Free music for silent films?

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Anyone have a source for free music to use in old silent films? 

Thanks!

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Does the music has to be played on a piano or cinema organ? Which genre is the movie (comedy, tragedy, horror, …)?

 

https://filmmusic.io/genres/silent-film-score

https://pixabay.com/music/search/silent movie/

https://motionarray.com/royalty-free-music/silent-movie-21099/

https://licensing.jamendo.com/en/royalty-free-music/project/filmtv/silent-film

 

On archive.org, there are also several old 78rpm records that lost copyright due to their age (in the USA - the legal situation e.g. in Germany is different).

More orchestral music:

https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Joerg Polzfusz

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Thanks for the info Joerg!

Never thought about organ, but it may be OK as well. 

[Frank Wylie]

https://www.loc.gov/collections/silent-film-scores-and-arrangements/about-this-collection/

 

Silent Film Scores Collection Now Available Online

On May 4, the Music Division launched the online collection, “Silent Film Scores and Arrangements,” featuring more than 3,000 items published or created to accompany silent films between 1904–1927. Items published after 1927 were placed in Stacks and will migrate to an online site when they enter the public domain. The collection includes scores written for specific films, cue sheets compiling melodies for use at certain moments in specific films, and stock music composed or arranged for general silent-film use. The Library is one of largest repositories of silent-film music, an area of increasing interest and study worldwide.

 

 

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Thanks Frank!