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Off-topic, a bit, but since the Barbican concert hall seemed 90% full of Canadia-American population (so presumably filmmusicmad enough to come thus far) there HAD to be a small number of Danny Elfman fans too. I bought the very cheapest ticket (since I wasn’t sure I’d be coming), so if you saw a dork in glasses, a grey-and-purple anorak, and bike-oil-encrusted jeans (possibly with a skid-mark illusion on his backside due to lack of mud guards), looking thoroughly bemused, then you’ll have seen me!
Goldsmith concerts (and this isn’t the first in London by any means) are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. He’s not my favourite composer, but I recognise the themes, and his orchestrations are usually very well adapted for the concert hall. Guilty, though, because you know what you are hearing are “the theme from” this and that, like a posh taken on a cheapo compilation album. His self-conscious remarks (relayed by broadcaster Tommy Pearson, who’s on Radio 3 quite a bit nowadays, and a more likeable presenter is hard to imagine), and the second half of the programme deliberately short to make way for the pre-planned “encores”, further convince that this is a love-fest, not a serious concert, and I generally leave these concerts feeling that something of more challenge would really have been nice. What about a 15 minute suite of music from Total Recall, or one of his earlier movies? I appreciate this is similar with many John Williams concerts too, but if there’s such an enthusiastic audience for a composer, surely a fair percentage of that audience would be interested in hearing something more challenging – especially as these concert halls rarely expect to be packed.
Anyway, the concert itself was splendidly performed, as is to be expected from the LSO, whose reputation for delivering top-quality film music has few rivals. A visiting conductor has “personality” input only on these occasions, since the orchestra is quite capable of playing “blind”. However, Brosse was definitely not to be shaded from the limelight, and in my seat down the front on the far left, I caught most of his gurning, which is the highlight of my orchestral concert-going. I have to admit that without an entertaining-looking conductor, I might as well buy a CD. Performance was top-notch, and promises to be so for the projected US film music tour. such a pity the programme for that tour looks yet more uninspired. At least in this one we had the pleasure of watching the Looney Tunes music in motion (great fun), and the California ride music (somewhat less memorable, but still new to me).
If I find there was some big film music message board conglomerate gig going on in the pub afterwards I shall be enraged. I spent the night mending a gash in my bike tyre after it exploded on the way home. :o(
Blunt/Ian
(PS. Pasted to EZ board. Sorry, but I’m feeling lazy)
Well, Dirk Brossé wasn’t as much of a let down as I was expecting. But I’m so inexplicably disappointed, however, with the program. Why do an encore of supergirl!?!?!? They didn’t even play things like total recall, as you mentioned. my favourite Goldsmith score has got to be First Contact – they didn’t play that. (But I LOVED Voyager) I’d have liked to have heard some Mummy Returns stuff, too… that’s great stuff.
I really enjoyed hearing the man from U.N.C.L.E theme… it’s been a loooong time since I’ve heard that! And yeah, Looney Tunes was fun!
The dude that presented, Tommy Pearson – he did that one hour interview with Danny Elfman. I think Ryan posted us a link for that a while ago. That was when I learnt he has a stuffed cat in his living room!
As for the message board conglomerate… I think there was one in the pub I was at, but I stuck with the other buddies I went with. Who, er… don’t really go on message boards.
And in general… YES!… an excellent concert indeed (even though I moan).
>¦:oD
The JWere you at the concert, Nat?
I know this is an idiotic question, but I’m finally relatively new to an area where it is possible to hear film composers’ concerts (I did 2 weeks after I got here – – John Williams and it was fun!) and I want to know: is there any website where I can see concert dates for more than just one composer? (Like, rather than hunt for Goldsmith concerts etc. . . . any general film score websites that would have this info for lots of film composers?)
No, I couldn’t get across to the UK to see it. But I wanted to.
I will be attending the Lord Of The Rings symphony conducted by Howard Shore!As for Film score concerts, Film Score Monthly lists them in their print magazine.
Nat
Oddly enough I can’t think of a site that tries to draw together international film music concert dates. I tend to get the nod through message boards or composer sites, but since I don’t visit many regularly I probably miss a lot. And generally speaking, the only composer-specific film music concerts that go on in London tend to be Goldsmith or Nyman – the latter, incidentally tends to give more value for money. The few other film music concerts tend to re-run Superman themes and if very very lucky, a bit of ET. If there isn’t a site out there (I don’t subscribe to FSM) perhaps we should have one? Hey, Ryan’s not doing much on the web just now – why don’t we ask him! ;o)
Blunt/Ian
I seem to remember some years back Goldsmith doing a concert where the entire first half was Star Trek music. Just thought I’d rub it in for you there Mr J. (And, I assume you’re joking about The Mummy Returns… but can’t resist pointing out that it’s not a Goldsmith score).
Is Shore doing that over here? If so, I’m going. I don’t LOVE lotr music, but it’s pretty good, I still wanna hear it. The LPO did some music from the first film in 2002, but I was part of the festival that was being performed in – I was performing elsewhere in the festival hall at the same time, so I missed it!
– The upside? I had one of my pieces performed ;o) hehehe I’m gonna check out if this Shore thing’s over here. (I’m so glad that I live in London – I’m near enough to all these major concert halls… but I still wanna be in Los Angeles!)>¦:o)
The JAww, crap – he’s doing it with the LPO in may, but it’s sold out! I’ll keep calling until some poor soul has had to return a ticket!
>¦:o /
The JOh, sorry, Blunt – I know, The mummy, not the mummy returns… sorry. I realised only later.
As for the film music concert site – that would be great! I would gladly run it myself if I had time! I wish I didn’t need sleep – I’d get so much more done in a day!
>¦:o[
The JI have looked to see if Shore is coming here to L.A. but as far as I can tell, he’s not
I’m not so into the LOTR 2 and 3 scores, but I would murder to hear some of the stuff from Fellowship done live.You’ll have to fight me for that return-ticket, J. Only just worked out that it’s on. But maybe if you’re a Don Davis fan you might consider a visit to Sweden for the premiere of the first movement of his Matrix symphony? A bit much for me. I’ll wait for the CD. :o)
Anyway, I hope http://www.cinescape.com authors won’t kill me for this but…
Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore will conduct his massive new symphony for THE LORD OF THE RINGS in London on Sunday 23rd May 2004. The concert will be performed at the Royal Festival Hall by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at 3.00pm.
…
Don Davis and orchestrator Erik Lundborg are currently working on a concert suite based on the three critically acclaimed scores for the MATRIX films. The suite will be approximately twenty minutes and in three movements using material from each and one of the three films. The suite is being re-orchestrated for a standard orchestra, which means that the brass section will be different from the original scores, the percussion will be reduced a bit, and there will only be one piano. The first movement of the suite, featuring music from the first film, will be performed in concert by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden in three film music concerts from 18th-20th March 2004.
There you go. Who needs a site when you have a posting board?
Blunt
Aww… I think it’s a shame they’re reducing the orchestra – I hope we still get that metallic sound in the percussion… maybe a triangle beater on a scaffolding pole would do – that’s what I always imagine it as, anywya! hehe. Well, I hope he would at least perform it over here, too.
So, Blunt… you living in London too? And what’s your connection to film music? A fan, or an aspiring composer yourself?The J
>¦:o)Strictly a fan, J. I work at the British Library at a lowly Sound Archive post and nurture a misguided belief that one day they’ll realise that a film music curator is needed to spoon up all those promo discs that are scattered round the globe. But the Library thinks film music is for film archives, and the national film archives think non-moving-picture stuff is for libraries. I have a rarely-updated personal page at http://www.bluntinstrument.org.uk in the “Englishman” section. Yup, live in London, but about 10 miles from the centre (I’m the cyclist who swears when all other cyclists jump red lights and threatens bloody revenge on his way to work).
I’m thinking the re-orchestration is probably as much a necessity of concert hall acoustics and economics as interpretation, so the sound will be as close as Davis & Co. can reproduce with the resources they expect to have in live performance. I just want to know if he places his brass in a way that the scrunchy harmonic mash is effective. Great for some antiphonal action (i.e. having a battery on either side so you can have a call-answer effect).
Blunt
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