SPOTLIGHT ON JOHN WILLIAMS: A Prospero Classical CD release featuring new recordings of JW film music

[crlbrg 381]

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Ooh!

[fommes 153]

So they made the same edit as on the OST of Finale and End Credits. For some reason I'd expected them to record the actual End Credits like the RPO.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

I don't mind that they used the OST version, but for some reason this is my least favourite of the City Light tracks I've heard so far.

[Jay 37,281]

2 hours ago, fommes said:

So they made the same edit as on the OST of Finale and End Credits. For some reason I'd expected them to record the actual End Credits like the RPO.

 

Oh man, what a disappointment!

[King Mark 3,625]

I can't listen to the track but it's as I expected. I never thought for second they would include that little segment we all want .

 

That's why I think these people producing JW compilations are "disconnected" from the hardcore fans .I mean it would be nice if one of these producers happened to be a true fan that  reads this message board or knew what the fan base wanted .It's like none of them have a clue except MM .We get about one random "rare" recording out of very 5 compilation released

 

Although I think Williams recording of the film version can't be replicated .RPO doesn't really cut it either.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

So you wouldn't be satisfied anyway...

[crumbs 14,300]

There's a session leak of the unedited TOD end credits anyway.

 

If nothing else, the intact version should've been included on the 2008 box.

[GerateWohl 4,326]

40 minutes ago, crumbs said:

f nothing else, the intact version should've been included on the 2008 box.

Yes, like the film version of The Desert Chase. That was my biggest dissapointment with the box besides just having the OST of KotCS included. 

[Mattris 416]

I just listened to the album selections made available on the City of Light Symphony Orchestra's YouTube page. Some generally good performances, especially from the percussion section. Unfortunately, the album was sabotaged by the mixing/mastering engineer, who decided to implement a dynamics limiter throughout. What a shame this is, unless the CD itself ends up sounding different.

 

This isn't the first time this specific, unnatural sound issue has inflicted a John Williams album in recent years. Along with basically every City of the Prague Philharmonic recording, the Dallas Winds album comes to mind. Why?!  

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Because it's aimed at car and headphone listening with a lot of background noise?

[Mattris 416]

You don't know that. Even if that were true, there's absolutely no sense in hard-limiting every mic throughout. If the engineers/producers wanted the album to be more-audible (louder), they could have simply limited the loudest points (<1%) of the album.

 

I won't hold my breath that this issue will be removed for the official release. What a disservice to John Williams, the conductor, and the musicians. Pathetic, really.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Can't disagree about that.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Cool

[crlbrg 381]

 

[Holko 9,499]

This one's really good!

 

And even just beyond the performance, I respect the effort to do something like this with so many non-standard instruments.

[Bayesian 1,359]

I idly notice that amazon hasn't listed a CD version for pre-order, just the digital album. I'm sure that a CD is coming, of course.

 

Man, all this waiting for the floodgates to open on new JW albums this year is starting to wear me out! And all we've had so far to preoccupy us is a noisy 4-hr Justice League score. Lousy covid!

[Jay 37,281]

It takes so long to get CDs pressed these days sometimes companies release the digital as soon as its ready and the CD version later, rather than making digital purchasers wait for the physical editions to be pressed before they can buy the digital

[Fabulin 3,510]

 

[crlbrg 381]

Love the cover art on this one!

[Holko 9,499]

Whatever my feelings on the piece may be, they're mostly doing a damn good job with it!

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

3 hours ago, carlborg said:

Love the cover art on this one!

 

The art guy was told to draw an owl and drew an eagle...

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

On 3/23/2021 at 8:13 PM, Bayesian said:

I idly notice that amazon hasn't listed a CD version for pre-order, just the digital album. I'm sure that a CD is coming, of course.

 

Man, all this waiting for the floodgates to open on new JW albums this year is starting to wear me out! And all we've had so far to preoccupy us is a noisy 4-hr Justice League score. Lousy covid!

 

Prospero Classical has its own online store ( https://prospero.8merch.com/ ) and I'll probably get it from there when it's available. Might not be cost efficient for overseas shipping though.

[SilverTrumpet 638]

I loved the performance for this most recent one!

[Bespin 8,475]

Do I judge a CD by it's cover?

 

ALWAYS.

 

[artguy360 1,843]

Wow, this is the best Witches, Wands, and Wizards has ever sounded although I still prefer the studio recordings of the original individual pieces on the OST.

[p0llux 392]

Well, this easily takes over as the best known recording of Witches, Wands, and Wizards.

[Romão 2,274]

It's great to listen to a new recording of Tintin's Main Titles. You get to notice all sorts of new things

[Fabulin 3,510]

 

 

 

 

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Holy moly, JW ripped off Vivaldi!

[MaxTheHouseelf 324]

The CD is listed as Limited Edition on Amazon now, but no price or cover yet...

https://www.amazon.de/Spotlight-John-Williams-Limited-Griffiths/dp/B08ZW4RJJ6/

[Bespin 8,475]

Ok, now I understand the hype around this album:

 

Quote

In the realm of film music Kevin Griffiths has established himself as a leading conductor accompanying the original live music to the motion picture on a large screen. Disney Studios Hollywood have accredited him as one of the few conductors for performances of this kind. In April 2018 he jumped in for Hollywood legend David Newman and directed ten Star Wars performances with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra. Shortly thereafter, he conducted the world premiere of "The Hunger Games", the European premiere of "La La Land" and James Bond “Casino Royal” as part of "City Light Concerts". He has also performed Charlie Chaplin films and he conducted and recorded the music for a documentary film about the particle accelerator CERN in Geneva.

http://www.kevin-griffiths.com/about

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

Ok, now I understand the hip around this album:

 

Why?

[Bespin 8,475]

10 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

Why?

 

Because the orchestra is young... Oh I already said all that!

[Marian Schedenig 8,172]

12 minutes ago, Bespin said:

Because the orchestra is young... Oh I already said all that!

 

But you said you understand it in conjunction with a quote explaining that the conductor has a lot of experience with LtP concerts. Which to me doesn't explain why you understand the hype.

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Don't look for reason where there's none.

[Bespin 8,475]

1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

But you said you understand it in conjunction with a quote explaining that the conductor has a lot of experience with LtP concerts. Which to me doesn't explain why you understand the hype.

 

Well, he's surely the "Chosen One"!

[MaxTheHouseelf 324]

 

[crlbrg 381]

On 3/26/2021 at 1:07 AM, Fabulin said:

 

Hearing this Quidditch sequence, I wish I could listen to the entire HP3 score performed by this orchestra.

 

Is it just this recording that adds a little pause between the Quidditch music and the pizzicato section? (Bar 87 in the Signature Edition score) I can't bear to listen to the City of Prague monstrosity again to check - once was enough.

[Tom 4,633]

I have not heard POA WWW piece a while.  Williams really did not put effort into those transitions at all.   Why this, but not a concert suite of The Mission's Jonathan Begins to Draw and the Landing?  

[crlbrg 381]

 

 

 

[artguy360 1,843]

Really nice performance and recording of Nimbus 2000! I'm pretty impressed so far with these new recordings.

[tmarps 217]

Gah now that gets me gagging for a re-recording of the whole HP Children's Suite..

[crlbrg 381]

 

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,024]

Sexy wheelchair! Did Tom Cruise escape?

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

4 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Sexy wheelchair! Did Tom Cruise escape?

Yeah he had a precogs to steal!

[artguy360 1,843]

Perfectly fine rendition of the BOTFJ theme but not a revelation or better than the original. Probably it's the sound mix, but this recording sounds a little thinner than the original with less bass and reverb. I think the original is a little more filled out.

[King Mark 3,625]

On 3/29/2021 at 8:46 PM, Tom said:

I have not heard POA WWW piece a while.  Williams really put not effort into those transitions at all.  

 It just sounds like a random section  of Mischief Managed .they should have recorded Bridge to the Past or double Trouble that had concert versions Williams never recorded

On 3/31/2021 at 7:36 AM, tmarps said:

Gah now that gets me gagging for a re-recording of the whole HP Children's Suite..

not really Williams recordings are definitive to me

[igger6 894]

I actually found this recording of "Nimbus" a little sprightlier and more fun than Williams' tempo.  Those twelve seconds they shaved off were well-spent!  But I'm a sucker for over-caffeinated conducting, so don't quote me.

 

Overall, I love the sound and quality of these recordings.  Welcome the game, City Light!  Maybe they can do a dueling-orchestras concert with the Film Symphony Orchestra...

[crlbrg 381]