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John Williams Conducts Marine Band: Live on CD
20 May
Summary
- Two Marine Band concerts led by John Williams are now on CD.
- Performances include film scores and original compositions.
- This release offers the widest physical availability for these concerts.
Naxos is releasing "John Williams and 'The President's Own' Vol. 1 & 2" on June 19, making two John Williams-led United States Marine Band concerts available on CD. This collection offers the widest physical availability for these performances.
The first concert took place at the Kennedy Center on July 12, 2003, marking the Marine Band's 205th anniversary. The program featured Williams' film scores such as Star Wars, E.T., Schindler's List, Harry Potter, and his Olympic fanfare, alongside concert works like "Sound the Bells!"
Five years later, for the Marine Band's 210th anniversary, a second concert at the Kennedy Center expanded the repertoire. This performance included themes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, and "Liberty Fanfare," a piece Williams composed for the Statue of Liberty's centennial in 1986.
The collection is further enhanced by a 2013 recording of an original composition Williams wrote for the band's 215th anniversary. This archival track elevates the release beyond a simple repackaging of two concerts, presenting three distinct moments across a decade of collaboration.
While a performance from the fourth Indiana Jones film, originally featured in the 2008 concert, has been omitted from the CD edition, this retail version offers the cleanest physical format for collectors. Material that was once a free download is now commercially available.
