Country : Germany / United States Label : Deutsche Grammophon Genres and styles : Classical Year : 2020

John Williams in Vienna

· by François Vallières

Composer John Williams needs no introduction. Although a celebrated musical architect and creator of moods for a staggering number of Hollywood films, he’s less well known for his concert music. The presence of John Williams – creator of two symphonies, a dozen concertos, chamber music, and vocal works – on stage as a composer of “intellectual” music is a major event. 

Throughout his career, Williams’ language has been strongly influenced by many predecessors – Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Gustav Holst, to name but a few. It’s therefore no surprise that a multitude of symphony orchestras around the world perform his music. It was in response to an invitation from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra that the 88-year-old American went to Austria to conduct a concert exclusively devoted to his music for film. The composer concocted a program including his greatest hits (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T.), as well as lesser-known works (Hook, War Horse, Close Encounters of the Third Kind). 

Music lovers and film-score aficionadoes accustomed to hearing Williams’ music performed by American orchestras with a very direct and powerful sound will be surprised by the dignified, polished, and intensely controlled approach of the Viennese. The VPO, considered by many to be the best in the world, gives readings here that are always very intense, very energetic, almost operatic, giving an extraordinary breath to this music which is, by its intrinsic nature, resolutely dramatic. To this clash of titans, we must also add the presence of violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, at the peak of her art on “Devil’s Dance” from The Witches of Eastwick, an extremely virtuoso arrangement by the composer especially for this concert. 

For the record, it should be noted that Williams did not originally program the famous “Imperial March” from Star Wars. It was at the request of the orchestra’s brass section that he changed his tune. The result, in this writer’s humble opinion, is the best version of this piece ever recorded.

Latest 360 Content

The Centre des Musiciens du Monde’s music Tree that brings people together

The Centre des Musiciens du Monde’s music Tree that brings people together

Festival des Saveurs | Carminda Mac Lorin, The Woman of Many Hats

Festival des Saveurs | Carminda Mac Lorin, The Woman of Many Hats

SAT X EAF | Amselysen and The Ideal Perfume of A Serial Killer

SAT X EAF | Amselysen and The Ideal Perfume of A Serial Killer

Festival Classica 2025 | Women’s Cellos

Festival Classica 2025 | Women’s Cellos

Nuits d’Afrique 2025: ALL About The Program

Nuits d’Afrique 2025: ALL About The Program

Festival Classica: An Ode to Hope with Elvira Misbakhova

Festival Classica: An Ode to Hope with Elvira Misbakhova

Festival des Saveurs | Aldo Guizmo Goes “Str8 Forward”

Festival des Saveurs | Aldo Guizmo Goes “Str8 Forward”

Deafhaven – Lonely People with Power

Deafhaven – Lonely People with Power

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Subscribe to our newsletter