Videorecordings of John Williams' concert work performances

[E-Wan 65]

I'm looking for any available official videorecording of John Williams' concert work performances (ideally conducted by John Williams himself).

 

The following John Williams' concert works are available on Blu-Ray or DVD:

 

Olympic Fanfare and Theme (1984)

• Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel on DVD/Blu-Ray A John Williams Celebration (2015)
• Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Williams on 2Blu-Ray John Williams: The Berlin Concert (2022)

 

Elegy for Cello and Orchestra (2002)

• Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Williams (Bruno Delepelaire, cello) on 2Blu-Ray John Williams: The Berlin Concert (2022)

 

Soundings (2003)

• Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by John Williams on promo DVD The Los Angeles Philharmonic Inaugurates Walt Disney Concert Hall (2003)
• Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel on DVD/Blu-Ray A John Williams Celebration (2015)

 

Highwood's Ghost, An Encounter for Cello, Harp and Orchestra (2018)

• Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Williams (Yo-Yo Ma, cello & Jessica Zhou, harp) on DVD/Blu-Ray Bernstein at 100: The Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood (2018)

 

Violin Concerto No. 2 (2021)

• Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Williams (Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin) on Blu-Ray Violin Concerto No. 2 and Selected Film Themes (August 19, 2022)

 

 

BTW there are also some official videorecordings on official YouTube profiles of the performers:

 

Rounds (2012)

Live performance by Pablo Sáinz Villegas at The Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam (2016)

(Source: Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Spanish Guitar YouTube channel)

 

 

Fanfare "For the President's Own" (2013)
Recording sessions with United States Marine Band conducted by John Williams (2013)

(Source: United States Marine Band YouTube channel)

 

 

 

Are there any other official videorecordings of John Williams' concert works available?

 

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

On that topic, does anyone know if Soundings is in its full form on the Disney Concert Hall promo dvd?

[artguy360 1,843]

I really enjoy Rounds but had never seen this particular performance before. Thanks for sharing! It's a great classical guitar piece that runs the instrument through its paces while also developing a sweet motif.

[Steve 589]

"Soundings" is on the Dudamel DVD/Blue-ray from his 2014 concert. It can be found on YouTube too.

[E-Wan 65]

23 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

On that topic, does anyone know if Soundings is in its full form on the Disney Concert Hall promo dvd?

 

Unfortunately no, there is almost 9-minute excerpt only.

 

 

 

Here is the complete version conducted by Gustavo Dudamel:

 

 

 

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

That's too bad, Williams conducting is a better performance than Dudamel. I always wondered if the first recording is actually the original version and he added more to it later. There was also a video someplace that had him standing outside the hall talking about the inspiration for the piece, which was pretty cool to see as well. Anyway, besides the new violin concerto this is my favorite concert piece of his.

[SilverTrumpet 638]

I never knew Highwood's Ghost was released in any format, much less video.

[Jay 37,281]

 

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

Love this piece too, I can't wait to hear the prelude. I do feel like it got a bums rush though for this performance, but still nice to hear.

 

I think you (Jay), myself and Miguel are the few on here who are really into his concert stuff. I was just watching the video recording of the flute concerto that Slatkin did with Detroit within the last ten years. It used to be online, along with the oboe concerto, but idk where they went.

[Jay 37,281]

I actually don't really listen to his concert works that much

 

Someday I'll take that deep dive

[karelm 2,903]

This was Johnny at rehearsal with my school's orchestra.

 

 

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

That is awesome. What year was this?

[thx99 1,740]

WILLIAMS Maestoso-Risoluto-Presto from Trumpet Concerto - "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band (December 14, 2016)
Trumpet: Tom Hooten (who later recorded the concerto and Theme from Born on the Fourth of July for CD release)

 

And from the same concert...

WILLIAMS Fanfare, “For ‘The President’s Own’” - "The President's Own" United States Marine Band

 

And another...

WILLIAMS Music for Brass - "The President's Own" United States Marine Band

 

[Pawel P. 738]

I would buy a Blu-ray with this performance, even if nothing else could be found on the disc. It's in HD and it's from 2002. And it's absolutely brilliant.

 

 

[Thor 7,463]

There are many instances of 'official' performance videos out there that do not have an official release -- i.e. the host or ensemble has shared it on their video platforms.

 

For example, there's this video of "A Young Person's Guide to the Cello" for the late Lynn Harrell, shared by the host, The HearthBeats Fund Raiser:

 

[thx99 1,740]

Quartet La Jolla (2011)

(YouTube link below starts with introductory video, work begins at 27:11)
 

 

[Thor 7,463]

Indeed, thx. I was just about to share that too.

[E-Wan 65]

9 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

That's too bad, Williams conducting is a better performance than Dudamel. I always wondered if the first recording is actually the original version and he added more to it later. There was also a video someplace that had him standing outside the hall talking about the inspiration for the piece, which was pretty cool to see as well. Anyway, besides the new violin concerto this is my favorite concert piece of his.

 

Here is the video:

 

 

[Jay 37,281]

 

 

[E-Wan 65]

Thanks for sharing, Jay!

 

 

There are some John Williams' concert works (or movements of them) played by original soloists (but not conducted by John Williams):

Markings for Solo Violin, String Orchestra and Harp (2015)

Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Manfred Honeck

 

 

 

Conversations (2013)

Gloria Cheng, piano
Mvt. III. Chet and Miles (world premiere)

 

 

 

On Willows and Birches (Concerto for Harp and Orchestra) (2009)

Ann Hobson Pilot, harp
Kindred Spirits Orchestra conducted by Kristian Alexander

 

 

 

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (1994)

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

National Symphony Orchestra conducted by ??? (anybody knows???)
Mvt. II. Blues

Mvt. IV. Song

 

 

 

 

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

11 hours ago, Jay said:

 

 

Wait, what on earth is this? This is not in the grand archive of JWFAN.

[Jay 37,281]

1 hour ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

Wait, what on earth is this? This is not in the grand archive of JWFAN.

 

https://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/34540-john-williams’s-“fanfare-for-solo-trumpet-to-celebrate-the-reopening-of-david-geffen-hall”

[karelm 2,903]

23 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

That is awesome. What year was this?

2007.  This reminds me, we should have a sister thread to this one being "Video recordings of John Williams' rehearsals" because that's a unique perspective most of us don't get a chance to see, the Maestro at work in sculpting the performance and his rehearsal etiquette.  Unfortunately, it is very hard to get footage of this because it's generally not allowed, and I got mine by sneaking it.  Still, a treasure trove to be mined from his rehearsals because he also sometimes tells a story of an event that to him, was just an amusing anecdote, but to us, adds details to a pivotal part of our childhood experiences.

[E-Wan 65]

I have found another videorecordings of John Williams' concert work performances:

 

Conversations (2013)
Mvt. I. Phinaes and Mumbette (Simone Pedroni, piano)

 

 

 

 

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (1994)
Tivoli Copenhagen Phil conducted by Lawrence Foster (Toke Møldrup, cello) (2016)

 

 

 

 

Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (1985)
WDR Sinfonieorchester conducted by Michael Sanderling (Hans Nickel, tuba) (2014)

 

 

 

[Tom 4,633]

Oboe Concerto

 

Edit: Wrong thread--just audio.