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Yeah, there is a certain transparent elegance to his music. Might sound simple and stoic to some, but is really well crafted. I've got 4-5 of his albums and they're all really enjoyable. Karol

I totally agree with Jeremy Soule. I'm also thrilled to be part of the performance of The Flight to Neverland next month. For the first time in my life.

Jeremy Soule (of Skyrim fame) has this to say about The Arrival of Tink/The Flight to Neverland. Copied from his Facebook post: Discuss.

This is emblematic of the snobbery you find in academe towards film composers. Williams responds to it here at 6:04. My personal take on the legacy would be Gerswhin/Copland/Bernstein/North/Williams.

George Fenton is one of the few "film" composers I really really like. ( with Johnny and Snoozeman)

THE BOOK THIEF Following the old showbusiness axiom that there is always something uplifting even (or especially) in the most dire of times, this shallow nazi wartime drama does it all: presenting aesthetically pleasing children in Once-Upon-a-Time-like fairy tale villages saying prudent things like eloquent adults, showing clumsy barbarian nazi hordes right out of 60's war movies, ennobling middle-class intellectual activities like reading and finally letting us weep for the morally upright and their suffering. The whole political dimension of nazi ideology is gone - we just must accept that bad men with grimy faces did bad things and there were good people that stood firm even in those dark times and that was that. It is a Disney-sanitized version of Markus Zusak's book of the same name that had the distinction that the cynical Grim reaper tells the story of a little girl, Lisel, he gets fond of, following her through her life at her foster parents involving learning to read and finding the world of books as a vigil, the hiding of Jews and her learning process about humanity and inhumanity with the Holocaust looming large - taking someone out of the story from time to time because his time has come. The movie pretends to portray these things too, only that it forgets the voiceover of the reaper - it is reduced to some connective tissue that is cleared of all mischief or character(it's basically an old grandfather narrating), it forgets to actually show us the wonders of reading - an old trick, just state things instead of making the effort to actually filmically transform them, the next worst crime to expository dialogue - and generally wastes time with tasteful and expensive lightning (even a book burning is done like a photoshopped advert). The actors do their best to give their parts some depths (kudos must go especially to Emily Watson), but the terrible idea to 'conjure' time and place with Allo Allo accents, sprinkled with german JA's and Ve have Vays to make You Toak! pronunciations lets all those efforts go in vain. In light of this severe lack of ambition to do more than a lame counting rhyme of tired WW2 drama clichés (minus any 'distasteful' things, of course!), it does surprise no one that JW's generally tasteful but too plushy and glossy score has turned out as it is (it is mainly called upon to give the up-scale production values even more sheen). A movie the family can watch on a rainy sunday afternoon...if there weren't a million better things to do. Like reading Zusak's book...or even The Love Bug, for that matter.

If I was American, yes. 'Maestro Sharky.'

Lol. Glad I posted this.

Warmed-over Stravinsky/Tchaikovsky seasoned with some HOME ALONE from the prior year - and that's the new Williams calling card? Pffffft....Writing technically accomplished but derivative stuff like that is something you not necessarily need John Williams for. Genius it ain't.

I found this picture on twitter: The text at the bottom seems to be a message from Williams himself.

A more interesting composer than Murray Gold.

Well that is some statement from Mr. Soule. Since it enhances my world view and my manic appreciation of John Williams I'll go along with it 100%.

New Girl 3x17 Sister II Eh. They still can't figure out what to do with Winston, eh? Modern Family 5x15 The Feud Not a huge fan of the Gil Thorpe character. Why is he getting his own spinoff? How I Met Your Mother 9x19 Vesuvius Well, that was depressing. So the mother is dead in the future, and that's why Ted is telling his kids about her? Damn.

It has been a good series, Hilly ... also muchly enjoyed Clarkson's gloating via the second 'Stig fact' over Morgan's axing. I once changed someone's opinion of Clarkson to 'Hmm, maybe he's not so bad after all' when I told her he'd punched Morgan over something he'd written about him. Have also enjoyed the sprinkling of Bond references throughout this series. And the 2-part Burma special looks like a fittingly epic finale.

Finally, I can write a review - by the time I'd come home from the concert I'd forgotten much of the set list. The only detail that the offical concert program gave was a general list of the films from which music had been selected. The Sydney Symphony have now published an offical list of pieces played in the concert, so I can reflect on them individually: Jurassic Park (Main Theme) - was an odd choice to open the program, considering that previous such concerts had both opened with 'Olympic Fanfare and Theme - but David Robertson (conductor/host) slyly explained "let's start from the beginning - 600 million years ago!". It was a fine performance. The tender first half demonstrated robust winds, but I think the strings, despite how hard they tried, were doomed by the Sydney Opera House's abysmal acoustics. Unfortunately, despite the SSO's highly talented brass section, they too were underpowered even through the powerhouse second-half of the piece. I was very relieved therefore, that at least the percussion section (of which there were no less than six musican - not counting the timpani) knew to compensate for themselves and didn't hold back for much of the night. Go clash cymbals all the way!!! Jaws (Main Theme) - This was impressive as it could get. I remember being very pleased with the performance. Strong bass, as it should be. Harry Potter - Hedwig's Theme - fantastic celeste playing stole the performance Harry Potter - Double Trouble - I was absolutely delighted to hear this piece included. Present with the orchestra was the Sydney Children's Choir, and the Gondwana Allumni Choir. This piece would otherwise be easily left out of a concert like this, but with a choir, this rendition of the concert version (quite different from the soundtrack-album version) was great. I noticed some of the percussion parts had been ignored (I think they ran out of players!). Again, I could here the choir from where I was sitting on the stage side box, but I doubt those left to the back rows could hear very well. (Again, a poor acoustic environment). Harry Potter - Harry's Wondrous World - The orchestra back in the spotlight. Nothing to fault. A staple piece of any film-music concert after all. Amistad - Dry Your Tears, Afrika - This was arguably the highlight piece of the evening for me. The percussion section was rocking! The whole orchestra seemed to enjoy. The horns need more power, but, this again, was about choir and percussion, and they delivered. Raiders March - Robertson didn't even bother introducing the piece, instead inviting us to show applause when we recognised melody. Most of the hall clapped in the first two bars! On a personal note, I find quite jarring that the concert version of this piece introduces the iconic main trumpet theme in mezzo-forte, when I think it should just be belted out at top volume from the get-go. Still they obviously performed to the written instruction. What can you do.INTERVAL Adventures on Earth - Robertson told the legendary edit/recording story behind this piece. Admittedly, I didn't focus much through this piece. I'm not much a fan of it - significantly because I HATE the anti-climactic transition from the chase music to the 'goodbye' music, leaving out the 'flying' music. I applauded when it ended, more for the fact that we could move on. Schindler's List - Jewish Town - Another highlight. Concert-master/soloist Andrew Haveron did an amazing job. Again, I could barely hear him(!), even though he was mic'd. Not-so coincidentally, I'd watched a bit of Schindler's List the previous night, adding to the poignancy. Schindler's List - Main Theme - Just as good as the previous. Another film-music concert staple. Star Wars - Main Theme - The opening blast - wow!!! Playing with shrill conspicuousness, I appreciated the piccolo player the entire evening - and that opening note in itself made it. A fine performace. Star Wars - Duel of the Fates - a real thrill to hear performed live. I could hear that the choir had been well versed in the diction of the lyrics, to emphasise rhythm. Something never struck me right with the slightly altered concert version of this piece - something to do with a dumber percussion part. I dunno. The last two notes played loud and crisp - a satisfying ending. Star Wars - The Imperial March - Good. (nothing else to note....).ENCORES Hymn to the Fallen - I was also thrilled to hear this piece live - it's arguable my favourite JW piece (or, was). I haven't come across any live or recorded rendition of the piece that quite captures the perfection of the official soundtrack recording - and I think it has to do with the choral interpretation, as well as the very delicate mix of 'jumpy strings to legato melody' in the second half, and the climax of the piece. Still this was of course a fantastic way to use the choir. Superman March - Introduced by Robertson as a tribute to the Super-men and women of the orchestra and choir. Again, very pleasing, and demostrating a solid brass section.So yeah, that about sums it up. Next time I hear any of these pieces, I hope it will be in Boston Symphony Hall, with JW himself conducting - I already bought the tickets, only time and budget will tell if I can make it. I profoundly hope that if JW does retire in the near future (ha!), that he spends some time with more international touring. I'll be sitting front and centre (actually no I'll be sitting on the side right next to the orchestra!). Cheers guys!