Escapades for Alto Sax and Orchestra

[TJH132 48]

Anyone catch Branford Marsalis and the Eugene Symphony perform this last night? Work kept me away, unfortunately; it's one of my favorite pieces.

TJH

[A24 4,334]

No but thanks to this post I discovered the Dan Higgins version. Am I a bit late? Why did nobody tell me?

[Incanus 5,715]

You should pay more attention to JWs music Alex! The suite has been re-recorded at least by Branford Marsalis and North Carolina Symphony and by Amy Dickson and Melbourne Symphony.

[Stempel 136]

.....and by Jan Schulte-Bunert with Neue Philharmonie Westfalen.

[Incanus 5,715]

Cool! The more the merrier!

I think it also has been quite frequently performed in concerts by the orchestras around the world.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

I've heard it played a bit all over the world, thanks to web streaming.

There is also a disc by a Japanese saxophonist featuring the piano reduced version.

[Incanus 5,715]

And I think a saxophone quartet if I remember correctly. At least of the Closing In movement.

[indy4 155]

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Perhaps because the original score/album recordings of these pieces are impeccable, I can't really stand listening to these versions.

[indy4 155]

^i agree. I have yet to hear a performance/mixing better than the one on the OST

[Thor 7,504]

I love the fact that this has become a concert piece staple. As everyone knows, the genius about the composition is that Williams wrote every note to "sound" improvised in Dan Higgins' performance. So you have the choice to follow that slavically in concerts, or add improvisation on top.

[igger6 894]

"In Soviet Russia, music slavically follows YOU!"

[Hlao-roo 389]

I love the fact that this has become a concert piece staple. As everyone knows, the genius about the composition is that Williams wrote every note to "sound" improvised in Dan Higgins' performance. So you have the choice to follow that slavically in concerts, or add improvisation on top.

Have there been many Slavic takes on the Escapades piece? Would be interesting to hear.

[TownerFan 4,983]

^i agree. I have yet to hear a performance/mixing better than the one on the OST

I did. In Chicago, on November 2007, with JW conducting the Chicago Symphony and Dan Higgins at the alto sax. It was glorious.

I sincerely hope one day the CSO will dig out recordings from those series of concerts he did in '07, which I had the immense joy and luck to attend (not to mention I managed to get a picture with the Maestro at the end )

[Incanus 5,715]

^i agree. I have yet to hear a performance/mixing better than the one on the OST

The Jurassic Park syndrome.

[A24 4,334]

A kind of intimacy is missing from the suites. The suites sound more Hollywood Bowl.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

What the difference between the Hollywood Bowl sound and the Boston Pops sound?

[A24 4,334]

Not so much.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

Escapades have certainly reached a higher status than the film, if you ask me.

[Incanus 5,715]

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

Escapades have certainly reached a higher status than the film, if you ask me.

Certainly if you look it at the point of view of how well it has been welcomed to concert halls around the world. I don't know how much it has been ingrained into the public consciousness though.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

^i agree. I have yet to hear a performance/mixing better than the one on the OST

I do not. For example, the Marsalis recording on Bis records is just amazing sound wise. And as for performance, people around here have an obvious problem with new recorded performances, attaching themselves too much to the soundtrack recording.

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

Escapades have certainly reached a higher status than the film, if you ask me.

Certainly if you look it at the point of view of how well it has been welcomed to concert halls around the world. I don't know how much it has been ingrained into the public consciousness though.

I'm not interested in the public consciousness, who call a piece of classic music, "song". If we go that way, how many pieces of music have reached that status? "Star Wars" main title, The Imperial March, Indy's theme, Schindler's List? Not many more on the Williams canon... And if one goes classical, everyone can hum the opening of Beethoven's 5th or his Ode to Joy from the 9th, but how many, can claim to know the works from start to finish? This is stuff that in the end can only be measured by it's acceptance in the concert hall, where it belongs, not just on my (or yours) CD players. New performances there is what makes the music stay alive and, in a way, validates its existence.

Just my two cents... feel free to disagree, I know many will

[A24 4,334]

Or ... you don't hear the increased Hollywood Bowl factor, Miguel. For all we know, this might be the reason why you think the suite is better than the OST.

[Incanus 5,715]

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

Escapades have certainly reached a higher status than the film, if you ask me.

Certainly if you look it at the point of view of how well it has been welcomed to concert halls around the world. I don't know how much it has been ingrained into the public consciousness though.

I'm not interested in the public consciousness, who call a piece of classic music, "song". If we go that way, how many pieces of music have reached that status? "Star Wars" main title, The Imperial March, Indy's theme, Schindler's List? Not many more on the Williams canon... And if one goes classical, everyone can hum the opening of Beethoven's 5th or his Ode to Joy from the 9th, but how many, can claim to know the works from start to finish? This is stuff that in the end can only be measured by it's acceptance in the concert hall, where it belongs, not just on my (or yours) CD players. New performances there is what makes the music stay alive and, in a way, validates its existence.

Just my two cents... feel free to disagree, I know many will .

I certainly would dispute that concert hall is the venue that decides the longevity or importance of a piece of music in this day and age. That goes a bit too much by the way of classical elitism for my tastes. What is remembered or stays in the public consciousness (yes even of the musicians who perform the music in these concert halls) is one way or the other iconic. By "concert hall acceptance" most of Williams's work (nor of many others) is not alive at all. I am all for performances of Williams's works in the concert hall and am open to new interpretations as it does keep the music alive and current and topical and in part in the consciousness of the public but I don't think its vitality is hanging by the thread of concert hall performances alone. As long as this music is listened in one form or the other it is remembered and alive. If new generations of music makers want to add their spin to it I am all for it as I am always interested in hearing another point of view to a well known (or not so well known) piece.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Or ... you don't hear the increased Hollywood Bowl factor, Miguel. For all we know, this might be the reason why you think the suite is better than the OST.

I hate fireworks.

This score really has all the ingredients of being a hyper iconic one, with the same level of cultural recognition as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. I think if the film was more popular (not to say it isn't loved), the score might be more iconic

Escapades have certainly reached a higher status than the film, if you ask me.

Certainly if you look it at the point of view of how well it has been welcomed to concert halls around the world. I don't know how much it has been ingrained into the public consciousness though.

I'm not interested in the public consciousness, who call a piece of classic music, "song". If we go that way, how many pieces of music have reached that status? "Star Wars" main title, The Imperial March, Indy's theme, Schindler's List? Not many more on the Williams canon... And if one goes classical, everyone can hum the opening of Beethoven's 5th or his Ode to Joy from the 9th, but how many, can claim to know the works from start to finish? This is stuff that in the end can only be measured by it's acceptance in the concert hall, where it belongs, not just on my (or yours) CD players. New performances there is what makes the music stay alive and, in a way, validates its existence.

Just my two cents... feel free to disagree, I know many will .

I certainly would dispute that concert hall is the venue that decides the longevity or importance of a piece of music in this day and age. That goes a bit too much by the way of classical elitism for my tastes. What is remembered or stays in the public consciousness (yes even of the musicians who perform the music in these concert halls) is one way or the other iconic. By "concert hall acceptance" most of Williams's work (nor of many others) is not alive at all. I am all for performances of Williams's works in the concert hall and am open to new interpretations as it does keep the music alive and current and topical and in part in the consciousness of the public but I don't think its vitality is hanging by the thread of concert hall performances alone. As long as this music is listened in one form or the other it is remembered and alive. If new generations of music makers want to add their spin to it I am all for it as I am always interested in hearing another point of view to a well known (or not so well known) piece.

Music is alive if it is still performed. I agree that often it stays alive through recordings, as there might be little demand for some works to be performed often, or because it's cost prohibitive to perform some works more often. Still, I have to disagree with you that Williams music isn't alive by that it's not performed in concert halls... as you very well know, I spend countless hours of my free time (and sleep time) recording concerts broadcast from all over the world, and every month I record several featuring Williams music. And through the search process of finding new broadcasts, I always discover new performances that weren't subject to broadcast, sadly many more than the ones that were. While this is an isolated case, as I really can't think of any other composer with a Hollywood background being so often performed, Williams music is all over, either excerpts from his most public acknowledged film scores, or his concert works. Even in this little country of Portugal, I attended a recital late last month that included the theme from "Schindler's List" and will attend another with music from "Star Wars" in less than a month. I know of a couple of fellows who want to add to their repertoire "Rounds", as soon as the score is published... In the spring several Williams pieces will be performed in a music festival in Lisbon. Contemporary composers always had to battle for acceptance, and we continue to see ensembles of any size and type programing the classical repertoire more often than their contemporary counterparts, but Williams music is doing well in that respect, if you ask me.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Williams is probably the most-performed film composer in concert hall venues around the world. We've finally come to a time where the critical bias toward him and his music is vanishing rapidly. Regular concertgoers enjoy listening JW music performed live and symphony orchestras love to play it. Of course his most popular film repertoire is what ends up being performed more often, maybe overshadowing some of his lesser-known (but nonetheless concert-worthy) film scores and concert music. However, I wouldn't look at this as a negative thing per se. It has more to do with familarity with the repertoire. The same happens toward many classical composers' lesser-known works. Modern orchestras are aware that some repertoire is an easier sell.

The "Escapades" from CMIYC are a good example of reworking what is likely a score less remembered among the general audience than Star Wars or E.T. and giving it a new life in the concert hall. IMHO Williams succeeded beautifully and it's likely this mini-concerto will be performed in years to come even when the memory of the film itself will be much more faint.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

The "Escapades" from CMIYC are a good example of reworking what is likely a score less remembered among the general audience than Star Wars or E.T. and giving it a new life in the concert hall. IMHO Williams succeeded beautifully and it's likely this mini-concerto will be performed in years to come even when the memory of the film itself will be much more faint.

My exact opinion. While I deeply love this film, and is probably one of my most watched Spielberg film, I do feel that the music -- in the concert like for of Escapades -- will out live it.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

Yeah, pretty much every time that I've ever seen Catch Me If You Can mentioned in reviews or film articles/discussions, it's almost always in reference to the opening titles with Williams' music, which I think is now generally considered one of the all-time great credit sequences. I think it might gain a reputation somewhat like The Mission or The Magnificent Seven in that sense, where the music became those films' primary legacies.

That said, I do think that there is still a lot of affection out there for the film itself. It won't ever be held with the same reverence as Spielberg's masterpieces, but it's pretty popular with audiences. It's not an iconic film but it's a breeze to watch and I've noticed that it's only ever talked about positively anymore when it's brought up. Aside from maybe overlength, it doesn't really have any glaring flaws...it's fun, sweet, dramatic but not heavy, and terribly charming, and I think the fact that it features two highly memorable star turns from Hanks and DiCaprio -- both of whom people obviously just love and they'll likely both be viewed as legendary movie stars years from now -- will keep people going back to it. I think it's circling in on a sort of "underappreciated gem" territory, which is a good place for it.

[Incanus 5,715]

The "Escapades" from CMIYC are a good example of reworking what is likely a score less remembered among the general audience than Star Wars or E.T. and giving it a new life in the concert hall. IMHO Williams succeeded beautifully and it's likely this mini-concerto will be performed in years to come even when the memory of the film itself will be much more faint.

My exact opinion. While I deeply love this film, and is probably one of my most watched Spielberg film, I do feel that the music -- in the concert like for of Escapades -- will out live it.

You get no arguments from me on this.

[TJH132 48]

You should pay more attention to JWs music Alex! The suite has been re-recorded at least by Branford Marsalis and North Carolina Symphony and by Amy Dickson and Melbourne Symphony.

The Marsalis recording was news to me! Found it as a digital download at presto classical.co.UK. Only $3 and worth every penny!