"Anakin's Theme" and "Scherzo For Violin and Motorcycle" - two new 2023 Anne-Sophie Mutter arrangements by John Williams

[Jay 37,369]

I thought someone else would have started a thread dedicated to this by now, but I'll do it!

 

These two new compositions premiered in Pittsburgh on December 12th.  Some descriptions of the new arrangements are in the thread for that concert, starting here.

 

There does not appear to be any videos of them posted to youtube (surprising!), but the whole concert was recorded and will stream on Stage+ on December 30th:

 

https://www.stage-plus.com/video/live_concert_9HKNCPA3DTN66PBIEHFJAC1M

[Jay 37,369]

I think this is the first time in the youtube era that there are no videos from a new John Williams concert on youtube.  Weird.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

10 minutes ago, Jay said:

I think this is the first time in the youtube era that there are no videos from John Williams concert on youtube.  Weird.

 

Perhaps ASM's no-phone policy is working.

[Jay 37,369]

Ah!

[Ricard 2,245]

39 minutes ago, Jay said:

I think this is the first time in the youtube era that there are no videos from a new John Williams concert on youtube.  Weird.

 

There have been no YouTube videos of several recent Williams concerts, probably due to more restrictive control measures.

[Jay 37,369]

I hadn't realized!

 

I remember when Helena's Theme debuted at the Hollywood Bowl last year, it was instantly all over twitter and youtube.

[Marian Schedenig 8,199]

26 minutes ago, Jay said:

I remember when Helena's Theme debuted at the Hollywood Bowl last year, it was instantly all over twitter and youtube.

 

I figure open air venues have a much harder time enforcing recording policies. The ushers in a concert hall can be very effective in making people put away their phones and/or leave the hall if they want to.

[Jay 37,369]

Yeah, I didn't think of things that way

[Damien F 1,742]

The ushers in Dublin's National Concert Hall will immediately approach people filming on their phone, even for standard classical music concerts.

[Tom 4,660]

 

 

1 hour ago, Damien F said:

The ushers in Dublin's National Concert Hall will immediately approach people filming on their phone, even for standard classical music concerts.

Liam Neeson in The Usher.  Just when you thought it was safe to take out your phone.  

[King Mark 3,631]

I like the 2 new pieces except the long violin solo in the middle of Scherzo that has nothing to do with the rest of the piece

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

It's called a cadenza.

[Faleel 5,353]

Just now, Jurassic Shark said:

It's call a cadenza.

 

[JohnnyD 1,223]

Can’t wait to see the concert!

[King Mark 3,631]

I don't like cadenzas then

[JohnnyD 1,223]

It turns out I won’t be able to see it, as a paid subscription is required. Is there a way the concert can be shared?

[WilliamsStarShip2282 308]

Same, I was so hoping to see it

[Tom 4,660]

3 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

It's called a cadenza.

I always preferred Kramer.  

[rpvee 805]

2 hours ago, JohnnyD said:

It turns out I won’t be able to see it, as a paid subscription is required. Is there a way the concert can be shared?

 

2 hours ago, JohnnyD said:

It turns out I won’t be able to see it, as a paid subscription is required. Is there a way the concert can be shared?

 

2 hours ago, WilliamsStarShip2282 said:

Same, I was so hoping to see it

You can do a seven day free trial that can be cancelled anytime, according to the site.

[lairdo 726]

6 hours ago, King Mark said:

I like the 2 new pieces except the long violin solo in the middle of Scherzo that has nothing to do with the rest of the piece

 

Yeah, my first reaction was one of confusion about what the was saying as part of the Scherzo - was it bits of the theme pulled apart or somehow tied - I admit I could not figure it out. I then listened to it again and it felt more natural to me. I did wonder if JW had written the cadenza or if ASM had. There are some other interesting take on tempo that did not feel put together. I hate to write this but I wondered if they needed 1 more rehearsal. 

 

Separately, do we consider The Duel from Tintin to be "new" since is newly arranged for violin and cello? Regardless, I liked it.

 

I did enjoy Anakin's theme.

[MaxTheHouseelf 324]

9 hours ago, JohnnyD said:

It turns out I won’t be able to see it, as a paid subscription is required. Is there a way the concert can be shared?

 

ASM mentioned in this post that it will be streamed for free on german TV 3sat on 1 January 2024, 21:45 CET. Maybe you can access it with a VPN from outside Germany/Austria/Switzerland?

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1eo64Issnj/?img_index=1

 

I think you should be able to access the video here after it aired: https://www.3sat.de/kultur/musik/anne-sophie-mutter-pittsburgh-102.html

 

Otherwise directly in the 3sat livestream: https://www.3sat.de/programm/3sat-livestream-100.html

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

The new arrangements are awesome, in my personal opinion. Scherzo just blew me away!

The Schindler's List Trio and the Duel duo concertante were already performed before as mentioned elsewhere, but what a joy to have a proper recording of those.

 

On a side note, I really don't understand what's the problem. Pay a one month subscription and enjoy the concert. Musicians and labels are entitled to have a living... and they do because we are their clients. I gladly pay for my discs and on-line concerts and will continue doing so. Occasionally, some are for free, others aren't, and that's just fine.

[Jay 37,369]

When and where was the duo version of The Duel played previously?

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

At the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., during the 90th birthday celebration, with Mutter and Ma, Denéve conducting. 

[King Mark 3,631]

Maybe we can do a  custom edit to remove the cadenza.

 

Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra 2023 Revised Short Version.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

5 minutes ago, King Mark said:

Maybe we can do a  custom edit to remove the cadenza.

 

Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra 2023 Revised Short Version.

 

Why would anyone want to do that? You don't like this version, you have a few others to enjoy.

[King Mark 3,631]

I enjoy the rest of it so don't say I shouldn't listen to it if I don't like he cadenza section. I know you take it very personal when other people criticize Williams more abstract concert works but I think my point is valid.

 

And I don't plan to edit it out, that was partly a joke. I never edit out music from Williams pieces even if I don't like a section.

 

I have a lot of respect for you as a Williams fan but keep in mind I've been listening to Williams music as long as you do and he's also my favorite composer ever.

[Erik Woods 555]

23 hours ago, King Mark said:

I like the 2 new pieces except the long violin solo in the middle of Scherzo that has nothing to do with the rest of the piece

I agree! It (THE CANDENZA) sucks the energy out of the piece!

BTW, I'm no fan of Anne-Sophie Mutter but the arrangement of "The Duel" for solo violin, cello and orchestra was superb!  And this particular performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony might be my favourite Mutter/Williams performances of all time... and let me tell you, I don't like anything they've done together. For some reason, in this concert, so far, she wasn't annoying at all. The playfulness between the violin and cello was absolutely spot on, laser sharp and perfectly complemented the spirit of the original cue!

 

-Erik-

[King Mark 3,631]

And  I still think Williams is at the top of his game at 91.

 

Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite, Theme from Obi-Wan, The Rise of Skywalker (concert version), The Adventures of Han, Helena's Theme, The Rebellion is Reborn, Of Grits and Glory,  Fanfare for Vienna Ball (unreleased) . All recent pieces that are among his very best even compared to his 70's-80's period.

 

But in an alternate universe I wish all those new Ann Sophie Mutter arrangements he did were written for full orchestra without Ann Sophie Mutter violin solos giving us a bunch of brand new full concert versions of his film themes. Mutter arrangements feel like an offshoot of his Cinema Serenade album.

 

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

I'm glad I'm not on that alternate universe and that he's doing all this arrangements for Mutter and Markings and the superb Violin Concerto No. 2 (which, along with the Cello Concerto, are my two favorite Williams pieces).

[Faleel 5,353]

18 minutes ago, Miguel Andrade said:

I'm glad I'm not on that alternate universe and that he's doing all this arrangements without Mutter and Markings and the superb Orchestra Concerto No. 2 (which, along with the Orchestra Concerto No. 1, are my two favorite Williams pieces).

From the alternate universe...

[Jay 37,369]

2 hours ago, King Mark said:

Of Grits and Glory

 

Williams's ode to southern breakfast food?

[igger6 894]

17 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

Williams's ode to southern breakfast food?

Beat me to it!
 

It’s his first breakfast-related composition since “A Toast!”

[Tom 4,660]

This version has Tony Dorsett listing off his favorite breakfast items ala the dude in Forrest Gump listing off shrimp dishes.    

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

And that's all he's got to say about that.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Oh wow, the “Duel” performance is really something special. I adore the idea of turning it into an actual duel between violin and cello. The way the performers interact with one another and with Williams… it really highlights the reimagining of these pieces as something to watch being performed as opposed to merely listening. It distills the purpose of what he’s achieved with these late collaborations with Mutter. It’s a true privilege to be able to experience Williams’ music in this context; elevated.

 

It’s as though all those decades of “serious” critics and institutions deriding JW’s music (and film music in general) as a lesser form of art have completely washed away. That they can all see him now, and the ways in which his music has transcended the films they were written for… Not that those views have ever really mattered much to those of us who’ve always loved his music, but there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that he is now universally considered to be an artist of the highest calibre and integrity by those same institutions. It’s sublime.

[King Mark 3,631]

5 hours ago, Presto said:

From the alternate universe...

Alternate Universe # 2 he's doing all these arrangements for YoYoMa

1 hour ago, Docteur Qui said:

 

It’s as though all those decades of “serious” critics and institutions deriding JW’s music (and film music in general) as a lesser form of art have completely washed away. That they can all see him now, and the ways in which his music has transcended the films they were written for… Not that those views have ever really mattered much to those of us who’ve always loved his music, but there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that he is now universally considered to be an artist of the highest calibre and integrity by those same institutions. It’s sublime.

Yeah that was always my wish too and I'm happy prestigious orchestras want to perform his music as equal to classical music. And if the Mutter arrangements help in that way it's positive.

[Tom 4,660]