GarboForever - Scoring Garbo

Scoring Garbo
– By Wes Connors for GarboForever –

Introduction

This is going to be a section about the confusing “soundtracks” to Garbo's MGM films! Here is some info i found. I hope that maybe someone can help us fans with this section and maybe would explain all these re-scorings!

I'm very confused by all this scoring. I would think, to preserve the integrity of the original films, every effort would be made to reconstruct the original scores; indeed, some of the films were released with original soundtracks. I do not understand Warner/Turner's thought process in the releasing/re-scoring of the films.

The thing that started me on this subject was viewing The Mysterious Lady on DVD after seeing it on VHS. I enjoyed the film very much. The two versions are very different... the VHS and DVD versions.

Since I saw the VHS first, I was quite fond of that version. I'm not sure which is better. I thought, well, why not try to preserve the integrity of the original film? Here is the info i found. Can anyone help me and answer any of my questions?

Regards, Wes.

Gösta Berlings Saga (Sweden 1924)

Original 1924 score
When the first part of the film firstly was screened at the Röda Kvarn cinema in Stockholm on March 10, 1924, following pieces were played:

  1.  "Värmlandsvisan", (arr, Westberg)
  2.  "Allegro Vivace nr. 1", (Langey)
  3.  a piece from "Herr Arnes Pengar"
  4.  a piece from "Episod", (Alexandersson)
  5.  a piece from "Svit nr. 3", (Mussorgskij)
  6.  "Bellmanssång", (Järnefelt)
  7.  "Den eldröda blomman", (Järnefelt)
  8.  "Adagio Pathétique", (Godard)
  9.  a piece from "Svansjön" ("Swan Lake")
10.  "Symfony Pathétique No. 6", (Tchaikovsky)
11.  "Romeo and Juliet", (Tchaikovsky)
12.  a piece from "Rigadon de Dardanus", (Rameau)
13.  "Meditation", (Borch)
14.  "Prelude", (Järnefelt)
15.  "Dramatic Tension", (Audino)
16.  a piece from "Masquerade nr 1; 3;", (Lacome)
17.  "Contredance", (Beethoven)
18.  a piece from "Symphony No. 40", (Mozart)
19.  "Entr'acte", (Annat-Avelz)
20.  "La Furlana", (Roberts)
21.  "Spanish Dance", (Reheld)
22.  a piece from "Suite Espagnole no. 2", (Aceyes)
23.  "Rabnabryllaup uti Kraakjalund", (Johan Halvorsen)

Restored 1975 version
When the movie was restored remastered in 1975 they got a piano soundtrack composed by the Swedish musicians Carl Axel and Monica Dominique.

Restored 2005 version
In 2005 the film got a new soundtrack composed by Matti Bye, which followed in the DVD version from 2006.

Source
SFI, Svensk Filmdatabas (Swedish Movie Database)

Die freudlose Gasse (Germany 1925)

(in treatment)

The Torrent (USA 1926)

Original Score
This film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

Arthur Barrow 1990s score
In the early 1990s, composer Arthur Barrow scored the film. TCM showed a tinted print using four tones (sepia, blue, lavender, red) with a fine orchestral score and sound effects in the early 2000s. with the Arthur Barrow score.

What score is on the Laserdisc: The Garbo Silent Collection?
In the 1990s, a collection of Garbo films was released on laserdisc. It was called The Garbo Silent Collection and featured four films: The Torrent, Love, Wild Orchids and The Divine Woman (expert).

We do not know if the score they used on the Laserdisc are the same scores as the ones released on VHS.

The Temptress (USA 1926)

Original Score
This film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

PBS TV scored 1973 version
In 1973, PBS-TV scored 13 MGM films for their “Movies, Great Movies” series; five were Garbo films. This film had an original soundtrack but PBS recorded a new soundtrack for this film a then new music score. The original soundtrack was not used.

Carl Davis' 1980s – 1990 score
In the 1980s to 1990s, American conductor and composer Carl Davis recorded a new score for this film. Davis wrote and conducted the scores for numerous classic silent films, released restored and released through "Thames Silents", a British company . By 1993, Davis was the number one choice for new scores to silent films.

Michael Picton 2000s score
For the 2005 released DVD, a new score has been composed by Michael Picton.

What score is used on the The Garbo Silent Collection DVDs?
In 2005, a BOX set of Garbo films was released on DVD. It was called The Garbo Silent Collection and featured four films: Flesh and the Devil, The Mysterious Lady, The Temptress and The Divine Woman (expert). The score of the The Temptress is the new one by Michael Picton.

Flesh and the Devil (USA 1926)

Original Score
This film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

PBS TV scored 1973 version
In 1973, PBS-TV scored 13 MGM films for their “Movies, Great Movies” series; five were Garbo films. This film had an original soundtrack but PBS recorded a new soundtrack for this film a then new music score. The original soundtrack was not used.

Carl Davis' 1988 score
In the 1980s to 1990s, American conductor and composer Carl Davis recorded a new score for this film.

Davis wrote and conducted the scores for numerous classic silent films, released restored and released through "Thames Silents", a British company . By 1993, Davis was the number one choice for new scores to silent films.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
In 1989, MGM/UA released this silent film on Home Video. It was the restored Thames Television Presentation with the 1988 Davis score.

What score is used on the The Garbo Silent Collection DVDs?
In 2005, a BOX set of Garbo films was released on DVD. It was called The Garbo silent collection and featured four films: Flesh and the Devil, The Mysterious Lady, The Temptress and The Divine Woman (expert).

The score they used is the one Carl Davis made in 1988.

Love (USA 1927)

Original Score
This film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

PBS TV scored 1973 version
In 1973, PBS-TV scored 13 MGM films for their “Movies, Great Movies” series; five were Garbo films. This film had an original soundtrack but PBS recorded a new soundtrack for this film a then new music score. The original soundtrack was not used.

What score is on the Laserdisc: The Garbo Silent Collection?
In the 1990s, a collection of Garbo films was released on laserdisc. It was called The Garbo Silent Collection and featured four films: The Torrent, Love, Wild Orchids and The Divine Woman (expert).

We do not know if the score they used on the Laserdisc are the same scores as the ones released on VHS.

Arthur Barrow scored Love too?
There is a rumor that Arthur Barrow scored Love in the early 1990s and that this version is used in this laserdisc collection but it could also be The Torrent, because Barrow scored this Garbo film in the 1990s.

The Divine Woman – Expert only (USA 1928)

Original Score
This film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

Carl Davis' 1980s – 1990 score
In the 1980s to 1990s, American conductor and composer Carl Davis recorded a new score for this film. Davis wrote and conducted the scores for numerous classic silent films, released restored and released through "Thames Silents", a British company. By 1993, Davis was the number one choice for new scores to silent films.

Carl Davis' website implies that The Divine Woman (excerpt) uses the same music they used for Flesh and the Devil.

What score is on the Laserdisc: The Garbo Silent Collection?
In the 1990s, a collection of Garbo films was released on laserdisc. It was called The Garbo Silent Collection and featured four films: The Torrent, Love, Wild Orchids and The Divine Woman (expert).

We do not know if the score they used on the Laserdisc are the same scores as the ones released on VHS.

The Mysterious Lady (USA 1928)

Original Score – “silent”?
One source writes that this film was truly a silent, and had no original sound track.

Original Score – “synchronized”?
Another source wrote that this film was was playing into the “synchronized sound” era. It would be the first of Garbo's films to employ a sound-effects track and a synchronized musical score.

PBS TV scored 1973 version
In 1973, PBS-TV scored 13 MGM films for their “Movies, Great Movies” series; five were Garbo films. This film had an original soundtrack but PBS recorded a new soundtrack for this film a then new music score. The original soundtrack was not used.

Carl Davis' 1988 score
In the 1980s to 1990s, American conductor and composer Carl Davis recorded a new score for this film. Davis wrote and conducted the scores for numerous classic silent films, released restored and released through "Thames Silents", a British company. By 1993, Davis was the number one choice for new scores to silent films.

Vivek Maddala 2002 score
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) premiered Mysterious Lady's with a new score, on June 5, 2002. It was an all-new soundtrack conducted by Vivek Maddala. Originally distributed at 98 minutes (1973), the TCM presentation of The Mysterious Lady plays at 89 minutes.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
The Home Video was issued in 1991 and it credits the PBS score from 1973.

A Woman of Affairs (USA 1928)

Original Score
This film was released with a synchronized musical scores and sound effects.

PBS TV scored 1973 version
In 1973, PBS-TV scored 13 MGM films for their “Movies, Great Movies” series; five were Garbo films. This film had an original soundtrack but PBS recorded a new soundtrack for this film a then new music score. The original soundtrack was not used.

Carl Davis' 1983 score
In the 1980s to 1990s, American conductor and composer Carl Davis recorded a new score for this film. Davis wrote and conducted the scores for numerous classic silent films, released restored and released through "Thames Silents", a British company. By 1993, Davis was the number one choice for new scores to silent films.

What score is on the Laserdisc?
In the 1990s, A Woman of Affairs was released on laserdisc. They credit the film as a Original Silent Film with Stereo Orchestral Soundtrack. We do not know if the score they use on the Laserdisc is the same score released on VHS.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
The Home Video was issued in 1991 and it credits the Carl Davis score.

Wild Orchids (USA 1929)

Original Score
This film was released with a synchronized musical scores and sound effects.

London Philharmonic scored Wild Orchids?
In 1985, MGM/UA began releasing the silent films on Home Video. Wild Orchids (MGM/UA Home Video #MV400495 *Diamond Jubilee Collection*) was labelled as a Silent Film with Mono Soundtrack by The London Philharmonic.

Carl Davis and The London Philharmonic scored Wild Orchids?
Did Carl Davis and The London Philharmonic score this film? Or is this the original score from 1929 with The London Philharmonic? We can not find any info.

What score is on the Laserdisc: The Garbo Silent Collection?
In the 1990s, a collection of Garbo films was released on laserdisc. It was called The Garbo Silent Collection and featured four films: The Torrent, Love, Wild Orchids and The Divine Woman (expert).

We do not know if the score they used on the Laserdisc are the same scores as the ones released on VHS.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
The Home Video was re-issued in 1991, still labelling as a Silent Film with Mono Soundtrack by The London Philharmonic.

Trivia
A song was written for the film titled You Are Like Wild Orchids with music by Georg Enders. Info is hard to find.

The Single Standard (USA 1929)

Original Score
This film was released with a synchronized musical scores and sound effects.

What score is on the Laserdisc?
In the 1990s, The Single Standard was released on laserdisc. They credit the film as a Original Silent Film with Stereo Orchestral Soundtrack. We do not know if the score they use on the Laserdisc is the same score released on VHS.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
The Home Video was issued in 1991 and it credits the Carl Davis score.

The Kiss (USA 1929)

Original Score
This film was released with a synchronized musical score by Dr. William Axt and also had sound effects.

What score is on the Laserdisc?
In the 1990s, The Kiss was released on laserdisc. They credit the film as a Silent Film with Original Music Scores. We do not know if the score they use on the Laserdisc is the same score released on VHS.

What score is used on the MGM/UA released Home Video?
The Home Video was issued in 1991 and it credits the Carl Davis score.

Anna Christie (USA 1930)

Original Score
This film was Garbo's first “talkie” and had a musical score by Dr. William Axt.

Did you know?
By 1956, MGM had added a musical score to Anna Christie. It's quite nice; and, it can be heard in the long clip aired on the April 1956 two part MGM Parade Garbo Special. We don't know when the soundtrack was enhanced, or when it reverted back to the original.

Romance (USA 1930)

(in treatment)

Anna Christie (USA 1930) (German)

Original Score
This film was a German language version of Garbo's first “talkie”. It had the same musical score by Dr. William Axt like the original English version.

Inspiration (USA 1931)