John Williams/Stéphane Denève to conduct the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Tokyo, Japan (Sept. 5, 2023)

[BB-8 3,478]

And an array of mics.

[bollemanneke 3,349]

But yeah we can't get Vienna 2.

[BB-8 3,478]

26 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

But yeah we can't get Vienna 2.

While DG throw this superfluous VPO edition and useless merchandise at us...

[Ricard 2,245]

Quote

Deutsche Grammophon 125th Anniversary
Special Gala Concert
John Williams
Suntory Hall

 

Stage+ (Japanese only)
https://stage-plus.com

 

PREMIERE – 09/09/2023, 13:00 CEST

1. RE-LIVE – 09/09/2023, 20:00 CEST

2. RE-LIVE – 10/09/2023, 02:00 CEST

 

https://www.stage-plus.com/video/live_concert_9HKNCPA3DTN66PBIEHFJ8C9N

 

Quote

The concert will be available on CD and video from Gramophone in the future!

[AOP 259]

Wow.

 

Need time to collect my thoughts to write a proper review, but here are some quick notes:

 

- “Three million light years from home” gave me the chills when the pipe organ came in! Since I was seated behind the orchestra, I was pretty close to the pipe organ

- “Stargazers” was sublime! Those harps parts… so good. The auditorium was dead silent during the whole piece… we were all holding our breath!
-  “Princess Leia’s theme” was gorgeous. The flute and French horn solos were to die for… and so clear!!

- “Throne room/Finale” was done at a brisker pace than usual, so had some extra oomph to it. Loved it!

Sorry if the above sounds like the gushings of a crazy fanboy!!

 

Other notes:

- sound quality in Suntory Hall is next level. Crystal clear, you could hear a pin drop! But then again, I was just behind the orchestra.

- Deneve clearly said that DG was recording the concert. I saw multiple remote cameras (the dome-shaped ones that spin around) on stage, and fixed cameras on the snare drum (?) player (he got a good workout during the concert!), and the piccolo player - no doubt because they want to feature her in the video recording during the ET parts.

- Ozawa did not appear on stage despite them saying he was there

- for the final encore, JW turned to the audience and simply said “Darth Vadar” and the audience went nuts!

Will report more later!

 

The attached pics show where I was sitting 👍 You can see the pipe organ!!

 

[BB-8 3,478]

I hope we get a physical release of this!

[Jay 37,369]

1 minute ago, BB-8 said:

I hope we get a physical release of this!

 

The concert will be available on CD and video from Gramophone in the future!

 

https://twitter.com/avcat_jp/status/1699054039991025743

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

DG has learned from Disney's mistake.

[BB-8 3,478]

[AOP 259]

7 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

The programme!

 

I just got home and went through it - here are some pics for your viewing pleasure 😊

 

Basically has a history of DG and  a handful of pages about the actual concert today - all in Japanese of course!

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

That's Greek to me.

[AOP 259]

Ugh… not a fan of “these” types of fans.

 

 

[bollemanneke 3,349]

Great news, but now Vienna 2 just became even more baffling.

[Bayesian 1,363]

2 hours ago, BB-8 said:

While DG throw this superfluous VPO edition and useless merchandise at us...

I'll agree this is all superfluous, but it sure does look nice (well, except the tote bag). What is that green thing that looks like 12 CDs? And where do you get that premium-looking booklet??

[BB-8 3,478]

1 hour ago, AOP said:

Ugh… not a fan of “these” types of fans.

 

 

Same body guard as in Vienna 1, Vienna 2, Berlin and Milano.

Well done!

 

5 minutes ago, Bayesian said:

I'll agree this is all superfluous, but it sure does look nice (well, except the tote bag). What is that green thing that looks like 12 CDs? And where do you get that premium-looking booklet??

Deutsche Grammophon - der offizielle Shop - Wiener Philharmoniker: Deluxe Edition Volume 2 - Wiener Philharmoniker - Boxset (20 CDs)

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

1 hour ago, Bayesian said:

I'll agree this is all superfluous, but it sure does look nice (well, except the tote bag). What is that green thing that looks like 12 CDs? And where do you get that premium-looking booklet??

 

20 CD expansion with additional flubs and timing issues (but not complete).

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

4 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

DG has learned from Disney's mistake.

 

No free high-res downloads?

 

4 hours ago, Jay said:

The concert will be available on CD and video from Gramophone in the future!

 

https://twitter.com/avcat_jp/status/1699054039991025743

 

Twitter/X's translation says (emphasis mine):

Quote

And I'm sure Gramophone will sell CDs and video media in the future.

 

So not really a confirmation.

[Jay 37,369]

Maybe a Japanese speaker can do a better translation for us

 

そして間違いなくグラモフォンからCD,映像メディアが将来販売されるのではないかな

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

3 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

No free high-res downloads?

 

The concert will be available on CD and video from Gramophone in the future!

[bollemanneke 3,349]

How did he play Far and Away this time? Did he speed through the first section like in Berlin, or did he stick to the OST tempo?

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

How many pieces did Williams conduct himself?

 

[Pawel P. 738]

30 minutes ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

How many pieces did Williams conduct himself?

 

 

Eleven, including three encores.

 

[AOP 259]

8 hours ago, Jay said:

Maybe a Japanese speaker can do a better translation for us

 

そして間違いなくグラモフォンからCD,映像メディアが将来販売されるのではないかな

My wife, who is Japanese, says that the sentence is not a confirmation that there will be a CD, etc. release.
 

It’s just an opinion from someone “strongly believing” that it will come out on CD, etc.

 

During the concert, Deneve mentioned that the concert was being recorded by DG but didn’t mention anything about how it would be released.

Like the person that tweeted the above comment, I’m sure it’s coming because Japan loves JW - as long as they have the rights to do so, I’m sure they’ll release it. Japan also loves physical media!

Fingers crossed all the same!!!

 

p.s VIP ticket holders got to attend the rehearsal the day before the concert - JW did not attend. At the actual concert, VIP ticket holders got a special tote bag with VIP ID card- looks cool but not sure it was worth the price! 

 

 

[Jay 37,369]

Thank you for the better translation! 

[AOP 259]

Official pictures and report (in Japanese) of the concert:

 

https://www.universal-music.co.jp/classics/dg125-gala-concert/news/2023-09-06/

 

Another pic from someone’s Facebook:

 

 

[Pawel P. 738]

3 hours ago, AOP said:

Official pictures and report (in Japanese) of the concert:

 

https://www.universal-music.co.jp/classics/dg125-gala-concert/news/2023-09-06/

 

At the encore, he performed "Raiders March" (from the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark") and "Imperial March" (from the movie "Star Wars Episode 5 / The Empire Strikes Back"), John Williams waved hello to the crowd as he left the stage.

 

So no Yoda's Theme this time?

[AOP 259]

9 minutes ago, Pawel P. said:

 

At the encore, he performed "Raiders March" (from the movie "Raiders / Lost Ark") and "Imperial March" (from the movie "Star Wars Episode 5 / The Empire Strikes Back"), John Williams waved hello to the crowd as he left the stage.

 

So no Yoda's Theme this time?

It was played 😊

 

Scroll down that page a little more - you’ll find the set list and encores

 

👍

9 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

How did he play Far and Away this time? Did he speed through the first section like in Berlin, or did he stick to the OST tempo?

This was conducted by Deneve actually.

 

I’m not super familiar with the differences between the OST, Berlin and Tokyo concerts… honestly, I have never been a big fan of “Far and Away.” Sorry!
 

In fact, I wish they had swapped it out for “Jurassic Park” 😁

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

They didn't play anything from JP?

[BB-8 3,478]

10 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

How did he play Far and Away this time? Did he speed through the first section like in Berlin, or did he stick to the OST tempo?

 

And @AOP was the ritardando in HPWW as pronounced as in Berlin or just standard like in Vienna 2 and Milan?

 

28 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

They didn't play anything from JP?

They have Godzilla.

[AOP 259]

44 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

 

And @AOP was the ritardando in HPWW as pronounced as in Berlin or just standard like in Vienna 2 and Milan?

 

They have Godzilla.

 

@BB-8, you lost me at “ritardando” - I had to google it 😂 To be honest, I’m not musically literate and I was so caught up enjoying the concert that I really wasn’t thinking about how the piece differed from other performances. I can generally tell when a wrong note has been played or they’re out of time, but aside from that, I’m not the best person to ask!

 

Sorry mate 😂

 

Best to confirm yourself when the actual recording comes out 👍

[BB-8 3,478]

3 minutes ago, AOP said:

 

@BB-8, you lost me at “ritardando” - I had to google it 😂 To be honest, I’m not musically literate and I was so caught up enjoying the concert that I really wasn’t thinking about how the piece differed from other performances. I can generally tell when a wrong note has been played or they’re out of time, but aside from that, I’m not the best person to ask!

 

Sorry mate 😂

 

Best to confirm yourself when the actual recording comes out 👍

No problem...will wait until we have the recording. I think the Berlin ritardando was exceptional, most likely prepared by JW's assistant and then steered by the first violin.

 

Any "bells-up" observed in the horn section during the E.T. finale?

[AOP 259]

2 hours ago, BB-8 said:

No problem...will wait until we have the recording. I think the Berlin ritardando was exceptional, most likely prepared by JW's assistant and then steered by the first violin.

 

Any "bells-up" observed in the horn section during the E.T. finale?

From where I was sitting, I could barely see the French horns… 😅

The GOAT speaks!!

 

https://fb.watch/mU1ge9Z8_F/

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

3 hours ago, AOP said:

The GOAT speaks!!

 

https://fb.watch/mU1ge9Z8_F/

 

"Let's do a promotional video with John Williams!" - "Cool idea, how often can we get him to say Deutsche Grammophon within one minute?" - "Oh, I'm sure he can manage it three times." - "Only three? How about four, or five?"

[bollemanneke 3,349]

5 hours ago, BB-8 said:

No problem...will wait until we have the recording. I think the Berlin ritardando was exceptional, most likely prepared by JW's assistant and then steered by the first violin.

 

Any "bells-up" observed in the horn section during the E.T. finale?

To be fair, the whole concert was full of ritardando's, but the HWW one just happened to be... so good.

[Mr. Hooper 1,792]

3 hours ago, AOP said:

The GOAT speaks!!

 

https://fb.watch/mU1ge9Z8_F/

Do a shot every time he says "Deutsche Grammophon"! 😁

 

[AOP 259]

Ok, I finally had the time to write up a mini review. Pardon the grammar mistakes, lapses of memory, mistaking of instruments, etc. (please correct me if you find any obvious mistakes 😅) I also added some random notes down the bottom that don’t fit neatly into my review.

 

Mini review

 

(review updated Sept 9 after viewing Stage+ recording! I made a few mistakes in my original review 😂)

 

Having been extremely fortunate to see John Williams conduct live in concert three times in the last year (once in LA, once in Milan, and now in Tokyo), l’d have to say that last night’s concert was my favorite.
 
As this was JW’s first visit to Japan in 30 years, excitement levels and expectations were understandably high. This was evident as soon as I arrived at Suntory Hall on a brutally humid Tuesday evening in Tokyo.  You could feel the anticipation in the air, and you could see, in each and everyone’s faces, that they knew they were here to experience something special and truly historic.  People certainly dressed up for the occasion (myself included!), so it wasn’t unusual to see people in kimonos and tuxedos despite the blistering hot summer weather.
 
As the auditorium lights dimmed to signify the beginning of the concert, the conductor for the first half, Stephane Deneve, walked out onto the stage to rapturous applause.  He started off with an amusing joke – his interpreter (who was a cellist in the orchestra), opened in English with “Ladies and Gentlemen,” to which Deneve translated into Japanese!  After the laughter died down, Deneve switched to English (with his charming French accent!) and explained the program for the night as well as some brief thoughts on Seiji Ozawa and John Williams. 
 
“Sound the Bells!” kicked off the concert with its rousing array of brass melodies and sounds.  From where I was sitting behind the orchestra, I could clearly see the tubular chimes which sounded crystal clear.  I honestly never warmed up to this piece until I heard it live last night.
 
This was followed by “Tributes! (for Seiji),” a piece written by Williams for Ozawa.  This was a long and less melodic piece than JW’s more popular works, but it was great hearing this  rare piece live. It’s unfortunate that Ozawa was not on stage to enjoy the music.
 
A suite from “Far and Away” came next with its jaunty Irish sounds and spirit.  It was an excellent performance that was well received by the audience.
 
Then came “ET,” the music many people had been waiting for.  Starting with the piccolo solo in “Three million light years from home,” the audience was immediately spellbound by this masterwork of composition.  It was then that I heard a familiar but unexpected sound… the pipe organ!  I then turned to the huge pipe organ not far from me and I saw a young organist play the mysterious opening lines to this incredible piece.  I most certainly had the feels (as young people would say!), and was left fixed on the pipe organ parts for the remainder of the piece.
 
Stunning is the only word that can be used to describe the night’s performance of “Stargazers.”  What an incredibly moving, incredibly perfect piece.  The delicate harp, the sweet caress of the strings, the yearning flute… it was gorgeously dream-like. The audience was dead quiet during the entire piece – in fact, it felt like we were all holding our breath, hanging on to every phrase and every gesture from the orchestra, not wanting to spoil the mood, the magic.  When the final notes played in to silence, the audience remained quiet for what seemed like minutes, but was in reality only a few seconds.  We then collectively wiped a tear (or two), cleared our throats, and got ready for the next assault on our emotions.
 
The “Flying theme” is probably, next to the Star Wars theme, one of the most well-known JW pieces among Japanese fans.  And boy, did it not disappoint under the commanding baton of Deneve!  This piece just soared under the Saito Kinen Orchestra and had the audience in raptures during the finale.  And that ended the sensational first half of the concert.
 
The feeling of anticipation had by now reached fever point with the knowledge JW would soon be gracing the stage.
 
As the lights once again dimmed and the audience quietened down, the volume immediately jumped to 11 as John Williams, the undisputed GOAT of film music, stepped onto the stage to the adulation and applause of over 2,000 star-truck fans.  We were all on our feet cheering, professing our love for the man and his music, and hungry to hear his first piece at the podium.  Before that, JW quickly talked about how honoured he was to be there, how Japan had changed in the last 30 years, and how much love and respect he had for his dear friend, Seiji Ozawa.  He then explained that the Japanese translation of the word “Superman” was “Seiji Ozawa,” which drew thunderous approval from the audience.
 
And thus began the second half with the iconic march from “Superman.”  Expertly performed with passion, it set the tone for the rest of the night.
 
The “Harry Potter” suite came next, and I suspect many had come to hear this with JW at the podium.  The suite was beautifully  performed and didn’t sound too different from previous concert performances.
 
Without any introductory words from JW, the familiar strains of “Schindler’s List” began to fill the auditorium and we were treated to a precise and impassioned violin solo.  From where I was sitting behind the orchestra, it was somewhat difficult to absorb the full sound and feel of the solo, but luckily it was well-captured in DGs video recording on Stage+.
 
It was now time for select pieces from “Star Wars” to shine.  I honestly would have preferred “March of the Resistance” or “The Asteroid Field,” but we were treated to a fine performance of “The Rebellion is Reborn.”  This was followed by “Princess Leia’s Theme” which was one of the highlights of the evening for me.  The flautist absolutely nailed his solos which were gorgeously complimented by the French horn parts.  I get goosebumps just thinking about it!
 
The final piece for the main program was the “Finale & Throne Room,” which was performed with such gusto and passion that it permeated an infectious energy and drive.
 
This was followed by JW’s second standing ovation for the night before he signaled “one more” to the audience for his first encore, which was “Yoda’s theme.”  The “Raider’s March” came next with the night ending with “The Imperial March.”  Except JW didn’t call it that – he just turned to the audience and said, “Darth Vadar,” to which the audience went nuts!
 
As soon as that ended, everyone in the audience got on their feet and gave JW the most enthusiastic standing ovation that I have ever seen… and I’ve been to a lot of film music concerts!  Surely, we were clapping away for close to 15 minutes – first for Williams, then the Saito Kinen Orchestra.  What was clearly apparent was the audience’s mutual love for John Williams and his music, and our deep appreciation to the Saito Kinen Orchestra for bringing his timeless music to life.  My hands were truly numb by the end of night, but I just didn’t want it to end…
 
Going home that night and processing what I had just seen, heard, and experienced, only solidified my belief that John Williams is the GOAT of film music - I doubt anybody could argue with that.

***

 

RANDOM NOTES:

 

The ticket debacle

I really must add a note about how bittersweet this experience has been.  While I had been ecstatic about seeing JW in the lead up to the concert, I had also felt extremely guilty knowing that my closest Japanese soundtrack friends, who are passionate JW fans, were not able to get a ticket despite their very best efforts.  It was good that concert organizers instituted a ticket lottery system because that was fair even if the chances of winning were low.  However, when general tickets sales opened for the remaining tickets, tickets pretty much sold out immediately with people left with zero chance of getting a ticket.  What boils my blood is that tickets started appearing online soon after at six or seven times the original prices (which were already extremely high to begin with) – and people were actually paying for them.  On Twitter in the lead up to the concert, people were practically begging for tickets.  And outside Suntory Hall on the day of the concert, there were scores of people holding up signs desperately looking for tickets.  The organizers should have put in place a system where the ticket holder’s name had to match their ticket – and if not, there had to be an official authorized resale system.  It was truly upsetting seeing the disappointment of so many people that could not get a ticket, especially those who were “true” JW fans and had waited to see JW their whole life.  Shame on you ticket scalpers, SHAME.

 

JWFan meetup

I met up with @Harry-Pot and @zhonghun1988 before the concert.  Two very friendly chaps who are deeply passionate about JW.  And they certainly travelled far for this concert!

 

We ended up having Italian just in front of Suntory Hall… not the fancy Japanese food that I had promised (my bad!!! 😂)

 
Sorry no pics - we are shy!

 

Merch

Surprised with the lack of merch on offer.  They sold:

 

• Commemorative DG booklets with a handful of pages about JW and the concert - in Japanese only
• Commemorative DG tote bags
• A bunch of Sony and Universal/DG CD reissues (including the postcard with the printed signature)

 

I was hoping for a poster to hang up on my wall, but nothing… oh well.

 

Also, they were giving free single-sheet flyers with the setlist.  Very basic – surprised they didn’t bother to design something fancier.

[Ricard 2,245]

1 hour ago, AOP said:

Ok, I finally had to time to write up a mini review. Pardon the grammar mistakes, lapses of memory, mistaking of instruments, etc. (please correct me if you find any obvious mistakes 😅) I also added some random notes down the bottom that don’t fit neatly into my review.

 

Mini review

Although the concert happened yesterday, I needed time to collect and organize my thoughts.

 

I am actually extremely fortunate to have seen John Williams conduct live in concert three times in the last year (once in LA, once in Milan, and now in Tokyo), but I can honestly say that last night’s concert was by far the best.

 

There was already plenty to look forward to for this concert: first, it was JW’s first visit to Japan in the last 30 years.  And second, it was most likely the last time that we could see him conduct in Japan.  I mean, if we’re being completely honest, I don’t see him making many concert trips abroad at his age, especially with his already busy concert schedule in the US.

 

Either way, excitement levels and expectations were high, and this was evident as soon as I arrived at Suntory Hall on a brutally humid Tuesday evening in Tokyo.  You could feel the anticipation in the air, and you could see, in each and everyone’s faces, that they knew they were here to experience something truly special and historic.  People certainly dressed up for the occasion (myself included!), so it wasn’t unusual to see people in kimonos and tuxedos despite the blistering hot summer weather.

 

As the auditorium lights dimmed to signify the begin of the concert, the conductor for the first half, Stephane Deneve, walked out onto the stage to rapturous applause.  He started off with an amusing joke – his interpreter (who was a cellist in the orchestra), opened in English with “Ladies and Gentlemen,” to which Deneve translated into Japanese!  After the laughter died down, Deneve switched to his other “foreign” language (😊) and explained the program for the night as well as some brief thoughts on Seiji Ozawa and John Williams. 

 

“Sound the Bells!” kicked off the concert with its rousing brass melodies and sounds.  From where I was sitting behind the orchestra, I could clearly see and hear the chimes (?) which sounded crystal clear.  I honestly never warmed up to this piece until I heard it live last night.

 

This was followed by “Tributes! (for Seiji),” a piece written by Williams for Ozawa.  This was a long and difficult piece that probably did not register much with fans of Williams’ typical film music.  Still, it was great hearing this very rare piece live, but unfortunate that Ozawa was not on stage to enjoy the music.

 

A suite from “Far and Away” came next with its jaunty Irish sounds and spirit.  This has never been a favourite of mine, but I do enjoy and appreciate the sense of motion and joy it creates.

 

Then came “ET,” the music many people had been waiting for.  Starting with the piccolo solo in “Three million light years from home,” the audience was immediately spellbound by this masterwork of composition.  It was then that I heard a familiar but unexpected sound… the pipe organ!  I then turned to the huge pipe organ not far from me and I saw a young organist play the mysterious opening lines to this incredible piece.  I most certainly had the feels (as young people would say!), and was left fixed on the pipe organ parts for the remainder of the piece.

 

“Stargazers.”  What an incredibly moving, incredibly perfect piece.  The delicate harp, the sweet caress of the strings, the yearning flute… it was like a dream.  The audience was dead quiet during the entire piece – in fact, it felt like we were all holding our breath, hanging on to every phrase and every gesture from the orchestra, not wanting to spoil the mood, the magic.  When the final notes played in to silence, the audience remained quiet for what seemed like minutes, but was in reality only a few seconds.  We then collectively wiped a tear (or two), cleared our throats, and got ready for the next assault on our emotions.

 

The “Flying theme” is probably, next to the Star Wars theme, one of the most well-known JW pieces among Japanese fans.  And boy, did it not disappoint under the commanding baton of Deneve!  This piece just soared under the Saito Kinen Orchestra and had the audience in raptures during the finale.  And that ended the sensational first half of the concert.

 

The feeling of anticipation had by now reached fever point with the knowledge JW would soon be gracing the stage.

 

As the lights once again dimmed and the audience quietened down, the volume immediately jumped to 11 as John Williams, the undisputed GOAT of film music, stepped onto the stage to the adulation and applause of over 2,000 star-truck fans.  We were all on our feet cheering, professing our love for the man and his music, and hungry to hear his first piece at the podium.  Before that, JW quickly talked about how honoured he was to be there, how Japan had changed in the last 30 years, and how much respect he had for his dear friend, Seiji Ozawa.  He then explained that the Japanese translation of the word “Superman” was “Seiji Ozawa,” which drew thunderous approval from the audience.

 

And thus began the second half with the march from “Superman.”  From where I was sitting, I had a direct line of site to the brass and noticed that they were slightly out of synch with the rest of the orchestra for a few bars.  This was very quickly rectified and the orchestra perfectly finished the piece with its iconic climax!

 

The “Harry Potter” suite came next, and I suspect many had come to hear this with JW at the podium.  The suite was expertly performed and didn’t sound too different from previous performances.

 

Without introduction, the familiar strains of “Schindler’s List” filled the auditorium and we were treated to a precise and captivating violin solo.  I’m not sure if it was because of where I was sitting behind the orchestra, but the violin sounded a bit distant and frail – I guess I am used to hearing the violin part more up front.  To my ears, it just wasn’t strong or loud enough.  I hope it will sound better when DG releases the recording.

 

It was now time for select pieces from “Star Wars” to shine.  I honestly would have preferred “March of the Resistance” or “The Asteroid Field,” but we were treated to a very nice performance of “The Rebellion is Reborn.”  This was followed by “Princess Leia’s Theme” which was the highlight of the evening for me.  The flautist absolutely nailed his solos which were gorgeously complimented by the French horn parts.  I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

 

The final piece for the main program was the “Finale & Throne Room,” which was performed with such gusto and ferocity that the audience was whipped into a frenzy!  It was the fastest I’ve heard it performed live, so it had a certain infectious drive and energy that was just incredible. 

 

This was followed by JW’s second standing ovation for the night before he signaled “one more” with his index finger to the audience for his first encore, which was “Yoda’s theme.”  The “Raider’s March” came next with the night ending with “The Imperial March.”  Except JW didn’t call it that – he just turned to the audience and said, “Darth Vadar,” to which the audience went nuts!

 

As soon as that ended, everyone in the audience got on their feet and gave JW the most enthusiastic standing ovation that I have ever seen… and I’ve been to a lot of film music concerts!  Surely, we were clapping away for close to 15 minutes – first for Williams, then the Saito Kinen Orchestra.  What was clearly apparent was the audience’s mutual love for John Williams and his music, and our deep appreciation to the Saito Kinen Orchestra for bringing his timeless music to life.  My hands were truly numb by the end of night, but I just didn’t want it to end…

 

I went home that night thinking that what I had just experienced was the most perfect dream… such was the effect of hearing and “feeling” the music of John Williams, live in concert. 

 

The Greatest Of All Time – I don’t think anyone could argue with that.

 

Great review, AOP, thank you so much!

[BB-8 3,478]

Well written @AOP! This is more than a mini review. Thank you for all your feedback!

 

Greetings from Hamburg!

[JTN 2,030]

Something was missing, had to fix it. 

[Mr. Hooper 1,792]

Awesome review @AOP! Makes me wanna sign up for Stage+ to experience it for myself...

 

So you settled on Italian? Was it Saizeriya? 😄

[AOP 259]

5 hours ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Awesome review @AOP! Makes me wanna sign up for Stage+ to experience it for myself...

 

So you settled on Italian? Was it Saizeriya? 😄

The area in front of Suntory Hall is too posh for a “restaurant” like Saizeriya 😂

 

There were other nice restaurants in the building but all had counter seating so not ideal for a JW fan meetup.

 

Thanks for the reminder about Stage +… I need to sign up too!

[Fabulin 3,514]

17 hours ago, Pawel P. said:

John Williams waved hello to the crowd as he left the stage.

A worthy sequel to the sleeping gesture at 1 P.M. 

[Mr. Hooper 1,792]

Like this one?

 

 

(Photo credit: Jay)

[Amer 2,110]

On 06/09/2023 at 4:07 AM, AOP said:

My wife, who is Japanese, says that the sentence is not a confirmation that there will be a CD, etc. release.
 

It’s just an opinion from someone “strongly believing” that it will come out on CD, etc.

 

During the concert, Deneve mentioned that the concert was being recorded by DG but didn’t mention anything about how it would be released.

Like the person that tweeted the above comment, I’m sure it’s coming because Japan loves JW - as long as they have the rights to do so, I’m sure they’ll release it. Japan also loves physical media!

Fingers crossed all the same!!!

 

p.s VIP ticket holders got to attend the rehearsal the day before the concert - JW did not attend. At the actual concert, VIP ticket holders got a special tote bag with VIP ID card- looks cool but not sure it was worth the price! 

 

 

Japan also loves the SACD format so Ill be up for that too!

 

@AOP You can buy a bunch for all of us too

[lairdo 726]

I think there is a good chance we'll get this on CD (and SACD for Japan for that matter). I think Berlin and Vienna did well for DG - beyond their expectations - and while Vienna 2 was probably too much of a repeat and would eat into their sales of the various current releases from Vienna, adding the Japan venue and orchestra would be complimentary. It would also have greater appeal in Asia. 

 

 

[Leitmotif 21]

And Milan is a huge missed opportunity...

[Steve 593]

I see Stage+ offers a 7 days trial. Has anyone ever tested that?

[BB-8 3,478]

31 minutes ago, lairdo said:

I think there is a good chance we'll get this on CD (and SACD for Japan for that matter). I think Berlin and Vienna did well for DG - beyond their expectations - and while Vienna 2 was probably too much of a repeat and would eat into their sales of the various current releases from Vienna, adding the Japan venue and orchestra would be complimentary. It would also have greater appeal in Asia. 

 

 

Only problem: JW didn't conduct 100% of the program in Japan.

He did in Milan (the missed opportunity) and Vienna 2 (all recorded, partly released).

[Mr. Hooper 1,792]

32 minutes ago, Steve said:

I see Stage+ offers a 7 days trial. Has anyone ever tested that?

Does the trial give you full access?

 

Would be convenient if they had a pay-per-view option.

[Pawel P. 738]

56 minutes ago, Steve said:

I see Stage+ offers a 7 days trial. Has anyone ever tested that?

 

Yes, since yesterday. I even watched Hisashi's concert from Vienna. And I'm going to watch Vivace, this year's documentary about Anne-Sophie Mutter. 

 

The Tokyo concert has the advantage over Milan or Vienna 2 that it was filmed. Therefore, as a Blu-ray, it's much more important to me, even though I was in Milan.

 

I think it'll be released in several formats, including CD.