John Williams' Cello Concerto

Composers Datebook

Synopsis

You might say that if anyone can claim credit for having written the “soundtrack of our times,” that person would be American composer and conductor John Williams. Somehow, between writing dozens and dozens of film scores for movies ranging from Star Wars to Schindler’s List, and as conductor of the Boston Pops or the Hollywood Bowl, Williams has also found time to conduct other composers’ concert works — and occasionally a few of his own.

For example, Williams conducted the premiere performance of his own Cello Concerto, a work composed for Yo-Yo Ma, on today’s date in 1994 at a gala concert opening the new Seiji Ozawa Hall at the Boston’s Symphony summer home in Tanglewood, Massachusetts. Williams recalls:

“[It] resulted from a suggestion by Seiji that I write a piece for cello and orchestra expressly with Yo-Yo Ma in mind. I had known him for quite a few years before this event. Together we had performed concertos of Elgar, Dvorak, and Haydn, among others, and on several occasions I had accompanied him at the piano. Over the years we’ve become close friends. Given the broad technical and expressive arsenal available in Yo-Yo’s work, planning the concerto was a joy.”

Music Played in Today's Program

John Williams (b. 1932): Cello Concerto; Yo Yo Ma, cello; Los Angeles Recording Arts Orchestra; John Williams, conductor; Sony 89670