"Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra" - new Williams concert work debuting July 1 2014

[indy4 155]

Nice!!!

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

It's a freaky piece. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I wonder if Williams writes his concert pieces to sound as far away from his film music on purpose

He doesn't. They usually sound exactly like his scores, just without a picture for you to associate it with.

I like it!

[indy4 155]

Thanks Lester!!!

It's a freaky piece. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I wonder if Williams writes his concert pieces to sound as far away from his film music on purpose

He doesn't. They usually sound exactly like his scores, just without a picture for you to associate it with.

I like it!

Really? I wouldn't say they sound exactly like his film musci. His sense of style is certainly strong enough that you can tell that the same composer wrote it. But I think there are some pretty significant differences as well.

[King Mark 3,625]

Sorry, a lot of his concert pieces sound NOTHING like his film music (only the celebratory fanfares sound like his film music)

Thanks Lester!!!

His sense of style is certainly strong enough that you can tell that the same composer wrote it.

I don't think I could guess JW wrote this if I wasn't told before

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Thanks Lester!!!

It's a freaky piece. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I wonder if Williams writes his concert pieces to sound as far away from his film music on purpose

He doesn't. They usually sound exactly like his scores, just without a picture for you to associate it with.

I like it!

Really? I wouldn't say they sound exactly like his film musci. His sense of style is certainly strong enough that you can tell that the same composer wrote it. But I think there are some pretty significant differences as well.

Pretty much only in form, not the music itself.

[King Mark 3,625]

Well, maybe, but I don't read sheet music so just by listening it's harder

[Incanus 5,713]

Sounds awesome! Vintage stuff. Reminds me of the Cello Concerto in its orchestral sections, which is not a faint praise. There is great playfulness here as well.

[wdb408 3]

I don't know; his concert music sounds noticeably different from his film music (primarily his extended exploration of atonality), but all the Williams orchestration hallmarks are still there. I think it's especially telling in the glockenspiel, most of all. I've not really ever heard another composer use the bells in the same way Williams does, as much as he does. Sort of a "twinkly" effect.

[King Mark 3,625]

If you look at the effect is has on a crowd, it seems more like polite applauses than the usual wild cheering after he plays Raider March

i dunno. maybe it's just me, but I think his concert pieces are very schizophrenic when compared to his film music

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Yeah. It's shit, isn't it, and they know it.

[King Mark 3,625]

I never said it's crap, I said it's very different and doesn't have the same effect

I heard the Horn Concerto live by the MSO a few years ago and the crowd didn't know how to react to it

[Incanus 5,713]

I think the biggest difference between the concert hall output and film output of Williams is that he is not tied to images or largely the conventions of film music when he writes freely or with a particular artist in mind. These works also shift focus from providing mere hummable tunes to exploration of the instrument's and soloist's capabilities. It is music where the composer can also freely explore musical ideas, sonorities and possibilities that strict film music would not allow. He is quite consciously writing away from the style of his film assignments I think. You can hear this in the way he writes his big public fanfares compared to the concertos for example. Different venue, different approach. Williams' concert hall works are still eminently accessible with melodicism and the same craftsmanship as his film music but I think you shouldn't try to listen to them with the expectation of a nice 5 minute toe tapping tune and variations. It is like trying to fit all his work into a single mold which subsequently will only offer disappointment.

I never said it's crap, I said it's very different and doesn't have the same effect

I heard the Horn Concerto live by the MSO a few years ago and the crowd didn't know how to react to it

Usually you clap your hands when a piece ends as an appreciation of the music, the performance and the players, no matter the music. But I guess the audience was firmly set in "John Williams the film composer" mode that they were thunderstruck to experience something different from Parade of the Ewoks.

[King Mark 3,625]

it seemed that way

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

Thank you so much for sharing this recording! It's simply amazing, and I'm just in love with the piece!!! It got stuck in my head and won't leave from there -- which will be great since I'll be in a really boring meeting shortly

Now this is the way to start a day, with a glorious new piece by Williams!

[King Mark 3,625]

Of course you love it unconditionally!

ok, well I am less severe, I do like some parts of it

[TownerFan 4,983]

Wow... Just, wow! It's one of JW's most virtuosic concert pieces ever. Amazing! You can definitely hear the fun he had while writing it. It's mind-boggling to see how much energy and stamina he puts on paper at 82 years old.

It's curious to see a page-turner alongside Lang Lang. I guess they hadn't much rehearsal time and he couldn't memorize the piece. It wouldn't surprise me if he just made a dress rehearsal once and performed the piece (almost) sight-reading it.

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

Of course I do... the work is amazing, vintage Williams, what's not to love in it?

[King Mark 3,625]

ok, maybe if the orchestra parts were better recorded

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

Actually, for an in-house recordings, it sounds pretty good. One can easily imagine how the real thing must have been. But yeah... I wish this was taped for television or radio, so that we could have a real decent recording. Surely, Lang Lang being such a big name, he will have the piece recorded some time soon.

[King Mark 3,625]

I think lester was aiming his iphone at the piano and the orchestra got mixed lower

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

Yes, most likely... but I'm not complaining.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Thank you very much for the video! Just listening.

Sorry, a lot of his concert pieces sound NOTHING like his film music (only the celebratory fanfares sound like his film music)

Concert music is most demanding from a listener.

This music could never be composed for a film score because it would be extremely distracting. (especially those piano parts)

That's why it sounds different from his film scores.

To fully appreciate this kind of music you must be somehow used or "trained" (I don't mean formally) to listening to such kind of music..

And again I don't mean that if you are, you will consider everything written a masterpiece. It's just that you'll able to judge it with a clearer mind, once you have been disposed of the "alienating" factor.

[TownerFan 4,983]

It's important, but not essential imho. Of course having a bit of "ear training" helps a lot in finding the musical threads in it like structure, development and so on and it makes you appreciate the musical mind at work. But in several cases people ARE getting them nonetheless, they simply don't have the right grammar to express it. And when they aren't able to synthesize it in a verbal way, they kind of reject the whole package.

The most important thing is to have an open mind (and very open ears) to new, different kinds of musical expression. Having the guts to go a bit out of your comfort zone. Of course this doesn't mean one have to like everything, as personal taste is, well, a personal thing.

[JohnnyD 1,220]

Awesome to hear this new concert piece by the Maestro. Love it.

[crocodile 7,984]

I like it because it's something else, even judging by his concert repertoire.

Karol

[Thor 7,465]

I still think the flute concerto is his least accesible work (or most 'avantgarde', whichever way you want to say it), but this one is certainly up there -- especially the piano passages.

[thx99 1,740]

False endings galore!

Are false endings surpassing boom-tzzzz'es on the list of Williams' signatures?

[Jay 37,287]

Seems that way, lately!

[lester1231 11]

Now, i have the complete recording with first few tone, anyone need it?

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

This made my day. What an incredible piece!

Apart from the outstading piano writing and playing, I adored the orchestra parts. It's been quite a while since we last heard Johnny do a fugue, and he's still got it. I think it might rank up there for me with Soundings, it's great.

[Thor 7,465]

People are hating this piece over at FSM, and using all kinds of colourful expressions to express their distaste.

Weird. I don't think I've ever heard a John Williams piece treated that way.

[Jay 37,287]

Yea, that FSM thread is really weird, I agree.

Who knew you could get so worked up over 9 minutes of music you got to hear for completely free.

[crocodile 7,984]

Why are we even talking about what FSM folk think? Does it matter?

Karol

[Thor 7,465]

Well, it's the biggest film music forum on the net, so there's that. I like the place, but I'm embarassed when I see stuff like that. Bizarre, really.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

My admittedly few ventures to FSM have never left me with anything other than a bad impression.

Here you have the silly Zimmer hate, but at least most of us actually like Williams. There, it seems like everything is hated.

[ins 42]

As usual with his concert works, it took me three times listening to that piece to begin starting to adore it. To me, it is always surprising and wonderful how John writes so powerful for orchestra in his concert works. Listening to the first part I can hardly imagine how shivering it must have been being there and hearing it live. This needs a decent recording hopefully soon.

How awesome is the part when he smashes the whole orchestra against the piano at 6:55? That's why I love his music Please make more of it!

[Marcus 390]

Wonderful piece! Interestingly shaped, and an impressive motivic work-out! Loving it!

Somewhat surprisingly, I don't think the performance is all that great. Frankly, it seems very under-rehearsed, and some of the tempi seem slower than intended. Would love to hear a better performance of it...

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

Wonderful piece! Interestingly shaped, and an impressive motivic work-out! Loving it!

Somewhat surprisingly, I don't think the performance is all that great. Frankly, it seems very under-rehearsed, and some of the tempi seem slower than intended. Would love to hear a better performance of it...

Sure was. The conductor is a friend of a friend. A pretty major concert (or what they consider it to be), I just don't think the orchestra is that hot to begin with either. But certainly wondering how much time lang lang put into it, since he still has the music in front of him. he usually doesn't. My friend is also conducting a concert with him tonight with the lebanese philharmonic, just shortly after the JW concert. So i think lang lang was traveling a lot and is still after. Surly rushed, but to me it just seems so strange that they would commission such a great piece from one of the worlds best, and then not spend the time to get it perfect.

[JohnnyD 1,220]

I love the percussion, but then again I love everything about this piece. The Maestro never fails.

[TJH132 48]

Now, i have the complete recording with first few tone, anyone need it?

Yes, please! I need to archive this ASAP. Crazy, wonderful piece!

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

Just crossed my mind that this is the first commission Williams received from a musical institution from outside the United States.

[Tom 4,639]

I am sure that this thought is fueled by pure wishful thinking, but could this piece turn into a movement of a larger piano concerto? The "rational" reason I have is that Williams first premiered a movement of "Conversations," even as he planned to write further movements.

I think it is an excellent standalone piece, but a whole concerto of similar quality would be incredible.

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

I thought of that as well

[nightscape94 965]

I would adore a piano concerto from Williams. This scherzo was amazing, loved it from the first notes. Great angle on the piano for his video recording and thanks for sharing.

You can tell that Lang Lang didn't have a ton of rehearsal time. Liked the middle orchestral break where he's conducting the time to himself.

I enjoy the thought of Williams writing this in his studio and people peeking around the door.

[Nemesis 244]

Fantastic work! Especially love the part at 3.55. I see mics, now they only have to release it.

[lester1231 11]

Now, i have the complete recording with first few tone, anyone need it?

Yes, please! I need to archive this ASAP. Crazy, wonderful piece!

This is a recording in the front row of the stage, fan made version, not bad I think.

I'll told you guys if there is a official one.

Here is the link https://www.sendspace.com/file/qxw9kd

[indy4 155]

False endings galore!

Are false endings surpassing boom-tzzzz'es on the list of Williams' signatures?

There's a bunch in Music for Brass as well

[wdb408 3]

But certainly wondering how much time lang lang put into it, since he still has the music in front of him. he usually doesn't.

It's actually not uncommon practice for a pianist to have the sheet music in front of them, for 20th century and post-20th-century works. That being said, I'm just in general not a big Lang Lang fan.

[lostinspace 8]

Just listened to this Scherzo piece and noticed it is very similar to the Scherzo movement (3) from the JW cello concerto.

Didn't want to draw similarities but as someone who has listened to it is almost the same ... particularly around the 3 minute mark

TBH I don't like that movment of the cello concerto much (1st movement is really good) but it seems better than the Lang lang piece.

Personally I don't see how people can enjoy this piece it's just sound combinations free from much of the structure of his film music.

[LaloCoyoacan 46]

Now, i have the complete recording with first few tone, anyone need it?

Yes, please! I need to archive this ASAP. Crazy, wonderful piece!

This is a recording in the front row of the stage, fan made version, not bad I think.

I'll told you guys if there is a official one.

Here is the link https://www.sendspace.com/file/qxw9kd

The file is 16 kb, therefore can't be listened