Music Album Review: 'Across the Stars: Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams'

Cover Photo Credit: © Kristian Schuller (Mutter), Kristin Pulito (Williams)
℗ 2019 Deutsche Grammophon (a division of Universal Music Group) 

On Friday, August 30, Deutsche Grammophon, a Berlin-based division of Universal Music Group, released Across the Stars: Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams, a collection of a dozen film themes composed by John Williams and performed by German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter with the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles. 

Although at first glance this offering from the famed classical music label Deutsche Grammophon is simply another collection of "John Williams covers," it marks the first professional collaboration between the dean of contemporary film music and Germany's violin superstar, even though they've been friends for years. (Mutter was once married to the late composer and conductor Andre Previn, a colleague and friend of Maestro Williams from the days when Previn worked in Hollywood as a composer of film music - a gig he downplayed later in life.) 

Another twist that sets this new album apart from, say, Deutsche Grammophon's Celebrating John Williams: Gustavo Dudamel/Los Angeles Philharmonic is that the themes presented in Across the Stars were rearranged by the five-time Academy Award-winning composer for solo violin and orchestra. As Williams notes in the album's liner notes:

" In discussing this [album]. we both realized that I had adapted only one or two of these pieces for solo violin and orchestra, and that the remainder of the chosen material would have to be newly developed and orchestrated to complete her album. Because the opportunity to write for a great virtuoso always presents an energizing and exciting opportunity, I set about this project with great enthusiasm. Truly, this endeavor has been a particular joy for me."

Interestingly, Across the Stars got its start several years ago when Mutter asked Maestro Williams to "write a little piece for her." The composer, who describes Anne-Sophie as not being "a woman you can say no to," rearranged Across the Stars (Love Theme from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) and, per a suggestion from Previn (who died in February at his home in Manhattan of undisclosed causes), Night Journey from 1979's Dracula. 

The 12 tracks in Across the Stars are: 

1. Rey's Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3:09
2. Yoda's Theme from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Bernhard Güttler, Tobias Lehmann Remix) 3:33
3. Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 5:58
4. Across rhe Stars (Love Theme) from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 4:56
5. Donnybrook Fair from Far and Away  3:43
6. Sayuri's Theme from Memoirs of a Geisha 4:42
7. Night Journeys from Dracula  5:28
8. Sabrina's Theme from Sabrina  5:11
9. The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin 4:22
10. Luke and Leia from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi   4:51
11. Nice to Be Around from Cinderella Liberty 3:47

12. Theme from Schindler's List  4:06 

My Take

I've been a fan of John Williams' film scores since the 1970s, when I heard his music in such films as Midway, Star Wars, Superman: The Movie, and Jaws 2. As for many people of my generation, the maestro's themes and motifs have become an integral part of the "Soundtrack of Our Lives," and many young filmmakers and composers cite him as one of the reasons they chose to get into the movie industry. 

So even though my music library is generously stocked with many soundtracks and cover albums of "music composed by John Williams," including recordings made by other conductors and ensembles, including Charles Gerhardt, Nic Raine, Keith Lockhart, Varujan Kojan, and Gustavo Dudamel, I knew I had to get Across the Stars. 

Across the Stars: Anne-Sophie Mutter - Williams is a wonderful showcase for two masterful musicians. Once again, the legendary composer and conductor weaves his magic as an orchestrator by taking compositions that were originally composed in a symphonic style for "big orchestras" for a Wagnerian effect and stripping them down for solo violin with accompaniment by the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, an ensemble Williams often works with now that he is older and doesn't record film scores in Great Britain with the London Symphony Orchestra as he once did. 

The result is a collection of 12 famous (and not-so-famous) themes that have a more delicate and intimate sound that draws the listener's ear to Anne-Sophie Mutter's virtuoso performance. As Jon Burlingame points out in the album's liner notes, it's fitting that most of the selections tend to be composed for strong female leads, such as Sayuri's Theme from Memoirs of a Geisha and Rey's Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And even though the iconic Princess Leia's Theme is absent from this recording, the memory of Carrie Fisher's Princess-turned-Rebel leader is present in Williams' Luke and Leia from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. 

With the exception of the haunting Theme from Schindler's List, the themes from films that aren't from big franchises like Star Wars or Harry Potter are from dramas (Cinderella Liberty, Memoirs of a Geisha, Far and Away) or comedies (Sabrina) and even a horror film (Dracula) with strong romantic overtones. This is not an accident; Williams adapted Nice to Be Around and Night Journeys for Mutter per a suggestion from their mutual friend Andre Previn. The resulting performances by Anne-Sophie are, put simply, pure musical magic that pleases the ear, engages the mind, and touches the heart.   

"Working with Anne-Sophie on this recording has been a pure inspiration. She has brought vibrant life to these familiar themes in new and unexpected ways, which has been a great joy to me as a composer." – John Williams

 

"There is only one John Williams! What he writes is just extraordinary. Every time I go to one of his films and there is a violin or cello, I think, I would like to play that! And now I have his wonderful translations of all these iconic themes." – Anne-Sophie Mutter