Will John Williams Ever Record Another Star Wars Score with the LSO?

[Alex 2,835]

11 minutes ago, Daniel Clamp said:

Can people really tell the difference between the LA musicians and the LSO, or do they just like the idea of the "prestige" of the LSO?

 

I only really notice it in the brass. Compare the brass in the prequels to TFA.

[karelm 2,912]

3 hours ago, alextrombone94 said:

 

I only really notice it in the brass. Compare the brass in the prequels to TFA.

Oh dear god, not this again...

[mrbellamy 6,276]

I dunno, I do think the trumpets are somehow more blaring than in previous SW scores. Stuff like this:

 

 

I think the biggest discrepancy for me between the prequels and TFA was just the sheer density of sound, but I think a lot of that is composition/orchestration. Especially how he really limited use of choir, percussion, "ethnic" instrumentation, and I also feel like there are generally less moving parts in both the action and even dramatic and transitional/scenic stuff, the compositions less "busy" in a way. Maybe less overtly melodic too.

 

I do feel like recording played into that in various instances as well, though. For example, the great Poe's theme statement in "The Resistance," you can faintly hear all this accompaniment going on with the woodwinds and the trumpets underneath the horns but somehow they don't make the kind of impression I usually expect with Williams. Also there was a surprising amount of texture/color in the concert pieces (especially the woodwinds in "March of the Resistance") that I had really never heard at all until the BSO performance recordings last spring.

 

Not sure to what degree performance would have factored in to any of this.

[crumbs 14,306]

I think the main reason TFA sounds different to the prequels is a result of Murphy's drier recording setup, the different recording studio (Abbey Road has its own character), less ornate orchestration (barely any choir and reduced percussion), and Williams demonstrating restraint by tempering the extraversion of his writing to better suit the film (ie. not doing the heavy lifting and compensating for a director's shortcomings).

 

The LSO did the original trilogy and it sounds completely different to the prequels. It was because Williams changed his writing style and Murphy didn't record the OT.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

On 5.12.2016 at 4:34 PM, Disco Stu said:

 

Frankly, it would be insulting to British mattress manufacturers to fly in Williams' Los Angeles bed.  Not even taking possible customs law violations into consideration, it would be an insult to the craftsmen who design and produce mattresses for the British people.

 

Yes, British dog kennel manufacturers are far more versatile.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

On 03/12/2016 at 0:54 PM, Prerecorded Briefing said:

 

Wrong, as usual. 

 

Why?

Whitey, what is your ecidence-base for this statement?

Either 1/ find proof that you are correct, or

2/ never criticise one of my posts, again.

[ocelot 508]

On 12/3/2016 at 2:08 AM, DrewTD said:

This is a question that I keep coming back to with the Star Wars sequel trilogy: Will John WIlliams ever record another Star Wars score with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) again?

 

While I enjoyed the score for The Force Awakens, I couldn't help but notice that there was just something different about it or missing. Part of it could have been the recording techniques, digital vs. analog, or a host of different variables, but one element I feel that supersedes all  of that was the absence of the LSO. Yes, the musicians used to record the score on The Force Awakens I'm sure are world class and likely some of the best in the world, but there is something to be said when comparing a group of musicians that have been put together in a very short amount of time with very little time playing together as a group to record a film score, as opposed to a world class orchestra that has been playing together for years. I also realize that even the musicians in the LSO change over the years, but as a unit, I would bet they have spent much more time playing together than any group of musicians put together to perform on one film score. 

 

For me personally, I felt that overall, The Force Awakens score was amazing and the playing was good, but I felt that the cohesion and crispness experienced with the LSO at least on the prequel scores, was lacking.

 

I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on this. With the recent news that Williams will be recording the score for Episode VIII on and off now and into early next year, does this signal Williams official departure from the LSO on Star Wars?

 

Do you think we'll ever get another Star Wars score composed and conducted by John Williams with the London Symphony Orchestra? 

 

Fingers crossed, I'm hoping we get just one more with the LSO, but of course, I am thankful that we still have John to bless us with new material for Star Wars regardless.

I thought some of the string playing on TFA was sloppy and I missed the woodwinds. It's all over the score but not really heard in the mix. Also, the trumpets lacked the brilliance the LSO give. Especially with the newer young 1st trumpet player who is absolutely incredible!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Hollywood Symphony is more versatile though!