Tom & Jerry Score(s) Performed Live...!

[lowdown]

Brilliant stuff and superb musicianship, including plate smashing.... [size=4] [/size][size=4] [/size]

[i][b]Published on Aug 30, 2013[/b][/i][color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]

[i]A medley of the well-known energetic music by composer Scott Bradley from the 1940's and 1950's Tom and Jerry cartoons. Wonderfully performed live by the John Wilson Orchestra at the 2013 BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall in London. Arranged by Peter Morris and John Wilson.

Pete Morris, who worked on the arrangement with John Wilson, on 4 September wrote the following in response to questions about this video: "we wanted to create a score that wasn't too fragmented and that didn't rely on visuals so the music you hear is a compilation of some of the best bits of Scott Bradley's music. There is no single video for the music - it comes from eight different cartoons: Smitten Kitten, Sufferin' Cats, The Framed Cat, Cat Fishin' Just Ducky, Jerry and Jumbo, The Cat Comes to Dinner and Mouse for Sale".

On 8 september Pete Morris added: "John is a dab hand at reconstructing scores from audio. Check his Wiki page for info. In this case, however, we used score fragments, archives and a lot of patience. I used FCP to extract candidate snippets of video and linked them to create a 3 candidate narratives which John and I then worked on. Copyright is a nightmare (MGM, Warner, Sony, Turner, EMI have all owned bits in the past) - only JW has the clout to cut though that quagmire. Scores are as rare as hens' teeth."

On 16 September Pete added: "Bradley's original scores were played by typically 20 to 25 musos. In fact, if you look at the beginning of the performance there are only 3 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello and 1 bass, to start with the original MGM sound. However, more instruments are added as the piece progresses to the full 100-piece orchestra at the end. Scott Bradley also preferred orchestral sound effects to ones added by the sound department, hence the big "shock chords" that you find at various places".[/i][/size][/font][/color]


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYrUWfLlYI0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYrUWfLlYI0[/url]


Garry

[gary mac]

This is rather excellent. It is making me smile, just visualising the antics of T & J and Spike.

[lowdown]

I grew up with this stuff, and I am kinda remembering the scenes.. [size=4] [/size]

[chris_b]

[size=4]I read somewhere that the musicians hated, or rather feared, the Tom and Jerry sessions because the scores were so complicated and they were expected to get it right in only a couple of takes.[/size]

Edited September 26, 2013 by chris_b

[lowdown]

I also read something along those lines - Lead Violinist would see Tom & Jerry sessions approaching in the diary,
and would start to get all tense and nervous days before. More than likely it was myth, but still funny to think about it.

[Fat Rich]

Great, now I'm going to waste this afternoon watching T&J cartoons on youtube

[chris_b]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1380193386' post='2222063']
....More than likely it was myth....
[/quote]

Maybe, but I also read that Motown guitarist Joe Messina used to dread Valerie Simpson sessions because they were difficult to play and she didn't allow them to "cut corners".

I went to a Victor Wooten clinic and he said he was finding learning the parts for a Chic Corea gig very hard work.

Obviously these guys always get it right, but It's nice to see that, as good as they are, these musicians can still have confidence issues when they come up against playing the complicated stuff.

[flyfisher]

Wonderful stuff. Great to see the sense of fun involved.


[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1380195544' post='2222103']
Great, now I'm going to waste this afternoon watching T&J cartoons on youtube
[/quote]

I think of worse ways of spending an afternoon.

[Green Alsatian]

That was completely and utterly great! I love the music in 40s/50s cartoons and it's only when watching the orchestra play it, do you get a clearer picture of how complicated it is.

Absolute respect to the composer.

[jakenewmanbass]

I saw this on FB earlier, just brilliant.

[tonyf]

Absolute genius.

Really enjoyed the proms this year, this as well as Nigel Kennedy's breathtakingly brilliant performance at the last night being particular highlights.