I noticed how quite a few of the artists I have chosen for our blog have been introduced to me through either movies or television. I love the way music plays such an integral role in the emotions you feel while watching a program. So when it came down to picking my next artist, I could think of no better artist/composer who personifies what it is to make defining music for movies than John Williams.
I am sure most people would not know who you were talking about if you said the name John Williams. He is a modern day Mozart if I do say so myself. There is no singing needed in his music because it is all about the emotion of the instruments. John Williams was born February 8, 1932 in New York. His father was a jazz drummer, which may have played some role in his passion for music. He started off by conducting and arranging music in his Air Force band. After his service ended he attended the prestigious Juilliard school where he studied Piano. He started his composing on some low budget films, but hit it big when he scored the 1967 movie “The Valley of the Dolls.” He was nominated for an Academy Award for his contributions. Some of his most famous work is for the scores of such movies as Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park etc. If you didn’t already notice most of those movies are directed by Steven Spielberg. John Williams has worked on nearly every Spielberg picture ever made. If you think about the movie Jaws, most people will instinctually start singing the infamous theme to that movie. I actually bet you started singing it as you read this. This is just one example of how the music played such an impactful role on its movie counterpart.
Music has a way of making you feel something, that maybe an actor can’t make you feel by speaking. It touches a nerve deep inside of you that helps relay the message of what the director wants you to feel. Whether it be to another galaxy, or a mystical world like Hogwarts, John Williams knows how to make the movie become what it is supposed to be and how to make you feel the way that specific scene is intended to make you feel.
Suggested Listening:
1) John Williams Greatest Hits (1969-1999) – this is 2 discs
These are some other various tracks from some of his more recent works that I would like for you to listen to as well.
2) Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone Soundtrack - Harry’s Wondrous World, Hedwig’s Theme
3) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban- Buckbeak’s Flight
4) Catch Me if you Can soundtrack – Catch Me if you Can
5) Memoirs of a Geisha- The Chairman’s Waltz
The Jaw's Trailer for your viewing pleasure.
This one is really tough to write up as I need to try to resist talking about the movies. As you look through John’s work, you can’t help but say, my lord he has provided work for almost every significant movie of the last 40 years. There are only a few movies that come to mind where the theme music is memorable, and John Williams has performed just about all of them outside of Halloween, The Bourne series, Black Hawk Down, Saw, 28 Days Later and my possible favorite in Lord of the Rings.
ReplyDeleteI can’t imagine the process it takes for Spielberg to tell you what he wants out of supporting music for his film and you just create it. When I hear these tracks, all I can do is picture the film and am amazed at how they capture key moments of the film and how the film just wouldn’t be the same without the music. The first track on disc 1 makes me happier than almost any other song inspired by a movie and that is the Star Wars theme song. It is amazing how 6 films are completely summarized in just 6 minutes of a song and that any given scene from any of the movies can borrow a few seconds from this theme. Even the most recent trio which I am sure had not been described to John when he created it. The E.T. theme is one that even if you hadn’t seen the film, you would picture an escape to freedom. The Superman theme has always sounded very similar to the Star Wars theme to me, so one of my goals for this week was for me to closely compare the two in their entirety. Beyond the intros, I still feel they are quite similar, however, the two films needed a similar sound as they needed to accomplish similar elements. One of the most recognizable and most thrilling bodies of work is the Jaws Theme. I am absolutely certain the movie would not be ranked amongst the scariest movies of all time without this theme song. It captures all of the mysterious elements of being out at sea and just creeps you out as you just feel like you are being hunted. As I listen closer to the full track, I hear a lot of elements that sound like this inspired to music in Predator as well. The more and more songs I learn that he did, the more and more amazed I am. My boss went to see his live performance recently and commented on how we provided the NBC nightly news jingle as well. Then I hear the Olympic theme and can then make the connection. I wonder how he reacted when George Lucas said, “I need the theme song for the greatest villain in the history of film.’ The Empire Strikes Back – The Imperial is the result and it is spot on. It is not too terrifying, but demands respect and gives the feel for uncertainty for what Vader is capable of.
A film like Saving Private Ryan captures every single emotion at some point of the film, and demands a soundtrack that follows suit. ‘Hymn to the Fallen’ may not capture the fear or the action, but it does capture the pride, bravery, and love for fallen comrades. If there is any song I am disappointed in, it is the Jurassic Park theme. If you hear this before watching the move, you would never picture an action film featuring dinosaurs. It sounds like the gear of the track is to open your mind to the possibility of this theme and not so much what is about to occur. On the Jurassic Park soundtrack, I feel ‘T-Rex and Final Rescue’ is a much better representation of the movie. The violin is such a powerful instrument and I think the Schindler’s List theme is possibly the best representation ever at how you can convey a world of infinite sadness without a visual aid. In high school, I had a few ‘go-to’ songs whenever I was in a down mood. I may have to replace all of them with this song as I am almost in tears writing this up. Speaking of crying, I was surprised to see Home Alone within his portfolio. This song scream mischief and Christmas, everything you need to know about the series with the exception of the emotional scenes that always find a way to jerk a tear out of me. Fortunately, there is another Star Wars track on here to lift my spirits. Come on Qui-Gon, kick Darth Maul’s ass! Awesome track to the standout scene from that installation.
ReplyDeleteAs far as our bonus tracks are concerned, Harry’s Wondrous World creates a just that, a magical place with endless possibilities. I actually like the Prologue a lot more and am surprised of the pick from the first film. To me, it is a better representation of the Harry Potter series in general and has that mischievous and dark feel to it. The movies are much darker than Harry’s Wondrous World makes it out to be. ‘Buckbeat’s Flight’ has a nice drum intro, but flattens out for a bit. The climax of the song hits at the 1:30 mark and reminds me of the E.T. theme actually. I do not think Catch Me if You Can gained anything with this theme. I hear this and can’t picture a single scene of the movie. While this track doesn’t really do anything for me, it does help me appreciate how impactful the rest of this week’s items have been. Although I haven’t seen Memoirs of a Geisha, this is a really terrific song and shows a different side to how beautiful the violin is.
I typically don’t pay a lot of attention to the music playing within the film industry, but this week has given me the opportunity to go one on one with some key contributing works of art and I have become much more appreciative as a result. I hope I can key in on the music in future movies and gain some perspective. Pretty cool and unique pick.
Leone, Scorsese, Tarantino, Kubrick, Jarmusch, and Wes Anderson are all tremendous filmmakers that understand creating a great soundtrack is necessary in making an even greater film. John Williams’ collaboration with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has produced some of the most timeless cinema experiences over the past 40 years. What a unique pick for this week in Musictogetherness, what a deserving pick.
ReplyDeleteDespite his many great compositions, the only way to kick off this collection is the elegant, regal and triumphant theme to Star Wars. Even if this was the only thing Mr. Williams would have ever contributed to the world of cinema, he would still be considered a legend. As soon as I hear the opening horns I can’t help but think “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”; I immediately want to watch episodes 4,5, and 6. It’s almost a Pavlovian response where my immediate excitement for those films is uncontrollable. “The Flying Theme from ET” displays his proficiency for creating delicate and whimsical pieces that captures the breathtaking moment of Elliot’s ascension into the sky with ET. He is able to channel the simplest of human emotions and stir them within us by producing a sound that feels like it was created by our own hearts. As I am writing this, I am listening to each song over and over again simply because of the happiness and wonderful memories they are bringing up. Williams has given musical identities to complex and unforgettable movie characters like Superman, Indiana Jones, and Darth Vader. He is genius when it comes to selecting the correct instrument to feature in different pieces; the authoritative horns are on full display in his bigger numbers like “The Raiders March” but the lurking and deep cello is the ultimate in creating this encompassing fear for the “Jaws Theme”. The more reserved “Theme from The Reivers” I found was from one of Johns first soundtracks, a Steve McQueen film from 1969 that has a guitar and harmonica opening that reminded me a lot of the Ennio Morricone tracked spaghetti westerns.
Had the same urge, watched Episode 1 last night, Episode 2 today
ReplyDeleteYou’d think with a movie about dinosaurs running amok that the theme would be hulking and brooding, but Williams take on the “Jurassic Park Theme” is the exact opposite; he delivers a sweeping and delicate piece representing the awe surrounding these majestic creatures. Not surprising, the violin is featured on the “Theme from Schindler’s List”; Spielberg’s masterpiece about the Holocaust is punctuated by the sorrowful arrangement on an instrument used traditionally to play Hebrew melodies. “Summon The Heroes” is aptly named, I feel like I’m standing in the Roman Colosseum awaiting the participants in the first Olympics to arrive. The grandiosity of sound produced by a full orchestra is unrivaled in music, Williams uses this to his advantage when he builds these spectacular arrangements. With “Harry’s Wondrous World” John plays different sounds off of each other, they take turns swelling and darting, it’s like they are weaving around each other; kind of like playing in a game of Quidditch. “Catch Me If You Can” is one of my favorites from this collection; this jazzy lounge number is very cool and personifies the sneaky Frank Abagnale perfectly. I can’t imagine any of these films without the assistance of John’s music; no other composer or writer has ever captured the true essence of so many unique characters and influenced pop culture like this man.
ReplyDeleteThis one is kind of tough as it's not the type of music you typically throw in the car radio and listen to while you go about your day. The timing is awesome though, as it is Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family channel once again.
ReplyDeleteI would tend to agree with Beth that the casual movie fan would probably not know much about the people who compose the music that sets the theme for what they're watching, but I disagree about John Williams. I would say that he is most well known for his work on Star Wars, but I don't know if that's true for everyone. It has to be said though that while most of this goes on behind the scenes, its effect on popular media is immense.
As I mentioned, I think Williams' "Star Wars" themes are undoubtedly his best work. Even thouse unfamiliar with the Star Wars movies themselves can many times identify the theme. It's intense. It's epic. It fits the movie perfectly and sets the mood for a classic trilogy like no other. Moving on through his greatest hits album, it's overwhelming exactly how much his work has affected popular culture, so much so that people who regularly would have no interest in this sort of thing could really get into a concert that's so accessible as these tracks. It should be noted that I don't know if the songs themselves are so accessible or if its the visual connection we see in our heads and the emotions that we connect with both the audio and visual experience of a movie that make it so. What are your opinions on this?
ReplyDeleteI had no idea he did the Olympic theme, but for some reason, listening to his works all here in one space it makes sense. He definitely has a signature, which I think is hard to accomplish with orchestration sometimes.
My favorites are "Jaws" and "Imperial March" from Empire Strikes Back on the first disc.
On the second disc, "Jurassic Park" is my favorite track. A favorite movie trilogy of mine when I was a child, this music is so nostalgic. If there is one word I could use to sum this double disc as, it would be "epic." These tracks are the definition of epic.
ReplyDeleteLike "Star Wars" I think his work on the Harry Potter series has mass appeal that will never go out of style. These movies and the books are timeless and amazing for all ages, but you always wonder how these things are going to translate to film. In this case, I think it went well - but I think some of the credit should be given to John Williams, who added to the magical feel of the movies with an amazing soundtrack. "Hedwig's Theme" gives me the chills bigtime. I love it.
I wasn't as familiar with "Catch Me If You Can" although I did see the film. I didn't enjoy the track as much, because it just felt really low key and not epic as I have described his other work. Even "Hedwig's Theme" which is by no means upbeat, has something a little extra that this track is missing for me. I don't know. "Chairman's Waltz" from Memoirs of a Geisha (a film I've never seen) had that something extra. The violin was beautiful and haunting. I can almost already get a feel for what the movie is about just listening to the music. That's what a good soundtrack is all about.
I'm a little disappointed we weren't told to listen to "Home Alone," as I think that was some of his best work as well, but I'm glad this week made us take the time out to listen to another type of music and contemplate its effect on pop culture.
I haven't said it much but I do enjoy classical music, so this has been one of my favorite weeks. It's very important for music appreciation to understand where the stuff we listen to evolved from, and it's just as important to hear examples that are just as popular as what's on Z107.7 if not more so but at the same time on that classical level that will never go out of style.
I also need to apologize for my horribly sloppy writing this week. I hope you can at least understand where my rambling was going in the comments above, but in case you can't I'd like to summarize in hopefully a less confusing way. I think the music of John Williams is epic, timeless, full of emotion, and immensely important to the evolution of popular culture over the last 40+ years.
ReplyDeleteYou would be hard pressed to find someone who isn't a fan of at least one of these soundtracks or who doesn't FEEL the movies because of what his orchestration adds to the overall cinematic experience. From "Star Wars" to "Jurassic Park" to "Harry Potter," people who hear these tracks for ages to come will be able to feel each movie, to visualize what is happening without the screen in front of them and to better interpret the art of film as an experience for all the senses.
Using the same instrumentation and tools available to classical artists for centuries, John Williams is able to bring classical music to present day and future pop culture masses and instill in us an appreciation for music in its purest form.
The work of any great film score composer, in my opinion, is to create a piece that is eternally linked with the work of art for which it was created. Film scores are just as important as the scenery in a film, and they have exactly the same purpose within the framework of that film. While the scenery, costuming and set decoration each do their part to create the visual aspect of the feeling that the director wishes to create in the viewer, the musical score serves the same purpose in creating this feeling aurally. For the first seventy years of motion pictures, film scores were an indispensable part of American culture as songs from films were very regularly seen within the top 40 charts. Since the 1970's, however, film score composers have typically gone the route of incorporating songs that were made popular outside of the world of film, and injecting them into the soundtrack without actually composing a thing themselves. While this works quite often, such as in the movie 'American Graffiti' (directed by George Lucas, who has paired with John Williams many times since) which uses hits from the 50's and 60's to fit the time and place that the plot describes, these soundtracks have lost a bit of their originality and in turn have taken away from some of the wonder that goes in to viewing a film.
ReplyDeleteThe "lone soldier", if you will, in the fight against this trend has always been John Williams. His compositions, most notably for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, have succeeded in doing the things that early silent film productions did, which is to create a sort of atmosphere in which words just aren't even necessary. When watching a Williams' scored film, it's easy to get choked up when viewing a scene set to his music....and the best part of his work is that when listening to those songs independently from the film, the scenes to which those songs are linked immediately come to the minds eye and are just as potent.
There was one Home Alone track on the greatest hits album. Did that come up on grooveshark?
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of a John Williams score, the first thing that comes to mind for me is of course the work he did for the Star Wars movies. It's fitting then that this collection begins with the Main Title for the series, as it features elements that are repeated throughout Williams' work. The epic horn sections are present throughout the song, as well as the triumphant strings and percussion. This song is everything that's great about his music concentrated into one six minute composition, and was so good that each and every bit of it was used in various sections of the original film trilogy. Listening to the song now transports you to different lands within that far off galaxy, and re-creates different emotions that are forever tied with each specific section of the song. The "Flying Theme" from E.T. instantly takes me back to my very earliest memories, as that is one of the first movies that I can remember ever watching, which is fitting as it was released less than two months before I was born. When the music crescendos, it creates the perfect image of what it might be like to suddenly take off into the air without warning, which is of course what happens to Elliott and his friends. The theme from "Superman" has a feeling of triumph and invincibility to it that captures the Man of Steel just right. One of the more celebrated pieces here is the "Jaws" theme, and is a song that will forever create a feeling of menace whenever and wherever it's played. Whenever the tune was played you knew that Jaws was near, and the tension that it created within the movie was palpable. The movie simply just wouldn't have been as scary without it. When hearing the Olympic theme I immediately expect to hear Bob Costas speaking over the top of it, which in a strange way will forever immortalize Costas in my mind. Williams found a way to describe the competitiveness and patriotism that the Olympics strive for, and to do this for such a broad set of athletic competitions is amazing. The greatest of Williams creations, in my opinion, is "The Imperial March". Darth Vader is the greatest villain in film history, and when he appears accompanied by this song, the sheer menace that Vader brings is huge. The song creates the feeling of pure, unadulterated evil, and to do that in 3 minute composition is one of the greatest accomplishments in music history. Finally, listening to "The Raiders March", it's impossible not to picture Harrison Ford as Indy swinging on some vines. This first disc on the collection contains Williams' best, most timeless creations, and listening to it has brought back more great memories than most other albums could ever dream to do.
ReplyDeleteDisc 2 of the Greatest Hits collection features John Williams work from the 90's onward. Not being in my early formative years when most of these songs were created, most of them don't quite have the same emotional resonance as the earlier stuff, but at the same time there are a couple of pieces that are amazingly successful at bringing me back to a particular point in my life. While not being one of his best songs, the "Jurassic Park" theme still does a pretty great job at creating a sense of wonderment that would accompany the view of a park filled with giant dinosaurs as seen from the air, however the terror that these dinosaurs create is nowhere to be seen on this particular song. The "Schindler's List" theme is exactly what it should be for the movie that it was written for, in that it's a supremely mournful piece. The movie itself is fantastic yet depressing, and that's exactly what this song is. "Flight to Neverland" from "Hook" has a sort of child-like quality to it, which of course perfectly fits the tale of Peter Pan. My favorite song on this disc is "Somewhere In My Memory", from "Home Alone". This song has every element of the movie within it, from the childish mischief that Kevin gets into, to the longing for his mother after she's been gone for awhile, to the Christmas time surroundings, to the terror that ensues for Kevin when the "Wet Bandits" strike. The fact that he was able to encapsulate the entire movie within this one song makes this one of Williams' most important creations. "Summon the Heroes" is another Olympic song, and while being good in it's own right, it doesn't have quite the same impact as the one on the first disc. The other songs on the disc don't have quite the same link with their movie counterparts, and therefore didn't have quite the same affect on me. "Duel of the Fates" from "Star Wars: Episode 1" is a good song in it's own right, but pales in comparison to the work for the original trilogy, which is exactly how I feel about the second trilogy in comparison with the first (Sorry Thomas). In the end, though, the work that John Williams has done of the past six decades has been remarkable, and as I said earlier, he is a sort of link to a past that may never return in film score composition. This week brought back many great memories, and in turn made me want to watch about 15 different movies as soon as possible.
ReplyDelete(I'm foregoing the rating this week, as it's difficult to separate the music from the film, meaning that I'd naturally give higher ratings to the songs that belong to the movies that I love. Regardless, this collection is fantastic.)
Beth,
ReplyDeleteMy bad. I didn't see one on the album I was listening to on Grooveshark. Those are not always 100 percent complete though I guess. Anyway, good week :)
-Laura