score for the fifth and final Indiana Jones film. Williams spoke during our interview in 2022 about that.“ I want to write a concerto for Manny,” Williams said.“ He’ s one of the world ' s greatest pianists and most wonderful people. I just mentioned that I was wanting to write a piano concerto, and he said,‘ Oh, well, I ' d love to do it. Let me have it.’ So I told him when I finished with it, I ' m going to submit it to him, and it will be my greatest, greatest, greatest honor if he would be willing and have time in his schedule to play it …. Any minutes that I can spend with Emanuel Ax is a great life joy.”
While early reports and rumors suggested the piece was inspired by the musicality of three iconic American jazz pianists— Art Tatum, Bill Evans, and Oscar Peterson— Ax is quick to clarify. " It doesn ' t sound exactly like them," he says. " The second movement has a lot of Bill Evans in it— that dreamy thing he was so great at. The first is quite hard, and the third movement is very fast, like Oscar Peterson, lots of notes to practice."
Despite Williams ' playful remark in a 2024 interview that composing the piece for Ax took " chutzpah " on his part, Ax turns the compliment back toward the composer himself. " He ' s a very great man and a great composer," he says. " I ' m so glad I wrote to him. It ' s a privilege." The concerto itself is a far cry from Williams ' best-known film scores. " It ' s quite thorny, harmonically," said Ax. " It ' s not like the music for the movies. It ' s very strong, very compelling concert music."
While Ax, ever humble and grounded, said that he was still " hacking away " at the piece in preparation for the July premiere, he was already looking ahead to reprising the work in January 2026. Ax will perform the concerto once more with the BSO at Symphony Hall in Boston as part of an all John Williams program. That concert will also feature violinist Gil Shaham performing TreeSong, alongside selections from Schindler ' s List, Catch Me if You Can, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Ax sees Williams not just as a legendary cinematic composer, but also as a vital voice in contemporary classical music. " I ' m very impressed with this piece," he says. " It ' s not easy. It ' s not what people might expect. But it ' s really, really good."
As for Williams ' cinematic work, Ax ' s favorite score is an unexpected one. " I have a soft spot for Sabrina," he admits. " There ' s a beautiful piano solo that I really like a lot." But, Ax was quick to add, " Of course, his score to Schindler ' s List is magic. That ' s maybe the greatest. It ' s irresistible."
With this new concerto, Ax becomes part of Williams’ compositional legacy. For Ax, the journey began with a brave letter. For Williams, it began with a leap of faith and inspiration. For audiences at Tanglewood, it will begin with the downbeat of what promises to be a truly unforgettable premiere. n
Ax performs Mahler Symphony No. 1 and John Williams ' Piano Concerto( world premiere) with Andris Nelsons conducting the BSO, Saturday, July 26, 8 p. m., in the Koussevitzky Music Shed. bso. org / tanglewood
Holiday July 2025 2023 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 27