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The John Williams Complete work (to date)


filmmusic

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I just found out yesterday that there was a Williams society (previously known as The John Williams Appreciation Society) in France, that among other things had also published "The John Williams Complete work (to date)", a complete filmography/discography of Williams , every piece of music he has ever written.

The Society was active in the 90s.

Now, from that time I believe we may have more complete guides, but I was curious to see that too, in case it states more details, (e.g. refers to the exact episodes of TV shows etc..).

Does anyone have it??

Any French here?

http://0-www.worldcat.org.patris.apu.edu/title/john-t-williams-the-complete-work-to-date-from-daddy-o-to-jurassic-park-a-filmographydiscography-biography-and-bibliography/oclc/049634008

http://www.amazon.com/John-Williams-Daddy--filmography-bibliography/dp/B0006RVU3I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323783025&sr=8-2

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I have most -- if not all -- of the newsletters from The John Williams Appreciation Society. Some 10 years ago, a friend from Toulouse sent me copies of those. There is quite a lot of stuff in there, and as time allows, I'll try to scan them all.

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Hadn't even heard about this. Would be very interesting to read....see if it has anything we don't already know, if there are any errors etc. Looking forward to scans, Miguel (but in your own time)!

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Oh, Great Miguel!

You mean that guide has many detailed information?

Or it's just a list that we can easily find from any source (e.g. here in the main page, imdb etc.)

Does it list the exact episodes for example of Williams' TV works for which imdb says "unknown" episodes?

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I could check it now, but I had a really busy day and am too tired... But from what I recall, and haven't checked those in some time, there wasn't back then, when I got those, much information i wasn't aware already.

What I found of quite interest were the discography listing, with many entries of recordings done by other artists of Williams music. Also, several articles and even a couple of great interviews with Williams himself were published on the newsletter.

Hopefully, between Christmas and New Year, I'll have some time to scan at least some of those.

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oh, ok.. no need to check it now..

Even about the interviews, I'm not sure if there will be in them something that isn't out there in the web already..

I had seen a John williams guide in FSM issues which told about his works, and that he did 2 episodes of this and 3 episodes of that and so on (for shows that we don't know what he actually did), and I thought that maybe they took the information from this guide from the Williams society..

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oh, ok.. no need to check it now..

Even about the interviews, I'm not sure if there will be in them something that isn't out there in the web already..

I had seen a John williams guide in FSM issues which told about his works, and that he did 2 episodes of this and 3 episodes of that and so on (for shows that we don't know what he actually did), and I thought that maybe they took the information from this guide from the Williams society..

I believe the newsletters pre-date the FSM buying guide.

I promise to check them this evening, and let you know about the contents. As for the interviews, one of them was republished on the Soundtrack magazine, and was a lengthy and very enlightening piece.

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  • 1 year later...

Last year, I began to work on a true discography for John Williams because it seems no one did it before... on the web, at least!

On fan sites you can usually find several lists of its compositions, divided by such categories as film, concert works, etc. Sometimes, fans only list the CDs of their collection.

All that is far away from a true discography... where we talk about only one thing : Discs... Albums, singles, compilations, etc. :)

So here it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

Please help me to complete it... and remember, this is not a page to list all his compositions... an article already exist on Wikipedia for that.

I've created a separated section to list his discography as a composer, wich features many compositions he didn't recorded himself.

The "collaboration" section is the most embryonic section and many entries are missing.

(Y)

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Great project! Looks very thorough, although other members here may have more to contribute. :)

I think it would make sense to include all Williams' film scores in the album section, regardless of the conductor (I'm referring to your treatment of Chamber of Secrets). If necessary you could say "All selections conducted by John Williams, except where indicated" and make a note next to those scores that he did not conduct.

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Thanks for you answer!

It seems you think about a "composition list", just like all the websites does and it's a mistake. :)

In this article you will find all of his compositions in one big list : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_John_Williams

But a discography should only features discs that the artist recorded himself.

In the case of a score not directed by Williams, it's not a part of "his" discography. We have to make a distinction.

You know, I added the section "discography as a composer" just recently, mainly to focus on his concert works.

Because John Williams is not a singer, it's a way to show his composer "reality".

We have to see it as a "bonus" to his discography :D

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I've been working on a performer/arranger/orchestor list or recordings, and I can tell you that you're missing many, many releases.

As soon as my list in a decent form, I'll forward it to Ricard so he can post it on the main JWFan page, if he sees fitting.

I also spot what it seems, from memory, a mistake. I'll get back to that when I'm back home.

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Again a discography should features only discs where John Williams "performs", as a conductor, or as an instrumentist (pianist in this case).

This is not a list of the albums where he made the orchestrations or arrangements.

Such a list would be great to see, but it's not the purpose of my Wikipedia article.

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Okeley, I've been checking and the entry on "Sweet Smell of Success" is incorrect.

Williams played only on the Elmer Bernstein composed cues (which featured drummer Shelly Manne, and not Chico Hamilton). Hamilton played himself in the actual film along with the members of his band, and some additional material was recorded by him on the mentioned recording.

The Bernstein composed, with Williams, was released on Decca Records DL8610 back in 1957. Not sure if any of the CD releases are legit, besides the Fresh Sound one, that combines the Bernstein and Hamilton recordings.

Again a discography should features only discs where John Williams "performs", as a conductor, or as an instrumentist (pianist in this case).

This is not a list of the albums where he made the orchestrations or arrangements.

Such a list would be great to see, but it's not the purpose of my Wikipedia article.

That depends of how a Williams completist you are. As a composer growing, you can hear his own voice in many of those arrangements. Also, he both appeared as performer and arranger in many of those recordings.

Also, I maintain that your listing remains quite incomplete, even if I just take in account the recordings were he works as a performer.

You know, I added the section "discography as a composer" just recently, mainly to focus on his concert works.

Because John Williams is not a singer, it's a way to show his composer "reality".

We have to see it as a "bonus" to his discography :D

Then again, he acts as performer (conducting) in some of those recordings.

Just spotted another mistake: Prelude and Fugue was not composed for the Eastman Wind Ensemble, but rather for Stan Kenton, who premiered it in the mid 60's.

Also, We're Lokin' Good has never been recorded on it's original orchestra version. The ones you list are band arrangements.

There are a few more things that I would correct, but right now I need to get some sleep for an early start tomorrow.

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The idea of the column "collaborator" in my article is to describe the other main artist(s) featured on the album (as the album can be in their discography too), not the actual collaborator of each artists for each track.

As I wrote earlier, the "Collaboration and other appearance" section is quite incomplete I know.

Feel free to correct my article of you have a Wikipedia account, if your source are checkable, it will be my pleasure! :)

You are right concerning Prelude and Fugue... copy/paste thing I guess!

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I don't like using Wikipedia. Too many mistakes in there... and I know of friends who tried to correct entries and its corrections got deleted, so... Not on your listing, don't get me wrong, but on another pages.

No sure what you mean by my sources being checkable. I've been collecting information on John Williams for over 25 years and counting and the list I mentioned early is the result of lots and lots of double checking. I've contacted people in the record business to confirm some of those entries and all. Not sure if that is good enough for checkable. Anyway, my list, which is currently containing over 150 entries on different recordings will be made public when I feel it really covers all the stuff we do know about.

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I just remembered that I HAVE seen the French discography listed in the first post. I don't have it myself, but a friend of mine does and I peaked through it last year. It was very incomplete and contained many errors -- but obviously, a lot of information has come up since then.

I gazed briefly at your list, Bespin, and like Miguel I also noticed several things missing and stuff. You're missing the KATHERINE REED STORY, for example. And loads of TV themes. Etcetera.

But to be honest, my only concern is about the COMPOSITIONS themselves and to make a complete list of that -- not necessarily the albums. STAR WARS is STAR WARS for me -- I have little interest in listing the gazillion albums containing STAR WARS music. No complete 'works' list of Williams exists, although you could piece together a great deal by combining the lists from various sites.

But keep up the great work! Any efforts to chart Williams' output is applauded by me. :)

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The thing about making a true John Williams discography and "for the first time" on the web is that it's things the fans can collect.

You can't collect a composition :)

That's a good way to see his Boston Pops albums in context too and to separate his true studio albums and the compilations.

If you have Wiki Accounts feel free to correct and add missing entries in the article, I made it for that... Keeping a hidden list in my closet and tell everybody that I have this list, it's not my thing you know. ;) And I think such a list have to be free and public.

Over the years, I made several discographies like that, I did it for Charles Aznavour and I was the first to publish his true complete and international discography on the web:

http://www.goplanete.com/aznavour/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Aznavour_discography

If you don't have a Wiki account, please tell me the exact entries, the section where it goes and I will add it to the article.

Thanks!

John Williams discography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

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The thing about making a true John Williams discography and "for the first time" on the web is that it's things the fans can collect.

You can't collect a composition :)

That's true, but looking at your list I also see many things that are not released, so I'm not sure if you're assembling a discography list or a composition list?

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Just a sugestion: for the collector, including full catalogue information and release and recording dates (when available) it's a much needed thing.

That's the seconth part of a Wiki discography. :)

When the list will be allright, we can create an article for each album and add all the usefull informations.

That's true, but looking at your list I also see many things that are not released, so I'm not sure if you're assembling a discography list or a composition list?

Like what?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

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Just a sugestion: for the collector, including full catalogue information and release and recording dates (when available) it's a much needed thing.

That's the seconth part of a Wiki discography. :)

When the list will be allright, we can create an article for each album and add all the usefull informations.

That was what I had on my old defunct website.

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That's true, but looking at your list I also see many things that are not released, so I'm not sure if you're assembling a discography list or a composition list?

Like what?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

Sorry, my bad. I had apparently clicked on the 'compositions' link instead.

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Although still far from complete, I really applaud your effort, and I look forward to it being expanded.

I have one question though: why are the original score expansions listed as "compilation albums"? They are original score recordings, same category as the "studio albums"...

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Although still far from complete, I really applaud your effort, and I look forward to it being expanded.

I have one question though: why are the original score expansions listed as "compilation albums"? They are original score recordings, same category as the "studio albums"...

Thanks Ricard.

In a discography we have to consider all the issues that containing previously released material as "compilations", because they are not the original releases by the artist.

By the way, we must say that in music business, a compilation always was a good opportunity to introduce "unreleased material"! That's the way it always be!

In another hand, there are true reissues and they feature the same material as the original albums. In that case, I add a mention in the "Notes" column.

Another way to see this, is that's a way to separate the "true" releases of the Artist from the issues done by the Labels or studios to make money (anniversary/collector's editions, etc.) :wink:

Concerning the "Collaborations and other appearances" section, it's for releases (singles, albums or compilations) we can't link to just one artist. Take the example of "Cinema Serenade 2", is it a JW or Itzhak Perlman Album? Few years ago they released a Itzhak Perlman boxset and they've put this CD in the box... So, that's A Collaboration. :)

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I agree with Ricard. Makes no sense to have the specialty label expansions under "Compilations".

Well, that's what they are if the major part of their content have already been released.

Look the example for E.T. :

Studio Albums

1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial MCA Records Reissued in 1986 & 1990, MCA Records

1996 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial MCA Records Previously unreleased original score.

Compilations / Reissues

2002 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Concord Records The 20th Anniversary, includes previously unreleased material; MCA.

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I agree with Ricard. Makes no sense to have the specialty label expansions under "Compilations".

Well, that's what they are if the major part of their content have already been released.

Look the example for E.T. :

Studio Albums

1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial MCA Records Reissued in 1986 & 1990, MCA Records

1996 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial MCA Records Previously unreleased original score.

Compilations

2002 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Concord Records The 20th Anniversary, includes previously unreleased material; MCA.

I would also see this as being inconsistent. 1996 was well after the release of the film and the OST, and I would not consider it to be a work released "by" John Williams as an "artist," if you do not consider the 2002 release as such. Under the system as you describe it, it seems that the 1996 and 2002 releases would both belong under Compilations. You could argue that the 1996 release contained material that had not been previously released, but so did the 2002.

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I remember saying earlier that I am the first to make a true JW Discography on the web! :rimshot:

Well you're wrong. Miguel beat you to it over a decade ago :)

Too bad his site's no longer active.

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I remember saying earlier that I am the first to make a true JW Discography on the web! :rimshot:

Well you're wrong. Miguel beat you to it over a decade ago :)

Too bad his site's no longer active.

You still remember :)

Romão and I have been toying with the idea of getting a Williams related site up, and that discography, updated with all the new info I collected since would be something that would go into that.

Jeff's site is still up. But is missing a lot of information which used to be there prior to its incomplete revamping in the mid-'00s.

Jeff's was the first great Williams site, if you ask me. Scott Hanson's was preety good too.

Too bad Jeff hasn't finished the revamping and that Hanson's page went down.

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Jeff's site is still up. But is missing a lot of information which used to be there prior to its incomplete revamping in the mid-'00s.

Yeah, that's what I meant. It used to be THE major hub for Williams info. Even if he stopped updating it, I wonder why he removed so much of the info?

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I've changed the name of "Compilation albums" section for "Compilation / Reissue albums" as it seems to hurt people's sensibilities here :yes:

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I remember saying earlier that I am the first to make a true JW Discography on the web! :rimshot:

Well you're wrong. Miguel beat you to it over a decade ago :)

Too bad his site's no longer active.

You still remember :)

Romão and I have been toying with the idea of getting a Williams related site up, and that discography, updated with all the new info I collected since would be something that would go into that.

Scorepedia would be a great place for all this info!

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@Smeltington

I like Wikipedia, the idea is to make everyone who as interest in an article to participate.

But of course, Wikipedia has is own "template" for discography and I conceive that it's easier to fit a signer in it than a film composer.

We have to adjust I guess!

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Yeah, I guess the main consideration I'd suggest is to come up with a consistent scheme for the information you're including and how you're laying it out, and make it readily apparent to the reader. I think a lot of people here have responded the way we have because the aim of the article is not entirely clear to us. I'm sure we're all interested in seeing a new perspective on Williams' discography, once the article gets to the point that it becomes a bit more self-explanatory, and we can understand the reasons for the various choices you've made.

Just to name one example, you might break down the page into Williams' discographies as a conductor, as a performer (on piano), as a composer, etc. and then there would be a clear delineation between the different sections of your article. Treating him as a "recording artist" is tricky as he does not technically "perform" on any of his releases, except those where he made contributions as a pianist. So you need to make sure the rules you are going by for what to include and where are clear to the reader, and that you strictly follow your own rules.

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@Smeltington

Every entry where JW is credited as an instrumentist is notified in the "Notes" column.

Another perspective on this kind of discography, is what if one day someone will want to edit an "integral" boxset of JW... Where they will start, what they will include and not...? ;)

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The discography of John Williams on Discogs is a real mess!

I tried at least to separate the albums recorded by him and by others artists and it did'nt work... They reverted all my edits.

This database is maintained by so strange people...

Even allmusic.com understand that you must separate the "Discography" from the "Compositions" and "Credits".

Pffff... :rolleyes:

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Even allmusic.com understand that you must separate the "Discography" from the "Compositions".

Pffff... :rolleyes:

IMO, the perfect list would have both.

A list that has all the compositions, and when you click them, you can see if it's available on disc(s) or not. Or just list the discs under the title, if there are any.

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Regarding this section, I recall you about what I said before regarding "Sweet Smell of Success", and that Williams only performed on the jazz selections of "Bell, Book and Candle". The orchestral underscore was recorded in Europe.

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  • 2 weeks later...

@Thor

New sub-section :

Selective discography of his works recorded by other conductors

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography#Selective_discography_of_his_works_recorded_by_other_conductors

@Miguel Andrade

Thanks, I've changed the name of the collaborator for Elmer Bernsetin.

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