im just wondering , when will be John Williams time, cause James was great but John is timeless, and he's 92 :SSS That's going to be reallllllllllyyyy sad :( To me the most important composer of the 20th century
@AgenteusaRR John has the strengths of the Force, the Arc of the Covenant, the Chakra Stones, the Holy Grail, E.T., Superman, manipulated dinosaur DNA, and Hogwarts (if not the Deathly Hallows themselves), plus the celestial blessings of Handel, Mozart, Beethovan, and Bach. No wonder he's still alive. When he dies, they need to name a Constellation after him. "Baton di Williamius", "Notas di Williamius"...
@@crystalward1444 You forgot Schindler and crazy enough most people don't know the "monster" movie "Home Alone" is by him as well, but that's a pretty good sum up ;). He's more than a composer, he's a builder of worlds, no one ever dared to impose him on how to do a soundtrack and yet is still a low key guy, no one ever heard anything from Williams aside from his music, closest thing to a god if i was religious :P
@@VincentV. Nope. The VPO beat the LSO (who made the original film score) hands down in this performance. I come from a Classical background rather than a film one, and the orchestra's precision here is out of this world, as is to be expected from the finest orchestra on the planet.
@@VincentV. The reason why williams is conducting this orchestra is because he said at an interview that it was a dream for him to conduct the vienna orchestra. And I think he had his good reason. He got so much applause all his live. Standing ovations and what not. it was the performance that struck him. It was just perfect. here is even a video of his reaction: ua-cam.com/video/g4aw1TPAT-Q/v-deo.html
Even if this composition wasn't attached to Star Wars it would still be regarded as a legendary masterpiece in music. The way it evokes intense doom and fear to the listener is unmatched.
John Williams himself: "I’ve never heard it played so brilliantly, I must say. All the brilliant orchestras I’ve played it with have never been quite like this; it had a kind of force and power that was an expression of their own spirit and history. It was really quite thrilling." That's it.
@@rocnathan How about the London Symphony Orchestra Original Recording ? Surely the Original is the best on all the 6 original films ( I have the remastered & original recordings on CD & digital
The last 4 notes you can see the greatness. 1st note is loud followed by a quiet 2nd note and the 3rd growing in power with the 4th the climax. Its hard to put in words but you can hear it very clearly
This is a big tribute to the legendary James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, he passed away today. May he RIP, and thank you for everything, Mr Jones. RIP James Earl Jones 1931/2024. May the Force be with you, Always. 😢😢
Imagine having a crowd of thousands listening to a song you wrote, as you direct an orchestra of one of the most talented musicians in the world. Williams is pure genius
@@scotchwhisky6094 The version on the page of the Deutsche Grammophon seems uncompressed. The Version of EP5 with the London Symphony Orchestra is little darker, more evil, but not this melodic as the version here. The single horn in the middle is a lot softer, not like staccato as in the soundtrack version.
It’s extremely rare to get an intro-applause in Vienna. It’s usually frowned upon as it ruins a part of the performance acoustically but I’m happy my fellow Viennese made an exception to show their enthusiasm for this. ❤️
True, but I am pretty sure this particular concert wasn't just stacked with your average Viennese concert audience, but a very, VERY hearty dose of movie nerds as well.
@@MinekEzQM Jams Earl Jones played Darth Vader, so it's not surprising people came to this song to remember him for playing one of the most iconic villains of all time.
@@MinekEzQMthis song is literally iconised with darth vader How could someone not remembered him when he heard these music What do we supposed to remember The rebel?
This is probably the best version of "Imperial March" I have ever heard. Played with such power and enthusiasm by the orchestra. I also love the fans reaction to the opening notes, followed by John Williams reaction to the fans with a big smile.
The way John smiles as people clap to the intro just screams “yeah I know y’all love this, I love it too.” some of the most wholesome 15 seconds on the internet
As the great artist he is of course what he loves is the whole experience of the superb execution of his work and the crowd's appreciation in this combo, not to listen to himself, not exactly the same experience as the crowd's, right? This guy and at least most of the orchestra dedicated their life to entertaining people. Purpose of expression as motivation.
The look on his face tells me he's moreso proud of the orchestra for pulling it off so well. He had an interview after the performance and he said that had to have been the very best he's ever heard the Imperial March played live.
Fun fact: John Williams did not want to add this piece to the concert because he did not want to strain the brass section, but they approached him in rehearsal and asked him to add it.
Ha! They are not just any old orchestra: they are the Wiener Philmarmonic. If you can play 5-hour long Wagner operas this should be a walk in the park. Only the Berliner Philarmoniker could give them a run for their money!
And they actually sound pretty robotic on the new recording, which is a shame, because their string section is lovely. But Viennese brass (literally) blows everybody else out of the water.
As John Williams himself said, this was the best presentation of Imperial March that he ever heard! It certainly was mine too! Thanks John Williams, Vienna Philharmonic and Deutsche Grammophon for performing and recording this amazing concert! May the Force be with you!
Not to be a bummer, but that's probably just how he forms his embouchure. Most brass players make a "frown" face when forming their embouchure, while a few use a "smile". It depends on how they originally learned to play, training, and their mouth/jaw shape.
@@tortysoft they meant you are not supposed to break into applause in the middle of a piece (even one that has just started). That's more of a rock & pop thing.
If you want to hear it LIVE, Go to an Iowa Hawkeyes football home game and wait for them to get a stop on 3rd down. The marching band plays it when that happens, and the fans clap their hands vertically to the beat. Something they call "the gator." Don't ask how that came to be it just is. 😂
Amazing live ! ❤ attended years ago in Dublin, where Anthony Daniels MC the whole night. Movie scenes too. My 5 year old was hooked for life ❤😂❤ it was such a treat
You better get to Los Angeles quick. John Williams conducts his music at the Hollywood Bowl each summer for 3 nights. I’ve seen him twice there. It’s easily one of greatest experience I’ve had to watch Star Wars while he was conducting the score
I just read the review of this concert. This was the first concert by John Williams in Continental Europe in the last 30 or so years. And apparently this piece was not on the original program, but the members of the orchestra insisted to The Master to perform it, even when they were playing for more than two hours already (this was during the encore), and that The Imperial March requires lots of energy to deliver. So, in spite of all this, this is probably the best live performance of this piece ever. Also I think this is the first time that this orchestra (which is probably the best in Europe and perhaps also of the whole world) plays a whole concert with music from films
Isn't it also possible the prevailing attitude among the elite belonging to the field of arts is that film scores don't quite fall into the same category as those of the "proper traditional classical" composers (not as my opinion but rather from others')? A similar comparison may be said regarding musicals between that of Broadway stage presentations and Hollywood film productions whereas the former is preferred over the latter which is more-or-less frowned upon as not quite legitimate or accepted as the general custom, at least pertaining to the creative factor, e.g. songwriters and supposedly considered as low-brow.
Some how that just makes the piece even better... that it wasn't in the program but the orchestra went like 'Its John Williams, we have to play the Imperial March.'
“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches; nor do men in red capes. There is no Force. Dinosaurs don’t walk the Earth … You take our movies, many of them about our most impossible dreams, and through your musical genius, you make them real and everlasting for billions and billions of people.” Steven Spielberg
Yeah, I often hear people talk about Hans Zimmer or Danny Elfman as examples of other great composers, but with John Williams I can often hear a song and recognize what movie it’s from, or see a movie title and think of one of the songs that was in the movie - I’d put Danny Elfman over Hans Zimmer, but Williams is definitely the King of movie composers
In memory of James Earl Jones. Darth Vader and Star Wars wouldn’t be where they are today had it not been for him. We will never forget him. May The Force Be With You Lord Vader!
‘At the intermission of one of the rehearsals, the players came and said to me “Maestro, can we play The Imperial March (from Star Wars)?” And I said, “well certainly we can; if you have the music, I’d be happy to conduct it.” “Oh we have the music,” they said, “we know it!” I told them I thought I’d already given them too much work for a two-hour concert, and they said “well you have, but we want to play The Imperial March for you; it’s the new Radetzky!” I’ve never heard it played so brilliantly, I must say. All the brilliant orchestras I’ve played it with have never been quite like this; it had a kind of force and power that was an expression of their own spirit and history. It was really quite thrilling.’
Yes. As a composer you have very sensitive hearing to pitch and intonation. This orchestra gave a whole new interpretation and you can see JW was amazed by it ! The LSO and boston and other orchestras are all good but this performance really is on another level..
Ive listened to over 20 performances of this piece from all years and THIS is the definitive version. Those triplets by the brass at 1:46 are the cleanest and crispest I have ever heard.. just WOW
This is why IMHO The Vienna Philharmonic is the finest on the planet. Unparalleled in clarity and their ability to make the details speak so well. There's another YT video of theirs floating around of The Stars and Stripes Forever march. Absolute perfection 👌🏻
This is the Vienna Philharmonic. Probably one of the lowest pressure shows for them because it's such whimsical, popular subject material. They're more likely to get criticized on Beethoven, but they're unlikely to because they're just so good as an orchestra. They have some of the most tasteful interpretations of most classical music of any orchestra around today.
The Vienna Philharmonic is one of the best orchestras in the world. I guess they know what they do, it's the daily job :) But clearly a very special moment for sure!
Amen. Im 43, i remember being 4 years old and my 2 year old brother and i watching the empire strikes back in the back of the regency mall cinema in augusta, ga...loved star wars always wanted a yoda doll...and i dont mean baby yoda
DIY Photo Guy I KNOW RIGHT?? I SWEAR I THOUGHT I CLICKED ON A DIFFERENT VIDEO AND WAS LIKE “Huh? This wasn’t the video I clicked???” Then I realized it was an ad!
I've seen Empire Strikes Back a million times and heard this piece a million times. But actually hearing it on the orchestra. You just feel the power and the energy of the instruments. Every note is so crisp and smooth.
There are other renditions of this elsewhere on UA-cam, but I think this one tops them all. These musicians seemed to relish the chance to play it, and it showed. And John's smiling throughout shows he's having fun with it, too.
John Williams is a genius, and this is his greatest master piece. Dark, powerful, triumphant and menacing, it is a truly imperial work of art that stands the test of time.
This piece wasn't on the original program. The brass section came to him during a break in rehearsals and literally begged him to put it in because they'd always wanted to play it.
And Vienna’s brass section is unbelievably good. There’s another upload on UA-cam of them performing the Imperial March at Schonnbrunn Palace and it’s my all time favorite.
John also said afterwards that it was the best live performance of the Imperial March he ever heard, he said they played it "Liked they owned it"...that's pretty powerful
I wonder if John ever says to himself while conducting one of his pieces, "Damn, I know I wrote this but, wow! This is awesome!" And that roar of the crowd at the end - every single time - must do wonders for your self esteem. And he deserves every bit of it, though he would deny it.
Nearly 90 years old, still loves what he does, still smiles with pure passion, and by far the greatest composer of all time (IMO) If there was anyone who should be granted eternal life; it’s John Williams.
Did you ever hear the tragedy of Graf Conrad the Unwise? Of course not. It's not a story the Entente would tell you. Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf was a Dark Lord of the Habsburgs who became so powerful he could even influence the Austro-Hungarians to invade Serbia. He was so powerful and unwise that the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually did occur. Unfortunately he taugh his Kaiser everything he knew and then his Kaiser dismissed him after he tried to invade Russia in winter three times the same year. Ironic. He could send hundreds of thousands of soldiers to their deaths, but couldn't prevent being fired because of that.
Yeah, I think his music - and the remarkable set and design of the first trilogy (the ships, the tie fighters, Imperial interiors, etc) - are an indispensable part of the magic. He’s a great film composer, a real musician. Wonder what he might have done had he been dedicated to absolute music...? BTW you can tell he knows how to handle an orchestra - not everyone can get the VPO to deliver a committed performance. Gotta give him his due. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see JW conduct serious music for a season or two? I bet he’d be great with Richard Strauss!
@@Hotspur77 As I understand it, he conducted the music for all the films, however, it would indeed be nice if he conducted Strauss, personally I'd love to see how he conducts Dvorak's 9th!
Look at John Williams smiling, it is so nice to see him enjoy every second of the orchestra playing his song. Imagin you wrote a Film Song and the most prestigious orchestra on earth let you even conduct it live.
Let us not ignore the audio engineers who made this recording possible with quality equipment, placement, and mixing. These recordings do not make themselves.
I've worked with the sound engineer of the Wiener Symphoniker at an outdoor concert in Vienna, and the level of expertise and feel for the music that engineers who work in classic music bring, is absolutely mindblowing. And even though we were surrounded by buildings and big, relatively flat housefronts that didn't scatter the sound a whole lot, the sound coming from that PA made me want to get rid of my studio monitoring. I actually stood in the foh booth with my jaw dropped.
Played with a Viennese Horn. No French Horn. I think it can sound "sharper", which fits this piece. I am not alone in prefering it in general, but I think it is harder to play.
The best compliment the Vienna Orchestra could get was the eye popping “WOW!” From Williams at the end. It was Impressive; most Impressive! You shouldn’t expect less from the Crème de la Crème of Europe
A man standing infront of one of the best orchestras in the world directing a theme he created over 40 years ago that changed cinema and made him legendary. Goosebumps!
A piece you wrote when you were 48. Now standing there 88, four decades later. First time in Europe conducting in 30 years. The joy of the performance. The fact Williams didn't plan to include this piece but the brass had pleased w/ him after one of the rehearsals.
This piece encapsulates the original trilogy perfectly. It captures the authoritarian spirit of the march itself, as well as the twilight of resistance in its refrains.
John Williams is the last of a dying breed unfortunately. He is a Master of his craft and a treasure. His name will forever be among(and associated with) those maestros who came before him, like Mozart, Bach and Beethoven.
Vienna Phil just gave the best gift anyone could give a composer (a perfect performance.) Intonation was ear candy. Loved the articulation clarity and graceful sense of timing. Pretty well floored by the artistry, can't wait to hear the whole concert.
Michael Graybill Yes! Absolutely. And he knew it too, you could see the smile creeping in as they piece went on. The performers crushed it, and he knew it. Awesome to see.
How times have changed! 20-30 years ago, most European orchestras couldn't be bothered to play film music, and felt it was beneath them. When they did play them, the performances suffered. But this rendition by the Vienna Phil was excellent!
I agree with you. What I can say it's a shame for Disney not hired a world-class orchestra for doing the recordings for the sequels, but they decided to cut the budget hiring freelance musicians and ensembling them into an orchestra for the films. As music lover and Star Wars fan the sequels always felt lacking a little in this aspect even Dudamel or Williams himself couldn't solve this problem.
So true. I've been at the Hollywood Bowl every year for the last thirty years and watched Williams conduct this many, many times (usually as an encore piece). And I am now obsessed with this performance. Muscular yet silky. Restrained yet powerful. And I agree with G Scott Walters above: Williams could tell as it was happening that the playing was special. Hearing -- and watching -- musicians performing at the top of their craft brings tears to my eyes. Also, kudos to the engineers who recorded this. So beautifully mic'd and mixed. Wow. Just wow. Truly, August can't come fast enough so that we can get the entire concert.
An ultra-complex and demanding piece played at the absolute highest world-class level. The staccati of the winds are pure madness!!! What a musical genius with the best orchestra in the world!!! What would I give to be able to be a part of something like this live.
RIP James Earl Jones. The force is strong with you.
I know…😢 I just heard. I listened in honor of Darth Vadar.
That’s why I’m here too
im just wondering , when will be John Williams time, cause James was great but John is timeless, and he's 92 :SSS That's going to be reallllllllllyyyy sad :( To me the most important composer of the 20th century
@AgenteusaRR John has the strengths of the Force, the Arc of the Covenant, the Chakra Stones, the Holy Grail, E.T., Superman, manipulated dinosaur DNA, and Hogwarts (if not the Deathly Hallows themselves), plus the celestial blessings of Handel, Mozart, Beethovan, and Bach. No wonder he's still alive. When he dies, they need to name a Constellation after him. "Baton di Williamius", "Notas di Williamius"...
@@crystalward1444 You forgot Schindler and crazy enough most people don't know the "monster" movie "Home Alone" is by him as well, but that's a pretty good sum up ;). He's more than a composer, he's a builder of worlds, no one ever dared to impose him on how to do a soundtrack and yet is still a low key guy, no one ever heard anything from Williams aside from his music, closest thing to a god if i was religious :P
John Williams is probably the most consistent thing about Star Wars
That an C3-P0
the prequels look like a prophecy to me these days...
@@last7509 ikr
@@littlegreenman5919 more like R2-D2 and C3-PO, R2 is more important than C3-PO
That's... Sadly true! ༼ つ ಥ_ಥ ༽つ
03:16 getting a "wow" from John Williams, you know how good you've performed.
I think the "wow" was his reaction, because the audience went crazy ^^
@@VincentV. Nope. The VPO beat the LSO (who made the original film score) hands down in this performance. I come from a Classical background rather than a film one, and the orchestra's precision here is out of this world, as is to be expected from the finest orchestra on the planet.
@@VincentV. The reason why williams is conducting this orchestra is because he said at an interview that it was a dream for him to conduct the vienna orchestra. And I think he had his good reason. He got so much applause all his live. Standing ovations and what not. it was the performance that struck him. It was just perfect.
here is even a video of his reaction:
ua-cam.com/video/g4aw1TPAT-Q/v-deo.html
@@VincentV. Definitely, the "wow" was because Williams was genuinely impressed with the orchestra. The tight cohesion of this performance is stunning.
@@Dragens2 thanks for the link good sir
Even if this composition wasn't attached to Star Wars it would still be regarded as a legendary masterpiece in music. The way it evokes intense doom and fear to the listener is unmatched.
Don’t you mean it EWOKES?
It's probably matched by Holst's Mars since that's the place from which this was essentially lifted.
Reminds me of Planets
It isn't
@@pedroteran5885 oh wow. I can pick up hints of a whole bunch of star wars OST's tracks in that
A song so iconic, that even people who are unfamiliar with Star Wars instantly know who it represents.
Ah yes, Lord Vader
People don't know the power of the DARK SIDE
You're goddamn right!
@@NoriMori1992 heisenburg
@@Xyz10_not talking about Walter white here
1:37 John Williams smiling while conducting his own masterpiece:
everyone liked that
redditor
And his look of joy at 3:17
On my bucket list is to see John Williams conduct this live.
@@crystalward1444 we are lucky
I have had kinda half shity day but this made me smile that you saw that and now i did se it too! it mad my day a bitt better! thnx!
1:37 his little smile when he knows they're absolutely nailing it 😍👌
Its cool seeing a legend smile like that.
Anticapitalist X United Kingdom: lol
Yes. That’s a great comment.
I love it!
Anticapitalist X perhaps the Space Force’s March
John Williams himself: "I’ve never heard it played so brilliantly, I must say. All the brilliant orchestras I’ve played it with have never been quite like this; it had a kind of force and power that was an expression of their own spirit and history. It was really quite thrilling."
That's it.
I've heard probably a hundred recording of this piece. But this is the best. You can't beat Vienna Philharmonic brass.
I liked how he would occasionally smile, as if he was experiencing something very special and moving.
@@rocnathan How about the London Symphony Orchestra Original Recording ? Surely the Original is the best on all the 6 original films ( I have the remastered & original recordings on CD & digital
“Own spirit and history” ahh old AH
You can see he is absolutely loving it, and they are too
I like how John smiles from time to time, just admiring what he has created, his legacy, his crafts. What a legendary man.
He's admiring the orchestras performance. This orchestra is arguably the greatest in the world.
@iamsnakemaster, yes. Yes he is
nope, he smiles cause of the music and the sound of the orchestra. not about his legacy !
The last 4 notes you can see the greatness. 1st note is loud followed by a quiet 2nd note and the 3rd growing in power with the 4th the climax. Its hard to put in words but you can hear it very clearly
@@Andorman901 fortepiano & cresc
Really cool to see him smiling while he's conducting. True passion.
And he kinda looks like one of those really adorable old people yoy see walking around. I freaking luv this guy.
He looks like colonel sanders combined with Albert einstein
It's the Imperial Theme from Star Wars. I'm sure it was alotta fun
Corny as it may seem, music really does touch the soul. It makes the spirit shine and the soul jump.
Master Yoda, is that you?
Legendary!!!
Dude you are legendary. Keep up the good work!
Luv ur orchestral remixes
Dude I loved your imprial march combo with The Batman 2021.
You do great work but please see my comments on your videos. About 36 times: PLEASE DO ZATHURA AND ADVENTURES OF TINTIN SOUNDTRACK!
Yes indeed and I also love your work
This is a big tribute to the legendary James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, he passed away today. May he RIP, and thank you for everything, Mr Jones. RIP James Earl Jones 1931/2024. May the Force be with you, Always. 😢😢
And this is how the song ends, with thunderous applause.
LOL!
👏👏
I understood that reference
Impressive... _Most_ impressive.
Gooooooooooddddddd
You can literally see the smiles on their faces as they're playing. Made my day
That’s the “I’m getting paid for this” expression ;)
@@timeodaneosetdona you mean the harrison ford expression?
I mean, imagine, you get to play something other than another boring piece of Baroque music, and of all things it's the Imperial March.
@@hlibushok and you’re playing it with the man himself. Must’ve felt great 😌
FACTS
This music will never get old.....neither will the younglings
Dang
Sheeeeshh!! Right in the feels
That was cold🤣
@@jimmiediedtoday so are the younglings’ bodies
Underrated comment
Imagine having a crowd of thousands listening to a song you wrote, as you direct an orchestra of one of the most talented musicians in the world. Williams is pure genius
This is absolutely flawless, you won't hear a finer recording of this theme.
I want to hear the full concert on CD, not on this crappy youtube compression.
Right?
It's on Spotify already, you can try it out there. Still wonderful on both platforms
@@scotchwhisky6094 It's coming out on CD and Bluray in August
@@scotchwhisky6094 The version on the page of the Deutsche Grammophon seems uncompressed.
The Version of EP5 with the London Symphony Orchestra is little darker, more evil, but not this melodic as the version here. The single horn in the middle is a lot softer, not like staccato as in the soundtrack version.
"I'm afraid that the orchestra will be quite operational when your friends arrive."
That didn't get the credit it deserved. LOL
András Horváth underrated
I’m sure that was a joke right?.😄
Bravo
HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s extremely rare to get an intro-applause in Vienna. It’s usually frowned upon as it ruins a part of the performance acoustically but I’m happy my fellow Viennese made an exception to show their enthusiasm for this. ❤️
True, but I am pretty sure this particular concert wasn't just stacked with your average Viennese concert audience, but a very, VERY hearty dose of movie nerds as well.
I wondered if the Intro applause was because “The Imperial City” of Vienna had adopted the “Imperial March” as their own.
@@jfcurran5484 Ha! I can effortlessly picture the Kaiser disembarking his carriage along this masterpiece. :)
Probably an encore.
@@paddybm3245 When the Saudi king arrived in London, the Welsh Guard band played the Imperial March.
A salute to James Earl Jones, he is now one with the Force.
So r u
How sad would your life be that you feel the urge to add "RIP XY" comments under videos where the person is not in the video for a second?
@@MinekEzQM Jams Earl Jones played Darth Vader, so it's not surprising people came to this song to remember him for playing one of the most iconic villains of all time.
rip
@@MinekEzQMthis song is literally iconised with darth vader
How could someone not remembered him when he heard these music
What do we supposed to remember
The rebel?
This is probably the best version of "Imperial March" I have ever heard. Played with such power and enthusiasm by the orchestra. I also love the fans reaction to the opening notes, followed by John Williams reaction to the fans with a big smile.
Intonation was key there.
I absolutely love Imperial March and I agree, this is the best version of it.
Everyone knows the starting chords of Imperial March
I listen to this one exclusively
John Williams himself thought this was the best version of the Imperial March he ever heard!
The way John smiles as people clap to the intro just screams “yeah I know y’all love this, I love it too.” some of the most wholesome 15 seconds on the internet
Absolutely...I would be that one person in the audience getting kicked out at the intro for standing up and yelling "DARK SIDE B!TCHES"
Truth
As the great artist he is of course what he loves is the whole experience of the superb execution of his work and the crowd's appreciation in this combo, not to listen to himself, not exactly the same experience as the crowd's, right? This guy and at least most of the orchestra dedicated their life to entertaining people. Purpose of expression as motivation.
I love it when serious people genuinely smile, it's so wholesome
One of the most iconic melodies in the history of music.
Hello there I hope you are doing good today..
darth vader would be proud
This one is for you Mr. Jones, may the Force Be With You.
RIP James Earl Jones
At least he lived a well-deserved pretty long life
He left before seeing the realization of his character come to life in the 4th reich next year....
I would kill to even be the triangle player in an orchestra conducted by John Williams.
SAME
Same
SAMEEEE
Same
They slowed down the last few bars for emphasis
He looks so proud of himself my heart can't take it.
i was about to comment the same, he's so proud!!
He's proud of them.
Actually I think he's proud of the orchestra.
Because Darth Vader is the most badass Sith Lord there is thankfully to mister @JohnWilliams
The look on his face tells me he's moreso proud of the orchestra for pulling it off so well. He had an interview after the performance and he said that had to have been the very best he's ever heard the Imperial March played live.
Fun fact: John Williams did not want to add this piece to the concert because he did not want to strain the brass section, but they approached him in rehearsal and asked him to add it.
Ha! They are not just any old orchestra: they are the Wiener Philmarmonic. If you can play 5-hour long Wagner operas this should be a walk in the park. Only the Berliner Philarmoniker could give them a run for their money!
And they actually sound pretty robotic on the new recording, which is a shame, because their string section is lovely. But Viennese brass (literally) blows everybody else out of the water.
No matter which group is playing, never doubt the brass section (especially the bass-end) when given a chance to shine.
Yeah… when you can play a iconic piece with the aging man who created it, you are gonna find a way not to be as strained
Yup, it's flipping hard to play the brass part!
This man is not only a national treasure but an intergalactic treasure
As John Williams himself said, this was the best presentation of Imperial March that he ever heard! It certainly was mine too! Thanks John Williams, Vienna Philharmonic and Deutsche Grammophon for performing and recording this amazing concert! May the Force be with you!
Keno facebook.com/320213934723089/posts/2897821646962292/?vh=e&d=n
It sounded amazing!!!
Can only agree.
Just look at Sir Williams face at the end...
Must be because of the sexually and racially diverse orchestra.
this is all i hear in my head these days....
The one Trumpeter with a constant smile on his face speaks of the orchestra's motivation in playing this piece - and they knocked it out of the park.
Apparently I am not the only one that noticed him smiling :Dd
I am pretty sure that every modern brass player tries to learn the Imperial March immediately upon picking up their instrument.
How can he not, he's sitting with Sylvester Stallone right there
Felik Kusuma Wardana lol
Not to be a bummer, but that's probably just how he forms his embouchure. Most brass players make a "frown" face when forming their embouchure, while a few use a "smile". It depends on how they originally learned to play, training, and their mouth/jaw shape.
I love how he smiles when he got the applause which normally isn't considered formal for an orchestra.
Oh, yes it is ! Go to a Prom concert :-) Loads of smiles !
I'd love to have been at this performance.
Of course smiled he just did the most iconic recognized by every human on the planet and did it well
@@tortysoft they meant you are not supposed to break into applause in the middle of a piece (even one that has just started). That's more of a rock & pop thing.
As a Very long time Prommer - I fully agree !@@silkwesir1444
@@silkwesir1444 i think its just TOO iconic for it to NOT get applause in the middle of the piece.
I'm not even really a star wars fan, or a big listener of orchestras, but this is just a masterpiece.
I can’t imagine hearing this live. I get chills over the screen. Everyone was smiling even a lot of the players.
If you want to hear it LIVE, Go to an Iowa Hawkeyes football home game and wait for them to get a stop on 3rd down. The marching band plays it when that happens, and the fans clap their hands vertically to the beat. Something they call "the gator." Don't ask how that came to be it just is. 😂
A lot were kids or even young adults when the first movie came out.
You just need to find Darth Vader but that would be probably last time you heared it...
Amazing live ! ❤ attended years ago in Dublin, where Anthony Daniels MC the whole night. Movie scenes too. My 5 year old was hooked for life ❤😂❤ it was such a treat
I saw this performed live by the Boise Philharmonic. It was amazing, but only 50% as incredible as it would have been to be in the room in this video.
John Williams looks like he is having so much fun conducting the orchestra, I love it :D
He looks like he's having an absolute, bell-ringing blast!
For this piece, he didn't even need to look at the music, because he already knows how he wants it to be played~
He knows an extremely talented orchestra when he hears it! 😃
He’s the modern Beethoven
I would pay good money to watch John orchestrate his greatest hits live.
Same
You better get to Los Angeles quick. John Williams conducts his music at the Hollywood Bowl each summer for 3 nights.
I’ve seen him twice there. It’s easily one of greatest experience I’ve had to watch Star Wars while he was conducting the score
@@wellbuilt13 I live in Chicago unfortunately. He never comes here.
@@wellbuilt13 That's awesome that you got to see it.
So did the audience.
R.I.P James Earl Jones, We grant you more than just the rank of Master but a legend
I just read the review of this concert. This was the first concert by John Williams in Continental Europe in the last 30 or so years. And apparently this piece was not on the original program, but the members of the orchestra insisted to The Master to perform it, even when they were playing for more than two hours already (this was during the encore), and that The Imperial March requires lots of energy to deliver. So, in spite of all this, this is probably the best live performance of this piece ever. Also I think this is the first time that this orchestra (which is probably the best in Europe and perhaps also of the whole world) plays a whole concert with music from films
It's the first time because there is no other film composer's music that is worthy of a full concert like this except maybe Morricone.
Isn't it also possible the prevailing attitude among the elite belonging to the field of arts is that film scores don't quite fall into the same category as those of the "proper traditional classical" composers (not as my opinion but rather from others')? A similar comparison may be said regarding musicals between that of Broadway stage presentations and Hollywood film productions whereas the former is preferred over the latter which is more-or-less frowned upon as not quite legitimate or accepted as the general custom, at least pertaining to the creative factor, e.g. songwriters and supposedly considered as low-brow.
@@corner559 i would like to argue that Joe Hisaishi for the studio ghibli is up there too ! ^^
Some how that just makes the piece even better... that it wasn't in the program but the orchestra went like 'Its John Williams, we have to play the Imperial March.'
@@corner559 Jerry Goldsmith
“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches; nor do men in red capes. There is no Force. Dinosaurs don’t walk the Earth … You take our movies, many of them about our most impossible dreams, and through your musical genius, you make them real and everlasting for billions and billions of people.”
Steven Spielberg
John isn't genius. He is God what enter our planet to teach us what is music
I could not have said it better myself😁
Congrats on 500 like
He is a legend
Yeah, I often hear people talk about Hans Zimmer or Danny Elfman as examples of other great composers, but with John Williams I can often hear a song and recognize what movie it’s from, or see a movie title and think of one of the songs that was in the movie - I’d put Danny Elfman over Hans Zimmer, but Williams is definitely the King of movie composers
His smile when he hears the crowd, that's pure joy!
He got the "Another happy landing" vibe
I love that he such a wise and supersweet person as well if you check interviews with him.
In memory of James Earl Jones. Darth Vader and Star Wars wouldn’t be where they are today had it not been for him. We will never forget him. May The Force Be With You Lord Vader!
‘At the intermission of one of the rehearsals, the players came and said to me “Maestro, can we play The Imperial March (from Star Wars)?” And I said, “well certainly we can; if you have the music, I’d be happy to conduct it.” “Oh we have the music,” they said, “we know it!” I told them I thought I’d already given them too much work for a two-hour concert, and they said “well you have, but we want to play The Imperial March for you; it’s the new Radetzky!” I’ve never heard it played so brilliantly, I must say. All the brilliant orchestras I’ve played it with have never been quite like this; it had a kind of force and power that was an expression of their own spirit and history. It was really quite thrilling.’
Wow
It’s not only the players but that marvellous hall and it’s acoustics.
It really is a New Radetzky March, isn't it?
The audience needs only a bar of the intro to know what this is. And they start cheering. And the maestro smiles, because he knows why.
I love this.
Hi 👋
He shall be remembered in history like Mozart is today.
💯
He will!
…absolutely!!
I couldn't agree more! John Williams is one of the greatest composers we have ever seen! :)
Yesssssssssss
R.I.P. James Earl Jones
You know you are an icon when when you play the first bars of a piece and a classical concert audience APPLAUDS. That NEVER happens.
And almost any person who watched Star Wars would recognize the first bars. Just an amazing piece.
that's because there's plenty of numbnuts fans in the theater
From the sounds of it, this was the encore piece. While most people don't applaud during the actual concert, it's a little different for the encore.
Radetszky March on January 1st
yes !! i watched star wars only this week at 16 but i could recognize the first bars anywhere ! truly iconic
The way he says “wow” at the end. The guy is just a class act in humility.
3:16 - The 'wow' on his face. You can tell he was impressed by that orchestra as I am sure we all were. That playing was amazing!
Yes. As a composer you have very sensitive hearing to pitch and intonation. This orchestra gave a whole new interpretation and you can see JW was amazed by it ! The LSO and boston and other orchestras are all good but this performance really is on another level..
Imagine being chosen to play for John Williams! What an honor! 😊
When John Williams, says "Wow" at the end you know It's the best performance ever!
In his own words: ua-cam.com/video/g4aw1TPAT-Q/v-deo.html
Yes, I noticed that. He aced it!
Ive listened to over 20 performances of this piece from all years and THIS is the definitive version. Those triplets by the brass at 1:46 are the cleanest and crispest I have ever heard.. just WOW
You will know the true power of the Vienna Philharmonic
That’s right when John smiles too. I think you nailed it
💯👏
lots of good chompy triplets in here
This is why IMHO The Vienna Philharmonic is the finest on the planet. Unparalleled in clarity and their ability to make the details speak so well. There's another YT video of theirs floating around of The Stars and Stripes Forever march. Absolute perfection 👌🏻
Somebody: you can't compose the perfect musical score for every movie you work in
John Williams: and I took that personally.
Six? More like sixty
Not six include the jurassic park and world and all the compositions he mades
John Williams: Hold my baton.
Han Zimmer has entered the chat
O b s e r v e
I love how Williams stands there like a general commanding his army. Truly the only proper way to conduct the imperial march
I can't imagine the pressure on these people, especially the ones who have to go solo for certain parts. But I guess they got used to it.
Go "solo"
This is the Vienna Philharmonic. Probably one of the lowest pressure shows for them because it's such whimsical, popular subject material.
They're more likely to get criticized on Beethoven, but they're unlikely to because they're just so good as an orchestra.
They have some of the most tasteful interpretations of most classical music of any orchestra around today.
The Imperial March is not particularly difficult. I imagine for these professionals most of them can play it near perfectly sight reading.
They get used to the pressure, or vader force chokes them for messing up his entrance.
The Vienna Philharmonic is one of the best orchestras in the world. I guess they know what they do, it's the daily job :) But clearly a very special moment for sure!
3:17
You know your performance was amazing if it makes John Williams say WOW
Indeed! Most powerful performance he had ever experienced, in his own words: ua-cam.com/video/g4aw1TPAT-Q/v-deo.html
The audience who applauded are the kids who recalled their childhood days of watching stars wars.
Amen. Im 43, i remember being 4 years old and my 2 year old brother and i watching the empire strikes back in the back of the regency mall cinema in augusta, ga...loved star wars always wanted a yoda doll...and i dont mean baby yoda
Who says you have to be middle aged to have watched star wars?
And some people also applaud in between the symphony
@@dijkstra4678 if you saw the originals you'd be middle aged or older. The first one was out in 1977. The others in the early 1980s.
I saw the first one in 1977. It was a huge hit as there was nothing else like it. I've seen all the other films too
This was so clean and crisp. Excellent.
Thats the most Beautiful played Imperial March I've ever heard
Damn
Maybe because John Williams said himself that this is the best version ever played ^^
@@jenkinsfamily2229 I also like this actually quite a bit better. The LSO version sounds like played by a computer compared to this imo.
@@jenkinsfamily2229 but this is a record version : here we have a live version
I got this as a UA-cam ad, this is legit the ONLY UA-cam ad I EVER ever see in it's totality 😁
A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.
DIY Photo Guy I KNOW RIGHT?? I SWEAR I THOUGHT I CLICKED ON A DIFFERENT VIDEO AND WAS LIKE “Huh? This wasn’t the video I clicked???” Then I realized it was an ad!
@@beeveen3845 I thought the same thing
Same!
Welcome friend, this is music, welcome to music
I've seen Empire Strikes Back a million times and heard this piece a million times. But actually hearing it on the orchestra. You just feel the power and the energy of the instruments. Every note is so crisp and smooth.
There are other renditions of this elsewhere on UA-cam, but I think this one tops them all. These musicians seemed to relish the chance to play it, and it showed. And John's smiling throughout shows he's having fun with it, too.
Vienna Philharmonic is nothing to sneeze at, they are masters of their craft and adding John Williams to conduct it for them makes it even better 👏👏
Thats because the musicians are mot only passionate about their craft, a good 3/4ths are......were fans (thank you KK!)
UNLIMITED POWER!
See any of the films with LIVE orchestra. It's amazing.
Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Vivaldi, etc, etc...J. Williams is the man...period!!!
You can see in the audience's reaction after hearing THE FIRST note, how iconic and recognizable this piece is. Truly spectacular.
Rock star greeting.
Heard this 8,000 times and I still hear new instruments, like "There's a xylophone in there?"
Where? I never noticed
@@ernstthalmann4306 2:34
So true lol. I don’t know music very well or every instrument but everytime I listen to it I’m like “wait, where did that sound come from?”
I believe that's a pedal glockenspiel!
The xylophones are the high pitched wooden ones (marimbas are the mellower wooden ones with a wide range)
Playing Star Wars with John Williams as the conductor would be a dream come true. 🥰
John Williams is a genius, and this is his greatest master piece. Dark, powerful, triumphant and menacing, it is a truly imperial work of art that stands the test of time.
2:26 Is the first time I've ever heard an "Orchestra Hit" that isn't on a keyboard or digitized in a way. That is very powerful.
The power of the brass young padawan the power of the brass :P
Imperial power :v
Oh god this is best part
The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be... unnatural
The ability to Orchestra Hit is insignificant next to the power of the force
This piece wasn't on the original program. The brass section came to him during a break in rehearsals and literally begged him to put it in because they'd always wanted to play it.
that's so cool
And Vienna’s brass section is unbelievably good. There’s another upload on UA-cam of them performing the Imperial March at Schonnbrunn Palace and it’s my all time favorite.
That’s why the whole bass section was smiling
John also said afterwards that it was the best live performance of the Imperial March he ever heard, he said they played it "Liked they owned it"...that's pretty powerful
It’s always the brass section :DD
I wonder if John ever says to himself while conducting one of his pieces, "Damn, I know I wrote this but, wow! This is awesome!"
And that roar of the crowd at the end - every single time - must do wonders for your self esteem. And he deserves every bit of it, though he would deny it.
Williams created a masterpiece that will never be forgotten.
Nearly 90 years old, still loves what he does, still smiles with pure passion, and by far the greatest composer of all time (IMO)
If there was anyone who should be granted eternal life; it’s John Williams.
He, like all great artists, will live forever in his music.
Only a Sith would seek such things
@@spunkmaster666 99.99999% of sith deal in absolutes
The Austrian Empire strikes back
Hahaha lol
Jawohl!
Ddd
Did you ever hear the tragedy of Graf Conrad the Unwise? Of course not. It's not a story the Entente would tell you. Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf was a Dark Lord of the Habsburgs who became so powerful he could even influence the Austro-Hungarians to invade Serbia. He was so powerful and unwise that the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually did occur. Unfortunately he taugh his Kaiser everything he knew and then his Kaiser dismissed him after he tried to invade Russia in winter three times the same year. Ironic. He could send hundreds of thousands of soldiers to their deaths, but couldn't prevent being fired because of that.
1526 Mohaç War!
I'm convinced that there is a real force in Star Wars, and that Force's name is John Williams!
Couldn’t agree more. John Williams is the heart and soul of Star Wars.
Yeah, I think his music - and the remarkable set and design of the first trilogy (the ships, the tie fighters, Imperial interiors, etc) - are an indispensable part of the magic. He’s a great film composer, a real musician. Wonder what he might have done had he been dedicated to absolute music...?
BTW you can tell he knows how to handle an orchestra - not everyone can get the VPO to deliver a committed performance. Gotta give him his due.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see JW conduct serious music for a season or two? I bet he’d be great with Richard Strauss!
@@Hotspur77 As I understand it, he conducted the music for all the films, however, it would indeed be nice if he conducted Strauss, personally I'd love to see how he conducts Dvorak's 9th!
Love John Williams lots, but if anyone other than James Earl Jones had voiced Darth Vader, there would have only been the one movie.
RIP James Earl Jones aka Darth Vader. may the force be with you
Look at John Williams smiling, it is so nice to see him enjoy every second of the orchestra playing his song. Imagin you wrote a Film Song and the most prestigious orchestra on earth let you even conduct it live.
Let us not ignore the audio engineers who made this recording possible with quality equipment, placement, and mixing. These recordings do not make themselves.
Oh yeah!
@@niohyork ua-cam.com/video/MqlSi1LhKzs/v-deo.html
?
Damn right!
I've worked with the sound engineer of the Wiener Symphoniker at an outdoor concert in Vienna, and the level of expertise and feel for the music that engineers who work in classic music bring, is absolutely mindblowing. And even though we were surrounded by buildings and big, relatively flat housefronts that didn't scatter the sound a whole lot, the sound coming from that PA made me want to get rid of my studio monitoring. I actually stood in the foh booth with my jaw dropped.
The Best Imperial March Representation EVER!! Simply Incredible
I agree 💯, best live performance of all live videos I seen yet. This one sounds the best and most power in it.
John Williams actually said this. It's the best he's ever conducted
yes... the tempo is perfect. sometimes it is perfomed to fast.
Of course, the Vienna Philharmonic is the finest orchestra in the world
Never saw him say WOW after any other performance
Bravo! John Williams you are the greatest composer ever
This should be the world's anthem when we start to colonise other planets
Sadly i won't be alive by that time but that is really cool!
planets are shaking in their boots when they hear this
Ah yes, the empire of mankind, a nice dream indeed
I agree
I like the march on the jedi temple more
"It's an older video, sir, but it checks out."
This is still my absolute favorite. Thank you! Viva Williams
The Imperal March is such a strong peice of work... All of us, can feel that little bit of fear spike in our stomach.
Or power. Lol.
I can feel that little choke in my throat
Fear? I find your lack of faith disturbing.
Können wir kurz mal darüber reden, dass hier eine Live Performance abgeliefert wurde, die Studio-Qualität hat? Absolut großartig!
Ja, genau. Das ist so unglaublich und aufregend... Es klingt genau wie in der besten Studioaufnahme dieses Songs. ich nicht noch das glauben
1:37 When he realizes the perfection of the entire french horn section.
Yes, the Viennese sound is quite something...
Played with a Viennese Horn. No French Horn. I think it can sound "sharper", which fits this piece. I am not alone in prefering it in general, but I think it is harder to play.
Lol, you aint kiddin'. The mics they used further enhanced that perfection for us.
@@fdarchives_ i've been at the concert and it was magnificent!
I think this are Vienna Horns. They are slightly different to the French ones
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_horn
You can literally see the joy in the performers' faces when they know they are being orchestrated by one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time.
You mean "conducted", my friend.
@@TANKTREAD and orchestrated 😂
@@tommyromanowski conducting and orchestrating are two different things. Williams is conducting in the video.
@@TANKTREAD yes, but you could say they are being orchestrated as well
@@tommyromanowski Orchestrations are done well before performances. So, Williams is conducting, not orchestrating.
3:04-3:08 Flawless tempo and synchronicity of the strings and whole orchestra, ending at the last note of that scale all exactly at the same time
Funny, I kept listening to that part over and over again in awe, too! So good.
I like how John always gets so involved in his music, he's the best conductor i've ever seen an heard!
If anything deserves a standing ovation, this is it.
John Williams is the greatest composer in our era, absolute class, absolute legend
His face just screams gleefully, “I made this, and it is universally legendary!”
haha most wholesome part !! 💜❤️
The best compliment the Vienna Orchestra could get was the eye popping “WOW!” From Williams at the end.
It was Impressive; most Impressive! You shouldn’t expect less from the Crème de la Crème of Europe
Wow, thank you!
Look at the joy on JW's face at hearing his incredible composition played by an unreal orchestra. It's childlike. Awesome
Hello 👋
2:24 Those Vienna horns absolutely blowing it!!!!
the best part of the imperial march without any doughts
Yeah, that was literally epic
ikr
You can even see the smile on his face when they kick it
@@crabster1297 Exatamente! Eu ia comentar isso!
A man standing infront of one of the best orchestras in the world directing a theme he created over 40 years ago that changed cinema and made him legendary. Goosebumps!
A piece you wrote when you were 48. Now standing there 88, four decades later. First time in Europe conducting in 30 years. The joy of the performance. The fact Williams didn't plan to include this piece but the brass had pleased w/ him after one of the rehearsals.
This piece encapsulates the original trilogy perfectly. It captures the authoritarian spirit of the march itself, as well as the twilight of resistance in its refrains.
John Williams is the last of a dying breed unfortunately. He is a Master of his craft and a treasure. His name will forever be among(and associated with) those maestros who came before him, like Mozart, Bach and Beethoven.
Patrick Wheatley
"John Williams is the last of a dying breed unfortunately."
So, sort of last of the Jedi? Hmm ; )
We have Hans Zimmer
amongus
sussy
@@WycliffStudios no. He's just average, he has a fetish on more drums and abrasive background noise makes it tiring to hear.
He's amongst my heros when it comes to films (he's the only person I look up to for theme music)
There will never be another John Williams. We should all feel lucky to have experienced him in our life time.
Vienna Phil just gave the best gift anyone could give a composer (a perfect performance.) Intonation was ear candy. Loved the articulation clarity and graceful sense of timing. Pretty well floored by the artistry, can't wait to hear the whole concert.
Michael Graybill
Yes! Absolutely. And he knew it too, you could see the smile creeping in as they piece went on. The performers crushed it, and he knew it. Awesome to see.
You are absolutely correct. A stunning performance, indeed!
How times have changed! 20-30 years ago, most European orchestras couldn't be bothered to play film music, and felt it was beneath them. When they did play them, the performances suffered. But this rendition by the Vienna Phil was excellent!
I agree with you. What I can say it's a shame for Disney not hired a world-class orchestra for doing the recordings for the sequels, but they decided to cut the budget hiring freelance musicians and ensembling them into an orchestra for the films. As music lover and Star Wars fan the sequels always felt lacking a little in this aspect even Dudamel or Williams himself couldn't solve this problem.
So true. I've been at the Hollywood Bowl every year for the last thirty years and watched Williams conduct this many, many times (usually as an encore piece). And I am now obsessed with this performance. Muscular yet silky. Restrained yet powerful. And I agree with G Scott Walters above: Williams could tell as it was happening that the playing was special. Hearing -- and watching -- musicians performing at the top of their craft brings tears to my eyes. Also, kudos to the engineers who recorded this. So beautifully mic'd and mixed. Wow. Just wow. Truly, August can't come fast enough so that we can get the entire concert.
The Vienna Horn is absolutely perfect for this masterpiece
How fantastic! John Williams is a genius and the orchestra looked like they enjoyed playing it as much as the audience loved hearing it! Brilliant!
Hello there I hope you are doing good today..
They asked to play this......he has an interview regarding it....they knew...
This is the Theme of Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you all today.
May the Force be with you 🤍
May the 4th be with you
The theme for may the fifth( sith ).
What is so wonderful in my birthday(May the 4th)?
Nah, this is for "Revenge of the 5th"
An ultra-complex and demanding piece played at the absolute highest world-class level.
The staccati of the winds are pure madness!!!
What a musical genius with the best orchestra in the world!!!
What would I give to be able to be a part of something like this live.
Don’t forget the fact that it’s conducted by the man who wrote it
The best part is the big fat smile and on everyone's face in the audience.