Maestro of the Movies
John Williams & David Newman
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles, CA
September 2nd, 2022

Review by Jared Stossel
Photos provided by Farah Sosa, courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic

My grandfather passed away when I was six years old. Obviously, I never had much time with him, but I’m lucky enough to have memories of him in my life. They were always pleasant. He tried to hide his cancer diagnosis from me - I was too young, and I didn’t understand exactly what was going on. I was a child; I couldn’t comprehend that this person that loved me so much would soon be gone from my life in a matter of months. Aside from those few memories, my connection to him resides in a few items that he gave me within those few years. One of these items, which I still have to this day, was a VHS box set of a film series called Star Wars. One of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood is taking those films into the other room, putting Episode IV: A New Hope into the VCR, and pressing play. My life changed from that moment forward, and I think of him every time I see those films, or whenever I hear the film’s theme music.

I’ve found my connection to other people and memories not just through music (which is the primary focus of this outlet), but to the movies I’ve seen throughout my life. Equally as important as the film itself is the score. A great film score can immerse you back into the world of the movie you’ve seen, no matter where you are in the world. You could be buying groceries down the street, and you’ll hear a ring tone from a nearby shopper playing John Carpenter’s iconic Halloweentheme as they get a phone call. I’m suddenly back in my living room, watching the film for the first time as a teenager, watching The Shape chase a frightened Laurie Strode across the street on that fateful night in Haddonfield. Every time I hear the “Portals” them from Avengers: Endgame, I can’t help but smile and be back in the theater where I had one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my life.

There is no better or more important composer in the history of film than John Williams. I understand that this is my opinion, that people will raise me Bernard Hermann, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini, or countless others. Their work is irrevocably foundational to the art of film scoring, with songs that bring some of cinema’s greatest moments to life. To my generation, John Williams is the most important one, and perhaps the singular most important musician in the 20th and 21st century. You may not know the latest song in rock, hip-hop, or country music, but when I write down Jaws,Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I know for a fact that the music is now playing in your head. In my opinion, Williams’ music has had a similar cultural impact on modern music as acts like The Beatles or Michael Jackson: you know the songs, even if you’re not someone that keeps up with the musical or cultural landscape.

To see this music brought to life is beyond magical. To see this music brought to life by the person who composed it, in his 90th year of existence, is a transcendent experience. As is tradition, the legendary Hollywood Bowl hosted its annual ‘Maestro of the Movies’ event, a celebration of the music of John Williams, which finds the esteemed composer returning to the stage to perform a specially arranged and curated list of classics that have spanned both his own career and some of the silver screen’s biggest hits.

Williams was joined by David Newman (son of famed composer Alfred Newman) who conducted the first half of the show, performing various arrangements and pieces selected by Williams himself. Around 8 PM, the lights in the nearly 18,000-seat amphitheater began to dim as Newman walked to the podium. The bulk of Newman’s performance included music from Hollywood classics but closed with powerful performances of compositions from the films of Williams’ long-time collaborator Steven Spielberg. “With Malice Toward None” from the Daniel Day Lewis-starring Lincoln, and the always magical theme from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial were brought to life in excellent form by Newman, along with a specially arranged tribute to some of Hollywood’s best films that opened the evening. While Williams was the main event, Newman conducted an incredibly lively performance that featured selections from the Billy Wilder classic Sunset Boulevard, along with a delightful rendition of two cartoon classics: “Baton Bunny””, a Looney Tunes short which features “guest composer” Bugs Bunny elicited a great reaction throughout the crowd, and a fun-filled rendition of the March from The Great Waldo Pepper, which was featured in 2015’s The Peanuts Movie. Newman conducts the impressive Los Angeles Philharmonic as the sequences from these cartoons play in synchronized fashion.

David Newman conducting at ‘Maestro at the Movies’ on Friday, September 2nd, 2022. Photo Credit: Farah Sosa, courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

After a brief intermission, Williams walks to the stage in a white suit, all smiles as the crowd jumps to their feet. I counted five standing ovations throughout the night, including the two thrilling encores that concluded the evening’s festivities. “If you’re all going to be this nice to me, I’m going to have to live to be 100,” Williams says to the crowd, the Bowl coming to life as the composer delivers this line. He clearly loves doing what he’s doing. Even though he’s officially retiring his scoring career after the release of next year’s Indiana Jones 5, you can tell he gets so much joy out of performing.

The set began with the Olympic fanfare before heading into “Hedwig’s Theme” and “Harry’s Wonderous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The opening notes on the celesta still give me chills; I’m suddenly seven years old again, immersed in the world of Hogwarts and at the (now-defunct) Century 21 in San Jose, watching Harry’s universe come to life on the biggest screen possible with a thousand other people around me. Williams points out an element of the score that I hadn’t noticed before this evening; the melody will start on one instrument, but then it swells through the other sections. The whirr of the string section transitions the melody over to the horns, as the power of “Hedwig’s Theme” swells to fruition. Tears come to my eyes.

Williams then goes on to describe working on the arrangement for the Norman Jewison-directed Fiddler on the Roof, playing a selection of songs from the musical. In the process, he highlights Bing Wang, the first chair of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and an exemplary violinist. This is a musician that plays every note with her soul, and the notes carry all the way to the back of the Bowl. Williams goes on to comment, “she perform it so beautifully, that I had to ask her to play Schindler’s List.” Breaking from the listed program, Wang gracefully moves the bow across the strings, bringing to life the moving theme from the Spielberg-directed film, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director in 1994. Spielberg puts his heart and soul into every one of his films, with Schindler’s List being one of the most personal and harrowing pieces of film he’d ever done. Williams elevates the film with his score, and the emotional responsibility is not lost on him nor any member of the orchestra.

A tradition I’ve seen occur at this show for many years (mainly through YouTube videos that are shared with me) happens during the Star Wars segment of the show. Whenever the music begins, whether it’s the scrimmaging of the X-wings into battle, a theme for one of the characters, or the saga’s iconic main theme, thousands of lightsabers purchased at the gates of the Bowl light up the night sky. You turn around in your seat and it looks like the Jedi are preparing for battle. Williams selected “Scherzo for X-Wings” from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and the theme to Disney’s most recent entry in the Star Wars universe, Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Williams noting that he was requested to compose the score earlier this year by none other than Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. The moment that hit me the hardest, however, was the performance of “The Throne Room”. I vividly began to remember the first time I ever saw A New Hope, and how that scene ends the movie. I remember my grandfather handing me those video tapes, a new chapter of my life about to begin.

John Williams conducting at ‘Maestro at the Movies’ on Friday, September 2nd, 2022. Photo Credit: Farah Sosa, courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

When you deconstruct that scene, there is absolutely no dialogue. If there was no music, it would be an incredibly awkward way to close out the film. The music in Star Wars is just as important as the picture itself. I was moved beyond words when the main theme was performed; I don’t know if any of my favorite bands could move me to tears in the same way as this music.

There’s no question that many details about the forthcoming installment of Indiana Jones – what the finale in the long-running franchise – have been kept under wraps. As a surprise to the Los Angeles crowd that evening, Williams revealed a brand-new piece of music, “Helena’s Theme”, to the eager audience. The song was scored for the film’s character played by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is set to star with Harrison Ford as they make their way through…well, we don’t exactly know what the adventure will be just yet. It was a beautiful piece, and I look forward to seeing it in full effect on the screen next summer. A roar of applause reverberated throughout the theater as the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark came to life. For the final encore, Williams walked back to the podium, didn’t say a word, raised his arms, and led the symphony into the “Imperial March” from The Empire Strikes Back. The crowd went nuts.

Visiting the Hollywood Bowl for any show is always worth a trip. To visit it while seeing one of the world’s greatest composers bring the magic of film to life is worth the price of the flight alone. John Williams music is enchanting, magnetic, and inspired. Maestro of the Movies” is one of the best events you can attend all year. If he decides to return to the stage and lead the orchestra next year, I implore you to buy a ticket.

The music of these films is a reminder that no one’s ever really gone. I know my grandfather is no longer around, but I always think of him, even if just for a few moments, whenever I hear the opening theme from Star Wars. Music and film have the power to bring back those that are gone, even if momentarily. It has the power to bring us back to moments in time that have since passed, whether good or bad. For two hours, I was brought back to a time when my life was just beginning. We all long for the days when things were simpler; it’s in our nature. We keep moving forward, but all we need to do is push play on a song or a movie, and for those few fleeting moments, we’re home again. “Maestro of the Movies” was more than just a singular performance for me; it was a celebration of one of the world’s greatest art forms. There really is no place like the movies.

“Maestro of the Movies” Run of Show
Composer: David Newman

Smith
Star Spangled Banner

Various (Arr. John Williams)
Tribute to the Film Composer

Korngold
March from The Adventures of Robin Hood

Waxman
Suite from A Place In The Sun

Waxman
Excerpts from Sunset Blvd.

Suppé
Baton Bunny (Looney Tunes)

Mancini
March from The Great Waldo Pepper (The Peanuts Movie)

John Williams
“With Malice Toward None” from Lincoln

John Williams
“Flying Theme” from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

INTERMISSION

Composer: John Williams

John Williams
Olympic Fanfare & Theme

John Williams
Selections From Harry Potter
“Hedwig’s Theme”
“Harry’s Wondrous World”

Bock (Arr. John Williams)
Excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof

John Williams
Theme from Schindler’s List

John Williams
Selections from Star Wars
“Scherzo For X-Wings” from The Force Awakens
“Obi-Wan Theme”
“Throne Room & Finale” from A New Hope

Encore:

John Williams
“Helena’s Theme” from Indiana Jones 5
Raiders March from Raiders of the Lost Ark