John William’s musical prowess and contribution to film music is unquestionably great. It has long been a dream of mine to see his scores performed with a full orchestra, and so, on a very cold, very windy and very wet Saturday evening in Liverpool, this dream was fulfilled as I sat in a packed auditorium ready to listen to music from the Star Wars saga, played by The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in their home base, The Philharmonic Hall.
Under the skilful baton of conductor, James Shearman, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performed numerous memorable tunes from the eight (soon to be nine) films. Starting with the 20th Century Fox Fanfare (with CineScope extension of course) to familiarise ourselves with that was to come, we were then treated to the Star Wars Main Theme which was executed with perfection, and had set the audience up nicely.
Our guest presenter for the evening was voice actor, Marc Silk, whose connection to Star Wars came in the form as the voice of two characters (not Jar-Jar) in The Phantom Menace. Whilst at first his appearance seemed to be met with a degree of coldness, he had warmed on me and the other audience members by the end of the night. In between pieces he took us through the stories of each film, interjected with his own humorous, self-deprecating personal experiences of George Lucas and Star Wars.
Upon looking at the programme for the evening, one could have been mistaken in presuming that such pieces like The Asteroid Field (The Empire Strikes Back), Luke And Leia’s Theme (Return of the Jedi) and The Throne Room and Finale (Star Wars, or A New Hope if you’re of a certain age) would be the highlights of the evening. However, although these pieces were wonderful it has be said that Duel Of The Fates (The Phantom Menace), Battle Of The Heroes (Revenge of the Sith) and The Jedi Steps (The Force Awakens) were the gems that shone the brightest during the concert. Duel Of The Fates was exceptionally good, and praise must be given to the choir whose clarity and conviction was awe-inspiring.
The streamline moderne Art Deco Philharmonic Hall seemed the perfect setting for the 1930s/ Flash Gordon inspired Star Wars, and being sat in the stalls it was quite evident how well designed the auditorium was and just how well the acoustics worked with the sound being carried to all spaces in the hall.
Obviously with something as popular as Star Wars, the audience varied greatly in age. I was not too sure how the younger audience members would react, as this was not a screening in any way. However, aside from a few silhouetted heads appearing here and there it is safe to say that even the youngest of concert goers were as enthralled as the eldest goers. I think that was testament to John William’s skill in creating scores that appeal to everyone, and furthermore it was testament to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for creating an experience that was not boring for the children.
Since this was not a screening with full orchestral accompaniment, any displays were achieved through lighting which in my own opinion, may not have been really necessary and did slightly distract from the music when the odd glare would shine in your eyes. Luckily the gimmicks were toned down for the concert, with only a few Leia bun hair styles in the choir and an entertaining quip about the quality of a toy light saber by Mr Silk after the final piece. It is worth mentioning that Darth Vader along with a Stormtrooper were available for photographs in the lobby before the performance.
Although something like this concert could be classed as maybe being too mainstream, with the subject making snobs turn their noses up at it, it definitely made me want to check out more performances that are lined up for this and upcoming seasons, and I would not think twice about going to a classical concert there. This was my first concert at Philharmonic Hall and encounter with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, and it was a 10/10 on all fronts. The concert was a thoroughly enjoyable presentation and celebration of the great John William’s Star Wars scores which showcased the talent of the orchestra and was the perfect solution to a miserable day.
Reviewer - Daryl Griffin
on - 27/4/19
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