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ACROSS THE STARS - Williams / Mutter collaboration album


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1 hour ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

One neat little bit of trivia is that Alan Silvestri was in attendance with his wife in the third row or so to watch Williams. 

That is pretty cool.  I was there for a film night back in 06, where the Memoirs suite was premiered with Ma.  Spielberg was in attendance (Williams called him up to the stage during the encores too, which was fun). 

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1 hour ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

When Williams came out, he gushed quite a bit about Mutter and how wonderful she was but all he said about David Newman, who conducted the first half, was "That fucker has to work on West Side Story. I really dodged a bullet on that deal," which I thought was a rather crass and surprisingly tasteless thing for him to say. 

JW used the f-word in front an audience? Not doubting your word, but that really does seem out of character for him.

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39 minutes ago, Bayesian said:

JW used the f-word in front an audience? Not doubting your word, but that really does seem out of character for him.

 

Bad joke. I'm totally kidding. He didn't say any of that. 

 

52 minutes ago, pete said:

So Remembrances is different from the previous versions?

 

Yes. This one, for instance, ends with a brief variation of the main theme from Schindler's on the violin. 

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55 minutes ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

 

Yes. This one, for instance, ends with a brief variation of the main theme from Schindler's on the violin. 

 

Thanks.. There is a hint of the main theme at the end of the revised and slightly extended versions contained in the suite on the Tree Song CD and on the Williams on Williams CD. Could be the same arrangement. 

I was curious about Sabrina, Schindler's List, and Remembrances as they already have arrangements for solo violin and orchestra. I didn't expect him to change the Schindler's List main theme.

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Here's the program that was performed yesterday in Tanglewood:

 

 

66155492_2457654067620490_2492306291360268288_n.jpg

 

"Devil's Dance" from Witches of Eastwick was also performed by Mutter... another piece which seems nowhere to be found on the upcoming album.

 

2 hours ago, pete said:

Thanks.. There is a hint of the main theme at the end of the revised and slightly extended versions contained in the suite on the Tree Song CD and on the Williams on Williams CD. Could be the same arrangement.

 

Yes, I'm fairly sure it's the regular version as published on Hal Leonard.

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Now that is an ideal Williams program.  I am glad he was able to rearrange his schedule to conduct.

 

Regarding Devil's Dance, the violin/orchestra version was arranged for Joshua Bell years back.  So, in this case, it not being on the album is less of a big deal.

 

Was the Far and Away piece the same as the Perlman album? 

 

How was Galaxy's Edge live? 

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11 minutes ago, Tom said:

Now that is an ideal Williams program.  I am glad he was able to rearrange his schedule to conduct.

 

In what sense? Did something conflict with TROS sessions originally?

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Originally Newman was slated to conduct the whole thing.  I do not know the details on Williams participation--perhaps he just felt like he was up for it.  

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31 minutes ago, Tom said:

Originally Newman was slated to conduct the whole thing.  I do not know the details on Williams participation--perhaps he just felt like he was up for it.  

 

Interesting, makes sense. It would appear Williams is at the point where he would prefer not to commit to things far into the future, instead waiting until the event to see if he's able to conduct. Given last night's concert was scheduled right in the middle of TROS sessions, it's understandable he'd take a wait-and-see approach to conducting anything.

 

Speaking of, are we likely to have an audio recording of this concert, or are they included in that idiotic recording ban in effect since last year?

 

6 minutes ago, TownerFan said:

Williams did an arrangement of "Devil's Dance" for violin and piano for Gil Shaham several years ago. I guess that was the starting point for this new orchestral version performed yesterday, which was a premiere.

 

So it's different from any version previously recorded? I'm only familiar with the OST track and the Keith Lockhart recording, truth be told. It's a score Williams rarely revisits so it's nice to know he revisited it recently, but hugely disappointing they omitted it from the album.

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18 minutes ago, crumbs said:

So it's different from any version previously recorded? I'm only familiar with the OST track and the Keith Lockhart recording, truth be told. It's a score Williams rarely revisits so it's nice to know he revisited it recently, but hugely disappointing they omitted it from the album.

 

This is the violin/piano version arranged by JW for Shaham:

 

 

I can imagine an orchestral version being as dazzling as this one. Let's hope to have at least some description from JWFans who attended yesterday.

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1 hour ago, TownerFan said:

 

Williams did an arrangement of "Devil's Dance" for violin and piano for Gil Shaham several years ago. I guess that was the starting point for this new orchestral version performed yesterday, which was a premiere.

Yes, that one--I confused the violinists. 

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4 hours ago, Balahkay said:

Williams did not mention TROS at all?

 

He did not, unfortunately. 

 

2 hours ago, Tom said:

How was Galaxy's Edge live? 

 

Fantastic! It sounded like they maybe played it at a slightly faster speed, but that could have just been my ears playing tricks on me. 

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About Galaxy's Edge

 

Did it include the opening fanfare, and is it incorporated better than the edit in the official recording

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3 minutes ago, Falstaft said:

Don't have time to go into that much detail, but I can summarize a few things.

 

First, with the exception of the Sabrina arrangement, the two from Memoirs of a Geisha, and the Schindler's List encore, every violin arrangement was new. Even the pieces he's arranged for violin before are considerably expanded and transformed, especially the Far & Away and Witches of Eastwick scherzi. The versions of Rey's Theme and Yoda's Theme were the same as the YouTube previews that were released last week. The Hedwig's Theme arrangement is lengthier than the YouTube version, with most of the newer material coming towards the end, including a mini cadenza and some broad material for orchestra when the opening theme returns, IIRC. The treatment of Leia's theme was, as many have noted, a real revelation, even though structurally, only the opening really differs hugely from the original arrangement. Eagle-eared listeners may have noticed a very brief allusion to the Han & Leia love theme in solo horn in measure 4. Notably, the ending is quite shortened following the arrival at the big climactic B-major chord, essentially bypassing some of the accustomed woodwind material transitioning immediately to where the solo violin comes in in the original arrangement.

 

Of special interest to me, since I gave a pre-concert talk on it, was that the Across the Stars arrangement. The version premiered at Tanglewood was a slightly different, updated version compared to the YouTube version w/ A-SM that we've been listening to for a month or so now. The opening introductory passage is ever so slightly modified such that the penultimate chord is a straight G-Minor in first inversion rather than the E-halfdim from before. (Why, I cannot imagine.) More substantially, the second rotation of the Main Love theme is stated more fully before the climactic middle section, where it had sounded clipped and developmental before. There may have been a few more spots with alterations, but those are the two big ones I noticed. It's a *big* improvement for an already stellar reimagining of this theme.

 

Galaxy's edge was basically the same as the commercially released suite, including the presence of the opening fanfare. The one big difference is the trimming of everything from 3:18-3:38, for brevity's sake I guess.

 

Amazing concert!

How did your talk go?  Was Mutter involved in any capacity? 

 

I am excited to hear the Far and Away and Dracula pieces.  Those scores need to be in more concert programs--maybe the new arrangements will be part of a revival of sorts. 

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8 minutes ago, Falstaft said:

 

 

Galaxy's edge was basically the same as the commercially released suite, including the presence of the opening fanfare. The one big difference is the trimming of everything from

 yes but did Williams re-write the opening to include the  fanfare in a way that sounds less edited in?

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5 minutes ago, Tom said:

How did your talk go?  Was Mutter involved in any capacity? 

 

Really well, thanks! Alas, no Mutter or Williams -- we could hear them off in the distance rehearsing! Unfortunately, the talk wasn't publicized all that well, but Jack Sullivan (the other speaker) and I still had a great crowd.

 

1 minute ago, King Mark said:

 yes but did Williams re-write the opening to include the  fanfare in a way that sounds less edited in?

 

I'm not sure what you mean, it's identical to the commercial recording -- big swell on Bb for two measures, then four measures of the lydian fanfare, followed by the main theme. No re-writes or edits that I can discern.

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The violin project seems to have rejuvenated Williams--he seems genuinely thrilled to be part of all of this.  I am glad it has worked out so well for both of them (and for us fans as well). 

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21 minutes ago, Tom said:

The violin project seems to have rejuvenated Williams--he seems genuinely thrilled to be part of all of this.  I am glad it has worked out so well for both of them (and for us fans as well). 

 

People say this about everything he does. I’m starting to get the feeling the guy might just really enjoy writing music.

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3 minutes ago, lairdo said:

I loved after The Duel from Tintin that she and Williams sort of shadow sword fought - baton vs. bow

 

!!

We need video of this...

 

 

Nice reports so far from everyone who attended!

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8 minutes ago, Jay said:

We need video of this...

 

 

Exactly. So, the million dollar question: Did any of the lucky ones who were at this concert accidentally notice any cameras that recorded the whole event? I know it's unlikely, but it would be very nice. :)

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8 minutes ago, Pawel P. said:

 

Exactly. So, the million dollar question: Did any of the lucky ones who were at this concert accidentally notice any cameras that recorded the whole event? I know it's unlikely, but it would be very nice. :)

 

Interestingly enough, I did see a guy with a large industrial-level camera and light standing in the backstage area just off the stage when the concert ended. No idea what that means - I didn’t see any filming notices anywhere - but they at least filmed something backstage after.

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2 minutes ago, Pawel P. said:

 

Exactly. So, the million dollar question: Did any of the lucky ones who were at this concert accidentally notice any cameras that recorded the whole event? I know it's unlikely, but it would be very nice. :)

 

There were a few built in cameras that they seem to have at Tanglewood (I saw one to the left of the orchestra, and other at the back of the Shed behind the percussion). I think (but did not see it) that they were showing a live video on the big screens that are behind the Shed so that people on the lawn could see what was going on. Thus, I would guess there was video made - but I doubt it will be released - there were not cameras on the platforms in the audience area where I think those go for produced shows. Someone who has been there before can probably comment on that. This recording would be more serviceable than something actually directed (such as the Bernstein concert last year, for example).

 

I was hoping - wrongly - that they would replay the concert on Live from Tanglewood last night on Classical WCRB radio so we would get audio. However, they aired a concert from last year instead. I suspect rights issues and wanting to keep these performances for the CD release kept that from happening. As a counter example, Saturday night's BSO show was broadcast live. But maybe after the CD comes out, WCRB will air this concert at some point in the future. 

 

The usher in my aisle kept shooing my wife and I (and others) from even taking photos - and that was just during the bows! So, someone told the ushers to be vigilant I guess. I thought about trying to clandestinely record some of the show, but I really wanted to focus on the experience and not technology. So, alas, only have echoes in my head, but happy I was so engaged with the show. Others may have been more adventurous. 

Just now, rpvee said:

 

Interestingly enough, I did see a guy with a large industrial-level camera and light standing in the backstage area just off the stage when the concert ended. No idea what that means - I didn’t see any filming notices anywhere - but they at least filmed something backstage after.

 

I saw that person too. I suspect b-roll footage to support the album launch and maybe also promote the German concert in September.

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Yes, there was a guy with a camera on a tripod, sitting on platform about halfway back, who seemed to be filming the whole time. Cameras could also be seen filming from the stage door whenever Mutter or Williams entered or exited the stage. It seems like too much to hope for that we'd get video of the whole thing, but maybe they're planning to at least use excerpts for future promo?

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I'm slowly starting to lose hope for Williams' concert on blu-ray. The one from a few years ago, conducted by Dudamel, was really fantastic, but I would love to see Maestro in action on the podium longer than just during The Imperial March encore or during the performance of Highwood Ghost at last year's concert for Bernstein.

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4 minutes ago, Mari said:

 

It’s always so wonderful to read humblebrag social media posts like these! Nothing gladdens my heart like reading about other people having experiences the vast majority of us can never hope to enjoy. So happy for Steve! 🤨 

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For God's sake, did Williams update the audience on the next STAR WARS film score he writing and recording these days? It's that woman.. Mutter, she has done something to him! 🤣

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