Williams composing new piece for Yo-Yo Ma - "Great Ocean Forests"

[Jay 44,244]

While there are no more features on Williams’ docket, he’s still writing music. He is planning a concerto for pianist Emanuel Ax, which he plans to start “almost immediately,” and what he expects will be a “lyrical and atmospheric piece” for cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a favorite collaborator from years past.

 

https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/indiana-jones-5-john-williams-score-1235534772/

[JazzyNips 119]

Hopefully it's not recorded by Sony

[Tom 6,117]

That is somewhat specific for what he expects the piece to be.  I would bet he has already sketched out good chunks of it (contrary to the piano concerto comments, which convey the opposite).  

 

Also, I would classify Heartwood as lyrical and atmospheric, so I guess something like that.  He needs to be told to do the fantasy for cello and orchestra based on AI.  Nobody else does what I ask--why can't he be the exception?    

[WilliamsStarShip2282 326]

Interesting I feel like he has been talking about the piano concerto soon for a while now, but I feel like he probably thinks about is and then just goes for it when the time comes.

[LiterallyIconic 1,562]

.

[Jay 44,244]

Over in the thread to discuss Tim Greiving's new biography, it has been mentioned that this Yo-Yo Ma piece is called "Great Ocean Forests".

 

(Note that that's a spoilers-allowed thread, so be careful if you don't want to learn about other things revealed in the book)

[BachSkywalker 162]

Cannot wait to hear this!

[artguy360 2,152]

So looking forward to hearing this at some point. I'm just amazed that we are still getting new JW music in the year 2025!

[mrbellamy 7,719]

Will add that the ensemble behind Yo-Yo Ma as soloist is eight cellos, four harps, brass, winds, and keyboards. Pointedly mentions no violins or violas. 

 

It's described in the biography as "an impressionistic, frequently dreamy water ballet that opens with a cantilena cello line and features a sumptuous, dark chocolate chorale for all the celli, sweeping French horn chords, lots of playful interplay for the quartet of harps, and a mystical celeste finale." 15 minutes long. 

 

Intended for a documentary on the Great African Seaforest through the Sea Change Project, no release date mentioned. 

[ChipChune92 56]

49 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

Will add that the ensemble behind Yo-Yo Ma as soloist is eight cellos, four harps, brass, winds, and keyboards. Pointedly mentions no violins or violas. 

 

It's described in the biography as "an impressionistic, frequently dreamy water ballet that opens with a cantilena cello line and features a sumptuous, dark chocolate chorale for all the celli, sweeping French horn chords, lots of playful interplay for the quartet of harps, and a mystical celeste finale." 15 minutes long. 

 

Intended for a documentary on the Great African Seaforest through the Sea Change Project, no release date mentioned. 

 

I absolutely cannot wait for this, though i've never heard anything musical described as.... "dark chocolate"

[Tom 6,117]

Ocelot mentioned this piece last year.  Hopefully we will get to hear it soon.  

[Maestro 1,527]

13 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Intended for a documentary on the Great African Seaforest through the Sea Change Project, no release date mentioned. 

 

I'm seeing some minor misinformation about this piece, which until now has been top secret. (I was given permission to include it in the book, and indeed to attend the recording sessions.) It is not affiliated with the Sea Change Project, although that organization was part of Ma's introduction to the parties involved. And it's a piece that will accompany (or rather drive) a film about kelp forests planet-wide. There's necessarily still some factors unknown and TBD, but I just wanted to clarify these points—and I do hope the piece itself will be hearable before too long.

 

Mea culpa: I also somehow misreported the orchestration; it's 12 cellos (in addition to Ma's), not 8.

 

In unrelated news: I'm starting a document to chronicle any errors I (or others) catch for a revised edition! 

 

 

[karelm 3,239]

1 minute ago, Maestro said:

 

I'm seeing some minor misinformation about this piece, which until now has been top secret. (I was given permission to include it in the book, and indeed to attend the recording sessions.) It is not affiliated with the Sea Change Project, although that organization was part of Ma's introduction to the parties involved. And it's a piece that will accompany (or rather drive) a film about kelp forests planet-wide. There's necessarily still some factors unknown and TBD, but I just wanted to clarify these points—and I do hope the piece itself will be hearable before too long.

 

Mea culpa: I also somehow misreported the orchestration; it's 12 cellos (in addition to Ma's), not 8.

 

In unrelated news: I'm starting a document to chronicle any errors I (or others) catch for a revised edition! 

 

 

 

Include this picture no one's ever seen of Han Solo and JW at a session.  Also sneak my name in the revised book.  

[BB-8 5,657]

[Neo Romanza 23]

I hope this work Great Ocean Forests gets released with some other Williams concert works. I don’t mind if it gets issued on Sony. I have been rather pleased with the fidelity of many of Williams’ recordings on this label.

 

Also, another member mentioned a Piano Concerto and I’ve heard the composer speak of this as in an article in Gramophone Magazine some years ago. This concerto is written for Emanuel Ax who like Yo-Yo Ma, Annie-Sophie Mutter and others is a frequent collaborator of the composer.

[Tom 6,117]

Sort of sad that Williams is ending his career underwater.

 

Its a Thursday--what do you want from me?  

[pete 1,275]

I skimmed the thread title half asleep on my phone and just first noticed the words "Great Ocean", and my first thought was, "Great, no more trees".. Then I noticed the word "Forests". Doh!

[Tom 6,117]

33 minutes ago, pete said:

I skimmed the thread title half asleep on my phone and just first noticed the words "Great Ocean", and my first thought was, "Great, no more trees".. Then I noticed the word "Forests". Doh!

If an underwater tree falls, does it make a noise?  

[Jurassic Shark 15,645]

2 hours ago, pete said:

I skimmed the thread title half asleep on my phone and just first noticed the words "Great Ocean", and my first thought was, "Great, no more trees".. Then I noticed the word "Forests". Doh!

 

I wonder if Greiving asked JW about his tree fetishism love of trees. 

[Marian Schedenig 10,921]

54 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I wonder if Greiving asked JW about his tree fetishism love of trees dendrophilia. 

 

Fixed (supra dig).

[Luke Skywalker 2,270]

Dedrawhat?

 

 

 

[BB-8 5,657]

"Great Ocean Forests"

[pete 1,275]

Another tidbit about this piece - a sad one, the recording of the piece wasn't for a recording or even the finished documentary. It was an expensive demo recording, which Yo-Yo Ma didn't perform on. So I guess any eventual recording for the documentary or release is a while away.