The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration Part III CD & DVD (And Ultimate Collection CD / VINYL box set)

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

14 hours ago, Jay said:

Looks just like the CD set

 

But larger

13 hours ago, Smeltington said:

Whoa! Very cool. I'd be tempted, but I don't listen to these albums as often as many of his film scores.

 

I'll probably get it. It will come down to the selling price, but since I'm friends with the local distributor of Music on Vinyl and he always gets me some really nice discounts, I think I'm looking at this years Santa Claus present

[rough cut 1,714]

Where's the price?

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

There isn't one listed. I'll be with the guys who distribute this in Portugal later this afternoon and will ask about it.

[Amer 2,104]

I saw the price on Amazon.UK !Its there now and steep!

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steven-Spielberg-Williams-Colln-boxset/dp/B075QKRFZR/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1506105293&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=john+williams+%26+steve+spielberg%3A+the+ultimate+collection+vinyl

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Well yeah.  It's 6 LPs.

[rough cut 1,714]

Well ugh. It's 6x pass.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,521]

It looks nice, but...£121:71?!

 

I'm sorry, but my next available £100-ish pounds, is for A NEW CAREER IN TOWN, and then the NEWS OF THE WORLD box.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

The estimate I was given today was much lower than that. Something around €70.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,521]

Ah! That's much better. That's about £58. That's almost worth buying an LP 12 for 

[rough cut 1,714]

Yeah €70 I could get behind.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

They didn't give me a final value for it, as this was just announced and they still don't have the item on their system. They estimated based on other similar sets from "Music on Vinyl" they had on store. I'm not that optimistic though, as the 2-LP sets I got from that label had variable price tags, ranging for little more than 20 euros up to 30. So I wouldn't be too surprised if the final price is near the €90 (that for me, after some friendly discounts might come closer to the 70 euros price tag and make it a viable purchase for me).

[Thor 7,497]

Are you also a Wiliams vinyl completist, Miguel? 

 

I don't think I have a single Williams soundtrack on vinyl. Only LP-to-CD transfers.

[bollemanneke 3,346]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why are we getting so many vinyls while they could also be giving us 5.1 mixes? (Or couldn't they?)

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

2 hours ago, Thor said:

Are you also a Wiliams vinyl completist, Miguel? 

 

I don't think I have a single Williams soundtrack on vinyl. Only LP-to-CD transfers.

 

I try to be... Though it all comes down to the price of those releases. The two recent Record Store Day singles (Lost in Space and Star Wars) were just too damn expansive for what they are. So I passed on those. But most of this LPs I've been able to grab for something like 20~25 euros (double LP sets, single sets I've bought them for under €20), so I get those when I can for what I find to be affordable.

 

As for being a vinyl nut-job, it's actually more about the ritual, the somewhat slow down process of getting all to work in order to listen to the music. Also the sound is definitely different, no better nor worst, just different -- more knowledgable people can discuss if it's better or not -- and in some recordings I do actually prefer that sound.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,521]

1 hour ago, bollemanneke said:

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why are we getting so many vinyls while they could also be giving us 5.1 mixes? (Or couldn't they?)

 

I guess that it depends on a number of factors:

1/ is the recording a multi track recording (of course that argument doesn't always hold a lot of H20, as there are a lot of software programmes which can convert both stereo, and mono, to 5.1)?

 

2/ are the multi track tapes still available? In, for example, the case of SUPERMAN, the music was mixed in 5.1 (or the equivalent of) for the cinema. Even THE TOWERING INFERNO had a showcase presentation in 6-track magnetic.

 

3/ what is the condition of the tapes, and how are they sourced? Would it be physically possible to transfer analogue to digital?

 

4/ is it worth it, commercially? It should be remembered that multi channel DVD-A, SACD, and Blu are, to this day, still considered niche markets.

Most people (myself included) have a two-channel system, and there's nothing with that, but, personally, I can't tell you how it feels to turn my 5.1 system up to 11, and stick on DANCE ON A VOLCANO in DTS! Geez! 

 

I hope that this, at least in part, answers your question?

[rough cut 1,714]

As stated above, there's no real market demand for 5.1 releases.

 

Vinyl, though, has seen a resurgance in sales, compared to - I'm assuming - dwindling sales for HD music.

 

"Give the people what they want." And that's what companies are doing.

 

I used to have a 5.1 system set up, and was able to play both DVD-Audio and SACD, but even as an audiophile, it was very rare I did so. It just took too much effort to listen to and appreciate the finer choices in mixing. You need to really actively listen for it to make a difference, cause if you don't - the 5.1 mix will be lost on you. Which I guess is why sales have been bad for music in such a format.

 

That's not even mentioning the format war between DVD-A and SACD that was supposed to launch HD music in the early 2000s. It was confusing and not user friendly (and then I guess Spotify showed up which was the opposite of those two things).

 

Much more easier (and cheaper) - with minimal loss of the "surround experience" - to put on a stereo recording and then have your receiver "spread out" the sound to your satellites around the room.

 

[crumbs 14,313]

I'm still irritated this set completely ignored 3 scores, especially when TLW and AI are widely considered Williams' strongest scores in recent memory.

[Amer 2,104]

19 hours ago, crumbs said:

I'm still irritated this set completely ignored 3 scores, especially when TLW and AI are widely considered Williams' strongest scores in recent memory.

I asked about these with Jon Burlingame and he said along the lines sometimes we just have to do with what the composer essentialy prefers in terms of selection based on his approach to the whole project. He himself wanted A.I (ie. Burlingame)Lets hope in coming years we may even get a new session planned.

[PetePan 163]

Released today at www.musiconvinyl.com:   

 

John Williams - Steven Spielberg the Ultimate Collection on 6 LP’s. I just got hold of my copy and I must say it’s a very nice vinyl box set, incl 16 page booklet. 

 

There’s 1.500 of them.  I got nr 1.453  

[mahler3 478]

These are great to look at, but does anyone honestly think these sound better than disc? Whenever I listened to vinyl the crackling during quiet moments was so distracting. Or there would be extra hiss or scratching sounds during high trumpets / woodwinds.

 

I accept that some pop and rock recordings sound better with that gritty and edgy vinyl sound, bit orchestral recordings never did in my opinion. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The only appeal is the larger artwork for the original Spielberg/Williams Collaboration album. I'd love a large print of the full thing.

[Amer 2,104]

At least the box looks more sturdy and firm than the cd packaging.

[bollemanneke 3,346]

Would the first four LPs sound softer than the last two as well?

[Omen II 1,235]

Anyone in the UK with the Sky Arts channel may be interested to know that The Adventure Continues documentary (presumably the same content as the DVD on the fourth disc of this set) will be shown tomorrow evening (Wednesday 27th December) at 8.45 p.m. and again on Friday at 6.45 p.m.

[leeallen01 2,136]

Just managed to watch the documentary. It sends me to tears to hear the volume of work and to see the recording sessions of the Maestro conducting it all so enthusiastically and Spielberg still gleaming after all these decades, looking at Williams and filming him on the podium like one of us seeing him for the first time in person. Amazing.

[Jay 37,355]

I really enjoyed watching it too!

[idril 86]

On 12/26/2017 at 10:47 PM, Omen II said:

Anyone in the UK with the Sky Arts channel may be interested to know that The Adventure Continues documentary (presumably the same content as the DVD on the fourth disc of this set) will be shown tomorrow evening (Wednesday 27th December) at 8.45 p.m. and again on Friday at 6.45 p.m.

 

Oh damn I didn't see that this existed. I'm in the UK but I wonder is there any way to catch this now? Really want to watch it!

[Omen II 1,235]

On 18/01/2018 at 2:46 PM, idril said:

 

Oh damn I didn't see that this existed. I'm in the UK but I wonder is there any way to catch this now? Really want to watch it!

 

@idril It will be shown again this Wednesday 24th January at 10 p.m. on the Sky Arts channel.  Set your reminder now! ⏰

[idril 86]

Yay! Thank you!

[1977 1,743]

On 10 April 2017 at 12:36 PM, Bespin said:

Thanks to a friend who helped me understanding the settings of the Compression tool in Audacity... The two first CD sounds now more "modern" and on the same level as the third one...

 

And in the meanwhile, I did the same with "The Planets" and "Pops Britannia" albums, because they are mastered at very low volume too (like some others Philips CD released at the time)!!!

 

Wow, I discover a lot more details and all the richness of these recordings, like if I was listening to them for the first time!

 

Bespin, that sounds like something I'd like to try. Would you mind posting a quick how-to if you have a chance? Many thanks.

[Bespin 8,480]

Just now, JTWfan77 said:

 

Bespin, that sounds like something I'd like to try. Would you mind posting a quick how-to if you have a chance? Many thanks.

 

With great pleasure, let's continue in private ;-)

[1977 1,743]

Apologies if this has been answered earlier in the thread, but is the Japanese Blu-Spec CD/ DVD release contained in a jewel case? Also, is that the only individual release of Part III (other than the download)?

[rough cut 1,714]

Compression tool in Audacity... ?

[Bespin 8,480]

Yes Sir. 

[thx99 1,740]

40 minutes ago, rough cut said:

Compression tool in Audacity... ?

 

"Compressor" or "Dynamic Range Compressor" (depending on which version of Audacity you're running).

[rough cut 1,714]

I’m sure it has its uses.

 

But why not just turn up the volume? It will reveal the same richness as the tool, without the loss of dynamic range.

[Bespin 8,480]

2 hours ago, rough cut said:

But why not just turn up the volume? It will reveal the same richness as the tool, without the loss of dynamic range.

 

Really great advice, I never thought about it. 

 

More seriously, try to take the songs from the 3 albums... compile them in a homemade playlist by chronological order and by movies... 

 

Then have fun with the "volume" button. 

 

[1977 1,743]

5 hours ago, rough cut said:

I’m sure it has its uses.

 

But why not just turn up the volume? It will reveal the same richness as the tool, without the loss of dynamic range.

 

Or perhaps one could reduce the average volume of Part III in Audacity or similar to better match Parts I-II.

[Smeltington 1,440]

On 1/20/2018 at 4:35 PM, JTWfan77 said:

Apologies if this has been answered earlier in the thread, but is the Japanese Blu-Spec CD/ DVD release contained in a jewel case? Also, is that the only individual release of Part III (other than the download)?

 

Yes, I picked this up at Tower Records in Osaka, and it's in a very solid jewel case with the black and white photo of Williams and Spielberg on the cover. It's perfect for anyone who already has the original releases of the first two albums.

 

I really got a kick out of seeing this CD out on display, and available to hear at one of the listening stations. I don't know if I ever shared a photo of the CDs sitting on the record store shelf, but I've been meaning to. The title was written in Japanese, so I couldn't tell for sure which number it was, but I put the headphones on and pressed Disc 3, and sure enough Mutt's theme started playing   So cool!!

[rough cut 1,714]

Cool post @Smeltington

[Smeltington 1,440]

Also of interest, on the classical floor of the HUGE Shibuya location of Tower Records, I found this display of John Williams related recordings.

 

 

[Matt S. 493]

Was listening to this again the other day...

 

Am I crazy, or did the bass player (Michael Valerio) throw in a deliberate reference to Beethoven's 9th during his long solo cadenza during the "Reflections" movement of Escapades?  Listen from 6:29 until 6:35....that sounds like an explicit reference to the recitative-like bass line that appears at the beginning of the fourth movement of the symphony.

 

Does anyone know if the bass cadenza was written out by Williams, or improvised by Valerio?  The Signature Edition of the Escapades score doesn't have a bass cadenza at all, but we know Williams frequently tinkers and rewrites his concert versions of concertos, so maybe he wrote it out?  This is the only version of Escapades that I own, so I can't check any of the others that have been made.

 

(It's entirely possible that I'm crazy, but now that I've heard it, I can't UN-hear it!)

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Escapades with the bass candenza was first performed with Dudamel conducting the LA Philhamonic, and the recording is available in Blu-Ray and DVD.

I believe the resemblance to Beethoven's 9th has been pointed before.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

On 1/22/2018 at 10:10 AM, Smeltington said:

Also of interest, on the classical floor of the HUGE Shibuya location of Tower Records, I found this display of John Williams related recordings.

 

 

 

Reminds me of the good old days when we had music shops and Borders. It's where I got a lot of my original soundtrack CDs. In the mid-to-Iate-90s, it was like finding fucking treasure. Now, all you'll find is the latest SW OST after the movie comes out in flimsy packaging and used copies of Titanic for a dollar.

[Matt S. 493]

47 minutes ago, Miguel Andrade said:

Escapades with the bass candenza was first performed with Dudamel conducting the LA Philhamonic, and the recording is available in Blu-Ray and DVD.

I believe the resemblance to Beethoven's 9th has been pointed before.

 

I have that Blu-ray, I forgot Escapades was on it!  I'll have to check that one out too.  Thanks Miguel!

[Sir Hilary Bray 235]

That image above intrigues me for the Thunderbirds CD's. 

 

Miss having more than HMV to go looking at CD's. Though I've found a few Goldsmith's in charity shops in recent years.

[Smeltington 1,440]

Yeah, it's fun to be able to just browse and see what catches your eye, and to feel a shared sense of excitement for major new releases. Some of that experience is missing now.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Some?!

[King Mark 3,631]

I went to Shibuya records in one of my video games (Digimon Cybersleuth)

 

Anyways I'm still miffed this c.d. doesn't  containThe Lost World theme. We'll never get an official Williams conducted version. There's a few recordings on compliation c.d.'s by other orchestras but it's nowhere near the (awful sounding bootleg) Williams conducted one from 1997 in Japan I think

 

 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Neil Norman version with dino sound effects is fucking awesome.

 

https://open.spotify.com/track/7CRY3X9DTmk5EiAEnNzWHl?si=79uqL0tRTsmwgdPdKv_mKA