John Williams in Vienna

When the legendary American film composer John Williams conducted the Vienna Philharmonic for the first time, Der Standard headlined its report “A Visit from God” and continued: “He was hailed by a standing, cheering ovation like God himself received by earthly disciples.” John Williams in Vienna documents this historical performance – “a very special honour” in the life of the composer.

Symphonic Hollywood sounds on the stage of the Vienna Musikverein: the world-famous orchestra plays iconic themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and other milestones in film history. Star guest Anne-Sophie Mutter performs violin arrangements made especially for her by Williams himself.

Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park: the soundtracks of John Williams, the master of cinematic magic, are among the most popular in the history of film and have received numerous prestigious awards, including five Oscars, five Emmys, four Golden Globes and twenty-five Grammys. Now the legendary American film composer has recorded the most famous, beautiful and touching of his cult themes for the first time with the Vienna Philharmonic. “Star moments of film music” was the headline of the Wiener Zeitung: “Hollywood’s grandmaster and the Vienna Philharmonic thrilled audiences with excerpts from his life’s work.”

Williams’s two concerts at the Vienna Musikverein on 18 and 19 January 2020 were the first performances the composer had ever conducted in continental Europe. Working with the Vienna Philharmonic was, he said, “a very special honour” in his life. In addition to Williams and the orchestra, another exceptional artist was on stage in the first half of the concert: Anne-Sophie Mutter. Thus the conductor and the violinist continued the artistic partnership begun with their joint album Across the Stars. The new album, John Williams in Vienna, presents cult themes from E. T., Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and other milestones in film history, plus a previously unreleased violin arrangement of the Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick made by Williams for Mutter, who also played along with the first violins in the Raiders March from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Of course, the world-famous Imperial March from Star Wars couldn’t be left out. “One of the best performances of this march that I have ever heard,” Williams noted.

2 LP-set (180g pressing) comes in a high-quality gatefold with a classy “yellow foil” look on the cover.

Tracklisting

 LP 1 – Side A

1 THE FLIGHT TO NEVERLAND (aus "Hook")

2 EXCERPTS (aus "Unheimliche Begegnung der Dritten Art")

3 DEVIL’S DANCE (aus "Die Hexen von Eastwick") – (mit Anne-Sophie Mutter)

Side B

4 ADVENTURES ON EARTH (aus "E.T. – Der Ausserirdische")

5 THEME (aus "Jurassic Park")

LP 2 – Side A

1 MAIN TITLE (aus "Star Wars: Eine Neue Hoffnung")

2 THE REBELLION IS REBORN (aus "Star Wars: Die Letzten Jedi")

3 LUKE & LEIA (aus "Star Wars: Die Rückkehr der Jedi-Ritter“)

4 THE IMPERIAL MARCH (aus "Star Wars: Das Imperium schlägt zurück")

Side B

5 DARTMOOR, 1912 (aus "Gefährten")

6 OUT TO SEA & THE SHARK CAGE FUGUE (aus "Der Weisse Hai")

7 MARION’S THEME (aus "Indiana Jones: Jäger des Verlorenen Schatzes")

8 RAIDER’S MARCH (aus "Indiana Jones: Jäger des Verlorenen Schatzes") – (mit Anne-Sophie Mutter)