Master of the silent movie live soundtrack to give special concert

For while a number of international artists have been forced to cancel due to Covid on the continent since the turn of the year, the Parbold Douglas Music series resumes in earnest within weeks.On Saturday April 2, the concert season picks up where it left off, with two special events for film and music lovers of all ages.At 3pm, one of the world’s best known silent film pianists, Neil Brand, will present short comedies made between 1903 and 1929 to prove that people were always being chased, falling over and being kicked in the behind in Family Slapstick! From pioneering British film-makers experimenting with new camera technology to the greatest exponents of Hollywood mayhem, this show will have something to make everybody laugh from age nine to 90.Brand is an acclaimed composer, musician and broadcaster whose BBC4 Sound of Cinema/Sound of Song and regular appearances on the BBC Radio 4 Film Programme have opened up the world of early cinema to audiences of all ages.

He has managed to revive a lost art form of musicians’ improvising to the action going on in front of them on the big screen.At 7.45pm the same day, he will give screenings of Charlie Chaplin’s The Immigrant and Buster Keaton’s masterpiece The General.Both events will feature Neil playing along to classic black and white films, talking about silent film comedy and comedians, and the unique skill of live film accompaniment.A Parbold Douglas spokesman said: “These are fantastic opportunities to experience the film and music as they were originally experienced at the local cinema with a live piano score, and learn about their place in cinematic history.“The events were first scheduled for the 2020/21 season. Neil is delighted that finally he is able to appear in Parbold.”All tickets bought for his original date are valid for April 2. Tickets for each event are £5 for young people and students,and adult tickets are £12 for the afternoon event and £16 for the evening.Book at www.parbolddouglasmusic.org, emailing [email protected] or phone 01257 498452.