Dream concert arrangements

[Quintus 5,399]

Do you love a particular secondary theme from a score, or a great leitmotif from another, but just before they promise to get really good, they morph into something else, or worse still - just fade away? We all have a theme we wish was expanded upon a bit (or a lot), indeed most recently the last Star Trek movie had a really nice central melody, but alas it was never developed in the way which us Williams fans have perhaps come to take for granted and in the end the Star Trek theme ends up being mildly annoying - purely as a result of its overuse and unnecessarily limited emotional reach. I'd love to choose some motifs and melodies from over the years and have them spruced up - built upon, for a great concert recording. The potential for sweet satisfying musical payoff is bigger than one might think - imagine all of those long forgotten, quirky secondary melodies having a thoughtful makeover and being put out there on a compilation album: it would be the best cd in years, at least as far an I'm concerned. The BPO could even perform it!

Straight away I would select these three for the concert treatment:

Wifeing from Conan The Barbarian. The film's love theme is one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever heard, but it's over too soon. Like many melodies - it just needs a bridge and there you would have a stunning, fleshed out theme.

The heroic main theme from Kick-Ass. The score frequently builds the listener's hopes up by playing the melody in various different forms, but sadly and very frustratingly it never takes the opportunity to take a rewarding full flight, not even in the end credits. Spoilsport.

My Name Is Lincoln, from The Island. Yep. Say what you want about Steve Jablonsky (I think he's mainly crap), but I think he wrote this one rather lovely and very simple melody. Trouble is, it fizzles out suddenly just as it kicks into gear, totally stealing the musical reward from under my feet. I hate it when they do that!

[Faleel 5,350]

#1: Han Solo and The Princess

#2: Muntz Evil Theme

#3: All the main themes from the Indiana Jones Trilogy/Saga except The Raiders March (for example: Short Rounds Theme and Mola Rams Theme)

[Quintus 5,399]

I once had a concert arrangement of Short Round's theme on some obscure cassette recording of the London Theatre Orchestra. It was actually pretty good, but I went and lost the stupid thing when I moved house.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I love the Conan love theme, although technically it's already the bridge to Anvil of Crom. I think it's best in Funeral Pyre, that's just awesome.

I'd like to see Goldenthal do an arrangement of his Batman theme and fanfare, it's so great but so brief.

[fommes 153]

It's probably on other compilations, too, but "Short Round's Theme" is on the Milan compilation CD. It's mostly just the Trek sequence though.

[Jay 37,368]

#1: Han Solo and The Princess

Actually, there is a concert arrangement of that

You can find it right here for about 2 bucks.

[Datameister 2,044]

It'd be great to hear a concert suite for the Ark theme from Raiders. Oh, wait...Williams already wrote two of those into the score itself! 8O

In all seriousness, yes, I'd love to hear Giacchino's Trek theme be developed in a more...Williams-esque way. Less direct repetition, more variety, with a better performance in better sound quality. I enjoy it plenty, but it could be better.

[Jay 37,368]

Hopefully Star Trek 2 will have an opening credits sequence set to a new arrangement of the theme

[Datameister 2,044]

Yeah, that'd be cool.

I must say, of all the themes in that score, it's Spock's that gets the most development, especially in the end credits. I love what Giacchino does there, and I'm sad part of it had to be cut out for the film.

[Jonesy 55]

Marion's Theme (from Raiders Of The Lost Ark) and Emperor's Theme (from Return Of The Jedi).

[Jay 37,368]

There is a concert arrangement of Marion's Theme. Two, actually. An old one appears on an old Erich Kunzel album, and Williams wrote an amazing, beautiful new one that he premiered in concerts in 2008

[Faleel 5,350]

#1: Han Solo and The Princess

Actually, there is a concert arrangement of that

You can find it right here for about 2 bucks.

i mean a suite written/done by williams

i also wish there were two raiders march suites for the B and A sections of the march o suite for the A section and one for the B section

[Jay 37,368]

The Han Solo and the Princess concert arrangement WAS written by Williams.

[Faleel 5,350]

except george lucas erased his memory of writing it

[fommes 153]

Is there something 'different' on the Kunzel Marion's Theme that's not on the original then?

[Jay 37,368]

I believe its just the Marion's Theme portion of the full "Raiders March", with a brief new intro and outro. But I could be wrong.

it can be found on this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Movie-Love-Themes-Dave-Grusin/dp/B000003CWT/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279660501&sr=8-2

[Faleel 5,350]

The Henry Jones Theme would be one i would like to listen to (A.K.A Illumination)

[Diego 21]

Is there something 'different' on the Kunzel Marion's Theme that's not on the original then?

I believe it's exactly the same down to the creeppy ending when the swastika is burnt from the ark's box. I could be wrong, it's not on one of the Kunzel's I own, but my dad has it.

[Faleel 5,350]

something i like to do is if there isnt a suite for the theme available i will edit the statements into my own suite

Heres the link to a thread of some of the suites i made

The Themes of Indiana Jones (And other suites)

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Emperor's Theme.

The crooks' theme from Home Alone. If you listen to the first score's end credit, the reprise of the crooks' theme could pass for a snippet of a concert arrangement! It drives me nuts. It could have been magical.

[indy4 155]

That wonderful theme from The Reivers, first heard on the harmonica.

JNH's theme from Signs.

Lots of stuff from LotR.

I'm glad we got those PotC concert suites in the expanded boxset.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Other than adapting something like 'Emperor's Throne Room', I'm not sure how Palpatine's theme would work as a concert piece.

[Faleel 5,350]

Lots of stuff from LotR.

i would love to hear a suite of the gondor theme "sigh" perhaps the rarites will have some suite though i doubt it

[Datameister 2,044]

The crooks' theme from Home Alone. If you listen to the first score's end credit, the reprise of the crooks' theme could pass for a snippet of a concert arrangement! It drives me nuts. It could have been magical.

Yeah, that bit always sounded concert-suite-ish to me, too. 8O

[Henry B 50]

The crooks' theme from Home Alone. If you listen to the first score's end credit, the reprise of the crooks' theme could pass for a snippet of a concert arrangement! It drives me nuts. It could have been magical.

Yeah, that bit always sounded concert-suite-ish to me, too. 8O

Great moment. This is one of the reasons I can't recommend Home Alone 2 (Varese complete edition) as containing all of the important parts of the original score. Can't say I'd be thrilled by an arrangement of the Crooks' theme though. It gets enough of a workout between the two scores.

This is super obscure, but there's an amazing theme in Elmer Bernstein's rejected score to The Journey of Natty Gann that barely sees any use in the score: call it the "Uphill" theme for lack of a better term. It's over after thirty seconds, but it's so filled with sadness, hope and perseverance that I'm amazed Bernstein didn't do more with it (it's also used in the track "10m2"). I've thought for a while that if I ever stumbled into the situation of having to write a medley of film music, or of Elmer Bernstein's music, I'd be sure to slip this piece in.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Two that come right now to my head...

- Captain Hook's theme (including or developing more Presenting the Hook)

- The Russians Theme (from KOTCS)

[Jay 37,368]

- Captain Hook's theme (including or developing more Presenting the Hook)

Another one for which Williams DID write a concert arrangement for. It's called Smee's Plan, and can be found on this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Williams-Classic-Spielberg-Scores/dp/B000002C0F/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279685525&sr=8-4

[Neimoidian 14]

Batman's Theme from Batman Begins.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,534]

Filmharmonic '76 had a "disaster" suite, consisting of "The Poseidon Adventure", "Earthquake", "The Towering Inferno", and "Jaws", conducted by the man himself.

[Jonesy 55]

There is a concert arrangement of Marion's Theme. Two, actually. An old one appears on an old Erich Kunzel album, and Williams wrote an amazing, beautiful new one that he premiered in concerts in 2008

I had no idea, but I just find the Marion's Theme (Concert Version) on youtube:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4wVcgW3yQE

It's pretty good.

[Ollie 1,059]

"The Death Of Marilyn" from ID4. It gets a couple of performances throughout the score but I would have loved to have heard a full blown rendition in the end credits instead of Arnold giving us a sad snippet of the ID4 theme.

[Quintus 5,399]

Actually, is that the theme which begins with four notes - the one which plays whenever something sad is happening? I think Will and Jeff smoke a cigar to it at the end of the movie? If so then yes, I strongly agree with you: it's a gorgeous melody. I'd totally forgotten all about it tbh - must listen to it when I get home.

[Ollie 1,059]

No, it's played when they find the first lady in the wreckage and when she passes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm95hW8DmOY&feature=PlayList&p=4C1EE47D64598AB7&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=28

It starts at the 1:52 mark.

[Quintus 5,399]

Ah I see what you mean now, it is a nice little theme for her character. Do you agree though that the other theme which I referred to is concert worthy too? One thing this little conversation has done is remind me just how brilliant Arnold was in ID4; such a shame he is unlikely to return for the sequel, he'll be missed.

[Romão 2,274]

The Trade Federation March

[Jay 37,368]

Oh wow - maybe the best suggestion I've seen yet. That would be amazing!

[Quintus 5,399]

I made a surprisingly good edit of it a few years back, but I lost it when my pc at the time died.

[Jay 37,368]

Damn, that stinks! Had you shared it with any board members that might still have it?

[Quintus 5,399]

I honestly can't remember, sorry. I bet someone here already has their own good edit of it though...

[King Mark 3,631]

except george lucas erased his memory of writing it

Williams wrote it,he just never recorded it or performed it himself

How about Willie's theme from ToD?

[Jay 37,368]

I dunno if its versatile enough to sustain a 3 or 4 minute concert arrangement..... but it might be. And it would be quite lovely, I bet.

[King Mark 3,631]

Filmharmonic '76 had a "disaster" suite, consisting of "The Poseidon Adventure", "Earthquake", "The Towering Inferno", and "Jaws", conducted by the man himself.

Conducted by Williams...really? How come I don't have this

[Quintus 5,399]

How about Willie's theme from ToD?

Y'know... I never really did like her theme much. I mean, I think it works great in the movie, but apart from one really lush rendition of it during the score, I don't normally enjoy listening to it.

[King Mark 3,631]

Well I do, and there's no concert version. And it's no less versatile than other Williams love themes

Usually in his concert arrangement Williams repeats the theme 3 times first with a solo, then other instruments then full orchestra

[Quintus 5,399]

I get the impression the score itself kinda treats it like an unproud necessity.

[King Mark 3,631]

The best version is in Return to the Village (not the same as End Credits)

[Ollie 1,059]

The Emperor's Theme.

Other than adapting something like 'Emperor's Throne Room', I'm not sure how Palpatine's theme would work as a concert piece.

I've always felt the cue "The Emperor", or "The Emperor's Death", depending on which album you have, was as close to a theme arrangement for him as we could get.

Filmharmonic '76 had a "disaster" suite, consisting of "The Poseidon Adventure", "Earthquake", "The Towering Inferno", and "Jaws", conducted by the man himself.

I've always wondered why Williams never included his disaster scores in his concerts. The opening titles to The Towering inferno is worthy of a performance alone.

[Jay 37,368]

I get the impression the score itself kinda treats it like an unproud necessity.

I definitely think that Williams was far less....inspired by Kate Capshaw as he was by Karen Allen and Cate Blanchett

[King Mark 3,631]

Can someone post a link to what the Philharmonics 76 c.d. looks like

[Delorean90 42]

I get the impression the score itself kinda treats it like an unproud necessity.

I definitely think that Williams was far less....inspired by Kate Capshaw as he was by Karen Allen and Cate Blanchett

Just not his kinda babe, I guess.