Miguel Andrade

This is a must read article! Wonderful work as always Maurizio!

And he asks Williams if he voted for Avalon! You should see Williams face

Yes, I have that Newman appearance with the Pops.

Actually, Shaham has been championing Williams' Violin Concerto.

I wish... The Pops season starts on late Spring, so yes, Williams conducting schedule with the Pops would start around May and last until the orchestra moves to Tanglewood for the Summer. I think they usually taped something up to six shows a season, which would mean something like 80 Williams shows at best. Note that not only PBS would tape and broadcast Pops shows. A&E did a few in the early 90's and the July 4th concert which is still broadcast today, wasn't on PBS, but rather on a local Boston channel, I think. Also, occasionally, other conductors other than Williams would record a show. Really? I have a number of those concerts featuring Williams conducting his own film music!

This is mostly the same program Denéve conducted in Boston a couple of years ago. Exception is the Barber -- in Boston they performed Higdon's Blue Cathedral.

Back in 1984 there wasn't anything fussy about the details. The clarinet player was even interviewed and provided quite a lot of details and his opinion on Williams' actions (which, by the way, wasn't a nice opinion). Nevertheless, when Williams was asked after about it, after his return, he never got into much detail. As it was, the final drop was when some of the musicians were disrespectful during rehearsal of Williams' own "America The Dream Goes On" (apparently, not everyone identified with the overtly patriotic tone of the piece). This wasn't a new situation and there is footage of Williams addressing the orchestra with an harsher tone from around the same time, while rehearsing "Varsity Drag". As mentioned above, musicians usually talked during rehearsals, as many felt the Pops were bellow their level or artistry. Doing that during a Williams own piece, probably led him to leaving the hall and presenting his resignation. Of interest, nevertheless, is that the resignation would only go into effect in the 86 season, as Williams vowed to keep his scheduled assignments for the Centennial Pops season of 1985. BSO management and Williams eventually found a solution (using the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra more often) and Williams returned shortly after withdrawing his resignation. In 1993, in an interview, Williams referred to all that as Union like issues, hardly going into any real detail.

It's from the WGBH archives.

Unfortunately the quality of the stream is rather limited. I'm waiting for news from a friend who might have a better source than the on-line live stream and on-demand file.

Yes! Please!!!!

I really need one of those

Blantyre it is: http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/05/11/john_williams_celebrating_30_years_with_the_boston_pops/

From what I've gathered in the (recent) past he stays on a rather expensive place some minutes away from Lenox. I know I have that info somewhere, just need to look for it. Williams and his wife have in fact a couple other places, outside LA, but to the best of my knowledge, none in the Berkshires. @Marian Schedenig Those pictures are just terrific!

By the way, that one was available on CD in Japan. And yes, I also greatly enjoy Sheldon performances.

Williams did a couple of albums for Shelly Manne in the mid-60's, arranging Gershwin tunes and My Fair Lady for the Manne jazz combo. Both set of arrangements have enjoyed re-recordings in the 00's, the My Fair Lady one with Williams conducting at Tanglewood, was released digitally through BSO Classics, but it seems to be OOP.