The unheard voices of silent cinema: Violeta Dinescu's music for F.W. Murnau's "Tabu" and "Nosferatu" movies

Abstract

The sonic dimension of music in silent movie from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day claims its role. This investigation traces the evolutionary path of the creation of music for silent films, offering examples of contemporary Romanian composition. The transition to sound film did not mean the end for film music, including silent film music. About 100 years have passed since the first experimental sound films were made by the American company Warner Bros, but composers' interest in music for silent films is still valid today. More and more composers turned their attention to silent film sound at the end of the 20th century, leading to a trend towards revitalizing the genre. IIn the silent cinematic landscape, the absence of dialogue creates a blank, unexplored canvas in which music becomes the messenger of the unspoken, coloring the film's emotional and narrative drama. Few composers have mastered this art as exquisitely as Violeta Dinescu, whose music for the German director F.W. Murnau's iconic silent films Nosferatu (1922) and Tabu (1931) is distinguished by a special aspect of connection that bridges the gap between the visual and auditory story.