Quintus 5,399 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I've recently got hold of all his Olympic stuff and I must say that of all his work in this area, I absolutely adore his "The Olympic Spirit" track. Its a superbly rousing piece which seems to sing everything that the Olympics is about. But then what did I expect from Williams - he always nails the emotive feeling of his inspiration. This particular track has been hammered to death by me recently and I still haven't tired of it. I just can't believe I've only just discovered it after all these years. What a hidden gem its turned out to be. its a shame its not more well known, but I guess you could say that about a lot of Williams less famous works.So whats your favourite Williams Olympic track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 The Atlanta Olympic theme is my favourite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futuremartymcfly 0 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I have to agree with Salacius, Summon the Heroes is one of Williams' best non-film works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted February 15, 2006 Author Share Posted February 15, 2006 I have to agree with Salacius, Summon the Heroes is one of Williams' best non-film worksIt certainly has a great theme, but I prefered the concert version he played live at the opening. It trims out all the less thematic stuff and would work better on my Ipod. I have his performance at the Atlanta opening ceremony on vhs actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 I have to agree with Salacius, Summon the Heroes is one of Williams' best non-film worksIt certainly has a great theme, but I prefered the concert version he played live at the opening. It trims out all the less thematic stuff and would work better on my Ipod. I have his performance at the Atlanta opening ceremony on vhs actually.I agree with you, I got a CD with both versions and even though I like both of them I prefer the shorter version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melisande 0 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 The Olympic Fanfare and Theme for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is probably my first exposure to Williams' music that I can remember (I didn't watch the Star Wars movies until I was a bit older.) It's a perennial favorite of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 1984 Olympic Fanfare is the best period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,624 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Olympic fanfare and theme.Classic WilliamsThe other ones are great too.My least favourite is The Olympic Spirit.k.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,172 Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Summon the Heroes slightly beats Olympic Fanfare and Theme, there's just so much to it.Clearly behind is Call of the Champions. Great though the "Citius! Altius! Fortius!" bits are, the main theme is just so mediocre, and the choir is wasted except for the CAF bits. It doesn't help that the recording sucks, either.Marian - who loves it for CAB, but considers it a missed opportunity. Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanticStrings 10 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I must say that I enjoy all of them. My favorite changes at each one to which I listen.~Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I fluctuate between "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" and "Summon the Heroes." The former is a complete classic and absolutely sparkles, while the latter is amazingly driving and so seemingly complex. I love 'em both!Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Summon the Heroes. They are all great but I think in Call of the ChampionsWilliams ran out of ideas. Great choir and everythink,slightly disappointed was I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,713 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Summon the Heroes. They are all great but I think in Call of the ChampionsWilliams ran out of ideas. Great choir and everythink,slightly disappointed was I.You talk like Yoda but I have to partly agree on what you said about the Call of the Champions. It did not feel as emotionally charged as I would have liked to. And I am still little baffled how a 350 person choir can sound so small. I was expecting HUGE choir sound and it was mixed down so it loses much of its power. Still the piece is very good wintery Olympic theme though not Williams' best.In my opinion Summon the Heroes is Williams' best Olympic theme. It is the first Williams Olympic theme I ever heard and none of the others is quite that good. He really achieves the feeling and spirit of Olympic festivities and the competition itself in his music. And the brass work in the Summon the Heroes is phenomenal as is Morrison's trumpet solo part. I have not listened to the Olympic music in a while so the Winter Olympics are a good excuse Smile I will go and listen to Williams' Olympic works right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 You talk like Yoda but I have to partly agree on what you said about the Call of the Champions. It did not feel as emotionally charged as I would have liked to. And I am still little baffled how a 350 person choir can sound so small. 350? Blimey , it sounds very narrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Wiljami 1,206 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Btw, Summon of the heroes is great "feel good/cheer up"-piece.That's why 'm going to listen to it next week, after Finland have won Gold in olympic hockey!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,713 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Btw, Summon of the heroes is great "feel good/cheer up"-piece.That's why 'm going to listen to it next week, after Finland have won Gold in olympic hockey!!Well of course we are going to win. That is obvious. I'll be blasting Summon the Heroes form my lound speakers all night when that happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,624 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 You talk like Yoda but I have to partly agree on what you said about the Call of the Champions. It did not feel as emotionally charged as I would have liked to. And I am still little baffled how a 350 person choir can sound so small. 350? Blimey , it sounds very narrowThat's because the recording sucks.There's a Boston Pops performance that's much better .K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 1) We're Looking Good2) Call of the Champions3) The Olympic Spirit4) Summon the Heroes5) Olympic Fanfare and Theme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futuremartymcfly 0 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I haven't heard of We're looking Good, when did Williams write that one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 1987 - "We're Lookin' Good!"Composed in 1987 for the Special Olympics, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Premiered by Williams and the Boston pops on May 5th of that year. The version with lyrics was performed in August of the same year during the games cerimonies, with the 550 athlets singing Available on bootleg recordings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,624 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 That piece is a bit silly...like Pops on the MarchK.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Definitely Fanfare and Theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony69 0 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 i like call of the champion for the beginning bit. the middle is lame. williams was clearly like 'oh shit, i have to finish this piece. lemme rush it.' olympic spirit sucked as well. the melody is good, but not appropriate. the backgrounds to the theme are also overly simplistic. howver, in fanfare and summon, he was in top notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salacius 7 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 You talk like Yoda but I have to partly agree on what you said about the Call of the Champions. It did not feel as emotionally charged as I would have liked to. And I am still little baffled how a 350 person choir can sound so small. 350? Blimey , it sounds very narrowThat's because the recording sucks.There's a Boston Pops performance that's much better .K.M.Thanks, I'll look it up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendan 0 Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 A question for the Williams Olympic experts: does "Olympic Spirit" have any back-story or named sections like "Summon the Heroes" does? I'm conducting a concert this week which includes Olympic Spirit (my trumpets aren't quite up to the task of Summon the Heroes ) and I would like to tell the audience a bit more about the piece than, "Duhhhh...it sounds heroic because it's for the Olympics!" Does anyone have any interviews Williams may have given during the Korean Olympics?Oh, and for the record, Olympic Spirit is indeed my favorite Olympic theme....easily one of JW's greatest heroic themes ever written.-Brendan (the crazy David Arnold fanatic from the Filmtracks ScoreBoard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 1984 Olympic Fanfare is the best period.I agree,as I see it, there is only this, and there are no other Olympic themes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottsinct 3 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I love Summon the Heroes. In my opinion it's one of the top things he's ever composed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tribeca 0 Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Does anyone know the music at the end of NBC's coverage last night. It was played with the highlights and showing the credits. IS this John williams? IF so what song is it? If not, does anyone know who composed it?thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonist88 0 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I'm going to have to say my favorite theme is The Olympic Spirit, just because that one seems to move so much for at heart just being a huge fanfare. I love that song... Then again, I love all of the olympic themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco314 16 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 My favourite, by far is The Olympic Spirit. I always found it exhilarating, more than the others, and perfectly structured. The short version of "Summon the Heroes" is better than the long one, I think (although I regret that the trumpet solo is gone). I also agree that "Call of the Champions" was a disappointment, especially since it was composed in 2002, a year full of terrific stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonist88 0 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I'm not sure that I agree with the majority of you about Call of the Champions. Despite the weak chior and slight lack of that WOW factor Willaims scores usually carry, CotC was not a dissapointing piece unto itself. When you think about it, it's mostly meant to be heard as background for news stuff on NBC... I think Williams did well with it, even if it wasn't up to his usual par. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,624 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 My favourite Williams Olympic work right now is that 20 second bumper I recorded the other day K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Vincent 8 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Williams Olympics Work. Which Is Your favourite?Munich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adoy 1 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I like Olympic Spirit best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,615 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 My top 3 JW pieces for the Olympics:1. Summon the Heroes (short version)2. The Olympic Fanfare and Theme3. Call of the Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 What's this "short version" of Summon the Heroes? I don't recall ever hearing about that before. Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 It's on the CD called The Sound Of Glory, a CD released for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.It contains several Olympic themes and some music that conjures up the Olympic feeling, like Parade Of The Charioteers by Rozsa or Conquest Of Paradise.All performed by the Boston Pops under Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Interesting, thanks for the info.Ray Barnsbury - who shall investigate promptly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I've only ever seen this CD's in bargain or cut-out bins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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