The Psycho Pianist 216 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Now I can't be completely sure of this, but certainly excepting only a couple of occasions, there is no video evidence of him ever performing any piece from Harry Potter in one of his concerts. One exception was the Boston Pops performance of TPS in 2002/3. He also performed a few pieces with the Orlando Symphony for the opening of the Wizarding World of HP at Islands of Adventure in 2010. Aside from those though, he never seems to have scheduled any pieces from any of the three films in any of the concerts he conducts. Which is very odd considering some of his finest thematic work is contained within those three films. Does he dislike the scores? It certainly can't be down to popularity, because especially amongst the younger generation Harry Potter is one of his most prominent scores.Just a question I've long pondered, wondered if anyone could shed any light on it here. Perhaps there is just no recorded footage of it and he has performed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,903 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Wrong. He conducted the crazy bus and the Harry's Wondrous World frequently. The audience loved it. He even did something for winds only. I was there. It was excellent and inspiring. Your question might be why doesn't he do it more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamsStarShip2282 308 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 There have been very few concerts since the first one came out where he hasn't played atleast one piece from harry potter. He even had an all harry potter program at tanglewood once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricard 2,242 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Williams conducts the Harry Potter suite at least 3 or 4 times every year. Yoy may want to take a look at this site's Concert Reviews section for specific performances.http://www.jwfan.com/?page_id=2422 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,639 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Wrong. He conducted the crazy bus and the Harry's Wondrous World frequently. The audience loved it. He even did something for winds only. I was there. It was excellent and inspiring. Your question might be why doesn't he do it more often.??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6SerR3oHNE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Psycho Pianist 216 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 OK, yes I'm wrong. Basing my question off of lack of recordings of the performances rather than looking at the actual programmes.Still odd that he never performs any themes from CoS or PoA though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,232 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Wrong. He conducted the crazy bus and the Harry's Wondrous World frequently. The audience loved it. He even did something for winds only. I was there. It was excellent and inspiring. Your question might be why doesn't he do it more often.??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6SerR3oHNED.W. loved that damn song. Not Mr. Big 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Wha????I've seen John Williams live every year in Boston from 2007 to 2014 and I think he did a Harry Potter piece (or more) every one of those years, at least that what it feels like! And I've certainly heard him conduct the signature pieces from all three of his HP scores.No clue in the world why you would think he doesn't perform HP music frequently! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,272 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 OK, yes I'm wrong. Basing my question off of lack of recordings of the performances rather than looking at the actual programmes.Still odd that he never performs any themes from CoS or PoA though.I think he used to do the Potter sequels more when the series was still going. He did a "grand suite" featuring like an hour of music from all 3 films in Boston and at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago. Probably lately his concerts have just been more Spielberg/Star Wars focused with the new films and scores, so maybe he just goes with Hedwig's Theme or Harry's Wondrous World to get Potter in there, but I know he's also done suites of three pieces which have included Fawkes the Phoenix or Aunt Marge's Waltz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 What a silly thread! The Psycho Pianist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 The big question is -- why does John Williams never perform anything from JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME? It's an outrage, I tell ya. An OUTRAGE! indy4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,713 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 The big question is -- why does John Williams never perform anything from JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME? It's an outrage, I tell ya. An OUTRAGE!Or any of his 1960s comedy scores for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 The big question is -- why does John Williams never perform anything from JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME? It's an outrage, I tell ya. An OUTRAGE!Or any of his 1960s comedy scores for that matter.True, but it was intended more tongue-in-cheek, as GOLDFARB is arguably the lousiest score Williams ever wrote (for the lousiest movie). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Psycho Pianist 216 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 I fear my lack of knowledge about Williams' concert schedules has made me look rather foolish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Don't worry about it, its all good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstrox 6,643 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 How come John Williams never conducts anything from Star Wars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 389 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 How come John Williams never conducts anything from Star Wars?Bad for his back. Omen II and Ricard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I want him to play more Family Plot but with his bad back he'll be there very shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,475 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm currently listening to the BSO.org recording of the 2014-06-21 Film Night and JW plays Wondrous World from HP :-)BTW a thing I want to do since a long time, is to list all the official BSO live recordings of John Williams concerts they have published on their concert channel.Maybe we could create a new thread just for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,172 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 What a silly thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 2,037 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I saw Hedwig's Theme at the Hollywood Bowl a year or two ago...great fun! Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Now you got that Tapatalk stinger too?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrScratch 294 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I don't think he ever performs anything from Superman anymore. He didn't at the 2003 and 2014 concerts I attended, and I've never seen it mentioned in any of the concert reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 He performed it when I saw him at The Hollywood Bowl in LA last summer! In fact, it was really annoying because half the audience took our their lightsabers when it started! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,272 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Is there anything that would qualify for this thread? Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,633 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Is there anything that would qualify for this thread? Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time? Perhaps JFK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,475 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 First, we need a website that will list all the setlists of the known concerts.I AM NOT GOING DO TO THAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBoal 7,538 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 YES YOU ARE! Bespin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 155 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Is there anything that would qualify for this thread? Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time? Perhaps JFK?Duel of the fates? Theme from JP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,272 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Well, Duel of the Fates also needs chorus so that would probably explain why he doesn't do that one so much. Does he really not perform JP that often? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I've heard him do JP multiple times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Is there anything that would qualify for this thread? Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time? Perhaps JFK?Yeah, that's one. I'm trying to think of others. If you take 1980 as the starting point (since that is when he took over the Pops and started doing more concerts with his own music), surely there must have been other "regulars" that were more current at the time, but which have since dropped (more or less) over the years?What about EMPIRE OF THE SUN? ALWAYS? BOT4OJ? SABRINA? SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET?If memory serves, these popped up in concerts back in the day, but rarely anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBoal 7,538 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 What about EMPIRE OF THE SUN? ALWAYS? BOT4OJ? SABRINA? SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET?Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time?I'm not sure the films/scores you mentioned would qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I just saw him perform Empire of the Sun last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 What about EMPIRE OF THE SUN? ALWAYS? BOT4OJ? SABRINA? SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET?Something relatively popular that he used to perform a lot but has dropped it over time?I'm not sure the films/scores you mentioned would qualify.All I know is that I've seen them listed in earlier concert programs, but not that much anymore -- except maybe EMPIRE, as Jay mentions. It has less to do with the popularity of the films, and more to do with how well Williams likes them. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA was not a terribly popular film, but it often makes its rounds in concerts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 A more pertinent question would be why doesn't Williams ever perform Parade of the Slave Children or Can You Read My Mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Yeah, he doesn't seem too hot on TEMPLE OF DOOM or even LAST CRUSADE (except the 'train' sequence, which he has sometimes performed to picture). If he plays any INDY, it's just the theme and Marion's theme. Why he doesn't tire of them, I don't know. Or perhaps he's just catering to popular demand, but one would think he would sneak a personal favourite in there occasionally. How great wouldn't it be if he perfomed something from, say, JANE EYRE once in a while? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBoal 7,538 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Cue in LeBlanc saying "Just saw him perform To Thornfield last year!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Can't recall if I've seen him do a Jane Eyre piece or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Yeah, he doesn't seem too hot on TEMPLE OF DOOM or even LAST CRUSADE (except the 'train' sequence, which he has sometimes performed to picture). If he plays any INDY, it's just the theme and Marion's theme. Why he doesn't tire of them, I don't know. Or perhaps he's just catering to popular demand, but one would think he would sneak a personal favourite in there occasionally. How great wouldn't it be if he perfomed something from, say, JANE EYRE once in a while?He conducted the Scherzo from Last Crusade quite a few times in recent years.As to why he doesn't perform more often some pieces from his repertoire--well, his repertoire is now very big and vast and different, so it's kind of normal some works have less chances to be performed live. There are a few things that are unavoidable (Imperial March, Flying, Raiders March, Star Wars Main Title), mostly because the majority of the audience really wants to see and hear him conducting those signature pieces exactly. And I guess he somehow still enjoys it too! I mean, when you hear people cheering and applauding at the very beginning of the piece--how anyone could be tired of that? Williams is still fond of all the works that brought him success and popularity, but more than that, he's ready to acknowledge what they meant (and still mean) to his career. You'll never see or hear him going blasé about it.However, it seems to me he likes to sneak in some lesser-known works quite frequently in concert, like Jane Eyre, Far and Away, The Reivers or even The Cowboys. He conducted the theme from Dracula as well at least two or three times in recent years. I was very surprised when he performed The Accidental Tourist as an encore in Chicago in 2007 (and when I told him after the concert I truly loved it, he looked at me and asked: "Oh, did you like it?"--one of the most priceless moment of my entire life). So, it's really up to him and what goes in his mind when he sits down to think about the program and what he'd like to perform with the orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I'd love to see a John Williams concert TOTALLY free of STAR WARS and HARRY POTTER and INDIANA JONES and what-have-you. A guy can dream, can't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Their themes, absolutely. But I'd have him replace them with the finest underscore moments from those films. Cues he NEVER plays, which are some of the greatest writing he's ever done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 True, secondary themes and 'setpieces' (which are often superior to the major themes) would be a great treat. But a concert of just the small stuff would be a dream come true. And I'm not only talking about the old stuff that I obsess over, but stuff in the last 30 years too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Last nights concerts had the Barrel Chase cue from Jaws, that's pretty rare right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yeah, that's not a piece performed often, even though he did it a few times over the years. Was it performed live to picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yes it was. I have some clips that i will post once im on better wifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 What surprised me about that, was that they left the audio uncensored; they didn't bleep or blank out the "shit"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 2,833 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I went to a Spielberg/Williams LSO concert a couple of years ago and they played excerpts from Schindler's List and War of the Worlds as well as "Jim's New Life" from Empire of the Sun. I know JW wasn't conducting but it was still odd to hear some of those performed live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Last nights concerts had the Barrel Chase cue from Jaws, that's pretty rare right?I suppose it's uncommon. I've heard that performed live at Tanglewood, with "shit" edited, but the real JW conducting.Anyway, the reason JW never performs Harry Potter is because he realized Frederic Lemon composed the superior Harry Potter score. Arpy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Arpy 4,145 Posted August 24, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 24, 2015 JW realized that Hedwig's Theme didn't convey how 'love can overcome all things'. He probably didn't score the rest of the series because he knew Frederic Lemonhead would expose him for the fraudulent composer he really is! Gruesome Son of a Bitch, Incanus and Not Mr. Big 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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