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Conversations - New Chamber (piano solo) by John Williams


pro-arte

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The pieces are titled:

Phineas and Mumbett

Claude and Monk

Chet and Miles

Strays, Duke... And Blind Tom

His notes are the longest out of the other composers, so I get the feeling he really enjoyed writing these. I don't dislike them but I need to give it a few listens. It definitely tickles my fancy for the more mysterious and brooding JW sound.

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Gotta get a chance to listen to this the first chance that I get.

From what I'm reading here on this thread, these works sound very promising.

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I didn't even know this was out already. Damn, I'm heading over to Amazon.

It's still on pre-order at Amazon and is being officially released on February 10. However, CDs have been sent out to those who contributed to the Kickstarter project at a certain donation level.

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Ah, gotcha.

Looking at the Amazon page, I see it's listed at $20 plus shipping. With the current exchange rates (strong dollar), that's rather expensive. I might have to consider a download-only of the Williams part instead of a physical CD. I assume it's coming to iTunes as well?

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Yeah, it should be coming to iTunes. I don't know why I wouldn't, considering it has big name film composers attached to it.

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Ah, gotcha.

Looking at the Amazon page, I see it's listed at $20 plus shipping. With the current exchange rates (strong dollar), that's rather expensive. I might have to consider a download-only of the Williams part instead of a physical CD. I assume it's coming to iTunes as well?

What about Amazon UK? Release date a day earlier than US and the price is 13.99 £ plus shipping.

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Ah, gotcha.

Looking at the Amazon page, I see it's listed at $20 plus shipping. With the current exchange rates (strong dollar), that's rather expensive. I might have to consider a download-only of the Williams part instead of a physical CD. I assume it's coming to iTunes as well?

What about Amazon UK? Release date a day earlier than US and the price is 13.99 £ plus shipping.

That's actually MORE expensive. Pounds are much stronger than dollars still.

Sounds petty, perhaps, but what can I say -- money is extremely tight right now.

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Money concerns are "petty"?

If a JW fan hasn't got enough money stashed away for the latest JW related CD release, he is very petty. John Williams's music above all. One can do without food but not without his music.

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Money concerns are "petty"?

If a JW fan hasn't got enough money stashed away for the latest JW related CD release, he is very petty.

Not true. I don't own any physical albums by JW.

:peepwall:

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Money concerns are "petty"?

If a JW fan hasn't got enough money stashed away for the latest JW related CD release, he is very petty.

Not true. I don't own any physical albums by JW.

:peepwall:

Why you, you, you heathen!

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Money concerns are "petty"?

If a JW fan hasn't got enough money stashed away for the latest JW related CD release, he is very petty.

Not true. I don't own any physical albums by JW.

:peepwall:

Why you, you, you heathen!

Now, let's not get hasty in passing judgment here.

I do have the digital album for Hook (not the LLL limited edition release), but that's a start, right?

...

...

...

Right...? :mellow:

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I've gotten to listen to each piece now, some more than once.

The Broughton and Newman works are nice, but probably not ones I'll revisit all that often.

Giacchino's is a strange fusion of some of his film mannerisms, Debussyisms, and Herrmannisms. Not bad.

Conversations is not easy listening and I'll have to delve into it more before really knowing much about it, but I do like it already. It probably won't make a huge splash on here.

Davis and Desplat are the immediate standouts here, delivering very different but equally stunning pieces. The former is also unlikely to impress many here, with its densely modern language. I'd love it if we could have some technical discussions on it, though. Desplat's piece is everything I expected and far more: seven ravishingly beautiful minutes of pure French harmony. There's nothing second rate about this; it's not an "impression" of that old but timeless style. He seems to really have it in his blood and that makes me so happy. This guy is a force, a truly masterful composer. I hope to hear much more concert music from him.

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Can we kickstart good recordings of Fanfare for Ten Year Olds and Michael Dukakis now?

or WIlliams' Symphony? (if we're talking only about concert music) ;)

JW would nix that before you could even apply for the materials.

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Conversations is not easy listening and I'll have to delve into it more before really knowing much about it, but I do like it already. It probably won't make a huge splash on here.

So are you still at "Fuck yes!!!!!" levels of enthusiasm for Williams's piece?

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Conversations is not easy listening and I'll have to delve into it more before really knowing much about it, but I do like it already. It probably won't make a huge splash on here.

So are you still at "Fuck yes!!!!!" levels of enthusiasm for Williams's piece?

Well, isn't that the whole point of being a JWFan? :john:

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Can we kickstart good recordings of Fanfare for Ten Year Olds and Michael Dukakis now?

or WIlliams' Symphony? (if we're talking only about concert music) ;)

JW would nix that before you could even apply for the materials.

Indeed. While the score sheets are available to rent, I have a feeling a big red light flashes everytime someone tries to order it, with a direct line to Williams, who is then able to stop the purchase before it is made. He really HATES that piece, doesn't he?

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On 1/28/2015 at 2:31 PM, Thor said:
On 1/28/2015 at 4:28 AM, Incanus said:
On 1/28/2015 at 3:34 AM, filmmusic said:
On 1/28/2015 at 3:18 AM, king mark said:

Can we kickstart good recordings of Fanfare for Ten Year Olds and Michael Dukakis now?

or WIlliams' Symphony? (if we're talking only about concert music) ;)

JW would nix that before you could even apply for the materials.

Indeed. While the score sheets are available to rent, I have a feeling a big red light flashes everytime someone tries to order it, with a direct line to Williams, who is then able to stop the purchase before it is made. He really HATES that piece, doesn't he?

You joke, but...trust me, that does seem to almost be the case.

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He likely now sees it as a work of youth and probably doesn't feel comfortable to see it published. He planned to do a major revision several years ago, but I guess he wasn't pleased with that too. Who knows, maybe one day he will, or maybe not.

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He likely now sees it as a work of youth and probably doesn't feel comfortable to see it published. He planned to do a major revision several years ago, but I guess he wasn't pleased with that too. Who knows, maybe one day he will, or maybe not.

Well, he did record "Essay for Strings" just a few years ago (its premiere commercial release), and that was from the year BEFORE the symphony. He even provided liner notes. So I doubt it has anything to do with the piece being old. I think it's more vanity.

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He likely now sees it as a work of youth and probably doesn't feel comfortable to see it published. He planned to do a major revision several years ago, but I guess he wasn't pleased with that too. Who knows, maybe one day he will, or maybe not.

I think it's more vanity.

Or just being uncomfortable.

I wouldn't like anyone to hear my first piece.

(I remember my teacher saying it's just outside the limits of being kitscsh. :P And he was right!)

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Yeah the perspective of the artist regarding his own work is radically different from the fans'. JW might have much more fondness for Essay for Strings if he thinks it to be a succesful outing from his younger days than the symphony he feels to be a lesser work.

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Yeah, Herrmann allegedly had some reservations about it, but SO WHAT? Get over yourself, John, and polish it before you publish it!

The work was revised and set for performance, back in 1988, but at the last minute it was replaced in the program for some film music.

He likely now sees it as a work of youth and probably doesn't feel comfortable to see it published. He planned to do a major revision several years ago, but I guess he wasn't pleased with that too. Who knows, maybe one day he will, or maybe not.

My guess as well. Probably after his death he might be able to get this performed and recorded, but I think it's unlikely he will go back to it again.

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He likely now sees it as a work of youth and probably doesn't feel comfortable to see it published. He planned to do a major revision several years ago, but I guess he wasn't pleased with that too. Who knows, maybe one day he will, or maybe not.

Well, he did record "Essay for Strings" just a few years ago (its premiere commercial release), and that was from the year BEFORE the symphony. He even provided liner notes. So I doubt it has anything to do with the piece being old. I think it's more vanity.

Williams did not record the "Essay for Strings" -- though he did perform it at Tanglewood a few years ago. The score for that one as been available for ages now, have been somewhat regularly performed and two commercial recordings exist -- not sure if the LSO/Feldman is still in-print, and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra/Brosse one is just available as a digital download.

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