Williams Concerti

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

After about ten minutes of sitting here trying to figure out how to get the ball rolling and make deductions about which of William's concerto's is my favorite, I haven't been able to get any further than coming to a tie with all of them being equally my favorite. I think for many Williams fans, his concert music is disliked because its quite different from his film music. A complete shame, really. Personally, I'm quite amazed at the range he employs with them, the vast array of style he has with them. The flute concerto in particular. It's only one movement and has qualities of Boulez and Pesson. From there you can jump to his first violin concerto, which sounds like a melange of Webern, Berg and even Shoenberg at times. I would keep going but I think you all get the gist. What is everyones thoughts one his concerti?

[Miguel Andrade 1,150]

The Cello Concerto. Actually my favorite Williams piece, considering his complete oeuvre.

But I do understand your dilemma... I too have a huge difficulty in choosing favorites when we are talking about John Williams music.

[Incanus 5,655]

I find Williams' concerti some of his most interesting material. Despite many of them being slightly less accessible than his film work it is none the less the work of the same man and his own voice comes through loud and clear in both worlds, just in different ways. The concerti are beautiful showcase pieces for individual artists to whom they were composed and also to the instruments in question.

Like Miguel I really have a deep affection for the Cello Concerto as well as the Five Sacred Trees Bassoon Concerto (the first concert work I heard from the Maestro) but I can say that each and every one of them offers something interesting and wonderful in their own way. There is a definite sense of lyricism in all of them, the superb ear for instrumental combinations that bring out the different timbres of the solo instrument, beautiful orchestrations (no surprise there) and very often there is if not programmatic then natural dramatism in many of them.

These concerti really as the other side of Williams' work, side where he is not tied down to the demands of any other medium than his own musical thought and I think as I have said before you can hear some of his most personal notes in his concerti and concert works in general. And as varied as the concerti are in their form and style a certain kind of introspection and even spiritual feel of these works shines through and also a delight in exploring the range and different moods and capabilities of each of the solo instruments. And as the musicians can attest these are not the easiest parts to play either.

As for the most challenging of these concertos, I would have to say the Flute Concerto. I haven't quite gotten a grip on its "story" yet.

[Muad'Dib 1,772]

There's something extremly fascinating with Williams concerto output, and I find it strange that people criticize him for doing the same things or not trying new stuff when he's doing a lot of experimenting in the concert hall! I just wish that more directors would have let him try this more expermiental or personal direction in his film works, but oh well...

I think my favorites are the Essay for Strings, which was the first non-film work of his that really caught my attention; Soundings, The Five Sacred Trees, Rounds and the Horn Concerto are some of my favorites too.... I don't remember ever hearing the Flute Concerto, but after you guys have mentioned so much I'm gonna have to check it out! Sounds right my alley.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

Williams always says (and is often seen in the titles) that he's deeply inspired my nature. I think it really shows when listening to his concerti. Specifically on Willows and Birches.

[crocodile 7,668]

I like all or most of them, but my favourite would always be the two violin concertos. I have a very soft spot for that disc.

Karol

[Thor 6,721]

If I can only choose one, it would have to be "The Five Sacred Trees". I love Williams and woodwinds.

[Joni Wiljami 1,202]

5 Sacred threes.

And the Horn Concerto, The Nocturne.

[Morn 7]

Has to be the horn concerto and the beautiful Nocturne.

[Incanus 5,655]

5 Sacred threes.

And the Horn Concerto, The Nocturne.

The whole Horn Concerto but especially Pastoral and Nocture movements are magnificent.

[Gurkensalat 324]

Cello, Basson, Horn, Oboe are masterpieces in my opinion. Both Violin Concerti are very good, too, close behind. The Flute one is too "modern" for my taste, but I applaud him for trying something different. Harp, trumpet, clarinet and tuba are nice and entertaining, but more lightweight.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

I find it incredibly sad that Williams viola concerto hasn't been recorded.... or has it? I was at the premier of the oboe concerto, and that was premiered two years ago. I was speaking with a friend from the BSO, and she told me that Williams doesn't own the right to " On Willows and Birches". Since the BSO commissioned it, THEY own it. So I'm curious to know if its the same deal with all the other concerti written for BSO members over the years. Although, I had heard in an interview that that the viola concerto was a gift. Anybody know anymore about it?

Sadly this is all we have to hear.....

Also, reading in the program at his 80th birthday concert, it said that Williams has written TWO symphonies.

[TownerFan 4,980]

Yes, the Viola Concerto was written for BPO's principal violist Cathy Basrak, so technically it isn't a proper commission from the orchestra. However, I don't know the copyright technicalities behind these things that would prevent a release of sorts. If the concert was live-recorded, I guess the BSO has full rights to it and could release it, like they did with the Oboe Concerto.

Williams wrote two symphonies: one is the First Symphony (aka Symphony No.1), written 1966 and premiered by André Previn and the Houston Symphony in 1969. It appears this work has been withdrawn from Williams' official catalogue of works (looks like he wasn't fully happy with it).

The other symphony is the Sinfonietta for Wind Ensemble, written in 1969 and commissioned by Donald Hunsberger for his own Eastman Wind Ensemble.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

Well all of his concerto works were written for people, with the exception of the the violin concertos, which are both dedicated to his wife and the second to a friend in Boston. Anways, whoever owns it, its a shame that all scores by modern composers are kept under lock and key. You can only buy the reductions and still, only a few are available.

The Sinfonietta For Winds isn't his second symphony, because it listed to symphonies AND that Sinfonietta

[TownerFan 4,980]

Then the program has a mistake. Williams wrote only one full "proper" Symphony.

The fact that all his concertos are dedicated to someone specific doesn't mean they were officially commissioned by them. Several of JW's concert works are the result of his own urge to write something for someone.

[Jay 34,932]

I find it incredibly sad that Williams viola concerto hasn't been recorded.... or has it? I was at the premier of the oboe concerto, and that was premiered two years ago. I was speaking with a friend from the BSO, and she told me that Williams doesn't own the right to " On Willows and Birches". Since the BSO commissioned it, THEY own it. So I'm curious to know if its the same deal with all the other concerti written for BSO members over the years. Although, I had heard in an interview that that the viola concerto was a gift. Anybody know anymore about it?

Sadly this is all we have to hear.....

Also, reading in the program at his 80th birthday concert, it said that Williams has written TWO symphonies.

Cool, those are my videos!

[Thor 6,721]

To be clear, a sinfonietta is not the same as a symphony. Williams has only written ONE symphony. But these two are often confused in work listings among those who don't know the difference.

[King Mark 3,505]

I like the Horn Concerto the best

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

To be clear, a sinfonietta is not the same as a symphony. Williams has only written ONE symphony. But these two are often confused in work listings among those who don't know the difference.

I assumed it was a mistake, but the program said it has TWO symphonies. I don't know if anyone else went to verify, but i believe the list itself was written by williams

http://www.bso.org/g-m/_john-williams-conductor.aspx

Bang, two symphonies

[Thor 6,721]

To be clear, a sinfonietta is not the same as a symphony. Williams has only written ONE symphony. But these two are often confused in work listings among those who don't know the difference.

I assumed it was a mistake, but the program said it has TWO symphonies. I don't know if anyone else went to verify, but i believe the list itself was written by williams

http://www.bso.org/g-m/_john-williams-conductor.aspx

Bang, two symphonies

I doubt the list is written by Williams himself, so it's seems like another example of the oft-made error.

Unless Williams has an unknown second symphony hiding in his closet somewhere, he has only composed one.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

He has said that he composes everyday....you would think so

I mean between Crystal Skull and TInTin was three years. Granted, he wrote some of the music for tintin a year before release, but still. Theres a lot of time in there where he didn't write too much music. The harp concerto, certainly, but the man says in almost every interview that he writes almost everyday. Even though now that he's older, he spends a little less time, he still spends most of everyday writing. I thinks its safe to save ( as unfortunate as it is) that he has a tone of stuff just lying. He records stuff and leaves it lying around, why should his compositions be different.

[Thor 6,721]

Oh, I have no doubt he has some form of unreleased music stored away in his house somewhere. I just doubt he has a whole new symphony that no one has ever heard of.

[indy4 154]

Bassoon, cello or horn. But they're all great. Although I still haven't heard a couple of them.

[crocodile 7,668]

Listened to Heartwood and Cello Concerto today. They are both very good indeed. But still first violin concerto beats them both for me. It might be less Williams-esque piece, but just flows beautifully. I love it.

Karol

[Incanus 5,655]

Listened to Heartwood and Cello Concerto today. They are both very good indeed. But still first violin concerto beats them both for me. It might be less Williams-esque piece, but just flows beautifully. I love it.

Karol

I find the Violin Concerto a rather anguished piece of music, anguished but brilliant.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

Listened to Heartwood and Cello Concerto today. They are both very good indeed. But still first violin concerto beats them both for me. It might be less Williams-esque piece, but just flows beautifully. I love it.

Karol

I find the Violin Concerto a rather anguished piece of music, anguished but brilliant.

I think that was the point of writing it. At least the first one

[Incanus 5,655]

If we are exact and accurate Treesong is not a violin concerto as such although it has the violin in central soloist role. Somehow fans have come to call it his second violin concerto though.

[crocodile 7,668]

Never thought of it as anguished, to be honest. But it is certainly very emotional, especially the beautiful second movement.

Karol

[karelm 2,782]

I've seen the "two symphonies" listed in his concert bio on several occasions. Is it possible the two symphonies means the original symphony and then it's revision as a different work (like how Prokofiev has two versions of his fourth symphony that are very different and both good)? It appears he's not happy with the revised version either since it was pulled at the last moment. Maybe one day there will be symphony v3.

I'm very surprised to hear BSO owns the rights to the concerto they've commissioned. This is not typical even for a composer just getting started so how could this be the case such an established composer with a reputation? Films typically own the copyright but unusual for a commissioned concert piece that the orchestra owns it.

The concerti I've heard are all strong and show his typical craft though structure and texture are more prominent than flash and melody. I believe more people would like these if they didn't have the thematic expectations by seeing it was composed by Williams. I listened to the oboe and harp concerto a few days ago and they surprised me with how restrained they were but they are extremely well written. I still favor the violin concerto no. 1 and cello concerto for their gloomy understatement and depth.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

I've seen the "two symphonies" listed in his concert bio on several occasions. Is it possible the two symphonies means the original symphony and then it's revision as a different work (like how Prokofiev has two versions of his fourth symphony that are very different and both good)? It appears he's not happy with the revised version either since it was pulled at the last moment. Maybe one day there will be symphony v3.

I'm very surprised to hear BSO owns the rights to the concerto they've commissioned. This is not typical even for a composer just getting started so how could this be the case such an established composer with a reputation? Films typically own the copyright but unusual for a commissioned concert piece that the orchestra owns it.

The concerti I've heard are all strong and show his typical craft though structure and texture are more prominent than flash and melody. I believe more people would like these if they didn't have the thematic expectations by seeing it was composed by Williams. I listened to the oboe and harp concerto a few days ago and they surprised me with how restrained they were but they are extremely well written. I still favor the violin concerto no. 1 and cello concerto for their gloomy understatement and depth.

It did also surprise me that the BSO owns the rights to the concerto. Performance exclusivity is not so rare, but the full rights, I don't think I've ever heard of.

What i would really love, is to have the full scores to all of them. Unfortunately, i think they are available for rent. Does anyone know anything more about it?

[Marcus 390]

I seriously doubt that the BSO owns anything but performance rights, and even those can hardly apply after several years...

In my own contracts I've only ever encountered sole rights of the commissioner(s) to premiere a work, usually within a two year time frame, and on a couple of occasions, performance right exclusivity for the first 12 months following the premiere.

[karelm 2,782]

He has said that he composes everyday....you would think so

I mean between Crystal Skull and TInTin was three years. Granted, he wrote some of the music for tintin a year before release, but still. Theres a lot of time in there where he didn't write too much music. The harp concerto, certainly, but the man says in almost every interview that he writes almost everyday. Even though now that he's older, he spends a little less time, he still spends most of everyday writing. I thinks its safe to save ( as unfortunate as it is) that he has a tone of stuff just lying. He records stuff and leaves it lying around, why should his compositions be different.

In an interview last year, he's quoted as saying this:

He still goes to the piano every day, pencil in hand. “Well, I take the occasional Sunday off. Mind you, there are good days and bad days. A lot of it is rubbish! But it’s the process. It’s picking up the pencil, writing it, having it played, moving on.” While almost every other composer on the planet now employs some kind of electronic technology, for Williams, the old-fashioned tools are key. “It’s an influence that would be hard to quantify, but I think methodology is intimately connected to result,” he considers. “The pencil and paper are still very good tools, as is the piano. It’s something you do with your hands, so there’s an aspect of craftsmanship involved, even penmanship. And largely because I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had the time to go back and re-tool, and learn new methods I might have greatly benefited from.”

It is an extraordinary thought that there might have been more from John Williams had he only learnt to use a synthesiser. With the 80th birthday gala approaching, is there anything of which he is most proud? He looks momentarily troubled. “There must surely be bars, here and there, but it’s my personality never to be completely sure that what I’ve done is the best. There’s enough dissatisfaction gnawing at me all the time that I want to try to keep pushing forward.”

And what would Johnny Williams Senior think, I wonder, if he could see his son today? “He’d be very surprised by the amount of writing I’ve been able to do!” he chuckles. “I’m surprised! My personal library is a huge clutter, I’ll put it that way.” His voice drops to a wistful near-whisper. “After 60 years of doing this, it’s like breathing for me, or daily meals. My wife is often chiding me – why don’t you give yourself a break for a month or two, you might write better if you got away from it! But my vacation from the Hollywood work has been to sit down here at Tanglewood and write an overture for someone, a concerto for a friend.” He contemplates this. “I think the best way it has ever been put was by Rachmaninoff, who said ‘music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.’ As long as we’re fortunate enough to tinker around with music, I believe it is deserving of our interest until we draw our last breath.”

[nightscape94 965]

I enjoy the Violin, Horn, Bassoon and Cello concerti. The second movement of the violin concerto is amazing.

[TJH132 45]

I've always been a fan of the Tuba Concerto. It's modern, yet accessible; tuneful and virtuosic without being flashy. I also like "Soundings," and they way it builds to a massive finale. The Oboe Concerto was a revelation, even after listening to the piano reduction multiple times. I've also recently really enjoyed the "Quartet La Jolla" as a fine chamber piece.

TJH

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

[KK 3,292]

Soundings is a fascinating work.

And while I really like both, I prefer the cello concerto to the violin concerto.

[Incanus 5,655]

I've always been a fan of the Tuba Concerto. It's modern, yet accessible; tuneful and virtuosic without being flashy. I also like "Soundings," and they way it builds to a massive finale. The Oboe Concerto was a revelation, even after listening to the piano reduction multiple times. I've also recently really enjoyed the "Quartet La Jolla" as a fine chamber piece. TJH Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

The Tuba Concerto is quite fun and energetic work, accessible and humorous. Hearing it played live by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is one of my fondest concert experiences.

I also find that the Violin Concerto seems to share some of the tragic but beautiful tone that is also found in The Fury. There is the same feeling of heart aching lyrical pathos in both I feel although the Fury is more thunderous as a whole.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

I've always been a fan of the Tuba Concerto. It's modern, yet accessible; tuneful and virtuosic without being flashy. I also like "Soundings," and they way it builds to a massive finale. The Oboe Concerto was a revelation, even after listening to the piano reduction multiple times. I've also recently really enjoyed the "Quartet La Jolla" as a fine chamber piece. TJH Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

The Tuba Concerto is quite fun and energetic work, accessible and humorous. Hearing it played live by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is one of my fondest concert experiences.

I also find that the Violin Concerto seems to share some of the tragic but beautiful tone that is also found in The Fury. There is the same feeling of heart aching lyrical pathos in both I feel although the Fury is more thunderous as a whole.

There was an interview he did with the BBC sometime during the fall, where he spoke about the Violin concerto. He said that he wrote it shortly after his first wife died and had taken about a year off to do it. I think you hear a little of what he was feeling in this piece.

Also, La Jolla piece, the only beef i have with it is that the second movement sounds so much like the first of Willows & Birches. Its possible he just rushed to finish it. I think the commisoner ( forgotten his same) says it took Williams ten years to write it, but more he had it open, laying around on the time and only worked on it occasionaly

[Incanus 5,655]

I seem to remember that Williams actually mentions the connection of the 2nd movement to Willows and Birches specifically in his notes for the piece and how Anne Hobson Pilot and her playing affected that particular section of the work.

I have dedicated the entire work to my friend Cho-Liang Lin. However… for the second movement, I wish to acknowledge my debt to harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who was the inspiration for my Harp Concerto, and who was something of a spiritual guide as I worked on the Aubade movement, which reflects some of my research and preparatory work on the concerto.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 288]

I seem to remember that Williams actually mentions the connection of the 2nd movement to Willows and Birches specifically in his notes for the piece and how Anne Hobson Pilot and her playing affected that particular section of the work.

I have dedicated the entire work to my friend Cho-Liang Lin. However… for the second movement, I wish to acknowledge my debt to harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who was the inspiration for my Harp Concerto, and who was something of a spiritual guide as I worked on the Aubade movement, which reflects some of my research and preparatory work on the concerto.

Thanks, never seen this!