Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Which is yours..?

Lately I'm listening a lot to the one Williams recorded for ROTJ. Might be my pick.

Posted

I always had a soft spot for take 1 of the original SW (or was it take 16?). So different than all the others. Raw and imperfect, but I like it.

Karol

Posted

I always had a soft spot for take 1 of the original SW (or was it take 16?). So different than all the others. Raw and imperfect, but I like it.

Karol

I like the way it opens

Posted

the original is the best, all others pale

Posted

The Gerhardt recording.

The Gerhart/NPO version from Star Wars/CE3K.

The definitive version!

You were faster and more eloquent. I agree 100%.

Posted

The Gerhart/NPO version from Star Wars/CE3K.

The definitive version!

I have the CD. I'll listen to it later.

Any opinions on the Zubin Metha recording..? I love that album. His recording of 'The Battle'... Awesome.

Posted

Any opinions on the Zubin Metha recording..? I love that album. His recording of 'The Battle'... Awesome.

I've only played it once so far. I found most of it very good... but every once in a while he takes a minor tempo variation and exaggerates it to breakneck speed (like before the reprise of the main theme in the main titles), which somewhat ruins the performance. Sounds like a circus at times.

Posted

My favorite is probably tied the TESB one as well as the Phantom Menace/ prequel one.

You should definetly check out the Main Title from the Sommernachtskonzert 2010 by the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra which is fantastic!

Posted

They're all exactly the same.

I'm more interested in which version of the Fox Fanfare w/Extension people prefer.

Posted

That was 6 years ago!

Karol

Seems like yesterday

I don't really have any true favorite on this.

Posted

They're all exactly the same.

Fail! All Main Titles from the original Star Wars scores are different in instrumentation. Only the Prequel scores are exactly the same and uses the orchestration from The Empire Strikes Back.

Posted

I love the control and slickness of the prequel recordings. The OT ones seem a little less restrained and a little more powerful, which I think fits the scores and provides a pleasant alternative to the prequels.

Posted
I'm more interested in which version of the Fox Fanfare w/Extension people prefer.

Williams 1980 from the Empire recording sessions. This is the definitive version.

Posted

Each of the original trilogy was recorded separately. The prequels all use the same recording up to the departure point after the rolling plot synopsis setup.

I still love the original, none of the others are quite as dynamic and edgy. RotJ comes close, but without that first explosion, it doesn't quite make it.

Posted

The problem with the Star Wars version is the percussion comes in early (or the winds late).

Posted

To those who favor the Gerhart/NPO recording (from Star Wars/CE3K album): What is appealing about it?

Posted
I'm more interested in which version of the Fox Fanfare w/Extension people prefer.

Williams 1980 from the Empire recording sessions. This is the definitive version.

Indeed. Though the subtleties of the Clones digital-presentation version (as shown in the Southeast Asia market) are hard to deny.

Posted

You should definetly check out the Main Title from the Sommernachtskonzert 2010 by the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra which is fantastic!

Yes..! It's like hearing the piece for the first time and seeing over 100,000 people attending on that location is stunning in itself.

Posted

That whole concert (or what I've seen of it) consisted of stellar performances.

Posted

http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/B0000029UD

This one. The LSO here is more balanced and the recording & mixing is on point.

I have to agree. This is definitely one of my favourite perfromances of the theme.
Posted

After all these years, I must say, I'm sorta tired of the theme

Posted

You should definetly check out the Main Title from the Sommernachtskonzert 2010 by the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra which is fantastic!

Yes..! It's like hearing the piece for the first time and seeing over 100,000 people attending on that location is stunning in itself.

Interesting, the orchestra seems to have trouble keeping pace... it's slowed down about 20 clicks by the time they get to the bridge.... odd for Vienna....

Posted

I have to agree the 1995 "Hollywood Sound" LSO recording is probably the best, though the snare is just slightly too long and loud at the very end.

As for the prequels, the recording is identical, but has anyone else noticed the difference in mixing? The harp comes out much better in Episode III in the introduction.

Posted

To those who favor the Gerhart/NPO recording (from Star Wars/CE3K album): What is appealing about it?

The musical flow. Williams is a great film conductor, and probably a good concert conductor, but none of his own recordings are as free-flowing as Gerhardts (very few film music recordings are). The Gerhardt recording has a sweeping broadness that still makes me feel 20 years younger, even though I've probably listened to it hundreds of times.

Posted

I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to Williams, and soundtracks in general. Re-recordings have never really been my thing, and I have to confess I've never heard the Gerhardt recordings...though obviously I've heard good things about them over the years. Just never got around to it.

Are they (the Star Wars ones) that good?

Posted

They are the only way to get concert versions of some scores (which can be better than the soundtracks on some occasions)

Posted

Either Jedi or one of the takes on the Star Wars IV Special Edition. I prefer the "classic" sound so I give my vote to the take where the Triangel dominates at the beginning (I'm too lazy now to find out the right take).

Posted

of all the star wars releases I still play my 2 disc RSO Star Wars cd(or mp3s' of said album) the most.

Posted

I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to Williams, and soundtracks in general. Re-recordings have never really been my thing, and I have to confess I've never heard the Gerhardt recordings...though obviously I've heard good things about them over the years. Just never got around to it.

Are they (the Star Wars ones) that good?

They're all that good. Except for ESB, in my opinion. Some swear by it, but I find the interpretation, the performance, and the sonics all off. It was made by a different production team than the Classic Film Scores series, and with the different orchestra (LSO instead of NPO), so that may partly explain the differences.

But all the rest is outstanding. Gerhardt's Korngold is second to none. His Herrmann is fantastic. And his Star Wars and CE3K are near definitive recordings to me. Partly perhaps because that's how I first heard this music, but I'm convinced it's the quality of the music making that is the main factor, even if the orchestra is not always perfect.

It was Gerhardt who convinced Williams to include Here They Come in the suite, by the way. And while his recording is a tad slower than the OST version it's still much faster and more energetic than Williams' own Skywalker Symphony recording, and better played than the LSO recording.

Posted

Interesting. What made me think it was the LSO for years? Poor performance than the NPO, not the LSO, then.

I believe though that it wasn't recorded at Kingsway Hall, like the other Classic Film Scores recordings. Might at least explain the sound.

Posted

Interesting. What made me think it was the LSO for years? Poor performance than the NPO, not the LSO, then.

I believe though that it wasn't recorded at Kingsway Hall, like the other Classic Film Scores recordings. Might at least explain the sound.

Since you were completely wrong about the orchestra, is it reasonable to assume you could be equally off about basically anything you say regarding Gerhardt's ESB recording..? ;)

For the record: Gerhardt's ESB is one of my favorite albums of all time. It made me a John Williams fan exactly 20 years ago this month. :)

Posted
I believe though that it wasn't recorded at Kingsway Hall, like the other Classic Film Scores recordings. Might at least explain the sound.

Before you are compelled to hand over your John Williams badge and surrender your piece, you are right about that Marian. It was recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall in east London with a different engineer.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.