The Official Soundings Thread

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

How does everyone feel about the piece? Heard it live? Will we get a recording, ever? Any theoretical/analytical thoughts regarding it?

Of course this has likely been covered before, but now all the lively discussion will be in one place!

[Thor 7,451]

I love the piece. I have a great-sounding radio recording, but it really deserves a commercial recording. That, and quite a few other Williams concert pieces!

[Seth 67]

I love it. I am very curious to hear what was left out of the Great Performances broadcast. The woodwind section scoring in this piece really seems distinctive to Williams; it appears in Tree Song and he seems to write that way in the scherzos he writes in his film scores (For Gillian, some of the lighter writing in the Harry Potter scores). I also like the percussion writing in the finale; the mallet percussion really adds a lot to the celebratory nature of the piece. And as is usually the case, his writing for brass is spectacular. Any recording would have to be done at Disney Hall since the architecture is so integral to the way he structured the piece.

[Bespin 8,472]

First time I heard this. But I'm not a JW completist... and I must confess, altough I bought several of his concert works pieces recently... that I always prefer his movie scores.

[Incanus 5,713]

I love the slightly Close Encounters type of vibe of the music and also a nice and suitable celebratory air to the whole piece. I can hear echoes of Williams' other purely concert works in this piece as well and it is not just one long fanfare but has a kind of programmatic dramaturgy to the different sections and the use of the sound effects as the hall responds. I really wish they would officially release this music.

[Bespin 8,472]

I love the slightly Close Encounters type of vibe of the music. I really wish they would officially release this music.

This is exactly the movie I had in mind while listening.

[Muad'Dib 1,800]

I absolutely love it. Along with Essay for Strings, it's one of my favorite pieces of all Williams canon, including his film-works. There's something in his concert works that really connects with me, and Soundings is brilliant from start to finish, but I must confess I found myself a lot more drawn towards the first half of the piece, the actual "soundings" part... When it starts to get more celebratiorial-ish, it seems a little more standard Williams-writing, although it's still great and adds a punching finale to a great piece.

Thank you for bringing me back to this

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

I know what you mean about preferring the first half. It's more unique in his output and characteristic of this piece only, more or less.

Glad to have reminded you of it.

[KK 3,307]

I love this piece. It's actually one of my favourite concert works from the man. I wish this got an official CD release.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

I think it's my favorite, or at least tied with TreeSong and Heartwood.

[King Mark 3,624]

As Thor mentioned there exists a great sounding unofficial recording of the complete piece.

Would a re-recording be able to recreate the way it sounded in Walt Disney hall with the special bells and stuff? Maybe that's why Williams never re-recorded it

did he ever play it again at other concerts?

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Where might one acquire this unofficial recording?

[King Mark 3,624]

That stuff is more difficult than it used to

[filmmusic 1,821]

“Soundings” by John Williams will be performed by the LA Phil on Sept 30th.

From JoAnn Kane Music Service's facebook and twitter!

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Yep. Nice photo of the 2003 rehearsal posted as well. Look at that synth station! Love seeing that.

[indy4 155]

there are synths in Soundings? I thought it was just prerecorded instruments?

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

We hashed this out a while back. Both are used! The prerecorded instruments provide the echo effects, but the smooth crystalline pads are synthesized. Similar to the ones he used in A.I.

[indy4 155]

ah that's right

[pete 902]

I'm curious to hear the intermission door chimes.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Continue to discuss.

[Hlao-roo 389]

I think it's my favorite, or at least tied with TreeSong and Heartwood.

After listening to the whole thing, I agree.

[Omen II 1,235]

I don't know if this has already been mentioned elsewhere, but Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra will be giving the UK premiere of Soundings at the Barbican in London later this month!  This seems to have slipped under my radar (and I call myself a John Williams fan).

 

Soundings concert (opens in a new window)

 

If I tidy my room my mummy might let me go, even though it's a school night.

 

 

 

[nightscape94 965]

Cool, wouldn't mind this seeping into the concert repertoire in some way.

[Tom 4,630]

Just now, nightscape94 said:

Cool, wouldn't mind this seeping into the concert repertoire in some way.

This is momentous news.  Williams has (seemingly) been hesitant to allow performances of this piece at other venues (I remember some word that he would have to "adjust" elements of it for other halls).  Dudamel must have convinced him otherwise.  I think it is among Williams' top concert works and should be performed accordingly. 

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

This is neat, but I'd rather see Heartwood catch on.

[Loert 2,509]

Ticket bought. I have never actually listened to Soundings before, so I will restrain from doing so until I hear it live. Oh, and I've always wanted to hear Ginastera and Copland live as well.

[Tom 4,630]

44 minutes ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

This is neat, but I'd rather see Heartwood catch on.

Why do you characterize this as an either/or?  I would like world peace, but even though that is not going to happen, I am still happy that Soundings is being performed. 

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

Good grief.  Why did I suspect that such a simple comment would elicit such a response from you?

 

I like both.  I prefer Heartwood and as it has only seen one, I believe, public performance, and that one not of the same notoriety that Soundings has had, I would rather see it gain greater attention.  I find it to be a more solid work also, and more likely to ingratiate itself to the particularly snobbish members of the classical community.  

 

Yes, I like Soundings, hence my responsibility for this thread.  No, this is not an attack on this piece or Williams - something you are seemingly ever on guard against.  Yes, I feel that Heartwood is his best non-film music and is easily in the running for his best music overall.  And personally I would rather have its score published than world peace.

 

Is this a satisfying explanation, Tom?

[Tom 4,630]

Bad mood today--my apologies.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

And you crumby old men don't mean Williams' The Song for World Peace. Wonderful piece of music.

[Incanus 5,713]

6 hours ago, hornist said:

And you crumby old men don't mean Williams' The Song for World Peace. Wonderful piece of music.

It's a lovely piece and I'd love to hear the original version adapted for concerto hall featuring choir and soloists, percussion and whatnot.

[Thor 7,451]

3 hours ago, Incanus said:

It's a lovely piece and I'd love to hear the original version adapted for concerto hall featuring choir and soloists, percussion and whatnot.

 

Same here! I only have a crappy-sounding boot of this performance. Needs a proper rerecording, but I doubt Williams would go back to this after his revisions.

[Omen II 1,235]

Regarding Soundings, does anyone know how often it has been performed since the premiere with the LA Philharmonic in 2003?  It was obviously performed again in their 2014 opening night gala concert conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, while I vaguely recall it being mentioned that Erich Kunzel would perform the piece with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, which must have been about ten years ago.  Did that concert ever take place?  Has it ever been performed elsewhere in mainland Europe?

 

Given that Soundings is a "dialogue between the orchestra and the hall" in Williams's words, it will be fascinating to hear how the piece sounds in the Barbican Hall with its brutalist architecture and dry acoustics.

[Marian Schedenig 8,153]

On 03/03/2016 at 5:07 PM, Omen II said:

I don't know if this has already been mentioned elsewhere, but Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra will be giving the UK premiere of Soundings at the Barbican in London later this month!  This seems to have slipped under my radar (and I call myself a John Williams fan).

 

10 days too late for me.

[Jilal 569]

I feel like Soundings is in some form both an abstract synthesis of an array of highly personal musical ideas Williams had conceived before, and a musical archetype, a source of many ideas displayed in future concert works. Its harmonic nature in particular can be found in most of Williams's recent output for the concert hall - e.g. Just Down West Street ... on the left, Happy Birthday Variations, the Concerto for Harp and Orchestra, the Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra, ...

[Tom 4,630]

Soundings has both the abstract ideas but fused with a tonality and melodic lines more in keeping with his film work.  I hear some Close Encounters in some of the middle cresendos and even the famous Star Wars "ships flying off" ostinato.  That final movement, though is just perfect Williams in whatever form. 

[Omen II 1,235]

Soundings is also being performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Paris this evening (sorry, too late ) and in Luxembourg on Monday evening, 21st March (yay, still time ).  Luxembourgeois JW Fans should check here for ticket details:

 

Soundings in Luxembourg

 

What better way to welcome spring?

 

 

[Incanus 5,713]

22 hours ago, Omen II said:

What better way to welcome spring?

To perform it here in Finland perhaps?

[Omen II 1,235]

I loved hearing this piece at the Barbican this evening.  It sounded really good with a lot more going on than I had noticed when watching the John Williams celebration DVD.  As well as the off stage instruments (pre-recorded?) the orchestra included a synthesiser.  Soundings was the first piece played in the concert and before it started Gustavo Dudamel announced that the performance was dedicated with love to the people of Belgium, which drew a thunderous round of applause from the London audience.

 

The rest of the concert was very enjoyable too, capped by a beautiful performance of Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring.  The encore was the Scène D'Amour from Bernard Herrmann's score for Vertigo - wonderful to have two film music greats bookending the concert.

[Loert 2,509]

Have just arrived from the performance of Soundings at the Barbican, by the LA Phil. It was absolutely awesome!

 

(pretty big orchestra...)

 

EDIT: I concur with what @Omen II said! And yeah, the off-stage stuff was pre-recorded I think.

[Omen II 1,235]

What did you make of the piece by Andrew Norman, loert?  I thought it was brilliant, especially as the composer looked about twelve!

[Loert 2,509]

After that performance I expected the composer to come out looking like Charles Manson!  But I thought the piece was brilliant. Truth be told I almost lost my mind at the final climax, but it's definitely a work I won't be forgetting for a long time...

[Omen II 1,235]

The Independent gives yesterday's concert a five star review, describing it as "perfection incarnate."

 

Independent review

 

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

I'm not one for dignifying critics with attention, but I have here the opportunity to call the always cuntish John Allison just that, a cunt, so here's what the cunt thought of the night's offerings.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/gustavo-dudamel-and-the-la-phil-when-star-destroyers-strayed-int/

 

Unimpressed by Williams, "video game techniques," and he damns Herrmann with quite faint praise.  I didn't know he was this much of a cunt, but there you have it.

 

I invite you all to join me in despising this parasitic twat who brings nothing of worth into the world.

[KK 3,307]

The video game comment was made in reference to the Norman piece. He actually goes on to consider the rendition of Soundings as "impressive", before the bitter SW comment came in. Was SW on the programme? Seems like an odd addition...

 

I haven't heard the Norman piece, but that review isn't as harsh on Williams as I was expecting it to be.

[Dixon Hill 4,232]

I just don't like him.  He is an agitator, often perpetuating the most insidious, ignorant, stupid pretensions about music out there.  He loves to call things banal and naive - the trusty descriptors of any such "high-taste" bastard. 

 

Well, sorry for the anti-critical spewing here, but I just got in the mood.

[KK 3,307]

He definitely seems like the pretentious-cunt type!

[Loert 2,509]

I don't know how he arrived at Star Destroyers, the end of Soundings sounds nothing like Star Wars!

 

But yeah, he does seem to put out a lot of snide statements with no basis. Comes across as negativity for the sake of negativity, without saying anything useful or interesting about the performance at all. Bastard! 

[nightscape94 965]

Strange that he starts out as though he's praising the work before that rather inessential put-down.

[Incanus 5,713]

Quote

But if half the programme was a waste of time, the rest was rewarding.

  What a charming fellow this Allison guy is.