pete

This is simply the best video on YouTube.. 82 minute interview with Thomas Newman. Words can't describe how great this is... And I'm not even a big fan, but that's due to not being all that familair with his scores. Well, I know who I'll be deep diving into this week. Whatever you're doing now, stop it, and watch.

I swear I saw an Instagram cat video that has a cheap arrangement of some of the more joyous Home Alone 2 music, I think The Plaza Hotel melody.

I've got to say that a Zimmer concert I attended about four years ago was one of the most joyous concerts I've ever attended. Not that I enjoyed Williams in London in 1998 any less, far from it, but the atmosphere at the Zimmer show and the energy and passion of the performers was really something special.

The credits was Mischief Managad from the original soundtack release, just without the last 20 seconds of Hedwig's Theme playing quietly. So the concert ended with Aunt Marge's Waltz. I've also loved the beginning of that suite and the extended treatment of Double Trouble, and no complaints about hearing Buckbeat's Flight and the Window to the Past again at the end. And in a concert setting, Aunt Marge's Waltz has a strong finish. I just really would have prefered they'd skipped The Knight Bus and ended the credits suite with the credits on the expanded release wth the Nimbus 2000 music leading to the glorious ending of Hedwig's Theme concert version. Just a wish, I realize it's probably a pesky contractual thing. Still, an encore would have been nice. But I have to say I enjoyed the repeated music in concert much more than on the original CD which always bothered me. The conductor said five more LTP concerts are coming over the next coupl of years. It wasn't clear if he meant more Harry Potter concerts or other films. The same company (assuming those future concerts are done through the same company) - CineConcerts - has no other Williams on its roster except for the three Potter films. Of the current roster, I'd go see Star Trek: The Ultmate Voyage, Rudy, and Gladiator. And of course the first two Potter films. I'd see Azkaban again too. And I know Star Wars A New Hope was performed in Seoul several years ago. Alas, I wasn't aware, so ... well, there's new hope. And over the summer, an outdoor ET performance outside of Seoul was stopped mid-concert due to rains from a nearby typhoon. I couldn't go, but I think if I had had tickets, I probably would have cancelled in the days before due to that typhoon. Well, tickets were refunded, so if I had attended I would have seen half of ET for free. Couldn't complain about that! And I've been rained on before at concerts - I saw Dire Straits in torrential rain.

The love theme from Superman isn't performed very often. I'd love to hear that live!

Thanks.. Do you know if the end credits is the "Firebolt and End Credits" piece on the boxset release? Oh God, I hope it is!

I'm seeing The Prisoner of Azkaban in Seoul on Saturday night. It's my first LTP concert. . I'm curious how the flute solo in "Rainy Nights, Dementors & Birds" will be played as only parts of it appear in the film. Fingers crossed for the whole thing. Very eclectic score and diverse score. ...If I had a choice of LTP concerts to attend, I don't think Azkaban would be that high on that list - Superman, Jurassic Park, a few of the Star Wars scores, Raiders, Close Encounters, ET, and the first two HP films would all be higher, but beggars can't be choosers, and I am looking forward to quite a few of the pieces such as the flute solo I mentioned, "Buckbeat's Flight", "The Snowball Fight", "The Whomping Willow", the Quidditch music, every appearance of the "Double Trouble" and "A Window to the Past" themes, and the end credits. And I may just cover my ears during parts of the "The Knight Bus"!

"The First Violin Concerto was written in 1996"....big mistake!

What's "Ludlow material"?

I know Williams and Yo-yo Ma only recorded the theme, "To School", and "A Dream Discarded". I've never heard of a duet version of the waltz.

Another birthday party??

He's just one of those lucky people who gets paid well for doing what they love. Not that luck really had a role in his achievements compared to his efforts and work ethic. To answer the original questions, no, I've never considered him a role model. Perhaps I'm splitting hairs, but he's just simply someone I respect and am in awe of his achievements. Of the characteristicas listed, the "patriotism" one baffles me. I've just always seen patriotism as tribalistic and a rallying call (in a lot of cases - not all) for the lowest common denominator. I certainly never pondered Williams and life and thought to myself "What a patriotic man". One perhaps missing is his eloquence. On more than one occassion, an interview he gave has sent me running to a dictionary. His sense of humor as well, although as a fan living from far away, it's only something of seen glimpses of.

And there were reports a suite for Angela's Ashes was recorded at the some recording sessions. Alas, some 20 years later, they've yet to be released. If I recall, the info came from someone who was at the sessions. I know there's a live version, but I'd kill for a studio recording. Angela's Prayer with cello is sublime! Regarding the cello concerto, I'm not as familiar with the whole thing as I'd like to be, but I much prefer the softer opening of the latest version.

Will it affect videos like this one... God, I love videos like this! Or is it just the issue of selling sheet music?

I’d taker Williams at his word. He composes something every day. Well almost every day. He’s also said he takes Sunday’s off. That might be when he’s writing a large work and could use a break.

There's an amazing interview with him. I can't find it now, but he talks about having dinner with I think the producer or some people connected to the film before it was made, and they didn't know he was in Temple of Doom. Something like they met through some mutual friends and not through acting channels. Anyway, someone happened to bring up Temple of Doom and Ke Huy Quan said, "I was in that." Update: Found it!

Not Williams, but I was reminded of him and the Always score as a nice piano version of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes started playing at the cafe I'm killing time in.

Yeah I’d forgotten the beginning had that interesting piano intro. It’s been so long since I listened to it. It’s always been for me a piece I skip when listening to Hook. And thanks for the transcription. A skill I’ll always consider a kind of witchcraft/sorcery.

I'm worried that by next year the piece will sound weird without the crickets

I'm sure he meant writing as he mentioned that he just about had all the thematic material (new themes) written. And this was back in early July, so two months ago.

I like listening while looking at the insane score! And my first live to picture concert thing is Azkaban next month in Seoul. I'll be paying particulat attention to it - shame the whole solo isn't in the film. And I recall reading somewhere that some orchestras have used as an audition piece for flutists. That reminds me, I teach freshman English, and one of my students last semester is a flute major - she practices about 5-6 hours a day. I sent her the video, and she was like "nah, I can't play that!"

Last grumble: To get the same responces from Williams, he needed only to have said, "Hi John" "Your job is hard", "Jaws", Star Wars", "Harry Potter", "Superman", "Indy 5", and "bye John". And from his comments, there was no evidence of research and preparation beyond knowing Williams scored those films. Grumbling aside, it was lovely hearing John say that he's having much more fun of late, and I like how he described Spielberg's idea for Jaws music being similar to Images as crazy.

I thought most of Williams responces were given inspite of the interviewer, not because of him. "Did you know that that two-note Jaws motive would make you a superhero?" Wtf? Sounds like a questions a middle school student would write. Nothing about inspirations, recent albums, and concerts, and nothing really about future projects and plans except Indy.

I did.. Well I expected more than 10 minutes of Williams talking. I'm a dreamer! I just realized the James Bond quote wasn't in the 17-minute video.. So it's not the whole interview regardless of how much I was expecting So what else is missing from the 17-minute video? And does anyone have a link to the 2-hour broadcast?

Does the 17-minute video contain all the interview material?