Saxman717

Special change of schedule included in the program.... "In tonight's concert Stephane Deneve will conduct the first half of the program and John Williams will conduct the second half" (!!!!!!)

Me as well!

I've been out of the loop on this forum for soooo long......if possible, can someone PM me details about this set and where I might look to find it (and other expanded/unreleased cue list soundtracks for Episode 7-9 etc.)?? It would be amazing to hear the music that JW composed for these films in their entirety

\ WOW! What a concert!!! That's my wife and me in the middle with the blue shirt, behind the really tall guy (who kept accidentally blocking my view of JW....)---- Johnny is looking right at me. Awesome picture and amazing night. The highlights for me were Memoirs of a Geisha, Adventures on Earth, and Han Solo & the Princess. JW hilariously had a slipup and started to call the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra the Boston Symphony Orchestra ---- the crowd let him have it, and he then followed up with a comment about how he will have a really tough time returning to Boston after throwing the opening pitch at the Baltimore Orioles game. Half the fun of attending a JW concert is getting these fun stories in between brilliant performances.

Less than 30 minutes.... About to enter the symphony hall!!!

Wednesday can't get here soon enough. I've got tickets in the 4th row center orchestra, exact same seats as I had for the 2013 concert. Here's hoping that Johnny doesn't have another accidental spill like last time!!! I'm still contemplating the post-concert reception. The price of admission is so very high for a cocktail/dessert reception ($500 per ticket). ...................can anyone recommend this event from past experience at other concerts that had post-concert VIP sessions with JW? Is $1000 for two people worth the price for this event? I feel like I should be getting a personal lunch w/ JW for that price.

I'm debating between middle of the front orchestra vs front of the balcony...............any opinions on which is better from both movie viewing & sound standpoint?

Where would be the best location in the theatre to watch one of these live-to-projection concerts? I'm contemplating the Baltimore Star Wars one and wonder where in the Hall will give me the best experience overall.

Is there any way to get the recording from his concert in Baltimore in 2013? That was an amazing experience and it would be very special to have the recording.

OK, whew -- thank you foe clarifying! Now, if Force Ghost Yoda DOES end up being in TLJ, I will be coming for you!!!

Nice subtle spoilers there, sheesh.............................................."If"......................................................................................................................................

This MAN gets IT

Can't believe we get to experience this again 5 years after JW last visited Baltimore.......I have the exact same seats as last time.......4th row orchestra, a little in from the aisle on the left side ---- perfect for getting the intimate sound and having a good angle on the Maestro, being less than 20 ft from him. His Baltimore concert in 2013 was electric ---- best concert that I have ever attended (and I've attended such ones as him conducting half the concert at Tanglewood last year). Would there be any way to get a recording of that concert? I'm contemplating the post-concert reception, but the fee is so very high...................can anyone recommend this event from past experience at other concerts that had post-concert VIP sessions with JW?

We've all got our own opinions and tastes! Glad to hear that it satisfies you and some others on here. Through all of our praises and criticisms, we'll all learn more about the score and how fans of JW interpret it differently Funny how on Amazon, there are already very brief reviewers to the rescue to try to boost the star rating (that started at 2 stars with my 1st review). They claim "I love it! Don't believe the 1st reviewer! It's awesome!" and then don't list any reasons why, LOL. Already up to 4 stars.....

If Giacchino indeed had been "writing this score his whole life" and this is the best he has to offer (time constraints aside)...........well.................thanks for playing! Next contestant, please! Just posted 1st customer review on Amazon. Here it is: Serviceable but ultimately forgettable and disappointing new Star Wars score... Upfront Summary: Serviceable score with a few bright moments. Utterly forgettable and irrelevant as a whole. Fails to rise to the high bar set by John Williams with past Star Wars scores. Probably will be a disappointment for most John Williams & Star Wars music fans if they were expecting a Star Wars score with fresh, catchy new themes, complex orchestrations and well-referenced old themes. Muddy, hollow-sounding OST recording can be distracting at times. So many problems with this score, both standalone and especially as used in the film itself. Too many to list track-by-track at this point, so this review will be more general about the score as an OST and in the film. As an OST, some of the score sounds "Star Wars-esque", and the new themes such as Jyn's theme and the new Imperial motif are serviceable (at best). However, most tracks feel woefully lacking in the complexity that we've been so spoiled with in John Williams' Star Wars scores and end up feeling like the music is tripping over itself, trying its best to emulate John Williams' style. It doesn't help that the recording itself seems rather poor, hollow and washed out at times. IMO, the music as used in the film was a mess 70+ percent of the time. Too overbearing and loud much of the time, especially with forced crescendos and "mickey-mousing" just about every action cue whenever a character dodged, jumped, hit or shot someone. Old Star Wars themes were shoehorned in at some awkward places and used in unfitting or just blatant fan-servicing ways. There were a few times when original trilogy themes were referenced well and sounded nice, but most of the time, it sounded awkward and forced. In the film, the OT themes were oftentimes used in heavy-handed and inappropriate ways. My concern with the score began with the terrible film title reveal music (starting at 3:36 of the 2nd track, "A Long Ride Ahead") ---- how do you mess that up so badly? It was very cringeworthy and set the tone for the rest of the film. There are just too many problems with the score to really break down the issues scene by scene, but overall, the score was possibly the main thing weighing the movie down from greatness. So many scenes begged either a different musical tone to them or required less (or more subtle) music. Giacchino just doesn't seem to understand subtlety and restraint with this score (and maybe he just lacks the ability to do so?). A key scene near the end (beginning of the "Hope" track) was amazing but was held back by the accompanying music, which was just a pale imitation of John Williams' style from Episode III's track "Anakin's Dark Deeds" --- just a woefully lacking and distracting imitation. From this work, it's clear that Giacchino shouldn't be given the "keys to the kingdom" once John Williams hands off the baton permanently and shouldn't be considered the go-to guy for future Star Wars movies . Others need a shot at rising to Williams' greatness because Giacchino clearly failed to do so here. Sure, he had only 4 weeks to write the score, but I don't think more time would have solved the many issues plaguing this score, because many issues are just inherent to his own style and limitations as a composer. Alexandre Desplat was originally the person set to score this work ---- to think what might have been with a different composer at the helm. As it stands, this score will serve as a distraction every single time that I watch Rogue One and this OST is one that I likely won't revisit very often. As a life-long Star Wars music fan, with the music from these films being my favorite film music of all time, this is a terribly disappointing conclusion to reach and painful review to write. Thank goodness John Williams is currently scoring Episode VIII.....

Just got home from seeing this in the theatre --- agree wholeheartedly with the disappointed reviews posted in the previously few pages. I went in to the film fresh, having only heard those two preview tracks and being less than impressed by them. I noted at the time that it felt that Giacchino was tripping over himself trying to emulate JW and that he also demonstrated his lack of ability to compose the complex, intricate and perfectly-fitting music that we've been blessed with for Star Wars with JW at the helm. IMO, the music in the film was a mess 70+ percent of the time. Too overbearing and loud at times, especially with forced crescendos, old Star Wars themes shoehorned in at some awkward places and used in unfitting or just blatant fan-servicing etc. I'd have to watch again to really break down the issues I had with it scene by scene, but overall, the score was possibly the main thing weighing the movie down from greatness (along with the uneven, poorly paced script & quirky dialogue). So many scenes begged either a different musical tone to them or required less (or more subtle) music ---- Giacchino just didn't seem to understand subtlety and restraint when he approached this score (and maybe he just lacks the ability to do so?) When he used the OT themes in his work, there was maybe 1 or 2 times when it sounded nice and the rest of the time, it sounded awkward, forced, and in the film they were used in inappropriate ways. My concern started with the terrible film title reveal music ---- how do you mess that up so badly? It was very cringeworthy and set the tone for the rest of the film. Please do not let Giacchino touch Star Wars again until others get their chance at rising to the bar that JW has set. Planning on listening to the OT tomorrow --- hoping that some highlight sections can be picked out, but am expecting for this to be a score that I don't revisit often. Since the Star Wars saga has my favorite film music of all time, this is a massively disappointing feeling.....

A brief post to contrast with my ridiculously long, honest & well-meaning but mainly misguided & hastily-formed opinion post from 2005: JW has yet to peak. Will it be for Episode VIII? Episode IX? Indy V? Ready Player One??? (Last one doubtful).... The man continues to refine his craft with every film score and concert work. Stylistically, it may be different from the classic era that so many of us love and appreciate, but it is and continues to be further refined nonetheless. It is such a gift and privilege to us and to the world at large that he continues to share his amazing gift almost 60 years after the debut of his first feature film score. Quoted from the "other" thread..............well said and something for us all to bear in mind.

That tracked cue definitely ripped me out of the moment, a crucial moment, similar to when they tracked the original Geonosis arena music in when Anakin marched towards the Jedi Temple in ROTS......... When will directors & sound editors learn to just let the master do his GD job and leave his brilliant art alone??? Aside from a few necessary edits here and there, ESB is a great example of what can result from cutting the film to the score and no the score to the film. If you finds yourself directing or editing a film with a score composed by John Williams, ask yourself.......WWJWD?

Man, the OP sure likes to hear himself talk :-D I agree with some of what Young Saxman lamented, but think that much of it was a knee-jerk reaction and a bit over-the-top. The full ROTS score was pretty brilliant. Funny how JW trolled me again in TFA with cut-and-pasting the part from "The Return Home" of ANH in when Rey catches the lightsaber. - Saxman + 11 years of maturity PS --- My favorite JW era still is the late 70s to late 90s 8-)

couldn't have said it better, artguy. The cues sound OK but reinforce the fears that someone on here had expressed earlier ---- that Giacchino just tries too damn hard and doesn't have the natural gift that JW has, so his cues just lack a certain something special. Sure, it sounds Star Wars-esque, but the cues feel woefully lacking in the complexity that we've been so spoiled with with JW's Star Wars scores and end up feeling like the music is tripping over itself, trying its best to emulate JW's style. I haven't heard giac's medal of honor music, but all of his scores for modern blockbuster movies have been terribly lacking for me ---- even Star Trek. I am a life-long JW fan here, since age 3, and know his Star Wars music inside and out. Personally, I don't think Giac should be given the "keys to the kingdom" for future Star Wars scores. Maybe a score here or there, if the rest of this Rogue One score sounds better and more naturally Star Wars in nature.......but he really shouldn't be considered the go-to guy for the Star Wars saga movies once JW hands off the baton permanently. Edit: 2nd listen yielded a little more enjoyment. It still feels like it lacks the complexity of JW's classic form, but I'm interested in hearing the rest of the score. There should be some good gems in there. Still would like others to get their chance future Star Wars films. i just want 1 score that rises to the satisfaction of the Empire Strikes Back score --- whomever accomplishes that, book him/her for all future saga films....

These are all memorable/noteworthy/fun quotes, but I'm not really reading about QUOTABLE quotes...............nothing that stands up to the countless quotables from the OT. To qualify as quotable, the expressions have to be 1) unique 2) usable in everyday settings and 3) extremely memorable, either from a classic moment in the film and/or delivered by a very memorable character/voice (e.g. Vader). Can't think of any that really qualify as quotable that weren't already established/rehashed from the OT....

This may be a silly question, but was the music from the official trailer (the special rendition of han and leia's theme, the force theme etc.) in the movie?

..................so in your opinion, TPM can only draw appeal from being heard as a whole? What if TPM is appealing as both individual pieces (Anakin's theme, Flag Parade, Qui Gon vs Maul in the Desert, Leaving Home, Fuel of the Fates, list goes on), and is also appealing from being heard as a whole? Wouldn't that make it the best prequel score, if ROTS is only pleasing when taken in pieces?

Has anyone written down the notes to what is most likely Rey's Theme (the flute line from a recent TV Spot) and analyzed it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6HN9soeGa8 I just played it at the piano and compared it to two other notable themes: Star Wars main title / Luke's theme and Imperial March / Vader's theme. Maybe' it's just me, but I get the sense that JW has brilliantly created Rey's theme as a blending of each of these two prior themes, inverting Luke's theme (D to G instead of G to D), using some of the notes, putting it in minor key, and then throwing in hints of Vader's theme at the end of melodic line. Does anyone else hear this? Can someone do a full musical analysis on it and compare with old themes? Is this foreshadowing about Rey's character? Please don't post spoilers if you know anything for sure, one way or the other, but IMO, if this is Rey's theme, then her destiny may be uncertain and darker than we may expect......

Thanks for pointing me to that thread --- the music definitely does a great job at emulating JW's style. Less than 6 weeks til we get the real deal.