Music of silent films comes back to life — one night only!

How silent were silent films? The silents of the Roaring 20’s may not have had speech, but they had sound. And that sound was non-stop music.

On Oct. 18, John Haines and Dave Rehill present “The Music of Silent Films in Uxbridge and Environs.”

The story begins with travelling film exhibitors whose music ranged from gramophone recordings to songs like the ones performed during this presentation by the Barbershop Buccaneers. In the 1910’s, several movie theatres opened in Uxbridge. All had piano accompanists - Alexandra Weiss will reenact that music.

The journey into Uxbridge’s cinematic past end’s with a brief history of the Strand Theatre in the 1920’s. By then, Uxbridge was a veritable hotbed of music. There were choirs, bands, operas and minstrel shows, not to mention factories making pianos and gramophone players that were sold across Canada. No surprise, music was also a constant at the Strand — live music, performed during films and in between movie reels.

As quickly as the music of silent films began, it ended with the coming of the talkies. A world of live music-making died, replaced by the film soundtrack and the passive approach to music that still exists us today.

Come discover the lost sounds of Uxbridge’s early movies on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Admission $15 at starticketing.com Live entertainment is guaranteed!