Billed as an “outstanding silent film accompanist and improviser” (Konzerthaus, Wien) and as one of the most “internationally renowned silent film musicians” (Stummfilm Magazin), Elaine Loebenstein creates music for movies, live.
live on jodok fink platz, vienna (2023)
Bio, in brief
Originating from Ireland, Elaine Loebenstein is a celebrated pianist renowned for her improvised soundtracks for silent film. A trained accompanist, she has a special interest in classical improvisation and combines this passion with her sensitivity and sensibilities as an experienced collaborative pianist to respond to filmic art through interactive, spontaneous music-making. Loebenstein composes in real-time at the piano, reacting to the visual with extemporised music, created in the moment.
Performances
of note
Konzerthaus Vienna, Sydney Opera House, Austrian Cultural Forum New York, St. Martin in the Fields London, BBC City Halls Glasgow, National Concert Hall Dublin, ACU Hall Melbourne, Town Hall Auckland, the Edinburgh Festival, Stummfilmtage Bonn, Viennale, the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Budapest Classics Film Marathon, Rocks Village Bizarre Sydney, Australian National Folk Festival, Galway Film Fleadh
From Mit dem Motorrad über die Wolken (1926) Lothar Rübelt
Vertov
Der Mann mit dem Kamera
Sonntag, 6. Oktober 2024
16:00 – 17:30
Belvedere 21
Arsenalstraße 1, 1030 Wien
Blickle Kino
Vintage Vienna
Bomb Damaged City Centre
Amateur film showing extensive destruction throughout the city including that of Stephansdom, Wiener Staatsoper and the Albertina Museum.
Vintage Vienna
Tramride Through Vienna
A Trip through Vienna | Eine Fahrt durch Wien is the seminal Vienna tramway film showing the city at the turn of the century.
Vintage Vienna
On the Fringes of the City
An amateur film from 1956, "Am Rande der Großstadt" shows how the outskirts of the city looked at the time
Vintage Vienna
A Film from New Vienna
A film showing Vienna in various states of disrepair and subsequent renewal. It features the third, fifth and ninth districts around 1926.
Vintage Vienna
Graben & Naschmarkt
Footage from Vienna from 1911/1912 including a Fiakerstand on Graben and the goings-on at Naschmarkt.
Vintage Vienna
Earliest Footage of the City
Entrée du cinématographe à Vienne Cinématographe from the Lumière brothers. This is the earliest recorded footage of the city, an extraordinary historical document.
1929
Rain
Joris Ivens’ ode to precipitation showing Amsterdam in the 1920’s. Live performance from Pianistengasse 2021.
1922
Down to the Sea in Ships
From the 1922 silent film Down to the Sea in Ships.
1929
Un Chien Andalou
Clip taken from Un Chien Andalou, a seminal work of Surrealist Cinema from the minds of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali (who makes a cameo appearance here).
1922
La Femme de Nulle Part
From the mysterious film La Femme de nulle part. Directed by Louis Delluc, it is now considered an early masterpiece of impressionist cinema.
1929
Motorrad-Bahnrennen des Ö.M.V.
From Das Motorrad-Bahnrennen des Ö.M.V. [The Austrian Motorsport Association Championships] (Austria 1927, Gustav Mayer)
1926
Mit dem Motorrad über die Wolken
From Mit dem Motorrad über die Wolken [A Motorcycle Trip Among the Clouds] by Lothar Rübelt which features sensational mountain footage and audacious acrobatics on moving vehicles.
Live Music and Projection
featuring Mark Holub (drums), Chris Janka (guitar),
Elaine Loebenstein (piano) and Christian Reiner (voice)
with projections by filmkoop Wien
March 2024
“ The music was extremely resonant and attentive to the images we saw on screen. It also transformed
some moments that could be considered banal
into moments of arresting beauty.”
Soundtracks
Vienna 1900:
Pictures of a Metropolis
DVD/ ÖSTERREICHISCHES FILMMUSEUM
Featuring a selection of rare film documents depicting the city from the collection of the Austrian Filmmuseum.
Imagining Canberra
DVD/ NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE OF AUSTRALIA
Silent films featuring extraordinary scenes from the early days of the capital city from the NFSA's Film Australia Collection.
Glorious Days:
Australia 1913
EXHIBITION/ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
Music created especially for the National Museum of Australia’s monumental exhibition marking the centenary of Canberra.
Pordenone Silent Film Festival:
Online
ONLINE STREAMING: GIORNATE DEL CINEMA MUTO
Soundtracks for festival streaming.
Bonn Silent Film Festival:
Online
ONLINE STREAMING: STUMMFILMTAGE BONN
Soundtracks for festival streaming.
Oceano Nox
EXPERIMENTAL FILM: GEORG WASNER
Soundtrack improvised in a single take, based on an idea by Chandrasekhar Ramakrishnan.
Support
City of Vienna
Australian Capital Territory
Arts ACT
Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Public Service and Sport
New South Wales
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Arts Council of Ireland
The Art of Film
Culture Ireland
