Smaug The Iron

https://deadline.com/2024/09/james-earl-jones-dead-1236082801/
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-earl-jones-dead-darth-vader-lion-king-1236138656/

So, the concert Thursday night was really good!
 
I bought myself a balcony ticket right near the stage, meaning I could see every single musician really well.  It also meant the screen showing the movie was at a bad angle, but luckily for me, I don't like this movie but do LOVE this score, so it was extremely easy for me to ignore the screen the entire night.  The only time I watched it was during the parts of the movie where the orchestra didn't do anything, which wasn't many.
 
This meant the entire time I was basically watching the musicians play, and I feel like I learned so much!  I've never been great at identifying which instrument is playing sometimes, so being able to see what was a flute solo or an oboe passage or which part of the brass section was playing which parts was really cool.
 
Also, the BSO played really good the whole time!  The music can be challenging at times, especially since the final cut featured the music editor chopping up recording cues and moving them around and changing the pitch and such, and all of that had to be re-created on the page for fresh performances.  And luckily by playing the music anew it sounds much better than the edited versions.  And what really stood out was the part of "Binary Sunset" that's tracked into the actual movie works so much better when its played by the same orchestra doing the rest of the music - and in fact, it sounded like there was some extra accents in there that you don't hear in the original recording (don't quote me on that).
 
Highlights were the delicate flute passages that lead Rey's early scenes on Jakku, Follow Me & The Falcon, The Map Scene & Green Planet, the music for Rey's vision when she touches the saber, Ice Landing, To Lightspeed, The Bombing Run, A Light In The Snow & Fly Home, and The Complete Map.  There were many times when I wanted to applaude the musicians after a particularly strong performance, but I would have been the only one doing so; The rest of the audience was only applauding when a OT character showed up for the first time in the movie.
 
The intermission point is a little awkward, but perhaps has to be where it is because of the rules about how long the musicians can be on stage with out a break, I'm not sure.  It's probably already explained somewhere in this thread better, but happens shortly after Rey has her vision; She runs outside and the screen goes black and the orchestra goes from the music in the movie right into a reprise of some of the opening battle music to kind of end the first half with a bang.  Then when the second half starts, the lights stay on so you can watch the musicians play most of Rey's Theme, before the lights dim as the film resumes with a shot of Starkiller base.
 
Additionally, when the end credits begin, the lights come on so you can watch them play through the whole end credits, which is great because its a great suite that has all the film's major themes.  And interesting, at the very end, they change the ending to be the grand ending from the usual Star Wars Main Theme concert version.
 
Everyone in the orchestra really played SO well ALL night, when the end credits finished we gave everyone a huge standing ovation that went on for a long time.  Keith Lockhart left the stage and came back twice, and the first time he came back, he made sure to highlight several of the players who had solos for extra applause.
 
It really was a great night, and it was great to be back at Symphony Hall again!

Rejoice!
 
There will be a score album! 🥹
 
As evidenced from the 5 Cat Studios website, which has just been updated today with this confirmation:

https://5catstudios.com/listen

Powell also has just followed Wicked account on his Instagram. So expect formal announcement from him in the coming days
 
Only 2 months away, can’t freakin wait!!!
Two big Powell score to close the year, what a time to be Powell fan! 🥹
 
 

Finally arrived!!

From Roger:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/wJQPQggGDQqQc6Tn/?mibextid=K35XfP

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https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.12305/.f?sc=16&category=23425

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https://slippedisc.com/2024/08/john-williams-cancels-vienna-on-health-grounds/

Much more info here
 
 

A John Williams documentary, titled ‘MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS’ will release on November 1 on Disney+
The doc will also have a limited theatrical release.

So great to finally have this score, and in pristine sound!
 
To my ears, the music for the police presence is cut from the same clothe as the music for the government forces in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, lots of tense and terse timpani, snare drum, and cymbals.

Purchased directly from LLL:

Been eyeing Nobody for a while, then in light of the news or lack of news about Tadlow, I looked through their catalogue again and found two more I'll really like, all 3 in stock at MBR.

Took advantage of LLL's 30% discount.

Beck's Ant-Man theme is incredibly memorable!
 
And I don't agree on the fact that all Marvel themes are forgettable. Yes, it's a shame there are so many different ones from different composers, but there are some fantastic ones in there!
 
The Avengers, Silvestri's Captain America, Iron Man 3, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, The Marvels, Black Panther, WandaVision & Loki are in my opinion all memorable themes. 

Mine has arrived!

Arrived today:
 

 
Karol