Speechless - silent movies & live music

In enchanting cinemas and always cultivated and intimate surroundings, the union of cinema and music is revived. The magic of memories on 35-millimeter reels that buzz in the back of the audience and project their flickering light onto the screen; a last cough in the tense room; the musicians briefly tune their instruments as the room lights finally dim...

The Ensemble

Simon Quinn and his two brothers Brian and Nolan together with the german pianists Johannes von Ballestrem and Stefan Nagler alongside portuguese guitarist Filipe Duarte and german saxophonist Jonathan Maag have a long-standing and thorough experience in composition and live performance of original soundtracks to silent-film masterpieces. Their productions have featured guest musicians Kurt Rosenwinkel, Max De Aloe, Oliver Illi, Tomek Soltys and Viola Hammer.

Impressions

→ Technical rider
→ Poster (DIN A1)
→ Press picture (quartett)
→ Press picture (Simon Quinn)

The Soundtracks

→ «Atlanticfahrt des Vermessungsschiffes METEOR»

Deutsches Reich, 1925-1928
Directed by (unknown)
59 minutes, original german intertitles, english/italian subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2025 by Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum / Leibniz-Institut für Maritime Geschichte
Composed by Simon Quinn

→ «The Lodger»

United Kingdom, 1927
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
85 minutes, original english intertitles, german/italian subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2024 by Savoy Bordesholm
Composed by Simon Quinn

→ «Brothers»

orig. «Brüder»
Germany, 1929
Directed by Werner Hochbaum
84 minutes, original german intertitles, italian/english subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2023 by Puschkino Halle
Composed by Simon Quinn

→ «The Swiss National Park»

orig. «Der Schweizerische Nationalpark»
Switzerland, 1939
Directed by Paul Schmid
43 minutes, original german intertitles, italian/english subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2023 by Kantonsbibliothek Graubünden and Parc Naziunal Svizzer
Composed by Simon Quinn

→ «Idolo Infranto» & «La Modella»

orig. «Idolo Infranto»
Italy, 1913
Directed by Emilio Ghione
28 minutes, original italian intertitles, german/english subtitles

orig. «La Modella»
Italy, 1917
Directed by Ugo Falena
42 minutes, original italian intertitles, german/english subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2022 by Museo Vincenzo Vela
Composed by Nolan Quinn & Simon Quinn
With the kind support of Fondation SUISA

→ «The Red Head»

orig. «Poil de carotte»
France, 1925
Directed by Julien Duvivier
108 minutes, original french intertitles, german/italian/english subtitles

New soundtrack commissioned in 2019 by Associazione Silarte Cevio
Composed by Simon Quinn
With the kind support of Fondation SUISA

→ «Man With The Movie Camera»

orig. «Chelovek s kino-apparatom»
Soviet Union, 1929
Directed by Dziga Vertov
67 minutes

New soundtrack commissioned in 2018 by Associazione Cinema Blenio
Composed by Simon Quinn
With the kind support of Fondation SUISA, SIS - Schweizer Interpreten Stiftung, Pro Helvetia, SWISSLOS, Stiftung Ersnt Göhner

→ Press appearances

/ by Ivo Silvestro, LaRegione, 26.01.2019

→ «A Man There Was»

orig. «Terje Vigen: Skådespel i fyra akter»
Sweden, 1917
Directed by Victor Sjöström
55 minutes

New soundtrack commissioned in 2017 by Kinoverein Lichtspiele
Composed by Simon Quinn
With the kind support of Fondation SUISA, Pro Helvetia

→ «BERGFILM!»

Excerpts from «Der heilige Berg», «Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü», «Stürme über dem Montblanc»
Germany, 1926, 1929, 1931
Directed by Dr. Arnold Fanck
Featuring Luis Trenker, Leni Riefenstahl, Sepp Rist, a.o.
56 minutes

New soundtrack commissioned in 2013 by Swiss Alpine Club and Oggimusica
Composed by Simon, Nolan and Brian Quinn
With the kind support of Radiotelevisione Svizzera Rete Due

→ «Nanook of the north»

USA, 1922
Directed by Robert Flaherty
78 minutes

New soundtrack commissioned in 2007 by Chiassocultura
Composed by Simon, Nolan and Brian Quinn