Altman’s article is a very long winded history of the “silent film era” in which he attempts to debunk the classic theories of silent films, mainly that they all had the same kind of music playing similar to that played in the 1920’s.  While I found the history somewhat interesting to hear about, I am starting to get a little tired of these scholars writing long pieces that “finally debunk the common belief that…” as so many of these readings have been.  This isn’t to say that I think challenging the theories of early cinema is providing for good discussion and making me think about things differently.  I suppose I just do not like the tone of these pieces, where authors make it sound like they have written the most ground-breaking, riveting, piece of film history.

Anyway, Altman describes the different ways in which sound was incorporated into silent film including live music (improvised or well rehearsed), phonograph machines, player pianos, singing, and others.  He also contradicts the very first line of his article, a quote: “There never was a silent film” by explaining that sometimes silent films were shown in silence with no accompanying music.  Altman makes it very clear (as other authors we have read this semester also have) that the music of cinema was not just a straightforward evolution/copy of the theater, but rather its own creative original and diverse thing.