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


SyncMan

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Overall a very nice recording. Imaginative direction with some great timings. Especially the unorthodox 3:05-3:21 section brings out a dance-like quality to that passage that I've never felt before.

 

3 hours ago, Omen II said:

Why is the dinosaur furry?

Welcome to the 21st century!

 

When people create cover art for a release of Wagner's or Tchaikovsky's music, it's always a vision of a different graphic artist. I'm glad to see the same happening with JW.

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1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Didn't they have feathers?

 

WRONG!  I have done some further internet research on the matter and it turns out - much to my surprise - that twenty-first century dinosaurs do indeed have fur.

 

EjBDbZ3WoAkRI4k.jpg

 

barney_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqBmo3ZBPOSwC7GqR

 

Must go faster!

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Note the "Limited Edition" stance and the open space on the backside of the cover that seems to be prepared for (handwritten?) copy numbers.

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13 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Written by William Ross himself.

Or maybe by Anne-Sophie who then would get an appearance.

 

 

13 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Written by William Ross himself.

That said, the next editions could be:

 

"Spotlight on William Ross"

"Spotlight on Conrad Pope"

"Spotlight on Herbert W. Spencer"

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It's interesting looking at that back cover art, and seeing how short Disc 2 is compared to Disc 1!


Surely they could have budgeted for another 30 minutes of music to include on disc 2 and would have ended up with a better - and potentially better selling - album than this configuration?

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2 hours ago, Jay said:

It's interesting looking at that back cover art, and seeing how short Disc 2 is compared to Disc 1!


Surely they could have budgeted for another 30 minutes of music to include on disc 2 and would have ended up with a better and potentially better selling album than this configuration?

 

I refer my right honourable friend to the comments I made some days ago...

 

On 3/14/2021 at 6:13 PM, Tom Guernsey said:

I'm wondering if there aren't some tracks missing on the second disc listing here... the second disc has only slightly more than half as many as the first, and looking at the selections, I can't see those eight tracks would amount to more than 45/50 minutes whereas the first is well over an hour (just rough estimates here). In other words, the remaining 20/25 minutes on disc 2 is pretty much the ideal space for CE3K and ET. Of course, it's all just speculation... ;-)

 

I'm actually surprised that the second disc is even shorter than I guessed. ET and CE3K still feel like ideal tracks to fill the second disc up to an hour or so. Ah well.

 

Having finally given a few tracks a listen, it certainly is well played and recorded. Fine, incisive playing and, from what I can tell, well recorded, although the brass sounds a bit strange at times here and there. The playing is fine, sounds more a recording issue, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I actually wondered if it was compression due to streaming, although I'm set to highest quality (whatever that is on Amazon Music). The rest of the orchestra sounds just great. Not sure if I'm totally sold to buying it given that I have everything there in several iterations but I can see myself being tempted... I'd like to think if this was a success they'd do a Jerry Goldsmith one, or maybe Danny Elfman or James Horner, but I guess nobody sells quite like JW.

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Yeah, so I just did something wrong and had both Nimbus and WW and W playing at the same time. Quite the experience. Anyway, the performances sound really great. They really should record all the HP suites. But damn, I really dislike that POA track's contents. I don't know what JW was thinking.

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25 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

But damn, I really dislike that POA track's contents. I don't know what JW was thinking.

This track is particularly weird, it took me a while before starting to like it. I feel like some parts just have been edited by JJ. Abrams!

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6 hours ago, Jay said:

 

Ouch, this is gonna get lots of dents during shipping, at least if ordering from amazon!

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52 minutes ago, carlborg said:

 

Did anyone find the link for the digital purchase they're advertising? 

 

Not sure about the specific link, but Qobuz has it 88 kHz/24 bit.

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/spotlight-on-john-williams-kevin-griffiths-city-light-symphony-orchestra/uiaqsoc5hhaxa

 

Was <$10 with my Sublime membership level. Under $15 without. ($35 at Presto Music which also has it digitally.) The site shows "preorder" but I bought it and was able to download immediately. (It is still Thu Apr 8 where I am.)

 

I don't see it on the Prospero site yet - which is odd since it is well into Friday in Switzerland as I type this.

 

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2 hours ago, carlborg said:

Complete album on Spotify: 

Did anyone find the link for the digital purchase they're advertising? 

Sounds like this was produced for ClassicFM (ugly comment).

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3 hours ago, carlborg said:

Just found it on HDtracks too: https://www.hdtracks.com/#/album/604b8e86cdf23b2392e8518c - much cheaper than Presto [for the 88 kHz/24-bit it's 21USD on HDtracks vs 32EUR on Presto]. Qobuz isn't available in my region unfortunately.

No liner notes though :(

There's a 20% discount on HDTracks (until 4/12/21) Code: 20HIRESAPR

With discount its $16.78 (from $20.98)

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On 4/7/2021 at 11:02 AM, Jay said:

 

All of these except one are live now, but most with no price / ability to order yet

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14 hours ago, Jay said:

 

All of these except one are live now, but most with no price / ability to order yet

 

Interestingly, when I click on "all formats," the date shown for the CD is May 21. I saw this on the US and DE sites. (Did not check more of them.)

 

So, perhaps that is a known date they have from Prospero or a guess of availability. 

 

Glad to have the digital version today though as I am enjoying it.

 

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2 hours ago, lairdo said:

 

Interestingly, when I click on "all formats," the date shown for the CD is May 21.

Maybe that's due to this? (and I hate that this announcement was made on the release day...)

Screenshot_20210410-075710.jpg

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I'd like to order this on physical CD but you still cannot on Amazon US and Screen Archives doesn't have it up yet either

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3 minutes ago, Jay said:

I'd like to order this on physical CD but you still cannot on Amazon US and Screen Archives doesn't have it up yet either

I know! I really dislike the idea of having to double dip on this just to get the CDs (especially when it seems so avoidable, since CDs are coming eventually). But ultimately this is an album that can justify the extra spend. 

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9 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I'm not interested in buying any CDs ever, so I happily bought this album from 7digital.  I was disappointed there's no digital booklet.

 

There’s one on iTunes. It’s a great booklet.

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In general, the performances and recording of this album are really spectacular.  The Temple of Doom credits sound amazing!  Little nitpicks I may have had when individual tracks were being drip-fed largely wash away in the experience of listening to the full album, which, despite our wishes that even more obscure choices had been made, is really a wonderful program as a complete listen-through.

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Yea, that's why I waited for the full album after checking out the first one or two tracks released.  Can't wait to experience the whole thing!

 

(still waiting for an active Amazon or Screen Archives link)

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9 hours ago, Romão said:

Really great to hear extra details and greater emphasis on certain sections of the Tintin Main Titles. It's one great perks of re-recordings

 

I think that one has had a re-recording by the London Music Works (I think that's the name of the ensemble) on a Silva compilation.

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