Runar

That would be Too Far and Away! I'd prefer Stavanger Symfoniorkester!

No, make it Trondheim Symphony Orchestra with 2L!

At this rate, after La Scala, John Williams will surely do a concert with the Oslo Philharmonic

Thank you! I think the maestro has earned himself a lusekofte by now. 

I have been lurking around this forum for years with joy and fascination. I have been a fan since Kevin tried his dad's after shave but had never imagined I would see him conduct in person before the Vienna concert in 2018 opened up a series of opportunities in spite of the first cancellation. Seeing him conduct Film Night in Tanglewood was my first live experience and a very special one since many had doubts whether be would be able to physically conduct the concert since he had had health issues the previous fall. Thankfully he shows no signs of stopping and he is a great inspiration both musically and as a humble and respectful human being. John Williams and his body of work has proven to be quite addictive..  
 

First encore on Saturday filmed from just underneath the ceiling.
 
E.T. Flying Theme:
https://youtu.be/mCK3UtBVmU4

Thank you! I think the maestro has earned himself a lusekofte by now. 

I have been lurking around this forum for years with joy and fascination. I have been a fan since Kevin tried his dad's after shave but had never imagined I would see him conduct in person before the Vienna concert in 2018 opened up a series of opportunities in spite of the first cancellation. Seeing him conduct Film Night in Tanglewood was my first live experience and a very special one since many had doubts whether be would be able to physically conduct the concert since he had had health issues the previous fall. Thankfully he shows no signs of stopping and he is a great inspiration both musically and as a humble and respectful human being. John Williams and his body of work has proven to be quite addictive..  
 

Thank you! I think the maestro has earned himself a lusekofte by now. 

I have been lurking around this forum for years with joy and fascination. I have been a fan since Kevin tried his dad's after shave but had never imagined I would see him conduct in person before the Vienna concert in 2018 opened up a series of opportunities in spite of the first cancellation. Seeing him conduct Film Night in Tanglewood was my first live experience and a very special one since many had doubts whether be would be able to physically conduct the concert since he had had health issues the previous fall. Thankfully he shows no signs of stopping and he is a great inspiration both musically and as a humble and respectful human being. John Williams and his body of work has proven to be quite addictive..  
 

Thank you! I think the maestro has earned himself a lusekofte by now. 

I have been lurking around this forum for years with joy and fascination. I have been a fan since Kevin tried his dad's after shave but had never imagined I would see him conduct in person before the Vienna concert in 2018 opened up a series of opportunities in spite of the first cancellation. Seeing him conduct Film Night in Tanglewood was my first live experience and a very special one since many had doubts whether be would be able to physically conduct the concert since he had had health issues the previous fall. Thankfully he shows no signs of stopping and he is a great inspiration both musically and as a humble and respectful human being. John Williams and his body of work has proven to be quite addictive..  
 

First encore on Saturday filmed from just underneath the ceiling.
 
E.T. Flying Theme:
https://youtu.be/mCK3UtBVmU4

First encore on Saturday filmed from just underneath the ceiling.
 
E.T. Flying Theme:
https://youtu.be/mCK3UtBVmU4

First encore on Saturday filmed from just underneath the ceiling.
 
E.T. Flying Theme:
https://youtu.be/mCK3UtBVmU4

Welcome, fellow Norwegian. We're slowly, but surely, taking over this place.

Some people have asked me how this concert was different from the Vienna one. Vienna was my first ever JW concert in person, so it blew me away and left me in such a shock that I couldn’t listen to a note of music for a whole week after. That being said:
 
Better in Vienna:
- venue
- smaller, tighter stage so the sound was more direct, which was an aspect of the sound I loved there
- magic of Vienna (it also started to snow a few hours before the concert) added to its already historical significance
- I preferred the program there
 
Better in Berlin:
- orchestra
- as much as I like Anne-Sophie, I preferred the original arrangements of the pieces
- orchestra again; really worth repeating as they played with less mistakes than VPO, and especially the string section was incredibly warm and pleasant sounding
 
Both incredible concerts, as a whole I preferred the Vienna one because of the whole experience, but playing-wise, this one was better.

Yes. I'm sure I've seen and heard the real Berlin Philharmonic. I don't care if someone important was missing or not, everything was done perfectly.
 
And the Saturday concert was absolutely amazing! Maybe even more than the Friday one. I was sitting in a row behind Anne-Sophie Mutter, a chair next to her. She reacted like a true Williams fan, she even enthusiastically screamed after every piece.

This concert is awesome. Having a blast watching all this LIVE from Karachi. We are moving through History guys!!!
 
P. S. Saw him whisper "Very Good" at the end of Marion's Theme. 
 
I must say his conducting is still lively as it was 25 years ago. 

What a fantastic photo! 
 

 
He looks like a proud dad 

Ah, I see. I waited for 15 minutes too (probably prior to YOUR 15 minutes), during which the aforementioned three people showed up, and then decided that it would be just as easy to meet up at the Lindenbrau. The beer thirst was too strong! Ran into JWFAN member Stempel too, and although I recognized him, he had no idea who I was (that was a sobering encounter, LOL!). In any case, my concert is now over. I do not have tickets for tonight's or tomorrow's concert. So I'm just going to "crash" pre- and post-concert meetings that you guys are presumably holding from now on (unless other things pop up in my itinerary).
 
As for the concert itself, I'll have to sort my thoughts and provide a review on Celluloid Tunes when I get back home. Probably not a lot of new observations compared to the ones that are aready coming in (like the above from Fabulin), and will be coming in in the next few days, but still.
 
I snapped a few photos at the end of the concert (too afraid to snap them during, which was strictly forbidden), but they turned out pretty bad and blurry -- especially when zooming in on Williams. Hopefully, there are press photos I can use, or some of you took some I can use (and credit).
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

Incredible. 

John is very talkative today, telling stories before every piece.

Intermission time. The music sounds fantastic in this venue. John seems to be having a blast, often sharing smiles with the players during the performances.
 
He's also his usual sharp self especially for a 89 year old. He was very eloquent when describing his experience of visiting Berlin for the first time.
 
There are many standing ovations which is always heartwarming to see.
 
I laughed when John said he never knows what Spielberg is doing next and "Indiana Jones is changing by the second!"

I finally received the Blu-Ray and CD set. After watching the concert and listening to the CD, here are my impressions. The Maestro conducting one of the greatest orchestras in the world; the Maestro and the Vienna Philharmonic. My response to that combination: it is about damn time. Seeing this concert and listening to the CD made me shed tears of joy and awe. From The Flight to Neverland all the way to The Imperial March, this concert was legendary. Flawless experience; the sound is phenomenal, and the performances breathed new life into the Maestro's already life-filled music! It must have been a blessing to see this concert in person, but having this Blu-Ray and CD set is the next best thing, and I can re-live it for many years to come. Truly phenomenal.