Chaplin taught himself to play the violin left-handed and used a special instrument with reversed stringing and sound-post.
Composer Biography
Charlie Chaplin, the famous actor and director, composed music for 16 of his own films, including 12 features and 4 two-reelers.
Recording & Production
The restoration of the "Modern Times" score was a monumental task, with the pencil-written manuscript of the full score standing nearly half a meter high and five archival boxes dedicated to players' parts alone.
Compositional Technique
The score for "Modern Times" uses music not just as accompaniment but also as a sound effect, such as the orchestra growing louder to coincide with the appearance of a communist demonstration.
Recording & Production
The conductor Timothy Brock painstakingly restored the "Modern Times" score, identifying hundreds of minor changes made during recording sessions that were not notated in the full score, sometimes relying on musicians' handwritten notes on scraps of paper.
Composition History
Chaplin's score for "Modern Times" (1935-36) was a significant leap from his previous work, requiring a nearly 70-piece symphony orchestra compared to the dance-band forces of fewer than 40 musicians for "City Lights."
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chaplin's musical compositions were so moment-specific and tightly synchronized with the film that one could almost follow the movie by just listening to the score.
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