John Williams Conducts the Boston Pops – May 31 & June 1, 2017

The second half of this concert, along with the first half of the Arthur Fiedler Memorial Concert from May 23, are now available at WGBH.org Download MP3

“JOHN WILLIAMS’ FILM NIGHT”
May 31 & June 1, 2017, Boston, MA
The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra conducted by Keith Lockhart and JOHN WILLIAMS

CONCERT PROGRAM

Keith Lockhart Conducting:

  • Pops on the March
  • Main Title from The Towering Inferno
  • Stargazers from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
  • Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick
  • Theme from JFK
  • The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin
  • Viktor’s Tale from The Terminal
  • Harry’s Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
  • March from Superman

INTERMISSION

John Wiliams Conducting:

  • Hooray For Hollywood (Whiting, arr. Williams)
  • A Child’s Tale – Suite from The BFG
  • Out to Sea / Shark Cage Fugue from Jaws
  • A New Beginning from Minority Report
  • Scherzo for X-Wings from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Rey’s Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • March of the Resistance from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Tribute to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg
    (Theme from Jaws / Star Wars Main Title / The Raiders March / Flying from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial)
    ENCORES
  • Princess Leia’s Theme from Star Wars
  • March from 1941
  • The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back

This concert will be available on-demand on July 2

EXTERNAL REVIEWS

  • ColonneSonore.net – Williams then addressed the audience again to introduce three pieces from The Force Awakens (2015), the seventh installment of the Star Wars saga. The composer recalled his bond with the movie series that gave him enormous popularity; Williams also informed the public he has nearly finished writing and recording the music for the new chapter, The Last Jedi (out in December), and confessed once again his infatuation for young star Daisy Ridley (“When I was asked if I wanted to write the music for the new movie, I said yes because I did not want anyone else to write music for Daisy!”, joked Williams). – Full review
  • SoundtTrackFest – Having the opportunity to watch John Williams conduct is an incredible experience, especially if you’re close enough. You can see in his face how he looks into the musician’s eyes, to give exact instructions on how to perform or how to attack a specific section of a piece. He was conducting not only with the baton, which kept the rhythm and the pace all the time, but with the expression of his hands and with his looks and even the raising of his eyebrows. It’s incredible the strength and stamina an 85 year old man can have. But there’s a reason behind that: doing what you love most, conduct your music live in front of a committed audience. – Full review (includes photos)
  • The Boston Globe – Lockhart described Williams as the type of composer who gets the most out of an orchestra by knowing exactly where each note belongs, and that was plainly evident as Williams took the stage himself. He coaxed and cajoled the music, clapping as he conducted his “1941” march (“An American in Paris” as written by Aaron Copland) and more than once grabbing notes from the musicians. – Full review

VIDEOS

Tribute to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (Theme from Jaws / Star Wars Main Title / The Raiders March / Flying from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial):

CONCERT PHOTOS

John Williams with JWFan member Maurizio Caschetto