'John Williams' Music for Star Wars' at the Royal Albert Hall, Oct. 22, 2023, Stephen Bell, conductor (Concert Produced by Tim Burden)

[Ricard 2,245]

Quote

Celebrating the iconic music of Star Wars®

 

Calling all Ewoks, Jedis, and Star Wars® fanatics! In this sci-fi inspired concert, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra presents a futuristic performance, filled with John Williams’ classic and enduring musical scores, performed at the one-and-only Royal Albert Hall.

 

Find yourself venturing through timeless pieces including: Star Wars: Main Theme, Imperial March, The Force Awakens: Suite, The Return of the Jedi: Parade of the Ewoks, The Empire Strikes Back: The Asteroid Field, Anakin’s Theme, Princess Leia’s Theme … and many more.

 

The question is: are you ready?

 

Stephen Bell Conductor
Marc Silk (Star Wars® voice actor) Host
Tim Burden (@mahler3) Producer and Announcer 
The Cantus Ensemble
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

 

 

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2023/john-williams-music-from-star-wars/

 

 

[Jay 37,369]

3 hours ago, Ricard said:

Tim Burden (@Omen II) Producer and Announcer 

 

Tim is @mahler3

[Omen II 1,235]

🥸

 

Ha!  I might have a bit of trouble perfecting the @mahler3 Norn Iron brogue but will give it a stab if called upon for the old announcing.

 

I booked my ticket for this a while ago and will be in the choir (the choir seats that is, not the actual choir).  There were a lot of flyers for this concert when I was at RAH for the Proms on Wednesday.

[bollemanneke 3,349]

I don't think I'm gonna make it. Oh well.

[Tom 4,665]

Are they performing anything from the TROS suite?  

[Jay 37,369]

Hmm, if it was titled "The Story In Music" than it would be the same as this, but it has a different title, so I guess we don't know what will be played!

 

Maybe @mahler3 can reveal it to us.

[mahler3 478]

Thanks Ricard & Jason. Hope to see many JWFans in London next month. Something special is also being planned the day before this concert so mark your diary. More info soon!

 

Oh, and seeing as you asked so nicely:

 

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 

 

Star Wars Main Theme and Arrival at Naboo (03:00)

 

The Flag Parade (03:00)

 

Anakin’s Theme (04:00)

 

Duel of the Fates (04:00) with SATB Choir

 

Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

 

Across the Stars (05:00)

 

Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

 

Battle of the Heroes (04:00) with SATB Choir

 

Episode 4: A New Hope

 

The Cantina Band (02:00)

 

Here They Come! (02:00)

 

Princess Leia’s Theme (04:00)

 

Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back

 

The Asteroid Field (04:00)

 

Yoda’s Theme (03:00)

 

Han Solo and the Princess (05:00)

 

Carbon Freeze & The Imperial March (04:00)

 

 

--------- Interval -----------

 

 

LUCASFILM LOGO FANFARE (30 secs)

 

Episode 6: Return of the Jedi

 

The Forest Battle (04:00)

 

Luke and Leia (05:00)

 

Parade of the Ewoks (04:00)

 

Episode 7: The Force Awakens

 

March of the Resistance (02:00)

 

Rey’s Theme (03:00)

 

X-Wing Scherzo (2:30)

 

Episode 8: The Last Jedi

 

The Rebellion is Reborn (04:00)

 

Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker

 

The Rise of Skywalker (5:00)

 

Rey and Ben (3:00)

 

The Adventures of Han Solo from Solo: A Star Wars Story (04:00)

 

 

[rough cut 1,714]

That looks like a great program! 

[Jay 37,369]

Great program! 

[michael_grig 472]

9 hours ago, mahler3 said:

Thanks Ricard & Jason. Hope to see many JWFans in London next month. Something special is also being planned the day before this concert so mark your diary. More info soon!

 

Oh, and seeing as you asked so nicely:

 

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 

 

Star Wars Main Theme and Arrival at Naboo (03:00)

 

The Flag Parade (03:00)

 

Anakin’s Theme (04:00)

 

Duel of the Fates (04:00) with SATB Choir

 

Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

 

Across the Stars (05:00)

 

Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

 

Battle of the Heroes (04:00) with SATB Choir

 

Episode 4: A New Hope

 

The Cantina Band (02:00)

 

Here They Come! (02:00)

 

Princess Leia’s Theme (04:00)

 

Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back

 

The Asteroid Field (04:00)

 

Yoda’s Theme (03:00)

 

Han Solo and the Princess (05:00)

 

Carbon Freeze & The Imperial March (04:00)

 

 

--------- Interval -----------

 

 

LUCASFILM LOGO FANFARE (30 secs)

 

Episode 6: Return of the Jedi

 

The Forest Battle (04:00)

 

Luke and Leia (05:00)

 

Parade of the Ewoks (04:00)

 

Episode 7: The Force Awakens

 

March of the Resistance (02:00)

 

Rey’s Theme (03:00)

 

X-Wing Scherzo (2:30)

 

Episode 8: The Last Jedi

 

The Rebellion is Reborn (04:00)

 

Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker

 

The Rise of Skywalker (5:00)

 

Rey and Ben (3:00)

 

The Adventures of Han Solo from Solo: A Star Wars Story (04:00)

 

 

great to see that program, better curated than the story in music concert, IMO. Especially the complete, not cut, Rise of Skywalker and Rey and Ben pieces! Probably no recording of this concert, right?

Which arrangement of Cantina Band will you play? Sid Ramin's?

[p0llux 398]

14 hours ago, mahler3 said:

Rey and Ben (3:00)

 

Very curious to hear what this sounds like. Hopefully someone will record this on their phones.

[michael_grig 472]

23 minutes ago, p0llux said:

 

Very curious to hear what this sounds like. Hopefully someone will record this on their phones.

The piece consists mainly of "Farewell" from the OST, but has a new, short ending:  

I made a mockup of it:

 

[Damien F 1,742]

5 hours ago, michael_grig said:

great to see that program, better curated than the story in music concert, IMO. Especially the complete, not cut, Rise of Skywalker and Rey and Ben pieces! Probably no recording of this concert, right?

Which arrangement of Cantina Band will you play? Sid Ramin's?

 

I'm guessing this one. Is this Sid Ramin's?

 

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Just now, Damien F said:

 

I'm guessing this one. Is this Sid Ramin's?

 

 

That's the one.

[Matt S. 493]

“Carbon Freeze & The Imperial March”? Is that the same as the version on the Gerhardt TESB recording?  If so, cool!!

[mahler3 478]

Any encore guesses?! :-)

 

Have to give huge thanks to Jamie R. Mike M and Nikiforos C for making this programme work. The RPO (the original Star Wars in Concert Tour orchestra!) is a superb band! 
 

1 hour ago, Matt S. said:

“Carbon Freeze & The Imperial March”? Is that the same as the version on the Gerhardt TESB recording?  If so, cool!!

It is indeed!

[Matt S. 493]

39 minutes ago, mahler3 said:

Any encore guesses?! :-)

Throne Room & Finale to bring the concert to a proper close?

[Tom 4,665]

Speeder Chase (but maybe too novel for an encore).

Obi-Wan

Throne Room

[Thor 7,513]

Cool program, Tim. Seems to catch most of the "hits" from the respective films.

[Omen II 1,235]

18 hours ago, mahler3 said:

Any encore guesses?! :-)

 

 

I'm going with either Galaxy's Edge or The Royal Presentation and end titles from Star Wars: The Motion Picture (1977) as the encore.

[DangerMotif 1,038]

19 hours ago, mahler3 said:

Any encore guesses?! :-)

 

Have to give huge thanks to Jamie R. Mike M and Nikiforos C for making this programme work. The RPO (the original Star Wars in Concert Tour orchestra!) is a superb band! 
 

It is indeed!

I assume Bianary Sunset/The Force theme

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

What is the lucasfilm logo music?

[Jay 37,369]

This.

[Jay 37,369]

Calling all Star Wars fans – here is the full list of pieces that you can look forward to in our Royal Albert Hall concert on 22 October.

 

https://www.facebook.com/royalphilharmonicorchestra/posts/pfbid029miac3yLuiyevcTTmjtwRwAudhGxy99gz5zcPQLeBhdgkB2SCRWakdfu2WimNBSml

[Miz 139]

Great setlist, I think I heard roughly this concert in Birmingham in 2018, before The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker.

 

Obvs Throne Room for encore.

[Jay 37,369]

Who's going today? 

[GlastoEls 563]

 

3 hours ago, Jay said:

Who's going today? 

Red 5 standing by!

 

[Omen II 1,235]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Who's going today? 

 

I am going to the evening performance and very much looking forward to it, once I have sobered up from my Sunday lunch.

 

[Biodome 714]

It was a great concert!

 

 

 

[Tom 4,665]

This really is a magnificent piece of music--the perfect encapsulation of Williams's "bittersweet send-off" mode of the last decade.  

[Omen II 1,235]

Although I have attended a lot of concerts featuring John Williams' music for the Star Wars films over the years, this one had so much that I had not heard live in concert before.  You could tell the concert had been put together by genuine Williams fans, so well done to @mahler3 (whom I spotted waiting in the wings a few times!) and to @TownerFan who was evidently responsible for the informative and pleasingly accurate programme notes.

 

As well as the UK concert premiere of music from The Rise of Skywalker posted above by @Biodome, yesterday was the first time I had heard the revised version of Han Solo and the Princess in concert.  It might take a bit of getting used to, but having heard it live I think it's a grower.  I was happy that the full version of Luke and Leia (apparently conductor Stephen Bell's favourite piece of music from the saga) was played rather than the truncated version heard sometimes more recently.  The Lucasfilm Logo, The Adventures of Han Solo and The Rebellion is Reborn were also treats which I had not sampled live before.

 

I thought the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was excellent yesterday evening.  I did not notice any flubbed notes at all, the exposed horn solos in Princess Leia's Theme and Luke and Leia usually very unforgiving but both played perfectly.  I was in the choir seats immediately behind the xylophone, glockenspiel, vibraphone, cowbells, etc. and I loved watching the percussionists dart about between the various instruments.  I had not noticed before that the opening of Rey's Theme was played on vibraphone, glockenspiel and marimba.  It was also nice that the conductor made the first violins stand after The Asteroid Field, as the other sections of the orchestra usually get the love.

 

Here are a few grainy photos taken from my vantage point.

 

[BB-8 3,480]

I see many mics. So there will be a release? A CD pack?

[mahler3 478]

This is really appreciated, D - thank you for the kind words and feedback. A true Labour of love and having this brief classic Star Wars blast of perfection played for our audience was a thrill:

On 24/10/2023 at 1:56 PM, BB-8 said:

I see many mics. So there will be a release? A CD pack?

I wish! The mics help amplify the vast RAH and its acoustic uniqueness.

[aj_vader 534]

On 03/09/2023 at 7:04 AM, mahler3 said:

Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 

 

Star Wars Main Theme and Arrival at Naboo (03:00)

 

 

I thought this could not be played because it's not been cleared for performance!? 😱

[Tom 4,665]

1 hour ago, aj_vader said:

 

I thought this could not be played because it's not been cleared for performance!? 😱