John Williams concert in Basingstoke

[Omen II 1,297]

Yes, it's Omen II here again bringing your attention to another John Williams concert in the UK, this one at the Anvil in Basingstoke (Hampshire) on Friday 28th June 2013 A.D. Pete Harrison conducts the excellent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in what looks to be a similar programme to the concerts the orchestra gave in Poole and Bristol last year.

http://www.bsolive.com/concerts/listings/concertdetails.htm?year=2013&month=6&concertid=173985

There is a likelihood that there will be someone from Hook in the audience!

[Incanus 5,884]

You really have quite many JW concerts in UK/ year it seems. I wish we had such interest in film music here in Finland among the bigger orchestras.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 11,807]

Or Holland.

[Omen II 1,297]

You really have quite many JW concerts in UK/ year it seems. I wish we had such interest in film music here in Finland among the bigger orchestras.

Given the popularity of the major movie franchises that Williams has scored and the fact that that popularity spans generations, I think John Williams film music concerts are a surefire way for orchestras to almost guarantee getting bums on seats at a time when many are struggling for funding. I went to four John Williams concerts last year (London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra), all of them either sold out or very close to it. The cost of buying a ticket with a great view is also usually less than what I pay to get into a fourth division football match.

It's also great music, but you knew that already.

[Omen II 1,297]

So, anyone going to this tomorrow? There are still tickets available.

[Omen II 1,297]

Here is what the excellent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra played at yesterday's concert:

The Olympic Spirit

Angela's Ashes

Theme

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Hedwig's Theme

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Excerpts

Attack of the Clones

Across the Stars

Jurassic Park

The Lost World

INTERVAL

Superman: The Movie

JFK

Prologue

E.T.

Adventures On Earth

Schindler's List

Memoirs of a Geisha

Sayuri's Theme

Star Wars / The Empire Strikes Back

Main Title

Princess Leia

Imperial March

Yoda's Theme

Throne Room & End Titles

ENCORE

Raiders of the Lost Ark

I am glad I went but it was a pity to see so many empty seats, especially as Basingstoke is so easy to get to from London (in fact it seemed as if half the orchestra was in the same carriage as me on the train back!).

[Incanus 5,884]

Looks like an absolutely fabulous programme. Shame indeed that it wasn't sold out or had full seats. I would not have hesitated for a moment if something like that had been played in an easy travel distance from our capital.

[Omen II 1,297]

Looks like an absolutely fabulous programme.

It was! I really enjoyed seeing and hearing Jurassic Park and The Lost World played back to back before the interval. You usually get one or the other, but rarely both in the one concert. The orchestra was large with six horns, four trombones and five trumpets at times, as well as six people in the kitchen department. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra seems to have a higher proportion of female musicians than most other orchestras I have seen too.

As far as I can recall, all the pieces were the official concert versions with which many of us are familiar, although the suite from Close Encounters was shortened slightly (as it was in the same ensemble's concert in Bristol last year). I also could not quite place the version of Sayuri's Theme, the absence of the solo cello throwing me a little, although it was still very nicely played. And how good was it to hear Angela's Ashes, the full theme as heard on the album!

I spotted hardly any mistakes in any of the performances, bar a couple of minor SNAFUs from the horns near the beginning of E.T. which coincided with one of the viola players experiencing a technical malfunction (either that or he panicked after seeing a few semiquavers at the bottom of the page - little viola joke for you there). Again the lead trumpeter was faultless in the JFK solo while the main oboist and cor anglais players were excellent, both having a fair bit to do.

My only minor criticism was the rather naff programme that contained too many typos and typesetting errors; I know the music is what's important, but I reckon many of the regulars here could have come up with a more engaging read and would have at least put it through spellcheck first.

[Jay 45,123]

"kitchen department"

Very cool that they played JFK, that seems to be among the rarer stuff played

[SF1_freeze 138]

Is there a recording? Sadly no decent recording of the Lost World Theme concert version exists yet... only the disappointingly speed up and rearranged Kunzel version

[Omen II 1,297]

Is there a recording? Sadly no decent recording of the Lost World Theme concert version exists yet... only the disappointingly speed up and rearranged Kunzel version

As far as I know the concert was not being recorded, SF1_freeze, as I did not notice any microphones or other technical equipment around the stage. There were lots of notices up in the Anvil (the concert hall in Basingstoke) warning against anyone taking photos or recordings, so it would have had to be a braver man than I that tried! A shame really, as I was about a dozen rows from the front and had an excellent view, if not the will or knowhow to make an audio recording.

The acoustics in the hall are excellent (indeed the conductor Pete Harrison mentioned that the BSO likes playing there for that reason), so if anyone had succeeded in recording the BSO's performance of The Lost World it would no doubt have been a very energetic version, as the percussionists were 'having it large' as we say round these parts.

[crocodile 9,516]

"kitchen department"

Very cool that they played JFK, that seems to be among the rarer stuff played

I wish I could hear the longer suite from this. You know, the one with Prologue, Motorcade and Arlington. I've heard only that first bit live.

Karol

[Omen II 1,297]

"kitchen department"

Very cool that they played JFK, that seems to be among the rarer stuff played

I wish I could hear the longer suite from this. You know, the one with Prologue, Motorcade and Arlington. I've heard only that first bit live.

Karol

You will hate me now - I saw John Williams conducting the LSO in that very suite from JFK at the Barbican in 1996!

[crocodile 9,516]

Triple cool!

Karol