John Williams returns to Vienna! March 12/13 2022

[BB-8 3,473]

7 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Better put it up on change.org.

 

EDIT: This is not a joke.

 

OK, your go.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

I did it last time with the JW cameo.

[BB-8 3,473]

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I did it last time with the JW cameo.

So now I know who you are.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

I'm JJ. 

[Biodome 714]

2 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

That's great. Where do we sign?

Your sole interest in this petition is just having all the flubs documented. I protest!

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

Hey, I like to do thorough research.

[Lord Montague 42]

19 minutes ago, Biodome said:

Your sole interest in this petition is just having all the flubs documented. I protest!

we can already state, that the horns or trumpets will be late, because the traditional natural horns the Viennese use need a few milliseconds from first transient to full sound. It's a flaw that all classical orchestras have, unlike the great Casio MIDI keyboards users here possess.

Add to that exceptionally excellent musicianship like in Vienna, that allows for relative freedom vertically, 'notes inégales', then it's getting really dangerous for the metronome fixated. It's about time Vienna updates their instruments to Casio MIDI triggered. Otherwise today's modern ears can't hear them well.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

That's rather bleak expectations. I for one think they'll have prepared better this time.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

8 minutes ago, Lord Montague said:

we can already state, that the horns or trumpets will be late, because the traditional natural horns the Viennese use need a few milliseconds from first transient to full sound. It's a flaw that all classical orchestras have, unlike the great Casio MIDI keyboards users here possess.

Add to that exceptionally excellent musicianship like in Vienna, that allows for relative freedom vertically, 'notes inégales', then it's getting really dangerous for the metronome fixated. It's about time Vienna updates their instruments to Casio MIDI triggered. Otherwise today's modern ears can't hear them well.

 

Strawmen as far as the eye can see

[BB-8 3,473]

29 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I'm JJ. 

 

[Damien F 1,742]

On 09/02/2022 at 8:24 PM, Biodome said:

Well, this has certainly put an unexpected dent in my finances. I'm already attending two Berlin Philharmonic subscription series, and I have a trip to Dublin for the Hans Zimmer concert in March. If John Williams keeps doing surprise concerts in Europe like this, I will go bankrupt. It will be absolutely worth it, though.

 

It's funny - I've traveled from Dublin to America many times to see John Williams, and also Berlin and Vienna. But even though Zimmer will be literally 30 minutes from my house, I've no interest in attending his concert. 

[BB-8 3,473]

[Lord Montague 42]

6 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

 

Strawmen as far as the eye can see

More like a description of the general lack of familiarity, not to say ignorance, toward a performance tradition of prioritising intense musicality and cantabile playing over metronomic precision and playing 'safe' in THE traditional center of classical music. Give me a messy but lively performance of Vienna Phil any day over a precise but dead American orchestra any day.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

1 minute ago, Lord Montague said:

intense musicality

 

So that's what's going on in that Jaws performance.

[Lord Montague 42]

6 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

So that's what's going on in that Jaws performance.

what about it, exactly?

[BB-8 3,473]

The "Waiting List" is back up for Sunday...

 

Konzert, Wiener Philharmoniker (musikverein.at)

 

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

On 07/02/2022 at 2:08 PM, Marian Schedenig said:

On 07/02/2022 at 2:05 PM, Disco Stu said:

What ever happened to the original piece that Williams composed for the Vienna Philharmonic?  The processional or fanfare or whatever.

 

That was written for the Philharmonikerball, which was cancelled for the second time in a row this year because of COVID. Hopefully next year. I wouldn't expect them to premiere that in the concert, but who knows (I don't really know how this stuff works).

 

On the other hand, it seems like a missed opportunity not to have Williams conduct the once piece he (supposedly) wrote for them when he's here to conduct them. But surely it would be a natural concert opener rather than a surprise encore?

[bollemanneke 3,344]

Might still be an encore.

[BB-8 3,473]

He may be invited to conduct the whole VPO ball in 2023 post COVID, you know, like Blomstedt etc.

[rough cut 1,714]

I would love if Williams would composed a piece for The Vienna Philharmonic, and not a fanfare, but something he would call Waltz For Vienna.

[BB-8 3,473]

1 hour ago, rough cut said:

I would love if Williams would composed a piece for The Vienna Philharmonic, and not a fanfare, but something he would call Waltz For Vienna.

 

In view of the upcoming concerts (in 3 weeks) "The Chairman's Waltz" with ASM seems to be a realistic Wiener Walzer option.

 

BFG Suite would also contain some sweeping waltzes.

[GerateWohl 4,357]

20 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

 

In view of the upcoming concerts (in 3 weeks) "The Chairman's Waltz" with ASM seems to be a realistic Wiener Walzer option.

 

BFG Suite would also contain some sweeping waltzes.

They already have Fawkes the Phoenix on the program. That works better as a Wiener Walzer.

Aunt Marge would have been even better.

[rough cut 1,714]

All lovely pieces, but wouldn't it be lovely with a newly commissioned piece, commissioned by and for the VPO.

 

I don't care if it would be completely derivative of the Strausses, I bet it would sound gorgeous.

 

I wonder what the unreleased waltz from Dracula sounded like... 

[GerateWohl 4,357]

8 minutes ago, rough cut said:

I don't care if it would be completely derivative of the Strausses, I bet it would sound gorgeous.

Korngold already wrote a Strauss suite.

[rough cut 1,714]

Hmm... I don't know if I am expressing myself un-clearly, I mean a new, freshly composed piece by JW.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

4 hours ago, BB-8 said:

He may be invited to conduct the whole VPO ball in 2023 post COVID, you know, like Blomstedt etc.

 

I didn't know they had big name conductors do the ball. In any case, I doubt Williams would fly over just for that, they'd have to put on a regular concert again as well. And 2023 is still a while away - plus Austria is just about to cancel most of the COVID measures while we're still at the peak of the Omicron wave, so I'm not yet counting on the ball actually taking place next year…

41 minutes ago, rough cut said:

I don't care if it would be completely derivative of the Strausses, I bet it would sound gorgeous.

 

Curiously, the previous fanfare was composed by the Other Strauss.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

There's too many Strausses.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,433]

7 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

There's too many Strausses.

They could have been more...

[GerateWohl 4,357]

1 hour ago, rough cut said:

Hmm... I don't know if I am expressing myself un-clearly, I mean a new, freshly composed piece by JW.

I understand what you mean. But if the Austrians commissioned a work from Williams it for sure would not be a Wiener Walzer, but rather something typical for Williams. His Waltzes, especially those Straussian ones are always very much tongue in cheek ironic pieces. This would not work.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

He could write a tone poem. It might bring out his more lyrical side.

[BB-8 3,473]

4 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I didn't know they had big name conductors do the ball. In any case, I doubt Williams would fly over just for that, they'd have to put on a regular concert again as well. And 2023 is still a while away - plus Austria is just about to cancel most of the COVID measures while we're still at the peak of the Omicron wave, so I'm not yet counting on the ball actually taking place next year…

 

Curiously, the previous fanfare was composed by the Other Strauss.

 

Bei jedem Ball wird ein „Ehrendirigent“ eingeladen, der ein „Gustostückerl“ mit den Philharmonikern am Beginn des Balles zum Besten gibt. Bisher haben Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Herbert Blomstedt, Karl Böhm, Willy Boskovsky, Pierre Boulez, Placido Domingo, Gustavo Dudamel, Christoph Eschenbach, Adam Fischer, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Sir John Eliot Gardiner,  Daniele Gatti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Daniel Harding, Mariss Jansons, Herbert von Karajan, Leonidas Kavakos, Carlos Kleiber, Clemens Krauss, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Georges Prêtre, Sir Simon Rattle, Franz Schalk, Carl Schuricht, Sir Georg Solti, Richard Strauss, Christian Thielemann, Felix von Weingartner und Franz Welser-Möst diese Aufgabe übernommen.

 

Die Geschichte des Balls - Wiener Philharmoniker

 

This would make a cute little "Gustostückerl" after the JW Fanfare (even though it's mostly by Cole Porter). Would probably need to change the language from Mandarin (?) to Russian for diplomatic reasons:

 

 

[rough cut 1,714]

2 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I understand what you mean. But if the Austrians commissioned a work from Williams it for sure would not be a Wiener Walzer, but rather something typical for Williams. His Waltzes, especially those Straussian ones are always very much tongue in cheek ironic pieces. This would not work.

Well, one can dream. 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Williams obviously doesn't consider himself above that sort of ironic pastiche in the tradition of Strauss and Leroy Anderson, but I think in his mind he's written enough of those types of light orchestral miniatures for films over the years.  Every time he is given a blank slate, he chooses to write in the more personal, complex style.  Probably because he knows they're his only opportunities to express that part of his musical taste/personality.

 

Sidebar: for anyone who hasn't read it before, this short little interview with Williams about Leroy Anderson is worth a read for his thoughts on "light" music http://www.pbs.org/sleighride/About_Leroy/Williams.htm

Quote

Williams: A waltz for example, Belle of the Ball, is as beautifully scored as any Strauss Waltz-absolutely. This is the work of a really great artist-the fact that it's light would make it seem like it's just done like a post card or an off-handed thing but there's as much craft in it as anything.

 

[BB-8 3,473]

So from now on it should be "Sound the Balls". ;-)

 

 

4 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

There's too many Strausses.

But only one Richard Strauss!

[King Mark 3,631]

On 07/02/2022 at 3:59 AM, gewittawoikal said:

  Program

This is very disappointing program .

He played some of these pieces in the 2 previous concerts, and where's  that Fanfare he was supposed to write for the Vienna orchestra.

 

No Rise of Skywalker, HSATP or anything new I'd like to hear properly recorded.

[Biodome 714]

On 09/02/2022 at 1:24 PM, bollemanneke said:

Just e-mail DG?

 

I've just tried asking them about whether or not they're gonna record the concerts. Their response was that they cannot disclose their future plans.

 

 

 

[BB-8 3,473]

16 minutes ago, Biodome said:

 

I've just tried asking them about whether or not they're gonna record the concerts. Their response was that they cannot disclose their future plans.

 

 

 

No news is good news!

 

At least they didn't exclude any future plans.

 

So fingers crossed, and thanks for reaching out to DG!

[fommes 153]

8 hours ago, King Mark said:

This is very disappointing program .

He played some of these pieces in the 2 previous concerts, and where's  that Fanfare he was supposed to write for the Vienna orchestra.

 

No Rise of Skywalker, HSATP or anything new I'd like to hear properly recorded.

The programme is admittedly a bit standard, and could do with a few more lesser-programmed pieces (would love to hear "Double Trouble" or any other HP3 piece in the Musikverein, or something like Seven Years in Tibet for instance) and could do without the repeat pieces "Hedwig's Theme" and "Marion's Theme", but I'm glad there's not more overlap with the previous Vienna programme. What I don't really understand, though, here or at previous concerts, is the repeat within the concert itself of "Leia's Theme", and last time with "Marion's Theme".

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Marion's Theme in this concert probably isn't a repeat (neither within this concert (even if the Raiders March shows up as an encore) nor compared to the previous ones), because it's likely to be the new ASM arrangement.

 

4 hours ago, Biodome said:

 

 

 

[Matthias 267]

Yay, managed to snatch a ticket for Saturday! 😊

[Matt S. 493]

On 18/02/2022 at 8:52 AM, Marian Schedenig said:

Marion's Theme in this concert probably isn't a repeat (neither within this concert (even if the Raiders March shows up as an encore) nor compared to the previous ones), because it's likely to be the new ASM arrangement.

 

I actually doubt that.  ASM will probably play one encore after the concerto, as she did during the Boston concerts.  After such a big heavy piece I doubt she would stick around and play during the second half as well.  (But I wouldn't be surprised to see her come out for another encore at the end, after the main program.)

 

But then again I have no information either way; a total guess on my part.

 

EDIT: I just saw the setlist for her Carnegie Hall concert, which will include more violin arrangements after the concerto, so who knows about Marion's Theme?  I just think it'll be the orchestral version since it's the same "suite" of Indiana Jones themes he conducted in Berlin.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

12 minutes ago, Matt S. said:

I actually doubt that.  ASM will probably play one encore after the concerto, as she did during the Boston concerts.  After such a big heavy piece I doubt she would stick around and play during the second half as well.  (But I wouldn't be surprised to see her come out for another encore at the end, after the main program.)

 

That sounds very reasonable, except that Marion's Theme is the *only* piece that would be repeated from the previous Vienna programme (assuming that Hedwig's Theme is *not* the ASM version this time) if it's the standard orchestral arrangement.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,520]

Hmm. The last time that JW was live, in Vienna? A few months ago. The last time that JW was live, in London? 1998.

What's wrong with this picture?

[BB-8 3,473]

23 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Hmm. The last time that JW was live, in Vienna? A few months ago. The last time that JW was live, in London? 1998.

What's wrong with this picture?

 

Nothing.

 

London: 1977-2005

Vienna: 2020-2022

Berlin: 2021

[Naïve Old Fart 9,520]

Sorry, @BB-8, but when has JW conducted publicly, since 1998?

[BB-8 3,473]

4 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Sorry, @BB-8, but when has JW conducted publicly, since 1998?

 

This is public...from a certain point of view.

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

By no definition is that public

[BB-8 3,473]

Just now, Disco Stu said:

By no definition is that public

 

Well neither is Musikverein...from a certain point of view.

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

By no definition is that public

 

It's publically available on YouTube. You don't even have to pay to listen!

[BB-8 3,473]

This event has already taken place.

 

Ball, 38. Ball der Wiener Philharmoniker (musikverein.at)