Popular Post Jay 37,364 Posted February 4, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2018 This new arrangement debuted Wednesday, January 31st in San Diego, conducted by Williams himself, as an encore. You can read @KingPin's description of it, here. The new arrangment was just played again, last night in Glasgow, Scotland, and that performance is on Youtube! What do you think? Taikomochi, Holko, JayS and 22 others 19 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 I hear a lot of TFA in there oddly enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The first time Williams has ever conducted it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BuzzLightyear 143 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 Great!! It's full of beautiful variations and orchestrations. I like it! Can't wait to hear a official recording. Maybe this will be released on the Han Solo movie soundtrack album from John Powell as a bonus track!? ocelot, crumbs and Falstaft 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 wow, that was just beautiful .incredible I didn't read about it in the other thread and I didn't know it existed (I'm glad I just found out now because I'd have been be pissed nobody recorded the first performance) and I'd never imagine he'd ever write this considering he ignored the original for so long I still really want to hear the San Diego performance because it was conducted by Williams himself and could be even better It reminds me of how he transformed Regaining a Son into Elegy for Cello and Orchestra, or Harry's Wondrous World into Family Portrait Will, Cerebral Cortex, ocelot and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,482 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 It has very few to do with the original concert arrangement. Not sure I love it. The new ending of the crescendo is a big fail for me. Why? I only ask this question: why? ocelot and Erik Woods 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 Are you kidding? It's an incredibly moving piece crlbrg, John and Paul red5 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerebral Cortex 3,357 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 25 minutes ago, Bespin said: Why? I only ask this question: why? Let me ask this in response: why not? igger6 and bollemanneke 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tom 4,658 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 4 hours ago, Bespin said: Why? I only ask this question: why? Probably just a composer's urge, but here is a theory: the theme was always romantic but with just a hint of bittersweetness to it. Now that Williams has scored the whole arc of Han and Leia, maybe he thought a new version was in order that still captured the romance but also gave a place to the heartbreak of the relationship. aviazn, Will, Taikomochi and 9 others 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 It almost seems like a new theme in some places 9 minutes ago, Tom said: but also gave a place to the heartbreak of the relationship. maybe that's why I hear echoes of Elegy for Cello and Orchestra, I mean with Han Solo dying in n TFA and Carrie Fisher dying in real life I must have listened to this 10 times in a row now crumbs, Will and Ricard 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gkgyver 1,645 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 So, let me get this right: John Williams is capable of doing that to his old material in stunning fashion, yet, in TFA and TLJ, we are treated to rerecorded recipes from a 30 year old cookbook? Honestly, listening to this, I feel kind of cheated out of the Star Wars score he clearly COULD have done. justaguy, Joe Brausam and filmmusic 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 It's true that theme doesn't really get inspired variations in TFA and TLJ, especially compared to this now And now we have this in crappy sound quality recorded from a phone, and it's still great. now imagine a studio recording to fully hear that majestic new ending Will and Falstaft 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkgyver 1,645 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Nothing in TLJ gets inspired variations except for Rey's theme. Same applies for TFA. Something like cutting and pasting the Leia concert arrangement is even more odd now. justaguy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docteur Qui 1,544 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 33 minutes ago, Tom said: Probably just a composer's urge, but here is a theory. The theme was always romantic but with just a hint of bittersweetness to it. Now that Williams has scored the whole arch of Han and Leia, maybe he thought a new version was in order that still captured the romance but also gave a place to the heartbreak of the relationship. Spot on. The whole first half has the low strings performing the melody the majority of the time, which is the way the theme has developed in TFA and TLJ. It's almost like he's writing back in time - starting with older Leia and Han estranged and melancholic, travelling through the passionate part of their relationship and then finishing with solo flute (which brings Leia's first appearance to mind). I got chills, that was stunning. Marcus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,913 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I really liked it! It was moving but also respectful to the original which is one of the all time greatest Star Wars themes ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Woods 555 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 An unfocused mess. Why do this when there is a superior concert arrangement out there? And he got rid of the Leia's Theme cameo. Utterly disappointing. -Erik- Bespin, John, DigitalfreakNYC and 5 others 2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gkgyver 1,645 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 Dissapointing cameo by Erik Woods. Giftheck, Erik Woods, igger6 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,348 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 11 minutes ago, Erik Woods said: And he got rid of the Leia's Theme cameo. Utterly disappointing. -Erik- Good, None of the other SW Love Theme concert arrangements have theme cameos, so now they all match And was the old arrangement even confirmed to be by Williams? Giftheck and Breadstick Basilisk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkgyver 1,645 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Why is it a question "why do we have this"? Because composers tend to enjoy making music? Breadstick Basilisk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Woods 555 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 9 minutes ago, Fal said: And was the old arrangement even confirmed to be by Williams? Yes, Williams says so on the back cover of the Gerhardt album. -Erik- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balahkay 627 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I think it’s quite lovely. Breadstick Basilisk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 the old version is really nice but having a new one is like a dream come true Breadstick Basilisk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post igger6 894 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 Wow. Every minute Williams spends not conducting or composing new scores should be spent messing around with his old themes to this type of spectacular effect. Orchestral Fantasy on the Love Theme from The Terminal, please! Pieter Boelen, Will and Breadstick Basilisk 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will 2,215 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Sounds great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Well it's certainly the most unexpected Williams piece of all time Docteur Qui and crumbs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cerebral Cortex 3,357 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 It tickles me that Williams, apparently while scoring the biggest film of 2017, in his spare time created a 6 minute concert piece arrangement seemingly just for fun. Gotta love that work ethic. You also have to love this new batch of concert pieces we've been getting, like with Marion's theme and now this, that have allowed us to experience these older Williams themes now being channeled through their creator 30+ year later. Being able to hear Old Williams vs New coalesce together while also getting to hear how Williams "refines" his themes of old to fit stylistically to the composer he has evolved to be today is a really beautiful and unique experience. Damien F, Falstaft, crlbrg and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Erik Woods said: An unfocused mess. -Erik- On first listen I had a bit of trouble getting the flow of it even though I thought it was beautiful, but the more i listen to it the more coherent it becomes. I'm pretty sure it's due to the sound quality (cell phone recording) not showing all the nuances correctly, and that Williams might have conducted it a bit differently It's already great, and I expect a massive boost by a Williams conducted studio recording Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,843 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Erik Woods said: An unfocused mess. Why do this when there is a superior concert arrangement out there? And he got rid of the Leia's Theme cameo. Utterly disappointing. -Erik- I'm glad there's no Leia's Theme quote. I personally dislike it when JW's concert arrangements of new themes feature quotes of other themes. I especially don't like it when the Force Theme appears in Battle of the Heroes but that's more the result of the concert arrangement being a barely changed version of music from the actual score. The only quote of a previous theme in a concert arrangement of a new theme I like is the use of Hedwig's Theme in Window to the Past from HP3. crumbs and Cerebral Cortex 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,348 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 To be fair, BOTH isn't a theme suite, it's a track/setpiece concert arrangement ala Forest Battle, Little People, Last Battle etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,843 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 4 minutes ago, Fal said: To be fair, BOTH isn't a theme suite, it's a track/setpiece concert arrangement ala Forest Battle, Little People, Last Battle etc. I don't understand. I never mentioned any suites. This new concert arrangement of Han and Leia isn't a suite either. I'm talking about concert arrangements of new themes that feature inclusions of old themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 15 minutes ago, Fal said: To be fair, BOTH isn't a theme suite, it's a track/setpiece concert arrangement ala Forest Battle, Little People, Last Battle etc. Isn׳t the original Han Solo and the Princess the same? As for this new suite, I have to say I like the album version better. As for why Williams made this suite, I would say it’s more closely related to Fisher’s demise. People can call it “Han’s theme” all they want, but musically it’s essentialy a secondary theme for the princess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,658 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 3 hours ago, king mark said: It's true that theme doesn't really get inspired variations in TFA and TLJ, especially compared to this now And now we have this in crappy sound quality recorded from a phone, and it's still great. now imagine a studio recording to fully hear that majestic new ending Yeah, it will be nice to hear a better recording, and my hunch is that Williams would conduct it a bit faster than this. I will say, though, phone recordings of today are lightyears ahead of just a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,348 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, artguy360 said: I don't understand. I never mentioned any suites. This new concert arrangement of Han and Leia isn't a suite either. I'm talking about concert arrangements of new themes that feature inclusions of old themes. Concert Arrangement = Concert Suites 1 hour ago, Chen G. said: Isn׳t the original Han Solo and the Princess the same? As for this new suite, I have to say I like the album version better. As for why Williams made this suite, I would say it’s more closely related to Fisher’s demise. People can call it “Han’s theme” all they want, but musically it’s essentialy a secondary theme for the princess. Han Solo and the Princess on the OST's is a film cue, Han Solo and the Princess on the Gerhardt is a concert arrangement, so is this new one. My point is that there are two kinds of suites/concert arrangements: 1: Where you take thematic material from the score, and make a standalone piece using it (Princess Leia's Theme)2: You take a cue/track etc. and make alterations and additions for concert listening (The Last Battle, The Little People, The Forest Battle) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artguy360 1,843 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I'm used to suite meaning a selection of multiple pieces of music or different melodies played together or back to back. Concert arrangement on the other hand being an arrangement of a single piece of music for concert presentation. Are the two interchangeable? For example there is the Memoirs of a Giesha concert suite which is different than say Rey's Theme as a concert arrangement or the concert arrangement of Jedi Steps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sandor 797 Posted February 5, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2018 4 hours ago, Erik Woods said: An unfocused mess. Why do this when there is a superior concert arrangement out there? And he got rid of the Leia's Theme cameo. Utterly disappointing. -Erik- I see this arrangement as such a surprising gift. It’s not like anyone was looking forward to it, simply because nobody knew it was coming. Williams is well over 80 years old. He doesn’t have to write these things, but he keeps doing it. Disappointing is really not the appropriate word to use I feel. Mitth'raw'nuorodo, Breadstick Basilisk, Once and 6 others 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 It's called Variations on a Theme, boys. He took something he wrote almost many years ago and gave it a new spin. He probably felt he could do better given second chance. A lot of composers in the history of music did the same (Brahms, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev). Of course people can still prefer the original version, but I still find amusing JW takes pleasure and fun in revisiting his older material. crumbs and Mitth'raw'nuorodo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Oh sure, don't get me wrong, its great to hear him develop new variations on this very old material. I just happen to like the existing variations more. I still can't help but think the incentive for him to do so, with this theme of all of them, has to do with Fisher's passing. 2 hours ago, Fal said: Han Solo and the Princess on the OST's is a film cue, Han Solo and the Princess on the Gerhardt is a concert arrangement, so is this new one. My point is that there are two kinds of suites/concert arrangements: 1: Where you take thematic material from the score, and make a standalone piece using it (Princess Leia's Theme)2: You take a cue/track etc. and make alterations and additions for concert listening (The Last Battle, The Little People, The Forest Battle) My thoughts exactly. Although its something of spectrum: evne the Gerhardt version at least closely resembles the film cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 There's no issue at all in preferring the original version. I'm still fond of that one too! But it's still pretty amazing he likes to revisit and repurpose old creations from his past. It's another example of his great work ethic. Chen G. and ocelot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpy 4,145 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The Force Theme quote in Battle of the Heroes makes perfect sense, even in the concert suite. It is, after all, a duel between the two protagonists where the force plays a prevalent part. Oswin Pond 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Except not really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 6 hours ago, Docteur Qui said: Spot on. The whole first half has the low strings performing the melody the majority of the time, which is the way the theme has developed in TFA and TLJ. It's almost like he's writing back in time - starting with older Leia and Han estranged and melancholic, travelling through the passionate part of their relationship and then finishing with solo flute (which brings Leia's first appearance to mind). I had a very similar feeling, you put it to words very well. It's as if this arrangement was made with the awareness of how the story ended, and the big statement of the original version of the theme in the middle (similar to the TESB end credits, although one semitone lower and with several other modifications) sounds like a sort of nostalgic recollection of how the relationship between the two characters used to be. On a first impact, I have to say that I prefer the old version. Most of times, I tend to prefer pieces that are more elaborate, longer, and display variations, but in this case I think the original theme is crafted better than all the variations presented here, and since I already know it from the past, hearing the variations first "sounds wrong" to me, as if he is delaying to deliver me something that I actually already know. However, I appreciate that he is still working with pleasure on his SW universe of themes (and anyway, the piece is good, it's just that I prefer the other one, if I have to compare them). I am wondering what he could have achieved if he had done a more extensive arrangement including the themes of Han Solo and the Princess, Princess Leia, and some material from the TFA scene where Han meets Kylo Ren. A sort of narration done by employing all the elements that belong to it. Docteur Qui 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 6 hours ago, gkgyver said: So, let me get this right: John Williams is capable of doing that to his old material in stunning fashion, yet, in TFA and TLJ, we are treated to rerecorded recipes from a 30 year old cookbook? Honestly, listening to this, I feel kind of cheated out of the Star Wars score he clearly COULD have done. Well, he had almost 40 years to think out the new arrangement... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,526 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 This feels like something Williams could easily quote for Leia's funeral scene in 9 (If she'll have one, but she does need some kind of proper sendoff). Jurassic Shark and ocelot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollemanneke 3,348 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Beautiful! ocelot and Jurassic Shark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 16 minutes ago, Holko said: This feels like something Williams could easily quote for Leia's funeral scene in 9 (If she'll have one, but she does need some kind of proper sendoff). Could the arrangement have been JW's original intentions for the end credits? It would be fitting to honor Fisher in such a way with a 6 minute variation on a love theme that's strongly connected to her character. aviazn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Nah. We have Leia's theme on piano (unbelievably short as it was) for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Exactly my point - the Leia's theme quote is too short. I would believe JW would opt for something more substantial to celebrate her, but then he was told it's too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 907 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Nah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Maybe Williams wrote this a while ago and that's why the original version is removed from the catalogues I don't think he could have put this on TLJ OST, because it sounds a lot more like on of his concert hall pieces compared to the original Jurassic Shark and crumbs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Its also a theme that has very little to do with the narrative of The Last Jedi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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