Boston Symphony Hall, Boston, MA
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The Boston Symphony Orchestra Conducted by JOHN WILLIAMS
Alan K. Simpson, Narrator
‘Film Night’
CONCERT PROGRAM
- ARNAUD/WILLIAMS: Bugler’s Dream/Olympic Fanfare & Theme
- WILLIAMS: Song for World Piece
- WILLIAMS: Olympic Spirit
- WILLIAMS: Dartmoor, 1912 from War Horse
- WILLIAMS: Suite from The Reivers (Alan Simpson, Narrator)
Intermission - WILLIAMS: Fanfare for Fenway
- WILLIAMS: The Cowboys Overture
- BARRY: John Dunbar’s Theme from Dances with Wolves
- NEWMAN: Theme from How the West Was Won
- STEINER: Theme from Now, Voyager
- WILLIAMS: The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin
- WILLIAMS: A Tribute to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg
Encores - WILLIAMS: Yoda’s Theme from The Empire Strikes Back
- WILLIAMS: March from Superman
- SOUSA: Stars and Stripes Forever
EXTERNAL REVIEWS
- John Williams and the Boston Pops @ Symphony Hall, Boston, MA (ReadJunk.com) – If Lincoln truly is John Williams’ last score of his career and he makes it back to Boston next year, I will certainly trek over there again to see him perform. It will be worth it. – Full review
PHOTOS
AUDIO
Click below to listen to the full show
JWFAN REVIEWS
Concert Review by ‘ETAndElliot4Ever’
Overall, pretty good. I really dug that they did both 80s Olympics themes. Those, I think, are the best ones. They’re musically like brothers. Performances were overall phenomenal and completely hair-raising. War Horse was very soulful and reacquainted me with that score, which I am listening to now.
Adventure Continues from Tintin was called The Duel on the program, so SoundtraxMaestro theorized it might be the Sir Francis cue. I guess it was titled The Duel because Adventure Continues was used for the duel, but I barely remember such details from that movie. That ended up being slightly disappointing, but Adventure is still a phenomenal piece. Audience prematurely clapped for the big false ending.
Oh, and the Red Sox fanfare was pretty good as well. I’d only heard that once when it premiered and it didn’t really do it for me until last night at Symphony Hall with the full orchestra.
Although the Cowboys Overture was stupendous as expected, I wasn’t feeling the other western selections as much. I mean, I liked them just fine, but as long as they were doing westerns, I’ve been dying to hear him conduct Magnificent Seven. The Bette Davis tribute with Now, Voyager also was just alright, but nothing compared to last year’s absolutely spectacular Audrey Hepburn tribute. I’d have preferred more Williams music.
I did miss hearing some more obscure stuff like last year when he busted out Night Journeys and Jubilee 350.
Concert Review by ‘KansasGuy’
I live in Kansas City. I have been a huge John Williams fan and Boston Pops admirer since watching Evening at Pops in the 1990s. But I never made it to Boston and never had a chance to see the Pops or John Williams.
This year I decided I was going to come to Boston for film night and finally see two things I love. Williams and the pops. So I got tickets the day they went on sale and booked the flight for me and my wife.
I could not have had a more memorable night! I took the free tour at 2:00pm Saturday of the Symphony Hall and it made the night all that much better.
My favorite John Williams score is The Cowboys so I was shocked to see that was on the list! I was so glad to see it live! Just overwhelming for me!
The concert was amazing! I got teary many times because I was so glad to actually be there to see John Williams. What an amazing man. The ending with Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and E.T. was so nice because it was a surprise.
And the Stars and Stripes forever was a perfect way to end it!
I feel really blessed to have had the chance to see Mr. Williams conduct the pops. It is definitely my #1 music experience ever!
So I just wanted to tell everyone that I am really jealous that people in Boston have that opportunity every year. I hope John Williams will do the same thing in 2013! Because I have decided I will be there every year that he is willing to do it!
Sorry for the rambling post but I wanted to share this with people who “Get It”!