Film Symphony Orchestra Williams recordings

[King Mark 3,624]

I like these energetic and bombastic performances , I wonder if you can have better quality versions than You Tube (go  You Tube and check out the playlist) .There's rare stuff like BFG , Patriot, Book Thief Concert Suite, extended Men of Yorktown march (better performance than Lockheart) and amazing The Lost world

 

Frankly, these are better than a lot of the compilations we got recently

 

 

[crumbs 14,296]

Yes, I'm a big fan of these videos. Their performance of The Lost World is particularly exuberant!

 

Definitely recommend this channel for anyone missing live orchestras in this current pandemic.

[King Mark 3,624]

So these are YouTube only, no c.d. or something?

 

He plays a lot of stuff we don't have many performances of. I hope he does Han solo and the Princess  (oh wait he did but the old one and a very nice performance)

 

 

[jocores 96]

They did a couple of year ago a tour where they played in two programmes I think most of Williams SIgnature Editions from Hal Leonard. It was a great success. 

 

They recorded both programmes:

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4bZuHXZ21jKOseNHqjIsIA?si=lpxKWeEySQ2TFmoeijBGuA

 

And here you can buy the 4CD package:

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/especial-john-williams/

The conductor Constantino Martinez-Orts is a teacher of conducting himself at Berklee in Valencia, my hometown.

[Will 2,215]

Wow awesome! I wasn't aware of these videos. The performance of "The Patriot" is awesome -- ridiculously fast tempo near the end but somehow still executed very well. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

It's certainly better than those old Silva / Prague compilations. However, the sound is kinda rough, and there's some strange mixing and tempo choices here and there, so I don't think I need to get it on CD. The playing and timing also isn't top notch.

[1977 1,743]

You could just purchase them digitally:

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=B4petuvkl7xgkkhnzyxtfwhowuu

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Be5jwugjyjacuidvnqovakcefty

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=B4j5iaemiokm5aju4ih7qxszkcm

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bsrm7cvfdxpr5jqtjbfy2biz5z4

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bnj3xsm2u3qwvu4w4pkyggbdali

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bw4vegi4pkgz5sv3nth7qjxejwi

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Still don't want to purchase them. Having them on Spotify is enough. 

[1977 1,743]

Except you don't really "have" them.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

10 minutes ago, JTWfan77 said:

Except you don't really "have" them.

 

But I don't want them!

 

[1977 1,743]

How do they compare to the Kunzel recordings?

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

I'm not very fond of Kunzel's JW recordings; I often find the orchestral sound to be too opaque. But the one album I've got (the Spielberg one) feels of a higher level of musicianship.

[1977 1,743]

Okay, so is this one better than Kunzel?

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

39 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

the one album I've got (the Spielberg one) feels of a higher level of musicianship.

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

What, @JTWfan77?

[Matt S. 492]

The orchestra isn't quite as polished as the ones in Boston, London, and LA (some of the brass struggle with intonation occasionally, and they do miss notes on some of the more difficult passages) but their energy and clear enjoyment of the music is infectious, and makes for a great listen.  The conductor's enthusiasm is also very fun to watch.

[crumbs 14,296]

How great is this?! They posted this two days ago, slightly edging out the Boston Pops with their video (not that it's a contest!):

 

Would love to see more orchestras follow suit with these types of videos. Amazing work!

 

And the real deal from last year:

 

Such an infectiously fun piece, I wish Williams pulled this out more often than, well, never.

[King Mark 3,624]

4 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

You could just purchase them digitally:

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=B4petuvkl7xgkkhnzyxtfwhowuu

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Be5jwugjyjacuidvnqovakcefty

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=B4j5iaemiokm5aju4ih7qxszkcm

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bsrm7cvfdxpr5jqtjbfy2biz5z4

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bnj3xsm2u3qwvu4w4pkyggbdali

 

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Bw4vegi4pkgz5sv3nth7qjxejwi

 hmm, I want these

[Jay 37,281]

You can listen to all their albums free on Spotify

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4bZuHXZ21jKOseNHqjIsIA?si=aPayYwHnSU2N1pxBJJ-XOQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/4WxVjiKWZ2dPeYExUKs6TH?si=uvjN_OSETqyEcNFUFUnnGg

https://open.spotify.com/album/6LhhmjqQSD98pU8lHkbGX0?si=-DAhnHs4SGiQdoQilG7aMg

https://open.spotify.com/album/1wYVsYcwYTHOhGfd6NQuCD?si=j6E2hIXwTXWgVNg2QUxdaQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/4jOETL9iIa5le3OkMZZCCU?si=ZI5xaMg5R3i5TjROfOXELA

https://open.spotify.com/album/6gzX9qzGi9sp3oiessPtXU?si=ITgjMBOZQ7q0VfJe-Azesw

 

Or buy them all on physical CDs on their website

 

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/especial-john-williams/

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/la-musica-de-las-galaxias/

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/la-mejor-musica-de-cine-vol-1/

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/la-mejor-musica-del-cine-vol-2/

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/la-mejor-musica-del-cine-vol-3/

https://filmsymphony.es/producto/la-mejor-musica-del-cine-vol-4/

[1977 1,743]

3 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

What, @JTWfan77?

 

I wasn't understanding. Are you saying that all the Kunzel ones except the Spielberg one are worse performed than this ensemble?

[Nick Parker 3,040]

11 hours ago, King Mark said:

Book Thief Concert Suite

 

 

Is this the same one Williams played in 2014 then buried? Such a beautiful piece and the perfect distillation of the score.

[Jay 37,281]

You can listen for free on Spotify, Google Play, Apple Music, etc to see if it's the one you're thinking about! 

 

It's track 6

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4bZuHXZ21jKOseNHqjIsIA?si=gQrUhv6kTHuC4uycOhesAA

https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Be5jwugjyjacuidvnqovakcefty

https://music.apple.com/bs/album/1482900331

 

Oh, it's on youtube as well

 

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

You can listen for free on Spotify, Google Play, Apple Music, etc to see if it's the one you're thinking about! 

 

I did, Jay, and I wanted confirmation or clarification from someone who might know more than I.

 

You seem to have been pretty prolific this past week for posts like this, any particular reason why? 

[Jay 37,281]

20 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

I did, Jay, and I wanted confirmation or clarification from someone who might know more than I.

 

Oh you heard this version, and was wondering if it's the same as the 2014 suite or a different suite, I see!

 

I don't know the answer, unfortunately.

 

 

 

Quote

You seem to have been pretty prolific this past week for posts like this, any particular reason why? 

 

What do you mean?

[Romão 2,274]

I saw them live last year, it was great fun

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Just now, Jay said:

What do you mean?

 

This past week or so I feel like you've posted more of these "check it out for yourself" videos than normal. I don't want to misinterpret the tone of them, though.

Just now, Romão said:

I saw them live last year, it was great fun

 

Yeah, normally I'm put off by these big spectacle shows, but that Cantina Band just feels cute to me.

[Jay 37,281]

Just now, Nick Parker said:

This past week or so I feel like you've posted more of these "check it out for yourself" videos than normal. I don't want to misinterpret the tone of them, though.

 

I don't think I have >shrug<

[Romão 2,274]

I know what you mean, but their exuberance and the maestro's obvious love of the material shines through. As far as this sort of concerts go, you could do a lot worse

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

1 hour ago, JTWfan77 said:

 

I wasn't understanding. Are you saying that all the Kunzel ones except the Spielberg one are worse performed than this ensemble?

 

No, I'm saying that the Spielberg one is the only Kunzel JW album I know well enough to compare with anything else.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 minutes ago, Romão said:

I know what you mean, but their exuberance and the maestro's obvious love of the material shines through. As far as this sort of concerts go, you could do a lot worse

 

Yeah, to clarify, I used cute earlier to mean I surprisingly wasn't annoyed by it, I was actually smiling at the goofiness of it.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

4 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

This past week or so I feel like you've posted more of these "check it out for yourself" videos than normal. I don't want to misinterpret the tone of them, though.

 

Do your own homework, Nick!

 

 

That's the tone you're referring to?

[Jay 37,281]

Definitely not a tone I intended anywhere if it was interpreted that way

 

I was only trying to be helpful

[Nick Parker 3,040]

1 minute ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Do your own homework, Nick!

 

 

That's the tone you're referring to?

 

Something like that, yeah. "Let me Google that for you", that kind of thing.

Just now, Jay said:

Definitely not a tone I intended anywhere if it was interpreted that way

 

I was only trying to be helpful

 

Thank you for your clarification, I'm glad I asked. 

[Jay 37,281]

Any time!

[Nick Parker 3,040]

 

 

[Tom 4,632]

They are excellent performances.  The youtube videos add an element of fun--I think the camera person might have a thing for the timpanist.

 

Men of Yorktown should be a standard by now at July 4th concerts and such, but it does not seem to be.  Recordings like this should help.  

[mahler3 478]

6 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

 

I wasn't understanding. Are you saying that all the Kunzel ones except the Spielberg one are worse performed than this ensemble?

I think the Kunzel recordings are of very high quality and Williams himself would often acknowledge this. The Spielberg Tribute album is solid, yes, but cues like Empire of the Sun don’t suit the bombastic finishes Kunzel used to favour in the bespoke arrangements. The Sugarland Express performance is superb though and improves upon the OST for me.

 

Some of the 80s albums (Fantastic Journey / Star Tracks / Time Warp) featured outstanding performances. E.T. & The Last Starfighter in particular.

 

The 90s albums became obsessed with hi-if speaker destroying (!) sound effects and weird surround sound gimmicks, however some selections were very good.

[p0llux 392]

Anybody know who else performs their version of The Lost World theme? 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Personally, I find the performances on these albums to verge on unlistenable in their sloppiness.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Finally some support!

[1977 1,743]

Okay so they're worse than the CPO but better than the CoPPO? I'm so confused.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Why? I said better than the old Silva / CoPPO compilations. Not better than Tadlow era CoPPO.

[1977 1,743]

Well their Last Jedi performance on that recent Silva Screen sci-fi compilation is as bad as anything they have ever done. I find they seem to struggle with Williams as a matter of course. Their early John Barry albums are fantastic. I also enjoy most of their Goldsmith performances, even the early ones. Perhaps Williams is too intricate for them. I don't know.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

They just need enough time to practice, something Silva isn't always giving them. They're not an orchestra like the LSO who often can play it very well on the first take.

[1977 1,743]

I wonder why that is. They've been at it for years. Is it just that the LSO has higher entrance requirements for sightreading ability? Or do they just practice harder and over longer hours to improve their skills? Or perhaps the Prague players don't earn enough and have to keep second jobs?

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

It's nothing new that the quality between orchestras varies, and it's surely a combination of different things. For starters, it's probably harder competition when there's a vacancy at the LSO, compared to the CoPPO.

 

But the LSO hasn't always been as good as they are. I own some shoddy film compilation recordings of them from around the time JW started recording with them.

[Fabulin 3,506]

.

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

It's definitely a case of keeping the budget. Second rate orchestras can be made to sound quite good in recordings if given the necessary time for practicing and takes.

[1977 1,743]

17 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

...if given the necessary time for practicing and takes.

 

Which unfortunately adds to the cost

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Sure.