THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS marked our night, our year and gave us LIFE at Carnegie Hall

Heigh-Ho, my happy rainbow tribe! Bobby Patrick your RAINBOW review here. Put the silent T in cabareT to bring you all the Ts!

Oh my darlings this week we didn’t have a Cabaret but a Concert with a capital C! So Bobby had to get pampered on Thursday night and take a trip to venerable Carnegie Hall for ACROSS THE STARS: THE MUSIC OF John Williams, because when you’re offered the chance to see The Great One conduct his own legendary music, you get dressed and let’s go! With a stage full of the Philadelphia Orchestra (whose huge string section could have propelled a battleship with just all their bowing), the Meastro walked into a mighty standing ovation, an approval (what? Bobby knows the words!) that would be repeated over and over again. again throughout the night, both after each musical selection and each time the composer-arranger-conductor left through the large white double doors to the right of the stage and returned again for more offerings of applause at his altar. Now, not to get too personal with you dear Rainbow readers, but once upon a time at band camp, many years ago, little Bobby harbored small dreams of leading big orchestras. It was, however, quite by chance, since our meager honks on a baritone saxophone slung over the shoulder in fanfare revealed a slight disadvantage in this area… Bobby had no talent. It wasn’t a strong enough deterrent to keep us from flapping our arms like a mad bird while listening to all forms of band and orchestral music, and chief among these selections in the soundtrack of our life was the works of Mr. John Williams. He who made film music chic, elegant and profitable. The record sales of the soundtracks of every film he waved his magic stick at were huge pieces of the puzzle of the profitability of those films. So needless to say my Rainbow Tribe – Bobby was all kvelling, all night.

With the help of master violinist, Anne-Sophie Mutter – stunning in her shimmering gold strapless evening number with a tasteful white floral design and blonde, blonde hair over her rare, clear features – the music for the evening included :

act 1

THE SOUND OF BELLS

VIOLIN CONCERTO No. 2

Act 1 Again

THROUGH THE STARS – (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones)

Act 2

FLIGHT TO NEVERLAND

EXCERPTS FROM CLOSE ENCOUNTERS…

THE DUEL (The Adventures of Tin Tin)

CINDERELLA FREEDOM THEME

HEDWIG’S THEME

THRONE ROOM

Act 2 Again

SCHINDLER’S LIST THEME

THEME OF FLIGHT (AND THE ALIEN)

IMPERIAL MARCH / DARTH VADERS THEME

The rapturous experience of hearing the violin concerto, written specifically for Mutter, caused gasps and groans around the house as these two great friends did incomparable art together. Williams’ use of minor keys and diminished intervals to bring dissonance to our ears – especially in the harpist’s strained plucks – painted tones in colors that thrilled and frightened because it all sounded like a great pursuit, a dangerous pursuit. Each of the four movements brought tension, drama, noise and nerve to Anne-Sophie’s instrument which were all palpable, until the end, where deliverance was promised, then a touch of healing granted. Unable to leave the stage and complete the first half, the maestro returned with an encore of Act 1 of the Star Wars universe. “There were NINE of those movies and I can’t remember exactly which room that room was in (ACROSS THE STARS),” Williams said. “Attack of the Clones!” shouted a helpful man in the audience, and with a hearty laugh, JW said “Thank you” and off we went, ending the first half on a note that demanded his third standing ovation of the night… and we still have had a long walk to follow.

FLIGHT TO NEVERLAND opened Act 2 and, really, what can one say about this up-and-coming, childish piece except – HOOK! EXCERPTS FROM CLOSE ENCOUNTERS…began with its high whistling violins that gave way to thundering stampedes of percussion and horns with all the selections linking together perfectly, guiding us through this tale of the lonely stranger trying to make sense of his disrupted world. The following 3 selections: THE DUEL (from The Adventures Of Tin Tin), THEME FROM CINDERELLA LIBERTY & HEDWIG’S THEME (in case you live under a rock, Hedwig is the name of Harry Potter’s white owl) were all terrains musical games of the evening soloist. Anne-Sophie Mutter is truly one of the great musicians of our time, and her relationship with her conductor, stemming from their deep and unfailing friendship, brought the pieces to life perfectly. Recounting the story of an exchange he had with another longtime friend, the late great André Previn, Williams recounted the time Previn said Williams should cast Anne-Sophie in CINDERELLA LIBERTY. “But she’s all classic Bach and Beethoven, I’m not sure she can really play that piece.” “She can play ANYTHING,” grumbled Previn and, indeed, she can and, indeed, she did. Wrapping up the program slate with one of the greatest of all major Star Wars themes, TRONE ROOM, lightsabers could be spied overhead in another standing ovation, as fans raised their swords. in tribute to a man of music who takes our hearts and minds with him wherever he is tasked to go. But that was not all – the audience was insatiable to the beat of 3 full encores and after going through SCHINDLER’S LIST THEME and the FLYING THEME of ET The Extraterrestrial, Williams returned, raising a finger to indicate that he would be one more piece, then he put both hands to the side of his face indicating it was bedtime (he’s 90 after all) and the horns struck up the all too familiar IMPERIAL MARCH, that theme disturbing by DARTH VADERS which still brings chills and bursts of excitement. Arc after arc he took with his friends until finally the public had to let him go.

Now, my dear readers, if you read Bobby regularly – and we certainly hope you read Bobby regularly – you know that piecemeal reporting is something we usually avoid because, well… (snore) but in this case, with this single performance alone, it seemed essential to me to use my insubstantial nouns and verbs to put you in the picture of a special night that will not return. But take heart my lambs because Bobby has a consolation for you. I checked with my dear friend, Alexa, and she was able to recall every piece of music from the Carnegie Hall Concert, so you can do the same with your favorite mechanical music monstrosity. Schedule an afternoon or evening of your choice from the comfort of your home and have some real quality time with ACROSS THE STARS: THE MUSIC OF John Williams…and true to ourselves and the music that brought us to life. Given all the thrills, it has to be said that our trip to Carnegie Hall gets our resounding…

5 out of 5 rainbows.

Find out what’s happening at Carnegie Hall: HERE