Pawel P.

I'm devastated. Vangelis has always been in my Top 3. Williams, Goldsmith and Vangelis. And he will always be. Rest in in Peace Master. My tribute, in Polish. https://kultura.onet.pl/muzyka/wywiady-i-artykuly/vangelis-nie-zyje-geniusz-ktory-przetrwa-odszedl-jeden-z-najwiekszych/1s4xnzz

Do you think that due to the fact that Obi Wan's theme was composed by Williams, there is a chance for a CD release?

I second that. Easily the best score of 2019, IMHO.

John Williams: "Yo-Yo Ma is many things. He is one of the world’s greatest cellist; he is a wonderful father; he brings honour to his country. But one thing he is not is Anne-Sophie Mutter".

Thanks, I didn't know that. It doesn't change the fact that the iTunes EP of "Memoirs Of A Geisha" is unlikely to be a bonus CD on this album, because as far as I know, the session for the "A Gathering of Friends" was Williams' first recording with the New York Philharmonic.

Unlikely. The Geisha suite was recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and here we have an album recorded with The New York Philharmonic. Fortunately, the suite has already been released on CD. By the way, it's a pity that two Williams' concertos, recorded few years ago under his baton with the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops, have not been released on CD. I mean Harp Concerto (On Willows and Birches) and Oboe Concerto. Both are wonderful. Fortunately, we can listen to it on Spotify.

Of course it's going to be released on CD. The vinyl is scheduled for August 19, and the CD for May 20. And it's on Amazon.de, but without the price for now. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09TWRQ6DT/

Here we go And the album is called 'A Gathering of Friends'. Release date 20/05/2022 https://www.amazon.co.jp/Gathering-Friends-John-Williams/dp/B09TWRQ6DT

Everyone is mortal, we all know that. Let us enjoy what is happening now, Williams' numerous plans, his fantastic creativity and activeness, without reminding us that life doesn't last forever. It will not change anything.

I would buy a Blu-ray with this performance, even if nothing else could be found on the disc. It's in HD and it's from 2002. And it's absolutely brilliant.

So the only pieces played at today's concert that we won't have in Blu-ray format after the August premiere of Concerto performance from Tanglewood and the encores from Boston are Sound the Bells, Fawkes and Resistance.

Oh, they were clearly visible. I counted 9 cameras myself. Fortunately, a Blu-ray from Tanglewood and Boston will be released in August. And let's not forget that the maestro has a few more concerts this year, something may be filmed.

Great! Can you see the cars of any film crew around?

Even if Marion's Theme is in the version we know from the two previous concerts - and I don't think so - there's still a lot of stuff here that wasn't in Vienna in 2020 and Berlin in 2021. The whole first part, Fawkes, Resistance and possibly some of the encores - Theme from Schindler's List, Rey, or maybe The Long Goodbye? I really regret that I will not be here this time, after Vienna and Berlin, but I'm very lucky for those of you who have the ticket. Hopefully the DG has changed its mind and there will be a video, or at least an audio recording. If they don't want to duplicate albums, they can wait for the premiere until 2023 after all!

I asked Williams on Messenger and he wrote back that he had already been to Berlin and Leipzig last year.