# John Williams taken ill - will not be conducting in London on Friday



## Michael Antrum (Oct 24, 2018)

Hi All,

I've just been informed that John Williams has been taken ill in London, and will no longer be conducting his concert at the Royal Albert Hall this Friday evening. Apparently he is in hospital in London.

Whilst I do hope that he gets well very soon, I'm saddened that I won't get to see the man himself in action. He is getting on in years now, and I don't think I'll get another opportunity to see him in London again.

Sending my best wishes for a speedy recovery....


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 24, 2018)

Uh uh that is very bad news. Perhaps also for me since I am going to Vienna to see him on the 3rd.


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## bfreepro (Oct 24, 2018)

Oh man, sorry to hear this. Hopefully it's nothing serious and you'll get a chance again. Wishing him well.


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## fiestared (Oct 24, 2018)

mikeybabes said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I've just been informed that John Williams has been taken ill in London, and will no longer be conducting his concert at the Royal Albert Hall this Friday evening. Apparently he is in hospital in London.
> 
> ...


Crossing fingers and sending good vibes to this great musician...


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Me too....nothing is going right.. ever...I’ve looked forward everday since i booked em London last yr. To see him for the first time and conducting his own pieces...what more could a fan ask for.
His mate is conducting instead...all of a sudden i feel deflated.

I hope he is well very soon...and if by chance pls hope out of bed and conduct one more time.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Simon Ravn said:


> Uh uh that is very bad news. Perhaps also for me since I am going to Vienna to see him on the 3rd.


Oh crap, Where from to vienna?


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## Karma (Oct 24, 2018)

So gutted. Have been waiting for this one all year! I will of course still attend but it won't be the same without the man himself 

Friday is 2 days away. Slim chance but he could still make an appearance! I can hope!


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 24, 2018)

toomanynotes said:


> Oh crap, Where from to vienna?



Copenhagen, Denmark. Not so far, but still tickets + flight + hotel booked only because Williams himself would be there.


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 24, 2018)

toomanynotes said:


> Me too....nothing is going right.. ever...I’ve looked forward everday since i booked em London last yr. To see him for the first time and conducting his own pieces...what more could a fan ask for.
> His mate is conducting instead...all of a sudden i feel deflated.
> 
> I hope he is well very soon...and if by chance pls hope out of bed and conduct one more time.



Yeah that is really a punch in our faces. Of course, understandable that if Williams is too ill to conduct, by all means he should take care of himself. But this is his first time in Europe for what... 15-20 years, and then the concerts in essence get cancelled.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Simon Ravn said:


> Copenhagen, Denmark. Not so far, but still tickets + flight + hotel booked only because Williams himself would be there.


Man im sorry


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## zolhof (Oct 24, 2018)

That's terrible news, I wish him nothing but a full recovery at this point.

And the concert was canceled:

https://www.vienna.at/konzerte-von-...er-philharmonikern-ersatzlos-abgesagt/5972836

"John Williams had to cancel his concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic for health reasons. There are no replacement appointments.

The US-American composer and conductor John Williams (86) has to cancel his concerts scheduled for 3 and 4 November with the Vienna Philharmonic for health reasons.

The concerts will be canceled without replacement, the ticket price will be refunded. This was announced by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna on Wednesday.

(APA / Red)" - Google translator

I know some of you have been preparing for this for a while now. That absolutely sucks.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Simon Ravn said:


> Yeah that is really a punch in our faces. Of course, understandable that if Williams is too ill to conduct, by all means he should take care of himself. But this is his first time in Europe for what... 15-20 years, and then the concerts in essence get cancelled.



I don’t want to sound dramatic, but when i secured this ticket last year, I said to myself, hey I may be unsuccessful at music and never get write for the Spielberg ‘of old’..but at least i will rest my soul,i cld be finally at peace with myself..that i can now finally meet JW in my own way comducting his own music! the legend the inspiration that is John Williams. Why? Why does this have to be?
I don’t want to have to say, i cldve i should’ve..no life of regrets...
I wished they’d postponed the concert.
I just care for JW to get better so i can finalise this meeting and say...I’m happy now..i did it. He can keep his millions! Just give me a glimpse and borrow my ears


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 24, 2018)

Yeah just got email from Musikverein as well, saying the concerts in Vienna are cancelled, urgh. Seems it is pretty serious then, but let's hope not. Seriously, I wonder if he'll make it home from London... Maybe he wasn't fit for travelling overseas afterall.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Karma said:


> So gutted. Have been waiting for this one all year! I will of course still attend but it won't be the same without the man himself
> 
> Friday is 2 days away. Slim chance but he could still make an appearance! I can hope!


True!


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Is everyone still going to london concert?
Ive also got starwars film in concert on nov at Royal albert Hall.


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Royal albert hall will be issuing refunds up until the morning on friday. I just spoke with them. They were Very apologetic even though it wasn’t their fault. 
I’m in two minds... Ive got starwars coming up and going to Salzburg on Sunday...and JW will not b in the buliding friday plus im not rich!
But.........


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## zolhof (Oct 24, 2018)

Simon Ravn said:


> Yeah just got email from Musikverein as well, saying the concerts in Vienna are cancelled, urgh. Seems it is pretty serious then, but let's hope not. Seriously, I wonder if he'll make it home from London... Maybe he wasn't fit for travelling overseas afterall.



Don't worry, you will get another chance to watch the master wield his baton, as he's bound by contract to score at least another 50 Star Wars reboots. I'm sure he will outlive Yoda himself, the Force is strong with this one.







What a badass!


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## toomanynotes (Oct 24, 2018)

Haha i like it!


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## Karma (Oct 24, 2018)

I'll still be going. It's the LSO regardless!


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## I like music (Oct 24, 2018)

Oh dear. Experienced the same thing when Jerry Goldsmith was due to fly over and do a birthday concert with the LSO. Unfortunately he had to pull out last minute due to illness. Concert was cracking, but sadly, never got to see Goldsmith conduct/talk live, as he passed away soon after.

Lets hope Williams keeps going for another good few years. All the best.


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## Michael Antrum (Oct 24, 2018)

I have form in this department too. I bought my Mother tickets to see Pavarotti, but it was cancelled due to illness and he passed away not long afterwards.

I have booked a nice hotel, and made arrangements for the kids and dogs, and was planning to make a rather nice weekend of it with my wife, whom I don't get to spend as much time as I would like. So we will still be going, and I am sure I will still enjoy it immensely, even though I would not probably have booked the show had not John Williams himself been there.

Like all on here, my first concern is that 'Johnny' gets back on his feet as soon as possible and makes a full recovery. I was surprised and delighted that at 86 he was planning some European concerts, but I'm pretty sure that there will not be another opportunity to see him in Europe again, and that makes me quite sad.

It's a superb orchestra, a magical venue, and the replacement conductor, Dirk Brossé, is certainly no second-rater. But the magical fairy dust for this concert, which I would surely have remembered for all my days, has gone.

At least, however, unlike some of the people elsewhere in Europe, I will have a concert to go to. 

I would, however, have loved to personally give the man the standing ovation that his astounding body of work so richly deserves.


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Oct 24, 2018)

Well, everyone has its little story so here is mine : I was supposed to see Michael Jackson live for the "This is it" tour.

All the best to JW !


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## SoNowWhat? (Oct 24, 2018)

zolhof said:


> Don't worry, you will get another chance to watch the master wield his baton, as he's bound by contract to score at least another 50 Star Wars reboots. I'm sure he will outlive Yoda himself, the Force is strong with this one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If 800 years old I reach, compose as well I will not. 
 I hope John is well again very soon.


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## Anders Wall (Oct 24, 2018)

whitewasteland said:


> Well, everyone has its little story so here is mine : I was supposed to see Michael Jackson live for the "This is it" tour.
> 
> All the best to JW !


And I Zappa in Stockhom 

Best wishes for a quick recovery.
/Anders


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## zolhof (Oct 24, 2018)

_"according to official sources, his condition is not severe" _

https://soundtrackfest.com/en/news/...conduct-the-concert-at-the-royal-albert-hall/

Yeay, now that is good news! The man is 86 years old, can't be too careful. Sending good, healthy vibes his way for a speedy recovery.


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## JEPA (Oct 24, 2018)

i missed the last concert of Ligeti in Germany... One or two months after it the master passed away.. i regret I was too late to buy the tickets.. I wish the best and a quickly recuperation to Master John Williams!


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## zolhof (Nov 8, 2018)

_"He's home and doing fine, taking a period to rest and recover properly."
_
According to Mr. Williams friend, Mike Matessino. Source


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## Michael Antrum (Nov 8, 2018)

Glad to hear it - Even though he wasn't there, it was still an superb concert, and the LSO simply outdid themselves. I do hope that I will get another opportunity to see him conduct his music.

On another note, I was sad to hear that the composer Francis Lai, passed away earlier today. When I was a kid having piano lessons, my grandma loved that theme, along with the Black & White Rag....


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