The Force Awakens London or Los Angeles for Star Wars VII score? [UPDATE: It's Los Angeles]

[Ricard 2,245]

So you think the schedule that Georce Lucas used for Episodes 1-3 in 1999-2005 has more relevance than the schedule JJ Abrams used for his last 3 movies in 2008-2013?

No. I think that the schedule for the previous 6 Star Wars films has more relevance than the schedule for those films.

[Jay 37,467]

OK.

[TownerFan 4,991]

I honestly don't give a flying fuck. As long as the music is good and the orchestra who performs it does a decent job...

This entire MB seems to be on the verge of obsessive behavior concerning the LSO!

Such incessant fawning over the LSO vexes me. If LA performers get the gig, where's the loss? LA musicians performed TOD, which is one of the richest, wildest, and most ambitious bombastic scores I've ever heard.

There wouldn't be any loss of course, as the LA session players are fantastic musicians who always deliver their best when performing for JW especially. To record The Force Awakens with the LSO would be primarily a token paid to tradition (and maybe even good luck). I'll be very happy if the LSO will be back, but I'm sure the LA musicians will be as great.

[indy4 155]

I disagree. The performance on the prequels and HP1 are far superior to that of the Hollywood studio scores in the last few decades...particularly for the more technical stuff

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I'm thrilled this is happening in LA.

[Jay 37,467]

HP2 is the best performance out of all of those!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

William Ross > John Williams

[indy4 155]

HP2 is the best performance out of all of those!

Isn't the CoS score mostly performed by members of the LSO?

[Jay 37,467]

Yes, exactly

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

It is a pretty awesome performance and recording, it's just too bad that YouTube prick who showed off the recording sessions couldn't leak them in lossless despite my offers of sex, the complete score hasn't been officially released despite the franchise being a gigantic moneymaker and the score is dialed down almost worse than the Prequel scores in the actual film despite Ben Burtt not being involved. Jesus!

[Not Mr. Big 4,651]

I'm thrilled this is happening in LA.

Why?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

If it is being recorded in the city that let the cop from The Towering Inferno get away with murder, I'm actually kinda shocked that Williams is going along with it. It's tradition, Worf (Williams)! You of all people should appreciate that.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I'm thrilled this is happening in LA.

Why?

Because.

[nightscape94 965]

There are so many wonderful and high class orchestras around today that to not be able to envision another one recording TFA is simply for lack of trying.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Only a fully trained LSO, with John Williams as its conductor...can record a Star Wars score!

[nightscape94 965]

Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational LSO.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Only a fully trained LSO, with John Williams as its conductor...can record a Star Wars score!

There is... another... competent... orchestra.

[Jilal 569]

It's all got to do with the baton Williams is using. If he uses the same one he used for conducting the previous Star Wars scores, this one will sound just like the other. Oh, and, not to forget, he should wear the very same turtleneck shirt as well, whether it still fits or not!

[indy4 155]

Oh, and, not to forget, he should wear the very same turtleneck shirt as well, whether it still fits or not!

Uh-oh...he recently got that new purple one (which looks fantastic on him, btw).

[Giftheck 921]

Even if the LSO doesn't perform, I do wonder if the recordings are done in such a manner that the difference will be indiscernable. It's all down to technical set up, mike positions, how the music is written, what the director wants, what takes Williams sees as the strongest ones etc etc. Also not forgetting that recording technology has advanced in the near-decade since the end of the Prequels.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You make it sound like 2005 was "the ancient times" LOL.

[Ricard 2,245]

It's not?

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=24950&p=1075342

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That is different.

You cannot compare Internet years for regular years.

Anyway, advances in recording techniques since 2005 will not have been world shattering.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

The audio sparkles and glows in the dark these days!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

Ben Burtt has more advanced technology to eliminate John Williams' music!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Money well spent!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

In fact, who needs Williams when Burtt can just synthesize his own score.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It's what Alan Howarth does.

[Ricard 2,245]

You cannot compare Internet years for regular years.

True, not yet.

[aj_vader 535]

I was at Birmingham Symphony Hall on Friday night watching the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra do a film music program (Some Williams).

Just after Battle of the Heroes was performed the presenter, Tommy Pearson (think he works at Classic FM) said "John Williams will be returning to London to record the new Star Wars score this summer".

What does he know that we don't?

[Ricard 2,245]

He seems reliable. That's probably the closest we can get to an official confirmation.

[Jay 37,467]

Agreed, this sounds legit to me!

The question is, will Williams be there to conduct it.

[King Mark 3,631]

why wouldn't he?

[Jay 37,467]

Because he hasn't left the USA since 2005?

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Holy frick, awesome!

[Balahkay 627]

It didn't matter to me where the score was recorded, but (if the information is true) I'm glad they're trying to continue the tradition. I wonder if Williams has finished writing, yet?

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Sigh.

[TownerFan 4,991]

Agreed, this sounds legit to me!

The question is, will Williams be there to conduct it.

Tommy Pearson (think he works at Classic FM) said "John Williams will be returning to London to record the new Star Wars score this summer".

Sounds like he will be there to conduct himself, unless he's sending over his own SW-styled hologram

[Thor 7,587]

I seriously doubt Williams will travel to Europe again in his life. They'll probably get someone else to conduct.

[TownerFan 4,991]

I'm confident JW will be there himself to conduct.

Also, summer is the season of BBC Proms, hence I'd say there could be some very big surprise in store for European fans... Or at least that's my wish

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

I seriously doubt Williams will travel to Europe again in his life. They'll probably get someone else to conduct.

Tommy Pearson (think he works at Classic FM) said "John Williams will be returning to London to record the new Star Wars score this summer".

????

[Omen II 1,236]

Also, summer is the season of BBC Proms, hence I'd say there could be some very big surprise in store for European fans... Or at least that's my wish

That was my first thought when I read aj_vader's post, Maurizio! John Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms in a sold-out concert of his music at the Royal Albert Hall, anyone?

I will keep mid July to mid September free just in case.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[indy4 155]

Excellent news!! I hope JW conducts but id much rather have the LSO perform with another conductor than have JW conduct with an LA orchestra

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Why?

[King Mark 3,631]

Excellent news!! I hope JW conducts but id much rather have the LSO perform with another conductor than have JW conduct with an LA orchestra

no

[indy4 155]

Why?

Because the difference in quality between Hollywood studio orchestras and the LSO (and to a lesser extent other established orchestras vs a bunch of highly talented freelance musicians) is pretty extreme to me--particularly for technically challenging scores like SW where the ensemble benefits from being on the same wave length. Whereas I'm perfectly happy listening to a good non-JW conductor interpret the maestro's work (ala William Ross in CoS).

The difference in performance quality between something like "Chase Through Coruscant" and "Sir FRancis and the Unicorn", for instance, is massive IMO.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

That's a despicable dismissal of the LA musicians' abilities and is almost certainly entirely psychological.

[indy4 155]

Nope, I don't think the LA musicians are any less talented. But I do think that an ensemble as a whole benefits from repeatedly rehearsing with the same members, in the same room, etc. A good orchestra should be more than the sum of its parts.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

I think if you knew a bit more about how the HSS worked you would feel differently.