Tanglewood — 2026/08/15-16

This is the next to last weekend of the BSO's Tanglewood seaso I'm sorry I forgot to post yesterday. They did Appalachian Spring and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony while I was listening to the Red Sox losing in Pittsburgh.

August 15, 2026

This evening we hear the Boston Pops in a John Williams Film Night. Here's how WCRB describes it: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2025-05-27/lockhart-leads-the-pops-in-john-williams-film-night

Saturday, August 15, 2026
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast from 2025, John Williams’ Film Night returns with a fabulous program of film music highlights specially curated by Maestro Williams himself and featuring Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops. It’s a special evening of magical music that you won’t want to miss!

Boston Pops Orchestra
John Williams, curator
Keith Lockhart, conductor
Alexandre Lecarme, cello *

Film Night! an all-John WILLIAMS program
"Flight to Neverland," from Hook
Suite from Far and Away
"Sayuri's Theme," from Memoirs of a Geisha *
"Out to Sea" and "Shark Cage Fugue," from Jaws
Symphonic Suite from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
"Superman March" from Superman
Celebrating Indiana Jones
Dear Basketball
"Adventures of Han," "Princess Leia's Theme," and "Throne Room," and "Finale" from Star Wars
"Yoda's Theme" and "Imperial March," from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

 

For more information on Tanglewood concerts, visit the BSO box office.

In an interview with CRB's Brian McCreath, Marin Alsop reflects on her time as a student at the Tanglewood Music Center, studying with Leonard Bernstein, and what Mahler's Fifth Symphony means for young musicians today. To listen, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

TRANSCRIPT (lightly edited for clarity):

Brian McCreath You'll be returning

If you read the fine print, you see that this is a rebroadcast of a concert from last summer, which is a little bit surprising since this evening's live concert is what the BSO calls "Maestro of the Movies," which they describe thus:

Maestro of the Movies: A Tribute to John Williams is the ultimate concert celebration of the man who truly has composed the soundtrack to our lives. With selections from his most iconic scores – Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Superman, Lincoln and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Maestro of the Movies also features more than fifty minutes of specially edited scenes and clips from John Williams’ best-loved films, projected in HD and in sync to his spectacular music. This loving tribute to the greatest musical storyteller of our time is feast for the eyes and the ears!

The Boston Pops will be conducted by Ken-David Masur.

Well the encore broadcast should be good.

August 16, 2026

The Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra takes the stage on Sunday. WCRB gives details: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-04-01/marin-alsop-ray-chen-and-the-tanglewood-music-center-orchestra

Sunday, August 16, 2026
7:00 PM

Tanglewood Music Center alum Marin Alsop leads the TMCO in Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, with soloist Ray Chen making his Tanglewood debut, as well as Anna Clyne’s Masquerade and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra 
Marin Alsop, conductor 
Ray Chen, violin 

Anna CLYNE Masquerade
Max BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
Gustav MAHLER Symphony No. 5

The BSO page is here https://www.bso.org/events/august-16-twd-music-ctr-orch?performance=2026-08-16-14:30 with links to performer bios and program notes.

I'll be listening to the Red Sox again this evening (Saturday), but the Pops concert of John Williams' music should be very pleasant. Sunday looks good too.