Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK is the place to be on Tuesday 2nd August 2022. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) will be taking the stage to perform music composed by John Williams to celebrate his 90th birthday.
Williams celebrated his 90th birthday on 8th February this year, but this belated tribute is not one to miss. The concert will be presented by Tommy Pearson and conducted by Stephen Bell. Stephen took time out from rehearsals to give us a few words about John Williams and his music.
John Williams, undoubtedly the finest orchestral movie score composer of all times, has an amazing gift of being able to turn his hand to such a wide range of film genres and musical styles. Obviously best known for his Star Wars scores written over several decades, his partnership with director Steven Spielberg has produced such a brilliant catalogue ranging from Schindler’s List to Indiana Jones, Jaws to E.T. (they have made 29 films together in all) with individual and inventive scores, many of which have earned him his impressive array of awards and nominations. He is still the most Oscar nominated person on the planet (2nd only behind the late Walt Disney).
From the magic of Harry Potter (that use of celeste at the opening is a stroke of genius) to the simplicity of Angela’s Ashes, the oriental-inspired Memoirs of a Geisha to the emotional power of Saving Private Ryan – all beautifully scored for the orchestra and all bringing so much to the visual impact of what you see on screen.
With particular reference to his Star Wars scores, all very cleverly wrapped in Leitmotif references to depict or suggest certain characters, there is an additional level of emotional connection that perhaps isn’t obvious when you watch the films. On closer inspection one can make the link between the audio and visual elements of the films and understand why they are so brilliantly interwoven. For my money, the real test is that these scores stand up to the scrutiny of the concert hall without the visuals – surely a mark of his genius.
I think we can all agree that John Williams’s impact on the cinematic world has been phenomenal, and the concert is a great way of paying tribute to the illustrious composer.
The full set list for the performance is:
Raiders of the Lost Ark: Raiders March
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Motorcycle Scherzo
Jurassic Park: Theme
Schindler’s List: Theme
Memoirs of a Geisha: Sayuri’s Theme
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Nimbus 2000
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Hedwig’s Theme
Catch Me If You Can: Theme
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: Duel of the Fates-INTERVAL-
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
E.T.: Flying Theme
Jaws: Shark Theme
Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn to the Fallen
Excerpts from Star Wars:
I. Main Theme
II. Princess Leia’s Theme
III. Yoda’s Theme
IV. The Imperial March
Tickets are selling fast, but there is still chance to snap up the remaining tickets, which can be purchased from the B:Music website.
