Film lovers united for an entertaining night in Montreal’s Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, celebrating one of the most beloved film composers of all time: John Williams. The man needs no introduction. From the twinkling celesta of “Hedwig’s Theme” to the infamous “Imperial March,” leitmotifs from his compositions are known to almost all. At 92 years old with a career that has crossed over seven decades, his musical contributions have become an envied addition to films of any genre.
As his best scores are oft-debated, it must have been difficult to narrow down the program. Under the baton of Francis Choinière, the Orchestre FILMharmonique covered a hefty 18 of his pieces, including the encore. Choinière was clearly a great fan of both the films and the music, as he articulated in his addresses to the audience.
What you missed:
The first and only non-film piece played was Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare,” likely the least recognizable piece of the night. “Adventure on Earth” from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (my favorite piece of the night) was filled with sweeping strings, beautiful trills and flutters from the harp and piccolo, and sweet teamwork amongst the horn, oboe, and flute. Fanfare and rumbling timpani led to the piece’s grand finale, a signature element in many of his works. The signature repeated minor seconds from the Jaws theme drew suspense and laughs while a fake shark fin glided above the orchestra’s heads.
Tam Photography
“Somewhere in My Memory” from Home Alone, accompanied by the talented Chœur des Mélomanes, was also beautifully performed. Ringing bells and serene harmonies were reminiscent of a Christmas carol. Other pieces of note from the first half included the exciting theme from Indiana Jones, the triumphant Jurassic Park theme, the heroic “Hymn to the Fallen” from Saving Private Ryan, and the march from Superman. Guillaume Villeneuve performed the violin solo from Schindler’s List with great drama, control, and eagerness.
The programming up until intermission featured a wide variety of music from different films. In contrast, the second half was solely dedicated to the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises. Though I would have preferred a more even distribution of repertoire, it was an exciting adjustment for the ardent fans in the audience.
The FILMharmonique brought the audience along for a journey into the wizarding world of Harry Potter, where magic was dusted into the music echoing throughout the hall. The Star Wars pieces showcased the heavy brass Williams often seems to favor in his music, the intensity mirrored in many sections of crescendo and increasing tempo.
Gripes
With such an expansive program and a timeline to follow, several of the songs were taken at a quicker tempo than heard in the films or other recordings. This affected the mood of some pieces, such as the Jurassic Park theme and Star Wars pieces. Choinière could have toyed with the narratives in some sections, such as by slowing down the tempo of the love theme within “Superman March.” There were also a few instrumental errors such as horn cracks during a sweet solo or notable orchestration changes that did not appear to be as faithful to the scores.
Unfortunately, there were also some issues with the performance’s amplification. The FILMharmonique is not an exceptionally large orchestra, but they are certainly large enough to take on this repertoire. The orchestra’s balance was occasionally distorted due to the abundant and perhaps ill-distributed microphones. The same amplification issues affected the choir as well. Though the song itself is meant to be powerful, “Duel of the Fates” from Phantom Menace became extremely — if not overly — loud, with one tenor’s voice noticeably louder through the speakers in the hall.
Passionate performances by all
Overall, the concert proved a wonderful night amongst fellow cinephiles celebrating one of the most influential modern composers in the world. John Williams’ music is full of late Romantic influence thanks to his extensive classical music knowledge, and I was ecstatic to be able to witness the scores of some of my favourite soundtracks live with such a talented and passionate conductor, orchestra, and choir.
Keep up with the Orchestre FILMharmonique here: www.filmharmonique.ca
