A John Williams Celebration - LA Phil on DVD & Blu-ray June 30 (Soundings premiere release)

[Lewya 360]

New video with John Williams -

[Miguel Andrade 1,375]

The main thing is that this is getting a release on DVD and BD from C-major

And Soundings seems to be included:

http://naxosusa.com/2015/john-williams/

Release date is still a couple of months away...

[Darth Crossfader 577]

Looks neat! I guess this marks the premiere official release of SOUNDINGS on any medium, then.

[Stempel 136]

Great!

[Muad'Dib 1,871]

Finally! It's also great to see how quick Williams is expressing himself with words, I think I haven't seen him like that ever really. I don't know if it's the confidence of talking to someone on his same level musically or that he respects Gustavo, but it's still great.

[Ricard 2,270]

Excellent! It should be noted that the YouTube link mentions Jaws and Amistad as part of the selections featured on the release, both omitted on the Naxos page.

Here's the JWFan article on the gala including reviews and photos, and the discussion thread.

Edit: Amistad is also mentioned on the BD/DVD cover.

[Tom 5,142]

Its about time someone released a DVD of a Williams concert--I know he is not the main conductor, but it is still awesome. Hopefully the interview snippets in the youtube video will be part of an extensive interview included on the DVD.

[EdwardHall 30]

What a coincidence. I was lamenting the lack of a "Soundings" release two days ago on the forum. We have been waiting almost twelve years for a recording!!

[zoltan_902 141]

Agreed, 'Soundings' is the biggest intrigue on this. The video on YouTube from its premiere is better than nothing of course, but we can only see, that the final parts of the piece which are obviously very complex in texture and harmony, and the poor quality of the video manage to obscure those fine details. I'd also be in the market for a JW Signature Edition manuscript of the piece - that would be fascinating.

[Quintus 5,454]

This is good but I wish they wouldn't ruin a performance with stupid Darth Vader parading about on stage.

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

Indeed.

[Incanus 5,818]

Great news! It is about time we get a release of Soundings!

[fommes 155]

Excellent news! But please tell me this will be a region-free Blu-ray release?

[crocodile 8,543]

I was about to ask that.

Karol

[DreamTheater 131]

They must know that fans all over the world will want this, not the U.S. only. Hopefully.

I don't know what Soundings is.

[Incanus 5,818]

I don't know what Soundings is.

It is a concert piece Williams wrote for the inauguration of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2003.

[crocodile 8,543]

They must know that fans all over the world will want this, not the U.S. only. Hopefully.

I don't know what Soundings is.

This piece:

Karol

[Miguel Andrade 1,375]

Excellent news! But please tell me this will be a region-free Blu-ray release?

All the C-major BD releases I own are region free.

[bespinGPT 8,823]

Good, this will be a great third addition to the anemic "Video album" section of the Wiki disco!

• 2007 Broadway's Best at Pops (Arthur Fiedler, John Williams and Keith Lockhart/Boston Pops)
• 2013 Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration (Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Stefan Asbury, Andris Nelsons, etc./Boston Pops, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography#Video_albums

[Thor 8,450]

This is the concert that was shown on Norwegian TV a couple of weeks ago (although it annoyingly omitted the "Soundings" bit). Glad to see it get a proper release.

I wish the Boston Pops concerts with JW got this treatment. Imagine a big box of all JW/BP concerts from 1980 to 1993!

[Miguel Andrade 1,375]

This is the concert that was shown on Norwegian TV a couple of weeks ago (although it annoyingly omitted the "Soundings" bit). Glad to see it get a proper release.

I wish the Boston Pops concerts with JW got this treatment. Imagine a big box of all JW/BP concerts from 1980 to 1993!

He continued doing Evening at Pops shows until 2004, when WGBH canceled the series.

[Tom 5,142]

I like that the program contains a nice selection of his fully fleshed out concert versions of film scores. The three pieces from Schindler's and Catch Me form small concertos. I would have like the Lincoln pieces thrown in, but we do get a nice definitive-type concert program for legacy purposes.

[John Dutton 7,436]

We need this on Blu-ray:

The best part is when the remote control Artoo awkwardly rolls onto the stage. For a moment there, I didn't think he was going to make it.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting in this clip to hear Williams speak about trying to enhance boring scenes in films with music. This is something he was frequently tasked with in the Prequels and Crystal Skull. Whether or not he succeeded...

[Andy 5,193]

^That was bloody amazing. Never saw that one before. Thanks for posting it.

[Johnnyecks 33]

Great!!! This will go nicely next to my Varese dvd, Goldsmith dvd, and Shore LOTR concert dvd. About time we have a Williams one!

[Jay 39,601]

Cover art:

Order link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WAZHRQ8/jwfancom-20

[Ricard 2,270]

[Jay 39,601]

Oddity: The official site lists 3 additional pieces that aren't listed on the cover:

Olympic Fanfare and Theme

Soundings

The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin

While the cover lists one piece that isn't mentioned on the site

Amistad

[Ricard 2,270]

They just replaced the list with the Blu-ray's back cover. This seems to be the final program:

• Olympic Fanfare and Theme
• Soundings
• Schindler's List
• Fiddler on the Roof
• Catch Me If You Can
• Star Wars
• Amistad
• The Empire Strikes Back
  
• BONUS: Interviews with John Williams, Gustavo Dudamel and Itzhak Perlman

[Thor 8,450]

They cut out the TINTIN cue? Weird. It was in the TV broadcast a couple of weeks ago.

[thx99 1,874]

They cut out the TINTIN cue? Weird. It was in the TV broadcast a couple of weeks ago.

Damn!! I hadn't noticed that. Total speculation, but maybe they couldn't secure all of the rights for the various film clips that were shown. I imagine that would have been a nightmare.

[DreamTheater 131]

Bummer.

[Tom 5,142]

I was worried that we would not get Soundings, so I am happy (though the Tintin montage would have been nice).

[ricsim88 256]

Preordered

[TownerFan 5,239]

I'm sure The Duel from Tintin is included as well. The Norwegian broadcast had a running time of approximately 74 mins (without Soundings) while this one has a running time of 85 mins. Soundings has a duration of more or less 10 mins, so it makes sense.

[Tom 5,142]

soundings runs about 15 minutes. The version on youtube edits out the first part.

[Marian Schedenig 9,106]

I was worried that we would not get Soundings, so I am happy (though the Tintin montage would have been nice).

Exactly.

[That_Bloke 125]

The angle at which the building is shown on the cover seems to resemble the Sydney Opera House (but less curvy). Makes me wonder if that's what Disney had in mind when they built the hall, or if the label thought that the angle would suggest some visual link for classical music buyers/demographic

[Jay 39,601]

It's a Frank Gehry building!

[That_Bloke 125]

It's a Frank Gehry building!

yes, yes, I know it's Mr Gehry's work. I was just reflecting on the angle at which the pic was shown. Seen from other angles the hall doesn't look like Mr Utzon's design.

***

..... a long time in the future... Mr Gehry's private letters found... one from Joern Utzon reading, "Dear Frank, the bogan Australian government stuffed up my original vision. You reckon the next time you score a concert halll gig you could set things right and show them how things should be done please?. Cheers J"

[BloodBoal 7,541]

Disney Concert Hall: Age Of Utzon

[Oskar 80]

John Williams and Gustavo Dudamel interview

[Not Mr. Big 4,739]

They misspelled Tintin!

[Thor 8,450]

Thanks for the interview clip, Oskar. Nothing there that us 'hardcore' Williams fans didn't already know, but as always a treat to see him speak. It happens more and more rarely these days.

[TownerFan 5,239]

Lovely interview, I wish they'd go on for a couple of hours

They talk about Tintin, so I guess the selection is actually included in the DVD main program.

[crocodile 8,543]

Nice interview. Something slightly different for a change. Other than the tedious Oscar/film promotion stuff.

It's also good to learn Williams is only writing music for scenes that "bore him". At least we know why prequels were scored wall-to-wall.

Also, he looks very good and healthy, I'm glad to add.

Karol

[Ricard 2,270]

Itzhak Perlman discusses working with John Williams on Schindler's List and Fiddler on the Roof.

[Darth Crossfader 577]

Does Williams speak a bit of French? His pronunciation of Tintin in the Dudamel interview was quite good.

[mrbellamy 6,778]

I think he's just good at affecting the accent.

[Thor 8,450]

Does Williams speak a bit of French? His pronunciation of Tintin in the Dudamel interview was quite good.

He, he...I wouldn't be surprised. He has roots in French-speaking Canada on his mother's side.