An illustrated song is a type of performance art that combines either live or recorded music with projected images. It was a popular form of entertainment in the early 20th century in the United States.[1][2]
Many magic lantern slides featured "dissolving view" effects, like this pair from "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane"Della Fox was one of many performers whose singing and/or playing was part of illustrated songs.
Live performers were commonly a vocalist with a pianist accompanying. Music recordings were used by different venues: vaudeville houses hosting the live vocalist and accompanist; or Nickelodeons. Nickelodeons were arcade style machines that worked by hand cranking a mechanical handle which turned an internal mechanism which played an audio recording, and had a visor like viewing window, displaying accompany still images projected from glass slides, and also flip cards. Flip cards were a series of photos that successively "flipped" by the cranked mechanism of the nickelodeon, and emulated a motion picture. So called nickelodeons, because a nickel was required to engage the cranking mechanism, in order for the viewer to start the show. The images were painted in color by hand, or were photographs which either black and white or were colorized by hand. A single song was usually accompanied by 12 to 16 different images that sequentially "illustrated" the lyrics. Projection booths used either stereopticons with two projectors or machines that combined projection of both slides, or displayed moving pictures.[3] Illustrated songs often preceded silent films and/or took place during reel changes, but some venues relied principally on illustrated songs alone. At least ten thousand small theaters nationwide featured illustrated songs.[4] Illustrated songs were seen as a valuable promotional tool for marketing sheet music. Audience participation was encouraged, and repeat performances also helped encourage sheet music sales.[1]
The first illustrated song was "The Little Lost Child" in 1894.[6] The song went on to become a nationwide hit selling more than two million copies of its sheet music, its success credited mainly to illustrated song performances which have been termed the first "music video."[4][7][8][9]
Referencesedit
^ abAbel, Richard; Rick Altman (2001). That Most American of Attractions, The Illustrated Song. Indiana University Press. pp. 143–153. ISBN0-253-33988-X.
^John W. Ripley (1959). . American Heritage Magazine. 10 (4). Archived from the original on 2010-01-16. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
^Abel, Richard (2006). A "Forgotten" Part of the Program: Illustrated Songs. University of California Press. pp. 127–134. ISBN978-0-520-24742-0.
^ ab. PBS. 2004. Archived from the original on 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
^Kally Mavromatis (1997). . Monash University. Archived from the original on 2008-12-27.
^Goldberg, Isaac; Gershwin, George (1930). Tin Pan Alley: A Chronicle of the American Popular Music Racket. Kessinger Publishing, LLC. pp. 141(376). ISBN978-1417904532.
^Altman, Rick (2007). Silent Film Sound. Columbia University Press. pp. 107/462. ISBN978-0231116633.
^Kohn, Al; Kohn, Bob (2002). Kohn On Music Licensing, 3rd Edition. Aspen Publishers. p. 141. ISBN0-7355-1447-X.
^Marks, Edward B.; A.J. Liebling (1934). . The Viking Press. p. 321. Archived from the original on 2009-04-20.
illustrated, song, illustrated, song, type, performance, that, combines, either, live, recorded, music, with, projected, images, popular, form, entertainment, early, 20th, century, united, states, many, magic, lantern, slides, featured, dissolving, view, effec. An illustrated song is a type of performance art that combines either live or recorded music with projected images It was a popular form of entertainment in the early 20th century in the United States 1 2 Many magic lantern slides featured dissolving view effects like this pair from The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane Della Fox was one of many performers whose singing and or playing was part of illustrated songs Live performers were commonly a vocalist with a pianist accompanying Music recordings were used by different venues vaudeville houses hosting the live vocalist and accompanist or Nickelodeons Nickelodeons were arcade style machines that worked by hand cranking a mechanical handle which turned an internal mechanism which played an audio recording and had a visor like viewing window displaying accompany still images projected from glass slides and also flip cards Flip cards were a series of photos that successively flipped by the cranked mechanism of the nickelodeon and emulated a motion picture So called nickelodeons because a nickel was required to engage the cranking mechanism in order for the viewer to start the show The images were painted in color by hand or were photographs which either black and white or were colorized by hand A single song was usually accompanied by 12 to 16 different images that sequentially illustrated the lyrics Projection booths used either stereopticons with two projectors or machines that combined projection of both slides or displayed moving pictures 3 Illustrated songs often preceded silent films and or took place during reel changes but some venues relied principally on illustrated songs alone At least ten thousand small theaters nationwide featured illustrated songs 4 Illustrated songs were seen as a valuable promotional tool for marketing sheet music Audience participation was encouraged and repeat performances also helped encourage sheet music sales 1 Several film stars began their careers as models who illustrated lyrics through a series of song slides These stars included Roscoe Arbuckle Fanny Brice Eddie Cantor George Jessel Alice Joyce Florence Lawrence and Norma Talmadge 5 The first illustrated song was The Little Lost Child in 1894 6 The song went on to become a nationwide hit selling more than two million copies of its sheet music its success credited mainly to illustrated song performances which have been termed the first music video 4 7 8 9 References edit a b Abel Richard Rick Altman 2001 That Most American of Attractions The Illustrated Song Indiana University Press pp 143 153 ISBN 0 253 33988 X John W Ripley 1959 All Join in the Chorus American Heritage Magazine 10 4 Archived from the original on 2010 01 16 Retrieved 2009 12 19 Abel Richard 2006 A Forgotten Part of the Program Illustrated Songs University of California Press pp 127 134 ISBN 978 0 520 24742 0 a b Music Video 1900 Style PBS 2004 Archived from the original on 2010 01 04 Retrieved 2009 12 19 Kally Mavromatis 1997 Norma Talmadge Silent Star of November 1997 Monash University Archived from the original on 2008 12 27 Goldberg Isaac Gershwin George 1930 Tin Pan Alley A Chronicle of the American Popular Music Racket Kessinger Publishing LLC pp 141 376 ISBN 978 1417904532 Altman Rick 2007 Silent Film Sound Columbia University Press pp 107 462 ISBN 978 0231116633 Kohn Al Kohn Bob 2002 Kohn On Music Licensing 3rd Edition Aspen Publishers p 141 ISBN 0 7355 1447 X Marks Edward B A J Liebling 1934 They All Sang from Tony Pastor to Rudy Vallee The Viking Press p 321 Archived from the original on 2009 04 20 External links editMusic Video 1900 style on PBS Kids Go Take Me Out to the Ballgame on YouTube Goodbye Girlie and Remember Me An Illustrated Song with video Going to the Show nbsp This music related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Illustrated song amp oldid 1200130024, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
