MSM

Happy 90th Birthday, John Williams!☺️🎉9️⃣0️⃣🎉
A little tribute I painted to the Maestro and his music, which means so much to all of us🙏🏼
 

There are so many reasons why a composer born in 1932 would not be still composing scores in 2022. We are incredibly lucky as JW fans that we are celebrating his 90th birthday and also anticipating his future scores.  

I agree with a lot that has been said already. Trademark Williams orchestration, great violin writing, and passionately performed. Williams’s classical music always feels like a fresh breath of air to me, while giving a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the Maestro’s mind.
 
The leitmotif from the 2nd and 4th movements (my favorite ones) indeed echoed the Moonlight theme from Sabrina. JW performed his arrangement of Theme from Sabrina last year in Vienna, at that time he was reportedly already writing the new concerto. Vague memories of the original score might have crossed his mind.
 
Overall it’s a wonderful addition to his already impressive body of concert music. We are fortunate to be witnesses.

Decent review, though I do get a bit annoyed when professional reviewers lament the lack of melodies in Williams' concert works.  Do other contemporary classical composers get zinged for that?  Surely it is a testament to Williams' strengths that he can effortlessly and brilliantly compose in both veins.  

I agree with a lot that has been said already. Trademark Williams orchestration, great violin writing, and passionately performed. Williams’s classical music always feels like a fresh breath of air to me, while giving a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the Maestro’s mind.
 
The leitmotif from the 2nd and 4th movements (my favorite ones) indeed echoed the Moonlight theme from Sabrina. JW performed his arrangement of Theme from Sabrina last year in Vienna, at that time he was reportedly already writing the new concerto. Vague memories of the original score might have crossed his mind.
 
Overall it’s a wonderful addition to his already impressive body of concert music. We are fortunate to be witnesses.

Actually the subscriptions can be bought from €136 ($164) upward…I added that in my earlier post. Indeed from seeing the floor plan many seats are blocked from subscription but those are generally not the best seats.

The "someone" is @MSM, who has posted above.
 
And yes, it's standard for subscriptions to be paid in full, one sum for all concerts. I guess the special COVID thing here is that they apparently won't charge the whole amount at once, in case individual concerts get cancelled.
 
Anyway, in case the concerts sell out before I can get a ticket and any of you subscription buyers end up not being able to go, let me be the first on the list of people who'd be happy to buy a ticket off you.  

The average priced subscription costs as much as a Vienna ticket - and you get Zubin Mehta with Mahler 3 on top...
And then there is the small print...
Subscription purchase without risk
Be assured: even if not all seats in our venues can be occupied due to the pandemic, or if individual concerts do not take place – the purchase of a subscription is risk free.
You only pay when we know for sure that we can offer you your seats.
We make this possible via direct debit. Payment will only be collected once it is certain that the events can take place. If individual events are cancelled due to the pandemic, you will of course receive a partial refund.
You will receive an exclusive advance booking rights and 25% discount for all concerts organised by us, if individual subscription series have to be cancelled.

As some of you pointed out already, the only way at the moment is to buy subscriptions in Series K (October 14) and C (October 15), at €135 (about $164) up to €432 (about $542) per series. Call +49 30 254880 and ask for the “abo service” if you want this. Separate tickets go on sale only from August onward, also counts for Saturday the 16th (no possibility for subscription).

Glad to see Sabrina has gained popularity over the years. It has been my favorite JW score since 1996.

Mine would be:
1) Journey to the Island at 1:20 (where the helicopter reaches the island)
2) Platform 9 3.4 and the Journey to Hogwarts from 1:40 (where they reach the castle; also heard in Flying Car).
3) Arrival of Tink and Flight to Neverland from 5:06 (when they fly off)
Those moments catch all the excitement, wonder and magic of the entire films, with lavishly orchestrated trademark JW themes blown into your face. IMO, JW's best moments are those where he is able to musically express scenes of flight or levitation.
Another cue is the ostinato intro motif from Superman, when he is rushing in and changing his clothes. Still gives me chills everytime I hear it.

JW likely will get his star posthumously.

Goldfrapp. Never thought I'd ever like electronic dance/techno...

So yesterday (May 11) I watched the live conversation “horn hangout” of Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr from the Berlin Philharmonic and questions could be ask by the viewers. So I (and probably also other people with me) asked whether the orchestra would consider inviting JW to conduct his music with them. She replied: “we asked him, but unfortunately he doesn’t....well, it didn’t work out. So we’ll keep asking!”
So at least any rumors that the orchestra is too traditional for such a collaboration are untrue. How wonderful would it be if this would happen one day...
 
See her remark at 22’10:
 

The Berlin Philharmonic is regarded as the best orchestra by many critics in the classical world. Surely JW would love to conduct it. And I surely would love to see and hear it :)
While I like the LSO, there are some better orchestras in Europe. I would take Vienna or Berlin over LSO. Or maybe Concertgebouw would also be an option?
 
Williams said in an interview after Vienna that he can't wait to go back. Maybe if the there is a vaccaine he will come back to europe?

Maybe the success of the Vienna concerts will motivate other european orchestras to pursue him more actively, now that it's been proven to be feasible. One can hope. 

So yesterday (May 11) I watched the live conversation “horn hangout” of Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr from the Berlin Philharmonic and questions could be ask by the viewers. So I (and probably also other people with me) asked whether the orchestra would consider inviting JW to conduct his music with them. She replied: “we asked him, but unfortunately he doesn’t....well, it didn’t work out. So we’ll keep asking!”
So at least any rumors that the orchestra is too traditional for such a collaboration are untrue. How wonderful would it be if this would happen one day...
 
See her remark at 22’10:
 

So yesterday (May 11) I watched the live conversation “horn hangout” of Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr from the Berlin Philharmonic and questions could be ask by the viewers. So I (and probably also other people with me) asked whether the orchestra would consider inviting JW to conduct his music with them. She replied: “we asked him, but unfortunately he doesn’t....well, it didn’t work out. So we’ll keep asking!”
So at least any rumors that the orchestra is too traditional for such a collaboration are untrue. How wonderful would it be if this would happen one day...
 
See her remark at 22’10:
 

So yesterday (May 11) I watched the live conversation “horn hangout” of Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr from the Berlin Philharmonic and questions could be ask by the viewers. So I (and probably also other people with me) asked whether the orchestra would consider inviting JW to conduct his music with them. She replied: “we asked him, but unfortunately he doesn’t....well, it didn’t work out. So we’ll keep asking!”
So at least any rumors that the orchestra is too traditional for such a collaboration are untrue. How wonderful would it be if this would happen one day...
 
See her remark at 22’10:
 

So yesterday (May 11) I watched the live conversation “horn hangout” of Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr from the Berlin Philharmonic and questions could be ask by the viewers. So I (and probably also other people with me) asked whether the orchestra would consider inviting JW to conduct his music with them. She replied: “we asked him, but unfortunately he doesn’t....well, it didn’t work out. So we’ll keep asking!”
So at least any rumors that the orchestra is too traditional for such a collaboration are untrue. How wonderful would it be if this would happen one day...
 
See her remark at 22’10:
 

Look at it as a new arrangement.

Williams' concert on Blu-ray was probably the biggest musical dream of my life. Of course, there is an excellent "Celebration" Blu-ray from 2015, but conducted by Dudamel (except for the encore). And here ... Williams conducts one of the best orchestras in the world, in one of the most renowned places, and I saw it live - twice! That's why it doesn't matter to me that some important compositions are missing, especially since the the concert is still very long. I'm also surprised by complaints about the presence of Anne-Sophie Mutter, who has become one of Williams' most active popularizers in the still conservative classical world. As for the allegations that Maestro is now weaker conductor than he once was... Well, I completely disagree. 

Yeah, I also noticed that, but agree, the performance is absolutely perfect otherwise.

I can’t stop listening to this fantastic recording😄! I do agree with many people that it is probably the best recording there is, regarding control, phrasing, balance of sound and sound quality. Especially the unisono horn part at 2:32 (video) / 2:27 (audio) gives me chills.

There’s just one thing that bothers me every time I hear it, small but audible, which is the second flute coming in half a beat early on the G5 of the ostinato counterpoint 2:25 (video) on 2:20 (audio). I checked the score and there really should be a full quarter note rest on the first beat for tutti orchestra except for the melody played by the horns and trumpets (bar 60).

It doesn’t really affect the overal performance but once you hear this you cant unhear it (at least I can’t🙈)...

I can’t stop listening to this fantastic recording😄! I do agree with many people that it is probably the best recording there is, regarding control, phrasing, balance of sound and sound quality. Especially the unisono horn part at 2:32 (video) / 2:27 (audio) gives me chills.

There’s just one thing that bothers me every time I hear it, small but audible, which is the second flute coming in half a beat early on the G5 of the ostinato counterpoint 2:25 (video) on 2:20 (audio). I checked the score and there really should be a full quarter note rest on the first beat for tutti orchestra except for the melody played by the horns and trumpets (bar 60).

It doesn’t really affect the overal performance but once you hear this you cant unhear it (at least I can’t🙈)...