Build Your JW Concert Suite Dream Album

[igger6 894]

Here's the scenario: John Williams is entering the studio with the awesome orchestra of your choice.  The plan is to record an album of concert arrangements previously unreleased, rarely recorded, or just unrecorded by that orchestra.  Name your track list; let's say you get 12.

 

Here's mine:

 

Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Why not?  They sound amazing, they're my hometown band, and their only Williams recordings to my knowledge are the Geisha cello suite and the Lincoln soundtrack.)

 

Track List (in no particular order)

Getting Out the Vote from Lincoln (orchestral concert version that lays the OST version out flat)

Marion's Theme (2008 concert arrangement)

Suite from the BFG (concert version from Tanglewood with magical string intro)

Stargazers from E.T. (stunning harp-and-orchestra extension of "E.T. and Me" he arranged for the BSO's Ann Hobson Pilot in 2009 and never recorded)

Igger6's Custom Star Wars Rarities Suite:

     The Flag Parade (concert version, which I've only seen recorded by Prague)

     The Asteroid Field (concert version)

     Han Solo and the Princess (concert version)

     March of the Resistance (at JW's preferred tempo, whatever it is, so we can all stop speculating)

End Title/End Cast from Jaws 2

Meeting in Sicily from Monsignor (Erik Woods says this was supposed to become a concert piece called, I think, the "Promenade Overture," which either never came to fruition or at least wasn't recorded.  Either way, it's brilliant.)

Theme from NBC Sunday Night Football (newly arranged for this album if a concert suite isn't already sitting somewhere in Johnny's sock drawer)

 

And of course, the Fanfare for Michael Dukakis.

 

You try!

 

[Will 2,215]

2 hours ago, igger6 said:

(Erik Woods says this was supposed to become a concert piece called, I think, the "Promenade Overture," which either never came to fruition or at least wasn't recorded.  Either way, it's brilliant.)

 

I think you are referring to the "Esplanade Overture."

 

Read more here: http://www.johnwilliams.org/compositions/concert/esplanade-overture (As a side note, woah, major redesign of that website. And it now updates with current news after years remaining dormant.)

2 hours ago, igger6 said:

 

Theme from NBC Sunday Night Football (newly arranged for this album if a concert suite isn't already sitting somewhere in Johnny's sock drawer)

 

 

This may interest you: http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=4490827&lid=1&keywords=nbc football&subsiteid=1&

 

Not sure if you're aware of it. It's a concert suite of that NBC theme, composed by JW. You will see a link to a recording on that page.

 

It's terrific.

2 hours ago, igger6 said:

 

Getting Out the Vote from Lincoln (orchestral concert version that lays the OST version out flat)

 

 

Oh yes, that one's a masterpiece. 

2 hours ago, igger6 said:

they're my hometown band

 

You're a Chicagoan too? 

[Faleel 5,342]

The Flag Parade was recorded by the Royal Scottish Orchestra I believe

[Will 2,215]

@Fennel Ka

 

Yep. 

 

 

I had actually never heard this concert arrangement and boy is it great. Lots of differences from the OST version. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

5 hours ago, igger6 said:

Getting Out the Vote from Lincoln (orchestral concert version that lays the OST version out flat)

I vastly prefer the OST version.  The concert arrangement loses a lot of the original piece's personality by ditching the blue-grass instruments.   

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

I'd just get the LSO to play the complete score for DRACULA... twice.

[Gnome in Plaid 219]

Fanfare for Fenway!

[Will 2,215]

On 8/30/2016 at 10:09 PM, Not Mr. Big said:

The concert arrangement loses a lot of the original piece's personality by ditching the blue-grass instruments.   

 

Indeed. But I still think the concert version's better. 

[publicist 4,643]

I would exclude any Star Wars, ET, Schindler's List, Potter and so on. Whatever remains would be good enough for a great 2-hour concert. The Jaws 2 end credits is a great bouncer.

[Incanus 5,713]

On 31.8.2016 at 3:55 AM, Fennel Ka said:

The Flag Parade was recorded by the Royal Scottish Orchestra I believe

It was also recorded by the Cincinnati Pops (the concert version) and the Göteborg Wind Orchestra (seems like a transcription of the OST version). None of the re-recordings really do justice to this Rózsa-esque march.

 

On 31.8.2016 at 1:14 AM, igger6 said:

Meeting in Sicily from Monsignor (Erik Woods says this was supposed to become a concert piece called, I think, the "Promenade Overture," which either never came to fruition or at least wasn't recorded.  Either way, it's brilliant.)

The piece was originally composed for the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1982 and titled Esplanade Overture. As far as I know it was performed at a concert back in the day. Williams incorporated the theme later in the Monsignor score and this "Meeting in Sicily" is the only officially recorded version of it in existence. Which is probably revised from the actual overture.

 

I'll post my dream album soon but it would certainly include concert versions of both Marion's and Irina's themes.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Yes, "The Meeting in Sicily" is more or less identical to the original "Esplanade Overture", but the latter actually has a longer introduction, a longer middle passage and a longer and even more exuberant ending. I truly wish someone like Denève or Dudamel will convince JW to unearth the manuscript of this piece and present it in concert again. It's a delightful musical bon-bon.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

13 hours ago, publicist said:

I would exclude any Star Wars, ET, Schindler's List, Potter and so on. Whatever remains would be good enough for a great 2-hour concert. The Jaws 2 end credits is a great bouncer.

 

Yeah! Fuck STAR WARS.

 

#JAWS 2

(fuck, yeah!)

CE3K

(fuck, yeah!)

CADILLAC OF THE SKIES

(fuck, yeah!)

DRACULA

(fuck, yeah!)

GILLIAN'S ESCAPE

(fuck, yeah!)

TURNING BACK THE WORLD

(fuck, yeah!)

PLANTING THE CHARGES

(fuck, yeah!)

STRING QUARTET FESTIVITY AT THORNFIELD

(fuck, yeah!)#