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NEW Concert work: "Highwood’s Ghost", a fantasia for cello, harp and orchestra for cellist Yo-Yo Ma and harpist Jessica Zhou (Premieres August 19th at Tanglewood)


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36 minutes ago, Miguel Andrade said:

 

By the way, the TMC Orchestra only played one piece on the concert before the Williams, that one being the Outdoor Overture by Aaron Copland. 

 

 

Oh that’s not in the broadcast? :(. Love that piece

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1 minute ago, Miguel Andrade said:

What you mean? Of course it will be on the broadcast. It's the first piece on the program, followed by the Williams.

 

Oh good!  You used past tense like it had already been played.

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Ooohh interesting I thought this was live. Well, in any event, the broadcast hasn't even started yet FWIW. The host is just droning on.

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Copland’s music is about the simple pleasures of life and hard work (one might even say the simple gifts ;)).  Working hard and enjoying the simple rewards of your labor I should say.  It stirs something fundamental in me always.  Even and especially the earlier and latter parts of his career.  It’s probably just my Protestant upbringing lol (ironic yes since Copland is a Brooklyn Jew).

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Just now, JohnnyD said:

Will this concert be available to listen archived? If not, any chance somebody recorded the entire piece? I really want to hear it again.

Archived, no.  Recorded, we shall see.  It would be very nice to have it up on YouTube.  Absolutely fantastic piece.

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11 minutes ago, JDSollie said:

What a great piece! For some related reading, here is an interview with Yo-Yo Ma about Williams that posted today: http://projectorandorchestra.com/yo-yo-ma-on-john-williams-classical-side/. The interview was supposed to be part of a larger story about Williams' concert/classical career but the Washington Post pulled it when the author couldn't get an interview with Williams.

 

That interview is kind of funny.  Yo-yo Ma keeps pivoting away from the subjects the interviewer is trying to engage with and just goes off on his own thoughts about Williams.  Cool stuff though

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Very impressive piece. It will take another listen to really understand the structure (so Bespin you better have gotten the recording! ;)). But it's nice that it's a long piece, and it's also nice that it has some more outwardly celebratory moments near the middle, a la the Cello Concerto or Just Down West Street. Additionally, that lyrical section Disco Stu pointed out absolutely knocked my socks off when I heard it. I thought the piece was dying down by that point and then that bit started. 😍

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Guys, I figured it out!

 

The ghost is me! 

 

Listening to this piece killed me. Everything after it started getting going a few minutes in was so beautiful and captivating.

 

Sometimes Williams approaches the edge of being too prolific to the point of certain works sounding like sequels or outtakes from an earlier piece (some prominent composers unnamed for politeness have gone way over the line in this aspect), but this piece struck me as very unique in the canon of Williams and musical literature in general. The use of the cello, the cluster chords that sometimes sound like some Doug E. Fresh kind of thing...no matter what intensity or momentum it had, it sparked my imagination at every turn. 

 

 

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Meh, another disappointing work. It wasn't bad, but not very good either.

 

Goldenthal's best concert music is more compelling as far as living film composers in the concert hall goes.

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26 minutes ago, Lewya said:

Meh, another disappointing work. It wasn't bad, but not very good either.

 

Goldenthal's best concert music is more compelling as far as living film composers in the concert hall goes.

 

What exactly would you describe as "very good" then?

 

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You mean what kind of concert pieces? Well, I'd say Goldenthal's Symphony In G# Minor is very good. Not great, but very good.

 

In terms of Williams's own concert works, i'd say that the violin concerto qualifies as "very good" - that one is one of the few that he has written that qualifies as that. Not great though, just very good.

 

Like most of Williams concert works, I found this to be dull and not very compelling/involving. The best part of it was probably the finale.

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I'll second that!  I found much to capture my interest in the textures and layout of this piece.  It had purpose and direction.  Did not find it dull.

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