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Spielberg at 70 concert


Omen II

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The Philharmonia Orchestra has just announced a concert devoted to music for Steven Spielberg films (as director, producer or 'other') as part of its 2016-17 season.  As well as plenty of selections by our very own John Williams, the music of Goldsmith, Horner, Silvestri, Newman and Giacchino is also to be presented.  Here be a link:

 

Spielberg at 70

 

The concert is scheduled for 5th February 2017 at the Royal Festival Hall in London.  Film critic Barry Norman presents (and why not?).  I am liking the look of a suite from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

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Cool idea, but yeah -- as long as they're expanding it to include producer duties and other tangential things, they should have included one or more of these: TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE, GREMLINS, THE GOONIES, YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, AN AMERICAN TAIL or THE MASK OF ZORRO (rather than DEEP IMPACT for Horner), TWISTER or BAND OF BROTHERS. And ease up on the classic Williams/Spielberg stuff...but I guess that is what sells.

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53 minutes ago, Thor said:

Yes.

 

Traitor! :P

 

------

 

Woah, Bridge of Spies! I didn't expect that to ever be performed in concert!

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The whole movie is very high on my (unrealistic) wish list of live orchestral screenings. I've had varying opinions of it when I viewed it over the years, from liking it a lot to finding it actually not that good. But the last time I watched it I realised that when you make the score your main focus and let it do the storytelling, it's quite amazing. One of Goldsmith very best, and one of his best spotted films. Comes close to Williams's The Fury in that regard.

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I don't like 'film concerts' as a concept, but I'd be intrigued to see an orchestra handle something like PLANET OF THE APES as a whole (as far as Goldsmith is concerned).

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14 hours ago, Thor said:

Cool idea, but yeah -- as long as they're expanding it to include producer duties and other tangential things, they should have included one or more of these: TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE, GREMLINS, THE GOONIES, YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, AN AMERICAN TAIL or THE MASK OF ZORRO (rather than DEEP IMPACT for Horner), TWISTER or BAND OF BROTHERS. And ease up on the classic Williams/Spielberg stuff...but I guess that is what sells.

 

Keep in mind that building a program is not just a matter of "what sells", but primarily an issue of what is available to orchestras to perform in terms of printed scores.

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2 hours ago, Thor said:

I don't like 'film concerts' as a concept, but I'd be intrigued to see an orchestra handle something like PLANET OF THE APES as a whole (as far as Goldsmith is concerned).

 

Already happened:

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/planet-of-the-apes-live-92567

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Hence why I suggested Twilight Zone overture.

 

Though I think Quint is pointing out that Spielberg directed Kick The Can, but not the other 3 segments.

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  • 5 months later...
On 01/09/2016 at 11:53 PM, Marian Schedenig said:

"Poltergeist"... probably just Carol Anne's theme once again.

 

They also played (I think) The Calling before Carol Anne's Theme.  The percussionists were bowing the vibraphone, the glockenspiel, a proper waterphone and even a saw, which was wonderful to behold.

 

The Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra was the newly revised version to boot - the first time I had seen this played in concert.  I think the whole concert was brilliant, one of the best I have seen from the Philharmonia.  Although Ian McKellen asked everyone please not to take photographs as usual at the Royal Festival Hall, I did sneak this one of the orchestra at the end.  Sorry, Sir Ian!

 

DSC02106_zps5ecrvjmo.jpg

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28 minutes ago, Bartokus Novus said:

Pretty unconventional orchestra set-up!

 

Yes.  While it is not unusual to see the second violins to the right of the conductor these days, it is unusual to see the double bass section next to the first violins and in front of the harp.  Here are a few more random observations for those interested:

 

  • The harpist Heidi Krutzen played the entire concert barefooted!  She had slipped her shoes back on for the ovation at the end when I took the above photo.
  • You will see that there were two vibraphones on stage; the one located at the end of the piano was played by the percussionist Edward Choi (standing behind the glockenspiel in the above picture) only during Escapades from Catch Me If You Can.  He did a fantastic job too, as did the alto saxophone player Simon Haram.  Incidentally, they played the first and third movements only, Closing In and Joy Ride.
  • As Barry Norman was unwell, the concert was presented instead by Iain Johnstone, who knows Spielberg personally and has made a few documentaries about his films.  You can see him seated on stage at the bottom of the picture.  He did not disappoint and gave us the obligatory "I know, but they're all dead" Schindler's List anecdote.
  • The violin solo in Schindler's List was played faultlessly from memory by the leader, Fabrizio Falasca.
  • The encore was the Raiders March.
  • I had not heard Bridge of Spies before but really enjoyed it.  Hopefully Thomas Newman will come to England and do a concert of his music one day.
  • It was nice to hear The Wedding from Deep Impact played live.  It was one of the CD covers that James Horner signed for me when I met him after the BATFA talk not long before he died.
  • There were no dodgy arrangements at all - everything was the signature editions, including the full Close Encounters suite and Adventures on Earth from E.T.

 

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9 hours ago, Omen II said:
  • You will see that there were two vibraphones on stage; the one located at the end of the piano was played by the percussionist Edward Choi (standing behind the glockenspiel in the above picture) only during Escapades from Catch Me If You Can.  He did a fantastic job too, as did the alto saxophone player Simon Haram.  Incidentally, they played the first and third movements only, Closing In and Joy Ride.

 

 

Awww no Reflections (aka Father's theme). That is the highlight of the suite for me.

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