Favorite John Williams "quiet" score

[WLW 0]

My favorite lately has been Angela's Ashes.

[Morn 8]

Why, Angela's Ashes of course, very moving score. :cry:

[Morlock 12]

A month ago I would have said Angela's ashes, but since I've now seen 'Presumed Innocent' I have to vote for it. I've never seen AA, so my opinion may change again.

Presumed innocent works so amazingly well, and is so powerful in the opening shot of the empty Jury stand, that I have to vote for it.

Although AA certainly gives it a run for its money

[Guest]

Why is Saving Private Ryan not here?

[King Mark 3,975]

Bah,I voted for Stanley and Iris.It's short,but has a couple of nice themes in it so it's not too repetitive a la Accidental Tourist.

K.M.

[Justin 2]

Angela's Ashes. Although I don't have all the scores on the list....

Justin -Sleepy....

[diskobolus 3]

i've never heard any of these scores... nor have i seen any of the films for which the scores were written....

[radiofreejim 0]

Persumed Innocent is one of the most lame patience wearing scores.Angela's Ashe"s is one of the Best ! (scores ever).

[RomanticStrings 62]

I voted Angela's ashes. I'm partial to the Irish, and I really only know that score. I love it, however. Why isn't Jurassic Park or Star Wars on the list? (A bit of sarcasm, even though those scores do have very good quiet spots)

~Conor

[Braveheart 0]

Angela's Ashes all the way. My favorite Soundtrack of all time!!

[Ricard 2,675]

Persumed Innocent is one of the most lame patience wearing scores.

I voted for Presumed Innocent. A wonderful score, IMHO (8/10)

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I don't have any of these scores, although I downloaded the Theme from Angela's Ashes.

Ray Barnsbury

[Figo 2]

Holy Christ, why don't you just hand me a revolver? What choices! I hope to God I am never stranded on a desert island with these as my representative Williams discs.

I voted for "Always," just to vex you all. :wow:

[billybobab 0]

Definitely Angela's Ashes

[ocelot 565]

Where's Schindler's List?

I voted for Angela's Ashes.

First of all, all these scores have great moments in them, especially presumed innocent, Always and Stepmom, but out of them, Angela's Ashes shines out. However I was expecting one score that I would have voted on and that's Schindler's List.... THAT is his best small score and I can't believe it's not there on the list.

[diskobolus 3]

no kidding... schindler's list is where my vote would go...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,388]

Schindlers List does not count, those loud and bombastic action cues rule it out as a "quiet" score

Stefancos- who loves the brass in SL.

[Romão 2,473]

Angela's Ashes for me, from the lsit.

My favourite JW quiet score is actually Jane Eyre.

[Morn 8]

Schindler's List would make the poll pointless, who'd vote for anything else

[Ricard 2,675]

Schindler's List would make the poll pointless, who'd vote for anything else  

Perhaps I would.

[tpigeon 3]

i would as well

[tpigeon 3]

perhaps

[Morn 8]

With few exceptions

[ocelot 565]

It should still be there... That's like saying let's vote for best Star Wars score and not include TESB. ALthough it wouldn't get my vote, I don't think. I don't know, I'd have to listen to it again.

[Trumpeteer 304]

I'm going to have to chime in and say Schindler's List was my first thought before voting. To my surprise, it wasn't there.

So I voted for Angela's Ashes. Presumed Inncoent is a nice score, too.

Jeff -- who loves it when Williams goes "quiet"

[Morn 8]

It should still be there... That's like saying let's vote for best Star Wars score and not include TESB.  ALthough it wouldn't get my vote, I don't think.  I don't know, I'd have to listen to it again.

Not quite You'd expect about 80% or more of people to vote for SL, not so with a Star Wars poll

[WLW 0]

Schindler's List would make the poll pointless, who'd vote for anything else  

I kinda agree. I wanted the poll to be based on the more obscure stuff, at least as far as his fan base goes. I was curious to see how many people actually owned/liked these less-often mentioned scores. I did forget Jane Eyre. Sorry.

I left Saving Private Ryan out for the same reason I left out Schindler.

[JoeinAR 1,957]

Schindler's List would make the poll pointless, who'd vote for anything else  

You might find that not everyone on this board shares your stratispherically high opinion of Schindler's List. It is not the end all be all of John Williams music.

[Hlao-roo 390]

Well, actually, when I heard it...I thought Williams's career was pretty much over...

[Morn 8]

:? With a few insignificant exceptions

[Figo 2]

I did forget Jane Eyre. Sorry.

If "Jane Eyre" had been included, it would have definitely received my vote.

[ocelot 565]

I own Jane Eyre, had it for years, but have never listened to it... Is it really that good?

[Figo 2]

DAMN good. I had read someplace a while back (at least ten years ago) that it was actually Williams' favorite score. It is lovely. However, to fully appreciate it, you should try to hear the Pops recording, on an album called Pops Brittania, which fleshes out the orchestration. It was originally written for TV, you know. Also, the OST sounds a little harsh, IMHO.

[Hlao-roo 390]

DAMN good.  I had read someplace a while back (at least ten years ago) that it was actually Williams' favorite score.  It is lovely.  However, to fully appreciate it, you should try to hear the Pops recording, on an album called Pops Brittania, which fleshes out the orchestration.  It was originally written for TV, you know.  Also, the OST sounds a little harsh, IMHO.

Second favorite, I believe, after Close Encounters.

[ocelot 565]

I'm listening right now, it is a little anemic and thin (I should get the Pops version) I like track 4....

[Gamecube 0]

Don't have any of em. But I plan to get Angelas Ashes soon.

[Morn 8]

DAMN good.  I had read someplace a while back (at least ten years ago) that it was actually Williams' favorite score.  It is lovely.  However, to fully appreciate it, you should try to hear the Pops recording, on an album called Pops Brittania, which fleshes out the orchestration.  It was originally written for TV, you know.  Also, the OST sounds a little harsh, IMHO.

Second favorite, I believe, after Close Encounters.

3rd favourite, I believe, after Schindler's List and Close Encounters.

[Romão 2,473]

I also belive Schindler's list is JW favourite socre, read it somewhere. But I also read somewhere taht CEOT3K and Jane Eyre are also some of hi favourite works, as is Seven years Tibet

I love the Restoration track from Jane Eyre.

[mahler3 548]

Tough choice between Always & Angela's Ashes (Back To America is a true Williams spine tingler!). Would have to say 'Always' just for the gorgeous 'Among the Clouds' as it features probably the finest French Horn writing and playing out there!

Presumed Innocent, ah yes another great showcase for the French Horn!

-Heidi is a lovely score, anyone heard that one?

[CYPHER 1]

Whoops, but I haven't seen any of these films! I have heard significant portions of the scores to Stepmom and Angela's Ashes though, so I did cast a vote. Despite a lovely main theme, I found Angela's Ashes to be a bit repetitive and overtly reliant on said theme. On the other hand, what I've heard of Stepmom rocks! And yeah, I reckon Saving Private Ryan should definitely have been on the list and would probably have gotten my vote. Then again maybe I'm equating 'quiet' with 'boring'? LOL Just kidding, it's a remarkable score, I just have trouble staying tuned in while I'm listening to it.

CYPHER

[Hlao-roo 390]

I'm just shaking my head at the measly 2 votes Stepmom's received. Very sad...no one has any taste.

[Figo 2]

Heidi is a lovely score, anyone heard that one?

Yep. Also saw the telemovie not all that long ago.

Regarding "Jane Eyre," I believe I read Williams' comments well before "Schindler" was even a glint in Spielberg's eye.

[Chris ChrusherComix 67]

I consider a "quiet" score one that contains no bombastic cues. Hence, I don't really consider Jane Eyre a quiet score because it contains some highly energetic music in it (better, Figo? ), but if you included it, I would have voted for it (I think it is one of Williams' top 5 scores). Schindler's has some fairly loud tracks as well, but lesser than Eyre.

I voted for Always, which I haven't listened to in years but I enjoy it more than the others on this list (none of which I listen to very much at all).

[Guest]

I'm curious, do you guys even know what the word "bombast" means? Judging from Morn's frequent use (and Chrusher's above), I don't think that you do.

Hint: It means a lot more (or, rather, less) than flashy brass writing or tempestuous carriage rides to Lowood.

[Figo 2]

Damn. That was me again.

Figo, slow learner.

[Chris ChrusherComix 67]

Yes, I know. Bombast is more towards Star Wars action cue stuff. But I simply couldn't think of another word to use and I am in a hurry...

[Figo 2]

Nooooooo -- bombast is a word which suits the action cues in the prequels, perhaps, but most of the music I can think of from the original trilogy is not bombastic.

Bombast usually implies vulgarity, a lot of empty tub-thumping -- as Macbeth would say, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." It generally appeals to the lowest common denominator, which Williams seldom did in his greatest scores (especially those of the '70s and early '80s), but stoops to now, on occasion, especially with his overblown music for Jurassic Park.

[Chris ChrusherComix 67]

I was also going to say JP, or better yet, TLW.