The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra

[jasonblueeyes 0]

I never Heard of the Orchestra until I saw it in the credits of an old movie I saw the other night (Ok, the movie was 1991's "Soapdish") and it said 'Music Performed By The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra'

Anybody ever here of this before????

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

The orchestra was founded for the The Star Wars Trilogy album. They seem to have performed a couple of film scores since then, including Silvestri's Predator 2 and I believe at least one other Silvestri score.

Marian - who can't remember what that other score was.

[jasonblueeyes 0]

Yes....Silvestri composed the score for this movie 'Soapdish'. That might be it.

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

Oh. Heh.

Then there must be a third Silvestri score recorded by them. Because I remember reading them in the credits at the theatre, but I've never seen Soapdish.

Marian - 8O

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

They did Richochet.

Stefancos- 8O

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

They also did Jennifer 8 (Christopher Young). They are an orhestra made up of freelance musicians from the San Francisco area, just like Williams's own recent orchestra L.A. Recording Arts Orchestra (made up of the same musicians who play on most of his scores) and teh Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

That SW Trilogy CD was very nice.

Its no London Symphony but they did a fine job of re-creating the music frm the Trilogy.

[A24 4,359]

I saw the Skywalker cd (which I have) in a second hand shop today but then I saw E.T. , the Special Edition from 1996 which was cheap. Of course I bought it and now I have 4 different releases.

1) LP

2) Normal CD

3) Special Edition

4) 20th Anniversary

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Alex Cremers

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

That SW Trilogy CD was very nice.

That's what I keep saying, but noone believes me. And the good thing is that the interpretations are different from the other recordings I have. I like slow approaches when they're well done and fitting. Here They Come is nearly worthless, but the rest is very good, and Asteroid Field and Imperial March are second to none.

Marian - whose first CD that was.

[A24 4,359]

Marian wrote:

Here They Come is nearly worthless

You said the "W"-word on something I've really enjoyed so much. I thought it was a really tight version, yes, a bit slow perhaps but tight an with an unmatched sound quality. So Marian...Here I come!!!

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Alex Cremers

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

Yes, it does have the best sound quality. Gerhardt's recording sounds good as well though, and it's unmatched in it's own right...though my favourite of this cue remains the OST version.

Anyway, it probably isn't worthless. I actually still kinda enjoy it. But it's absolutely nothing compared with those other two versions.

Marian - who still doesn't have the Utah disc.

[A24 4,359]

Marian wrote:

Gerhardt's recording sounds good as well though

Is that the Star Wars/Close Encounters Gerhardt CD? I don't have that one.

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Alex Cremers

[Lurker 5]

Gerhardt did all 3 Star Wars scores. Star Wars and Jedi are on RCA and Empire is on Varese. They are the best re-recordings. The Varese recording of the Trilogy with the Utah Symphony is also a very good album. I'd buy the Sony album with Williams and the Skywalker Symphony as a last resort.

Neil

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

In fact, Gerhrdt's ESB was originally released on Chalfont Records, on the first lp incarnation of this, as many other Gerhradt recordings of the late 70's and early 80's.

[A24 4,359]

Yes, I have "Empire" and "Return" but Star Wars, nope. I do remember this Star Wars/Close Encounters CD but did not buy it. Is this not the CD in question?

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Alex Cremers

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Possible, althoigh it could also be a similar release by Zubin Mentha and the LA Philharmonic.

That's also a great CD btw, although i prefer the Gerhardt version.

Stefancos- who NEVER listens to the SW trilogy CD by the Skywalker Symphony.

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

And there is also a recording by Frank Barber, that includes music from Star wars, Close Encounters and ET. Some nice tracks, others quiet bad... This was released on cd in 1999 by Cinephile (CIN CD 021)

[Lurker 5]

In fact, Gerhrdt's ESB was originally released on Chalfont Records, on the first lp incarnation of this, as many other Gerhradt recordings of the late 70's and early 80's.

I know as I have the Chalfont LP (though the label says it was pressed in Japan for Varese Sarabande) but I really doubt anyone is buying that LP new anymore and Varese is the current distributor of that CD.

Neil

[A24 4,359]

I just found Gerhardt's Star Wars CD on the internet. I was right. I didn't want to buy it because there were only 6 Star Wars tracks on it. Track 7 is some sort of Concert Suite from Close Encounters running 21 minutes.

I remember liking this Suite very much.

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Alex Cremers

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

This si teh best Close Encounters suite, as it covers a lot more materila than the one Williams recorded with the Pops twice (Mehta also recorded that shorter one with the LA Philharmonic). This suite was prepared by Gerhardt and aproved by Williams. Around 1980, Williams stated in an interview that he wanted to expand his suite of Close Encounters into something larger, much in the manner of Gerhardt's suite.

[A24 4,359]

One thing about it that I remember is that the Suite sounded a bit more emotional, more human, perhaps more symphonic then the extra terrestrial sound of the OST. Anyone agree?

Btw, is this the Star Wars by Gerhardt everyone here is talking about or is there still another one, also by Gerhardt, but with more tracks?

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Alex Cremers

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

To my knowledge, Gerhardt only recorded music for Star Wars once:

http://johnwilliams.jw-music.net/cine_disc/gd82698.htm

He later recorded ESB and RotJ, with additional tracks, rather than recording only Williams suite. In both cases, at the time was included music otherwise unavailable.

The Empire Strikes Back

http://johnwilliams.jw-music.net/cine_disc...sc/vcd47204.htm

Return of the Jedi

http://johnwilliams.jw-music.net/cine_disc/gd60767.htm

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Gerhardt recording has brilliant sound, which really puts the recording job on the OST to shame.

And yes, this is the one we are all talking about, the CD has only 6 tracks from Star Wars, but it's still about 35 minutes of music, only about 10 minutes less then the other 2, plus you get a great suite from CE3K.

Stefancos- who thinks this recording is an essential for any Williams collector.

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

Also, it only has those 6 tracks because that's the entire suite from the first movie. In fact, the original suite didn't even include Here They Come!, this was added on Gerhardt's idea (approved by Williams).

And regarding the CE3K suite, regardless of it's length, I also think it's the best interpretation of all I've heard.

Marian - thinking that disc sounds good, but not as good as some other Gerhardt discs, like the Herrmann compilation.

[A24 4,359]

If Gerhardt is so much loved and appreciated by soundtrack fans all over the world why don't they release his unreleased work?

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Alex Cremers

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

Good question... Most of his available recordings are the ones made for RCA. He recorded a lot for Reader's Digest -- this were made by RCA, but not to be sold directly by them. I think the rights of the recordings did belong to Reader's Digest. Varese Sarabande was able to release some of his film music recordings a few yearas ago in a cd that even included two Williams tracks. Chesky records also released some music Gerhardt recorded for Reader's Digest, including a film music compilation. That might be the problem. Reader's Digest might not be interested in licecing this to other labels for release.

[MSM 126]

They also did Jennifer 8 (Christopher Young). They are an orhestra made up of freelance musicians from the San Francisco area, just like Williams's own recent orchestra L.A. Recording Arts Orchestra (made up of the same musicians who play on most of his scores) and teh Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

This is what I am wondering for a long time: is Williams always using the same studio orchestra for most of his scores? Why don't those orchestras have any names and are never mentioned in the booklet?

MSM - who thinks Jurassic Park sounds like the London Symphony Orchestra

[Rogue_Leader 2]

This is what I am wondering for a long time: is Williams always using the same studio orchestra for most of his scores? Why don't those orchestras have any names and are never mentioned in the booklet?  

I believe John has worked with a large variety of orchestras actually.

[A24 4,359]

Or a variety of people forming an orchestra only for the occasion. I think it is even possible that there are different players throughout the score.

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Alex Cremers

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Different players throughout a score?

Really?

I didn't think they would do that.

I mean obviously they might need to replace certain people on certain days if they were unavailable but I generally believed that most scores were entirely performed entirely by the generally same group of people.

Is this not the case?

That is a good question!

[A24 4,359]

Which only a real professional can answer. Beware, next replyer!

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Alex Cremers

[MSM 126]

I think it wouldn't be very efficient to use different ensembles for one recording session.

It is true indeed that Williams has at least some musicians with whom he work often. For example if you read the recording information of Summon the Heroes, it appears that the synthesizers are played by Randy Kerber, who also happens to be the celesta soloist on both Harry Potter recordings.

I also know Williams makes use of Studio Orchestras, but my question was: Why are those orchestras never mentioned? They are often as good as some well-known concert orchestras.

MSM

[Lurker 5]

Varese has been crediting the studio musicians lately as "The Hollywood Studio Symphony".

Neil

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

I may be wrong, but I think the orchestra contractor credit (usually Sandy De Crescent for Williams scores) basically tells you which pool the players were taken from.

I believe "The Hollywood Studio Symphony" has been credited since Varese started listing the individual players in the booklet to reduce re-use fees?

Marian - only speculating.

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

Acording to a friend of mine, who has studied for some time at USC, most players on Williams studio orchestras are always the same, musicians he (and Sandy De Crescent) know to be among the best in the world.

And, yes, I also believe that the Hollywood Studio Symphony has to do with the re-use fees.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Yeah I figured they probably used generally the same people for the same score.

[A24 4,359]

I have seen this happen and it was no big deal. Some orchestra in Prague was recording a certain project and I was there the whole time which was 5 days or so. Back then I was surprised, to say the least, that the next day , a few musicans ware replaced. Some got ill, some others had more important assignments.

This is what can happen if you assembly an orchestra where the musicans are hired for just one occasion. This is why there is no name mentioned for the orchestra. It's just a bunch of people who like the extra money there getting when playing for film projects or pop gigs. These people have contracts with respected national orchestras.

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Alex Cremers

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

In fact, Hollywood is a source of employement for many musicians, who don't necessarilly need to play in respected national orchestras (whatever that may mean). Look at Tim Morrison, who was second trumpet with the BSO and principal with the Pops, and now is a freelance musician in Hollywood.

[A24 4,359]

If only I could hire Tim Morrison...

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Alex Cremers-who thinks JFK is great partly due to Morrison's blowing

[Rogue_Leader 2]

If only I could hire Tim Morrison...

First time I read this I thought it said "Jim Morrison".

You'd have to break out a Ouji board to hire that guy.

[MSM 126]

In fact, Hollywood is a source of employement for many musicians, who don't necessarilly need to play in respected national orchestras (whatever that may mean). Look at Tim Morrison, who was second trumpet with the BSO and principal with the Pops, and now is a freelance musician in Hollywood.

Forgive me if it's a stupid question, but what exacly is the difference between the BSO and the BPO?

MSM

[Rogue_Leader 2]

In fact, Hollywood is a source of employement for many musicians, who don't necessarilly need to play in respected national orchestras (whatever that may mean). Look at Tim Morrison, who was second trumpet with the BSO and principal with the Pops, and now is a freelance musician in Hollywood.

Forgive me if it's a stupid question, but what exacly is the difference between the BSO and the BPO?

MSM

BSO = Boston Symphony Orchestra

BPO = Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

I am pretty sure that is what it is.

[Marian Schedenig 8,238]

Is there a Boston Philharmonic Orchestra?

If BPO is supposed to be the Pops, as far as I know they're a smaller ensemble formed by members of the BSO who play "lighter" music.

Marian - who is not 100% sure he got that right.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

I thought it could be the Pops as well but I was not sure on that one.

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

There is a Boston Philharmonic -- at least there was a few years ago. I think they were an amateur orchestra, but ain't sure.

As for the Boston Pops, the 13 BSO member that leave the orchestra during the Pops season are replaced by others, so the size of both orchestras is the same.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

OK OK OK usually a P refers to a Philharmonic.

[MSM 126]

There is a Boston Philharmonic -- at least there was a few years ago. I think they were an amateur orchestra, but ain't sure.

As for the Boston Pops, the 13 BSO member that leave the orchestra during the Pops season are replaced by others, so the size of both orchestras is the same.

So the differences are:

- the name ;

- the season in which they play (Pops only in summer?);

- 8% or so of the members (how on earth did you get you know this!?);

What about the following then?

- the musical standard?

- status?

MSM - who thinks recordings of the Boston pops are among the most in tune of recordings ever made by symphonic orchestras

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

The Pops are basically the BSO. So the standart is as high for one as for the other. This is a great orchestra, one of the world finest, if I may say so.

The Pops was concieved to give job to the BSO players during summer, but they got such a huge sucess, that today people see it as a diferent orchestra -- they originally called this concerts the promenade concerts of the BSO.

The 13 members that leave the BSO during the Pops season, leave because they form the BSO Chamber Players, and give their own concerts during summer. The Pops season also includes Christmas and New Years concerts.

[A24 4,359]

Thank you, Miguel Encyclopedia.

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Alex Cremers

[Miguel Andrade 1,267]

Thank you, Miguel Encyclopedia.

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Alex Cremers

I think I'll trademark that one LOL