John Williams at Symphony Hall, June 7-12, 2013 (Boston MA)

[Jay 39,703]

I know that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Then your question was illogical....

(aaannnd we're back to normal! )

[Jay 39,703]

Well he said "last Tuesday" which would be Tuesday the 4th, which is why I asked. Maybe it was a dress rehearsal or something, I dunno!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Its...in....the....Boston....thread!

Are you drunk again?

[rpvee 856]

last tuesday

Oh cool! That's the show I was at. Did you record any other pieces?

[WilliamsStarShip2282 321]

Its...in....the....Boston....thread!

Are you drunk again?

i second that!

last tuesday

Oh cool! That's the show I was at. Did you record any other pieces?

no, unfortunatly! im still trying to figure out how to get some pictures up here

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Photobucket

[WilliamsStarShip2282 321]

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[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

http://youtu.be/jeHdtitUwCo

Snippet from The Cowboys. I think I might have a bit of Marion's Theme also

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

http://youtu.be/SeewOUqXkAg

[TownerFan 5,247]

Lovely.

[KK 3,308]

Divine.

[nightscape94 966]

An utterly transcendent theme.

[tannhauser 101]

Great video Stefan, thanks for sharing. I love that arrangement of the theme. You had a really top-notch seat, I'm so envious!

[rpvee 856]

The broadcast of the Saturday recording started!

http://www.wgbh.org/995/bso.cfm

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Can this be downloaded?

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

The concert will be available on-demand but on a lower bitrate.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Anyone record it?

[Foxfan 134]

The on-demand link is now live:

http://www.wgbh.org/programs/The-Boston-Symphony-Orchestra-in-Concert-1641/episodes/Film-Night-with-John-Williams-43745

But I can't locate the downloadable MP3 like we had last year. I need the Lincoln suite as the new arrangement was terrific!

[crocodile 8,575]

You can grab it using Download Helper on Firefox.

Karol

[nightscape94 966]

I like the reception that Hook received.

[obiwan71 26]

Here is one of my shots from the June 11 concert:

[Luke Skywalker 1,951]

great show.

I dont mind the applause... because its a live recording...

But damn with people laughing . I suppose the images they show sometimes make people laugh...(I dont know if I could help it if i was there) but It ruins some pieces. I was expecting to have a good recording of the Oscarts medley... but people clap and laugh almsot in the same spots...

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

I love the applause. Love live recordings too. What I don't care about is the applause during the music and the laughing.

[Luke Skywalker 1,951]

I love the applause. Love live recordings too. What I don't care about is the applause during the music and the laughing.

that's what I mean

[rpvee 856]

When it's the beautiful Titanic theme with Jack and Rose "flying", then an immediate cut to Psycho's shower scene, it's gonna get some laughs. lol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Yeah its unavoidable, possibly intentional.

[JamieC 13]

Just listened to the recording of the concert. The piece 'Getting out the Vote' sounds even more like it should be on The Reivers soundtrack The new presentation of all three pieces from Lincoln are terrific.

[Johnnyecks 33]

Awesome write up and pictures guys! I really, really, wish I would've been able to make it there (almost did, as Stefancos and LeBlanc know), but alas.. missed out.

I am listening to the broadcast right now, and am loving it. What a fun concert it must of been!

I hope I can get to a meet up sometime, and that Stefancos makes it back over again!

[Jay 39,703]

To be continued!!

Yea.... so 3 1/2 weeks later, here I am finally continuing the story! Sorry for the delay. You can click the icon above to read Part 1. Part 2:

So we headed inside Symphony Hall and found our seats. We were on the left side first balcony, which mean we got a pretty damn good view of the entire hall, including the entire stage. I took some pictures of the empty stage before it became filled with musicians:

And here is a picture of the main hall, where Francis, Meghan, Regis, Josef, and many others were:

Directly across from us was Stefan, who posed for us:

And later I caught buried in his phone:

Soon, John Williams took to the stage!

And the program began! Now, sadly the program played did not match what was in the booklet:

But we did get an additional paper showing us the new program:

So basically, they dropped Theme from Accidental Tourist and Throne Room and Finale from Star Wars, but added Adventures of Mutt, the Imperial March, Yoda's Theme, and Star Wars Main Title.

So without further ado, here are my recollections (as best as I have 4 weeks later) included:

John Williams - The Cowboys (Overture)

A score I am not too familiar with, but this overture got things going right away. Fun!

John Williams - Far And Away (Selections [Country Galway, June 1892 / The Fighting Donnellys / Joseph and Shannon / Blowin' Off Steam (The Flight) / Finale])

Oh my goodness, so much fun! The Irish instrumentation and upbeat nature of the music combined to get me tapping my toes and thinking "I need to listen to this CD more often!"

John Williams - Lincoln (The People's House / Getting Out The Vote / With Malice Towards None)

Wow - possibly the highlight of the night. These were not simply the OST versions of these pieces - in fact not even close. All three were re-arranged and lengthened considerably, especially Getting Out The Vote - that was turned from an almost silly source-music piece from the OST to a full blown full-orchestra romp that goes off in completely new directions from where the OST version basis starts. It was AWESOME! The People's House got new lengthy trumpet solos, and With Malice Towards None was extended as well. This was all just beautiful - I am so glad the whole show was played on the radio so we can enjoy these in great quality forever!

John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (The Adventures of Mutt / Marion's Theme)

Adventures of Mutt is a theme that has grown on me over the years - probably since 2009 when I first heard this piece played live, at my first John Williams concert (also at Symphony Hall). I think I've not managed to separate it from the annoying character in the film I didn't like to just the wonderful piece of music it is Marion's Theme was the new concert arrangement he first premiered in 2008 and it's just as lovely as always. Anyone who hasn't heard this arrangement owes it to themselves to track it down, it's one of my favorite Williams arrangements ever!

John Williams - Hook (Flight To Neverland)

Though I had heard this before performed live (John Williams and the Boston Pops in 2010), I had absolutely no problem hearing it again. It's my favorite film score, and this suite has always been a wonderful arrangement of some of it's themes. For this piece the screen was dropped down for the firs time, and a wonderful montage of flight sequences from various films throughout the history of Hollywood were shown on screen, pretty much in sync with the music. I actually though it was a really, really well done montage, it went perfectly with the music.

After this there was an intermission. Here are some pictures I took from the first half of the concert:

Williams talking to the audience:

Trumpet solo during Lincoln:

During intermission I found many other JWFanners, we talked about how great the Lincoln suite was, and about how the employees of the Hall were really cracking down on picture taking, telling people to put cameras away and such. I grabbed a Jack and Ginger from the bar, which was likely the major starting point in my later drunkeness (the bar tender ran out of ginger ale and said "Hope you don't mind mostly Jack!")

Got back to my seat in time for the second half!

Various (Arr. Williams) - A Tribute To The Film Composer

This was a fantastic arrangement I don't believe I had heard before that was a lengthy medley of many famous film score pieces, including Williams own scores such as Jaws, Star Wars, ET, etc, but also many others such as Psycho, Titanic, and many others I now forget. This was all timed to a montage that ran on the screen, all perfectly timed, with several moments drawing laughter from the audience. Fun!

John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (The Circus Train Chase)

This was my personal highlight of the evening. Williams grabbed the microphone and talked about the process of scoring a film, specifically a Spielberg film, while showing the entire Circus Train Chase sequence from Indy 3 on the screen above him, which played with sound effects and dialogue, but no music. At certain points he would say how he would choose to score it, what elements of the scene he wanted to highlight, etc. It was fascinating listening to him talk about it. Then the video played again, and this time the Boston Pops played the score live to the projection. It was just INCREDIBLE - this sequence has always been among my favorite of all the Indiana Jones movies, and I never thought I'd get to hear it live. The arrangement included the Insert for when Indy falls into the Lion car IIRC, and as Indy runs away from the train and the film faded out, Williams added a fun little concert-y flourish to the end. Magnificent!!

David Raksin - Laura (Theme)

Not a score I'm familiar with at all, but this piece was quite lovely, and Julianne Lee's violin solos were very nice.

John Williams - The Adventures of Tintin (The Duel)

I had heard this before in last year's concert of course, but it's so much fun I have no complaints hearing it again! It was accompanied by a great montage of nothing but pirate films from all eras of Hollywood. Another unexpected moment like the Hook footage, but brilliant none the less. I loved it all!

John Williams - Star Wars / The Empire Strikes Back (Imperial March, Yoda's March, Main Title)

I don't know how many times I've heard these by now, but they are always fun! Nothing new here, of course.

Here are some misc pictures from the concert:

After the concert we all went outside to where we knew Williams would be coming out. I had sucessfully gotten his autograph here in 2010, and had failed every since (in 2011 and 2012, and of course earlier in the evening as I have already written about). I came VERY very close to getting another one this time, but alas the amount of autograph-hounds from NYC (who boasted about getting two autographs each, no less - SO annoying) prevented me from getting one. Here are some pics:

And that's the entire story of the concert. Afterwards there was fun with Stefan and Francis in a bar, but alas I am out of time to tell the tale, and must head up to New Hampshire for the weekend. Thanks for reading!

[Omen II 1,256]

Nice pictures, Jason! A completely random observation, but it looks from your photo like the BPO programme uses the exact same font style as the London Philharmonic Orchestra does in its programmes, although I stand to be corrected.

[Joni Wiljami 1,212]

Who played the trumpet solos in Lincoln?

[Thor 8,485]

Thanks for the awesome report, Jason. The guy who waves towards your camera (third table from the stage) is sitting on the seat I had originally booked.

[Smeltington 1,595]

Thanks for posting, Jason! Your enthusiasm is great This reminds me I need to give a listen to the concert recording.

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

Thomas Siders was the soloist in Lincoln.

The font used by the BSO/BPO is LT Aroma. Looking at the logo of the London Philharmonic, that's not the same font.

[Omen II 1,256]

The font used by the BSO/BPO is LT Aroma. Looking at the logo of the London Philharmonic, that's not the same font.

Miguel, I was referring to the font used in the LPO's programmes, not the font used in their logo.

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

Yes, sorry, I misread you

I was just doing some additional checking and the font they use on their CDs does seem to be LT Aroma as well.

[KK 3,308]

Yeah. The LSO uses the same font for their CD booklets.

[Joni Wiljami 1,212]

Thomas Siders was the soloist in Lincoln.

Thank you, Miguel.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

He any good?

[Miguel Andrade 1,381]

But of course he is!

[theMaestraX 106]

A wonderful experience, memories to treasure with this trip, meeting fellow JWFANers, awesome concert seats!NO MORE TO BE SAID!?

 

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

You didnt help me out though. I had two sharpies in my hands. John Williams helped me out, if anyone!

[theMaestraX 106]

YEAH thats right I blame John Williams he used it but I supplied that gold pen!

 

 

[Tom 5,147]

I should not have clicked on this tread.  However, this post cannot make it go any lower. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Lets keep this one up forever?

[theMaestraX 106]

At least We've cleared that up & Your Welcome Steef!

!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

I owe you nothing!

[theMaestraX 106]

Has a lot of issues- damn right!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,438]

Leave me alone! I have MS!