Tonight at Tanglewood

[Dr. Know 326]

I just got back from the John Williams Film Night concert at Tanglewood. It was a beautiful evening with some 25,000 people in attendance, and JW and the Boston Pops were in top form. My wife bought us shed tickets back in June. Our seats weren't terrific, but I could see JW throughout the concert, with a little craning of my neck.

Josh Groban was ill, so the program was revised. Here is what was performed:

Williams, arr. Salute to Film Composers

--suite including Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Titanic, Star Wars, E.T., etc.

--the morons behind me, who didn't stop talking throughout this whole piece, proudly identified The Natural as Superman. I wanted to strangle them. Fortunately, they pretty much shut up after this piece.

Williams, Cowboys Overture

--great piece, lots of energy

--a few bars into the piece, Williams accidentally flung his stick into the orchestra(!); without missing a beat, he was handed another one

Williams, Selections from Far and Away (County Galway, June 1892 -- The Fighting Donellys -- Joseph and Shannon -- Blowin' Off Steam (The Fight) -- Finale)

--this was nice, but didn't come off as well as The Cowboys, and seemed a little redundant being programmed right after the other piece.

Williams, Two Concert Pieces from Angela's Ashes: Theme from Angela's Ashes -- Angela's Prayer (with Martha Babcock, solo cello). Beautifully performed.

Film Music Montage I

Star Wars--Raiders of the Lost Ark--Jaws--Superman--E.T.

--This performance was accompanied by video clips from the movies, and for the most part, JW and the orchestra played in sync to the film. The clip from E.T. included the bicycle chase, with the rifles left intact.

intermission

Williams, Theme from The Patriot, with fifes of the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums.

-- this was an excellent arrangement of The Patriot, basically the end title with another 3 or 4 minutes of additional material from elsewhere in the score. Very, very nice -- I hope it gets recorded on a future compilation.

Williams, Selections from Star Wars (Imperial March--Princess Leia's Theme--Throne Room and Finale). Throne Room was much extended from the film version.

Williams, Theme from Sabrina, with violin solo by the concertmistress whose name I didn't get. This was added to the program to make up for Groban's absence. A little weak.

Streisand/Paul Williams, "Evergreen" with Lara Fabian. Yawwwn!

Williams/Weil, "For Always" with Lara Fabian. She has a beautiful voice, but the modulation wasn't terrific. It wasn't her fault, though, it seemed to have something to do with the microphone. And she's a hottie, by the way.

Williams, Film Music Montage II: Jurassic Park -- Home Alone (scherzo) -- Star Wars: Episode II (Across the Stars) -- Hook -- Close Encounters -- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry's Wondrous World)

--again, performed with video projection. Terrific!

Encores:

--March from 1941

--JW comes out and says "In case you get home too late to see the news tonight...," then conducts The Mission/Theme from NBC News

--Stars and Stripes forever

All in all, a fabulous concert. Tomorrow is the Williams/BSO concert with Yo Yo Ma. I'll be there!

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Wow! It sounds like that was a fabulous concert! Thanks for sharing!

Ray Barnsbury

[Rogue_Leader 2]

One of these days .....

I will see JW in concert in person! MARK MY WORDS!!!

[EvanED 1]

I'll post my review of this concert and the one from today (Sunday, though within a couple minutes of Mon...) after I get my pictures back. I've got a couple that should be good if the camera worked properly. (I was using an old SLR that's falling apart for it's 135 mm lens, and I hope the part that is falling off doesn't let light leak in.)

FYI, program from today:

Sound the Bells

Cello Concerto ()

intemission

Immigration and Building (American Journey)

Heartwood

Rosewood and Pickin' for solo cello

Adventures on Earth

[Dr. Know 326]

Here is my review of the Sunday afternoon concert (August 4) :

The Sunday concert was a nice followup to the Saturday evening concert. On Sunday afternoon JW led the BSO with Yo-Yo Ma as guest soloist. It was a hot afternoon, so the orchestra members were in shirt sleeves; JW wore his classy white tux.

Sound the Bells was a nice opener. This is one of my least favorite pieces on the American Journey album, so it took me a bit by surprise. I could tell right away that the BSO was in top form, and that I was in for a spectacular afternoon.

Next came the cello concerto. JW took the microphone and first mentioned how lucky he was to be celebrating anything (this was billed as a 70th birthday concert, a swift bit of marketing although JW's birthday was back in February!) by standing on a stage in front of the BSO and the Tanglewood audience. Next, "at Yo-Yo Ma's request," he outlined the cello concerto, providing a very informative and interesting introduction to a piece that I'm sure many members of the audience found somewhat over their heads.

Ma's performance of the piece was nearly flawless, but I noted that many members of the audience were squirming in their seats during the long, slow portions of the piece.

After the intermission, JW led the BSO in a slightly ragged performance of Building and Immigration, from American Journey. I noticed a few differences in orchestration, and for the finale, he composed a new bridge to the finale of the final movement of AJ. It worked very well. This is one of my favorite scores by JW, and I was just thankful to hear it performed live.

Next, Ma returned to the stage to perform Heartwood, a gorgeous piece again beautifully performed by the soloist and the orchestra. Several birds singing away in the rafters of the shed (Tanglewood regulars) actually added to the effect of the piece!

Afterwards, Ma performed Rosewood and Pickin', two solo pieces also heard on JW's recent Sony album. JW took a seat on stage to watch and listen to Ma's amazing performances. I have a new appreciation for the solo cello pieces now that I have seen them performed live.

The concert ended with a stunning performance of Adventures on Earth, from E.T. The finale to E.T. is so rousing, that it literally lifted the audience out of their seats! What a way to end the afternoon!

[Ren 75]

i'm going to kill you all that have been to a JW concert!!!! i hate you i hate you i hate you!

j/k...you guys are great and I definitely envy you!

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

One of these days .....

I will see JW in concert in person! MARK MY WORDS!!!  

One of these days .....

I will see JW in concert in person! MARK MY WORDS!!!

FOR A FIFTH TIME!!!!

[SkyMaker 0]

i'm going to kill you all that have been to a JW concert!!!! i hate you i hate you i hate you!quote]

Ren, if anyone who has seen a Williams concert dies, this post of yours will be the evidence needed to convict you.

[Gamecube 0]

i'm going to kill you all that have been to a JW concert!!!! i hate you i hate you i hate you!

j/k...you guys are great and I definitely envy you!

I did not go to the concert, I swear!

[DarthHornPlayer 0]

I was at the TMC a few years ago and was lucky enough to meet JW after a woodwind quintet performance we had just given. He was very nice and seemed very happy to of just heard the Schoenberg wind quintet (not an easy piece to listen to!). I had him sign a program for a cousin of mine, he signed for eveyone there. There is nothing like seeing the BSO in the cool summers up in the Berkshires. I would highly suggest it to anyone who is ever in the area!

-DHP

[Rogue_Leader 2]

FOR A FIFTH TIME!!!!

ARGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

he he he

[Rogue_Leader 2]

-Rogue who wishes Barry would foul tip a ball into Hector's head.

[Dr. Know 326]

It only took 15 years, but I finally got my recording of this concert arrangement of The Patriot.