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Collaborator of Steven Spielberg, oscar winner, he is one of the many people feature in " music and cinema: the marriage of the century?" in Paris. However, its in Los Angeles where L'Express met with John Williams. He's not at home, but not in unfamiliar territory. In Hollywood, at the Dreamworks studio offices in the heart of Universal studios is where he welcomed us. The ambiance was familiar, close by is where Steven Spielberg works, with whom Williams has worked with since Sugarland Express in 1974. Tatata taaa tata taaa, its him. Without doubt, his music is the most well known. Two songs for two films: Raiders of the lost Arc with a certain indiana jones and Star Wars with Darth Vader and his black helmet. His work has earned him 48 oscars nominations, and was nominated again this year for Spielberg's " Lincoln". He has won five times, most notably for "Jaws" and "E.T". At 81, he still composes everyday, including many concert works and still conducts on a regular basis. On this occasion, he was polite, elegant, and spoke calmly and quietly about his career in Hollywood starting in the 1950's ARE YOU HAPPY THAT FILM MUSIC IS FINALLY BEING RECOGNIZED? " The change started about 30 years ago. Before, it was looked down to ask an american orchestra to play film music. The musicians, without doubt, were trained for interpreting Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, but not what people called 'Commercial Music'. You don't really find this attitude today. Notably, because scholars have started studying the lives of Hollywood composers like Herrman and Alfred Newman. The music was reevaluated and given merrit , or lack of. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of music composed that only works with the film, and not in the concert hall. The problem is trying to get them played in concert. YOUR COLLABORATION WITH SPIELBERG IS LEGENDARY, QUITE LIKE THE COLLABORATION OF HITCHCOCK AND HERRMANN. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? Steven, is a loyal, considerate and a great lover of music. We have a great relationship, and much of what i've done for him is very diverse. He really enjoys the old romantic film scores, actually much more than me. Whats great is his diverse library of films has allowed me to explore many different aspects and styles of music making. I always enjoy writing music to correspond with the beautiful images he produces. I think we've discovered a lot together. For example Jaws, we had no idea the music would have the impact that it did. Unlike me, Steven is really crazy for everything cinematic. Whats great is that he always comes to the recording sessions, always has a lot to say, and enjoys it like he's payed a ticket to a concert. HOW DO YOU WORK? In general, i prefer to see the film rather than read a script. A script suggest to much to the inner eye and the imagination. I prefer to sit down with the director and watch the film. Discuss when and where to place the music and what style of music would be fitting. After that, i go back to my office and work for several weeks searching for the perfect voice for the film. Sometimes i think that i don't write as well as i did thirty years ago, but during that time, ive worked with a great many orchestras and musicians, so its possible im creating a balance! YOU CONDUCT REGULARLY. DO YOU FIND THAT ITS IMPORTANT? Composing is a solitary occupation. Its not a very lively or exciting experience, but directing an orchestra, yes. The music becomes something organic. All composers should conduct, its essential. The orchestral techniques have evolved over time, but the highlight of it all still remains hearing your compositions by an orchestra. SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II, FILM MUSIC HAS ALLOWED CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL MUSIC TO REMAIN POPULAR, HOW HAS IT DONE SO WHEN AT THE SAME TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, SERIAL MUSIC IS DRIVING AUDIENCES AWAY? Its and interesting idea. I've never thought about it in these terms. It's obviously difficult to say. The extreme ranges that Serial Music tends to employ. But now you have composers like John Adams, who is probably the most important american composer. About film music? I don't know, but film music is released to the public and is heard all over the world everyday. WHAT WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC DURING THE CREATION OF " HOLLYWOOD"? Film music was born in the 1930's in the style of the european tradition. The composers had a very romantic approach. The orchestras mostly consisted of europeans, and therefore had a very particular style. An interesting point is that Franz Waxman, Bernard Herrman, Alfred Newman, Erich Korngold, all had very similar tastes. What they wrote became part of the American culture. Also, don't forget the musicals and the song writers. The impact of American folk and vaudeville theater as it developed in the early twentieth century, before sound films, is enormous. What happened from 1900-1930, musically, had a massive impact on hollywood. We ended up with a sound that mixes Korngold, paying his debt to Richard Strauss opera, and vaudeville. This is music in which the Great Depression and World War II will also have a big impact. Partition Casablanca would not have been what it was without the war. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT AMERICAN CLASSICAL MUSIC? The american composers really fascinate me. Take the trio; Copland, Gershwin, Bernstein. All three of them embody the " american sound" and coincidentally were all born into a families of Russian-Jewish immigrants. They were all first generation Americans and created the "american sound" without even having family routes here. The French and German works, by contrast, are the result of centuries of development. It's amazing, this absorption capacity that America seems to have. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF FILM COMPOSERS HAVE TO OFFER They have new techniques, they use computers and electronics in their work. Mychael Danna, who just recently one on oscar for Life of Pi, created a marvelous atmosphere in his score. Its orchestra, but not completely. He uses the orchestra to create beautiful textures alone side electronics, and its something that didn't exist thirty years ago. It's a new direction for film music. Alexandre Desplat also has written some very beautiful music that i very much enjoy. DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC WHEN YOURE NOT WORKING? Not really. If for example, I listen to Haydn or Brahms, i become very discouraged because ill never be able to write something as good as these great masters. When i'm listening to music, thats all i'm doing. I don't participate in conversations or just have it on in the back round. Like Rachmanivov said " Music is enough for a life time, but a life time is not enough for music". Its not possible to live long enough to listen to everything, study everything and appreciate everything. I'm eighty on and i've barely touched the surface! DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS? I would be very ungrateful if I said that I wanted more of this or more of that. I'm healthy, I can work ten to twelve hours a day without getting tired, I've composed so much. My only regret is the intellectual and technical limitations that I know. My only frustration was back to my youth, when I realized that I would never be a virtuosic pianist. Even if I worked hard, I never would have succeeded. Fortunately, composition has led me elsewhere, and saved me. Putting notes down on paper, these small black spots, and then give them to musicians ... Imagine the excitement that can happen! You get up, you shake hands, and the music is heard ... obiwan71, corriger moi si vous trouves que j'ai traduit mal!

This. I too am not surprised at all. Williams cares about his work for the Star Wars series as much as his fans do. He's very grateful for the success, visibility and opportunities it brought to his career, very much like he feels for his association with Steven Spielberg. So, in this sense, it's not surprising he still wants to be part of this world. Also, I think John is still a very young soul and, as it appears from the brief quote in this interview, he's very excited to see what new things he can bring to the table. One could think he would feel (legitimately) unmotivated after six films of the same series. But I think his enthusiasm and sense of wonder is absolutely genuine. I really hope to get at 81 with just half the energy and vitality he shows!

I'm loving this translated version: "Steven: a loyal man, a considerate lover."

haha! oh the images in my head

As posted on hte main page: " "We've certainly talked about that, and I'm happy and willing to do it," he confirms. "J.J. Abrams, who will be the director, seems excited about the idea. I have to say that J.J. is a much younger man than I, but I will try to keep up with him as much as I can!"http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/05/man-of-steel-will-be-hard-for-me-to-see-says-superman-composer-john-williams.html

The music is one of the many aspects that made Poirot such a classy production

Maybe now my favourite American comedy actor can get on with season 9.

Wow, Williams speaks really well French!

Yes and it is still not a collage of allusions to the music of the times and yet it seems to inhabit the world the same way the characters do, a highly stylized version of the 1930's.

It is impressive to me when someone can eloquently capture the essence of a time in a score. And not in a bombastic way. Very understated.

I speak french, ill do my best to translate

This should allow you to understand at least the majority of it: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lexpress.fr%2Fculture%2Fcinema%2Fjohn-williams-mes-roles-de-composition_1231336.html

It was published online as well last March: http://www.lexpress.fr/culture/cinema/john-williams-mes-roles-de-composition_1231336.html

Empire of the Sun A.I. Witches of Eastwick Heartwood by John Williams (One of my favourite pieces from his concert repertoire. Sublime stuff.) Karol

Big free-lance projects don't start up overnight. Giving up on them ensures that they never will get there. You need a looong breath to see this to conclusion. If people think it is worthwhile, keep it up!

God, I bet I'll eventually die while posting something on this MB. I can't believe the RotS sessions finally leaked, I...arrgh...end of KM