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

[artguy360 1,843]

This new performance of Prayer For Peace didn't really do much for me. The music didn't seem elevated beyond what we have on the OST. The reprise of With Malice Towards None is much sweeter and wistful than the first which just sounds like a louder version of material from the Lincoln OST. Listening to the album more, I'm finding some tracks to be on the disappointing side. 

[Will 2,215]

12 hours ago, Fal said:

There is a portion that has tambourine on the OST but not the FYC/BD Credits.

 

Wait I'm confused -- you're saying the BD credits has the film version ... but it ends like the concert version. Did they at some point switch from the film version to the concert one in those credits?

[pete 906]

What does BD stand for?? 

[thx99 1,740]

Just now, pete said:

What does BD stand for?? 

 

Blu-ray Disc

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I love the rousing forte performance at 0:30-0:36 of "Joy Ride," such a joyful performance of that piece in general from the orchestra.

 

I also find myself returning often to "Dartmoor, 1912."  Incredible piece.

[Incanus 5,713]

While there are a number of pieces that in the concert guise closely resemble their OST counterparts Dry Your Tears Afrika, the new revised Escapades, concert version of Marion's theme and the music from War Horse and Lincoln are the highlights of the disc for me.

[TownerFan 4,983]

On ‎19‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 0:18 AM, Bespin said:

 

Well it shows.

 

I don't agree. I like a lot the "live" feel of this new recording. It seems to me that Murphy and JW went for a very natural, acoustic, concert hall sound. Maybe it's a bit too "wet" in a few parts (Royce Hall sounds quite reverb-y), but overall it's a stunning recording, with a wonderful dynamic. It's like being in the hall in front of the orchestra.

 

And about the vibraphone in the CMYIC being too noticeable: I still vividly remember when I saw JW conducting the "Escapades" live in Chicago in '07 and the sound of the vibraphone was indeed very upfront in the live setting. I don't think it's the soloist showing off here, but a more natural reproduction of how it sounds in a concert hall. It's likely you're more accustomed to the OST recording in which the vibraphone part is left much more in the background.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

6 hours ago, Incanus said:

While there are a number of pieces that in the concert guise closely resemble their OST counterparts Dry Your Tears Afrika, the new revised Escapades, concert version of Marion's theme and the music from War Horse and Lincoln are the highlights of the disc for me.

 

The Lincoln pieces really struck me the most for some reason. Hadn't listened to that score in awhile, it really is quite emotional in spite of its surface austerity.

[Incanus 5,713]

10 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

 

The Lincoln pieces really struck me the most for some reason. Hadn't listened to that score in awhile, it really is quite emotional in spite of its surface austerity.

I have a special fondness for the score and these two concert arrangements so I was more than happy to hear them on this new CD. It seems Spielberg and Johnny both share this affinity based on the inclusion of these two.

 

Still waiting for my physical copy of this set btw so I have the DVD to look forward to.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Been listening to "A New Beginning" on repeat for about 15 minutes (it's one of my favorite Williams compositions, period) and I definitely prefer this to the OST recording, which I always found a bit...distant? Not sure if that's the right word.

 

I really like the small changes he added to this piece as well:  most notably adding the flutes at 2:30-3:00 as a kind of call-and-response with the strings.  It's really lovely.

[Bespin 8,480]

21 hours ago, TownerFan said:

 

I don't agree. I like a lot the "live" feel of this new recording. It seems to me that Murphy and JW went for a very natural, acoustic, concert hall sound. (...)

 

Please don't take my words too seriously when I use my sarcastic face ;-)

 

About the vibraphone, yes it's more "in our face" than in other recordings.  But that's not the problem.  The problem is that in the begining of the piece, the vibraphone part is doubled with another instrument. So they "should" play the same thing, at the same time.  Well, at least, that's the way they play it on all the other versions that where recorded before!

 

So the problem here, is that the vibraphonist add some volume changes when he plays the rather simple first phrases in the beginning of the track.  I'm not an expert, and I never saw the score, but I don't think that this volume variation is written on it. It's a invention.  

 

As I said earlier, I am a classical music lover.  I'm maybe too picky on some issues...

 

Anyway, I feel very happy for those who don't hear this problem ;-) Maybe you are the ones that doesn't hear the tempo sync problem at the begining of "Rey's Theme" on the TFA album too ;-)

[mstrox 6,647]

I've got this and Pete N Tillie Etc. coming in the mail this week.  I'm very excited to hear some new spins on old classics - Amistand, SPR, Marion's Theme, etc.

 

Has anyone popped in discs 1 or 2 yet?  Are they just repackaged discs, or has some work been done on them?  I don't think the older releases particularly needed remixing or remastering, but if it was done I want to make sure I rip them onto my iPod too.

[Jay 37,312]

Well you can see from my pictures they have new artwork, but I haven't actually compared them to the old ones yet.  However, Erik Woods posted in the FSM thread that they are identical to the old releases.

[Bespin 8,480]

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

Well you can see from my pictures they have new artwork, but I haven't actually compared them to the old ones yet.  However, Erik Woods posted in the FSM thread that they are identical to the old releases.

 

I will compare the WAV when I will receive my copy. I don't remember wich one of the two first volumes was recorded at a very low volume level. I made some paylists few years ago, and I was forced to adjust the volume to properly mix the tracks toghether.

 

So I really hope they at least corrected that.

[Jay 37,312]

I don't believe they did.  There as just a post on FSM this morning from a guy saying the volume of disc 1 was still too low.

[crumbs 14,304]

I was really confused playing through the first CD. It's definitely mastered at a lower volume.

[Bespin 8,480]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

I don't believe they did.  There as just a post on FSM this morning from a guy saying the volume of disc 1 was still too low.

 

You know, it's sometimes the responsibility of the fans to make these things corrected. Because, we all now, unfortunately, that labels really don't care about that.

 

It remember me an album of Charles Aznavour that was released in 1998.  There's always was a little digital glitch in a song, and that bottered me alot.  Universal reissued it two times, few years later, each time simply using the WAV of the original album, and therefore... reproducing the famous glitch... So when I learned that they were reissuing it again, I told Universal France about the glitch... and well, they finally corrected it, taking the audio from the original tapes, where the glitch was not present.

 

Please don't thank me...  But if you have a friend who works at Sony, please tell him about the volume issue. Please.

 

EDIT: and tell them about the digital glitch on the Book thief CD...

[rough cut 1,714]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Well you can see from my pictures they have new artwork

 

Where's this posted, Jay?

[Jay 37,312]

In this thread

 

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/26708-the-spielbergwilliams-collaboration-part-iii-cd-dvd-coming-march-17th-from-sony-classical/&do=findComment&comment=1331875

[Amer 2,080]

12 hours ago, rough cut said:

 

Where's this posted, Jay?

There is an unboxing video also if you are interested. Look for the JW unboxing thread in the JW topic.

[rough cut 1,714]

Thanks. What's new about the artwork though? It looks the same.

[Josh500 1,615]

This CD makes me want to revisit all the original soundtrack pieces....

 

Not sure if I find ANY of the newer versions better than the original versions.

[Bespin 8,480]

1 hour ago, Josh500 said:

This CD makes me want to revisit all the original soundtrack pieces....

 

I remember when I started my JW CD collection... I wanted, at least, all the scores that where on the first two volumes. I'm sure many new fans will discover and want more about the scores of Lincoln, Catch me if you can, Minority report, etc. just because they have been re-recorded on this new album.

 

 

[Faleel 5,340]

Southall review:

 

 

http://www.movie-wave.net/john-williams-steven-spielberg-the-ultimate-collection/

[Incanus 5,713]

Happy to see James sharing my sentiments on this set. Sometimes we are uncannily likeminded.

[Faleel 5,340]

Even down to finding reflections "interminable"?

[Incanus 5,713]

6 minutes ago, Fal said:

Even down to finding reflections "interminable"?

Well I never said he was 100% in agreement with all the details but for the most part he and I are on the same page.  

[Faleel 5,340]

Page 30?

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

wow cheap package.

 

I think ill wait for this to get a lower price (one in tune with a new CD release + bonus DVD)

 

And i'll put all 4 disct in a 4disc jewel case. Should be easy to make covers for that using the layout of the box. But i may use the whole struzan poster...

[Jay 37,312]

6 hours ago, rough cut said:

Thanks. What's new about the artwork though? It looks the same.

 

The discs. We were talking about the discs. 

[mstrox 6,647]

Blasted the first three tracks on the way into work this morning.  LOVE Dry You Tears.  I really liked Adventures of Mutt, which I haven't really cared for up to this point for some reason.  Still can't find a soft spot for the BFG, although that first minute of the suite is really nice.

[nightscape94 965]

Including the full Escapes concertante is unnecessary.  Just the opening titles piece would have been fine.  I would have much rather preferred an A.I. suite, maybe even something from War of the Worlds, or perhaps a 20 minute War Horse tone poem (kidding....sort of).

[Jay 37,312]

I think ideally we would have gotten a volume 3 ten years ago, and a volume 4 just now.  Two discs worth of music for this set of movies seems about right.

[Incanus 5,713]

And this album is Spielberg's and Williams' favourite pieces from their collaboration since 1995 and what they thought would make a nice programme so fan favourites were sure to be left off it. One disc is surely too short to include everything.

[Jay 37,312]

Yea

[thx99 1,740]

3 hours ago, Luke Skywalker said:

I think ill wait for this to get a lower price (one in tune with a new CD release + bonus DVD)

 

The pre-sale price from Amazon in the US was $25 and change, which I think was "in tune" with CD3 and the DVD.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

44 minutes ago, thx99 said:

 

The pre-sale price from Amazon in the US was $25 and change, which I think was "in tune" with CD3 and the DVD.

Yeah, but in amazon.es it costs 27.99 €now.

 

And i said the DVD as a bonus. like the 16-18€ soundtrack of EPIII, by Sony ;).

 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

I suggest for the next album that we create two threads for it:

 

- the first one to talk about the music that is actually on the album;

- the other thread to talk about the music that is not on the album, the format of the release, the different supports of the release, the artwork and why not, the price.

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I think you should create a new thread about the vibraphonist.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

3 hours ago, Bespin said:

I suggest for the next album that we create two threads for it:

 

- the first one to talk about the music that is actually on the album;

- the other thread to talk about the music that is not on the album, the format of the release, the different supports of the release, the artwork and why not, the price.

 

 

It's just a compilation. Its not like its a brand new Williams score!

[Bespin 8,480]

1 hour ago, Stefancos said:

 

It's just a compilation. Its not like its a brand new Williams score!

 

I know, but this thread is sooo boring! Except few musical reviews, the rest is pathetic!

 

2 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I think you should create a new thread about the vibraphonist.

 

LOL

[rough cut 1,714]

9 hours ago, Jay said:

 

The discs. We were talking about the discs. 

 

LOL, I have absolutely no memory of how the original discs looks. They've been ripped into lossless and archived a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....

 

(I almost feel like Obi-Wan: "I can't seem to remember ever owning a disc".)

[Jay 37,312]

That's exactly my point - the pictures I linked you to include the pictures of both the old and the new discs.

[Will 2,215]

I watched the documentary several days ago. I really loved it. Sure it told all the same old stories, but they do always add a couple little details that I hadn't heard before. Plus I just love seeing JW and Spielberg rave about one another. Perhaps because it's a departure from all the cynicism of politics and such. Just so optimistic, joyful, and wonderful to see two vibrant personalities like that together, having a good time.

 

I love the sense of place Bouzareau establishes right from the start with the opening shots of Royce Hall. It's really the next best thing to actually being there for those two days. It's so rare to get this much high quality video of JW conducting.

 

Perhaps my only complaint would be that I wish we'd gotten to see him conduct longer bits of the works. However, I'm still very glad we got this and I thought it was very well produced. Didn't want it to end!

 

In terms of the CDs, I've heard assorted bits of the first two in the past but never owned them, so I'm listening to them straight through right now. I'd never ever heard Always, for example, so it was good I was introduced to that, and there were several other scores that I had barely heard that I'm getting re-introduced to. It's great. A mix between discovery and a lovely walk down memory lane of some of my early JW favorites.

 

A moment I really fell in love with while listening was this (among others in the piece!), from a piece I don't believe I'd ever heard before:

 

 

Talk about kickass! 

 

(actually, this is Williams, right? - I did notice that some excerpts used aren't him, such as the Rakes of Mallow and Hooray for Hollywood)

 

I love "The Adventures of Mutt" by the way. So fun and energetic, even at this album's tempo. 

[Incanus 5,713]

3 hours ago, Will said:

(actually, this is Williams, right? - I did notice that some excerpts used aren't him, such as the Rakes of Mallow and Hooray for Hollywood)

Yes apart from the quotes it is all Williams. The actual score is littered with these little musical quotations as a joke from the Jaws theme to Deep In the Heart of Texas.

[Bespin 8,480]

I have found the score for the first movement of Escapades (Hal Leonard signature Edition, for sax and piano).

 

Interresting.

 

[Incanus 5,713]

So is there anything on the new CD to like instead of just to bemoan?

[Bespin 8,480]

10 minutes ago, Incanus said:

So is there anything on the new CD to like instead of just to bemoan?

 

It's not a bemoan, it's a critic of the playing of an instrumentist, based on what it's written on the score.

 

Do you want me to talk about the price of the set or the artwork like the others?

 

Well.. I love the use of the black color in the artwork. It's so neutral. 

[Stempel 136]

I love the new Album!

[Incanus 5,713]

5 minutes ago, Bespin said:

It's not a bemoan, it's a critic of the playing of an instrumentist, based on what it's written on the score.

 

Do you want me to talk about the price of the set or the artwork like the others?

 

Well.. I love the use of the black color in the artwork. It's so neutral. 

Do we know if this indeed is the signature edition of the piece that they used for the recording btw? Does it include e.g. the new extended Reflections with the double bass coda?

 

And nice that you think the artwork at least was well done.