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Topic: Jerry Goldsmith Concert (May 22nd 2000)
Dan Brecher
Oscar® Winner
7:30pm and the stupidly talented members of the London Syphony Orchestra step out and up onto the stage to much applause at the Barbican Hall in London.
It was funny as I watched them taking their places. "Look, there's that oboe guy from the 'Duel of the Fates' music video I thought to myself upon being pleased to see so many of the same faces that had performed before me when I had seen the LSO conducted by John Williams in an evening of his work back in 1998.A few moments later the lights dimmed and out came Jerry. "Wow, there he is" I thought to myself, a cool chil of excitement rushing through me as he approached the stage.
A Medley of a selection of his film themes begain the evening. Upon hearing the first note I was in awe, nothing matches these kind of performances. It's like the conductor and orchestra is playing for you and you only and you friggin love it!
So I sat that with this big cheesy grin on my face as Jerry progressed through The Sand Pebbles, Chinatown, Air Force One, Patch of Blue, Poltergeist, Papillon, Basic Instnct and The Wind and the Lion. This was such a damn perfect opening act, and yes, so overwhelmed was I upon hearing Air Force One I nearly broke into tears of joy, and I kid you not. It was so grand, not a note out of tune and I just can not find the words to describe. Hmmmm, I think "perfection" is a nice word, no?
While I'd probably say the medley was a major highlight, what followed seemed to get better and better before the interval came. Here he treated us to The Spirit of St Louis, then Boys from Brazil, All About Eve and then, a second highlight for me, Rudy.
Jeron and Audacity introduced me to the score that is Rudy, a score I deem one of my faves of all time and man was it amazing to hear live in front of me. Beautiful, it really was. All who don't own the CD, buy it!
The last composition of part one were two cues, one from MacArthur and the other from Patton. A very patriotic end to the first half, and a huge round of appluase carride Jerry and the orchestra off stage...
--INTERVAL--
Two cues from Ben Hur signaled the opening of the second half of the night, the first being the 'Love Theme', and the second being the 'Parade of the Charioteers.' Both were wonderful, but hey, the latter was obviously one of the high points as it got one of the biggest audiences reactions of the evening. A huge epic and grand cue! How can the night get better?
Easily, is the answer, as this was Mr Goldsmith before us all. He follwed up with Islands in the Stream playing a nice cue, and failry long one at that, of his from the movie. He seemed fond of this one, I like it, especially it's opening.
'Gathering Forces' from Viva Zapata followed. This, a cue by Alex North, which I just adore, is beautiful, it really is. Sure enough the preformance of the cue here was no exception.
Now, on the Playlist Forever Young was to follow, but er, I guess they ran on because the performance wrapped up with Fireworks, Goldmisth's special composed cue for a special concert for the Hollywood Bowl last summer. I'd never heard this before, and damn it, I want it. Who has this MP3'd? It's a rousing epic theme which I fell in love with near immediately, and it was a perfect end to the night.
You'd have to forgive me for lack of detail as frankly, it is gone 12am as it is, and I am damn tired, but nevertheless, the night was absolutely wonderful.
Jerry returned to the stage for a reprise of the Alex North cue performed earlier. I welcomed this, I wanted to hear it again! lol
One thing I noticed about Goldsmith himself is his love to seem to talk about film and film music. Before each cue he would turn to his audience and tell some lovely stories about what scores he loves, why he loves them and heck, why he loves films in general. Funny highlights included Jerry having trouble with his mic and his story about the numerous members of the 'Newman' family.
A wonderful night, and I await tomorrow nights performance with opens arms. Tomorrow is all his stuff, cues from the Star Trek movies, to The Mummy, Total Recall among others, and my guess is tomorrow is the performance that will pack the most people in.
I missed a live interview with Goldsmith at 6:15pm, pre-concert, but there is one again tomorrow at the same time and I WILL be there for that one. It is open to ticket holders only.
Any spelling mistakes are result of the 12:30am time on my clock.
Dan (UK)
NP: Waterworld (*****/*****)
posted 05-22-2000 04:26 PM PT (US) logied
Oscar® Winner
God Blessed !!!!!! Wish he would come to
Boston. Williams Territory, he would knock
their socks off.
posted 05-22-2000 04:33 PM PT (US) JJH
Oscar® Winner
I just want you to know just how jealous and embittered I am because of all these Goldsmith concerts going on, London, Detroit, etc., and the fact I don't get to go.With an extraordinary amount I may, MAY get to make it to John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl in August (I think August?)
sigh...
Did the good people who organized this concert happen to record it?
posted 05-22-2000 05:55 PM PT (US) Dan Brecher
Oscar® Winner
A recording? That'd be awesome to own. LSO have just started their own record label of yes, their LIVE performances, however I am not sure if they will release ones like this. Copyright issues maybe?I hope they can, I may e-mail and ask because these are nights I will never forget, though still want to hear again and again.
Dan (UK)
posted 05-22-2000 06:22 PM PT (US) Ricard L. Befan
Oscar® Winner
OK, Here's a little present...
http://www.geocities.com/bsonora/fireworks1.htm
posted 05-22-2000 08:16 PM PT (US) Chris Kinsinger
Oscar® Winner
Dan, thank you SO MUCH for your report on the concert.
I really enjoyed reading it, and I really hope that you will do the same for the second Goldsmith concert!
PLEASE tell us all about it!
posted 05-22-2000 08:53 PM PT (US) H Rocco
Oscar® Winner
Thank you, Dan. Look forward to your second installment, and/or anyone else's impressions.(Nobody better expect me to write up Detroit until midway the following week. I'm unlikely to be anywhere near a computer.)
posted 05-22-2000 09:02 PM PT (US) Howard L
Oscar® Winner
Good show, Dan!
(And the concert sounds good, too)
posted 05-23-2000 05:33 AM PT (US) Dan Brecher
Oscar® Winner
Ricard, THANK YOU!A review of tonights concert, and the pre-concert interview will be posted when I get home late this evening.
Dan (UK)
posted 05-23-2000 05:35 AM PT (US) HAL 2000
Oscar® Winner
Thank you Dan for this vivid, "you are there" review of the concert. I hope to experience the same emotion and excitement myself in Detroit in just under two weeks from now. WOW!
posted 05-23-2000 06:14 AM PT (US) Pete M
Oscar® Winner
This was a top night - just a shame I didn't see you there, Dan! The medley was very good, although Chinatown was a little weak on the trumpet, perhaps. AFO really rocked the house, although the effect wasn't quite as strong as with the RSNO last year - after that one I couldn't bring myself to listen to the CD for over a month, because it just wasn't half as good. The LSO version was damn fine too, though.
Rudy was indeed, wonderful. I really love the CD, but hearing it live was soo much better. Absolute dream.
The Parade of the Charioteers, although a piece I've heard too many times, was simply wonderful, & probably the best performance of it I've heard, simply magnificent.
Islands in the Stream & Viva Zapata were both wonderful, as was Forever Young, even if it was brief. Fireworks was simply wonderful, you could really picture those fireworks going off in your minds eye. I really want a legit Cd release of this piece.Overall, this was a top night, although not as good as the second one perhaps, due to a slightly lesser programme. But still, I'm very very glad I was there. Oh yes.
posted 05-30-2000 04:56 AM PT (US) Old Infopop Software by UBB