38 replies to this topic

[MovieMusicMaestro]

The London Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the artistic relationship of director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams on November 1, 2010 at the Philharmonie in Cologne, Germany; Frank Strobel will conduct the concert.

The program includes selections from basically all Spielberg movies. I am excited to announce that two pieces from WAR OF THE WORLDS and "Jim's New Life" from EMPIRE OF THE SUN will be performed as well (European premiere).

[fommes]

Interesting! Where to go for tickets?

[MovieMusicMaestro]

Interesting! Where to go for tickets?

Tickets for the performance can be obtained via
http://www.koelner-philharmonie.de/veranstaltung/106437/tickets/

[mahler3]

I'm going to this, can't wait! Hope to see some of you there, let me know if anybody is attending and it'll be good to meet up

- Tim

[BurgaFlippinMan]

HOLY SHIT. Too bad its the wrong side of the Atlantic for me.

[JanBing]

I guess I'll be there

[BurgaFlippinMan]

Then again, I just found out Williams is conducting the Cincinnati Pops in a few weeks. I might be there!

[ins]

I'll be there! Someone else coming? Never met an avid Williams fan in person

[Luke Skywalker]

it really sound like a great concerto.

[Mythos]

I'll be there too!

[paleo]

Oh great, and I used to live in Bonn... that would have been 30 minutes travel time. Now it would be more like 10+ hours

[Mark_73]

Hello everybody!

Tickets for this event are completely sold out.
I've got two exclusive tickets to sell to people who could'nt
get a ticket in time. This might only be interesting for those
who live in Germany, or better, near to Cologne. Please contact
me in case you're interested. You can also correspond in german.
Keep in mind that this concert takes place on Nov 1. already, so
dont hesitate!
You can contact me here on this board, or use this Email address:

john_williams74@yahoo.de

>Mark<

[fommes]

Apparently you need some kind of bullshit 'Low Emission Zone' sticker on your car to get into Cologne. Sorry for the language; I've just been busy trying to figure out how it works for more than two hours (just for one simple car drive), it's nowhere explained well for non-Germans. I've never heard of something this ridiculous. You've actually got to drive to an obscure tank station somewhere around Köln to try and get one.

Anybody know if tank stations are open on November 1 there?

Oh, yeah, I hope to make it to the concert if I don't get arrested and put into jail for not having that vignette.

[JanBing]

Holy shit, what an awesome concert!

Of course, all the announced Williams/Spielberg pieces were great already (the concert opened with the chill inducing JP suite... which was the first track on the very first CD I've ever ownned: "Giants of the Cinema: John Williams"), but after the encores "Munich" and "1941" the conductor Frank Strobel took the mic and talked a bit about the late Maurice Murphy, followed by a short appreciation clip by Williams (taken from some documentary, so it wasn't referring to his death). But the best thing was yet to come: To honor Murphy, the LSO ended the concert with a superb performance of the "Star Wars" theme. I literally got teared up during this, as almost 20 years ago "Star Wars" was the reason why I got hooked on film music in the first place. And the SW-theme played live by the LSO? It doesn't get any better than that!

It was funny, as one of my friends leaned over to me during the encore and whispered: "C'mon, they can't end the concert with this... they should finish with a big bang, like the SW theme." And I was like: "But it's not a Spielberg movie..." And she said "Still.". And she was right!

Although there were some other incredible pieces, like the Raider's March accompanied by clips from all the Indy movies on the big screen, and especially "A Whirl Through Academe" played alongside the actual sequence of the movie, while hitting most action marks. Generally I was impressed how well timed the performance was, perfectly matching the clips on screen ("Close Encounters" was another nice one here, starting with a clip of Dreyfuss in his car at the first UFO sighting, and as soon as the UFO's lights came on, the concert hall's lights lit up as well, and the orchestral bang really shook the audience).

[Omen II]

Holy shit, what an awesome concert!

Would you be able to list the complete programme please, JanBing? It would interest me to see exactly what the LSO played.

I am glad you enjoyed it. However nice it is to listen to our favourite scores at home, nothing beats seeing them played by a live orchestra (especially one as good as the LSO).

[Mythos]

Holy shit, what an awesome concert!

Would you be able to list the complete programme please, JanBing? It would interest me to see exactly what the LSO played.

I am glad you enjoyed it. However nice it is to listen to our favourite scores at home, nothing beats seeing them played by a live orchestra (especially one as good as the LSO).

It was AWESOME!!!!!!

Programme, quick & dirty copy/pasted:

Kölner Philharmonie

Meisterregisseure und ihre Komponisten 1
London Symphony Orchestra
Frank Strobel Dirigent

John Williams - Steven Spielberg

John Williams
Auszüge
aus: Jurassic Park (1993)

The Shark Theme
aus: Der weiße Hai (Jaws) (1975)

Out to Sea & The Shark Fugue
aus: Der weiße Hai (Jaws) (1975)

Remembrances
aus: Schindlers Liste (1993)

Jewish Town (Krakow Ghetto - Winter 1941)
aus: Schindlers Liste (1993)

Hauptthema
aus: Schindlers Liste (1993)

Swashbuckler! (The Adventures of Mutt)
aus: Indiana Jones und das Königreich des Kristallschädels (2008)

The Crystal Spell
aus: Indiana Jones und das Königreich des Kristallschädels (2008)

A Whirl Through Academe
aus: Indiana Jones und das Königreich des Kristallschädels (2008)

The Raiders March
aus: Indiana Jones und das Königreich des Kristallschädels (2008)

Pause


The Flight to Neverland
aus: Hook (1991)

Auszüge
aus: Unheimliche Begegnung der dritten Art (1977)

Escape from the City
aus: Krieg der Welten (2005)

Epilogue
aus: Krieg der Welten (2005)

Jim's New Life
aus: Empire of the Sun (1987)

The Tale of Viktor Navorski
aus: The Terminal (2004)

Adventures on Earth
aus: E.T. - Der Außerirdische (1982)

Encores:

A Prayer for Peace (Munich)
1941 - March
Tribute to Maurice Murphy: Star Wars - Main Theme

[fommes]

Best. Concert. Ever.
What an incredible experience to hear the LSO perform Williams music in optimum concert venue circumstances. While I was in Tanglewood last year to see Williams perform it live, this was so much better acoustically of course. It was awesome to finally hear one's favourite music as it should be heard. I'm sure the man himself couldn't have conducted it any better either. And I couldn't believe my luck when they played Munich and 1941 as encores!

[ins]

Awesome concert indeed!
"Escape from the City" was the most brilliant piece played in my opinion. Despite me enjoying Williams rhythmic action driven pieces more then his leitmotif approaches the dynamics of the orchestra were breathtaking.
Definitively worth the troubling entering Cologne by car

[fommes]

Exactly! The Escape from the City cue was even more breathtaking than hearing The Hunt from Planet of the Apes a couple of years ago.

Oh, and luckily that tank station was open and I was able to drive into Köln with mind at rest. Those Germans and their mediaeval methods to get money from people...

[ins]

Those Germans and their mediaeval methods to get money from people...

hehe, yeah, this BS of "Umweltzone" is a clear sign of creativity
Still ignoring to pay for these 'stickers'...never got into trouble by now

[gkgyver]

I drove to an endless number of citites where they have Umweltzonen, and always laugh at the sticker when I see one.

It's for those who still think the government has power over you

[Maglorfin]

[...] and especially "A Whirl Through Academe" played alongside the actual sequence of the movie, while hitting most action marks.

Wow, what a nice touch! Too bad LSO didn't do that when I went to listen to their JW film music concert in London ...

[fommes]

I'm not that familiar with the fourth Indy film (and who in their right mind is), but I thought they were a measure or two behind, certainly at the end.

[MovieMusicMaestro]

"A Whirl Through Academe" as heard in the movie does not match the soundtrack recording and the respective title from the Signature Edition. The soundtrack recording and the Signature Edition are identical, although the Signature Edition has a longer coda (two bars more). If you listen carefully to the movie, you can even hear the editing.

When I programmed the concert, I had to choose between two alternatives: either adapt the title from the Signature Edition by cutting bars, or take the music as published and adapt the movie. I decided to go for the music and changed the movie's speed to match the length of the music.

[fommes]

You programmed the concert? Well done, very well done!

Re: Whirl through Academe, just to be clear it wasn't a complaint at all, I couldn't care less if it matched up or not. (Moreover, apart from this one, I tried to block out the images as much as possible.) The performance was very exciting.

But yeah, excellent, excellent programme, really one of the best I've ever seen, if not the best.

There are only one or two things I would have changed: add something from Minority Report, and the Indiana Jones section: too much of Mutt's Theme, which for me is his worst Indy theme; I would have put in Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra (undoubtedly the single biggest lacuna in the concert), or Slave Children's March, or if you had to stick to the fourth film, Spalko's concert suite, which is much more exciting than that Mutt crap.


Again, it was excellent! Thanks for the good assembly. I couldn't believe my luck with the Shark Cage Fugue, Escape from the City, Jim's New Life, and the Munich theme.

[MovieMusicMaestro]

MINORITY REPORT, "Scherzo For Motorcycle And Orchestra" and "Parade Of The Slave Children" are not available for concert performance. At least not to us. I am very excited and grateful that we were able (with John's permission) to present WAR OF THE WORLDS and EMPIRE OF THE SUN.

"Iryna's Theme" needs an alto saxophone which we did not have. Next time, we will have an alto saxophone, I promise. And then we can do CATCH ME IF YOU CAN as well.

[fommes]

Ah, weird that it wasn't possible to programme certain things. And I should have figured that out about the saxophone. But again, I don't want to come off as critical here. Really excellent work, thanks very much for making this possible.

Next time, you say?


PS:

I am very excited and grateful that we were able (with John's permission) to present WAR OF THE WORLDS and EMPIRE OF THE SUN.

I was, too!

[JanBing]

@MovieMusicMaestro:

Really liked most of the sequences that ran alongside the music, especially "Academe" and the "Close Encounters" bit. Too bad though that you didn't get permission to show more than just promo stills on both "War of the Worlds" and "Terminal"... but of course, it was a great touch to have a big screen utilized like that at a concert AT ALL.

And if there's indeed gonna be another JW concert, I'll be there (even if I wouldn't live in Cologne )

[Mark_73]

@ MoviemusicMaestro

Maybe I'm wrong, but could it be that the encore "1941" was initially planned
to be part of the regular programm? And I missed "Cadillac of the skies" which was
originally announced. Well, this one needs a choir. Was that the reason? Or was it
due to the Star Wars encore? I am just curious about it

[MovieMusicMaestro]

Yes, you are right: The first concert program had 1941 in the official part. However, we decided to give the brass players a deserved rest and put it after MUNICH. But you are not correct about "Cadillac Of The Skies". This title was never announced. We never thought about it ... And, yes, it needs a choir - as well as AMISTAD and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. We will have a choir for the Hitchcock/Herrmann program, though.

[Mythos]

@MovieMusicMaestro:
Thanks again so much for your efforts, it was truly an amazing experience! I was 1996 in the Barbican, where Mr. Williams himself conducted a programme of his music with the LSO. That was great but your performance with the LSO was equally good!

If there will be another concert with JW music in the future in Cologne or elswhere in Mid-Europe, we should really consider a European-JWFan.com meeting with the fans AND the conductor!

[Wojo]

Approximately how long was JW's show in Germany? I'm going to the Pittsburgh show next week and want an idea of how long it will be.

[JanBing]

I'd say around 2 hours (plus a pause of 20 minutes).

[MovieMusicMaestro]

We started at 8 p.m. and ended around 10:40 p.m., including intermission, three encores and various standing ovations.

The show in Pittsburgh will be about two-and-a-half hours.

[Natt Aguero]

hi there !

I went with my boyfriend from madrid to Köln, just to see that concert, and listen to such wonderful music.

it was amazing, a little bit sad when they started to play schindler list( of course with no images, it was hard enough), but anyway, be there listening to the London symphony Orchestra, the one who recorded those wonderfuls scoring for star wars, was quite incredible !!

is there anything better ?

the site was wonderful, the sound was perfect and as you said, perfectly matching images and music.

amazing listening to the main theme from star wars, I was impressed, and excited.

wouldn't it be a dream next time with John Williams conducting the orchestra?

I hope they could come to Madrid aswell

regards

[JanBing]

amazing listening to the Imperial March from star wars, I was impressed, and excited.

Although the Imperial March wasn't played... only the Main Theme from "A New Hope"

[Natt Aguero]

oooh, sorry !!

you're right, I changed that right now.

I was doing a lot of things at the same time, checking my email, working with the 3DMAX, and writing this post, and I forgot wich theme of Star Wars they played.

my excuses,

))))))

[Wojo]

We started at 8 p.m. and ended around 10:40 p.m., including intermission, three encores and various standing ovations.

The show in Pittsburgh will be about two-and-a-half hours.

I meant to say thanks before the show was canceled, so thanks!

[mahler3]

The concert was first class, a very special day in Germany with the LSO!

There will be a full review with rehearsal videos and interview audio in an upcoming issue of FSM Online so watch this space!

- Tim