the Boston Tea Party, and Washington's encampment at Valley Forge.

In honor of the nation's upcoming 250th birthday, the rarely screened film will be shown on Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Town Hall Theatre's silent film programming. The screening is part of the town's commemoration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at silent film screenings around the nation.

The show is intended to give area movie-goers the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Adapted from a 1905 novel 'The Reckoning' by Robert W. Chambers, 'America' tells the heroic story of events during the American Revolutionary War. The plot mainly centers on the Northern theatre of the war, with romance spliced into individual movie scenes.

'America' resulted from a 1923 petition by the Daughters of the American Revolution to Motion Picture Production Association President Will H. Hays to make a historical epic about the American Revolution. Hays convinced D.W. Griffith to direct the film. 'America' was produced by Griffith's New York-based studio and released by United Artists.

Griffith prepared for the film by visiting historic battlefields and meeting with historical societies such as the DAR, the Sons of the Revolution, the Smithsonian Institution, the New York Public Library, the Lexington Historical Society, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, and the Massachusetts Historical Society.

The first half of the film portrays the struggle of the under-armed, under-manned colonists against the British Redcoats at Lexington, Bunker Hill and Valley Forge. Other landmarks of the American Revolution shown include the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere's midnight ride and Patrick Henry's inflammatory speeches to the VIrginia House of Burgesses. 

The battles of Lexington and Concord were staged with a wealth of authentic detail and enhanced by skillful editing. During the filming of a recreation of the Battle of Bunker Hill, a 19-year-old soldier's arm was blown off while reloading a cannon.

The second half dwells on the bloody Indian War of Mohawk Valley, and is highlighted by a "race to the rescue" action sequence, a Griffith specialty.

The film concludes with the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 and the first inauguration of George Washington as president of the United States in 1789.

The parts are tied together by the troubled romance between a young patriot, Nathan Holden (played by Neil Hamilton) and Nancy Montague (Carol Dempster), the daughter of a Tory Judge.

Hamilton, a popular silent-era leading man, would many years later achieve fame as "Commissioner Gordon" in the 1960s 'Batman' television series.

Also in the cast is Lionel Barrymore, who plays an English Loyalist; decades later, he would play 'Old Man Potter' in Frank Capra's 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946).

After completion, the film was screened to President Calvin Coolidge before its release, and the U.S. Army used it for recruitment purposes.

However, 'America' was not as successful as Griffith's previous films. Costing nearly $1 million to produce, box office for 'America' was a disappointing $1.8 million. Changing public tastes in the Roaring '20s meant this would be Griffith's last big-budget historical epic.

A battle scene from D.W. Griffith's 'America' (1924).

The screening of 'America' will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

Rapsis will create the accompaniment on the spot, improvising music as the movie unfolds to enhance the action on the screen as well respond to audience reactions. He will perform the music on a digital synthesizer capable of producing a wide range of theatre organ and orchestral textures.

"Live music was an integral part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Because most films at the time weren't released with sheet music or scores, studios depended on local musicians to come up with an effective score that was different in every theater. At its best, this approach created an energy and a connection that added a great deal to a film's impact. That's what I try to recreate," Rapsis said.

D.W. Griffith's epic drama 'America' (1924) will be screened with live music on Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

The program, in honor of the nation's 250th birthday, is free and open to the public. A donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Town Hall Theatre's silent film programming. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. 

Opening Night for 2026 Brandon Vt. Silent Film Series features 'Annie Laurie' (1927) Saturday, 5/2

A promotional lobby card for 'Annie Laurie' (1926) starring Lillian Gish.

This year's silent film series at the Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall and Community Center opens with a screening of the MGM historical blockbuster 'Annie Laurie' (1926) on Saturday May 2 at 7 p.m.

I'll be at the keyboard for the 16th year of silent films and live music in Brandon.  It's turned into quite a run, which is good because I very much enjoy presenting silent films with live music in this venue.

Why? Well, the hall has great acoustics for music. But the main reason is that the audience is always really into the experience. The audience is a crucial part of any successful silent film screening—and in Brandon, it's always there. 

I'm looking forward to the reaction to 'Annie Laurie,' a film made at the peak of the silent film era, with its lavish settings, great cast, and vivid visual story-telling.

See for yourself by joining the crowd up in Brandon for what promises to be a great shared movie-going experience! More details about the screening and the rest of this year's silent film series is in the press release below. 

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Lillian Gish and Norman Kerry in 'Annie Laurie' (1927).

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

New restoration of MGM blockbuster 'Annie Laurie' to screen at Brandon Town Hall on Saturday, May 2

Lillian Gish stars in title role as Scottish clans do battle in epic historical drama; accompanied by live music; film opens 2026 silent film series

BRANDON, Vt.— Return to the days of warring Scottish clans when 'Annie Laurie,' a rarely screened MGM epic featuring silent-era megastar Lillian Gish, opens the 2026 silent film series in Brandon, Vt.

A newly restored and remastered version of 'Annie Laurie' will be screened on Saturday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Conant Square, Route 7, Brandon, Vt.

The program is free and open to the public; donations are accepted to support Brandon Town Hall's silent film programming. 

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at screenings around the nation.

 

Lillian Gish in 'Annie Laurie' (1927).
 

In 'Annie Laurie,' Lillian Gish plays a diplomat's daughter caught in the violent 17th-century feud between the Scottish Campbell and MacDonald clans. 

Gish, a Campbell, falls in love with rival clan chief Ian MacDonald (Norman Kerry) complicating peace efforts between the two warring sides.

As the clans prepare for battle, the romance forces Gish to choose between loyalty to her family or to warn the rival MacDonalds in advance of the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. 

The film's spectacular climax features Gish in a dramatic "race to the rescue" sequence filmed in an early version of Technicolor.

'Annie Laurie,' a major 1927 release for top studio MGM, has not been available for public viewing since its original release. In 2024, the U.S. Library of Congress transferred a pristine 35mm print in their collection to digital media, doing restoration work when needed,

The story of 'Annie Laurie' takes place in the late 1690s amid a backdrop of clans battling fiercely for supremacy in the years before Scotland joined England to form the United Kingdom.

To tell the tale on an epic scale on screen, MGM director John S. Robertson pulled out all the stops, staging enormous battle scenes set among the craggy Scottish landscape.

 

From 'Annie Laurie' (1927): It wouldn't be a film set in Scotland without this!
 

Sumptuous period costumes (yes, including men in kilts!) are a highlight of the 'Annie Laurie,' which was released at the peak of silent film artistry, just prior to the introduction of talking pictures.

At the time, Gish was among MGM's biggest stars, having arrived at the studio after playing iconic leading roles in early D.W. Griffith features including 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915), 'Way Down East' (1920), and 'Orphans of the Storm' (1921).

Leading man Norman Kerry was a popular silent-era performer who often played the heroic dashing swashbuckler or the seductive lothario. He was extremely popular with female fans and was at the peak of his career in 'Annie Laurie.'

Among those in the large cast of supporting players was a very young John Wayne in one of his earliest roles as an extra.

'Annie Laurie' marks the first 2026 screening of the Brandon Town Hall's annual silent film series.

"It's a great way for audiences to experience the magic of silent film in the way it was intended: on the big screen, in restored editions, with live music, and with an audience," said Jeff Rapsis, who provides live musical accompaniment for each program.

"Early movie-making was a shared experience that took place in a theater," Rapsis said. "Filmmakers at the time created motion pictures with that in mind—and when you can present them the way they were intended, their impact remains uniquely powerful."

Upcoming programs in the Brandon Town Hall's silent film series include:

• Saturday, June 13, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Kid" (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Coogan. Chaplin's breakthrough comedy/drama finds the Tramp raising an infant against all odds. Highlighted by amazing work of five-year-old Coogan, who delivers one of the most remarkable child performances in all of cinema. As the film tells us: "A story with a smile, and perhaps a tear."

• Saturday, July 18, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Black Pirate" (1926) starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. The granddaddy of all pirate films, with Fairbanks as an athletic young aristocrat who seeks revenge by joining the pirate band responsible for his father's death. Filmed in color! 

• Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Son of the Sheik" (1926) starring Rudolph Valentino. We mark the 100th anniversary of Valentino's untimely death with his final picture: a rip-roaring sequel to 'The Sheik,' full of romance, adventure, and thrills! 

• Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Hot Water" (1924) starring Harold Lloyd. Unusual for Lloyd, a domestic comedy in which he's already married the girl of his dreams, but now must deal with a house full of dreadful in-laws. Great silent film comedy! 

• Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Bat" (1926) directed by Roland West. A masked criminal who dresses like a giant bat terrorizes the guests at an old house rented by a mystery writer. Early horror film thought lost until recent rediscovery!

• Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Navigator" (1924) starring Buster Keaton. Set sail with Buster Keaton in his classic comedy about a spoiled rich couple marooned all alone on a drifting ocean liner. Visual comedy at its finest! 

'Annie Laurie' (1927) starring Lillian Gish and Norman Kerry will be shown with live music on Saturday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt. Admission is free; donations are welcome to support the Town Hall's silent film series. 

On Wednesday, April 29: Buster Keaton's 'The General' at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass.

Buster and his co-star in 'The General' (1926).

I'm back on the road this week to the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., where they're screening Buster Keaton's 'The General' (1926) on Wednesday, April 29, with music by me.

It's the third visit to the Regent this month, as the venue pursues a mini-series of silent screenings that included Cecil B. DeMille's 'King of Kings' (1927) and Harold Lloyd's 'Safety Last' (1923).

'Safety Last' was part of a 110th anniversary show (the Regent opened in 1916) that included live stage acts. It's the first time I've ever shared the bill with a belly-dancer, a bag-piper who could flip a hat from his foot onto his head, a Judy Garland impersonator, a man who could play three recorders at once, and a visibly pregnant hula-hoop artist.

Me with a poster listing all my co-stars at the Regent Theatre's 110th birthday celebration.

They were all fantastic, by the way. Collectively, it was a tough act for Harold to follow. But 'Safety Last' never fails to grab an audience, and that's what happened at the Regent last Friday night.

No stage acts are planned for Wednesday night's screening of 'The General,' unless someone convinces me to do my trick of flinging coins balanced on my elbows, and then catching them before they hit the ground. I'll bring some Kennedy half dollars (which work the best) just in case.

For now, more info about Wednesday's screening can be found in the press release pasted in below. See you at the Regent!

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Buster Keaton in 'The General' (1926).

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Buster Keaton's 'The General' with live music at Regent Theatre on Wednesday, April 29

100th anniversary screening! Civil War railroading comedy/adventure film lauded as stone-faced comic moviemaker's masterpiece 

ARLINGTON, Mass.— He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of "the Great Stone Face." But Buster Keaton's comedies rocked Hollywood's silent era with laughter throughout the 1920s.

See for yourself with a 100th anniverary screening of 'The General' (1926), one of Keaton's landmark feature films, on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, Mass.

General admission is $25 per person, with discounts for seniors/veterans. Tickets available at the door or online at www.regenttheatre.com.

The screening will feature live music by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The screening is a chance to experience this landmark film as it was intended to be seen: in a high quality print on the big screen, with live music and with an audience.

'The General,' set during the U.S. Civil War, tells the story of a southern locomotive engineer (Keaton) whose engine (named 'The General') is hijacked by Northern spies with his girlfriend on board.

Keaton, commandeering another train, races north in pursuit behind enemy lines. Can he rescue his girl? And can he recapture his locomotive and make it back to warn of a coming Northern attack?

Critics call 'The General' Keaton's masterpiece, praising its authentic period detail, ambitious action and battle sequences, and its overall integration of story, drama, and comedy.

It's also regarded as one of Hollywood's great railroad films, with much of the action occurring on or around moving steam locomotives.

Accompanist Jeff Rapsis will improvise an original musical score for 'The General' live as the movie is shown, as was typically done during the silent film era.

"When the score gets made up on the spot, it creates a special energy that's an important part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said.

With the Regent Theatre's screening of 'The General,' audiences will get a chance to experience silent film as it was meant to be seen—in a high quality print, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Recreate those conditions, and the classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that can still move audiences today."

Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, stands today as one of the silent screen's three great clowns. Some critics regard Keaton as the best of all; 

Roger Ebert wrote in 2002 that "in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, (Keaton) worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies."

A remarkable pantomime artist, Keaton naturally used his whole body to communicate emotions from sadness to surprise. And in an era with no post-production special effects, Keaton's acrobatic talents enabled him to perform all his own stunts.

Critics review 'The General':

"The most insistently moving picture ever made, its climax is the most stunning visual event ever arranged for a film comedy."
—Walter Kerr, author of 'The Silent Clowns'

"An almost perfect entertainment!"
—Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

"What makes the film so special is the way the timing, audacity and elegant choreography of its sight gags, acrobatics, pratfalls and dramatic incidents is matched by Buster's directorial artistry, his acute observational skills working alongside the physical élan and sweet subtlety of his own performance."
—Time Out (London)

Keaton on location shooting 'The General' (1926) near Cottage Grove, Oregon.

The Keaton films are a great introduction to silent films for modern audiences, accompanist Rapsis said.

"Keaton's comedy is as fresh today as it was a hundred years ago — maybe more so, because his kind of visual humor is a lost art," Rapsis said.

‘The General’ (1926) starring Buster Keaton will be shown with live music on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, Mass.

General admission is $25 per person, with discounts for seniors/veterans. Tickets available at the door or online at www.regenttheatre.com. For more information, call the theater at (781) 646-4849.

Next up: Lillian Gish stars in 'Annie Laurie' (1927) on Sunday, April 26 at Natick, Mass.

An original lobby card promoting 'Annie Laurie' (1927).

More than a month since I last posted anything on this blog. Wow!

I've still been accompanying as many films as ever. It's just that I've gone through a period where real life exceeded my capacity for writing about it.

But here I am again. And we'll pick up with a preview of an upcoming screening: the MGM epic 'Annie Laurie' (1927), starring Lillian Gish, which I'm accompanying this afternoon in at the Center for the Arts in Natick, Mass.

The Natick venue is a converted firehouse, which is appropriate, because this is one hot picture! Seriously—I think the climax (which, yes, involves fire) ranks right up there with Gish's near-death experience on the ice floes in 'Way Down East' (1921) a few years earlier. 

Lots more info in the press release pasted in below. Hope you'll be able to join us on Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. for a grand experience from the silent era. And I'll be back with more thoughts and reports before long. 

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Lillian Gish stars in 'Annie Laurie' (1927), an MGM epic about Scottish clan battles.

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

New restoration of MGM blockbuster 'Annie Laurie' at Natick Center for the Arts on Sunday, April 26

Lillian Gish stars in title role as Scottish clans do battle in epic historical drama on the big screen; accompanied by live music

NATICK, Mass.— Return to the days of warring Scottish clans with 'Annie Laurie,' a rarely screened MGM epic featuring silent-era megastar Lillian Gish.

A newly restored and remastered version of 'Annie Laurie' will be screened on Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. at TCAN Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

The screening, the latest in the Center for the Art's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Admission is $12 per person for members; $14 for non-members. Tickets are available online at www.natickarts.org or at the door.

In 'Annie Laurie,' Lillian Gish plays a diplomat's daughter caught in the violent 17th-century feud between the Scottish Campbell and MacDonald clans. 

Gish, a Campbell, falls in love with rival clan chief Ian MacDonald (Norman Kerry) complicating peace efforts between the two warring sides.

As the clans prepare for battle, the romance forces Gish to choose between loyalty to her family or to warn the rival MacDonalds in advance of the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. 

 

This intertitle from 'Annie Laurie' provides an clue about what kind of music you'll be hearing during the screening.

The film's spectacular climax features Gish in a dramatic "race to the rescue" sequence filmed in an early version of Technicolor.

'Annie Laurie,' a major 1927 release for top studio MGM, has not been available for public viewing since its original release. In 2024, the U.S. Library of Congress transferred a pristine 35mm print in their collection to digital media, doing restoration work when needed.

The story of 'Annie Laurie' takes place in the late 1690s amid a backdrop of clans battling fiercely for supremacy in the years before Scotland joined England to form the United Kingdom.

To tell the tale on an epic scale on screen, MGM director John S. Robertson pulled out all the stops, staging enormous battle scenes set among the craggy Scottish landscape.

Sumptuous period costumes (yes, including men in kilts!) are a highlight of the 'Annie Laurie,' which was released at the peak of silent film artistry, just prior to the introduction of talking pictures.

At the time, Gish was among MGM's biggest stars, having arrived at the studio after playing iconic leading roles in early D.W. Griffith features including 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915), 'Way Down East' (1920), and 'Orphans of the Storm' (1921).

 

Lillian Gish and Norman Kerry in a strange background-less still promoting 'Annie Laurie' (1927).
 

Leading man Norman Kerry was a popular silent-era performer who often played the heroic dashing swashbuckler or the seductive lothario. He was extremely popular with female fans and was at the peak of his career in 'Annie Laurie.'

Among those in the large cast of supporting players was a very young John Wayne in one of his earliest roles as an extra.

'Annie Laurie' is the latest in TCAN's silent film series, in which classic motion pictures from Hollywood's silent film era are screened with live music.

"It's a great way for audiences to experience the magic of silent film in the way it was intended: on the big screen, in restored editions, with live music, and with an audience," said Jeff Rapsis, who provides live musical accompaniment for each program.

"Early movie-making was a shared experience that took place in a theater," Rapsis said. "Filmmakers at the time created motion pictures with that in mind—and when you can present them the way they were intended, their impact remains uniquely powerful."

'Annie Laurie' (1927) starring Lillian Gish and Norman Kerry will be shown with live music on Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. at TCAN Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

Admission is $12 per person for members; $14 for non-members. Tickets available online at www.natickarts.org or at the door. For more info, call (508) 647-0097.

Flying to Florida for 'The Flying Fleet,' then back to Boston for 'The Blot' at the Lois Weber Festival

Ramon Novarro poses with a prop in 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Heading down to the Sunshine State this morning for an unusual gig: doing live music for a screening of 'The Flying Fleet' (1929) at the Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, Fla. 

What's going on is that awhile back I was up for auction as part of a fundraising event for the non-profit Aviation Museum of N.H., where I serve as Executive Director.

And the winning bidder, a longtime supporter of the museum, suggested that the best use of her "prize" would be for me to do my silent film accompaniment thing for residents of Leeward, where several Aviation Museum people have second homes. 

The suggestion was contingent on "when you're in Florida," with the only flaw in that being that I'm never in Florida. But a winning bid is a winning bid, and so, thanks to Rapid Rewards points, I'm now sitting at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport waiting for the 5:35 a.m. flight to Baltimore, then connecting to Orlando, where the temperature today is in the mid-80s.

So this evening, 'The Flying Fleet' will screen in the community center of the Leeward Air Ranch, with live accompaniment by me. (Get ready for a lot of 'Anchors Aweigh.') 

An original lobby card promoting 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Although no masterpiece, it's actually a great film for aviation buffs because it's filled with scenes of U.S. Navy flying as it was in the late 1920s. Filmed in partnership with the U.S. Navy, it includes scenes filmed on the U.S.S. Langley, the nation's first aircraft carrier—actually a converted coal barge.

And then the next morning, I'll zip back up north and be at my desk at the Aviation Museum before noon. Ah, the glamorous life of a silent film accompanist!

Next up after that is music for 'The Blot' (1921), the opening night attraction of the 4th Annual Lois Weber Film Festival, taking place this year at the West Newton Cinema in West Newton, Mass.

A trade publication ad promoting 'The Blot' (1921).

Conceived in the spirit of pioneering female filmmaker Lois Weber, the festival ... well, here's the official description: "The Lois Weber Film Festival is a female-forward 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting gender equality in the film industry by celebrating the legacy of silent film pioneer Lois Weber and the history of women in film, past, present, and future."

So it's not the usual silent film audience. But you can't have a festival named after Lois Weber and not show one of her films, and so each year I've been invited to accompany her work as part of the "Red Carpet Opening Night" festivities. 

It's my observation that most of those in attendance, although filmmakers themselves, have rarely experienced silent cinema in a theater with live music. So these screenings fall into the category of "so old it's new to us" category. 

And each time I've done this, the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many comments along the lines of "It was so much better than I expected." And something about this inspires me to really bring my A Game, knowing that it's the first time many of those present have experienced silent cinema. 

Not that I don't always try my best at every screening. But it's definitely the case where the presence of an audience that's into the film, reacting to it and discovering something new, can influence the accompaniment just as much as what's on screen.

After that, following a relatively quiet period, things pick up with no less that eight screenings in 11 days leading up to Easter, including a spate of Cecil B. DeMille biblical epics—one silent 'Ten Commandments' (1923) and a couple showings of 'King of Kings' (1927).

Meanwhile, the one-quarter of me that's Irish wishes you all a happy St. Patrick's Day, and also somewhere in there spring arrives—a welcome development after an unusually cold and snowy winter in our part of the world.

Maybe I'll bring some of the Florida weather back with me! 

Saturday, March 14: accompanying the cape-wearing 'Phantom of the Opera' at a Cape Cod library

An original poster for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

Next up: doing music for a screening of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at the Falmouth Public Library in Falmouth, Mass. The show is Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m.

It seems somehow fitting to accompany a screening of the cape-wearing 'Phantom' on Cape Cod!

A press release with more info about the film and the screening is pasted in below.

Before pushing ahead, however, I'd like to report that this weekend's screening were well-received and quite successful. 

At the West Springfield Public Library in West Springfield, Mass., about 50 people enjoyed 'Sherlock Holmes' (1916) on Saturday, March 7, including members of the "Monadnock Sherlockians," a group of Holmes buffs who came down from New Hampshire to take in the screening.

And on Sunday, March 8, not sure if the first nice weather we've had in months helped, but a sizeable crowd cheered the exploits of canine stars Thunder and Klondike in a pair of dog-centric thrillers I accompanied at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Okay, next up (after a private gig at a retirement community this week in Concord, N.H.), it's 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library in Falmouth, Mass.

See you on the Cape—and at the movies!

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Lon Chaney in the title role of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera' starring Lon Chaney at Falmouth Library on Saturday, March 14

Free to the public! Pioneer classic silent thriller to be shown with live musical accompaniment

FALMOUTH, Mass.—It was a film considered so frightening when first released that theaters were advised to have doctors standing by in case moviegoers fainted.

It was the original big screen adaptation of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), starring iconic actor Lon Chaney in the title role.

This classic Universal Studios thriller will be shown on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St., Falmouth, Mass.

The screening will feature live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The screening is free and open to the public. 

The film is suitable for all ages, although young children may find some scenes intense and frightening.

The show will enable audience members to experience the original silent 'Phantom' the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.  

'The Phantom of the Opera,' starring legendary actor Lon Chaney in the title role, remains a landmark work of the cinematic horror genre. To modern viewers, the passage of time has made this unusual film seem even more strange and otherworldly.

It's an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will enhance by improvising live music on the spot for the screening.

Lon Chaney menaces Mary Philbin in 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

"The original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time passes," said Rapsis, who accompanies films at venues around the nation. "It's a great way to experience the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

'The Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, featured Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the opera house. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to force the opera's management to make the woman he loves into a star.

The film is most famous for Lon Chaney's intentionally horrific, self-applied make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film's premiere.

Chaney transformed his face by painting his eye sockets black, creating a cadaverous skull-like visage. He also pulled the tip of his nose up and pinned it in place with wire, enlarged his nostrils with black paint, and put a set of jagged false teeth into his mouth to complete the ghastly deformed look of the Phantom.

Chaney's disfigured face is kept covered in the film until the now-famous unmasking scene, which prompted gasps of terror from the film's original audiences.

"No one had ever seen anything like this before," Rapsis said. "Chaney, with his portrayal of 'The Phantom,' really pushed the boundaries of what movies could do."

Chaney, known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his versatility with make-up, also played Quasimodo in the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and circus performer 'Alonzo the Armless' in Tod Browning's 'The Unknown' (1927).

The large cast of 'Phantom of the Opera' includes Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, as the Phantom's love interest; character actor Snitz Edwards; and many other stars of the silent period.

'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal Studios to launch a series of horror films, many of which are also regarded as true classics of the genre, including 'Dracula' (1931), 'Frankenstein' (1931), and 'The Mummy' (1932).

The silent film version of 'Phantom' also paved the way for numerous other adaptations of the story, up to and including the wildly successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical from 1986 that continues to run in productions around the world.

"Even with all the different versions of this story, Chaney's performance in the lead role stands the test of time," Rapsis said. "And remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream!"

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) will be shown with live music on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St., Falmouth, Mass.

The screening is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org or call the library at (508) 457-2555.

 

Before Basil Rathbone, there was William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes; see for yourself on Saturday, March 7

A poster promoting the 1916 release of 'Sherlock Holmes' starring William Gillette.

One of the first times I got to stay up late was in junior high, when I got in the habit of watching Sherlock Holmes movies that Channel 38 in Boston showed on Saturday nights starting at 11:30 p.m.

They would run one of the Universal series of pictures from the late 1930s into the 1940s starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock and Nigel Bruce as a slightly-befuddled Watson. The series was interesting to me because several of the films were set in the then-present, with Holmes matching wits with Nazi super-villains. 

The duo was so popular, Universal would occasionally give them cameos in other pictures, such as this throwaway 15-second appearance in 'Crazy House' (1943), an Olsen and Johnson comedy:

To many—including me—Basil Rathbone's portrayal of Holmes set the standard for all subsequent portrayals. What I didn't know was that before Basil Rathbone played Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous fictional detective, the role was originated by stage actor William Gillette.

Gillette, collaborating with the author himself, portrayed Holmes on stage for decades, touring around the country and aboard. Many aspects of the Holmes characters originated from his stage portrayal, including the iconic pipe and the deerstalker hat.

Because Gillette was a stage performer, his work vanished when the curtains closed on his long career. However, in 1916, for the first and only time in his career, he was persuaded to perform as Holmes in front of the movie camera.

He did, but alas, the film vanished after its initial release, joining the thousands of silent titles of which no copies survived.  

Until now! A few years back, a nearly complete copy of the 1916 film starring Gillette as Holmes was found in a French archive. It's since been restored and is available for viewing.

And you won't have to wait until 11:30 p.m. to see it. I'm accompanying 'Sherlock Holmes' (1916) this afternoon at 2 p.m. at the West Springfield Public Library in West Springfield, Mass.

If you're in the area, stop by and see William Gillette portray Sherlock Holmes long before Basil Rathbone—or anyone else—took on the role.

It's free; more information in the press release below... 

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William Gillette in the title role of 'Sherlock Holmes' (1916)

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

It's elementary! Rediscovered 'Sherlock Holmes' movie at West Springfield Public Library on Saturday, March 7

Original silent film adaptation, missing for nearly a century, to be screened with live musical accompaniment; free and open to the public

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—The first-ever movie adaptation of 'Sherlock Holmes,' a silent film released in 1916 and recently rediscovered, will screen next month at the West Springfield Public Library.

The original 'Sherlock Holmes' will be shown with live music on Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. the West Springfield Public Library, 200 Main St., West Springfield, Mass.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The program is free and open to the public.

Like many films from the silent era, the 'Sherlock Holmes' movie was long considered lost until a nearly complete copy was discovered in 2014 at the Cinematheque Francaise in Paris.

The film has since been restored, allowing movie-goers to again see the only screen appearance of stage actor William Gillette.

Gillette originated the role of Sherlock Holmes in a popular stage adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of the legendary British detective.

Gillette performed as the brilliant Holmes more than 1,300 times over three decades, touring the nation and popularizing Conan Doyle's sleuth.

A popular stage actor, Gillette made no other known movie appearances. But his interpretation of the Holmes character laid the groundwork for all actors who would later play the role, including Basil Rathbone and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Set in Victorian-era London, the original 'Sherlock Holmes' is an episodic crime drama that incorporates the plots of several Conan Doyle tales.

William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes.

Running about 90 minutes, it features all major characters of the Holmes stories, including companion Dr. Watson and nemesis/rival Prof. Moriarty.

It was filmed in 1915 in the Chicago studios of the Essanay Film Co., with exterior shots of the Windy City doubling for Victorian London.

The film will be shown with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer regarded as one of the nation's leading silent film musicians.

Rapsis improvises live scores for silent films using a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra.

"It's kind of a high wire act," Rapsis said. "But for me, the energy of live performance is an essential part of the silent film experience."

The original ‘Sherlock Holmes' (1916), starring William Gillette in the title role, will be shown with live music on Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. the West Springfield Public Library, 200 Main St., West Springfield, Mass.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.wspl.org or call the library at 413-736-4561. 

Making the annual pilgrimage to Kansas to commune with the best piano I play all year

The Steinway D concert grand piano on stage at White Concert Hall at Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas.

And the star of the show is...the piano!

Well, not entirely. Each year, the Kansas Silent Film Festival is worth experiencing for the films, and also the fine people who organize it and attend it, and the community that hosts it.

And this year was no exception. 

The 29th annual edition of the event featured a wide-ranging program of great movies accompanied by live music, strong audience response, plus special guest Melissa Talmadge Cox, granddaughter of Buster Keaton.

Melissa Talmadge Cox carrying a picture of her famous grandfather into the White Concert Hall at Washburn University, home of the Kansas Silent Film Festival.

(29 years! The Kansas festival has now been running longer than the silent film era it celebrates.)

But then there's that piano. 

The films may change from year to year, but one thing remains constant: the enormous Model D Steinway grand piano that lives on the stage of White Concert Hall at Topeka's Washburn University, where the festival takes place.

How else can I put it? It's the best piano I play all year. 

As you may know, not all pianos are the same—each carries its own special blend of sound, action, touch, and many other variables. Even with identical models from the same manufacturer, each will have a different personality.

For me, the D Model Steinway I've been privileged to play at Washburn University for nearly 20 years now is a dream to work with. It has weight and power, but also lightness of touch. It responds well to my at-times percussive style of playing, but can also make lyrical passages sound like a human voice.

It feels exactly right under my fingers. I can do things on it that I can't do on other pianos.

I remember once the festival brought in a well-known guest accompanist who had heard me play years before, when I was just starting out. In Kansas, he heard me play again, and afterwards congratulated me on doing a good job—wondering aloud if it was the instrument that made the difference. 

Frankly, it probably was! 

So why not get one for myself? The Steinway D is the firm's top-of-the-line concert grand piano, and currently retails for between $200,000 and $250,000. Should I start a crowd-funding campaign?

From the podium, host Denise Morrison snaps a photo of the audience at this year's Kansas Silent Film Festival.

Outside of Kansas, most of my film accompaniment work is done using a Korg digital keyboard, which has 88 keys but is small enough to be portable (just barely!), and enables me to score films with the texture of a full orchestra. The Korg boasts a weighted-action keyboard that has a nice feel to it, and is useful in calling up different settings just based on how "hard" I play. 

But it's totally unlike performing on a mighty all-acoustic Steinway, with the tangible physical connection between your fingers and the keys and the hammers and the strings. Nothing to plug in except the built-in humidity control system and the piano light. 

There's talk of the Kansas Silent Film Festival at long last taking place in the Jayhawk Theatre in downtown Topeka. If that ever happens, I sure hope they'll haul the Steinway over as a crucial part of the festival.

A still from 'The Toll Gate' (1920) with costars Anna Q. Nilsson and William S. Hart. In the "small world" department, Nilsson would much later be one of the "waxworks" silent-era stars playing poker in 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950).

Of the films I accompanied, 'The Toll Gate' (1920), a dark Western starring William S. Hart, was the most satisfying and came off the best, I thought. It's a strong film for music, with moments of intense emotion that music can augment very effectively, and action sequences that pair well with busy minor-key passages.

There's also something unusual in the film's structure. The first two-thirds of the movie is filled with men and guns and horses and everything else you'd associated with an outlaw in the Old West. But then, for the final third, we meet a woman and her young boy living alone in a remote cabin.

It's through them that the hard heart of William S. Hart begins to soften. And with that, a whole new type of music seemed called for: something more gentle and tender than anything that had come before.

What I came up with was a simple diatonic phrase built of six notes. With light accompaniment underneath, it sounded like the beginning of a Chopin Etude. Quite a contrast with all the musical drama that preceded it—but which made it stand out all the more.

As I worked through the last two reels, it became one of those times I savor as an accompanist: when you have good material to work with, and you're "ahead of the film" (meaning you have a strong sense of what's coming and what you want to do with it), and the right pieces are falling into place for it to all come together. 

Those in attendance seemed to enjoy the results. "Jeff Rapsis provided a hauntingly beautiful score," commented Bruce Calvert in his annual write-up of the festival's program, found online at the Nitrateville silent film site. Thanks, Bruce!

The busy lobby between screenings at this year's Kansas Silent Film Festival.

Next year will mark a significant milestone for the little Kansas festival that could: its 30th year!

I hope you'll join me in marking your calendar for Feb. 26 & 27, 2027—and joining me in Topeka when those dates roll around!

For now, thanks and congratulations to all the people who work all year around to make the Kansas Silent Film Festival a success. I remain grateful to all that this event has given me in the 27 years I've been attending—and not just the chance to play that piano! 

The amazing "bio-hazard" pattern carpeting used throughout the White Concert Hall at Washburn University, home of the Kansas Silent Film Festival.