Preferable Williams renditions: LSO or BPO?

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

Possibly. I just saw the castrated version on TV, so i dont have it, if anyone wants to check....

[Foxfan 128]

Is Ottawa in Texas too?

Ottawa is the CAPITAL of Canada.

[Bowie 45]

I vote for the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

What a ridicurous conductor!!

[Quintus 5,399]

I thought he was gonna launch himself from the stage at one point. Methinks the guy loves that theme as much as us lot do A decent enough performance by the orchestra though.

Anyway thanks for the link. That is actually the first full video I've ever seen of a Williams performance, any more in existence?

Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emt5G8PFLZs...john%20williams

Its crap, but listen out for the Cantina Band as they film their surroundings, its quite sureal. Imagine hearing the echos of that tune playing out one morning. Everywhere they went, people could hear it, but where was it coming from?.... Williams had begun his conquest for worldwide brainwashed domination!

[Marian Schedenig 8,253]

I vote for the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

That's an excellent interpretation, actually. Is there more of this? A CD perhaps?

[Bowie 45]

Speaking of excerrent interpretations:

NB: She's actually playing it live (it's not recorded in any way - except perhaps instrument changes).

[Quintus 5,399]

Outstanding.

[JMan 0]

I vote for the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

What a ridicurous conductor!!

"Did you say ridicurous?"

JMan:)

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I vote for the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

What a ridicurous conductor!!

Awesome. He looks like me air-conducting.

Except, you know, I don't wear a tux.

And I'd be rubbish in front of an orchestra.

[scissorhands 16]

Eiji Oue is the new leading conductor of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. Hope he makes concerts like that

[Lurker 5]

I vote for the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

What a ridicurous conductor!!

Speaking of excerrent interpretations:

Anyone that speaks in a foreign accent probably speaks more languages than you. Try to show some respect.

Neil

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Anyone that speaks in a foreign accent probably speaks more languages than you.  

Neil

I DON'T HAVE A FOREIGN ACCENT!

[Bowie 45]

Well since I spoke in two "foreign" (presumably you mean non-Yank) accents in the same post (i.e., Australian and Japanese), that must mean I speak twice as many languages as normal foreign-accented people!

Which is unfortunately not true. I only speak English (Australian) and French, although I am becoming more and more fluent in American English, y'all.

[Red 75]

I voted for the Boston Pops if not only because he has spent much more time with them, plus conducted them for several years.

[Damo 0]

I know we spoken about the best orchestra in the world before but these two are far superior when it comes to playing John Williams music as we all know.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

The LSO by far.

The BPO's brass section usually sounds to thin, and their performance is often a bit to rigid for my taste.

BPO's brass section doesn't sound thin , I would say they play very sophisticated.Amazing section.

In the early LSO star wars recordings the Brass(especially horns) sound terrible because the mics are pushed

almost into their bells.

So in the tutti places you can here individual players , not the whole section.

[crocodile 8,066]

LSO. Never liked anything recorded by BPO.

Karol

[Miguel Andrade 1,273]

I love both orchestras. Nevertheless, I find myself prefering the Boston Symphony/Pops Orchestra and their warmer sound. The London Symphony and their expansive brass sound sometimes is just a little too much for me... I'm kind of a string/woodwinds kind of guy, and the sound of them on the Boston musicians is somewhat superior, at least on my mind.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

And you are right...

[Josh500 1,615]

I think BPO recordings have a better sound quality. However, in terms of performance, LSO is slightly superior (though not by much). Listening to the scores of the Star Wars prequels, I'm not sure BPO could play them with the same energy and freshness.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

In the early LSO star wars recordings the Brass(especially horns) sound terrible because the mics are pushed

almost into their bells.

So in the tutti places you can here individual players , not the whole section.

Are we judging the orchestra or the recording of it?

LSO. Never liked anything recorded by BPO.

Karol

A voice of sanity at last.

Stefan Cosman- who still cannot believe this poll!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

QUOTE(hornist @ Jan 24 2007, 12:03 PM)

In the early LSO star wars recordings the Brass(especially horns) sound terrible because the mics are pushed

almost into their bells.

So in the tutti places you can here individual players , not the whole section.

Are we judging the orchestra or the recording of it?

I'm judging the first SW recording . The orchestra(LSO) is magnificent. So is BPO.

What is disturbing you is that "Pops" in front of it.It ain't that much different than BSO.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Rubbish!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

LSO. Never liked anything recorded by BPO.

Karol

Anything?!

So , you don't like music.

[Red 75]

LSO. Never liked anything recorded by BPO.

Karol

A voice of sanity at last.

Stefan Cosman- who still cannot believe this poll!

So anyone who disagrees with you is insane?

Rabbit--who likes both orchestras

[SeekUYoda 0]

SO hard to choose! Funny, I was just listening to Williams on Williams and thinking how much more I like the Hook tracks on that disc than on the soundtrack. But in general, I think I prefer the LSO - especially now that David Pyatt is their first horn... whee!

[Elmo Lewis 6]

So anyone who disagrees with you is insane?

You want him to change now?

[Ollie 1,069]

The LSO.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

The BPO is a load of fluff to me. The LSO has lost some talent over the years, but it is still better than the Boston Fluff Orchestra. They sound...abnormal, and thinly warm.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hell yeah!

[Red 75]

SO hard to choose! Funny, I was just listening to Williams on Williams and thinking how much more I like the Hook tracks on that disc than on the soundtrack. But in general, I think I prefer the LSO - especially now that David Pyatt is their first horn... whee!

The only Hook concert versions which are better than the originals are "Face of Pan" and "Smee's Plan". The rest (while definantly great) don't quite measure up to the original tracks.

[Datameister 2,096]

For me, it really depends on the piece AND on my mood. LSO recordings, mostly the earlier ones, have a rawer edge to them--the performances feel slightly less refined, but there's a human element in there that I like. BPO recordings seem comparitively cold, but their technical precision is enjoyable and the bright sound of their brass section is sometimes appropriate. I'd say the newer LSO recordings are flat-out better than anything the BPO records, since they seem to have mastered a tighter sound without losing the raw emotion. (I'm guessing the switch from analog to digital is partly responsible.)

Hey, whoops. Some of the recordings I was thinking of were actually the Cincinnati Pops, not the BSO. So there goes part of the oomph of my argument.

[Miguel Andrade 1,273]

For me, it really depends on the piece AND on my mood. LSO recordings, mostly the earlier ones, have a rawer edge to them--the performances feel slightly less refined, but there's a human element in there that I like. BPO recordings seem comparitively cold, but their technical precision is enjoyable and the bright sound of their brass section is sometimes appropriate. I'd say the newer LSO recordings are flat-out better than anything the BPO records, since they seem to have mastered a tighter sound without losing the raw emotion. (I'm guessing the switch from analog to digital is partly responsible.)

Hey, whoops. Some of the recordings I was thinking of were actually the Cincinnati Pops, not the BSO. So there goes part of the oomph of my argument.

I don't like the Cincinatti Pops and there exagerated brass.

[Romão 2,276]

I´d say the LSO, just because it is the orchestra I see live more often. Once every month, more or less.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

You bastard. You lucky, lucky bastard.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

Indeed

[Datameister 2,096]

You bastard. You lucky, lucky bastard.

Understatement of the year. Merkel, I greatly envy you now.

[Miguel Andrade 1,273]

You bastard. You lucky, lucky bastard.

Understatement of the year. Merkel, I greatly envy you now.

Who doesn't?

[sithknight 0]

You bastard. You lucky, lucky bastard.

Understatement of the year. Merkel, I greatly envy you now.

Who doesn't?

The great orchestras of the world, including the LSO and BSO have very distinct orchestral traditions and sound. For eg. the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra are quite unparalled in Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven. The VPO F horns are just awesome in the horn calls in Beethoven. The LSO brasses are known to be brilliant, bright and play with a lot of panache, their strings precise and crisp, especially in very fast passages. Ian Bousfield, former principle trombone of the LSO, now principle at the VPO was quoted that he continues to admire the LSO brasses especially in soundtracks when asked what he missed most about the LSO. The BSO strings are rich and silky, not always as crisp as the LSO's in fast passages; brasses darker and heavier. Both the LSO & BSO are amongst the very best in the world not just in their consistent quality but versatility. The LSO is also legendary for its collective ability to sight-read saving movie studios lots of money for what can be very expensive and potentially frustrating recording regime.

While I personally have more admiration for the LSO in most of William's music, the BPO has some very peerless recordings. For eg. For William’s music that has an Americana undertone and requires a traditional American trumpet timber, the BPO beats hands down. But in Star Wars, no orchestra comes close to the legendary LSO trumpet in the opening, attributed to the famous LSO principle emeritus trumpet Maurice Murphy).

I attended William's live concerts with the LSO in 1998. I remembered they played the Raiders March and Star Wars Throne Room Fanfares & Finale for encores (after almost 2 hrs of his other music that included ET, Liberty fanfare, etc) and sounded as if they were the first pieces for the evening. Brasses never once sounded tired despite the continuous workout of high notes amongst the brasses. I recalled being absolutely “blown” away hearing the piercing punch in the opening trumpet fanfares. It was likely the same visceral effect anywhere one sat in the concert hall. When I heard the Chicago Symphony play Star Wars with Williams in 2005, another of my favourite orchestras, they sounded great, polished, even polite but never as punchy as the LSO. As such, the BSO and American Studio Orchestras were peerless in Saving Private Ryan and Born on Fourth of July (especially Tim Morrison's trumpet soli) but when you need a Wagnerian and powerful classical sound - eg. trumpets that literally pierces through the screen, no orchestra and I repeat, no orchestra can come close to the LSO.

[Romão 2,276]

Hearing that first chord of the Star Wars main title being played live by the LSO is indeed a mesmerizing experience.

[SeekUYoda 0]

SO hard to choose! Funny, I was just listening to Williams on Williams and thinking how much more I like the Hook tracks on that disc than on the soundtrack. But in general, I think I prefer the LSO - especially now that David Pyatt is their first horn... whee!

The only Hook concert versions which are better than the originals are "Face of Pan" and "Smee's Plan". The rest (while definantly great) don't quite measure up to the original tracks.

Okay, I listened again and I agree about "The Lost Boys' Ballet" and "Flight to Neverland" - those are better, but I really do like "The Banquet" better on Williams on Williams.

[Red 75]

The beginning is better, but it seems to be slower. Plus the tuba solo sounds much better in the original.