The Legacy of John Williams Podcast
Episodes
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Return To Neverland: HOOK The Ultimate Edition - Part 2
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Part 2 of the podcast special dedicated to La-La Land Records’ magnificent 3-CD set of John Williams’ masterful score for the 1991 Steven Spielberg fantasy epic
Hook – The Ultimate Edition is a 3-CD collection with a newly restored and expanded presentation of the magnificent score composed by John Williams for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino in full cooperation with the composer, the new release presents this seminal Williams’ work in a truly definitive and loving treatment, with the complete score presented in the film’s narrative order on disc 1 and 2, and a third disc featuring for the first time all the songs by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse for when the film was supposed to be a musical.
In Part 2 of the Hook - The Ultimate Edition podcast special, producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss more of the musical contents of La-La Land Records' magnificent release, together with associate producers and co-writers of the liner notes John Takis and Jason LeBlanc. During the conversation, the trio of special guests dissect all the riches found in the treasure chest of this John Williams' score, analyzing the score's main themes, how the songs' melodies were reworked into the thematic fabric of the piece and offering their own thoughts and reflections on the film and its score.
Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/27/hook-podcast-special
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Return To Neverland: HOOK The Ultimate Edition - Part 1
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
The Legacy of John Williams presents a multi-part podcast special dedicated to HOOK - The Ultimate Edition, a 3-CD set of John Williams' magnificent score for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg, now available from La-La Land Records.
Hook – The Ultimate Edition is a 3-CD collection from La-La Land Records with a newly restored and expanded presentation of the magnificent score composed by John Williams for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino in full cooperation with the composer, the new release finally gives this seminal Williams’ work the truly definitive and loving treatment it always deserved, with the complete score presented in the film’s narrative order on disc 1 and 2 (including cues dialed out from the film’s final dub), followed by a selection of alternate cues. But the real surprise of this new Ultimate Edition is the third disc, a program presenting for the very first time all the songs written by John Williams and lyricist Leslie Bricusse when Hook was supposed to be a full-on movie musical, interjected by additional alternate score cues and source music pieces, thus creating a fascinating experience that offers the listener a chance to connect with this music in a new and unexpected way.
In part 1 of this Hook - The Ultimate Edition podcast special on The Legacy of John Williams, soundtrack producer Mike Matessino sits down to talk about the genesis of Steven Spielberg's 1991 fantasy epic, its place within the director's filmography and the long history of how it almost became a musical, while also addressing how Hook sits in the canon of the Steven Spielberg/John Williams collaboration; Matessino also talks about his friendship with lyricist Leslie Bricusse, the years-in-the-making process of assembling and producing this new set and his own personal journey to bring it to life with the utmost level of care and detail that such music always deserved.
Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/27/hook-podcast-special/
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
From Swiss Alps to English Moors: The Music of ’Heidi’ and ’Jane Eyre’
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino and Writer John Takis talk two early John Williams' masterworks, now available in new remastered editions from Quartet Records
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden
European-based soundtrack label Quartet Records announced a 2-CD set presenting new remastered editions of two early masterworks in John Williams' filmography: Heidi (1968) and Jane Eyre (1970), both newly restored, assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino. Both scores were composed by Williams for two made-for-television films produced by Frederick H. Brogger for Omnibus Productions and both directed by Academy Award-winning director Delbert Mann.
In this new podcast conversation, soundtrack producer Mike Matessino and film music writer John Takis talk the history of these two early landmark John Williams' scores, offering insights and reflections on the special quality and the timelessness of both scores, how they sits in the Williams' canon and chronicling the laborious restoration process both recordings went through for this new spectacular release, another one that cannot be missed in the CD collection of any true John Williams' admirer.
Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/21/heidi-and-jane-eyre-podcast
Friday Apr 28, 2023
SABRINA Expanded Edition: Exclusive First Listen
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino presents the new 2-CD expanded edition of John Williams' romantic score coming May 2 on La-La Land Records
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto & Tim Burden
The Legacy of John Williams presents an exclusive preview of the first John Williams' archival soundtrack reissue of 2023, courtesy of La-La Land Records: a lavish 2-disc release of the Academy Award-nominated score composed by Maestro Williams for the 1995 romantic comedy Sabrina, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear. Assembled, mastered and produced by archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, the new edition offers a wonderfully exhaustive presentation of John Williams' lush romantic score, remastered from 1st-generation analog tapes and expanded with a great wealth of previously unreleased material, including many unused cues and several alternates.
The new release presents an expanded edition of the original orchestral score composed and conducted by John Williams, plus all the source music and the songs (including the two original ones written by Williams and lyricists Alan & Marilyn Bergman) that were specifically arranged and recorded for the film.
In this special podcast episode, The Legacy of John Williams presents two exclusive preview tracks from the new expanded edition, with Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino offering his own precious insight and commentary on the lovely John Williams' score, how it sits in the composer's catalogue and chronicling the making of this new archival release.
Sabrina - 2-CD Expanded Soundtrack Limited Edition is coming May 2 on lalalandrecords.com
Special Thanks to MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys (La-La Land Records)
Friday Nov 11, 2022
’The Fabelmans’ First Listen
Friday Nov 11, 2022
Friday Nov 11, 2022
The Legacy of John Williams, in collaboration with Sony Music, is proud to announce the latest John Williams release - The Fabelmans (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack); a soundtrack album by the five-time Academy Award® winner for director Steven Spielberg’s deeply personal cinematic memory of the forces, and family, that shaped his life and career. The release marks the latest collaboration between Spielberg and Williams, whose longstanding creative partnership spans nearly 50 years and 30 films. From E.T., Jaws and Jurassic Park to Schindler’s List, Lincoln and Saving Private Ryan, Williams and Spielberg’s collaborations have produced some of the most stirring and well-recognized music in film history.
The Fabelmans is a deeply personal portrait of a 20th century American childhood. Written by Spielberg together with Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner, it's a universal coming-of-age story about an isolated young man’s pursuit of his dreams, the film is an exploration of love, artistic ambition, sacrifice and the moments of discovery that allow us to see the truth about ourselves, and our parents, with clarity and compassion. The musical score by John Williams accompanies the film during its key moments with a poignant, lyrical tone that enhances the characters' most intimate and profound feelings--the main theme (heard in the opening track, "The Fabelmans") is one of the most heart-rending and touching themes ever composed by Williams. The music features chamber-like solos for piano, harp, guitar and celeste, painting a heartfelt portrait of the story and its main characters.
The Legacy of John Williams is proud to present this special podcast episode featuring a commentary on John Williams' new soundtrack by Editor Maurizio Caschetto and Head Contributor Tim Burden. The talk focuses around three tracks from the soundtrack album selected by Caschetto and Burden, "Mitzi's Dance", "Mother and Son", and "The Journey Begins," which offer a beautiful representation of Williams' poignant and delicate scoring for this film.
You can listen to John Williams' wonderful new music in full here: https://soundtracks.lnk.to/thefabelmans
Special Thanks to Maria Kopp and Dani Chwatt (Sony Music)
Friday May 20, 2022
Mike Matessino Talks SpaceCamp and Presumed Innocent
Friday May 20, 2022
Friday May 20, 2022
Producer Mike Matessino talks the latest John Williams expanded reissues just released: the 1986 space adventure film SpaceCamp and the 1990 courtroom drama Presumed Innocent
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden
For the joy of fans and admirers of the Maestro around the world, the first two John Williams expanded archival releases of 2022 have been recently announced. They are respectively SpaceCamp (from Intrada) and Presumed Innocent (from Varèse Sarabande), two sought-after titles that have been long out of print and that now are finally available in expanded and remastered form courtesy of Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino, giving a new chance to listeners to appreciate and rediscover two very unique and distinctive film works in John Williams’ catalogue.
In this conversation, Matessino returns to The Legacy of John Williams podcast to discuss how both SpaceCamp and Presumed Innocent fit into the chronology of John Williams’ career, talking about how the composer became a household name during the 1980s and how he challenged himself in new and diverse projects.
Special Thanks to Douglass Fake & Roger Feigelson (Intrada), Cary Mansfield (Varèse Sarabande) and to Mike Matessino.
For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/
Saturday May 14, 2022
SpaceCamp Expanded Edition: First Listen
Saturday May 14, 2022
Saturday May 14, 2022
Listen to an exclusive preview of the new expanded release of John Williams' SpaceCamp, now available from Intrada
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden
The Legacy of John Williams presents a special podcast "bonus" episode celebrating the release of the expanded edition of one of John Williams' most uplifting and joyous scores from the 1980s: SpaceCamp, composed for the 1986 film directed by Harry Winer and starring Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston and a very young Joaquin Phoenix, telling the story of a group of young kids accidentally launched deep into outer space during an astronaut training program. Specialty soundtrack label Intrada just announced the release of a 2-CD set featuring the complete film score composed by John Williams on disc 1 (mastered from the recently found original three-track film mixes by engineer Armin Steiner), and the original soundtrack album program as mixed for record by Len Engel from a newly mastered hi-res transfer of the 1/4" album master on disc 2. This new edition is once again assembled, mastered and produced brilliantly by Mike Matessino, who also wrote detailed liner notes chronicling the film's history and production and providing an excellent analysis of the score.
A conversation with Mike Matessino discussing this new release is coming soon on The Legacy of John Williams podcast, but as a gift to our readers and listeners, The Legacy of John Williams presents a bonus "prologue" episode featuring two full tracks from this new release, including the long-awaited unreleased cue "Arriving at Daedalus", perhaps one of the most sought-after in the long list of previously unreleased pieces from Williams' filmography. So, sit back, relax and prepare to enjoy a special treat, courtesy of Intrada and Mike Matessino.
Order your copy of SpaceCamp Expanded Edition at Intrada's website:SpaceCamp Expanded Edition 2-CD set
Special Thanks to Douglass Fake, Roger Feigelson and Jeff Johnson at Intrada, and to Mike Matessino.
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Back To Anatevka: More Talk On ’Fiddler On The Roof’
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino returns to talk more on his work for the 50th Anniversary Edition, with distinguished Broadway Music Director and Conductor Andy Einhorn joining as a special guest to discuss the first concert performance of John Williams' orchestrations and the legacy of the beloved musical.
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden
The Legacy of John Williams goes back to Anatevka for the long-awaited 2nd part of the discussion on Fiddler On The Roof 50th Anniversary Soundtrack Edition. The massive 3-disc set released by La-La Land Records was the subject of an in-depth talk and feature article published last December, and now Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino returns to offer more eloquent thoughts and insights about the 1971 classic film by Norman Jewison, its Academy Award-winning adaptation score by John Williams, and the painstaking restoration work he went through to bring new life to the original soundtrack recordings.
This second act of the Fiddler On The Roof podcast special is also enriched by the presence of a very welcome special guest. Leading Broadway Music Director and Conductor Andy Einhorn joins to talk about a truly unique and very special initative: the presentation of a lightly-staged production of Fiddler On The Roof featuring the world premiere concert performance of John Williams' Oscar-winning orchestrations, a project spearheaded by the UMS in collaboration with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance/Department of Musical Theatre.
During the conversation, Einhorn reflects on the various reasons why this project holds a special place in his career, the challenges he faced to put it together and the thrill of hearing Williams' sumptuous orchestrations performed live for the first time in 50 years, talking also about the details and nuances hidden in the score. He and Mike Matessino offer precious insight on the timelessness of Fiddler On The Roof and its relevance for today's audiences also in light of the tragic recent events happening in the same region in which the original story takes place, i.e. the small Ukraine village of Anatevka.
Read more: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/03/04/fiddler-on-the-roof-podcast-pt2/
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Top of the World: Mike Matessino Talks 'The Eiger Sanction'
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino presents Intrada Records' new 2-disc expanded edition of John Williams’ score for Clint Eastwood’s alpine thriller, featuring the world premiere release of the original film recording and a remastered version of the 1975 soundtrack album
Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden
The restoration of Maestro John Williams’ rich filmography adds another pivotal item to its ongoing process of “future proofing”. Intrada Records has just released a 2-disc expanded edition of one of the Maestro’s most interesting and diverse scores of his pre-Jaws era: The Eiger Sanction, written for the 1975 alpine thriller directed by and also starring Clint Eastwood, in his one and only collaboration with the composer. The new release is produced and remastered by Mike Matessino, who continues to be the ultimate guardian of John Williams’ film score presentations through his universally admired painstaking methodology of soundtrack restoration, preserving the Maestro’s work for all future generations in the best and most accurate way.
The original soundtrack album issued on MCA Records at the time of the film’s theatrical release was a re-recording where Williams selected cues from the score expanding and repurposing them for a more cohesive listening experience. The brand-new 2-CD release by Intrada Records presents both a remastered version of the 1975 MCA soundtrack album and the premiere release of the original film recording, featuring a great deal of unreleased music, including never-before-heard material that was written and recorded for a longer cut of the film. All the material has been painstakingly restored and remastered by Mike Matessino. The end product is a wonderful musical journey that puts a well-deserved spotlight on one of John Williams’ lesser-known yet most fascinating and diverse scores to be found in his long and rich filmography.
In this conversation, Mike Matessino returns to The Legacy of John Williams podcast to present this new 2-disc expanded edition of John Williams’ score for Clint Eastwood’s alpine thriller, spotlighting and documenting his own unique restoration work while offering thoughts and insights on the Maestro’s music for the film.
For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/08/10/the-eiger-sanction-podcast
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Conductor Kevin Griffiths Talks "Spotlight on John Williams"
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Friday Apr 09, 2021
The English-born conductor talks about the brand-new recording "Spotlight on John Williams", the debut album of the Swiss-based City Light Symphony Orchestra, a 2-CD collection of some of John Williams' film masterpieces
Spotlight on John Williams presents the City Light Symphony Orchestra conducted by English-born Maestro Kevin Griffiths in a 100-minute musical journey throughout some of John Williams’ movie masterworks, featuring such acclaimed soloists as Valentine Michaud, Reinhold Friedrich and Paul Meyer. The selections include 21 tracks, including music from many of the popular film franchises the composer is associated with – the Star Wars saga is represented by a 4-movement suite from The Force Awakens and the Indiana Jones movies with the riveting “End Credits” suite from The Temple of Doom, while the Harry Potter wizarding world is featured with four selections from The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban. The stirring themes from such beloved film scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, Superman are also represented, but there is space for other Williams’ gems like “Viktor’s Tale” from The Terminal, the patriotic themes from JFK and Born on the Fourth of July, the jazzy 3-movement “Escapades” suite for alto saxophone from Catch Me If You Can, the lively opening credits from The Adventures of Tintin, and the stirring Americana of The Cowboys Overture.
The recording is a real showcase of the City Light Symphony Orchestra’s brilliance – the performance is tight and vigorous, the spectrum of sonorities they bring out is sparkling, full of colours and nuances, but always focused and sharp at the same time.
In this conversation, conductor Kevin Griffiths talks with The Legacy of John Williams about the challenges of recording the album, how the project was put together and how he worked with the City Light Symphony Orchestra to bring out all the marvelous nuances and details of John Williams’ music. He also talks about the differences of conducting live to picture vs. traditional symphonic setting, how the audience’s perception of film music has changed throughout the years, and what John Williams’ music meant for him since childhood, while also reflecting on the legacy of the Maestro.
Spotlight on John Williams is released on Prospero Classical
For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/04/09/kevin-griffiths-city-light-interview/