The Force Awakens London or Los Angeles for Star Wars VII score? [UPDATE: It's Los Angeles]

[Not Mr. Big 4,739]

Maybe he could utilize certain members from the LSO as he did for HP1 and HP3. The performances of those scores were fantastic. They were recorded in London though and I don't know if they would be able to fly them over to the US.

Wouldn't there be union issues flying over an orchestra from London to record in LA? Just thinking out loud.

That's possible.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

That's possible.

Fucking unions.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

I love unions. They bring that extra flavour, especially in burgers.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

Yum!

[The Train Station 8,763]

I pick unions and pickles off my burger. Yuck.

[Luke Skywalker 1,941]

In light of recent events, ,I just want Williams to record it period...don't care where

Just what i was going to write today.

[TownerFan 5,232]

It's official: it's gonna be Los Angeles!

http://www.starwars.com/news/john-williams-to-record-star-wars-the-force-awakens-score-in-los-angeles

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

Excellent news.

[TownerFan 5,232]

I'm curious about the process. From how it's worded, it seems they will record the score in various chunks over a longer period of time instead of doing one big bulk. Maybe Williams is writing the score with a slightly different method (scoring the scenes as they're delivered to him instead of having a rough cut of the complete film).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

Well he did that before. With Hook I think.

[TownerFan 5,232]

War of the Worlds too was scored that way, if I remember well.

[John Dutton 7,423]

Jesus. First he's not scoring Spielberg's new film and now he's doing Star Wars without the London Symphony Orchestra. Somehow, this...this is all wrong. This is not the way it's supposed to be.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

[Joe Brausam 221]

This is probably why he couldn't make it work with Bridge of Spies after his health delay, if the writing and recording for Star Wars is going to be spread out over a period of months.

[Giftheck 1,029]

I will admit to a slight disappointment over the LSO not doing this in Abbey Road as was tradition, but everything about this film has diverted from tradition, right down to the release date, the fact Disney is distributing and not Fox, among other things, so I can't say that the disappointment runs too deep. We'll still be getting another John Williams Star Wars score.

[Quintus 5,454]

This was totally expected and it's fine as long as the recording isn't shit. The performance itself will be excellent, I'm sure.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

The real question is who will engineer the recording, yes. That's vital.

[Quintus 5,454]

For me the sad thing here is the fact that JW will never again set foot in Blighty.

[TownerFan 5,232]

It's a bit sad that the tradition is being interrupted. But given the writing and recording schedule (as it seems now) it would be too complicated to record it in London with JW.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

Perhaps some of the more melodramatic among us can take solace in the fact that this film is supposedly a "passing of the torch" - in all respects. That is the way of things... the way of the Force.

[Luke Skywalker 1,941]

So this is due to JJ Abrhams anal retentive secrecy (he does not want even the orchestra seeing the film, so nothing leaks)

Or Williams is ill and they are going to spread the recoding sessions so he can rest a little between works.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

...or he's just 83 and doesn't want to travel to London.

[Quintus 5,454]

...or he's just 83 and doesn't want to travel to London.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

He hasn't left the country since 2005. Why is everyone surprised?

[Thor 8,433]

Expected news, at least for me. There's no way Williams is ever returning to Europe again -- whatever the project is. I think it's in safe hands in LA.

It's a shame that I only got the means to travel long after Williams' last concert performance in Europe (the Barbican in 1998). OK, so I've seen him twice in the US, but still. It's a fact of life.

What an evening that must have been:

[John Dutton 7,423]

The LSO could have come to him.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

Very expensive. And a possible union issue.

[Tom 5,141]

This is a good thing for LA studio musicians, particularly given the rise of synthesized scores, and if it makes JW's life easier, then I am all for it.

[BloodBoal 7,541]

The real question is who will engineer the recording, yes. That's vital.

Dan Wallin!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,422]

It will be either Murphy or Rhodes

[indy4 155]

Awww this is really too bad

[Jay 39,587]

I am sure the resulting CD will sound just find. LA musicians have performed amazing film scores in the past, and there's no reason to think they won't now. The important thing is that Williams is at the helm, getting re-takes until it sounds just right. And they are giving him months to do so.

Spared no expense!

[Darth Crossfader 577]

It will be either Murphy or Rhodes

Murphy is the most likely canditate, given the fact he's recorded all of Williams's scores since 2004.

I am sure the resulting CD will sound just find. LA musicians have performed amazing film scores in the past, and there's no reason to think they won't now. The important thing is that Williams is at the helm, getting re-takes until it sounds just right. And they are giving him months to do so.

Spared no expense!

I hope this means less edited music in the film.

[Romão 2,322]

If the recording schedule is as spread out as the article seems to suggest, this is really the only viable option and explains a bit his withdrawal from Bridge of Spies. And he seems to be taking his time with the TFA score, which can only be a good thing

[Jay 39,587]

Yea, hopefully it means JW gets a chance to re-score (either from scratch or with Inserts) any scenes that get edited after his initial cue was recorded, so the final film won't feel like a hodgepodge of familiar music. And it means a future expanded CD could have more fun alternates!

[Alex 2,888]

Recording quality should be great. I am concerned about whether the LA musicians are up for. The performance for Indy 4 was noticeably inferior to the LSO.

[Balahkay 629]

I wonder when they will start recording, especially if it's going to take several months to record it?

[Tom 5,141]

My guess is that by "several months" it will be similar to Tintin. there will basically be two recording sessions separated by, in this case, three months or so.

[Muad'Dib 1,871]

Cool! Here's hoping someone from around here is able to attend and give us little details as progress is made.

[Darth Crossfader 577]

Recording quality should be great. I am concerned about whether the LA musicians are up for. The performance for Indy 4 was noticeably inferior to the LSO.

It's been debated countless times, here. Both LA-based studio musicians (often performing in various established local orchestras as well) and the musicians of the London Symphony are very talented and highly professional people. This doesn't mean that if both orchestras were to interpret a specific cue, they would interpret it in the exact same way - it means that in both cases, the piece will be performed with the utmost professionalism there is to be found.

I think it's fairly safe to expect Star Wars VII will sound like Williams's most recent scores recorded in LA, which shouldn't be a problem at all given the amount of expertise audible in those recordings. The recording won't sound absolutely perfect - after all, recording a film score is a stressfull experience, regardless of the orchestra contracted - but given the amount of time dedicated purely to rehearsal of the music, the results will undoubtedly demonstrate the same amount of expertise present in other scores recorded in LA.

[crumbs 14,891]

Which score did Williams give the musicians sheet music the day before so they could rehearse overnight?

He was worried about the complexity of what he wrote and whether they could pick it up on the day of the record. Tintin?

[John Dutton 7,423]

I'm not worried about the performance of Star Wars because of Indy 4. Everything in Indy 4 was noticeably inferior. I'm more worried about the music itself.

[Joe Brausam 221]

Yeah....I don't get what people have against the LA musicians. As Alexander said, many of them are members of the major orchestras out there. The only benefit of having the LSO is to have the chemistry of the players in an organized orchestra. But these players play together often enough that this can't be an issue. And Williams has his list of people to contract, he's been using these people exclusively for ten years now, and much longer before. The players know what Williams is looking for in his performances. The LSO hasn't dealt with Williams in 10 years.

[mrbellamy 6,772]

Which score did Williams give the musicians sheet music the day before so they could rehearse overnight?

He was worried about the complexity of what he wrote and whether they could pick it up on the day of the record. Tintin?

Didn't this happen with "Hedwig's Theme"?

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

People who have something against the LA musicians just don't know anything. Simple as that.

I hope neither Murphy nor Rhodes (not that he'd have any reason to show up for it) are involved. Better to have a fresh sound.

[Balahkay 629]

When was Williams' last LSO score? Revenge of the Sith?

[Jay 39,587]

Yes.

[TownerFan 5,232]

This article explains a bit the editorial process they're doing on the film. The fact they're apparently doing the scoring sessions in separate chunks over a longer period of time could also be a consequence of how post-production of the film itself is being handled.

[Darth Crossfader 577]

People who have something against the LA musicians just don't know anything. Simple as that.

I hope neither Murphy nor Rhodes (not that he'd have any reason to show up for it) are involved. Better to have a fresh sound.

Shoot me for it, but I've actually really enjoyed the engineering on Williams's scores since Indy IV.

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

People who have something against the LA musicians just don't know anything. Simple as that.

I hope neither Murphy nor Rhodes (not that he'd have any reason to show up for it) are involved. Better to have a fresh sound.

Shoot me for it, but I've actually really enjoyed the engineering on Williams's scores since Indy IV.

Oh I don't mind Murphy's sound either like some do, but I'd like to see as many new faces involved as possible.