John Williams & the Vienna Philharmonic: January 18/19 2020

[Mr. Breathmask 582]

Good times indeed.

[BB-8 4,576]

Just realised that some cinemas in Germany will be showing "John Williams in Vienna" on February 8 2022.

 

John Williams - Live in Vienna - Erstmalig überhaupt können Sie das historische Konzert mit John Williams, den weltbekannten Wiener Philharmonikern & Stargast Anne-Sophie Mutter auf der großen Leinwand erleben! (johnwilliamsimkino.de)

 

[GerateWohl 5,716]

1 hour ago, BB-8 said:

Just realised that some cinemas in Germany will be showing "John Williams in Vienna" on February 8 2022.

 

John Williams - Live in Vienna - Erstmalig überhaupt können Sie das historische Konzert mit John Williams, den weltbekannten Wiener Philharmonikern & Stargast Anne-Sophie Mutter auf der großen Leinwand erleben! (johnwilliamsimkino.de)

 

Wow! 10 cinemas in and around Berlin are showing this.

[rough cut 1,760]

Anne-Sophie has posted the trailer on her insta.

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZMpFQWIejh/

[Jay 41,579]

It's on youtube too

 

 

[BB-8 4,576]

Looking back, JW somehow seemed less relaxed in Vienna than in Berlin.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

And less engaged. Also, it's hilarious how he told ASM that the VPO didn't have any issues playing his music at all.

[BB-8 4,576]

The organisation behind this one-off cinema event has published all the background info-files here:

 

https://nordpolaris.de/film/john-williams-liveinvienna/

17 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

And less engaged. Also, it's hilarious how he told ASM that the VPO didn't have any issues playing his music at all.

 

And then there were these Paganiniesque Hedwig runs with pizzicati which were quite stressful.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

I do have to say I prefer Vienna's slower rendition of the first part of the JP theme, except for the horn mistake that is.

[Jurassic Shark 14,484]

15 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

And less engaged. Also, it's hilarious how he told ASM that the VPO didn't have any issues playing his music at all.

 

JW is a master of irony.

[Steve 648]

24 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

I do have to say I prefer Vienna's slower rendition of the first part of the JP theme, except for the horn mistake that is.

Horn mistake?

[bollemanneke 3,901]

Around 1:54. The horn should play an F and plays a D. A real shame as the others are really playing beautifully.

[Schilkeman 1,388]

You sure it's at 1:54? because I don't hear anything. The horns are a little delayed, and they have that Vienna buzz, but those are the notes of the melody.

[Steve 648]

13 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Around 1:54. The horn should play an F and plays a D. A real shame as the others are really playing beautifully.

Ok. I thought you meant the intro which was fixed. I still prefer the Vienna version of JP over Berlin. Johnny was a bit too engaged with the tempo in the "Theme" part in Berlin.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

2 minutes ago, Schilkeman said:

You sure it's at 1:54? because I don't hear anything. The horns are a little delayed, and they have that Vienna buzz, but those are the notes of the melody.

Sorry, 1:56.

[Schilkeman 1,388]

The top horn is playing a C, is it one of the lower parts?

[BB-8 4,576]

The preparations for the birthday celebration begin.

 

The major German (Bavarian) classical radio station "BRKlassik" are broadcasting:

 

February 6 2022 (1 h report and music)

BR-KLASSIK - Cinema - Kino für die Ohren: Happy Birthday, John Williams! | Radio | BR-KLASSIK | Bayerischer Rundfunk

 

February 8 2022 - The Berlin Concert (what else? - sorry, wrong thread)

BR-KLASSIK - Konzertabend | Radio | BR-KLASSIK | Bayerischer Rundfunk

[Sunshine Reger 3,634]

Has the Bavarian Radio SO ever played Williams' music? Will it this time?

[bollemanneke 3,901]

I wonder which version of the Berlin concert they will broadcast and who will be doing the announcements.

[BB-8 4,576]

1 hour ago, Fabulin said:

Has the Bavarian Radio SO ever played Williams' music? Will it this time?

Rattle will be doing some open-air Williams and Korngold this summer (Munich, Odeonsplatz) with BRSO.

 

Klassik am Odeonsplatz - Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (br-so.de)

 

Klassik am Odeonsplatz | Das große Klassikereignis des Münchner Sommers 2022 (klassik-am-odeonsplatz.de)

[A24 4,756]

Anne-Sophie Mutter:

Quote

 

My absolute favorite theme from the legendary concert "John Williams in Vienna" is "Nice To Be Around" from Cinderella Liberty. Jazzy and melancholy...

On my next recording with the great master, there's another jazz song: "The Long Goodbye" - absolute madness!

 

 

[Holko 11,169]

Hell yeah!

[Lord Montague 42]

On 27/01/2022 at 10:32 AM, Schilkeman said:

The top horn is playing a C, is it one of the lower parts?

There are no lower parts at 1:56 or 1:54. All four horns play the same melodic line, and correctly. He is talking nonsense, as usual.

[Lord Montague 42]

On 26/01/2022 at 4:50 PM, BB-8 said:

Looking back, JW somehow seemed less relaxed in Vienna than in Berlin.

Hard to say if that's true. But most of the pictures in Berlin come from the third concert, and in Vienna there were only two. People who were in the first concert in Berlin said it was not so good and the third was much better. It always gets more relaxing for anyone on stage the more concerts there are. Also all the solo violin stuff in Vienna is a much bigger challenge for any conductor, to conduct the accompaniment, compared to being on your own for the whole concert.
Also they say, Vienna is harder to conduct, since they play so late after the conductor's beat. That alone can stress a conductor not experienced with them out.
I have a preference for the way Vienna played his music. More inspired, more lively, the players having more ambition to play it, having more fun too.
In the woodwinds there were only the best players in Vienna. Their brass group is unparalleled. The horn sound in Vienna, also the trumpets, mama mia... Much better than Berlin. So well blended and balanced, all the way from first trumpet down to the tuba. Berlin doesn't have that quality. The string sound in Vienna: more juicy.
Berlin was also very good, very precise, but less lively, less expressive.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

I think the Berlin strings and flutes are better.

[Lord Montague 42]

16 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

I think the Berlin strings and flutes are better.

No way. Just listen to the solo flute in Dartmoor on the Vienna album. Or the flute section's staccati in Imperial March. Or the juicy dense string sound in JP Theme or E.T. or Close Encounters. Berlin doesn't have that quality in their JW concerts. Actually the only advantage I would give Berlin over Vienna is that they have a higher discipline when it comes to following the metronome. And if that is a quality or a (musical) shortcoming is a whole other discussion. Vienna has a tradition of playing marches like a tipsy soldier who wants to be an opera singer, always with an ounce of anti-militarism. Berlin on the other hand has the prussian military no-nonsense tradition.  

[Jurassic Shark 14,484]

26 minutes ago, Lord Montague said:

Just listen to the solo flute in Dartmoor on the Vienna album. Or the flute section's staccati in Imperial March. Or the juicy dense string sound in JP Theme or E.T. or Close Encounters.

 

Or Jaws...

[bollemanneke 3,901]

Or the fantastic flute runs in Jurassic Park in Berlin.

[Lord Montague 42]

2 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Or the fantastic flute runs in Jurassic Park in Berlin.

What about it? At least as well played in Vienna. and those are scales. not the ultimate measure of musicality, only mere technical ability. Which both orchestras have as a foundation. That's a given on that top orchestra level.
But listen to the Horn solo at 3:00 in Vienna. 2:50 in Berlin. Weak in Berlin. Sounding smaller than the harp which has only written piano, the horn has mezzoforte.  Wrong balance. In Vienna the balance is right, and the horn phrases much better. (the balance might also have to do with the mixing)

Then those flute runs (a side theme, main theme in trumpets etc.). 3:30 in Vienna recording. Better balanced in Vienna, and trumpets in Vienna more musical phrasing! And what's up with the harp in the Berlin recording? Unnaturally loud and in front of everything.
And the whole lower brass in those bars. Much better balanced in Vienna.

Then when the violins come in with the theme (3:50 Vienna, 3:38 Berlin), such a sweet and full and golden sound in Vienna, with good phrasing. In Berlin thin and boring in comparison.
The more I do listening comparisons between the two recordings, I tend to favour Vienna and their sound and musicality.

...

or here...
strings coming in at 0:45. Where are they? Sounding quite weak and dull, compared to how active they look.

[Steve 648]

The horn sound on the Vienna recording beats the Berlin recording by a mile. It's not really a contest. I wish the mixer would have put more horns in the mix.

[heritage 73]

Has everyone a program sheet from that concerts ?

[Steve 648]

25 minutes ago, heritage said:

Has everyone a program sheet from that concerts ?

Yes I have that. 

[Once 795]

On 05/02/2022 at 5:29 PM, Lord Montague said:

People who were in the first concert in Berlin said it was not so good and the third was much better. It always gets more relaxing for anyone on stage the more concerts there are.

I was at the first and third concerts, and the rehearsal. All of them were great, the orchestra got better and better, but Williams was very relaxed throughout it all.

[heritage 73]

@Steve: Can you show the program here ?

[Remco 692]

@Lord Montague What about the effect of the hall and the recording engineer or the mix on the music... It's not all about the players. Claiming that the Vienna Phil were more inspired and had more ambition than the Berliners is in my opinion a disservice to the Berlin Phil. They gave their all to JW.

[heritage 73]

Thats ridiculous to say the VP were more inspired and had more ambition than the BP. This is the exclusive opinion from Lord Montague. Allmost all critics see it completely different...

[Steve 648]

4 hours ago, heritage said:

@Steve: Can you show the program here ?

Yes maybe on the weekend. 

[bollemanneke 3,901]

48 minutes ago, heritage said:

Thats ridiculous to say the VP were more inspired and had more ambition than the BP. This is the exclusive opinion from Lord Montague. Allmost all critics see it completely different...

Berlin was better on every level. Period. Thread can be locked now.

[Lord Montague 42]

1 hour ago, Remco said:

@Lord Montague What about the effect of the hall and the recording engineer or the mix on the music... It's not all about the players. Claiming that the Vienna Phil were more inspired and had more ambition than the Berliners is in my opinion a disservice to the Berlin Phil. They gave their all to JW.

Were you at both concerts, Vienna and Berlin? I was, and to me the Wiener were all together better and more ambitious and having fun too. Berlin had some players who loved it apparently, but a lot of dead wood too, and academists placed on key wind positions. (they did relatively well, but such is rude behavior by the orchestra to a great master like JW.)

Clearly Berlin Phil DIDN'T give THEIR ALL. They were half hearted opportunists. You have to witness them with their chief Petrenko sometimes, then you know what it means when that orchestra gives their all.

8 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Berlin was better on every level. Period. Thread can be locked now.

Haha, then you have no ears.
Also check the poll. Apparently I'm not the only one who overall liked Vienna better. 
Of course we don't have to have this comparison at all, both concert series can stand on their own, if not trolls like you and Jurassic Shark constantly have to bicker about it.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

I might only have one working ear right now, but at least I have a sense of tempo and I'm also able play the Star Wars main title on my keyboard without getting completely lost after five seconds due to the incredibly uncomplex speed.

[Lord Montague 42]

4 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

I might only have one working ear right now, but at least I have a sense of tempo and I'm also able play the Star Wars main title on my keyboard without getting completely lost after five seconds due to the incredibly uncomplex speed.

ok, you can play it on your keyboard. I rest my case. hahaha.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

Have you EVER heard an orchestra fuck that picece up like the VPO did? Or the end of ET? Or the beginning of Hook? The horns literally miss their first ever note!

[heritage 73]

Thanks, Steve, that would be great...

 

@bollemanneke: You can not speak with Lord Montague. He lives in his own VP world. Forget it. Maybe he is a Patron of the VP 

[Jurassic Shark 14,484]

1 minute ago, bollemanneke said:

Have you EVER heard an orchestra fuck that picece up like the VPO did? Or the end of ET? Or the beginning of Hook? The horns literally miss their first ever note!

 

Ah, but that's rubato.

[Lord Montague 42]

5 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Have you EVER heard an orchestra fuck that picece up like the VPO did? Or the end of ET? Or the beginning of Hook? The horns literally miss their first ever note!

Sorry but you are just a troll. What a ridiculous comment.

[bollemanneke 3,901]

Very mature response. Look, I totally understand that you might prefer the sound of the VPO to the BPO, but you just cannot objectively state that the VPO was better. I am obviously not including Mutter in all these complaints. I do not care how culturally important Vienna thinks it is. Their performance was not good. The moment things got complex, they failed. Over and over again. The Boston Pops did a better job on every piece.

[Steve 648]

3 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Very mature response. Look, I totally understand that you might prefer the sound of the VPO to the BPO, but you just cannot objectively state that the VPO was better. I am obviously not including Mutter in all these complaints. I do not care how culturally important Vienna thinks it is. Their performance was not good. The moment things got complex, they failed. Over and over again. The Boston Pops did a better job on every piece.

Utterly bullshit, sorry. But each to their own.

[Bespin Copilot 9,369]

When the brass section starts their first notes too late, it's too late. When the wind section is going bananas and play on their own tempo... that's a problem too.

 

The Vienna Star Wars Theme is the worse version I have ever heard on record!

 

The "sound" is not everything.

 

An orchestra must, at least, play together! It's not a race to find out who's gonna end the first one hehe

[Jurassic Shark 14,484]

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

When the wind section is going bananas and play on their own tempo... that's a problem too.

 

That's just artistic liberty.

[Lord Montague 42]

14 hours ago, Bespin said:

When the brass section starts their first notes too late, it's too late. When the wind section is going bananas and play on their own tempo... that's a problem too.

 

The Vienna Star Wars Theme is the worse version I have ever heard on record!

 

The "sound" is not everything.

 

An orchestra must, at least, play together! It's not a race to find out who's gonna end the first one hehe

what are you amateurs talking about? because your keyboard trumpet plays instant to your midi click track you think that's relevant for real musicians? LOL
Sorry Vienna Phil is no match to your Casio keyboards.