Omen II

A quick heads up to anyone in the United Kingdom that this will be screened this afternoon (New Year's Day) on the Sky Arts channel at 14:10.  I didn't realise I had the Sky Arts channel myself but evidently I do, so it's worth checking before you lament your inability to watch this.
 
Although I have the DVD, it's nice that Joe Public gets the chance to watch it.  What better way to cure a hangover than some John Williams goodness?

A quick heads up to anyone in the United Kingdom that this will be screened this afternoon (New Year's Day) on the Sky Arts channel at 14:10.  I didn't realise I had the Sky Arts channel myself but evidently I do, so it's worth checking before you lament your inability to watch this.
 
Although I have the DVD, it's nice that Joe Public gets the chance to watch it.  What better way to cure a hangover than some John Williams goodness?

He's not exactly a celebrity, but I was not sure where else to put this; former LSO managing director and cellist Clive Gillinson talks about playing cello on the original Star Wars score:
 
http://www.carnegiehall.org/BlogPost.aspx?id=4295019067&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=starwars&sourceCode=22359
 
 
 

He's not exactly a celebrity, but I was not sure where else to put this; former LSO managing director and cellist Clive Gillinson talks about playing cello on the original Star Wars score:
 
http://www.carnegiehall.org/BlogPost.aspx?id=4295019067&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=starwars&sourceCode=22359
 
 
 

Hey now, don't be that harsh on Omen II! He didn't know. 

Father Christmas delivered this a few days early for me from sunny Spain today!
 
I have never seen the film, nor had I heard a note of the score for Tom Sawyer so it has been fascinating to give this its first listen.  Anyone dubious about buying this due to doubts about how much John Williams is in it can rest assured that his fingerprints are all over the music.  In fact if you did not know that the Sherman brothers had written the songs, you would have no reason to think any of it at all was not by JW.
 
As you might expect, a lot of the music reminds me of scores such as The Reivers and the contemporaneous The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing and even bits of The Paper Chase.  The 'instrumental' versions of the original album on disc 1 play like any other great John Williams score of the era, while the mono sound of disc 2 is perfectly listenable given its source material (and features a number of indispensable 'pure Williams' tracks).  And while it's no The Wizard of Oz, many of the songs are rather pleasant and catchy.  I am enjoying this album much more than I had thought I would.

Father Christmas delivered this a few days early for me from sunny Spain today!
 
I have never seen the film, nor had I heard a note of the score for Tom Sawyer so it has been fascinating to give this its first listen.  Anyone dubious about buying this due to doubts about how much John Williams is in it can rest assured that his fingerprints are all over the music.  In fact if you did not know that the Sherman brothers had written the songs, you would have no reason to think any of it at all was not by JW.
 
As you might expect, a lot of the music reminds me of scores such as The Reivers and the contemporaneous The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing and even bits of The Paper Chase.  The 'instrumental' versions of the original album on disc 1 play like any other great John Williams score of the era, while the mono sound of disc 2 is perfectly listenable given its source material (and features a number of indispensable 'pure Williams' tracks).  And while it's no The Wizard of Oz, many of the songs are rather pleasant and catchy.  I am enjoying this album much more than I had thought I would.

The CD has been out for five whole days!  This wait for an expanded release has been interminable!

Notice how I correct you on a minor grammatical error in a dead language but cannot even get your name right, Michael Alexander.

I made the following up for comedic purposes, without knowing anything about the plot or potential spoilers for TFA, so read at your own risk...

Notice how I correct you on a minor grammatical error in a dead language but cannot even get your name right, Michael Alexander.

Are you calling me stupid? Are you calling ME stupid?
If so, please use the vocative case, thus:
fatue!

Damn half-witted, illogical Romans! Ah well, luckily we're only required to clarify correct use of grammar.

I caved in and ordered this, otherwise John Williams might think I don't love him any more.
Damn you La La Land! Damn you all to hell!

I caved in and ordered this, otherwise John Williams might think I don't love him any more.
Damn you La La Land! Damn you all to hell!

Nicely done Programme with Note from Williams.

This article at Classic FM discusses the whole "Is it by Williams?" question that is keeping us guessing.
http://www.classicfm.com/discover/film-music/star-wars-soundtracks-news/#EMsXH0A0cJ3Q4ywh.97

I went to a rather excellent film music concert on Friday at Watford Colosseum with the Philharmonia Orchestra playing music from films with a superhero connection. One of the pieces they played was an instrumental version of the song from Spectre, with the principal cello (Timothy Walden, I think) substituting for Sam Smith's vocal. I thought it sounded really good and luckily someone has captured it for posterity on YouTube. Carl Davis conducts. Watford Colosseum's wonderful acoustics for film music are evident in this clip too.

I may actually be going to that performance.

Corrected for factuals!
E.T. will be performed live to picture at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 28th December 2016, with a choice between performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Details here:
http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2016/et-live-in-concert/

By the way, did anyone here go to the Royal Northern Sinfonia's Star Wars concert at the Sage in Gateshead on the same evening? It's a shame it was on the same evening as the CBSO's concert. It looks like the orchestra had fun, with several members dressing up as characters from the films.
Here is the oboe section...

Bear McCreary would beg to differ.

I assume this is the Jerry Fielding? Great footage (and arrangements)!

Sandpeople always ride single file to hide their numbers. Perhaps that means they're never on their own. No need for a singular.