Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 40 minutes ago, Stefancos said: If one tirade from someone who's own career as a composers isnt particularly noteworthy or successful is enough to change you forever you probably should not be working in Hollywood. Who said anything as dramatic as being changed forever? It's not about that, it's just about attitude and climate, and I think the art of scoring has enough working against it now to need further drama from the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 All he's saying things used to be better in the old days. I can't say I disagree with him. Jurassic Shark and bollemanneke 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Different, yes. Better, that depends on what you like. The real problem is with filmmakers who don't trust music. And the insane overflow of projects in every visual medium, so much of it crap. Change those things and now you'll have a greater concentration of quality scores - in all manner of idioms, not just 2010s hybrid or 1980s blockbuster. As for talent or vanishing musicianship, I just don't think it's true. There are more film composers from non classical backgrounds than before, but the classically trained demographic hasn't gone anywhere and I would be surprised if it hasn't in fact grown. Williams' consummate musicianship is a rarity, not a norm, to begin with. You won't see it everywhere, and not necessarily in every generation. Maybe among established film composers now, it's unique. But how many of the younger generation are right where Williams was at their age, and on a similar trajectory? The ground is very fertile. I simply think reverence for the past as a lament for the present and future is a dangerous and useless way of thinking no matter who you are or what you do. KK and Jurassic Shark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 23 minutes ago, Knox Harrington said: I simply think reverence for the past as a lament for the present and future is a dangerous and useless way of thinking no matter who you are or what you do. Isnt that overstating things a bit, and perhaps overstating Conrad Pope, who is, by his own admission, a hack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 43 minutes ago, Knox Harrington said: But how many of the younger generation are right where Williams was at their age, and on a similar trajectory? One point I'd like to make is how much the music industry in general relied on talented musicians back in that time period. Williams came up in a culture of playing dance clubs and pop/film music sessions and arranging for pop albums, etc. Now pop music is mostly just one or two people fartin' around in Pro Tools. There's just not that landscape of musicians playing together like there used to be, even up through the 80s/90s. Film scoring seems to be all that's left of that culture/community of session musicians. Am I wrong on that? You know I'm the last person to bemoan how music used to be better, but I do think that musical talent is not fostered and grown quite like it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Yes, it's now about studio hermits, by the looks of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Session playing for pop genres is definitely down yes, at least people playing together at the same time. It's sad. I remember hearing someone talking about a session at Avatar in Manhattan a few years ago that had a full big band group in the room and how novel that now was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Who was the last person to make the jump from regular film score session contracting to composing for major films? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 God I don't know. David Newman? Must be some more recent ones though not necessarily "major" films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I guess it wasn't ever a super common path, was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Disco Stu said: ou know I'm the last person to bemoan how music used to be better, but I do think that musical talent is not fostered and grown quite like it used to be. That much may be true, yes. As with any industry, technological advances and the speed/ease with how we access and pump out information has made it easier to get lazy. But there are a good deal of talented young musicians who are trying to foster creative impulses in novel ways with all these new tools at their disposal. The kind of Williams' breed will indeed never truly be seen again, it's simply impossible. Williams and his process are a product of his time. It's not just a challenge film music faces, but all art. Music has historically evolved in a very reactionary way (Modernism = response to post-war romanticism, serialism = post-WW2 response, minimalism = 60s response to stifling serialism, etc etc). But with information now available all at once, all the time, there is almost too much or even nothing to "react" to. That's the problem with post-post-modernism (or wherever the hell we're at). Anything goes. There are no longer templates to follow or rules to be broken, and the old systems simply don't work. Academia in music has become a far more nebulous and less practically useful space than it used to be. And this leaves many existentialist questions that today's young artists must confront that Williams' generation never really had to deal with. Pope's rhetoric, however friendly he is as a person, can at times be callously harmful to this generation of aspiring artists who simply will never have access to the kind of climate, resources and experiences that Williams' generation had. As an influencer in his own industry, Pope could instead be more valuable in helping youth navigate the challenging terrains of today. The traditional career ladders that were there in Williams' years no longer exist, at least in the same form. And there are very few ladders, if any, to climb at all. It's far more challenging to find meaningful direction for a young composer now than it used to be. This is where someone with Pope's experience and expertise could lend their support, instead of actively lamenting the "golden days" with every public platform he gets. It also goes without saying that technique and training are obviously essential things. As with any art, understanding the system is crucial before trying to manipulate it. And it is lamentable that people can rise to positions of power in the industry without having that necessary foundation...but I don't think that's necessarily a new problem. There are loads of talented individuals, with plenty of that who are struggling to find their place in the world. And having a senior musician like Pope, continuing to reinforce the idea that "You will never be or have what Williams had" just doesn't seem like a very healthy or conducive attitude to keep in the industry. Score and Dixon Hill 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 5 minutes ago, KK said: Pope's rhetoric, however friendly he is as a person, can at time be callously harmful to this generation of aspiring artists who simply will never have access to the kind of climate, resources and experiences that Williams' generation had. As an influencer in his own industry, Pope could instead be more valuable in helping youth navigate the challenging terrains of today. The traditional career ladders that were there in Williams' years no longer exist, at least in the same form. And there are very few ladders, if any, to climb at all. It's far more challenging to find meaningful direction for a young composer now than it used to be. This is where someone with Pope's experience and expertise could lend their support, instead of actively lamenting the "golden days" with every public platform he gets. I agree with much of what you're saying, but I don't think this is an accurate representation of Pope. He's known as a very available educator and mentor as far as I know. To students and aspiring composers/orchestrators in all walks of life. That's one reason he's appeared on so many random podcasts, he puts himself out there for young people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Yes as critical as I can be about some things let it never be said that Pope doesn't do plenty of good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Definitely! And I know Pope does a lot of work with young musicians all the time. And he appears to be very kind and generous as an individual! There are just some things he says on public platforms that make me raise my eyebrows a bit, but my post was being more critical of that general "music isn't what it once was" attitude, than it was of Pope himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 1 hour ago, KK said: But with information now available all at once, all the time, there is almost too much or even nothing to "react" to. That's the problem with post-post-modernism (or wherever the hell we're at). Anything goes. There are no longer templates to follow or rules to be broken, and the old systems simply don't work. Very well said. I always wonder how much of the evolution of music before the mass media / recording era was possible thanks to the fact that composers simply had much less music from their peers to listen to, than we have nowadays. In a sense, it's easier for a creative mind to find his/her own way if there are just a limited number of good models, rather than the whole production of every major composer of the past within a click's reach. Avoiding the feeling that "somebody has already done this in the best way that I can imagine" is essential even to start a creative effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 16, 2019 As part of of the ongoing series "Legacy Conversations", here's an exclusive interview with one of America’s most talented, lively and creative living conductors: Leonard Slatkin. https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/05/16/leonard-slatkin-podcast/ In this interview, Maestro Slatkin offers his own insightful comments about the music and the legacy of his dear friend John Williams. Hope you'll enjoy! Joni Wiljami, Ricard, Incanus and 4 others 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 24, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2019 A look back to John Williams’ lively, exciting score for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on the 35th anniversary of its theatrical release: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/05/24/indiana-jones-temple-of-doom-35-anniversary/ Gurkensalat, Ricard and Miguel Andrade 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymenard 54 Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 I had never heard the relation between Powerhouse and Temple of Doom, thanks for this! It's the non-Horner section that was made hommage, surprisingly (the lesser-known part) TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 27, 2019 Author Share Posted May 27, 2019 On 5/25/2019 at 5:24 AM, ymenard said: I had never heard the relation between Powerhouse and Temple of Doom, thanks for this! It's the non-Horner section that was made hommage, surprisingly (the lesser-known part) Thank you! Horner basically quoted the second half verbatim to the point that Raymond Scott heirs asked the studio to pay copyright fees--but that's another story. As for the connection with the mine car chase cue, I think it's quite evident. Williams enhanced a lot the cartoon-ish elements of the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 31, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2019 Here's a new installment of the Legacy Conversations podcast series. In this wide-ranging, in-depth conversation, the distinguished and talented David Newman talks about the music of John Williams, offering his own unique and profound insight about Williams’ approach to the artform of film music, while also paying tribute to the heritage of Alfred Newman and the music-making at 20th Century Fox during the 1940s and ’50s and how it ties to John Williams’ legacy. It covers a little some of the same ground of @Yavar Moradi recent interview, but it's a truly fascinating talk, as David is a wonderful speaker and know the subject matter inside out like a few others. It's more a masterclass than an interview https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/05/31/david-newman-podcast/ Bryant Burnette, Ricard, Yavar Moradi and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yavar Moradi 2,599 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Thanks for the plug and I'm glad your reaching out to David bore fruit! I look forward to listening to this, and for anyone who wants a direct link to my predecessor Goldsmith Odyssey interview, here it is: http://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/1000935-odyssey-interviews-david-newman Yavar P.S. Randy Newman is David's *cousin* -- NOT uncle! (Lionel and Emil Newman were his uncles...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 Thank you, Yavar! 11 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said: P.S. Randy Newman is David's *cousin* -- NOT uncle! (Lionel and Emil Newman were his uncles...) Oops, you're right! Typo fixed! Yavar Moradi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 A wonderful interview. David Newman always talks very passionately about film music as an artform. TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,287 Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 David too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 2 hours ago, Stefancos said: A wonderful interview. David Newman always talks very passionately about film music as an artform. He's a wonderful speaker, yes. Glad you liked it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyD 1,223 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Wow, the profile of people you interview keeps going up. Maybe an interview with Steven Spielberg is not out of the realm of possibility, huh? This is great! Ricard and TownerFan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 David Newman, being something of a scholar and champion of Hollywood film music is probably reasonably approachable for an interview like this. Jurassic Shark and Yavar Moradi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted June 3, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted June 3, 2019 29 minutes ago, JohnnyD said: Wow, the profile of people you interview keeps going up. Maybe an interview with Steven Spielberg is not out of the realm of possibility, huh? This is great! What about that John Williams guy? TownerFan, bollemanneke and Ricard 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted June 4, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2019 Sky's the limit To be honest, while it'd be a dream to talk with Spielberg of course, at this moment I'm more focused in talking with musicians, composers and conductors, including people who worked/collaborated with him, but also people who have been inspired to go for a career in music and/or film through his music. I think right now it's more important to pursue this "mission" about celebrating JW's legacy. #SnowyVernalSpringsEternal, crumbs, Ricard and 3 others 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted June 10, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 10, 2019 Here's the new installment of the "Legacy Conversations" series: the new episode features an engaging and wide-ranging interview with film composer Joe Kraemer (Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot), who talks about being inspired by the music of John Williams since childhood and how it led him to a career as a film composer in Hollywood: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/06/10/joe-kraemer-podcast/ Yavar Moradi, Miguel Andrade, Jay and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Looking forward to hearing this! TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,316 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Wow! You're certainly pulling in some impressive talent for your website @TownerFan. Awesome work! Cannot wait to listen to this, I loved Kraemer's score for MI. Jurassic Shark and TownerFan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 It's by far the best MI score! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Five Tones 302 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 On 5/31/2019 at 1:14 PM, TownerFan said: It's more a masterclass than an interview Quite true. He's really fired up, especially regarding educating audiences who are judgmental about film music, but careful to disarm his f-bombs! Thanks for another great episode. Yavar Moradi and TownerFan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Good interview! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 Here's a new episode of the Legacy Conversations podcast: talented American conductor and Music Director of the Colorado Symphony talks about John Williams, how the music of the Maestro inspired him throughout his artistic and personal life and the challenges of conducting film music in the concert hall. https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/08/29/brett-mitchell-podcast It's a very engaging and passionate talk, be sure to check it out. Just a tech note: I'm working now to have the podcast available through RSS feed and other podcasting services of your preference, including Spotify and iTunes. Thanks for your patience! I'm going to announce it soon. Miguel Andrade and BrotherSound 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 2 minutes ago, TownerFan said: I'm working now to have the podcast available through RSS feed and other podcasting services of your preference, including Spotify and iTunes FANTASTIC NEWS! I've been waiting for this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted September 9, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 9, 2019 Here's a new episode of Legacy Conversations podcast: my guest for the episode is the esteemed John Mauceri https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/09/09/john-mauceri-podcast Conductor, educator, writer and lecturer, John Mauceri is an extraordinary artist and one of the great champions of great film music in concert hall. In this long and engaging conversation, the Founding Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra talks about history and aesthetic of movie music of the Golden Age era of Hollywood, how it led to the rise of John Williams and the role of the composer in the history of Hollywood’s film music. I hope you'll enjoy listening to this as much as I did doing it. Finally, the podcast is now available on Podbean and soon will be also on Apple Podcast! Subscribe to the RSS feed and don't miss an episode: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.podbean.com/ BrotherSound, Incanus, Bayesian and 3 others 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,504 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Nice! I interviewed Mauceri in Vienna a few years ago. Really nice fellow, with the typical American confidence and eloquence in the way he elaborated on a subject. TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 56 minutes ago, Thor said: typical American confidence Explain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Explain with confidence! MikeH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,504 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 47 minutes ago, Jay said: Explain? Ha, ha....just one of the many things we perceive about American behaviour on these shores. Not a criticism. More of a compliment, if anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montre 79 Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Can’t wait for this to be on apple podcasts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted September 10, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 10, 2019 11 hours ago, Montre said: Can’t wait for this to be on apple podcasts! There it is, finally: https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/the-legacy-of-john-williams-podcast/id1479008139?l=en This is direct link to the RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/thelegacyofjohnwilliams/feed.xml You can also use the PodBean app to listen to the show: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-app-iphone-android-mobile Fabulin, Montre and Jay 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 19 hours ago, TownerFan said: Here's a new episode of Legacy Conversations podcast: my guest for the episode is the esteemed John Mauceri https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/09/09/john-mauceri-podcast A wonderful episode, Maurizio! Congratulations! TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 7 hours ago, TownerFan said: You can also use the PodBean app to listen to the show: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-app-iphone-android-mobile Finally Podbean support! TownerFan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Is Mauceri still conducting, or is he retired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted September 10, 2019 Author Share Posted September 10, 2019 12 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: Is Mauceri still conducting, or is he retired? He's still very active. He does concerts for Danny Elfman (he's right now in Paris for a few Elfman concerts at the Philharmonie de Paris). And he still conducts frequently classical music concerts. Jurassic Shark and Miguel Andrade 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 8 hours ago, TownerFan said: This is direct link to the RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/thelegacyofjohnwilliams/feed.xml Wonderful! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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