aviazn

Wow, wasn’t expecting this.
 
It’s a major revision of the 1998 symphonic suite, which according to my attempts at Google translating the Japanese CD description, Hisaishi overhauled in 2016 (?), and then tweaked again for this 2021 recording.
 
I’m really, really liking this. In some ways, it’s a complete reimagining of the suite. It’s shorter than the 1998 version, with some fat trimmed from some of the cues. But it also incorporates some material from the score that didn’t make the first one (like the electronic elements in The World of the Dead, reorchestrated), and has more careful movement transitions. And it changes up the instrumentation in places, with vocals in Mononoke Hime, and a violin solo replacing the piano in Ashitaka and San, which I really dig. (Was Hisaishi inspired by JW and ASM?)
 
For me, it feels like both a more complete presentation of the original score material, and a more engaging, cohesive listening experience as a suite. And at 26 minutes with 7 movements, I could even see it playing well programmed in a “serious” concert, like the Swan Lake suite or the WSS Symphonic Dances.

I was eagerly awaiting the physical release of this, but seeing as you put it right in front of me, I couldn't stop myself and had a listen anyway.
 
I tuned into Joe's Paris livestream where this version (IIRC — at least it was this instrumentation) was played live and I think the mic placement was a bit off (and possibly the ensemble was a tad under-rehearsed). It is a relief to hear things recorded with care in this presentation, but there are some things that I still find jarring — the thick piano chords that would have resolved Ab7 (F~Gb~Bb~Ab) to Db replaced with solo violin feels unusually thin.
 
In spite of this — wow. I find myself loosening up and enjoying the music. Maybe it's a cheap shot of nostalgia, but it definitely works for me.
 
Derailing the conversation a bit — I quite like "Merry-Go-Round 2019." The "more aggressive" 2-5-1 duplet features more prominently than ever, and while I do think the piano parts worked in the original score, this orchestration is too charming for me to complain about.

That works. 
 
I was thinking more the minor-key bridge of Blazing Saddles…
 

Wow, wasn’t expecting this.
 
It’s a major revision of the 1998 symphonic suite, which according to my attempts at Google translating the Japanese CD description, Hisaishi overhauled in 2016 (?), and then tweaked again for this 2021 recording.
 
I’m really, really liking this. In some ways, it’s a complete reimagining of the suite. It’s shorter than the 1998 version, with some fat trimmed from some of the cues. But it also incorporates some material from the score that didn’t make the first one (like the electronic elements in The World of the Dead, reorchestrated), and has more careful movement transitions. And it changes up the instrumentation in places, with vocals in Mononoke Hime, and a violin solo replacing the piano in Ashitaka and San, which I really dig. (Was Hisaishi inspired by JW and ASM?)
 
For me, it feels like both a more complete presentation of the original score material, and a more engaging, cohesive listening experience as a suite. And at 26 minutes with 7 movements, I could even see it playing well programmed in a “serious” concert, like the Swan Lake suite or the WSS Symphonic Dances.

Wow, wasn’t expecting this.
 
It’s a major revision of the 1998 symphonic suite, which according to my attempts at Google translating the Japanese CD description, Hisaishi overhauled in 2016 (?), and then tweaked again for this 2021 recording.
 
I’m really, really liking this. In some ways, it’s a complete reimagining of the suite. It’s shorter than the 1998 version, with some fat trimmed from some of the cues. But it also incorporates some material from the score that didn’t make the first one (like the electronic elements in The World of the Dead, reorchestrated), and has more careful movement transitions. And it changes up the instrumentation in places, with vocals in Mononoke Hime, and a violin solo replacing the piano in Ashitaka and San, which I really dig. (Was Hisaishi inspired by JW and ASM?)
 
For me, it feels like both a more complete presentation of the original score material, and a more engaging, cohesive listening experience as a suite. And at 26 minutes with 7 movements, I could even see it playing well programmed in a “serious” concert, like the Swan Lake suite or the WSS Symphonic Dances.

Wow, wasn’t expecting this.
 
It’s a major revision of the 1998 symphonic suite, which according to my attempts at Google translating the Japanese CD description, Hisaishi overhauled in 2016 (?), and then tweaked again for this 2021 recording.
 
I’m really, really liking this. In some ways, it’s a complete reimagining of the suite. It’s shorter than the 1998 version, with some fat trimmed from some of the cues. But it also incorporates some material from the score that didn’t make the first one (like the electronic elements in The World of the Dead, reorchestrated), and has more careful movement transitions. And it changes up the instrumentation in places, with vocals in Mononoke Hime, and a violin solo replacing the piano in Ashitaka and San, which I really dig. (Was Hisaishi inspired by JW and ASM?)
 
For me, it feels like both a more complete presentation of the original score material, and a more engaging, cohesive listening experience as a suite. And at 26 minutes with 7 movements, I could even see it playing well programmed in a “serious” concert, like the Swan Lake suite or the WSS Symphonic Dances.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

Just to point out that this is not a Washington Post story; it’s from the Associated Press, syndicated on the Post’s website. Here’s the original:
https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42
 
Agree that Singapore and Lisbon are mistakes on AP’s part and refer to tribute concerts without JW’s participation. Looks like this is the SG concert and this is the Lisbon one.

I think it's a little more nuanced than that in this particular case due to the nature of the film and its connection to past Japanese/Chinese conflict.
 
The Wikipedia page on it has a nice summary of the concerns people had

I think it runs much deeper than that, asians are notoriously stereotyped in Hollywood movies since the dawn of film beyond lumping together ethnically different people. The standard refrain to these stereotyping complaints is the usual 'they're overreacting', which is as patronizing and ignorant in this case as it is for any marginalized group, but i know from hearing first-hand from asian colleagues that western people just don't understand/don't want to understand how offensive certain cultural slurs are to them. 

It absolutely does, if your frame of reference for bad movies goes beyond Ed-Wood-style incompetence. Some of them i just reject for ideological reasons, i. e. The Patriot or the casual 'they all look alike' racism of the polished coffee table book that is 'Memoirs'.

At least 5... So it could be 20!

Utterly sublime... easily my favourite of all the ASM arrangements. JW has outdone himself.
 
And something feels more natural about the mix/recording on this one; ASM is better integrated with the orchestra. I found her presence a little overpowering on the Across the Stars album.

I recall the “Going to School” duet from Geisha for piano and cello was written in a hotel room. I think Yo-Yo Ma said in an interview that he was in his hotel room when Williams surprised him with the manuscript for it.   And I imagine he always stays in a hotel room with a piano… maybe.  I think most of the presidential suites in big hotels have a piano.. well at least the Grand Hyatt in Seoul does. I’m sure in major cities his staff could find a room with a piano 
 
found it.. well Yo-Yo Ma doesn’t say if Williams was staying in the same hotel - just that Yo-Yo received the piece when he was in a hotel  Maybe not as they were both in LA. … from 2:30
 
https://youtu.be/2Bgi6unlPFY
 
 

I could get used to this! What a thrill! 😅
The horn solo for Leia's theme was badly flubbed, otherwise a very enthusiastic Vienna Phil today (sometimes almost too much 😅). JW even heard some of your criticism and played the Imperial March twice as fast this time. 😉 
 
A lavish feast for the ears, I'm very glad it's been recorded. 

Has no one said The Fury yet? Some of his best album-only reworking of cues, the LSO in its prime, and the haunting Epilogue, composed specifically for the album.
 
Nixon is also a very effective, if brief OST, that nevertheless manages to cherry pick all the major highlights of a very long score.
 

Well, the others you mentioned were double LPs, which Raiders, Close Encounters, Return of the Jedi, etc. all would have greatly benefitted from.

" Mutt " was a rehash of previous theme.
But, admittedly , I'm not a fan of JW in classical mode.

The Flag Parade from Phantom Menace from the suite hasn't been recorded by him. 
And I think The Patriot has been modified since the soundtrack. 
 
The JFK suite hasn't been recorded by Williams. It's not really different from the three OST tracks: Prologue, Motorcade, and Arlington, but there are some transition bars between the prologue and Motorcade. Williams has performed it a few times in concert. 
 
And the revised The Lost World Theme hasn't been recorded by Williams. Likewise, he's conducted it a few times. 

Wow, what a great wealth of information in this thread.
 
I haven't seen or listened to the new WSS yet, but those liner notes from JW are fascinating. Very interesting to see him acknowledge the critiques of WSS' creators not knowing anything about Puerto Rican music and to label Bernstein's allusions to jazz "academic and stiff." I would love to read some extended thoughts from JW on his relationship with jazz and Black music.
 
Also, what a fun shoutout to Alex Ross of the New Yorker — it seems there's a healthy mutual admiration there, after Ross' glowing reviews of TFA and TLJ and his sit-down interview/profile.