John Williams is the guest on this week's "For Scores" podcast with Jon Burlingame

[Jay 37,369]

https://forscores.com/

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiNVoBckLqLknw7Rbfk3OksolRz8yaVbR

 

https://www.treefort.fm/series/disney-for-scores

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disney-for-scores/id1476844445

 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IPv01BIG5JTbbEoUHT9OA?si=fmQDuu74TqmNVHoTbbV6IQ

 

https://tunein.com/podcasts/Music-Podcasts/For-Scores-p1241747/

 

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1135-disney-for-scores-48059743/episode/john-williams-125466602/

[karelm 2,914]

Johnny should do one of those three plus hour Joe Rogan podcasts too.

[BB-8 3,479]

• JW says the "N-word" instead of "the bad guys".
• He does not exclude returning to Vienna and Berlin.
• Australia seems to be on his bucket list.
• The VPO, BPO and SKO are all among the greatest orchestras.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,544]

32 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

• JW says the "N-word" instead of "the bad guys"

 

Wha'?! 

Oh! The other "N-word". Phew.

 

33 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

• Australia seems to be on his bucket list.

Screw Australia!

What about London?????!!!!!

 

 

 

34 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

•  
• The VPO, BPO and SKO are all among the greatest orchestras.

 

What the hell is the LSO, then? Chopped liver?!

[Edmilson 7,466]

44 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

• JW says the "N-word" instead of "the bad guys".
•  

For one terrifying moment I thought JW was a Klan-sympathizer in disguise until I remembered the other controversial "N-word" that shouldn't be said at all.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

3 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

For one terrifying moment I thought JW was a Klan-sympathizer in disguise until I remembered the other controversial "N-word" that shouldn't be said at all.

I thought it was normal to say n*zi

[Edmilson 7,466]

On today's climate, it's better not to risk 

[BB-8 3,479]

He refers to "the CD" which made me smile.

[GerateWohl 4,370]

The term "Nazis" is particularly overused today in an often inappropriatly trivializing way. But I think, there is no doubt about it, that these German guys in 1944 at the beginning of Dial of Destiny are Nazis. So, when use this term if not there?

[LB Makes Stuff 240]

They mentioned Crystal Skull 🫨

[Thor 7,512]

Whenever I hear these new interviews, it's always a double-edged sword for me. On the one hand, I'm saddened by the continual reminder of Williams' advanced age. The slightly slurred speech, for example, even though he's sharp as a knife, mentally. Or the fact that the interview questions aren't deep or detailed enough, or that the topic is about Indiana Jones rather than more obscure stuff. All of that.

 

At the same time, I'm appreciative of whatever I can get at this point in time, and it's always a pleasure to hear him speak....about anything.

 

Anyways, kudos to Burlingame for landing another JW interview!

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Not only do they say n*zis in the movie, I'd argue the theme says it too (the driving rhythmic portion is basically just repeating the phrase "the n*zis")

[Holko 9,529]

He sounds so happy!

[Tom 4,664]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

He sounds so happy!

Given that we have to listen to this 80 times, it is good that he is.  

[LB Makes Stuff 240]

Piano concerto should be finished by 2024…interesting.

Interesting choice of music when he’s discussing his future of Conducting and working with all of the orchestras. Made me feel sad.

[enderdrag64 624]

This was great! I wish it was longer

[DangerMotif 1,038]

Any idea what's going on with Helena's theme at around 9:22?

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

Love this podcast. Never guessed Jon would get John Williams on this show. 

Highlight is John saying James Mangold is "so young and full of energy and promise" as if isn't a 60 year old man. Lol

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

He's 60?!?

[BB-8 3,479]

4 hours ago, Thor said:

Whenever I hear these new interviews, it's always a double-edged sword for me. On the one hand, I'm saddened by the continual reminder of Williams' advanced age. The slightly slurred speech, for example, even though he's sharp as a knife, mentally. Or the fact that the interview questions aren't deep or detailed enough, or that the topic is about Indiana Jones rather than more obscure stuff. All of that.

 

At the same time, I'm appreciative of whatever I can get at this point in time, and it's always a pleasure to hear him speak....about anything.

 

Anyways, kudos to Burlingame for landing another JW interview!

Had the same kind of sad feelings which were amplified by the melancholic background music.

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

John Willliams talking about Phoebe Waller-Bridge like he did Daisy Ridley is so sweet. Homie will be making themes for attractive white brunette British women until he retires. 

Maybe if Rey's apprentice in the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Star Wars is played by an actress of that sort, he'll find a way to be involved.

[Damien F 1,742]

I thought it was a very nice interview and JW seemed to enjoy the discussion a lot. His voice has aged (understandably for a nonagenarian) but his mind is still very sharp and that is definitely the more important of the two.

[Mr. Hooper 1,793]

43 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

Had the same kind of sad feelings which were amplified by the melancholic background music.

When he spoke of the barriers of time and energy, a slow rendition of Indy's theme was playing... 😢

[Erik Woods 555]

2 hours ago, Courtney Sees Ghosts said:

Love this podcast. Never guessed Jon would get John Williams on this show. 

Really? If there is ANY podcast that John Williams would do, it would be a Jon Burlingame/Disney produced podcast. Burlingame has had Williams as a guest on previous audio productions (80th birthday show on KUSC-FM) and has interviewed him for Variety so it seemed inevitable that Jon would get John.

 

-Erik-

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

20 minutes ago, Erik Woods said:

Really? If there is ANY podcast that John Williams would do, it would be a Jon Burlingame/Disney produced podcast. Burlingame has had Williams as a guest on previous audio productions (80th birthday show on KUSC-FM) and has interviewed him for Variety so it seemed inevitable that Jon would get John.

 

-Erik-

Oh I didn't know that! I was always under the appreciation that John Williams is kinda hard to nail for interviews. 

[Jilal 569]

Very cool interview, but the background music is terribly distracting to me.

[Erik Woods 555]

23 minutes ago, Courtney Sees Ghosts said:

Oh I didn't know that! I was always under the appreciation that John Williams is kinda hard to nail for interviews. 

Oh he is… but not for certain people. 
 

-Erik-

[JohnnyD 1,223]

What a nice interview. 

[Tom 4,664]

7 hours ago, LB Makes Stuff said:

Piano concerto should be finished by 2024…interesting.

 

It sounds like it is basically done.  He made it sound like he is just tweaking a few things.  I have learned to temper my expectations over the years, but I have wanted a piano concerto from him for 30 years. This could be a perfect career-culminating piece.  I think the violin concerto is a tour de force-I hope he goes all out with this one as well.  And, if I am being honest, just for once for one of these concertos, give us a strong film-like theme to carry the damn piece.  

 

Maybe onto the cello piece next.  

[LB Makes Stuff 240]

I hope it’s romantic-y for some reason. Maybe it’s the side of my brain that adores Sabrina’s score so much.

[pete 907]

19 minutes ago, Tom said:

Maybe onto the cello piece next.  

 

He may have already finished it. Mike said he was recently working on a few projects, and Williams said something in the interview about finishing a couple of things. I could be wrong as there was never any finish or premier date mentioned about the piece. 

[Amer 2,110]

No mention of any upcoming film related project? I know he plans to do another one but for Spielberg. 
 

P.S. Not accesible in my region as yet..

[igger6 894]

At this stage of his career, Spielberg is now a Williams-score-eliciting machine for my money. 

 

Also, thrilled to hear about those “couple things” he’s finishing. Before he said that, I was just lamenting that he’s going to spend nine precious months working on a concerto whose charms will almost certainly fly far over my head.

[Tom 4,664]

43 minutes ago, Amer said:

No mention of any upcoming film related project? I know he plans to do another one but for Spielberg. 
 

P.S. Not accesible in my region as yet..

No such mention. He is asked whether he has retired from scoring, to which he responds "no," particularly if the film in made by Spielberg.  

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

1 hour ago, Amer said:

No mention of any upcoming film related project? I know he plans to do another one but for Spielberg. 
 

P.S. Not accesible in my region as yet..

 

too bad i also have this problem

[bollemanneke 3,349]

Wow, an intelligent interview with JW? Is this real?

[BB-8 3,479]

1 hour ago, bollemanneke said:

an intelligent interview with JW

Except for the questions about the need to score yet another Indy film and retirement.

[JTN 2,030]

John! You will go to Hungary… There you will conduct the Budapest Festival Orchestra!

[BB-8 3,479]

1 hour ago, JTW said:

John! You will go to Hungary… There you will conduct the Budapest Festival Orchestra!

John! You will then go to the Concertgebouw System.

[Thor 7,512]

Strange he didn't mention LSO, but can't remember them all.

 

I was struck by their contention that this will be his first piano concerto. If you disregard the old piano sonata (I can forgive him for forgetting a piece from when he was 19 years old), aren't "Conversations" and "Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra" piano concerti? Or would they be characterized otherwise?

[GerateWohl 4,370]

Conversations are solo piano.

A concerto is to my knowledge a certain form like a symphony with three or four movements for solo instrument and orchestra.

 

Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concerto

 

[Thor 7,512]

I know, but I've noticed sometimes that something is called a concerto even if doesn't have 'concerto' in the title. So I'm curious if the pieces I mentioned are technically a piano concerto, even if they don't have the name. Especially "Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra".

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

A scherzo can be one of the movements of a concerto or a symphony. 

[Jay 37,369]

10 hours ago, Amer said:

Not accesible in my region as yet..

 

9 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

too bad i also have this problem

 

I put six different places it can be found in the main post. None of them work where you guys live? 

 

Gotta love how Disney finds a way to make everything difficult... 

[Thor 7,512]

OK, so there must be other elements present, like an orchestra (not just solo piano), there must be movements and it's generally of a wider scope than things like his piano sonata, "Conversations" or the "Scherzo"?

[BB-8 3,479]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

Strange he didn't mention LSO, but can't remember them all.

He did refer to the recording sessions at Abbey Road. These were with the LSO, I presume.

[Tom 4,664]

45 minutes ago, Thor said:

OK, so there must be other elements present, like an orchestra (not just solo piano), there must be movements and it's generally of a wider scope than things like his piano sonata, "Conversations" or the "Scherzo"?

I think in the case of the piano, Williams was partly just being agreeable to the host, who clearly was unaware of the prelude/scherzo piece.  But, Williams is confusing on this--how he does not consider something like Treesong to be a full fledged concerto, I don't know.  It has more movements and is longer than the harp concerto.  

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

OK, so there must be other elements present, like an orchestra (not just solo piano)

 

A concerto is just a sonata for solo instrument and orchestra.

 

The first movement of a sonata or concerto is in sonata form:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata_form

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

2 hours ago, Thor said:

I know, but I've noticed sometimes that something is called a concerto even if doesn't have 'concerto' in the title. So I'm curious if the pieces I mentioned are technically a piano concerto, even if they don't have the name. Especially "Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra".

It’s not an exact science. Yes there are some factors to consider (like structure/sonata form… and soloist(s) + orchestra is *almost* always a must) but ultimately it’s up to the composer whether something is a “concerto” or not. There are certainly some composers who have written pieces for soloist and orchestra named “Concerto” who don’t care about sonata form. And about 20 years ago when I was really getting into classical music for the first time, my mind was blown to discover this Concerto for Solo Piano (essentially it has the solo piano *also* cover what would be the orchestra’s part):

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concerto_for_Solo_Piano_(Alkan)
 

And yes, there are many pieces which are properly referred to as concertos though they don’t have “Concerto” in the title. But structurally I don’t think most composers would tell you the existing Williams piano and orchestra pieces are concerti, and Williams himself doesn’t apparently consider them as such.

 

The proper blanket general term in classical music for *any* piece written for orchestra + solo instrument(s) is “concertante work”. You can think of “concertante” as meaning “concerto-ish” I suppose, but in the case of the Alkan example I provided, it somehow IS accepted as a concerto but wouldn’t really be considered a concertante work because it is after all just solo piano. Confusing, I know.

 

Yavar

[karelm 2,914]

16 hours ago, Erik Woods said:

Really? If there is ANY podcast that John Williams would do, it would be a Jon Burlingame/Disney produced podcast. Burlingame has had Williams as a guest on previous audio productions (80th birthday show on KUSC-FM) and has interviewed him for Variety so it seemed inevitable that Jon would get John.

 

-Erik-

Also, Burlingame did that three hour USC interview with Johnny that included lots of talk of his early life, intro to the industry, etc.