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Who is going to see Williams in Chicago this week?


David Coscina

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Is there anyone here attending Williams' concert featuring Yo Yo Ma in Chicago this week? For me it will also be a return to my birthplace which is neat since my parents moved to Canada back in 1970 so I have no memory of Chicago at all.

I will also have a chance to catch up with my good pal Doug Adams.

See you guys there!

p.s. The program looks interesting. 3 Pieces from Indiana Jones might include KotCS, Flight to Neverland will be awesome to hear live, and of course Geisha which I did hear a small piece from at the Detroit concert earlier this year.

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My wife and I are going. We saw JW last November there, which was a lifelong dream come true for me. This time, my wife gets to see Yo Yo Ma, a lifelong dream for her.

We're also glad there's more than just Geisha on the program, as a concert of nothing but that might get a little snoozy. Excited to see if any KOTCS stuff is in the Indy pieces. I'm hoping they don't drag out the old "Here's the scene from Last Crusade without music, here it is with music" chestnut, which don't get me wrong is quite great, but I just saw it a few months ago. Gimme new stuff! :lol: Plus the Olympic stuff should be fun, I've always gotten a kick out of those. Even though I've been hearing snippets over the last week or so. Yeah, I know that kinda contradicts what I just said about the Last Crusade thing, oh well.

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I'm envious of you all.

I will also have a chance to catch up with my good pal Doug Adams.

If that's the Doug Adams I think it is, I don't suppose you'd bother asking him about the Indy 4 FSM Podcast he was still editing? :P

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so as not to give away any surprises, I'll be posting my review after tonight's program. Last night's show however was amazing!!!!

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Arnaud/Williams - Bugler's Dream - Olympic Fanfare and Theme

Williams - Song for World Peace

Williams - The Olympic Spirit

Williams - Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Williams - Flight to Neverland from Hook

Williams - Three Pieces from Indiana Jones

The Adventures of Mutt

Irina's Theme

The Raiders March

Williams - Sound The Bells!

Williams - Memoirs of a Geisha, Suite for Cello and Orchestra

Sayuri’s Theme

Going to School

The Chairman’s Waltz

Brush on Silk

Chiyo’s Prayer

Becoming a Geisha

Williams - Elegy for Cello and Orchestra

Williams - Flying Theme from E.T. The Extraterrestrial

Encores

Williams - The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back

Williams - Marion's Theme from the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Williams - March from Superman

Williams - Hands to Cheek to say ‘Goodnight’

The Chicago Symphony gave another amazing two evenings with maestro John Williams. Some of the few highlights of the program are as follows:

The Song for World Peace was a new arrangement. The piece had an expanded beginning with various soloists and the brass section. Additionally the finale as heard on the Call of the Champions CD was actually played twice, even more triumphantly the second time. I had absolute chills running down my spine.

Besides of course John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma had energy, charisma, and a definite presence that filled Symphony Center. He connected with Williams and the musicians around him as well as the audience.

Sayuri's Theme was the same arrangement that was performed by the Chicago Symphony back in November and subsequently broadcast over the Internet for everyone to hear.

The arrangement for Going to School was in the same spirit as the piano and cello piece heard on iTunes, except in this case arranged for full orchestra. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The chairman's waltz took my breath away. The duet between Yo-Yo Ma and Robert Chen (concertmaster) was utterly beautiful.

Becoming a Geisha started out similarly to what is heard on the original soundtrack but the similarity ends there. It was definitely the appropriate finale to The Suite for Memoirs of a Geisha.

Ma and Williams surprised the audience with an encore, Elegy for Cello and Orchestra. It was very warm and heartfelt, a delight to hear live despite the circumstances surrounding the composition.

The only two negatives that stood out from these concerts (and really any concert for that matter) were:

1. 98% of the patrons applauded between the suites.

2. The coughing, sniffles, chair creeks, and whispers, from the surrounding patrons that can be a real distraction from the performance.

Other than those two minor annoyances, I had two unforgettable evenings with Maestro John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

It's 1:56 AM Central standard Time and I'm fairly tired at the moment. If I can think of anything else I'll post more tomorrow after a good nights sleep.

Goodnight everyone (hands to cheek)

Please feel free to bold, italicize, or otherwise format the text as I am way to tired to do so now :lol:

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I attending the first concert with Doug Adams who said that Irina's Theme was fleshed out more than what was represented on CD. I have not heard that score enough to know the difference but it was beautifully played by the CSO. Also, MArion's Theme in the encore is a new version composed by Williams for Indy 4. It was quite amazing where he takes the theme.

I thought the concert was amazing also. Geisha was hypnotic but I do agree that some of the noisier patrons disrupted the quiet candenza's that Ma played during various parts. Why don't people bring some water in if they have a dry mouth? Oh well. that's a rhetorical question.

We had box seats so our view of Williams was really excellent for the concert. In fact, I could discriminate between the conductor's scores he was reading off of! I wasn't aware prior to this concert that he used the Signature Series full scores for some of his conducting. I could clearly see the Superman Signature score that he used during the final encore.

Between this concert and the Detroit one in April, I feel damn lucky to have been able to see the maestro 3 times in a single year (I also attended the rehearsal in detroit).

One thing to note- Doug mentioned that there were quite a few subs playing for the CSO because of the time of year this concert was held at. Their normal A-listers (mostly from the string section) were off. I still think the CSO sounded amazing though so it's kind of scary to think that this was their 2nd line as the saying goes!

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Outstanding concerts (I went to both), I think "Becoming a Geisha" had to be my favorite piece they played both nights. I was also able to meet John Williams and Yo Yo Ma after Wednesday's performance!

I thanked him for such an amazing concert and then asked him if he was going to score "Tintin", "I really hope to" he said, "He (Spielberg) showed me some footage (test I assume) and it is VERY exciting!"

:(

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I like the Raiders shirt. What was the attire that night? Everything from t-shirts to suits, I suppose, as it was in Boston.

My friend, Jason who is in the photo didn't even attend the concert!! LOL he just showed up afterwards. But, yes you are correct about the attire, personally I was there in jeans and a T-shirt (as were many others) and there were many there in suits. It's nice to see such a different crowd at the concerts, young/old, rich/poor, it doesn't matter, we're all there for our love for his music.

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I thanked him for such an amazing concert and then asked him if he was going to score "Tintin", "I really hope to" he said, "He (Spielberg) showed me some footage (test I assume) and it is VERY exciting!"

WOW! Awesome news, another JW score to look forward to!!!

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I heard that these concerts where recorded live by Sony BGM for a CD release is that true?

I'd certainly hope so but I wouldn;t hold my breath .Weve never had a live Williams concert released on c.d.

Williams is looking good! He actually looks "cool" in that suit.

Sounds promising for a tintin score! I certainly hope so .I'd take that any day over Lincoln

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The CSO website had said before the concert, or at least the MOAG sections would be released on CD

What were their exact words? Did they say that at the very least we would get Memoirs, it was that an assumption based on inferences?

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Leading film composer John Williams returns to conduct the CSO and Yo-Yo Ma in two very special performances of music from Williams' moving and Academy Award® nominated score Memoirs of a Geisha. Based on the internationally acclaimed novel by Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha is a sweeping romantic epic set in a mysterious and exotic world that still casts a potent spell today. The story begins in the years before WWII when a penniless child is torn from her family and forced to work as a maid in a geisha house, but eventually becomes one of the most celebrated geishas in Japan. These concerts will be recorded live in Orchestra Hall for a future release by Sony/BMG Masterworks.

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I'm not sure how much they can use on the evening that I saw the performance since a woman starting coughing or choking so loudly during Ma's cello cadenza on A Dream Discarded. I also found that Williams' concert version of Becoming A Geisha is actually the End Credit music with its challenging rhythmic figures.

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Leading film composer John Williams returns to conduct the CSO and Yo-Yo Ma in two very special performances of music from Williams' moving and Academy Award® nominated score Memoirs of a Geisha. Based on the internationally acclaimed novel by Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha is a sweeping romantic epic set in a mysterious and exotic world that still casts a potent spell today. The story begins in the years before WWII when a penniless child is torn from her family and forced to work as a maid in a geisha house, but eventually becomes one of the most celebrated geishas in Japan. These concerts will be recorded live in Orchestra Hall for a future release by Sony/BMG Masterworks.

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Okay, thanks.

So I think it's possible that everything will be recorded. I hope so.

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I'm not sure how much they can use on the evening that I saw the performance since a woman starting coughing or choking so loudly during Ma's cello cadenza on A Dream Discarded.

I was in the same box with this Woman!! She started choking/coughing REALLY loud during this piece, she did get up Immediately and run out into the hall and down to the bathroom, but it was so loud that It killed the entire piece for me. Fortunately, I had tickets to the next nights performance (Which I think was recorded as well) and enjoyed the piece uninterrupted.

The Woman never returned for the remaindered of the performance, so it must have been something serious.

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I'm not sure how much they can use on the evening that I saw the performance since a woman starting coughing or choking so loudly during Ma's cello cadenza on A Dream Discarded.

I was in the same box with this Woman!! She started choking/coughing REALLY loud during this piece, she did get up Immediately and run out into the hall and down to the bathroom, but it was so loud that It killed the entire piece for me. Fortunately, I had tickets to the next nights performance (Which I think was recorded as well) and enjoyed the piece uninterrupted.

The Woman never returned for the remaindered of the performance, so it must have been something serious.

Wow, you were two boxes over from me and Doug. We were in Box H. Great view!

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Wow, you were two boxes over from me and Doug. We were in Box H. Great view!

The view was INCREDIBLE!!!! I really treated myself well for these two concerts, On night one I had box D and on night two I had Box Q!!!

I know so many people here pay so dearly to travel to Chicago to come see Williams, Since I live right here, The only expense I really have is the ticket to the concert(s), so why not live it up when it comes to Williams? :lol:

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It was a wonderful concert, perhaps a bit more "pops" oriented than "classical" oriented. But great nonetheless. JW is such a fun conductor to watch, especially at 75 and how active he gets up on the podium. Yo Yo Ma was a delight, a master performer, he brings such joy and passion to his performance.

We had seats in one of the upper balconies, but still a fantastic view even from up there. Made it with about 20 minutes to spare, even considering the 50-minute delay on 94 on our way in. A three hour trip became a four hour trip, good thing we left plenty early.

My wife said she wants "Marion's Theme" to be her theme because it's so beautiful. I agree, the new arrangement is fantastic, it really needs to be available somewhere, somehow.

And if there were a bunch of second-stringers playing, it sure didn't sound like it. The horns section was amazingly tight and powerful. And the tuba section was dang strong too, especially when I looked and saw it was one guy!

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It was a wonderful concert, perhaps a bit more "pops" oriented than "classical" oriented. But great nonetheless. JW is such a fun conductor to watch, especially at 75 and how active he gets up on the podium. Yo Yo Ma was a delight, a master performer, he brings such joy and passion to his performance.

We had seats in one of the upper balconies, but still a fantastic view even from up there. Made it with about 20 minutes to spare, even considering the 50-minute delay on 94 on our way in. A three hour trip became a four hour trip, good thing we left plenty early.

My wife said she wants "Marion's Theme" to be her theme because it's so beautiful. I agree, the new arrangement is fantastic, it really needs to be available somewhere, somehow.

And if there were a bunch of second-stringers playing, it sure didn't sound like it. The horns section was amazingly tight and powerful. And the tuba section was dang strong too, especially when I looked and saw it was one guy!

Because the tuba is such a loud instrument, you only need one to fill out the brass choir unless you're talking Wagner tubas. Did you also notice that only 4 horn players were on stage during the Geisha section? 2 more came out for the encore material. The audience actually laughed when they saw this, although I am not sure why.

The string section did not sound quite as full as the Detroit Symphony did to my ears and in fact I had a hard time hearing the bass section, especially when they were playing pizzicato.

While the horns sounded very good, I actually like the sound of the DSO horns, especially on The Cowboys Overture that Williams led them through in April.

The best brass section I have heard playing Williams' material was the Pittsburgh Symphony back in 2003. they were awesome.

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Because the tuba is such a loud instrument, you only need one to fill out the brass choir unless you're talking Wagner tubas. Did you also notice that only 4 horn players were on stage during the Geisha section? 2 more came out for the encore material. The audience actually laughed when they saw this, although I am not sure why.

The string section did not sound quite as full as the Detroit Symphony did to my ears and in fact I had a hard time hearing the bass section, especially when they were playing pizzicato.

While the horns sounded very good, I actually like the sound of the DSO horns, especially on The Cowboys Overture that Williams led them through in April.

The best brass section I have heard playing Williams' material was the Pittsburgh Symphony back in 2003. they were awesome.

I did notice the 4-person horn section. Actually saw the 2 who later returned leave right after Sound the Bells. (And saw the guy who opened the door and signalled for them to come back...) Didn't notice the laughing, though that might have been Wednesday evening? We were there Thursday.

The laughter at the Close Encounters clip where the boy says "Toys!" felt a bit weird, too. As did the almost over-the-top response to the Imperial March encore, people really seemed to go nutso for that one. But I did enjoy the chuckles at JW's "sleepy-time" hands-as-pillows motion after the final encore. It was getting kinda late. :lol:

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