JohnnyD 1,220 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 I recently re-watched Fiddler On the Roof, and I have a digital copy of the 30th anniversary soundtrack. This film adaptation is a classic. Jerry Bock's music and the songs by Bock and Sheldon Harnick are unforgettable. Maestro John Williams' adaptation and additional music are absolutely phenomenal and memorable. I immediately noticed that there is a good amount of music unreleased. Is there a chance of the Maestro's adaptation of Fiddler On the Roof getting an expanded, remastered and definitive release in the near future? Loert and Once 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,456 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Why not, if the tapes exists and are in good condition. It's only a 1970-1971 recording, that's not too old. aescalle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,384 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 I am personally not a big fan of Williams' work on this. He "over-orchestrates" the Jewish material to such an extent that there is hardly any authenticity left. It just sounds overblown to me. But the film is a decent Hollywood musical. Has some great cinematography, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnnyD 1,220 Posted September 23, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Thor said: He "over-orchestrates" the Jewish material to such an extent that there is hardly any authenticity left. It just sounds overblown to me. To each his own, but I respectfully disagree. The Maestro took Fiddler On the Roof very seriously; the attention to detail in the music pays the utmost respect to the musical and what the story represents. Normally, Fiddler On the Roof is a chamber piece, given the Broadway and stage production. However, with the film adaptation, you actually see the landscape; you have real horses with the Soviets. The grandness of the format required the musical adaptation to go from a chamber piece to an over 80 piece orchestra with a chorus. That was the challenge presented, but the Maestro accomplishes it in a way that not only enchances the music; it in someways improves upon it while at the same time remaining faithful to the piece. Having the two-disc dvd, one of the bonus features is called “John Williams: Creating a Musical Tradition”; in it, he communicates exactly this while sharing his personal connection to the project. I can’t upload it, but it is worth checking out. Loert, Once and Jurassic Shark 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Loert 2,494 Posted September 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 23, 2018 This is definitely one of my favourite works by JW and the 30th anniversary edition is definitely one of my most listened to of his albums. I hope as much music as possible from the film gets released in the future! Bespin, Jurassic Shark and Once 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,384 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 1 hour ago, JohnnyD said: To each his own, but I respectfully disagree. The Maestro took Fiddler On the Roof very seriously; the attention to detail in the music pays the utmost respect to the musical and what the story represents. Normally, Fiddler On the Roof is a chamber piece, given the Broadway and stage production. However, with the film adaptation, you actually see the landscape; you have real horses with the Soviets. The grandness of the format required the musical adaptation to go from a chamber piece to an over 80 piece orchestra with a chorus. That was the challenge presented, but the Maestro accomplishes it in a way that not only enchances the music; it in someways improves upon it while at the same time remaining faithful to the piece. Having the two-disc dvd, one of the bonus features is called “John Williams: Creating a Musical Tradition”; in it, he communicates exactly this while sharing his personal connection to the project. I can’t upload it, but it is worth checking out. Yes, I do understand the "logic" behind it. It's just that to my ears, it's all a bit too much for the particular idiom on display -- especially on album. I much prefer the Jewish explorations in stuff like SCHINDLER'S LIST or MUNICH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 11,956 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 I believe Fiddler the musical always has had an over-the-top aspect, and in that regard JWs score fits nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyD 1,220 Posted September 23, 2018 Author Share Posted September 23, 2018 3 hours ago, Thor said: I much prefer the Jewish explorations in stuff like SCHINDLER'S LIST or MUNICH. Those two scores are excellent additions of the authentic Jewish texture and tradition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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