Stephen Horne - accompanist to silent films

When the Lighthouse raves:
"thrill again at the genius of Stephen Horne, one of the UK's leading film accompanists"
you know there is something special going on. Or in this case someone special.

Stephen  Horne has been a pianist for silent films for 17 years, mainly at the National Film Theatre but also in Europe and America . He has played on DVD releases of silents. Beyond the cinema scene he plays for ballet and contemporary classes  in London and for recreations of magic lantern shows.

He also writes screenplays, and his short film Fatherspace was shown on Channel 4 and at the London Film Festival.

He has, however, a special affinity with the South West.  A couple of years ago he played for a screening of A Cottage on Dartmoor  (Anthony Asquith, 1930) in Dartington which was a sell-out.  More recently he accompanied the same film at the prestigious Pordenone Film Festival which celebrates silent cinema.

More recently he played for a wonderful film called The Woman He Scorned (aka The Way of Lost Souls, Paul Czinner, 1929) which was shot in Mevagissey in Cornwall. That went so well that he wondered if:

"there might be film societies in the South West that would be interested in booking this film - although the location is not specifically referred to, it is clearly Cornwall 80 years ago."

“When I talk to younger audience members, it is usually the 'performance' aspect of the event which most excites them. It is as though live music dispels their preconceptions, enabling them to engage with what they are watching.”

If any society wants to consider such a special event he says: "I'm reasonable but not cheap!" He can supply a digital piano if your venue lacks one.

Email Stephen on stephenhorne@hotmail.com