John Williams' Piano Concerto for Emanuel Ax

[karelm 3,099]

4 hours ago, ThePenitentMan1 said:

 

But what if...  and hear me out on this....

 

JW didn't want to be assigned to any more film work?

 

Not a whole lot could be done about it at that point.

 

I think decades ago he started only doing projects he wanted to do.  Being the recurring composer of Spielberg and Lucas during their blockbuster era affords you flexibility to be more selective on projects.  His saying: “I might have meant that at the moment,” he says with a smile, “but you never want to say no unequivocally. If Steven or another director should come along with something that is so moving that you want to drop the phone and rush to the piano and have it all come out — should that happen, with the appropriate energy needed to do it, I wouldn’t rule out a situation like that.”  is pretty much how he's been for decades.

On 15/02/2022 at 11:31 AM, Thor said:

 

We can always hope! If my deduction is correct, it was only performed once -- as an exam concert on the UCLA campus in the early summer of 1951. So maybe UCLA has it in some archive.

I'm sure it exists and much else we've probably never heard of.  Stuff like aborted projects that are extant plus I've heard from other musicians that he has quite a bit on his task list that aren't mentioned in the Variety article.  One can assume that's always been the case, that he has much more material.  For example, his early jazz stuff, I'd assume there is alot he composed that wasn't recorded and those are all to be part of the Juilliard collection.  I'd assume the other hundreds of five note "hello" motifs from CEOTTK too.  

[mrbellamy 6,795]

I feel like the 90s was his last decade where he was truly "open for business." He might have continued taking more random jobs in the 2000s but once he was locked into Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Spielberg, that was it for a few years. Even Memoirs was Spielberg-adjacent. 

 

And then it really feels like after 2005, maybe he was burnt out or just because the way the industry moved towards franchises anyway, he could soft-retire and basically be closed to the film business at his discretion, because his associated franchises and Spielberg were enough to keep him in the game for his liking. That's completely worked out for him. The only outlier was The Book Thief. I've always said somebody should find out what he's been reading lol. 

 

But I think if he and Spielberg really are a married couple, then it's like

 

Spielberg: You wanna go out tonight?

Williams: I don't really feel like going out.

Spielberg: Well, we haven't been out in awhile, we should go out.

Williams: That's true. Okay, well, I don't know. Where do you want to go?

 

And then Spielberg picks the restaurant.

[Tom Guernsey 2,735]

6 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

I feel like the 90s was his last decade where he was truly "open for business." He might have continued taking more random jobs in the 2000s but once he was locked into Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Spielberg, that was it for a few years. Even Memoirs was Spielberg-adjacent. 

 

And then it really feels like after 2005, maybe he was burnt out or just because the way the industry moved towards franchises anyway, he could soft-retire and basically be closed to the film business at his discretion, because his associated franchises and Spielberg were enough to keep him in the game for his liking. That's completely worked out for him. The only outlier was The Book Thief. I've always said somebody should find out what he's been reading lol. 

 

But I think if he and Spielberg really are a married couple, then it's like

 

Spielberg: You wanna go out tonight?

Williams: I don't really feel like going out.

Spielberg: Well, we haven't been out in awhile, we should go out.

Williams: That's true. Okay, well, I don't know. Where do you want to go?

 

And then Spielberg picks the restaurant.

So they’re in an open relationship with Thomas Newman and Alan Silvestri? ;-)

[mrbellamy 6,795]

It's a metaphor with many implications 

[Marian Schedenig 9,151]

5 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

So they’re in an open relationship with Thomas Newman and Alan Silvestri? ;-)

 

Composers with benefits.

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

They do a lot of open chords together...

[GlastoEls 565]

Brief update in The Times interview today when they asked him what’s next: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/john-williams-maestro-of-the-melodic-spark-0w6mbp5fm

 

“Most imminently there's a piano concerto to be written for Emanuel Ax ("I finished the first movement yesterday")”

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

Finally it's happening!

[Thor 8,504]

Nice!

[Schilkeman 1,331]

Very exciting 

[Bayesian 1,435]

I am so excited for a JW piano concerto. It’s the last major instrument he hasn’t written a concerto for. 
 

How did Emanuel Ax get this honor, I wonder. I’ve listened to his recordings since the early 90s and always liked his sound, although I don’t think I could identify anything particular about his performance style. (ASM’s concerto was written to her particular brand of virtuosity, and I imagine the same is being done for Ax.)

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

Emanuel Ax is a close musical partner of Yo-Yo Ma, and a fixture at Tanglewood. Williams and Ax are likely good friends.

[WilliamsStarShip2282 321]

On 01/01/2024 at 8:24 PM, Miguel Andrade said:

Emanuel Ax is a close musical partner of Yo-Yo Ma, and a fixture at Tanglewood. Williams and Ax are likely good friends.

 

Additionally, he has worked closely with a lot of people, including the chamber group Yo Yo and he playing in with Isaac Stern. In his youth he really made the rounds, much more than he does now. But like Miguel said, Ax is a fixture at Tanglewood and has a house there (which he did an interview in during covid). And as we know, most of his pieces are written for his friends, rather than a super star. So in a way, I am surprised it took him this long to get around to it. The most disappointing this is the scores/ parts are not always published. There is a lot available for rental, but mostly the scores that are already available for purchase.

[karelm 3,099]

On 31/12/2023 at 10:40 PM, Bayesian said:

I am so excited for a JW piano concerto. It’s the last major instrument he hasn’t written a concerto for. 
 

How did Emanuel Ax get this honor, I wonder. I’ve listened to his recordings since the early 90s and always liked his sound, although I don’t think I could identify anything particular about his performance style. (ASM’s concerto was written to her particular brand of virtuosity, and I imagine the same is being done for Ax.)

 

...so the trombone is not a major instrument?  

[Tom 5,148]

1 hour ago, karelm said:

 

...so the trombone is not a major instrument?  

 

Maybe he is still sore over his lost dream.  (and, yes, I took this from your thread).  

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

2 hours ago, karelm said:

 

...so the trombone is not a major instrument?  

 

Not compared to a grand. 

[Tom 5,148]

There are grand trombones, but you need a really, really long arm to play them.  

[Davis 3,135]

[Marian Schedenig 9,151]

3 hours ago, karelm said:

...so the trombone is not a major instrument?  

 

It's not inherently diatonic, is it?

[Doo_liss 6,632]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

There are grand trombones, but you need a really, really long arm to play them.  

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

30 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

It's not inherently diatonic, is it?

 

It plays too many notes. 

[Bayesian 1,435]

7 hours ago, karelm said:

 

...so the trombone is not a major instrument?  

Sorry, I forgot about the trombone! A trombone concerto would be lovely too.

 

Is that it, then, for major instruments? He's written concertos or similar for violin, viola, cello, horn, trumpet, tuba, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, flute, harp, wind ensemble, brass ensemble, and string ensemble.

 

Now that piano's on its way, that leaves, yes, trombone, as well as double bass, percussion, organ, saxophone, English horn, guitar, and jazz ensemble. Oh, and piano duo and piano four hands. And piano for the right hand, for symmetry with Ravel's concerto for the left hand. And orchestra, to match up with Bartok.

 

Whew, that's a lot of concertos left to write!

[Tom 5,148]

13 minutes ago, Bayesian said:

 for symmetry with Ravel's concerto for the left hand.

Well, look who is a fan of MASH.  

[Marian Schedenig 9,151]

I'd still like a timpani concerto.

…or make it one for two sets of timpani. He could call it "Don & Jerry".

[karelm 3,099]

2 hours ago, Bayesian said:

Sorry, I forgot about the trombone! A trombone concerto would be lovely too.

 

Is that it, then, for major instruments? He's written concertos or similar for violin, viola, cello, horn, trumpet, tuba, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, flute, harp, wind ensemble, brass ensemble, and string ensemble.

 

Now that piano's on its way, that leaves, yes, trombone, as well as double bass, percussion, organ, saxophone, English horn, guitar, and jazz ensemble. Oh, and piano duo and piano four hands. And piano for the right hand, for symmetry with Ravel's concerto for the left hand. And orchestra, to match up with Bartok.

 

Whew, that's a lot of concertos left to write!

 

The trombone and double bass are the only major symphonic instrument left for him to write a concerto for.  Yes, he hasn't written concerti for auxiliary winds such as piccolo, cor anglais, etc., but one can argue those aren't major instruments but doublers/auxiliary support instruments.  He's been asked and showed interest, but it takes a lot of people to have interest to pull off a major commission.  Having a major talent attached like Emmanual Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, Itzhak Perlman, Anne-Sophie Mutter helps get the commission secured but you also need the orchestra and music director/conductor attached.  There are definitely performers wishing for this but not sure all the other elements have lined up.  

1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

I'd still like a timpani concerto.

…or make it one for two sets of timpani. He could call it "Don & Jerry".

I would love a percussion concerto where a movement is focused on timpani and another movement for the section.  Perhaps we just need a Concerto for Orchestra where movements are dedicated to each orchestral group.  

[Tom 5,148]

I would love a concerto for orchestra.  Back in the late 90s, it was reported that he was working on one, which then turned out to be for seiji, which I love, but it is not a concerto for orchestra.

 

For you timpani fans, listen to the second movement of his viola concerto.  

 

Is this video still the best we have?

 

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

Hasn't the tuba concerto been arranged for trombone by someone? Perhaps JW is happy with that.

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

Williams himself adapted and premiered the bass trombone version of the tuba concerto, with Douglas Yeo as soloist.

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

6 hours ago, Miguel Andrade said:

Williams himself adapted and premiered the bass trombone version of the tuba concerto, with Douglas Yeo as soloist.

 

It's only been recorded with a piano reduction of the orchestra, if I remember correctly. 

[mrbellamy 6,795]

22 hours ago, Bayesian said:

saxophone

 

Does Escapades count?

[Tom 5,148]

52 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

 

Does Escapades count?

Yes, same as the Memoirs Suite for Cello being another concerto in my mind.  

[Schilkeman 1,331]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:27 AM, karelm said:

so the trombone is not a major instrument?

The human pitch approximator? Nah

[GerateWohl 5,159]

Question: Is there any information out there when this is planned to premiere?

[Jay 39,755]

If there was, it'd be in this thread.

[BB-8 4,047]

Perhaps Ax has run out of cookies.

[Tom 5,148]

55 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

Perhaps Ax has run out of cookies.

Are you suggesting that Williams has Axed the concerto?

[QuartalHarmony 692]

2 hours ago, BB-8 said:

Perhaps Ax has run out of cookies.

 

By clearing them from his web browser?

[Jurassic Shark 13,360]

8 hours ago, BB-8 said:

Perhaps Ax has run out of cookies.

 

He should have axed for more.

[Tom 5,148]

From what we know, he began writing in the fall and was done with the first movement by the end of the year.  Outside of a couple of conducting gigs, it seems like he has not been working on anything else.  We are nearing the end of April.  I would have to think that it is almost done.  

 

I am getting the sense that it will not be premiered this year but next.  Ax spends a good deal of time in Tanglewood in the summer.  I wonder if Williams doesn't want to tinker with it with him later in the summer and then lock it for a premiere afterwards.  Given that most symphonies have their schedules set by summer, I could see this most realistically as a Tanglewood 25 premiere.  

[Tom 5,148]

From the new Variety article:

 

Williams, now 92, has just finished a piano concerto which pianist Emanuel Ax will debut next year at Tanglewood.

https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/john-williams-documentary-debut-afi-fest-1236184090/

[Sunshine Reger 3,609]

I can see a ring pattern between the recent solo trumpet piece, the violin compositions, and the piano concerto:

 

You have my sord.

And you have my bow

Emanuel Ax!

[Smeltington 1,602]

19 hours ago, Tom said:

From the new Variety article:

 

Williams, now 92, has just finished a piano concerto which pianist Emanuel Ax will debut next year at Tanglewood.

https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/john-williams-documentary-debut-afi-fest-1236184090/

 

 

Hell yeah!!

 

[Jay 39,755]

18 hours ago, Sunshine Reger said:

I can see a ring pattern between the recent solo trumpet piece, the violin compositions, and the piano concerto:

 

You have my sord.

And you have my bow

Emanuel Ax!

 

We need a forehead-slap reaction

[Doo_liss 6,632]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

We need a forehead-slap emoticon

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

Another concerto.  Amazing!

[QuartalHarmony 692]

On 1/1/2024 at 6:40 AM, Bayesian said:

How did Emanuel Ax get this honor, I wonder.

I think @Miguel Andrade is right about the Yo-Yo Ma connection, but I was looking at Ax’s Wikipedia page, which says he started attending Juilliard at the age of 12 and I was wondering if he and JW might have overlapped there. JW is older, of course, but attended Juilliard in his 20s.

 

However, @Ricard’s chronology has JW at Juilliard in 1954 (albeit with question marks, plus this seems to overlap with his USAF service) whereas Wikipedia has Ax starting at Juilliard in 1961. So, probably not, unless anyone knows better?

 

Mark

[Thor 8,504]

Williams was at Juilliard throughout 1955. Ax was six years old at that time.

[Sunshine Reger 3,609]

On 06/01/2024 at 11:04 PM, Bayesian said:

that leaves, yes, trombone, as well as double bass, percussion, organ, saxophone, English horn, guitar, and jazz ensemble. Oh, and piano duo and piano four hands. And piano for the right hand, for symmetry with Ravel's concerto for the left hand. And orchestra, to match up with Bartok.

 

Whew, that's a lot of concertos left to write!

Don't Escapades already cover the saxophone?

 

The most likely "completionist" candidates are the trombone, the double bass, and the English horn. Maybe if he was 60 again he would have composed works for those instruments, but I don't think this is going to be a priority at his current age.

 

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

2 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said:

I think @Miguel Andrade is right about the Yo-Yo Ma connection, but I was looking at Ax’s Wikipedia page, which says he started attending Juilliard at the age of 12 and I was wondering if he and JW might have overlapped there. JW is older, of course, but attended Juilliard in his 20s.

 

However, @Ricard’s chronology has JW at Juilliard in 1954 (albeit with question marks, plus this seems to overlap with his USAF service) whereas Wikipedia has Ax starting at Juilliard in 1961. So, probably not, unless anyone knows better?

 

Mark

 

Beside the Yo-Yo Ma connection, Ax is a member of the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood families, just as Williams and Ma are and they have shared the stage on numerous occasions -- most notably at the 1994 Tanglewood on Parade, where the two, along with Maria Tipo, were the soloist on Mozart's Concerto for 3 pianos (with Ozawa leading the BSO). 

[Thor 8,504]

I wish he had recorded more film scores. There are a few, of course. Doyle's EAST-WEST contains some great piano work by Ax. What a scoop that must have been for Doyle. What are some others?