John Williams At His Quirkiest
597270
Known for movie scores that are often big, bold, and exciting, John Williams can also be quirky in his compositions as well.  So it goes with his score for Spielberg's most recent film THE TERMINAL, a movie that puts a native (Tom Hanks) of the fictional East European nation of Krakozhia at the mercy of Homeland Security bureaucracy at JFK Airport in New York when his country undergoes a coup, and also gives him cause to warm up to a loopy flight attendant (Catherine Zeta Jones).

Using a quirky Bohemian main theme, Williams gives us a glimpse at Hanks' character Viktor Navorski as he becomes a stranger in a strange land.  He then switches to a jazz-influenced romantic motif for the scenes of the relationship that develops between Hanks and Zeta-Jones in the uncompleted terminal area of JFK that Hanks has set up for himself.  The humorous aspects of the rest of the score underline the elements of social miscues and culture shock that Hanks undergoes.

All in all, this ranks as possibly the quirkiest score in the Williams film music oeuvure, and well worth getting.
4886764
John Williams.  Enough said.  Another musical masterpiece for everyone, and not just the Star Wars fans to enjoy.
3977921
Ok. Glenn Gould *is* very good indeed (almost as good as Dong-Hyek Lim), but, all the same, he should not be given a free pass by his devotees. I will be the curmudgeon who awards the recording just two stars, not because of his (often eccentric but always interesting) interpretations, but because of his G-d d--n *humming*, for heaven's sake. Music is all about sound, and Gould's annoying and deliberate humming (especially audible in the 1981 set) spoils all his recordings. If the set was entitled "Sing Along With Glenn" I'd give it at least four stars, but it isn't titled that.

I'm prepared to be awarded "0 out of 600 people found the following review helpful". But if you *don't* want to listen to Bach's sublime variations hummed, beware of buying this set.
1382504
At first glance, the personnel on this CD sounds bizarre, 13 trombones and rhythm section???  4 bass trombones?

But when you have such skilled musicians as Slide Hampton, Bill Watrous and crew, you change bizarre to fantastic.  From first to last cuts, you realize how versatile a trombone can be.  There is nobody in this world who can make a trombone sing like Bill Watrous and he is wonderful on this CD.
770541
All the Brahms Variations on two discs--what a terrible programming idea! Well, at face value, it certainly looks so. Nevertheless, with Ohlsson at the keyboard--and I am delighted to say it, being an avid admirer of his--this Hyperion twofer makes for 107 minutes of terribly good Brahms playing.

Okay, for the sake of objectivity, I will give away the main caveat immediately: Ohlsson's Paganini Variations cannot compete with Yuja Wang,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Kissin/dp/B0000064YB/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Kissin</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Michelangeli/dp/B00166QKJ2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Michelangeli</a>&nbsp;for digital dazzle; on the other hand, that is clearly not Ohlsson's intention. The Gramophone reviewer called it 'perhaps the most musical performance on disc in recent years', which is a very apt description indeed. My younger self would not have paid much attention to such an approach to what appears to be aimed at showing off Brahms as the virtuosic equal of Schumann, Chopin and Liszt. However, the more I know of Brahms the serious perfectionist, the less convinced I become as to the accuracy of that notion. Be that as it may, as much as I get thrilled by Wang and Kissin, I am now happy to accept Ohlsson's performance as the ideal antidote.

At the other end of the spectrum, Ohlsson's Schumann Variations is predictably ravishing and pensive. This is one of the young Brahms's most tragic creations, written at the time of Robert's mental breakdown as a kind of (weird as it may appear) tribute of Robert to Clara; and Ohlsson does nothing to create any artificially jolly atmosphere. His performance is intensely moving, stretching the music to new regions of profound elegiacness--the common 16-or-so minutes become nearly 22, which is most extraordinary in music that can tend to wander in lesser hands.

What Ohlsson succeeds at doing is to make Brahms's often dense writing sound greater than usual; I believe the reason being that few great pianists bother beyond the Third Sonata, Two Rhapsodies and a handful late pieces. Thus, his Variations on an Original Theme, Variations on a Hungarian Song and Theme & Variations in D Minor (after the Op 18 String Sextet) are easily the best I have heard.

Yet, the very apex of this twofer is the vast Hndel Variations--Brahms's greatest work in the genre by a good margin. On first hearing, I thought I detected some heaviness and stiffness in his attack; played back on a more high-end system, it became clear that Hyperion not only supplied an unusually powerful Steinway instrument but also an exceedingly full and detailed recorded sound--caught at Wyastone Estate Concert Hall, Monmouth, in December 2009. What deserves special mention about this performance are its crystal clarity, vast amplitude of dynamics and tone colour, and above all the great, magnetic Fugue--brought to close with marvelous excitement.

Gramophone has certainly not made much effort to promote Ohlsson in the past. In the spirit of Britishness, this could hopefully change now that he seems to have been accepted in the magazine's favourite stable: 'Ohlsson's playing not only persuaded me to appreciate the two Op 21 works but actually to listen to both discs all the way through in a single sitting. He is that good [...] This is a great Brahms recording that elevates and illuminates the music with a lightness of touch and heart that eludes many [...]'

Therefore, it is with even further delight that I note Ohlsson's complete Weber Sonatas will be released as a Hyperion Dyad in March 2011.

REFERENCES: Paganini--<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Wang/dp/B0035F0MTG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Wang</a>; Other--This One
561179
I think John Williams is awesome and deserved the Oscar that he won. I have listened to this CD a million times and have about wore it out. This CD is great.
4933022
I cannot blame those who resent non-elaborated reviews that reveal the idiocy of people's understanding. This column is to help others, the fact that "you liked it" does not mean anything to those who do not know you. Worse is when people leave comments on the packing and the seller. There are 16 "reviews" at present posted on this recording and not one helped me on my purchasing decision. Amazon should do something about it, but they won't... (I am writing this because the unfortunate, lowest, 3-star "review" makes this noted, and I concur)

My frustrations aside, here is my take. Warts and all, a wonderful CD. This might be modern music but not "modernist". Everything is warm, accessible, even exciting. Sowash composed another American clarinet concerto a-la-Copland. Tuneful, approachable and crafty. Perhaps a bit too long for 30 minutes (Copland said so much and perfectly in 16). I think the piece needs a trim to make even more impact.
I was most curious on the Ben-Haim piece. Here is an eminent European composer who brought his German upbringing into Israel (his actual last name was Frankfurter, yes). The piece is not a tuneful one, in my view, but it embraces a nice musical  and welcome moment.
For me, the winner is the shortest piece at 4'20". John Williams' 'Viktor's Tale", from "The Terminal" (2004) score. For clarinet & orchestra, marvelously orchestrated by the master, and as ethnic as it goes. That a true Anglo-Protestant-American from Long Island can compose such compelling ethnic music (not to mention that masterful one from 'Schindler's List') is just a proof of his genius. John Towner Williams is and will always by an American treasure.
4227404
John Williams can really bring out the Star Wars from the heart.  Creating songs like Duel of the Fates (my favorite.)  Why not buy this fantastic CD?  Even if you hate Jar Jar Bink's guts (like me) His song is pretty cool.  Bring on the Episode 2 soundtrack, Williams!  It will be yet another  masterpiece everyone can enjoy!!!!!
2190329
"A John Williams Celebration" is a 2015 video release of a live concert recorded in the beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2014. Conducting is the famed and popular Gustavo Dudamel, who leads the excellent Los Angeles Philharmonic.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about "Celebration" was its variety of Williams' music. Many John Williams concerts contain the usual brassy favorites, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Superman. While "Celebration" does contain some music of that ilk (i.e. Star Wars and The Olympic Fanfare) it also shows some different sides of Williams, from the tender Schindler's List, to the subtly jazzy Catch Me If You Can, to the experimental "Soundings." I also appreciated the obvious care that the conductor and orchestra put into performing the music. Having the participation of Itzhak Perlman is also a bonus to the performance.

The audio and video quality of "A John Williams Celebration" are excellent. Also included on the disc are a couple of interesting--though short-- interviews with Williams, Dudamel, and Perlman. Program notes are included with the disc, and also contain credits and several photographs. About my only complaint with "Celebration" is the excessive amounts of applause, walking on and off stage, etc. I wouldn't have minded if the video had some of this edited out, but it's a small complaint.

If you enjoy John Williams or film music in general, "A John Williams Celebration" is well worth your time. It's such a pleasure to see quality, live video recordings of this music.

If you enjoyed this product, I would also recommend the following videos: "Hollywood in Vienna: The World of James Horner," "Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague," and "Score: A Film Music Documentary."
2431883
I have yet to see the movie but I knew that I must purchase the score upon finding out the famous John Williams would be composing and conducting it.  Like John Williams' other great scores for movies such as Star Wars and  Jurrassic Park, the music is moving and portrays all the emotions that I  have come to expect from his work.  John Williams not only delivers ear  pleasing music but weaves a story that stirs the emotions.  I highly  recommend this CD to John Williams' fans and fans of the Patriot movie  staring Mel Gibson.
647597
Robin Williams at his best.  His candid comments are interspersed with inspired bits of comedy that camp anions his comments.  If you look carefully at his responses you can catch the flavour of his sadness and his compulsion to need to slip into comedic bits in order to protect his inner core of beliefs.  He manages to make everyone laugh but in doing so he distances himself from the crowd by slipping into another comedic character to avoid revealing more of himself.  He is brilliant at improvisation but is it the mechanism by which he avoids showing more of his own thoughts and emotions?  He was truly a giant of World comedy.  This DVD is a wonderful way to remember his genius and his vulnerabilities.  I commend this DVD to all who loved his comedy.  Hopefully there will be more releases of his other performances
4764447
This is one of the great classics of the late 60's era.  It's a very unusual blend of blues and other musical genres.  The coda to "Oh Well" reminds one very much of the Ennio Morricone score for "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" in places.  "Searching For Madge" is the greatest one chord boogie vamp I think I've ever heard, Kirwan and Green play furiously while Fleetwood and McVie keep hammering away back there.  I'm not sure why they put the bizarre breaks in the middle of this jam but it works I guess.  I'm sure I heard Miles Davis borrow this jam structure on one of his live Lps back in the day, maybe Live at the Fillmore?

There is only one track that I really don't care for... Actually, I hate it.  Danny Kirwan's "When You Say" and its highly imaginative "la la la la la la la la la la la la" (and so on, complete with counter-point harmony voice) lyric is probably being used in those secret CIA detention centers in Europe where the "terrorists" are interrogated.  Listening to the entire tune is torture enough to make anyone start talking.  The melody is actually quite sophisticated but the track is actually very annoying because of those stupid lyrics (or lack thereof).  What was this guy thinking?

"Then Play On" is just so great (musically) that I have to pick up the trio of "Live at the Boston Tea Party" CDs.

This AAD remaster is 20 years old. Can you say Hisssssssssss. 1/2 star only for this remaster.  No, wait... Five turkeys for this remaster. It is God awful by today's standards.

It is absolutely criminal that the folks at Warner Bros/Reprise have not remastered this session, added outtakes for bonus tracks, and re-released it with a booklet of notes and photos.  I'm sure they could get away with a $24.95 price tag if they would get off the dime.

Laa-laaa-laaaaaaaaaa-la-la-laaa-la-la-laaaa
921312
John Williams is amazing and the songs contained here are some of his greatest and most well known.  The volume on the cd is a bit lower than some of my others so I find myself turning up the volume on these songs (and then back down on the other cds).
2868244
Bach's lute suites are pieces to whose performance virtually
every classical guitarist aspires.  They are truly monuments of
music for lute or guitar, challenging every player to reveal
their greatness in melody, counterpoint, and harmony.
John Williams meets the challenge on this recording better than
any other guitarist whom I have heard.  The performances fairly
sing, while at the same time keeping all the voices clear.
This is one of the finest performances of any music that I have
ever heard, and, at mid-price, it's a steal.
2858412
Loved some of the performances but the master of ceremonies and his two so-called comedians take up way too much time in this video.  Amos Milburn does a great number and Duke Ellington is classy.  There are several other musical highlights.  Keep the remote handy to fast forward past the comedy routines!
1017325
Every serious composer knows that spoofs of his/her music is the ultimate compliment. Well, John Williams is being heavily complimented here. The Evil Genius Orchestra has taken the best of the Star Wars themes and turned them into brilliant lounge music.
Jazz fans will love it. Serious Star Wars fans may love it or hate it, depending upon whether or not they have real lives... Marimba players, including yours truly, will adore it.
John Williams likes it, and he's the composer, so that tells me it's ok to kick back, relax with your favorite libation, and simply enjoy some tongue in cheek, but brilliant orchestrations. And Bill Murray's "vocals" from Saturday Night Live just might even fit in, too, after a few drinks.
This is pure musical play. Enjoy it for what it is -- fun.
2958307
This music by John Williams is one of his best! I'm such a huge fan of anything relating to the novel or the 1971 movie. As for this cd, I'm playing it so much, I hope it doesn't wear out. Though a "soundtrack", at least three songs were not used in the movie. The liner notes are extremely complete and informative.