The Best of John Williams (introduced on screen by John Williams) - LSO Concert (26 Nov 2016)

[Arnaud59 31]

5 minutes ago, alextrombone94 said:

Well this was really good 

Yeah : so great evening !

 

 

[Omen II 1,235]

The LSO gave a fantastic concert of John Williams' music this evening.  They played Scherzo for X-Wings with such aplomb, finesse and - how can I say? - versatility.

 

 

Special mention to the violins today; it's usually the brass and percussion sections who 'get the girls' when it comes to John Williams music, but I thought they were superb.  By the way, the first violinist on the fourth desk nearest the audience is Nigel Broadbent, who played on the original soundtrack of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I think he could be the last of the LSO musicians still with the orchestra to have played for Williams when the maestro recorded his classic scores with the LSO in the late 70s and early 80s.

 

[crumbs 14,304]

Great write up Omen. Did they play any other pieces from TFA? Rey's Theme?

 

And any interesting tidbits from the video introductions by Williams?

[Omen II 1,235]

Nothing else from TFA I'm afraid.  The interview segments were short and sweet; I do not think there was anything unknown to us hardcore JW fans, but I will post tomorrow if I recall anything new.

 

?

[Alex 2,833]

He told the same old Schindler's List story ("They're all dead!"). He didn't think there were going to be war Star Wars film etc etc. Spielberg cut the last scene from ET to JW's music. He wrote and recorded the trailer music for HP in LA and sent it to WB and they said it should be the main theme. 

He also said something (on Indiana Jones 5) along the lines "I hear Steven is planning a fifth one so I may have to start lifting weights" - That's not a direct quote but Indy 5 seems to be one of those "If I can I will" scores.

 

The performance itself was so crisp and clear (especially the brass). I'd forgotten how good the acoustics are in the Barbican. Scherzo for X-Wings was particularly impressive (they took at at the tempo that JW seems to be conducting at his concerts). They played "Dartmoor, 1912" but it was more like a War Horse concert suite. They also played a concert suite of the Shark theme from Jaws which I hadn't heard properly before.

[crocodile 7,990]

Yeah, he said that "Steven is threatning to make another one" when talking about Indy.

 

One small thing I didn't know was that he apparently wrote Hedwig's theme very quickly and that it wasn't this long laborious process. And because his grandchildren liked it he thought he might be doing something right.

 

And yeah, the performances were all phenomenal. It sas just a shame that the titles on screen were bit misleading. When they were playing JFK, the screenshot was saying Suite from JFK - JFK Theme - Motorcade - Arlington but they only played the theme. And I kept thinking to myself: "Don't you dare stop playing now!".

 

Shame they only played Scherzo from TFA. But let me tell you that it sounded phenomenal.

 

The main attractions for me were The Olympic Fanfare and CEOTTK. The latter is always reliable. Just stunning.

 

And as with any Williams concert it is always too brief. You always want more.

 

Karol

[crumbs 14,304]

Was this recorded anywhere or being broadcast? Would love to hear the LSO's take on SFX-W's.

[crocodile 7,990]

Oh by the way, they will repeat this in April.

 

And no, it wasn't recorded.

 

Karol

[Bespin 8,480]

5 minutes ago, crocodile said:

And no, it wasn't recorded.

 

[voltisubito 42]

I echo the comments about last night's concert - hearing the LSO giving Williams' music the full treatment in concert was an amazing experience. The programming worked very well and Frank Strobel steered the forces of the orchestra with great competency. My favourite performance was Close Encounters, complete with several members of the audience sitting bolt upright in reaction to the tutti sforzando near the beginning of the piece. Flight to Neverland from Hook was performed as the encore.

 

15 hours ago, Omen II said:

By the way, the first violinist on the fourth desk nearest the audience is Nigel Broadbent, who played on the original soundtrack of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I think he could be the last of the LSO musicians still with the orchestra to have played for Williams when the maestro recorded his classic scores with the LSO in the late 70s and early 80s.

 

There is also Lennox Mackenzie in the second desk of the Firsts, both of whom performed on The Empire Strikes Back.

[Will 2,215]

5 hours ago, Bespin said:

 

 

This.

 

Maybe someone in the audience could have recorded it on their phone though?

[Omen II 1,235]

8 hours ago, voltisubito said:

 

There is also Lennox Mackenzie in the second desk of the Firsts, both of whom performed on The Empire Strikes Back.

 

Well I never, I did not know that he had been with the LSO for such a long time too.  It's nice to have these links with original soundtracks.

 

I agree with you about Close Encounters, which again was perhaps my favourite selection of the evening.  To expand on what I said earlier about how great the violinists were, the opening of the Let There Be Light segment as it passes from first violins to second violins to violas to cellos sounded so perfectly together.  Often when the suite is played it is as if the violin players are starting a split second before or after the rest of the section or making the big crescendo at different rates (if that makes sense), but that was not the case yesterday.  It was great too that the LSO did not cut out the challenging middle part of the suite that some orchestras do.

 

I loved how in Jaws the string players played every stabbing note with a down bow, rather than alternating between up and down bowing (which is easier to play).  If you get it wrong it can sound very spiccato when the music is quick, but it actually sounded very scary; I think the LSO is the only orchestra that I have heard play the theme without anyone in the audience laughing!  I also thought their articulation was excellent, for example with the very fast notes in Hedwig's Theme where with some lesser orchestras you can hear the first and last notes of each phrase clearly but the ones between them are elided into a bit of a mess.

[Will 2,215]

Williams didn't announce that the LSO would do VIII? 

[The Psycho Pianist 216]

I have to say the performance of The Dances of the Witches from WoE was magnificent! Percussion section complete with thunder sheet too. Might I suggest it sounded as good if not better than the album version!

 

Really wish I'd taken my Tascam and recorded the entire thing now...

[crocodile 7,990]

Yeah, the only tiny flub I noticed in the JFK trumpet solo but that's a tricky part to play. Other than that, it was all excellent.

 

Karol

[Alex 2,833]

1 hour ago, The Psycho Pianist said:

I have to say the performance of The Dances of the Witches from WoE was magnificent! Percussion section complete with thunder sheet too. Might I suggest it sounded as good if not better than the album version!

 

Really wish I'd taken my Tascam and recorded the entire thing now...

 

A thunder sheet! That's what it's called. Looked like an old car bonnet to me.

 

4 hours ago, Will said:

Williams didn't announce that the LSO would do VIII? 

 

He said that he "hoped to see them again soon". So make of that what you will

[Marian Schedenig 8,177]

13 hours ago, alextrombone94 said:

He told the same old Schindler's List story ("They're all dead!").

 

And he actually has the timing of that thing down! There was a pause after it to allow the audience to laugh before he continued to talk, and it pretty much synced up with how long the laughter lasted.

6 hours ago, voltisubito said:

My favourite performance was Close Encounters, complete with several members of the audience sitting bolt upright in reaction to the tutti sforzando near the beginning of the piece.

 

I noticed that too!

[Will 2,215]

Looking for whatever phone videos I can find...

 

 

 

No Scherzo for X-Wings ... but sounds amazing!

 

Also, detailed program:

 

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,177]

5 hours ago, Omen II said:

I also thought their articulation was excellent, for example with the very fast notes in Hedwig's Theme where with some lesser orchestras you can hear the first and last notes of each phrase clearly but the ones between them are elided into a bit of a mess.

 

I heard Hedwig's Theme played be the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna under Mauceri in 2007. The RSO is a first rate orchestra and specialises in modern music - they performed lots of Philip Glass world premieres when Dennis Russel Davies was still their principal conductor. That was an excellent performance. And still (without having a negative effect on the performance) you did notice that it must be really tough to play for the violins.

 

Yesterday, the LSO made it look easy.

1 hour ago, The Psycho Pianist said:

Really wish I'd taken my Tascam and recorded the entire thing now...

 

You could do that in April?

 

 

The concert was simply fantastic. The LSO was in top form. And Strobel really knows this music, AND what it can do in a concert performance. I'm with Karol on CE3K - that's always a highlight by default. Olympic Fanfare was also special because I'd never before expected to hear it live. But another personal highlight for me was the Star Wars main title. I've heard a few live performances of it before, and most were good, some were really good. But yesterday's was one of the best takes on it I've heard - live or recorded. Strobel always stayed true to the written music, but he was never a slave to the strict film tempos. He freely used rubatos to let the music breathe, and the result was a SW main title that probably came closer to my beloved Gerhardt interpretation than any other.

 

But the whole thing was great really. I was practically in tears from 3 seconds into Superman until the last note of the concert.

[Alex 2,833]

The principal trombonist is 20.... 20!

[The Psycho Pianist 216]

3 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I heard Hedwig's Theme played be the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna under Mauceri in 2007. The RSO is a first rate orchestra and specialises in modern music - they performed lots of Philip Glass world premieres when Dennis Russel Davies was still their principal conductor. That was an excellent performance. And still (without having a negative effect on the performance) you did notice that it must be really tough to play for the violins.

 

Yesterday, the LSO made it look easy.

 

You could do that in April?

 

 

The concert was simply fantastic. The LSO was in top form. And Strobel really knows this music, AND what it can do in a concert performance. I'm with Karol on CE3K - that's always a highlight by default. Olympic Fanfare was also special because I'd never before expected to hear it live. But another personal highlight for me was the Star Wars main title. I've heard a few live performances of it before, and most were good, some were really good. But yesterday's was one of the best takes on it I've heard - live or recorded. Strobel always stayed true to the written music, but he was never a slave to the strict film tempos. He freely used rubatos to let the music breathe, and the result was a SW main title that probably came closer to my beloved Gerhardt interpretation than any other.

 

But the whole thing was great really. I was practically in tears from 3 seconds into Superman until the last note of the concert.

 

Maybe...but I just took a look at the LSO site and apparently the repeat in April is not ticketed as such - it's a wristband format and first come first serve on the day? A strange format?

 

By the way I completely agree with you also on Strobel's conducting! Particularly the start of CE3K which he kept SO quiet until that sforzando which was magnificently handled and indeed nearly made me jump despite me knowing it was coming!

[crumbs 14,304]

I really hope we get to hear Rey's Theme and The Jedi Steps and Finale performed by the LSO one day. It sounds like they handled Scherzo almost effortlessly, and it's probably the most complex piece from TFA.

[toothless 963]

I think I'll stay away from this topic 

 

"Hey it was awesome" 

"No, you'll never be able to hear a single note" 

[ChrisAfonso 186]

16 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I heard Hedwig's Theme played be the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna under Mauceri in 2007. The RSO is a first rate orchestra and specialises in modern music - they performed lots of Philip Glass world premieres when Dennis Russel Davies was still their principal conductor. That was an excellent performance. And still (without having a negative effect on the performance) you did notice that it must be really tough to play for the violins.

 

Yesterday, the LSO made it look easy.

 

I was especially astounded how little of the bow they were using... can't have been more than the upper half most of the time. Which added to the effect that they just had to barely whisper it out of their violins, but from the whole section combined, it was crystal clear. Never have seen that before in my life.

 

I found the whole concert to be first-rate, at least regarding film music concerts it must have been the best performance I've ever seen. Such crisp, on-point tutti playing from an enormous brass section (5/5/4/1) in perfect sync...

 

I was especially awed by the first half ("Theme from...") of the Jurassic Park medley, apart from the missing choir it must have been the best performance I've ever heard of it, live or on CD (including the film version from Journey to the Island). It had the quasi-religious awe of the original, supported by an impeccable legato arc over the whole piece that's mostly missing from re-recordings (usually due to too much emphasis on the rhythm underneath) with, as Marian mentioned, the addition of some perfectly placed rubati too milk some build-ups for maximum effect. A pity that the island fanfare afterwards was "just" very good - all versions of it that I know, apart from the statement in the original Journey to the Island, are missing something that's difficult to describe... perhaps in the performance of the lead trumpet.

[Will 2,215]

8 hours ago, toothless said:

I think I'll stay away from this topic 

 

"Hey it was awesome" 

"No, you'll never be able to hear a single note" 

 

Well, you can hear phone quality versions of a couple tiny bits in the Instagrams I posted above. It's something... 

[toothless 963]

43 minutes ago, Will said:

 

Well, you can hear phone quality versions of a couple tiny bits in the Instagrams I posted above. It's something... 

I did. But it's worse because it makes me wanna hear the whole concert 

[Arnaud59 31]

On 27/11/2016 at 6:08 PM, Will said:

 

Maybe someone in the audience could have recorded it on their phone though?

I did

Some tracks with video, with the head of the front guy...

I'll try to put some stuff on youtube (first time for me...)

or maybe I can put the videos directly on the forum... I really don't know...

 

[Will 2,215]

48 minutes ago, Arnaud59 said:

I did

Some tracks with video, with the head of the front guy...

I'll try to put some stuff on youtube (first time for me...)

or maybe I can put the videos directly on the forum... I really don't know...

 

 

Scherzo for X-Wings?! 

[Arnaud59 31]

12 hours ago, Will said:

 

Scherzo for X-Wings?! 

Yeah.

First try : superman theme.

Guys, could you tell me if you can watch this :

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnqYDvh5NOWjL5g4gw4j4HH61tlYhIhG

[Will 2,215]

1 hour ago, Arnaud59 said:

Yeah.

First try : superman theme.

Guys, could you tell me if you can watch this :

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnqYDvh5NOWjL5g4gw4j4HH61tlYhIhG

 

 

 

Yes! Thank you. 

 

I know a lot of us are really dying to hear the Scherzo for X Wings, so we'd appreciate it if you'd post that one at some point (and any others you took, of course, if you have time!) 

[Jay 37,322]

17 hours ago, Arnaud59 said:

I did

Some tracks with video, with the head of the front guy...

I'll try to put some stuff on youtube (first time for me...)

or maybe I can put the videos directly on the forum... I really don't know...

 

 

Do NOT upload videos directly to our forum.  Youtube is the way to go!

[Arnaud59 31]

9 hours ago, Will said:

 

I know a lot of us are really dying to hear the Scherzo for X Wings

 

Enjoy !

 

 

 

[Alex 2,833]

Lovely stuff!

[Will 2,215]

22 minutes ago, Arnaud59 said:

 

Enjoy !

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much!! 

 

Cool to hear. About the same quality as the BSO performances to my untrained ears. 

[crumbs 14,304]

Oh my lawd, those lush strings in the Star Wars Main Title video... The LSO just "get" the DNA of Star Wars music. It's intrinsic for them.

 

I appreciate the performance of the LA musicians on TFA, but whether it's the mix or something else, I just can't warm to that recording. It's a bit too dry for my tastes (but fits the rest of that score).

[toothless 963]

Untrained ears here too. But I think this is almost "too" fast. I enjoyed best the BSO performance.

[Giftheck 916]

Ah, those cymbals are pretty unique to the LSO sound. They definitely still have what it takes to do Star Wars. Just such a pity they probably won't do another Star Wars film.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

I know it's a tough piece, but sounds like a bit more rehearsal could have helped adjust some particular places.

[Arnaud59 31]

One more video : the devil's dance

 

 

[Arnaud59 31]

Hello, one more video in these jurassic days ;-)

this time, with the interview before.

 

[Incanus 5,713]

Thank you for sharing all of these videos!  

I like how slowly Strobel approached the "hymn" opening of the JP suite. Williams himself prefers to play it briskly but it deprives the theme some of its graceful dignity.

[Arnaud59 31]

And now, the climax of the concert : a JW/LSO Classic !

 

[Romão 2,274]

Terrific performance of the Jurassic Park theme. One of the best I've ever heard, actually

[Arnaud59 31]

It's time for close encounters of the third kind (sorry, no video this time)

 

 

[crocodile 7,990]

This one always steals the show for me.

 

Karol

[Arnaud59 31]

Sorry guys,

I was going to publish the jaws recording, but I just see that LSO has requested the cancellation of the videos.

I hope you could appreciate the quality of the concert, with these excerpts.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

 

[Omen II 1,235]

I spent a very enjoyable day at the Barbican Centre yesterday, attending the second day of the 2017 Sound Unbound classical weekender.  It was quite possibly the best £20 I've ever spent, as I ended up seeing no fewer than eight different concerts across the various venues in the Barbican Centre.

 

The LSO / John Williams concerts were split into two sessions, one at midday and the other at 2 o'clock with both conducted again by Frank Strobel.  The programme was very similar to the concert in November (see earlier posts in this thread) only with a few selections excised to keep within the strict running times.  War Horse, Munich, Hook and the Olympic Fanfare were left out, but the rest was as last time and played at least as brilliantly as it was back in November.  If anything a couple of the pieces were played even better second time round, notably JFK where the trumpet solo was absolutely flawless.

 

The seating was on a first come, first served basis so you could essentially sit where you liked.  I feared that it might be a bit of a free for all with people coming and going every few minutes, but in fact the audience was very respectful and appreciative at all the sessions I attended.  Contrary to the advice at many concerts, audience members were encouraged to take photos and only discouraged from taking 'prolonged' videos for copyright reasons, so hopefully a few clips might show up on the usual soshal meeja places.

 

Other highlights were the Academy of Ancient Music playing Handel's Water Music, the Britten Sinfonia playing Gershwin's original jazz band arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue, the Los Angeles-based Calder Quartet playing a suite from Psycho arranged for string quartet and Norwegian violinist Mari Samuelsen playing music by Nordic composers.  All in all a tiring but great day out.

[Maglorfin 196]

On 12/1/2016 at 5:22 PM, Incanus said:

I like how slowly Strobel approached the "hymn" opening of the JP suite. Williams himself prefers to play it briskly but it deprives the theme some of its graceful dignity.

 

My opinion EXACTLY! That is also why I really don't like the JP main theme as featured on e.g. JW Greatest Hits 1969-1999 compilation where it's a version recorded with the Boston Pops in May 1995. This is music that definitely loses its majestic, almost reverent character and quality if played too fast.

 

And yeah, I was in London on November 26th, 2016 too.  Totally AWESOME and unforgettable.