Australian premiere of Battle of the Heroes
Sydney Town Hall, Sydney, Australia
Friday, July 8, 2005
The Eminence Symphony Orchestra & Eminence Symphonic Choir and conducted by Philip Chu & Daniel Smith
‘The World of John Williams’
CONCERT PROGRAM
1. Hedwig’s theme (from Harry Potter)
2. Harry’s Wonderous World (from Harry Potter)
3. Theme from Schindler’s List
4. Hymn to the Fallen (from Saving Private Ryan)
5. Across the Stars (Love Theme from Attack of the Clones)
6. Adventures on Earth (from E.T The Extra-Terrestrial)
7. Star Wars (suite for Orchestra)
I. Main Title (from Star Wars)
II. Princess Leia’s Theme (from Star Wars)
III. The Imperial March (from Star Wars)
IV. Yoda’s Theme (from The Empire Strikes Back)
V. Throne Room & End Title (from Star Wars)
8. The Flag Parade (from The Phantom Menace)
9. Battle of the Heroes (from Revenge of the Sith)
10. Somewhere In My Memory (from Home Alone)
11. Summon The Heroes
12. The Raiders’ March (from Raiders of the Lost Ark)
13. Duel of the Fates (from The Phantom Menace)
(Thanks to ‘Damo’)
PRE-CONCERT REPORT
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
Orchestra to Showcase Soundtrack Genious
You might not know his name, but anyone who can hum the theme to Raiders of the Lost Ark orStar Wars knows John Williams’s music.
“John Williams is the king of all Western soundtrack,” says Hiroaki Yura, a violinist, movie fan and founder of Sydney’s Eminence orchestra.
Tomorrow at Sydney Town Hall, Eminence will showcase some of Williams’s most famous work in a concert called World of John Williams, playing theme songs from films like Raiders, ET, Saving Private Ryan, Star Wars and Harry Potter.
“He has this kind of sense of hope in his music; it’s always grand and it sounds fantastic in an orchestra,” Yura says. “I don’t think there’s anything written for an orchestra that’s better.”
Included on the bill is the Australian premiere of Battle of the Heroes, penned by Williams for the showdown fights between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in the latest Star Wars film. They’ll also play Star Wars favourites like the Imperial March, an ominous tune associated with the arch villain Darth Vader.
Audiences can also expect a suite Williams composed for the Harry Potter films, in time for the July 16 release of the latest book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
While the music was composed for children’s films, the Harry Potter suite is no child’s play, says Yura.
“The Harry Potter stuff is the most difficult out of the whole concert,” the lead violinist says. “It’s got really hard runs, very fast passages.”
Eminence’s conductor, Philip Chu, says Williams is the new Wagner. “They are very similar in their ideas. In Wagner, where there’s a theme or a person’s character, whenever that theme or person is on stage you have that same music,” he says.
Yura hopes that popular classical music can introduce a new generation of music lovers to orchestral music.
“None of my friends would go on a date to a symphony orchestra, but if we keep on [playing popular music] maybe people will realise what a super instrument the orchestra is,” he says. “Maybe there will be a time when it’s cool to take your girlfriend or boyfriend to the symphony orchestra.”