What would you consider Williams' most accesible concerto?

[Sandor 459]

A friend of mine is really into classical music. Of course every time I see him I end up raving about John Williams. Although he is not into film music he was quite interested to learn about Williams' concertos. I lended him the violin concerto, but he found it just so-so. He admits he doesn't really enjoy 20/21th century orchestral music with the exception of Arvo Part or Rutter.

I was just wondering: what do YOU consider the most accesible concerto written has written so far? The above example shows that I would choose the violin concerto. Any other opinions?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

I've listened to the Cello Concerto more then his others.

If that means I find it more accesible i'm not sure.

[King Mark 2,924]

I'd give him some of his non-film works that sort sound like film works.Maybe some of the celebratory Fanfares and Hymns like Sound the Bells,Liberty Fanfare,Hymn to New England,Celebrate Discovery...ect..,or pieces like Soundings or For Sergii(if you have the boots).The tuba concerto is pretty accesible,as well as "ellegy for Cello and Orchestra"

K.M.Who doesn't care for Williams Violin concerto

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Well i pretty much agree with KM.

His shorter concert works or "festival" pieces are a lot more accesible then his concerto's.

If you want to introduce your friend to his works maybe these are better.

Of course i's just edit 4 pieces from Schindlers List together and call it Violin Concerto II, your friend would never notice.

[King Mark 2,924]

Or the Unfinished Journey.Nobody remembers it was for that crappy picture montage Spielberg did.And Williams keeps playing it at concerts ...as a concert work.

K.M.

[TownerFan 4,548]

I think that Williams' Violin Concerto is, by and large, one of his most accessible concert works. It's written in a post-romantic idiom, with a lot references to Bartòk and Prokofiev.

The Cello Concerto is also a good point to start discovering Williams' concert output. Same goes with the Tuba Concerto.

His "festival" stuff is really good and enjoyable, but it's clearly "pomp and circumstance" music that probably hasn't a lot to say to a classical buff.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

 

His "festival" stuff is really good and enjoyable, but it's clearly "pomp and circumstance" music that probably hasn't a lot to say to a classical buff.

Neither do I.

[AC1 3,565]

I think that the Violin Concerto is still his best. I also prefer it unrevised. Accessible? No, and certainly not for the casual film score-spocky-trekkie-nerd.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Accessible? No, and certainly not for the casual film score-spocky-trekkie-nerd.

I find that remark...insulting.

[pete 520]

I've always enjoyed 5 Sacred Trees, (Bassoon Concerto)

The first and last movements particularly.

That last movement contains some absolutely beautiful music.

Second movement has has mischievous magic feel of Eastwick or a dark Potter, 3rd movement I think it is, some nice Harp in there.

I saw Williams perform his Tuba Concerto, that was interesting in concert, I think the piece felt more energetic than the recording we have.

Soundings is great too. Looking forward to the day Johnny records that one.

Horn Concerto.. anyone heard that? It got some good reviews I seem to remember.

[pete 520]

I think that the Violin Concerto is still his best. I also prefer it unrevised. .

I have both recordings but admitedly aren't familiar enough with the piece to notice the differences.....so whats different??

[ChrisAfonso 159]

I'd give him the bassoon concerto, and the Elegy for Cello and Orchestra.

[ChrisAfonso 159]

I think that the Violin Concerto is still his best. I also prefer it unrevised. .

I have both recordings but admitedly aren't familiar enough with the piece to notice the differences.....so whats different??

Some differences I noticed are:

-Bass pedal tone under the beginning solo of the violin

-During the first tutti the strings play sustained notes instead of short hits

[Miguel Andrade 964]

I would say that most Williams music is quiet accessible. Maybe not as much as some of his well known film muisc, but still very easy on one ears, if you ask me.

Still, if you need the more acessible of all, go for the celebratory short pieces.

If he likes Part and the likes, maybe he enjoys TreeSong, the Basson Concerto and Heartwood. Of the larger pieces, you may also try the Tuba Concerto (go for the Velvet Brown recording on Albay records), the Trumpet Concerto or the Clarinet Concerto. The Elegy is also a good choice, as is his selections from Unfinished Journey.

[Adam 1]

I’d agree with Pete about the basoon concerto. I consider the last movement maybe my favorite concerto piece but the whole thing is quite good with the second movement standing out for me also. I like it when he can give us something more musically complex and unconstrained by film but still maintaining a certain beauty in more accessible terms like the ellegy for cello and certainly the last movement in the basoon concerto as mentioned. But just in terms of showing off JW’s ability, all of his concertos are quite impressive.

Miguel mentioned Unfinished Journey and I actually think that had more people seen the documentary, it would be counted more as a film score than a concert piece. He actually wrote his music slavishly to the details of the documentary in the same way he does with a film so you still get a lot of short, strong thematic elements like in his film works. But, still, that doesn't mean a classical oriented person couldn't be imperssed so I'm not necessarily disagreeing.

- Adam

[Mari 279]

Horn Concerto.. anyone heard that?  It got some good reviews I seem to remember.

The Horn Concerto is closest in style to the Bassoon Concerto, each with five movements and each exploring different moods the instrument can evoke. The 3rd and 5th movements are especially filled with haunting beauty and I think anyone who enjoys the Bassoon Concerto will enjoy it as well. It is scheduled to be performed both in Canada and Spain in the coming year, and I hope a recording will soon follow.

Miguel, I agree completely about the Velvet Brown version of the Tuba Concerto. It is lively and fun and makes the Marc Easener version sound plodding in comparison.

Kathy

[nightscape94 965]

I would definitely say the Bassoon Concerto (The Five Sacred Trees) is the most accessible, because it doesn't get too nuts with modern technique or styles. The Cello Concerto I would say is the most difficult. Honestly, for a while I didn't like it, but it has slowly grown on me with each additional listen.

Tim

[Miguel Andrade 964]

I don't htink that the Cello Concerto is any dificult, in terms of listning.

Probably his more dificult concert piece is his Flute Concerto. Essay for strings is also a bit dificult, not so much for tehcnical resons, buyt to me, is very unsettling piece of muisc, with lots of tension.

And his jazz oriented concert music (Prelude and Fugue, Sinfonietta for Winds, Nostalgic Jazz Odyssey), while also using some of that kind of tension, is quiet accessible.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Listening to treesong for the first time since a long while.

Very good actually, better then i remembered.

Stefancos- who just won on ebay and is awaiting the Cello Concerto SACD

[Miguel Andrade 964]

Miguel, I agree completely about the Velvet Brown version of the Tuba Concerto.  It is lively and fun and makes the Marc Easener version sound plodding in comparison.

Kathy

And Miss Brown even got permission from Williams to play and record it. That must mean something.

And just for curiosity, Velvet Brown's recording is in fact the premiere recording, even if it was released after Easner's.

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

Listening to treesong for the first time since a long while.

Very good actually, better then i remembered.

Stefancos- who just won on ebay and is awaiting the Cello Concerto SACD

Are you getting into classical at last?

I dont recognize you

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

How dare you, i've always been open minded about John Williams infidelities with concert music.

Unlike what Alex thinks i'm not exclusively into "Harry Potter" music.

[Morn 7]

Bassoon Concerto, lots of easy melodies in it.

[Sandor 459]

Thanks for all the help dudes! It made me listen again to stuff like Treesong and the Five Sacred Trees. Maybe I'll make a compilation album with some of the better movements.

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

How dare you, i've always been open minded about John Williams infidelities with concert music.

I thought you stated the you werent interested by them in the past.

Luke, wrong.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Go back to your Harry Potter music and big Star Wars themes and let me and Alex enjoy the other side of Williams talent.

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

Did i said i didnt like his concert works?

HAVE I SAID I LIKE HP THAT MUCH?!

Really im not sure if you are being ironic right now

[King Mark 2,924]

also,I think the first movement of The Five Sacred Trees,which has a slow building grandiose orchestral passage,is the most beautiful.It kind of sounds like film music but isn't

Here's what I would give that person:

Basoon Concerto,1st movement

Elegy for Cello and Orchestra

Soundings

For Sergii

Tuba concerto

Clarinet concerto,4th movement

The Unfinished Journey(all of it)

Hymn to New England

Celebrate Discovery

K.M.

K.M.

[nightscape94 965]

It kind of sounds like film music but isn't.

That's the second time in this thread you brought up his concerto work in relation to a film score sound. Does it have to sound like film music for you to like it?

Tim

[King Mark 2,924]

In a way,yes.I like JW's music because it sounds a certain way in his film scores(certain harmonies,chord progressions,orchestrations...).If he deviates too much from what I like of him in the first place,then it becomes music I don't enjoy as much.

hence I don't like the violin and flute concertos that much,or Treesong,whatever.

K.M.

[MSM 85]

Well i pretty much agree with KM.

His shorter concert works or "festival" pieces are a lot more accesible then his concerto's.

If you want to introduce your friend to his works maybe these are better.

Of course i's just edit 4 pieces from Schindlers List together and call it Violin Concerto II, your friend would never notice.

Haha! I always do that with critical people. I say: listen, have you heard this Prokofiev stuff? Hey, that's great! They usually say

The fact that I made it happen that our orchestra is going to play Flight to Neverland is because I mentioned it as being a 'nice Concert Ouverture', by ....er...well, John Williams...

People stick to their own false beliefs, too much really.

[Sandor 459]

I once tried to "sell" the suite from Seven Years In Tibet as the long lost second Cello Concerto by Elgar, but it sadly didn't work....

[AC1 3,565]

Just listened to the CD with the Bassoon Concerto (The Five Sacred Trees) again and the last track, Old and Lost Rivers, by Tobias Picker is really beautiful. It would make a good alternative End Titles track for Jaws.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[MrScratch 292]

Just listened to the CD with the Bassoon Concerto (The Five Sacred Trees) again and the last track, Old and Lost Rivers, by Tobias Picker is really beautiful.

I love this CD. Five Sacred Trees is my favorite Williams concert work by far, and I enjoy all of the other pieces on that album. Particularly the Hohvaness Symphony.

I'd give him some of his non-film works that sort sound like film works.Maybe some of the celebratory Fanfares and Hymns like Sound the Bells,Liberty Fanfare,Hymn to New England,Celebrate Discovery...ect..,or pieces like Soundings or For Sergii(if you have the boots).

Those are the Williams concert pieces I don't like. With the exception of his original Olympic Fanfare and Summon The Heroes (both of which I LOVE) I find the rest of his non-film fanfares to be very uninspired and boring.

Jeff

[Jeshopk 8]

The Tuba and Clarinet concertos are the most "accessible" to me, but that doesn't make them the greatest ones.

[AC1 3,565]

Just listened to the CD with the Bassoon Concerto (The Five Sacred Trees) again and the last track, Old and Lost Rivers, by Tobias Picker is really beautiful.

I love this CD. Five Sacred Trees is my favorite Williams concert work by far, and I enjoy all of the other pieces on that album. Particularly the Hohvaness Symphony.

Jeff

Hehe, that's the only piece I don't like. It sounds like it was originally written for the organ.