Jump to content

Does anyone keep track of concert arrangements, themes and suites and where to get them?


bollemanneke

Recommended Posts

I was wondering if anyone has been keeping a list of John Williams' concert arrangements, suites and themes that have been released commercially so that one can listen to all his scores in a more structured way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

He does not.  He only tracks recordings, not all published music.

 

This is actually something I'd be really interested in as well......

 

I think concert suite recordings ARE what the OP is asking about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one of my "black holes" as far as John Williams is concerned. I love a good concert suite as much as the next guy, but I've never really kept up with them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess I'd just like to see them organized as published suites.  Instead of "well this concert arrangement was recorded for this album and then this one for the same score was recorded for this album 15 years later."

 

Of course complicating matters is that many published pieces have gone out of print.  Too complex!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I try to list every recording of concert works here (original versions or arrangements): http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/composer/concert.htm

 

But, concerning the re-recordings of the other works (concert arrangements, suites & themes from movie soundtracks), I only maintain a selective list of recordings: http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/composer/seldisco.htm

 

If you want to know where to find re-recordings made by JW himself, everything is on this single page (just search by track name or keyword): http://www.goplanete.com/johnwilliams/music/disco/albums.htm

 

EDIT: This post of mine list every re-recordings done by JW with the BPO

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do indeed have a compilation of my own, with no concert suites repeated.

But because of computer problems and lack of time, it is about half a year out of date by now at least.

I'll try to remember to post the track list here when I can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Disco Stu said:

Ooooh, very nice list Pieter!  And yeah you need to add in stuff from Spielberg/Williams Collaboration Part III!

For sure! And also apparently 'Lights, Camera... Music!'. :D

 

Hopefully I can tackle both of those at the same time in a few months.

I've been excessively short on time lately.... :eh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently I am missing out on these tracks:



1993 - The Five Sacred Trees I - "Eo Mugna" from Williams: Bassoon Concerto "5 Sacred Trees"
1993 - The Five Sacred Trees II - "Tortan" from Williams: Bassoon Concerto "5 Sacred Trees"
1993 - The Five Sacred Trees III - "Eo Rossa" from Williams: Bassoon Concerto "5 Sacred Trees"
1993 - The Five Sacred Trees IV - "Craeb Uisnig" from Williams: Bassoon Concerto "5 Sacred Trees"
1993 - The Five Sacred Trees V - "Dathi" from Williams: Bassoon Concerto "5 Sacred Trees"
1994 - Concerto for Cello and Orchestra I - "Theme and Cadenza" from Williams: Cello Concerto
1994 - Concerto for Cello and Orchestra II - "Blues" from Williams: Cello Concerto
1994 - Concerto for Cello and Orchestra III - "Scherzo" from Williams: Cello Concerto
1994 - Concerto for Cello and Orchestra IV - "Song" from Williams: Cello Concerto
1999 - American Journey I - "Immigration and Building" from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2012 - 'Rounds' from Americano, Pablo Villegas
2014 - Music for Brass from Gabrielli - National Brass Ensemble


1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark V - "Marion's Theme" from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
1997 - "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
1998 - "Hymn to the Fallen" from Saving Private Ryan from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2002 - "A New Beginning" from Minority Report from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2002 - Escapades Part I - "Closing In" from Catch Me If You Can from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2002 - Escapades Part II - "Reflections" from Catch Me If You Can from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2002 - Escapades Part III - "Joy Ride" from Catch Me If You Can from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2004 - "Viktor’s Tale" from The Terminal from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2005 - "Prayer For Peace" from Munich from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2008 - Kingdom of the Crystal Skull I - "The Swashbuckler" from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2011 - "The Duel" from The Adventures of Tintin from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2011 - "Dartmoor, 1912" from War Horse from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2012 - Lincoln IV - "With Malice Toward None" from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2012 - Lincoln VI - "With Malice Toward None (Alternate)" from Amistad from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection
2016 - The BFG from John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection

 

Of course some of those would replace tracks that I listed earlier.

I'm not sure if these are actually "better" than the ones I included before.

And what is it with so many Lincoln tracks? :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice lists, Peter, but I'm curious as to why you include OST tracks that haven't been conceived as suites, even if they may be rerecorded for album purpose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Thor said:

Nice lists, Peter, but I'm curious as to why you include OST tracks that haven't been conceived as suites, even if they may be rerecorded for album purpose.

With the exception of the "Main Title" from The Eiger Sanction, none of the tracks I listed are from the original OST CD.

 

Many of the tracks have been modified from their original OST versions.

I do personally treat straight re-recordings differently, but I didn't distinguish between them in the posts above.

After all, modified suites are far more interesting to me than straight re-recordings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

With the exception of the "Main Title" from The Eiger Sanction, none of the tracks I listed are from the original OST CD.

 

Many of the tracks have been modified from their original OST versions.

 

Really? The M SQUAD tracks are from the soundtrack album, for exaxmple (even if the album was rerecorded)? And the TV themes aren't really suites. But I guess it may still be within the top starter's broad categories. I was just personally hung up  in the 'concert suite' aspect, which -- to me -- would be a far more 'narrow' list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Really? The M SQUAD tracks are from the soundtrack album, for exaxmple (even if the album was rerecorded)? And the TV themes aren't really suites. But I guess it may still be within the top starter's broad categories. I was just personally hung up  in the 'concert suite' aspect, which -- to me -- would be a far more 'narrow' list.

Ah, I forgot about M-Squad! Indeed those are actually from the OST as well.

The reason for me including it in the list, is because they are albums on my iPod.

I don't have the entire OST for M-Squad on there, so kept only the Williams tracks as part of my compilation.

But you're right that those should not be counted as actual "concert suites".

Same applies to whatever says "Television Broadcast Rip", of course.

 

That still leaves rather a lot of other tracks though, which are either actual suites or at the very least re-recordings.

I listed the source for pretty much everything, so you guys can make your own compilation(s) whichever way you like.

This is just the way I did it for myself; but I make no claims that this is some sort of "absolute truth".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Reviving this topic with follow-up questions, musings, whatever you want to call it. I'm finally planning to make my own compilation. The purpose would be to represent all his scores that I know in suite form as I discover them, but I'm utterly unsure about what material to include or how to do it consistently. I like being consistent. Opinions are most welcome.

 

For example, does The Banquet Scene qualify as a concert arrangement just because he gave it a nice ending? I personally think the second Spielberg album contains some very boring material that mostly consists of straight re-recordings that wouldn't work well in concert format.

 

Are Christmas Star, Jabba The Hutt etc. concert arrangements even though they never got published (why is that anyway?)

 

What would I do with The Flying Theme from ET, pick the album version which would flow better before Adventures on Earth with its downbeat ending, or pick the published version that would essentially give me two 'grand finales' and, in my view, would ruin the suite experience completely? (I don't want to send ET off twice).

 

And what about Double Trouble? There is no way the City of Prague Philharmonic gets airtime in my playlist and the published version isn't great either.

 

Or do I ignore everything except Hal Leonard's publications, no matter what that means? Should these be considered as the definitive guide to his scores in concert format?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, bollemanneke said:

Reviving this topic with follow-up questions, musings, whatever you want to call it. I'm finally planning to make my own compilation. The purpose would be to represent all his scores that I know in suite form as I discover them, but I'm utterly unsure about what material to include or how to do it consistently. I like being consistent. Opinions are most welcome.

 

@bollemanneke, I can point you to a few sources. Emilio Audissino's monograph has a good index of the Williams concert arrangements up to the point of its publication. The edited volume he put together last year includes a nice if somewhat cursory chapter on Williams's film music for concert performance by Sebastian Stoppe. Get it if you can afford it (or, better, have your local library get a copy!).

 

I wrote an academic article on this subject that considers a number of the questions you're asking. I also compiled a more informal catalogue that includes the SW concert arrangements , though admittedly it's little more than a simple list at this stage, and that still has a few question marks....

 

Personally, I think the minimum criterion for your own compilation should be that Williams himself arranged the piece, and did so specifically with a live concert performance in mind. So Banquet Scene, Christmas Star, Jabba the Hutt should all qualify, though maybe not his 1970s-80s style soundtracks where every album track is a rearrangement in some way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, bollemanneke said:

I personally think the second Spielberg album contains some very boring material that mostly consists of straight re-recordings that wouldn't work well in concert format.

 

Ouch. That is one of my favourite soundtracks/compilations of all time!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I might have to stop listening to it right after volume 1, but after that one, it feels like an obligatory sequel album that shouldn't really have been made, or rather, that could have been great had it been shorter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not only is it the best Spielberg compilation, it is also the best John Williams compilation. Not only is it the best John Williams compilation, it is also one of the very best film music compilations of all time. Not only is it one of the best film music compilations of all time, I frequently include it in my list of alltime favourite soundtrack albums too (if I mix compilations and score albums in one list).

 

He, he...so  yeah, you could say I'm pretty crazy about Vol. II. Any criticism will most likely go in one ear and out the other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Williams on Williams is a bit of an odd duck, I'll admit.  I think part of the issue is that, as a sequel album to The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration, it may have been a little too soon.  There were only three new films (Hook, Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List) to provide new material, so there is a little bit too much underscore and "filler" from earlier scores.  I myself could do without The Battle for Hollywood, and the Dialogue from CE3K, just to name two tracks.  If the album wasn't limited to Spielberg films, they could have added suites from Far and Away, JFK, Stanley & Iris, Presumed Innocent, The Accidental Tourist (I pick those because JW never recorded material from them in Boston).

 

That said, I still think it's a very strong album.  It contains definitive recordings of the Theme from Jurassic Park, The Barrel Chase, the Hook material, even the Schindler's List tracks are on par with the originals.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.