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John Williams & the Vienna Philharmonic: January 18/19 2020


Ricard

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So, I somewhat managed to get tickets for JW again, although it was much more easier last time and I got better seats, I had  seats for Saturday reserved in my basket and just waiting for 9AM, then the site collapsed,  I did managed to pay them after a crazy long  loading times but then they emailed me that the transactions wasnt  completed, but money were transferred to their account, so I emailed them and they call me offering similar tickets for Sunday, well, what can I do, it is the last and only chance to finally see the Maestro, so I took them, oof. But it was close!

Anyway, now for the more hardcore part, how to get Autograph of JW in Vienna? We will be in Vienna since Saturday so there will be plenty of time, I would not mind to wait before the Hotel for him all day (yes I am crazy, but this is my dream for 25 years to meet him eve just for few seconds)  Is there any skilled autograph hunter who would help me? 

thank you 

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17 minutes ago, handz said:

Anyway, now for the more hardcore part, how to get Autograph of JW in Vienna? We will be in Vienna since Saturday so there will be plenty of time, I would not mind to wait before the Hotel for him all day (yes I am crazy, but this is my dream for 25 years to meet him eve just for few seconds)  Is there any skilled autograph hunter who would help me? 

thank you 

Do not disturb old master's peace with your pursuit of trinkets. Leave him alone. That's what a real fan would do.

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30 minutes ago, Biodome said:


Let John be in peace. Going to his hotel and standing by the door would be insanely rude. Just be thankful that he's coming to Europe after 25 years, despite facing health issues and jet lag.

What is rude about this? I am not crazy Beatles fan, just wanna politely ask for Autograph, I am not going to run to him screaming. Ppl in the US asking him for autograph s at Tanglewood etc all the time. He is not a diva. 

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1 hour ago, handz said:

What is rude about this? I am not crazy Beatles fan, just wanna politely ask for Autograph, I am not going to run to him screaming. Ppl in the US asking him for autograph s at Tanglewood etc all the time. He is not a diva. 


I don't think you'll have the opportunity to do it in a civilized manner. Due to the practice of professional autograph hunting, there will likely be hordes of people waiting both outside the hall, and outside of his hotel. I've seen that with Joe Hisaishi this year - the poor man was in the middle of a huge shouting crowd, with his bodyguards struggling to get him to his car. And he isn't even that popular of a composer, unlike Williams.

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1 minute ago, Biodome said:


I don't think you'll have the opportunity to do it in a civilized manner. Due to the practice of professional autograph hunting, there will likely be hordes of people waiting both outside the hall, and outside of his hotel. I've seen that with Joe Hishaishi this year - the poor man was in the middle of a huge shouting crowd, with his bodyguards struggling to get him to his car. And he isn't even that popular of a composer, unlike Williams.

He will have bodyguards?!  I concur, Hishaishi probably have much more fanatic, young anime fans around him than good old JW. I saw a tons of youtube videos where he normally sign tons of autographs for ppl and it was in the US (where attacks of crazy fans would be more likable) and there wasnt any bodyguards or stress around it, I doubt that in Vienna the situation will be too crazy.

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8 minutes ago, handz said:

He will have bodyguards?!  I concur, Hishaishi probably have much more fanatic, young anime fans around him than good old JW.

I think you misunderstood me. Hisaishi isn't as popular as Williams. And my point is that the most agressive members of the crowd aren't fans at all. They were in suits, holding several posters and pictures with cardboards and sharpies, and were constantly and barbarically pushing towards the composer. The actual fans and cosplayers realized that there was no way to approach Hisaishi in such a chaos, and were calmly standing outside of it all.

John Williams has got many more fans around the world, and that's why he'll have a larger crowd around him, because the potential for profit from the autograph sales will attract any professional hunter from the surrounding countries.

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2 minutes ago, Biodome said:

I think you misunderstood me. Hisaishi isn't as popular as Williams. And my point is that the most agressive members of the crowd aren't fans at all. They were in suits, holding several posters and pictures with cardboards and sharpies, and were constantly and barbarically pushing towards the composer. The actual fans and cosplayers realized that there was no way to approach Hisaishi in such a chaos, and were calmly standing outside of it all.

John Williams has got much more fans around the world, and that's why he'll have a larger crowd around him. Because the potential for profit from the autograph sales will attract any professional hunter from the surrounding countries.

Lets see, It seems a bit unlikely to me that there will be such madness around JW, he is a legend for many but he is not a Rock Star.  I did watch tons of videos of legendary musicians (Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins.. singing stuff before hotel etc and  it was very calm and they were all very calm and Ok with it. 

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9 minutes ago, handz said:

Lets see, It seems a bit unlikely to me that there will be such madness around JW, he is a legend for many but he is not a Rock Star.  I did watch tons of videos of legendary musicians (Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins.. singing stuff before hotel etc and  it was very calm and they were all very calm and Ok with it. 

I mean, I can't stop you from going after John Williams. It's your own choice. But do be aware, that unlike the musicians you've mentioned, John Williams is almost 90 years old, and he will probably be exhausted after a 2 hour concert. Stay considerate, and realize that it's not the end of the world if you return from Vienna without an autograph. We're all there for his music. The gift of getting to experience it on our continent, that is the real autograph.

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38 minutes ago, handz said:

What is rude about this? I am not crazy Beatles fan, just wanna politely ask for Autograph, I am not going to run to him screaming. Ppl in the US asking him for autograph s at Tanglewood etc all the time. He is not a diva. 

 

Audiences in Tanglewood (or elsewhere) generally haven't been able to get to him for autographs or photos in years. From all reports in recent years, you used to get huge crowds all queueing to get to him, so he usually quietly disappears and is surrounded by bodyguards/management who won't let you get close. IIRC there was an incident in Boston a few years back where some fanatic ran after his car and tried to stop it.

 

I'll be happy if he manages to conduct both concerts in full without total exhaustion. I hope people don't bother him in addition to what certainly by itself already needs a huge amount of energy for a nearly 88 year old man.

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1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

In my unasked for opinion, trying to get an autograph outside of an event set up for you to get one is a bit distasteful.  It's situational of course, but speaking generally I couldn't imagine myself accosting someone like that.  Even if it's someone I consider a hero.

This is really a weird opinion. There is nothing more disgusting than that US comic con model of getting autographs which you have to pay (insane amount ) for.  Getting it on an event is the only real and natural, personal way (or of course by mail - which is a nice oldschool) 

 

 

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24 minutes ago, handz said:

Lets see, It seems a bit unlikely to me that there will be such madness around JW, he is a legend for many but he is not a Rock Star.  I did watch tons of videos of legendary musicians (Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins.. singing stuff before hotel etc and  it was very calm and they were all very calm and Ok with it. 

 

Alongside Hans Zimmer, he's probably the closest we have to a rock star film composer. Guess I could post this photo again; this is a selfie I took in front of the stage entrance for John Williams' concert in Boston in 2014. If this isn't madness, I don't know what is. I was perfectly fine watching from a distance.

 

IMG_1624b.jpg

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5 minutes ago, handz said:

There is nothing more disgusting than that US comic con model of getting autographs which you have to pay (insane amount ) for.

Actually, that system I do support, because it discourages professional autograph hunters. If you're really passionate about having that sort of memorabilia, then you won't see a problem paying for it.

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Just now, Biodome said:

Actually, that system I do support, because it discourages professional autograph hunters. If you're really passionate about having that sort of memorabilia, then you won't see a problem paying for it.

getting it this way has no value to me, this is only for the notorious autograph collectors, I want to have a nice memory of meeting him after the concert I was, not buying it somewhere (this way I can just buy it from some autograph store). its not about money, but its about the feeling of it. And well, I doubt JW need to go around some Cons signing autographs... 

4 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Alongside Hans Zimmer, he's probably the closest we have to a rock star film composer. Guess I could post this photo again; this is a selfie I took in front of the stage entrance for John Williams' concert in Boston in 2014. If this isn't madness, I don't know what is. I was perfectly fine watching from a distance.

 

IMG_1624b.jpg

Not as crazy as it could be, look how it looks like when some pop music star appears somewhere :)

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2 minutes ago, handz said:

getting it this way has no value to me, this is only for the notorious autograph collectors, I want to have a nice memory of meeting him after the concert I was, not buying it somewhere (this way I can just buy it from some autograph store). its not about money, but its about the feeling of it. And well, I doubt JW need to go around some Cons signing autographs... 


I highly doubt that getting an autograph in the manner shown in Thor's picture, would qualify as "a nice memory of meeting him"

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Just now, Modest Expectations said:

Why do you want to waste 20 seconds of life of a man who is 87? Who are you giving him in return, after so much he has already given you?

You mean this seriously?  Lets look at it the other way,  If you was 87 year old man who can make someone really happy for the rest of his life by sacrificing 20 seconds of  your time, would you have problem with it?

 

1 minute ago, Biodome said:


I highly doubt that getting an autograph in the manner shown in Thor's picture, would qualify as "a nice memory of meeting him"

Well, as I am also attending the concert, it would, those ppl who just hunt there for autographs are a different story. But still better than the sterile paid for autograph at some con..

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2 minutes ago, handz said:

You mean this seriously?  Lets look at it the other way,  If you was 87 year old man who can make someone really happy for the rest of his life by sacrificing 20 seconds of  your time, would you have problem with it?

Williams already did much more good to the world than should be expected from a typical human being. He made hundreds of millions of people happy, from a couple of moments, to many years. 

 

Do not manage his time and do not be the one judging what is worth for him, and what is not. It's his time, not yours.

 

You are basically saying that it is worth it for Williams to meet you. Bollocks!

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Just now, handz said:

You mean this seriously?  Lets look at it the other way,  If you was 87 year old man who can make someone really happy for the rest of his life by sacrificing 20 seconds of  your time, would you have problem with it?

 

If I was an 87 year old man enjoying a holiday around two hugely stressful concerts (after not having conducted a full concert of my own in years) and people came up to bother me apparently assuming I had an obligation to make them happy in my free time, then yes, I would have a problem with it. Given Williams' reputation, the worst you could probably expect is a "sorry, not now" or him simply ignoring you, but I fully expect that some other, more down to earth artists would give you a blunt "Fuck off".

 

Of course, *some*, or perhaps *many*, will enjoy it, and gladly give you an autograph. But we know enough about Williams' privacy and the crowds of people he used to have to deal with when he was still signing around his concerts to conclude that he probably wouldn't, and very likely consider it to be quite rude.

9 minutes ago, handz said:

Not as crazy as it could be, look how it looks like when some pop music star appears somewhere :)


Crazy enough for him not to manage to satisfy eveyone, as we know from the people who were there and didn't manage to snatch an autograph.

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2 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

If I was an 87 year old man enjoying a holiday around two hugely stressful concerts (after not having conducted a full concert of my own in years) and people came up to bother me apparently assuming I had an obligation to make them happy in my free time, then yes, I would have a problem with it. Given Williams' reputation, the worst you could probably expect is a "sorry, not now" or him simply ignoring you, but I fully expect that some other, more down to earth artists would give you a blunt "Fuck off".

 

Of course, *some*, or perhaps *many*, will enjoy it, and gladly give you an autograph. But we know enough about Williams' privacy and the crowds of people he used to have to deal with when he was still signing around his concerts to conclude that he probably wouldn't, and very likely consider it to be quite rude.

I found it quite ridiculous how many ppl are trying to protect him from something "bad" here :)  He is not a rockstar, he is not living in permanent stress of being paparazzied and approached by crazy hoards of fans, on the street most ppl do not recognize him, especially in Europe,  so on events like this, he is for sure prepared to deal with some fans. If he do not want to sign anything he would not and if he want to sign few peoples stuff he will. He is not fragile old man, he is John Williams - and ppl approaching him are not so rude as other musicians fans for sure. 

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3 minutes ago, handz said:

He is not fragile old man, he is John Williams -

 

He's 87 years old and doesn't find it as easy to get on a podium as he did a few years ago.

 

3 minutes ago, handz said:

and ppl approaching him are not so rude as other musicians fans for sure. 

 

You're not making a convincing case for that claim.

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Just now, Biodome said:

Because this is JWFan, not JWAutograph, and we do care about his well-being.

Which has nothing to do with him signing autographs for his fans...

 

1 minute ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

...or, to paraphrase Neil Gaiman (who said it about George R.R. Martin when people kept demanding that he finish his books because they felt he was obliged to do it for them): John Williams is not your bitch.

 

I can think of three reasons why people would want an autograph by an artist: 1) Because they are a fan and treasure it as a personal memento of a person they admire; 2) Because they're collectors and feel compelled to have autographs even by people they don't care about; or 3) Because they want to sell them for profit.

 

One of those I consider a good reason. But in that context, if the autograph is won by bothering the person you're a fan of and making them feel uncomfortable and invading in their privacy, it's worthless as a memento of somebody you admire (or you wouldn't pester them) and at best falls into category 2.

I want it for 1) reason. And public concert you are attending is for sure not considered invading privacy, and well, meeting him on street - definitely depends on the way you do it. Again, its different if you are someone being bothered every 5 minutes and someone who is only known to his hardcore fans. 

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Just now, Marian Schedenig said:

 

But what you are proposing is finding out where he lives and waylaying him at his hotel, not at a public concert.

 

 

And because you are only one person the situation is different? Every single person in a group of a few hundred autograph hunters could make that same claim.

 

Or if your argument is that "rock stars" have accepted it as part of their daily routine to have hundreds of people coming up to them at every moment and asking for an autograph, and Williams, not being a rock star, isn't, then my conclusion would be that he hasn't and thus isn't used to it and might be bothered by it. And he's enough of a star to draw significant crowds of fans, especially if someone would announce where he's staying for two concerts that sold a few thousand tickets within two days.

Well, yes as I am attending the concert, I am not going to Vienna just for autograph. And yes, as he is the only one still living of two musicians I ever wanted to meet and have autograph from, I would even stalk him and I honestly do not care if some of you fanatical protecters of his privacy find it rude or not. I am not some dirty, sweaty guy in jeans and baseball cap who will yell at him by his name on the street.  Ppl just want to meet their favorite ppl, deal with it. 

 

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10 minutes ago, apples said:

Jeans and sneakers? ;)

 

You can joke about it, but I've been to some concert halls that tell you to bring suits and evening dresses. I wouldn't care about it if it didn't mean an additional €50-100 charge for the flight ticket, because I'm planning to just bring a small backpack with me for the weekend. The video recordings of concerts at the Großer Saal generally show the audience wearing formal clothes, so I would like to know if it's required.

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36 minutes ago, Biodome said:

Does Musikverein have a dress code? And if they do, are they strict about it?

 

Dress code:
Music in the Musikverein is always a special experience. The musicians themselves highlight this by wearing clothing for special occasions. Men usually sport white tie and tailcoat or morning suits for performances earlier in the day. Our audiences, in contrast, are free to exercise greater choice. There is no dress code - guests may wear what they wish to make their visit comfortable and enjoyable. Nonetheless, many of our visitors sense that a certain elegance is suited to the ambience of the Musikverein. For this reason we welcome and request that visitors dress accordingly. Please note that shorts are not regarded as suitable clothing. Our premises are temperature-controlled throughout and remain pleasantly cool indoors throughout the summer.

 

https://www.musikverein.at/en/concert-visitor-information

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5 minutes ago, Balahkay said:

Will the program change to include TROS concerts (I’m assuming there will be at least one but hoping for more) once the soundtrack/film is released?


Really hoping so! 
 

Perhaps “Jar Jar’s Miraculous Return”? 
 

 

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2 hours ago, apples said:

Her arrangements are great, but I’d prefer the original versions for the two shows :)

 

The structure of the current programme very much suggests that Rey's Theme, Hedwig's Theme, and Donnybrook Fair will be the violin arrangements, no matter who ends up playing the solo part (might just be the Philharmoniker's concert master). Especially since I believe no earlier arrangement has actually had the title Donnybrook Fair.

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2 minutes ago, Modest Expectations said:

I think Luke & Leia will also be a violin & orchestra version.

 

I'd much prefer that to the oddly shortened standard concert version. The position in the current programme makes the violin version rather unlikely, because all those pieces seem to be grouped together - a dedicated soloist, if they get one, might only take part in the first half (and perhaps there's a chance of a violin encore before the intermission).

 

But who knows how often the programme will still be changed. As of now, I wouldn't count on anything.

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