Steve

I only know about this short performance, brass only
 
 

https://bit.ly/3oroUZz
 
Dan needs no introduction. He's truly one of the greatest session musicians on the planet and he kindly shared a lot of insight on this episode about his work on Catch Me If You Can and many other things. Enjoy!

I watched the concert again yesterday and I very much enjoyed it. Yes, 4 pieces include some errors. I'm glad they didn't overdub them. It makes the album more authentic. It is called a "live album", ok?  What p*sses me off here is that the nitpickers only complain about the few errors in 4 pieces but don't mention the flawless performances of the other 15 titles. They don't accept that many do enjoy this album a lot.

Maybe you didn't?

Totally wrong observation. If you ever listened to any other recording of ASM you will recognise that she tends to rush and is often a bit in front of the orchestra timing wise. It was the same here. Nothing to do with the VPO trying to slow her down.

Maybe you didn't?

I find the performances plenty intense. Faster does not always mean more energetic.

When this concert was made available on streaming platform, I remember catching error in Star Wars main title and finding the tempo to slow for my taste on imperial march. I can now say in hindsight I have finally changed my mind. While I can still spot issues here and there, I can also recognise how rich sounding this recording is. I have a hard time not to smile listening to these pieces. So yeah, there are mistakes but I can now confidently say I don't care.
 

Yeah, but then we'd have to suffer through another year of complaints about flubs from @Jurassic Shark

Finally the full Japan 1993 concert was posted. It includes an all Williams programm (includes Sound the Bells, Olympic Fanfare, Adventures on Earth, The Accidential Tourist, Raiders March, Leia's Theme, Imperial March, JFK among others).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tCL-MhDkCs

I watched the concert again yesterday and I very much enjoyed it. Yes, 4 pieces include some errors. I'm glad they didn't overdub them. It makes the album more authentic. It is called a "live album", ok?  What p*sses me off here is that the nitpickers only complain about the few errors in 4 pieces but don't mention the flawless performances of the other 15 titles. They don't accept that many do enjoy this album a lot.

Finally the full Japan 1993 concert was posted. It includes an all Williams programm (includes Sound the Bells, Olympic Fanfare, Adventures on Earth, The Accidential Tourist, Raiders March, Leia's Theme, Imperial March, JFK among others).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tCL-MhDkCs

Finally the full Japan 1993 concert was posted. It includes an all Williams programm (includes Sound the Bells, Olympic Fanfare, Adventures on Earth, The Accidential Tourist, Raiders March, Leia's Theme, Imperial March, JFK among others).
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tCL-MhDkCs

Uhhh, the clean endings came from either the rehearsals (which were likely recorded) or the pickup session which was done after one of the concerts. The actual performances are from the live concerts though.
 
Nothing you're "revealing" is some scandalous industry secret. This is commonplace with video productions of this nature.

I'm a serious listener, and I've noticed none of these supposed "problems" or "issues" you keep complaining about. Why not simply enjoy the album and concert for what it is and more? Why the negative attitude for an entire concert because of supposed "issues" that aren't even there or have little significance? There is no point.
 
I quote Leighton Jones' review of the album from "The Classic Review":
 
"Taken live in January 2020 at the great acoustics of the Musikverein, the recording captures the excitement and the balance is superb. This album proves the sophistication and universal appeal of Williams’ music, marvelously played by some of the world’s finest orchestral musicians."
 
I could quote other reviews that share similar praise, but that would take up quite a bit of space.
 
Like I said, I don't understand your complaints; it's not worth it.
 
I feel Mikko also summed it up best with his thoughts:
 
"While the program is quite typical for a John Williams concert and there are not quite so many eureka moments for seasoned fans (exception perhaps being the delightful Devil’s Dance arrangement), one of the bigger draws of this type of release is to hear Williams’ works interpreted by such a distinguished institution of the classical music world as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, especially when they are not known for performing film music, and to hear how they respond to the composer’s music under his direction. I am glad to say that the answer is a positive one. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance is as skillful, energetic and beautiful as one can expect from an ensemble of their caliber, with nary a flub or mistake to be heard under Williams’ assured baton. A live performance also always adds its own special energy to the music with a living breathing audience in the same space with the musicians, both reacting to each other, and I feel that some of that energy can be felt in this live recording as well. In addition to the fine playing, the music is also well complemented by the Musikverein concert hall, which lends broad, warm and opulent acoustics to the recording that work especially well for the flashier and grander of Williams’ concert pieces like Hook, E.T. or Star Wars that positively shake the room at louder levels.
But the bottom line is that this is world class music performed by a world class orchestra and musical stars like Williams and Mutter, which is something to be cherished and you can hear the enthusiasm and admiration of these music makers towards John Williams and his music loud and clear on this disc. A celebration of a life in music indeed."

Since I found no topic on that, I thought this would be a nice place to post new YouTube videos with the maestro himself either conducting, playing the piano or being interviewed.
Note: Please only post videos with Williams himself in it

I'll start with some recently posted videos, both that I've never seen before.
 
1980 Filmharmonic - Conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra:
 
Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symphony with John Williams playing the piano on "The Tennis Game" from "The Witches of Eastwick". Ozawa also conducts "Flying Theme".
 
Olympic Spirit performed in the studio:
 
Williams conducting "Olympic Spirit" with the Boston Pops:
 

Probably the best post ever here!! 💪💪💪

Even though trolling is your main aim, please give it a rest. Everyone knows by now how poor the VPO is and how much you dislike the Vienna concert. Go listen to your world class norwegian orchestras and stop the trolling in this topic. There are people who enjoy the Blueray.

Yes! That's why I loved the bluray and barely noticed the flaws (besides the interlacing ), it's a different context than just another bunch of sometimes well, sometimes not all that well rerecorded pieces with none of that context to add to the endless pile.

I love the Vienna Concert too. That's THE DVD we've waited for years!

Honestly, for me, the performance itself it's not the main raison d'etre of the whole thing. It's JW, standing in that hall, conducting that orchestra, being showered with love by a great audience. I don't need flawless performances from such an event. It's the celebration itself. The commemoration of a man's legacy. It was magical. That's so much bigger and more important than flubs or performance mistakes (which I am in no position whatsover to deny or discuss)

Hello,
 
I'm currently researching Johnny's public conducting career. I know we have some Williams historians here. I'm looking for the year/date of Johnny's conducting debut in a concert setting.
He conducted in the army, but I'm more interested in him conducting large orchestras (e.g. Boston Pops, LA Phil). I know he started conducting concerts regulary in 1980 when he was named Boston Pops conductor.
 
He debuted with the Pops in 1978, the LA Phil in 1978 and LSO in 1978. I'm also aware of the 1976 Royal Philharmonic concert.
The earliest I know is him being the music director and conductor at the 1973 academy awards. How much did he conduct in the 1970s? I know he didn't really view himself as a concert conductor until the started with the Boston Pops.
 
Here is an interesting article about his conducting history: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-06-ca-10429-story.html
 
Any additions to this topic would be appreciated

On another note, I was visiting Spain over the holidays and guess what was on national TV (channel “La 2”) on Christmas Day...
 
John Williams In Vienna!
 
(Photo from my hotel room 😊)
 

People should be allowed to have an opinion and like what they like - or don’t like what they don’t like - but at some point you have to “read the room” and make peace with that you have made your point.
 
In any argument, you can’t keep beating the same old drum as a reflex response to each and every different opinion, in this case “Did you notice the flubs? Did you notice the flubs? Did you notice the flubs?”
 
Yes, we did, man.
 
Let it go.