John Williams Theme Night at the Bowl Proves Spotty

A typically large and appreciative audience was on hand Friday at the Hollywood Bowl for the annual appearance of John Williams, this year (as often) with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

It was a pleasant evening of famous movie themes to some; to others, it was more like revisiting and celebrating the exploits of a hero. Four encores were zestfully requested and ecstatically received. Flowers were tossed on stage. One fan even brandished a light saber when Williams finally acquiesced and conducted a previously unrehearsed “Star Wars.”

That went pretty well, but there were rough patches aplenty in the Philharmonic’s playing this night. The trumpet section in particular, stretched by one long-limbed theme after another, sounded subpar.

While an evening of Williams’ music tends to show up his use of musical formulae--low, rhythmically pulsing strings crisply addressed by snare drum, slow, noble melody arching overhead--there were also some surprises. The “Motorcycle Scherzo” from the last Indiana Jones movie proved a wonderfully bustling, bounding joy ride. “Summon the Heroes,” written for the Atlanta Olympics, decorated the air with aural streamers and confetti.

In selections from Copland’s “Old American Songs” and two spirituals, baritone Jubilant Sykes seemed a cross between Sarah Vaughan and Bobby McFerrin. Every vowel became an opportunity for sonority exploration, every phrase subjected to pliant manipulation. He whispered intensely, then belted proudly and generally made sure everyone knew he was talented and sensitive. His barnyard noises in “I Bought Me a Cat” were cute. The rest was excessively refined.

The waltz from “Carousel” showed up unannounced (and was never mentioned) on the first half. “Stars and Stripes Forever” similarly ended the night, but everyone knew what that was.