stuttersteps 1 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I got to thinking...Why do you think the Maestro decided to write (and subsequently perform various times) the concert version of "Forest Battle" from ROTJ? There's no doubt in my mind it's an excellent piece, but I'm merely curious as to what prompted him to isolate that specific portion of music into a concert work as oppose to many others, like the perennial favorites "Land Race" and "The Ultimate War".Maybe it's the period in which he composed the score; after all, the year before he wrote E.T. and has since performed a truncated version of "Adventures on Earth". Or maybe it's because there's an actual theme/motif the Maestro wrote for the "Forest Battle".I haven't a clue. What's everyone think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossMan 1 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 My guess is there are a couple reasons:1. It is a fairly memorable piece/theme from RotJ.2. It is a very fun piece to listen to... the laymen can really enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Exactly. I´m sure he "maps out" what his concert suite will be and picks what it´s best for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nja 0 Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 In a concert venue, it does seem to provide some nice contrast to some of the more romantic almost Wagnerian SW cues. Of course it's only my opinion, but I've always thought Forest Battle was some of the best bona fide 20th century styling and use of percussion in the trilogy, not that there aren't a good number of other examples. One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them.I think it`s annoying,so i like the shorter movie cue better(Disk 4 anthology,``The Ewok Battle``)K.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYPHER 1 Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them.Ha! Good call. I love that Williams made this decision. The piece is so much fun I never want it to end, and this way it's almost like it doesn't .CYPHER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nja 0 Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them.Ha! Good call. I love that Williams made this decision. The piece is so much fun I never want it to end, and this way it's almost like it doesn't .CYPHERJust to clarify, I did mean the comment positively; I think the compositional sleight of hand is wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them.The concert version of "Parade of the Slave Children" also ends in a similar way.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I wish JW would compose and record a shorter, concert suite-like version of Zam The Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYPHER 1 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Just to clarify, I did mean the comment positively; I think the compositional sleight of hand is wonderful.I never doubted it for a second .The concert version of "Parade of the Slave Children" also ends in a similar way.How true. I love that piece too! I wish JW would compose and record a shorter, concert suite-like version of Zam The Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant.Y'know, I think that might have potential. It'd need to be drastically reworked to cut length and incidental rhythms, but there are some great motifs in there that could stand to be developed further. Then again one of the personal appeals of this cue is its frenetic, ambling and frenzied pace which would likely be diluted by the imposition of structure and discipline often associated with conventional concert adaptations.CYPHER - who now feels like a quoting whore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I´ve heard that they were trying to come up with something eastern-influenced, but to me it doesn´t sound much like that, I guess it´s because there´s too much cymbals in it, and bass drums(as they´re used in eastern percussion), among other instruments are missing, at least to create the atmosphere. But indeed there needs to be at least one more concert piece from this film, but what exactly, I don´t know, there not much from it but I think Merkel´s idea is a very good one.Stuff that Williams needs to adapt for concert: music from Dracula, including "To Scarborough", a concert version of "The Land Race" from Far and Away and I wish he made a recording of Lex Luthor´s cute little march. Conti Theme from RockyCincinnati Pops OrchestraErich Kunzel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nja 0 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Stuff that Williams needs to adapt for concert:. . . a concert version of "The Land Race" from Far and Away . . . Ah- someone else who has always loved the diverse energy of that cue. . .Irish styling meets Americana meets action sequence meets great JW climax. Deserves to be heard more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I just think it's one one of Williams' best action scherzo's. Besides, of all his styles I love Williams' Porkofiev-like style most. The instrumentation of this piece is astonishing, no one who can doubt that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I wish JW would compose and record a shorter, concert suite-like version of Zam The Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant.Attack of the Clones is the only Star Wars movie to have just one "concert version" written. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nja 0 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I wish JW would compose and record a shorter, concert suite-like version of Zam The Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant.Attack of the Clones is the only Star Wars movie to have just one "concert version" written. NeilI'm just curious about this, when are the majority of JW's concert suites written? It has always seemed to me like he did more soon after a film was released so they can be done in concerts while they were most popular . . .But haven't a few been done especially for compilations released quite a bit later? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Then again one of the personal appeals of this cue is its frenetic, ambling and frenzied pace which would likely be diluted by the imposition of structure and discipline often associated with conventional concert adaptations.I see what you mean.In the same way I feel that The Asteroid Field loses some of it's impact in the concert versions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I think it´s the other way around. It´s even more amazing. Symphony No. 11 (Shostakovich)Hector - and his Sabrina and Nixon post... no. 1995 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uni 306 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 One thing's for sure, the closing of the suite has to set the JW record for number of anticipated endings tacked on to the end of one piece. Sometimes I wonder if he couldn't decide what ending to use, so included all of them.Ha! Good call. I love that Williams made this decision. The piece is so much fun I never want it to end, and this way it's almost like it doesn't .CYPHERJust to clarify, I did mean the comment positively; I think the compositional sleight of hand is wonderful.I completely agree. It seems like Johnny does that a lot, though, doesn't it? There are a number of big pieces, concert versions and commissioned works that have that multiple-ending feel. The first one that comes to mind is the "Mission Theme" for NBC News. Big ending....small ending....Great Big ending. But I think it's great that way. It's fun to hear him drag out a grand finale like that, kinda like how you never know how long the finale of a fireworks show is going to last. It just keeps going on, getting bigger and bigger, while you hold your breath....makes it more of a delight.- Uni....who finally reached his 300th post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 Congratulations on your 300 post no matter what anyone says!!! 50 more for your "Jubilee 350" Hector - and his Summon the Heroes post (that would be no. 1996) Symphony No. 11 (Dmitri Shostakovich) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymenard 54 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 "The Arena Battle" - Concert version/me faints!!!!That would be so amazing... pity that John seems to have forgotten all of his work lately for concerts, except mostly Catch me if you Can and the first Harry Potter. Must be the Academy nomination for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 And congrats on you 100 post!!! No matter what others might say!Hector - and his Amistad post (that is, no. 1997) Herrmann Psycho: A Narrative for OrchestraLondon Philharmonic OrchestraBernard Herrmann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpigeon 3 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 I adore the Forest Battle concert suite, not so much for the first three minutes, but rather for the final sixty seconds. It's one of the few concert pieces that transcends everything that we hear in the film, even if the best part isn't exactly in the film. Hedwig's theme is another one of those unique concert pieces that takes on a personality of its on, almost completely independent of the film. The last minute of that piece also isn't featured in the film anywhere, but is an absolute perfect climax to the piece. I love when Williams lets a certain theme carry on such a life of its own, without the bounds of the film to hold it back. And pieces like Hedwig's theme and the Forest Battle are perfect examples of this.Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBL 0 Posted September 13, 2003 Share Posted September 13, 2003 Personnaly, I'd rather hear Asteroid Field, or Scherzo for motorcycle and orchestra than The Forest Battle... even the Battle of Hoth ! that would be amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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