UPDATE: The podcast is now available on iTunes and Spotify.
Jeff Commings’ new weekly podcast The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey examines the 60-year career of John Williams in chronological order, from his first film in 1959 to the present. Each episode will be devoted to one movie in Williams’ filmography, 107 films and counting, with new episodes posted every Wednesday.
The first three episodes of the podcast are now available.
Episode 1 – Prologue
In this episode, host Jeff Commings begins the journey with a look back at John Williams’ life before his first film assignment. Learn about John Williams’ time in the Air Force, his studies at Juilliard and learning from the best in his early days in Hollywood.
Episode 2 – Daddy-O
Let’s start this journey through the career of film composer John Williams with his first-ever score for a feature-length film. The 1959 B-movie “Daddy-O”was not the blockbuster that Williams would have hoped to have to launch his career, but it contains some good music. Host Jeff Commings examines some of the music, including some moments that hint at the greatness to come almost a decade later.
Episode 3 – I Passed For White
The second film in John Williams’ filmography is about as different from his first as you could get. The film “I Passed For White” tried very hard to be taken seriously, but is sheer melodrama in the Douglas Sirk method. The film is notable for the first thematic material John Williams has written, a lush melody for the main character. Join host Jeff Commings as he discusses this heavy-handed drama about race and personal identity.