Cello Concerto vs Memoirs Suite for Cello

[Tom 4,639]

With the other recent thread polls generating a plethora of posts and interesting discussion, I thought I would do my part to kill the momentum with a concert music poll.  After nearly 15 years, I find it hard to decide if I like Williams Cello Concerto or Memoirs Suite better.  They are both superb and both feature Yo Yo Ma.  I think I would go with Memoirs, if for nothing else the Chairman's Waltz with the violin/cello lines--my goodness are they transcendent.  I was also at the premiere in Tanglewood, which gives it some sentimental points.  

 

Anyway, what are your thoughts?  

[Bespin 8,480]

I made a playlist of 5 albums by Yo-Yo Ma...and finally I removed the JW album. That's not a good album.

[Thor 7,470]

Good question. I guess I'll go with MEMOIRS, because ultimately I tend to prefer the 'concrete' aspect of film music over more elaborate, abstract classical music, even when it's suitified like this. And while the cello concerto is great, it's not my favourite concerto by JW.

[12-Mile Reef 123]

I voted for the Cello Concerto as I listen to it more often but I love them both.

[GerateWohl 4,339]

I would find a poll more interesting to chose who rather  listens to the Memoirs cello suite or the Memoirs OST. I personally definitely prefer the suite. 

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

The Concerto.

By the way, both were premiered at Tanglewood.

[GerateWohl 4,339]

Anyway, I always wondered why Sayuri's Theme sounded so familiar to me from the very beginning. I guess, I recently found the source of what it reminded me of. There is a theme in "Seven Years in Tibet" that is very close to it.

[Jurassic Shark 12,030]

On 12/9/2020 at 3:16 AM, Bespin said:

I made a playlist of 5 albums by Yo-Yo Ma...and finally I removed the JW album. That's not a good album.

 

Well, you're not a good person.

 

22 hours ago, Thor said:

Good question. I guess I'll go with MEMOIRS, because ultimately I tend to prefer the 'concrete' aspect of film music over more elaborate, abstract classical music, even when it's suitified like this. And while the cello concerto is great, it's not my favourite concerto by JW.

 

I don't listen to neither that often now but I prefer the cello concerto, partly because it's got some elements of the rawness of Jurassic Park. 

 

I prefer the Memoirs OST over the suite, although both feel a bit overlong.

[GerateWohl 4,339]

17 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I don't listen to either that often now but I prefer the cello concerto, partly because it's got some elements of the rawness of Jurassic Park. 

That's interesting. The cello concerto reminded me more of A.I. than of Jurassic Park.

[Jurassic Shark 12,030]

On 12/9/2020 at 2:42 AM, Tom said:

Chairman's Waltz

 

I've always found that one uninteresting.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Despite both being written for the same soloist and with a concert setting in mind, these are two very different works born out of very different circumstances and with very different purposes. Both works have some stylistic and aesthetic similarities, but imho they show different sides of JW's personality.

 

The Geisha suite is an astounding rework of the film score material and it certainly goes beyond its filmic nature to become a concert piece of its own. Despite still bringing connotations and influences dictated by the source material, it sounds more like a personal reinterpretation than a work-for-hire.

 

The Cello Concerto is a very athletic, highly demanding work, probably one of JW's most ambitious one in that regard. While it may be sound a highly technical, cerebral piece, I think that it shows an intimate and more personal side of the composer, as seen in other of his concert works.

 

I love both works very much, but if I had to choose just one, I'd probably go with the Cello Concerto.

[GerateWohl 4,339]

2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

On 12/9/2020 at 2:42 AM, Tom said:

Chairman's Waltz

 

I've always found that one uninteresting.

Anyone else reminded to "Abandoned in the Woods" from A.I. by the Chairman's Waltz?

I mean, yeah, they have both the same concise key change in the middle of the theme.

But still...

[Thor 7,470]

8 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I would find a poll more interesting to chose who rather  listens to the Memoirs cello suite or the Memoirs OST. I personally definitely prefer the suite. 

 

For me, the MEMOIRS OST.

[Tom 4,639]

5 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

I've always found that one uninteresting.

This version? I find the interplay between the violin and cello sublime and the whole piece greatly superior to the OST version, but to each their own.

 

[Jurassic Shark 12,030]

12 minutes ago, Tom said:

This version? I find the interplay between the violin and cello sublime and the whole piece greatly superior to the OST version, but to each their own.

 

 

Jesus, I was talking about the Chairman's Waltz as it's called on the OST!