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John Williams is untouchable


leeallen01

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Though sometimes forgotten, my favourite score from him is The Terminal. It's so bloody perfect it hurts me. It sums up everything I love about John; his whimsy, his comedic warm feel, his unique ability to write music with a happy sadness quality, and this piece alone displays the skills he uses in every single score he writes, and why he can just add a gorgeous order and charm to chaos.

 

John_Williams-Jazz_Autographs_The_Terminal_OST_.mp3

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10 hours ago, loert said:

And a superhuman work ethic! (He used to work 12 hours a day for a film).

 

Listening to his interviews, I get the impression that he doesn't really consider it work. He simply loves composing music. I mean, when he isn't writing a score, what does he do for fun - he composes music!

 

Also, it is a measure of his talent that Spielberg, who is very musically aware, has stayed with JW ever since their first score together. 

 

My second favorite composer is Goldsmith who is also an absolute legend. However, I can't really quantify exactly why JW is my favorite over Goldsmith. Goldsmith's body of work is exceptional and I can't fault him but JW just has that special undefinable quality that makes him so unique. I've travelled from Europe to US four times to see him in concert and don't think I would have done so for Goldsmith or anyone else.

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I just made a photo montage of 50 years of Christmases in my family... What music did I used, do you think? Home alone 1 & 2, Stepmom, Far and Away, Hook, Jurassic Park, A.I, Angela's ashes, E.T., The BFG.

 

John Williams composed the music of our lives. He's like a family member.

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If you only judged from his post-2005 output, I would say he was 'touchable' (that sounds wrong somehow), but that he was still in the upper echelon of composers. If you take his entire output into consideration, however, there's no doubt in my mind that there has never been a better film composer in the history of cinema. That he's also my alltime favourite composer even when taking centuries of classical music into consideration, is something that is more personal (in other words, I wouldn't say he was the greatest composer who ever lived). But yeah -- long live Williams!

 

P.S. I like that you have THE TERMINAL as your favourite score, leeallen. Certainly not mine, but I like it, and I love it when people pick unusual choices for the top spot.

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17 hours ago, loert said:

And a superhuman work ethic! (He used to work 12 hours a day for a film).

 

I remember the fun anecdote that karelm shared with us once (via JW's brother Don) about how during family vacations while everyone would be outside in the swimming pool, John would be composing in the hotel room. It's just how he likes to relax. He lives, breathes, and eats music. 

 

Horner had his airplanes, Jerry had his technology, etc. I'm sure John has things other than music he enjoys (trees?), but what I've gathered is that music is really the main focal point in his life. Regardless of the innate talent and skill that he was obviously born with, the momentum and craft that one builds with that much detailed focus on a particular subject is bound to be incredible. 

 

 

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I've been getting off to Williams almost exclusively all weekend. I only briefly took a break yesterday to go out and I guess I was craving Williams so much that I ended up buying a Revenge of the Sith poster to add to my film music art collection. I woke up with the Chamber of Secrets score still playing, as if no time had passed. Horner's getting sloppy seconds now.

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13 hours ago, Bryant Burnette said:

There are other film composers who have been as good occasionally; there are other film composers who have been good for as long.  There are zero other film composers who have been AS good AS frequently for AS long.  And there likely never will be.

"There are other film composers who have been as good occasionally; there are other film composers who have been good for as long.  There are zerofew other film composers who have been AS good AS frequently for AS long.  And there likely never will be." Fixed.  As far as living composers (and not just for film) go, the only person with a comparable career (sustained quality over such a long duration) is Penderecki.

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31 minutes ago, Prerecorded Briefing said:

John Adams is approaching that in terms of duration now, ain't he?  One of the few living greats. 

 

The Copland-esque music from Amistad?

 

1 hour ago, hornist said:

Simply you do not like him, nothing to be proud of. Again who are you?, too lazy to go namechange thread.

 

edit: read that again you still have a chance

 

You always overreact. I thought you were leaving the forums because no one liked The BFG? You know I love Williams.

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21 hours ago, hornist said:

I love this thread!!!:wub:

 

The NeoFans will be irritated by it though. 

 

8 hours ago, Rose Dawson said:

 

You always overreact. I thought you were leaving the forums because no one liked The BFG? You know I love Williams.

 

I'm not sure Hornist was replying to you. 

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He is quite remarkable isn't he? It's more than an achievement to be able to develop, sustain and push the boundaries of one's craftsmanship for as long as he has. To think he was still breaking new ground for himself as recent as 2005 is amazing. Practically unrivalled career-wise, in film music, I'd argue.

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