Two Disc Goodbye, Mr. Chips On It's Way from FSM?

[Lurker 5]

You decide.....

Neil

[A24 4,345]

According to this news bit, I'd say..."Yes".

[Lurker 5]

But then Lukas Kendall had this to say:

I'm not to engage in the charade of confirming or denying these titles, but please DO NOT BUG US about such rumored productions. Thanks folks. We need to keep our sanity while preparing more goodies.

You can read all about it here.

Neil

[Johnnyecks 33]

Yippiee!!!

[A24 4,345]

Is that a typical 60s Johnny score?

[Morlock 11]

Nope.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Is that a typical 60s Johnny score?

This is not a "Johnny score". This is only an adaptation of an original musical by Leslie Bricusse, composed directly to screen.

Nevertheless, Williams provides lush orchestration, much superior to the later one prepared by Bricusse himself to the stage prodction of the musical (recording available on Ter Records). Still the songs are quiet childish, with very poor lyrics.

[King Mark 3,631]

If I'm not mistaken,the all orchestral main titles are from Williams,and that cue sounds a bit like something from the Heidi score.

K.M.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Is that a typical 60s Johnny score?

This is not a "Johnny score". This is only an adaptation of an original musical by Leslie Bricusse, composed directly to screen.

Nevertheless, Williams provides lush orchestration, much superior to the later one prepared by Bricusse himself to the stage prodction of the musical (recording available on Ter Records). Still the songs are quiet childish, with very poor lyrics.

Even so I'd rather listen to Peter O Toole's mellow singing voice than most of the professional musical theater singers out there. His voice on this soundtrack has a gentle refined dignity to it which somehow adds a little weight to the lyrics. I'd buy this over Tom Sawyer any day.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

If I'm not mistaken,the all orchestral main titles are from Williams,and that cue sounds a bit like something from the Heidi score.

K.M.

To my knowledge, Williams did not wrote a single original note for this. Bricusse did it all, and Williams orchestrated, arranged and conducted. And in doing so, make it sound a little bit like if it was his own music.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Well Bricusse is a hummer (nothing against 'em, of course) so Williams may as well have written the whole thing...

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Who really, really needs it? I mean... I'll get it as the completist-collector that I am, but I'd rather have a Williams score with music BY Williams, not just arranged by him. My same comments towards Tom Sawyer and Fiddler on the Roof. I get them for my collection but I rarely-to-never listen to them.

[King Mark 3,631]

I agree,this news is a sort of letdown,like the other 2 releases this year(Tom Sawer and Fitzwilly).Basically useless as far as getting new Williams music,and misses the mark as far as what fans really want.

K.M.

[Lurker 5]

Who really, really needs it? I mean... I'll get it as the completist-collector that I am, but I'd rather have a Williams score with music BY Williams, not just arranged by him. My same comments towards Tom Sawyer and Fiddler on the Roof.

According to Michael Matessino's essay about this score at John Williams.org, "John Williams accomplishes something that he would do to an even greater degree with Fiddler on the Roof a few years later: take another person's melodies and make them unmistakably his own through his distinct use of harmony, counterpoint, and instrumentation."

Williams' influence on Fiddler is unmistakble, so if this album does become a reality, I'm very much looking forward to it.

Neil

[Morlock 11]

I agree,this news is a sort of letdown,like the other 2  releases this year(Tom Sawer and Fitzwilly).Basically useless as far as getting new Williams music,and misses the mark as far as what fans really want.

I love the Fitzwily/Long Goodbye release. And I don't know about you, but I want a complete JW discography.

Long Goodbye is just so wacky and offbeat. It's so much fun, it's Williams doing something different, sounding like he's having a great time doing it. A one of a kind score.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

What I meant is that I already have the original album... and judging simply off that and watching, er, sleeping through the movie 5-10 years ago, I really don't need an expanded version of such a score for anything other than completeness-sake. And I will get it if it comes out. It's just that I do prefer any original Williams score though. Finally ordered Fitzwilly/Long Goodbye and Tom Sawyer... just didn't have the time or money for it until now (and still don't, but I don't want to risk them selling out), so I don't want to get such "arranged and conducted" type scores, but I have to because I'm an anal collector.

[Lurker 5]

I have to because I'm an anal collector.

That's a polite term for what you are.

Neil

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

I can understand that most people around only care for Williams composed scores, and even in some cases by a very single kind of score he write.

Nevertheless, people around here should understand that Mr John Williams is only who he is, and that we will hardly ever have another like him, because he learned all that is to learn about music the hard way. He arranged and conducted for every kind of musician. He even worked on stuff that was at that time bellow his dignity and artistry, but still he done it all with the same kind of professionalism and dedication. That's way he can do it all...

As Mr Matessino says, Williams made Goodbye Mr. Chips his own, and glad he did, becasue the musical is really a poor one. If you take out Williams work, this is really a poor thing to listen too. The lyrics then are just terrible -- I'm not a fan of Mr Bricusse lyrics, but this ones are really bad!

The main diference between Goodbye Mr Chips and Fiddler on the Roof lies in teh fact that Fiddler on the Roof always had the pottential, even if played with a small theatre orchestra. Goodbye Mr. Chips (as well as the other poor musical he worked in Tom Sawyer) only exists because of Williams masterfull orchestrations.

Nevertheless, for all of those who don't listen to Williams work as an arranger, if you pick some stuff, like his arrangements for Shelly Manne, or other he did for his own album Rhythm in Motion, or some of his later work on Goodbye Mr Chips and Fiddler on the Roof, you cana lready clearly hear the later Williams of his big larger than life favorites.

Having said this, I sugest that everyone shoudl give a try at this and other Williams lesser known work. In those lie lots of undiscovered treasures... and that's why I'm always busy collecting and never complain at not having enought new stuff (if Chris calls himslef an anal colector, I wonder what he would call me...)

Finally, and this mostly directed at Chris, please run and get Fitzwilly/The Long Goodbye, even if you have to steal any old blind lady to buy it... The later score is an absolute masterpiece, even if i think that Varese could have get us a much better presentation of both scores.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Thanks Miguel! He is the master of Williams knowledge, especially his pre-score days.

And yes, I just ordered Fitzwilly/Long Goodbye along with Tom Sawyer (skipping Mssouri Breaks because it appears to just ba a re-issue of the Rykodisc with new art, correct?), and I had to sell a few of my double CDs (I had extra copies of Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and a few more) to be able to afford them. Immigration and tickets for my fiance has drained me of what little funds I had.

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

Thanks Miguel! He is the master of Williams knowledge, especially his pre-score days.

And yes, I just ordered Fitzwilly/Long Goodbye along with Tom Sawyer (skipping Mssouri Breaks because it appears to just ba a re-issue of the Rykodisc with new art, correct?), and I had to sell a few of my double CDs (I had extra copies of Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and a few more) to be able to afford them. Immigration and tickets for my fiance has drained me of what little funds I had.

Chris, you've dene well... Tom Sawyer is just the old LP release turned into CD, but The Long Goodbye is really something.

As for Missouri Breaks, yes, only the artwork changed.

And while I apreciate the compliment, i would hardly call my self a master on anyhting...