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Heroes & Villains

September 16, 2023 @ 7:30 pm - September 17, 2023 @ 2:30 pm

Sponsored by: 

Harold & Carlos Parkman

                         

Scott Speck, conductor

Without amazing music from composers like John Williams, Ennis Morricone, John Barry, Maurice Barre and Max Steiner, the movies’ greatest heroes and villains would never find Star Wars, Bride of Frankenstein, Lawrence of Arabia, Rocky, Dances with Wolves, Wonder Woman, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Incredibles, and much more!

Speck Speaks
Music Director Scott Speck Discusses the Concert:

“Creating this concert for you has been a labor of love. From the vast, almost unfathomable universe of great film scores, we’ve chosen several of the greatest, all within the category of HEROES AND VILLAINS.

We first toyed with a program called HOLLYWOOD HEROES. Of course, there’s no shortage of those: From Rocky to Wonder Woman, from Harry Potter to Braveheart, from Superman to Rey from Star Wars. But then we wouldn’t have the fun of playing the themes of those delicious villains. Like Darth Vader, the Godfather himself, or all those Pirates of the Caribbean — not to mention the amoral antiheroes in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. And what about Lawrence of Arabia, The Magnificent Seven, and Bride of Frankenstein? Were they heroes or villains? We perform, you decide.

The point of this program, and the point of our film concerts in general, is that we take this music seriously. For years we have revered the composers of opera and ballet, without realizing that movies (and now video games) have become an equally valid entertainment for the current and recent generations. There is nothing inherently less profound or praiseworthy about the quest to create the musical landscape for a film rather than a ballet. Film music propels and enhances the movie’s story, often with the same kinds of complex operatic leitmotif that might be found in a Wagner opera. Thank goodness that John Williams, now in his 92nd year, has finally been recognized for the musical genius that he is — truly one of the great composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, full stop.

As you’ve heard me say before, I almost became a film composer myself. I was pretty good at imitating the style of John Williams, but I never did discover my own compositional style. Just as importantly, I couldn’t compose with lightning speed — something that is absolutely necessary in the film world. (And lest anyone think that this emphasis on speed makes film music inherently less serious or complex, I remind you that Gioachino Rossini wrote The Barber of Seville in 21 days, and Mozart wrote out the scores to his final three symphonies in just six weeks.) In the end, I’ve been thrilled to help bring other people’s masterpieces to life.

In this concert, we present a sampling of the world’s great music for films — including such masters as Max Steiner, Maurice Jarre, Elmer Bernstein, James Horner, John Barry, Ennio Morricone, Nico Rota, Bill Conti, and of course John Williams. We hope you enjoy this program as much as we’ve enjoyed curating it for you.” – Scott Speck

 

 

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Details

Start:
September 16, 2023 @ 7:30 pm
End:
September 17, 2023 @ 2:30 pm
Event Category:

Venue

Mobile Symphony Orchestra
257 Dauphin St.
Mobile, AL 36602 United States
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Phone
251-432-2010
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