Music Ward > Live Shows
John Williams special concert in SD
Nick B:
--- Quote from: malloy on February 04, 2018, 10:12:33 PM ---
--- Quote from: Nick B on February 03, 2018, 08:20:21 AM ---
That must have been a real treat! I would have spent some good coin to see him. Am curious what you thought of the acoustics.
--- End quote ---
Nick,
I was late buying ticket so we had only balcony seats. I usually have season tickets in the same hall (Copley Hall in SD) in the orchestra section to the far right of the stage. I must say that the acoustics up in the balcony were much better than my usual seats! I could hear more instrument detail up there but of course the sound was more diffused. Lush sound. I would have liked to have paid more for front row center seats to get more layering and a more immediate sound, but I have never heard any stereo sound like that! :thumb:
I don't know how many times John Williams has conducted the SD Symphony in the past or how long they practiced but he was able to coax out a better sound than the associate conductor who conducted the first part of the concert. The players simply played more dynamically, were more responsive, and tighter as a whole.
First time for me to hear a celesta live. For the past 20 plus years, what I had thought to be a glockenspiel or a marimba on the 3rd track from the OST of ET, the extraterrestrial (ET and me or Stargazers) turned out to be a celesta!
I didn't know the instrument figured so prominently in Williams' scores.
Paul
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Thanks for the education, Paul. I had never heard the word celesta and looked it up on YouTube. What a nice sounding instrument.
Nick
malloy:
You are welcome, Nick.
I first heard it on Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Such a gossamer feeling.
More famous nowadays, is of course Hedwig's theme in Harry Potter. Sounds ethereal, mysterios and magical. Williams is a master at creating texture through a great theme and orchestration.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GTXBLyp7_Dw
tmazz:
--- Quote from: Nick B on February 04, 2018, 10:24:04 PM ---
Thanks for the education, Paul. I had never heard the word celesta and looked it up on YouTube. What a nice sounding instrument.
Nick
--- End quote ---
You learn something new every day.... whether you like it or not. :-k
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