Popular Post Fabulin 3,510 Posted October 15, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted October 15, 2021 John Williams has conducted some of the world's greatest orchestras and continues to add more of them to his résumé. Here is a brief list of debut or presumed debut concerts that I was able to find. Feel free to correct and/or add more. USA: American "Big Five" Philadelphia Orchestra - 1978 Boston Symphony Orchestra - ? (commissioned: Cello Concerto) Boston Pops - May 25th, 1979 (guest), April 1980 (principal conductor) Chicago Symphony Orchestra - July 31st, 1994 (commissioned: Horn Concerto) New York Philharmonic Orchestra - February 10, 2004 (commissioned: Bassoon Concerto) Cleveland Orchestra - 2019 (commissioned: Trumpet Concerto) Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra - July 28th, 1978 National Symphony Orchestra (U.S.) - July 4th, 2014 Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra - April 13th, 2017 Houston Dallas Columbus Cincinnati Pittsburgh Seattle San Diego (or Jose--not sure) San Francisco Indianapolis Baltimore Detroit Salt Lake City Europe: London Symphony Orchestra - 1977 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - 2020 (aged 88, oldest conductor debutante of the Vienna Phil; commissioned: 'fanfare for the Vienna Philharmonic') Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - 2021 (aged 89, oldest conductor debutante of the Berliner Phil) Martinland, Biodome, Marian Schedenig and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Nice idea for a thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 The BSO online archive has May 25, 1979 as his debut as a guest conductor with the Boston Pops. https://archive.org/details/bostonpopsorches1979bost/page/n178/mode/2up?view=theater Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,633 Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 I do not know years, but here a list of cities, in addition to the above, that I am nearly certain he has conducted: Houston Dallas Columbus Cincinnati Pittsburgh Seattle San Diego (or Jose--not sure) San Francisco Indianapolis Baltimore Detroit Salt Lake City Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,463 Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 On 15/10/2021 at 10:54 PM, Fabulin said: Europe: London Symphony Orchestra - 1977 Of course, the LSO already performed Williams in 1972 (the non-US premiere of his symphony), but Previn conducted, so it doesn't really count in this context. Presumably, Williams was in the audience. I do often wonder what the earliest Williams-conducted concert performance is - in general, and with a big orchestra (rather than bands and groups etc). Nice topic; would be great to have some dates attached. I wish there were video of his first guest appearance with the BPO. Little did they know then that he would be such an important part of the orchestra's history just a year later, and then for many years after. Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Andrade 1,260 Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 On 15/10/2021 at 10:27 PM, Matt S. said: The BSO online archive has May 25, 1979 as his debut as a guest conductor with the Boston Pops. https://archive.org/details/bostonpopsorches1979bost/page/n178/mode/2up?view=theater I believe he guest conducted them on tour when Fiddler had to be replaced due to illness, when they had reached LA. His first appearance with the orchestra, after signing his first two year contract, was an off-season concert in January 1980 at Carnegie Hall. Matt S. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamsStarShip2282 308 Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 I lament the days when concerts were longer than they are now, especially with the Pops. Even before the plague in recent years you would be out before ten....sometimes I feel like it was even closer to 930. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Honestly, I've long thought it would be amazing if there was a resource that listed every guest conducting gig he's ever done, maybe even with programs when they could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,475 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 I started something on my website in the concert section, but then I went out of budget... or time... or interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 589 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 His debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was on 31st July 1994 at the Ravinia Festival. His LA Philharmonic debut was on 28th July 1978 !! He has conducted them every year since then (except for 2020), which means it is his longest concert collaboration with an orchestra (not counting LSO where he rarely conducted concerts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 On 15/10/2021 at 4:54 PM, Fabulin said: New York Philharmonic Orchestra - ? (commissioned: Bassoon Concerto) His debut conducting the New York Phil was February 10, 2004 And the program: Spoiler Fabulin and Once 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,510 Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 12 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said: I lament the days when concerts were longer than they are now, especially with the Pops. Even before the plague in recent years you would be out before ten....sometimes I feel like it was even closer to 930. yeah, remember when Beethoven conducted and played as a soloist in an over 4-hour long concert of his own works? WilliamsStarShip2282 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Disco Stu said: His debut conducting the New York Phil was February 10, 2004 And the program: Hide contents Wow, what a setlist! I can only imagine how cool it would have been to hear that much JFK and that much Far & Away music at one concert. That's incredible. WilliamsStarShip2282 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 8 minutes ago, Jay said: Wow, what a setlist! I can only imagine how cool it would have been to hear that much JFK and that much Far & Away music at one concert. That's incredible. That was just the usual suite from Far and Away (same as we heard in the Berlin concert), but I 100% agree that JFK deserves more love than it gets. I'm surprised nobody has recorded the full 3-movement suite (AFAIK). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Wait, what? I haven't listened to the Berlin concert said, but someone said that arrangement was a bit of Country Galway segueing into the end credits (without the Chieftains opening part) They played 5 selections at this show! .... oh, wait, I missed that it said "suite" at the top. So it was just one long piece, comprised of those 5 mini sections within. I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 1 minute ago, Jay said: Wait, what? I haven't listened to the Berlin concert said, but someone said that arrangement was a bit of Country Galway segueing into the end credits (without the Chieftains opening part) They played 5 selections at this show! .... oh, wait, I missed that it said "suite" at the top. So it was just one long piece, comprised of those 5 mini sections within. I see. That's his Signature Edition score for Far and Away. The subtitles (County Galway, Joseph and Shannon, etc...) are printed right into the score itself. The other poster was correct, it's basically the End Credits with a new introduction similar to the opening track of the OST, simplified somewhat for a standard orchestra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,281 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Yep, I get it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 17 hours ago, Miguel Andrade said: I believe he guest conducted them on tour when Fiddler had to be replaced due to illness, when they had reached LA. His first appearance with the orchestra, after signing his first two year contract, was an off-season concert in January 1980 at Carnegie Hall. Any idea when the LA concert was? That's the problem with the BSO archive, it doesn't seem to include any programs from orchestra tours or appearances away from Symphony Hall or Tanglewood (such as the Carnegie Hall concert). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Are there are other orchestras that have such wonderful online archives like the BSO and the NY Phil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,633 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 18 hours ago, Miguel Andrade said: I believe he guest conducted them on tour when Fiddler had to be replaced due to illness, when they had reached LA. His first appearance with the orchestra, after signing his first two year contract, was an off-season concert in January 1980 at Carnegie Hall. Probably caught something from too much standing on the roof. (sorry) Martinland 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 589 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 21 hours ago, Miguel Andrade said: I believe he guest conducted them on tour when Fiddler had to be replaced due to illness, when they had reached LA. His first appearance with the orchestra, after signing his first two year contract, was an off-season concert in January 1980 at Carnegie Hall. I think you mix that up a bit. He replaced Fiddler when Fiddler was to make an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil in 1978: As it happened, legendary Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler had been scheduled to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a “Pops at the Bowl” weekend, but illness prevented him from doing so. “Ernest called me to do those concerts,” Williams said, “mostly, I thought, because all of the practicing conductors would have been booked during the busy summer season. I was working in the studios, and he assumed, rightly, that I would have been free on those weekends. So I had a couple of dramatic substitutions there for Arthur Fiedler a year or two before I had any connection at all with Boston.” He admits, however, to having “very little” memory of the experience.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-06-ca-10429-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 4 hours ago, Tom said: Probably caught something from too much standing on the roof. (sorry) Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamsStarShip2282 308 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 8 hours ago, Fabulin said: yeah, remember when Beethoven conducted and played as a soloist in an over 4-hour long concert of his own works? Can you imagine hearing the premiere of both the 5th and 6th symphony, plus the choral fantasy, PLUS some arias all in one night in a freezing theater? Miguel Andrade and Fabulin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,475 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 22 minutes ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said: Can you imagine hearing the premiere of both the 5th and 6th symphony, plus the choral fantasy, PLUS some arias all in one night in a freezing theater? December 22nd 1808... Too long program (almost 3 hours), everone fell asleep. They played the 4th Piano concerto too! WilliamsStarShip2282 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt S. 492 Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 2 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said: Can you imagine hearing the premiere of both the 5th and 6th symphony, plus the choral fantasy, PLUS some arias all in one night in a freezing theater? Has anybody ever staged a recreation of that concert? I'd go for sure (as long as the heat works!) Fabulin and WilliamsStarShip2282 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omen II 1,235 Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 On 20/10/2021 at 1:07 AM, Matt S. said: Has anybody ever staged a recreation of that concert? I'd go for sure (as long as the heat works!) Yes, indeed the last concert I attended on the day before lockdown in March 2020 was a recreation of that concert by the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. There were two intervals and Stephen Fry presented. At the end he very poignantly wished everyone well as we would awake to a “very different world” the following day. Matt S. and WilliamsStarShip2282 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Andrade 1,260 Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 On 19/10/2021 at 7:22 PM, Steve said: I think you mix that up a bit. He replaced Fiddler when Fiddler was to make an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil in 1978: As it happened, legendary Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler had been scheduled to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a “Pops at the Bowl” weekend, but illness prevented him from doing so. “Ernest called me to do those concerts,” Williams said, “mostly, I thought, because all of the practicing conductors would have been booked during the busy summer season. I was working in the studios, and he assumed, rightly, that I would have been free on those weekends. So I had a couple of dramatic substitutions there for Arthur Fiedler a year or two before I had any connection at all with Boston.” He admits, however, to having “very little” memory of the experience.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-06-ca-10429-story.html You're right. I probably mixed it up due to the title of the concert. Thank you for correcting me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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