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 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 2:56 AM   
 By:   Thomas   (Member)

John Williams: A Life In Music – a brand new album of iconic movie scores by the world’s most successful film composer – including Star Wars, Jurassic Park, E.T. and many more. The album, which will be released on May the 4th (International Star Wars Day) features brand new recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra, who recorded many of the original versions, and includes a world premiere recording of Schindler’s List for cello - which has never been heard before.
Recorded by an 86-piece orchestra, this epic collection of music was conducted by Gavin Greenaway and recorded at London’s Air Studios. The 10-track album features Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter, performed by the LSO for the very first time. The premiere of Schindler’s List is the first time Williams’ official arrangement for cello has ever been recorded.
The LSO’s close connection with Williams dates back nearly 40 years, and the standard is there to be heard in these new recordings. From writing the world’s best-loved soundtracks – including Jaws, ET and the Home Alone films – to conducting some of the worlds most accomplished orchestras, Williams truly is one of the greatest living composers of our generation.
Following this year’s Oscar nominations, Williams broke his own record with more Oscar nominations than any other living person – a title he first earned in 2016. Williams has also won five Academy Awards, seven BAFTAs, 24 Grammy’s, four Golden Globes, five Emmys and numerous gold and platinum records.
This year, the Hollywood legend celebrates sixty years in movies. Alongside the release of this once-in-a-lifetime album, Williams will also conduct the LSO in an extremely rare performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, making it the 86-year-old composer's first performance in the UK for 22 years.
Over the span of his extraordinary career, Williams has graced the TV screens and touched the hearts of people across the world with his music, and this new album promises to do the same.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Williams-London-Symphony-Orchestra/dp/B07B16NSLJ/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1519984430&sr=1-9&keywords=john+williams

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 4:57 AM   
 By:   Scotty Boy   (Member)

Interesting, to be sure, but there's nothing on here that hasn't been done to death on every other collection of his "greatest hits." Still, it's the LSO, so there's that.

 
 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 5:20 AM   
 By:   Brianmcb   (Member)

A CD that is essentially a greatest hits album that omits Duel of the Fates, The Imperial March and Close Encounters to but a few. No thanks.

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 5:26 AM   
 By:   Gunnar   (Member)

The artwork is an eyecatcher, though.

 
 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 5:46 AM   
 By:   Tall Guy   (Member)

Must make you glad you mentioned it, Thomas! big grin


I'd have thought there'd be more interest in the first recording of Schindler's List for 'cello, but apparently not - or at least, not yet.

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 7:08 AM   
 By:   mstrox   (Member)

We got spoiled by the recent Spielberg/Williams Vol 3 and Lockhart CDs which were chock full of new/unrecorded arrangements and tracks that hadn't been rerecorded a million times before. Looking forward to the new Schindler's arrangement at least.

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 7:58 AM   
 By:   TM   (Member)

Very much looking forward to this, Phil Cobb plays quite musically, with confidence and personality, and I look forward to hearing what he does with parts previously played by Maurice Murphy, Malcolm Mcnab, and Tim Morrison. A retread, but the LSO remains one of the best ensembles out there and this promises to be a much better intro to Williams CD than a lot of the other crappy compilation recordings out there (including, sadly, the latest Pops offering).

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 8:02 AM   
 By:   TM   (Member)

The 10-track album features Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter, performed by the LSO for the very first time.

Which is funny because LSO musicians played on the original, just not the whole LSO

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 8:05 AM   
 By:   Dr. Nigel Channing   (Member)

What a colossal bore!

 
 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 8:35 AM   
 By:   Rnelson   (Member)

Interesting, to be sure, but there's nothing on here that hasn't been done to death on every other collection of his "greatest hits." Still, it's the LSO, so there's that.

That's it right there. Williams name alone guarantees instant buyer interest but people have umpteem versions of this music already. Use the opportunity to record some lesser-known work my the master.

 
 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 8:51 AM   
 By:   JohnnyRoastbeef   (Member)

I too would've preferred recordings from scores that represent less of a "greatest hits collection" (would someone record Williams' concert suite from JFK already?), but as a Williams completist, the premiere recording of his Schindler's List cello arrangement makes it a must buy!

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 9:40 AM   
 By:   Octoberman   (Member)

I reckon film score enthusiasts are not the target demographic here.
It's probably more intended to appeal to those who randomly notice Williams's name in the credits and think, "Oh, that music was nice.".

Maybe some of them will turn into film score enthusiasts and the Circle Of Life continues... big grin

 
 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 10:10 AM   
 By:   Thor   (Member)

I reckon film score enthusiasts are not the target demographic here.
It's probably more intended to appeal to those who randomly notice Williams's name in the credits and think, "Oh, that music was nice.".

Maybe some of them will turn into film score enthusiasts and the Circle Of Life continues... big grin


True, but even this is getting tired at this point. If you go to the trouble of making a JW compilation, why not sneak at least a COUPLE of less performed pieces in there?

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 10:14 AM   
 By:   Solium   (Member)

A CD that is essentially a greatest hits album that omits Duel of the Fates, The Imperial March and Close Encounters to but a few. No thanks.

Duel of Fates is one of the most irritating things he's ever written. Agree on the other two.

 
 Posted:   Mar 2, 2018 - 10:19 AM   
 By:   Solium   (Member)

I reckon film score enthusiasts are not the target demographic here.
It's probably more intended to appeal to those who randomly notice Williams's name in the credits and think, "Oh, that music was nice.".

Maybe some of them will turn into film score enthusiasts and the Circle Of Life continues... big grin


True, but even this is getting tired at this point. If you go to the trouble of making a JW compilation, why not sneak at least a COUPLE of less performed pieces in there?


I know like he didn't have a life until 1974 or something.

 
 Posted:   Apr 26, 2018 - 12:33 PM   
 By:   Jason LeBlanc   (Member)

Track times revealed

1 Main Title (From "Star Wars") 6:07
2 Theme (From "Jurassic Park") 6:01
3 Hedwig's Theme (From "Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone") 5:08
4 The Raiders March (From "Raiders Of The Lost Ark") 5:40
5 Flying Theme (From "E.T") 4:05
6 Theme (From "Schindler's List") 4:05
7 The Flight To Neverland (From "Hook") 4:56
8 Hymn To the Fallen (From "Saving Private Ryan") 6:26
9 Shark Theme (From "Jaws") 3:12
10 Superman March (From "Superman") 4:40

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/1349374289

 
 Posted:   May 3, 2018 - 9:55 AM   
 By:   Jason LeBlanc   (Member)

Now up for sale in any country where it is already Friday

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/1349374289
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/1349374289
https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/1349374289
etc

 
 Posted:   May 7, 2018 - 1:03 PM   
 By:   Coco314   (Member)

Great sounding CD of overly familiar stuff.

On the plus side:
- The performance are spot on - it is the LSO after all. No surprise , new arrangements or anything, just the usual with great care.
- Sound is excellent, very detailed
- "Schindler's List" is one of my favorite and I love cello, so the cello version of the theme is a must have for me. It's gorgeous.
- I always found "Superman" in need of a definitive great sounding version of the Main Tile March. The best thus far was the "By Request" (30 years ago!). This one is excellent and sounds great (and much better than the original recording).
- "Hymn to the fallen" on its OST sounds muffled, and this is the closest we have of a definitive interpretation - it does not have the strange segue of the recent Spielberg/Williams collaboration disc, and is better performed than the Telarc Spielberg disc. The final crescendo has been softened a little, to great effect imho.

On the minus side:
- No surprise, new arrangements or anything, just the usual with great care.
- With 10 tracks this is barely scratching the surface and filled with over familiar stuff (and some that do have great sounding versions)
- 50 minutes only is a little short for "A life in music"

 
 Posted:   May 7, 2018 - 1:17 PM   
 By:   Shaun Rutherford   (Member)

Yeah, a truly bizarre, upscale gas station release. I need to hear the Private Ryan cue. I got bored listening to the same old arrangements of the first few tracks.

 
 
 Posted:   May 7, 2018 - 1:58 PM   
 By:   governor   (Member)

50 minutes - a life in music...
the forthcoming November Vienna concert is the real thing...

 
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