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Interesting piece. While there are shades of eeriness Williams melodicism surfaces in sections that are more gothic or romantic horror as opposed to the modernism found in Ligeti or Crumb (or even Rautavaara’s Night Visitations).
As much as Williams is tops for me as a film composer, I’ve been a little more ambivalent about his concert fare. His bassoon and horn Concertos are quite nice but I’ve not responded to his more tonally adventurous fare like the Flute or Violin Concerti in the same manner.
But it’s great that the guy is still alive and actively composing. Couldn’t ask for more from such a genius. 
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Have you heard some of his other recent concert works, David -- like the Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra? Conversations? To me, these are about as avantgarde as Williams gets. Not quite IMAGES bizarre, but definitely on the level of the flute concerto in terms of complexity and 'alienation'.
"Highwood's Ghost" has a little bit of that, but is far more accesible.
I've always been at odds with Williams' take on avantgarde to be honest. His influences and strengths as a composer are firmly planted in the world of more consonant music, albeit with a lot of harmonically complex modulations and expressive orchestration. Perhaps it's his personality that guides him to being so adept at these lyrical pieces. Goldsmith was a little more, say, edgy and his explorations into modernist music seemed a more natural fit, especially given his influences (Bartok, Berg, Stravinsky).
As an ardent Williams fan, I will check out the Scherzo and Conversations (I think I heard that once). To be perfectly candid, I think concert works demand a much greater attention to structure and this is where I find many film composers stumble because they are used to developing their music based on the film structure and narrative; and Williams does this brilliantly I might add. Superman is an essay on long development of key motives and themes. It's a phenomenal work and frankly infinitely superior (IMO) to his concert works. But hey, I don't begrudge him for wanting to use these other avenues as self expression. I respect that he continues to pursue these areas and it's just my own personal opinion here and nothing more. I also couldn't be more happy to hear a new Williams work in 2018 when most of his contemporaries have passed on. I don't take that for granted one bit!
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I'm more concerned with sound than structure in this case. I think he's able to tap into some wild sonorities if he wants to. On the level of any concert composer of the 20th and 21st century. You hear it ever so often -- both in his concert works, and in occasional tracks on soundtracks. It's not what he's known for, of course, but I love the fact that he can do it if he wants to, and on such a high level.
Totally understand. For me, it just sounds kind of pastiche, like he's quoting licks from other modernist composers for effect rather than it being integral to the piece. But again, that's a subjective observation. I had a rather healthy diet of Xenakis, Ligeti, Varese, Crumb, Boulez, Penderecki (early period of music) etc in my university days since my prof himself studied with Varese and always challenged his students perceptions of music and its associative powers. Funny because I railed against that type of music in my youth and preferred writing tonal music. It wasn't until I got to my late 20s when I gained an appreciation for what he was trying to impart.
Anyhow, Williams is and always will be my favourite film composer and I respect his technique, talent and ability to continue composing well into his 80s.
P.S. I hope my post is taken as personal preference and not any proclamation by any stretch.
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