12-Mile Reef

‘Elegy for Cello and Orchestra’ is an adaption of material from the ‘Regaining a Son’ track from ‘Seven Years in Tibet’. It’s one of my very favourite JW concert pieces.

‘Elegy for Cello and Orchestra’ is an adaption of material from the ‘Regaining a Son’ track from ‘Seven Years in Tibet’. It’s one of my very favourite JW concert pieces.

Multiple forces are still trying to make it happen!

https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/03/04/fiddler-on-the-roof-podcast-pt2/
 
Hope you'll like this, gents. Plenty of stuff to sink your teeth into.

Seeing this picture above brought a huge smile on my face for obvious reasons:
 

If you prefer individual covers for each episode I found some great ones here: 
 
https://twitter.com/mattrushing02
 
Hoping he keeps making them.
 

 
 

Well that episode was clearly the best so far! Almost felt like an entirely different show, such was the assured direction and efficiency of the storytelling. It was pretty obvious Rodriguez didn't direct this from the opening minutes; credit to the new director because he largely resolved almost every criticism I had with episodes 1 and 3!
 
For starters, this was the first episode that felt like it was shot in real locations or real sets, instead of inside the volume. The cinematography was noticeably more dynamic and cinematic. There was a better flow to the editing; the flashback section felt organic and resolved, rather than the jarring segments we had in episodes 1-3.
 
And we finally got some levity and an insight into Fett's character. The dry humour worked a treat, nicely offsetting his otherwise serious demeanor ("Don't touch my buttons," "It was worth a shot"). There was much better chemistry between characters, which I found stilted and wooden in previous episodes.
 
And even though it was pure fan service, I loved the way they visually explained the Sarlaac's notorious SE beak, complete with a seismic charge to destroy it (one could interpret some commentary there, if they desired). Kudos to Skywalker Sound for some excellent sound design across the whole episode, also Legacy Effects for all the robotics and creature effects (loved the chef robot impersonating General Grievous with cooking utensils, and the fact the robots had such uniquely jerky movements, great puppeteering!). This was a real showcase episode for their work.
 
This episode probably had the best overall music too, maybe except that electronic/disco source cue in the mod parlor (not quite otherworldly enough for my liking; felt like a very pale imitation of Zion from Matrix Reloaded).

Happy 2022! When do we stop saying that? :-) Anyway, for any local John Williams / film music enthusiasts, come and say hello and join us in celebrating the 90th Birthday of Williams the Northern Irish way. Here's the terrific repertoire which we will be playing on the night:
 
The Superman March
The Witches of Eastwick: Devil's Dance
Excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof
Harry Potter: Hedwig and Harry's Wondrous World
The Terminal: Viktor's Tale
Hook: Flight to Neverland
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn to the Fallen
The Raiders March
 
----- interval -----
 
E.T.: Adventures on Earth
Jaws: Theme
Themes from Jurassic Park
Schindler's List: Remembrances
Catch Me If You Can: Closing In
Star Wars: Princess Leia and Main Theme
 
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/whats-on/the-brilliance-of-williams!/ 
 
Coincidentally Mike Matessino told me that it's the same date as Leslie Bricusse's Birthday. He would have been 91 so we will be acknowledging this on the night.

Coincidentally I also caught up on this episode yesterday, a wonderful conversation!

The Maestro, Mike Matessino, La-La Land Records and all else involved have outdone themselves yet again. I am blown away by how remastered the music is. It is so great to finally have the film versions of the musical pieces. All sound phenomenal. Even Disc 3, despite tracks being sourced from the final film mix due to the original scoring tapes being lost to time, sound great. It is also great to finally have most of the Maestro's underscore (the only cue that unfortunately was not included, most likely due to extensive sound effects that could not be removed, is the scene in the Russian court yard in Kiev where Perchik and his rally are attacked by the Russian police on horses). The essay by Mike Matessino is also well-written (as always) and very insightful. "Tradition!" "To Life!"

Here’s a link to tonight’s show in case you couldn’t listen live:
 
Download link 
https://we.tl/t-VW2R8mJijk

I still can’t believe this. It’s beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. John Williams conducting his music in the city where I’m born and where I live, in one of the temples of classical music. Utterly amazing.

Frizzell is a very underrated composer. I really like his score for Alien Resurrection.

No idea, sorry.  I use EAC to rip physical CDs.
 
 
 
I don't think it worked like that - I don't think he envisioned a whole album in his head, then recorded it all, then ended up cutting three tracks out last minute.  

I think they recorded a bunch of music, then made an album out of what they liked the most, which only ended up using 13 of the 16 cuts they laid down.
 
For me personally, I enjoy the album much better if I make it chronological, like this:
 
1    The Eiger Sanction (Main Title) 11B [0:49-end]    The Microfilm Killing 12    Up The Drainpipe 2    Theme From ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (Flugelhorn Version) 11A [0:00-0:49]   The Microfilm Killing The Safe 9    Theme From ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (Hemlock And Jemima) 5    Friends And Enemies 10    George Sets The Pace 8    Training With George 6    The Top Of The World 3    Fifty Miles Of Desert 13    The Eiger 18    Hemlock Leads The Climb 4    The Icy Ascent 7    Theme From ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (End Title) 17    Theme From ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (Love Scene) 19    Theme From ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (Reprise)

Yes we actually talk about that MCA Filmworks compilation during the Legacy podcast. It introduced me to do many unheard Williams gems back then, including Eiger and the Midway Yorktown March.

I love Williams' eloquence with the written word--it does surely makes you want to read more thoughts about music in general from him!
 
From his description, it seems another work very much in the vein of his more recent concert pieces. Wistful and contemplative, with the occasional virtuosic outbursts. I very much envy all the people who will experience this live on Saturday