Matt S.

"Bernstein by Boston" contains the overture to Candide, which was recorded for the earlier "Pops Around the World" album. I did a quick check and I don't think there are any other repeats (apart from "By Request" and "Pops Britannia" of course).

I agree, I think they should just release all 22. But at least by doing it this way, they're not actually losing any music.

From that track listing it looks like they're removing Orb and Sceptre along with Fantasia on Greensleeves from the Pops Britannia material. Makes sense; both were included on earlier albums, and this brings the Pops Britannia/By Request CD down to 74 minutes.

I don't think I ever consciously thought of the keys before (I'm looking at my Signature Edition score right now). What's crazy is that, almost immediately, the keys change and the different versions align. As the "credits" music begins, the OST plays the theme in D-flat major while the concert version is in E-flat. The theme is played once, followed by a single bar flourish that leads into the Rebel theme. By the time the Rebel theme hits, both versions are in the same key (with low brass and strings hitting low G's on the off-beats). A few statements of the Rebel theme lead back to Luke's Theme in C major.

Yes! The extended version has the recap of the Elgar-like processional up a whole step, so the "end credits" section needs to be, as well

Not only that, but the first measure of triplet figures is played by woodwinds (leading into the horn statement of Luke's Theme), whereas from Empire on the triplets are played by the trumpets. I have to say, I might actually prefer the OST version! It's a little less forceful and on-the-nose than it became later on.

Interesting! I wasn't aware of the differences in orchestration, I just knew it didn't use the extended Throne Room. The so-called "ROTJ ending" was in use since 1977, on both the Gerhardt and Mehta recordings. What's inconsistent, however, is the ending of the Main Title. The Gerhardt, Mehta, and Kojian recordings use the '77 OST ending, while the WIlliams version from Pops in Space uses the "ROTJ" ending. I would imagine, when recording a full suite, it makes sense to use a different ending for Main Title and Throne Room to avoid repetition.

A question for our JWFAN members from Germany: Would it have been inappropriate for Williams to have the orchestra perform something from "Schindler's List?" As an ignorant American I wonder if there were legitimate cultural sensitivities at play in deciding the program. It is, after all, one of his most famous and successful scores, and he LOVES telling the story about the better composers being dead and all. But I honestly don't know how the subject matter of the film in question is treated in Germany these days. Somebody earlier made a comment about the Nazi theme making a brief appearance in the "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra," perhaps jokingly wondering if it was played down during the perfomance? It also seems to me that, program-wise at least, the "Elegy" took the spiritual place of either the Theme or Remembrances from SL (as a chance to showcase one of the group's soloists). I know Anne-Sophie Mutter performed Remembrances at the Vienna concert, so maybe it's not an issue? Just curious... thanks

I would like to see them include the full album of "By Request..." even though it is largely repeated material. And as I said before, adding the five new tracks from "By Request" to "Pops Britannia" brings that to 85 minutes, which is supposedly too long for a single CD. Do we know for a fact "That's Entertainment" is the 21st disc? Is it possible it is still being excluded, but the full "By Request" is now the 21st disc?

I can't say; the packaging gives no indication. Some reviews on Amazon mention remastering, but they may or may not be accurate.

Actually, this recording is NOT the extended concert arrangement, but the film version.

I wonder if this box set will include the original artwork for the albums? I have Decca's box set of Zubin Mehta recordings, and the box design is nearly identical, but the disc sleeves themselves have no artwork.

Has anybody ever staged a recreation of that concert? I'd go for sure (as long as the heat works!)