John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie Review

A masterful performance of selections composed (and conducted) by John Williams.

John Williams: Live in Vienna is a must-see concert performance brimming with energy. The performance was conducted by John Williams himself and utilizes the remarkable Wiener Philharmoniker. With a variety of classical instruments, the performance is an exhilarating showcase for the magic of John Williams iconic film scores and the place each composition holds in the hearts (and minds) of moviegoers worldwide. A essential recording for fans of the maestro of movie-magic.

Conducting the concert with a sense of unending enthusiasm, Williams exudes energy and excitement throughout the musical program. Williams collaborated with the great violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (who performs on tracks 3-6, 15-18). There is a sense of wonder throughout each and every track's performance. The Wiener Philharmoniker brings the compositions to life.

Williams is one of the greatest composers of all time - film or otherwise.

There is a sense of magic throughout the entire concert. From the opening moments through to the rousing encore performance, John Williams showcases a selection of some of the best music in his remarkable career as a composer. It is just as remarkable to listen to the beautiful performances of exciting selections from Harry Potter, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park as it is to hear the heartfelt pieces crafted for War Horse or Schindlers List. John Williams showcases his artistry and genius in each and every selection.

The impressive release comes with multiple listening options to appease audiophiles: music enthusiasts can listen to the performance by watching the concert footage itself or by listening to a high-resolution digital recording (which makes the experience that of a high-resolution, “pure audio” Blu-ray Audio disc). The variety of options included on the set make the package all the more well-rounded. (Any audiophiles looking for more information on the options provided on disc: refer to the section below which details the audio quality/options).

John Williams: Live in Vienna - Concert Selections:

1. The Flight to Neverland from Hook

2. Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

3. Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

4. Theme from Sabrina

5. Donnybrook Fair from Far and Away

6. Devil's Dance from The Witches of Eastwick

7. Adventures on Earth from E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

8. Theme from Jurassic Park

9. Dartmoor, 1912 from War Horse

10. Out to Sea and the Shark Cage Fugue from Jaws

11. Marion's Theme from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

12. The Rebellion is Reborn from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

13. Luke & Leia from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

14. Main Title from Star Wars: A New Hope

15. Nice to Be Around from Cinderella Liberty

16. The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

17. Rememberances from Schindlers List

18. Raiders March from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

19. The Imperial March from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Deutsche Grammophon, John Williams: Live in Vienna is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition. The presentation preserves the 1.78:1 widescreen recording of the concert. The presentation is imperfect and could look better – but it gets the job done. While hardly a stunning encoding (especially as an interlaced video), the recording is still miles better than many concert performances available. Most viewers will find the picture-quality more than merely adequate but ardent videophiles might be frustrated by the interlacing. The recording is well-done (showcasing a variety of close-up shots and wide shots showing the audience and the full orchestra).

John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

John Williams: Live in Vienna is presented as a "pure audio" release. The audio options provided on the edition are outstanding and will satisfy serious audiophiles with the remarkable clarity on display. The release has first-rate 24 bit high-resolution lossless audio available in a wide number of formats: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio 24 bit / 48 kHz and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio 24 bit / 96 kHz – and last, though certainly not least, the expansive Dolby Atmos presentation (which offers an even more immersive experience). The music sounds crisp, clear, and dynamic – and never suffers from problematic compression woes. A superb 24 bit recording.

Optional English and German subtitles are provided.

John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes packaged in a DigiPack style case with a booklet inside of the case. The set comes with a Blu-ray + CD Soundtrack.

On disc supplements are as follows:

John Williams In Conversation with Anne-Sophie Mutter (HD, 27:28)

The release comes with multiple options. Fans can select to view the performance as a concert film or to listen to the performances as a high- resolution digital recording (which is a great extra option for those who wish to play the disc as a Blu-ray Audio disc). Fans of SACD/DVD Audio/Blu-ray Audio/High-resolution digital formats will be enormously pleased with these options.

John Williams - Live in Vienna Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

John Williams: Live in Vienna is an outstanding concert. The performance is breathtaking and Williams delivers a showcase for some of the greatest selections in his remarkable career as a composer. The tracklisting provided is well-rounded, too: the set features pieces from the likes of Star Wars and Jaws as well as serious selections from Schindlers List and War Horse. Fans get a collectible package with a nice booklet, CD soundtrack, and the Blu-ray. The 24 bit high-resolution audio is outstanding to listen to – and makes the release an essential one. Highly recommended.