82 replies to this topic

[chinaismine]

Separately, "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams was filming a conversation with film composer John Williams. It will be aired on NBC’s "Rock Center" Thursday night newsmagazine on a date to be announced during the network’s coverage of the Summer Olympics in London, which begins on July 27.

http://www.berkshire...spotlight-twood

[E.T. & Elliott]

Please have something other than:

"Steven and I have been working together for a long time"
"We've never had a disagreement"
"I just finished Lincoln, it's a marvelous film"
"E.T. is my favorite score"

[indy4]

Don't worry, it will also contain the Schindler's List/"they're all dead" anecdote.

[Incanus]

Oh give the old man a break!

[Richard Penna]

Please have something other than:

"Steven and I have been working together for a long time"
"We've never had a disagreement"
"I just finished Lincoln, it's a marvelous film"
"E.T. is my favorite score"

F**k yes.

Any time an interviewer asks anyone a question along the lines of "what is it like to work with so-and-so", I just want to plug my ears. For JW, it's getting silly.

[E.T. & Elliott]

Best case scenario is that it turns out Brian Williams is a huge John Williams fan.

"Folks, now I have a confession to make. I only agreed to host NBC Nightly News if John Williams' score remained. Tonight, I'm interviewing the man himself. It's a dream come true for me. John, I recently bought the expanded Hook soundtrack. Why is there great material left off this album?"

[indy4]

Maybe they're related.

[Miguel Andrade]

I hope the interview is made available on-line.
And to those complaining, this is an interview for the masses, obviously this will the the usual Q&A, and nobody is forced to watch it... and asking "why Hook isn't complete" would just be rude.

[Richard Penna]

I don't think that was serious...

Do the masses really need to be constantly told that "everyone I worked with in this film was amazing" and "this person is utterly inspiring in every way"?

Frankly, I'm only interested in the answers to those types of questions if there is a genuinely weird/funny anecdote to tell. We all know that no matter what drama goes on behind the scenes, the interviews will all be full of praise and backslapping and person A raving about how talented person B is.

In fact this is why I've stopped watching the oscars. I don't think I can stand to watch another A-list super star being asked 'what's it like to be here?'.

[Incanus]

Interviewers have to find interesting questions to ask as well, not the same old "What's your favourite score?" or "Who has been your greatest collaborator?". And of course the answers are diplomatic if you as the interviewee have any common sense and do not wish to burn bridges behind you even though all kind of awful stuff might have happened during the production. Some people are more tactful than others, Williams has always been and is diplomatic. That's just how he is. And of course if you get asked the same questions over and over again you develop stock answers.

[Richard Penna]

Williams being diplomatic is good, but that's not really what I'm getting at.

It's the fact that most interviewers fail to find those 'interesting' questions.

I seem to remember someone video'd a signing backstage at one of his concerts, and when someone asked 'where do you get your inspiration?', I could almost see the "this again?..." in his face, although of course he was as always polite and diplomatic.

I think I just have a problem with the 'bleeding obvious': if there is only going to be one polite/diplomatic or 'praising' answer to a question, why are you asking it?

[Incanus]

Unfortuntely many interviewers are not doing the interview for a knowledgeable audience as Miguel said and they have to ask the basic questions. Others, like Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe, was friendly with Williams and got unusually good and informative answers as he got to ask a bit more detailed questions. I remember one interview in 2010 or 2011 when a female interviewer actually asked Williams about his dancing skills and that amused him to no end, he even commended that as a fun and unique question.

[Miguel Andrade]

Dyer was a long time music critic with the Boston Globe, and still maintains a very close relation with the BSO. His interviews -- and liner notes -- are interesting because he's a journalist who is music educated. He isn't an anchorman or woman who has someone writing him stock questions -- to which anyone used to being interviewed will have the corresponded stock answers.
Still, asking questions like "why don't you release the complete [insert favorite score here]", is as I said rude, and shows little knowing about the film industry, as Williams does not owns the sessions... Of course, he might be asked input about a recording, as it happened with "Hook", and the labels might find compelled to oblige to his requests and/or demands, in order to keep a good relation with the man, who despite not owning the sessions, still commands a lot of power around there.

[SF1_freeze]

Nevertheless, i am waiting for an interview that asks him more in depth about complete releases, the special filmmusic labels and his stance on the complete releases of all the/his various filmmusic classics.


In addition i would love to get any more in depth never asked questions regarding:

--> his modern rythmic action music style vs his older more thematic approach with track examples and discussion
--> If he has a note-book with all the themes and motifs he has written per film to identify them without having to study most of a score of a film (when he writes a sequel)
--> His opinion on improved audio quality of remastered releases and their merit in his eyes
--> If he prefers to write a singular main theme and very sparse side motifs or if he rather likes a multithematic and motific approach
--> His opinion on liner notes which analyze the score track per track from a thematic/musical point of view
--> If he would consider to analyze/rediscover and comment on one of his lesser discussed scores for the merit of such liner notes

But all these things a JWfan would love to get answered only another JWfan could ask (and the public wouldn't give a crap). FSM had their chance and they seem not to get another interview and we on JWfan also seem to be ignored although some of our members even asked JW's assitant...

[Joey]

Here is a snippet from the interview.

Brain Williams, What people don't realize is that you and are are 3rd cousins.
John Williams, That's true, how is your mother?
Brian Williams, It's approaching 3 decades since you composed your Olympic Fanfare for the 1984 Los Angeles Games, do you have any particularly strong memories of that time?
John Williams, I do Brian, I had beaten out my rivals Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner for the assignment and I was very proud of myself. I mean really does anyone think either of them could beat me in my prime? It's laugable. They were crushed. I sent Jerry some roses, he was allergic. It almost cost him his ponytail. I took Horner out for dinner as my condolances to him, then I put my cigar out on his steak.
Brian Williams chuckles, Did you bitch slap him?
John Williams, No not that time, though I threated to. Still made him cry, then I stuck him with the tab. Ahh the good ole days.

You can see and hear more this Thursday night on NBC.

[Miguel Andrade]

--> If he has a note-book with all the themes and motifs he has written per film to identify them without having to study most of a score of a film (when he writes a sequel)

After the score is done, he has his manuscript put into a leather binding, and when he need to rewrite for concert hall or work on a sequel he probably goes there. On a few ocasions ("Jane Eyre" and his arrangements for Shelly Manne come to mind) he rewrote the music by ear, as the manuscripts were lost.

[Maurizio]

Nevertheless, i am waiting for an interview that asks him more in depth about complete releases, the special filmmusic labels and his stance on the complete releases of all the/his various filmmusic classics.

I don't think we'll ever see an interview with such questions.

I sincerely would love to read or see a Williams interview conducted by some smart, savvy music critic like Alex Ross or Anthony Tommasini.

[Miguel Andrade]

Nevertheless, i am waiting for an interview that asks him more in depth about complete releases, the special filmmusic labels and his stance on the complete releases of all the/his various filmmusic classics.

I don't think we'll ever see an interview with such questions.

I sincerely would love to read or see a Williams interview conducted by some smart, savvy music critic like Alex Ross or Anthony Tommasini.

That would be great...

[SF1_freeze]

--> If he has a note-book with all the themes and motifs he has written per film to identify them without having to study most of a score of a film (when he writes a sequel)

After the score is done, he has his manuscript put into a leather binding, and when he need to rewrite for concert hall or work on a sequel he probably goes there. On a few ocasions ("Jane Eyre" and his arrangements for Shelly Manne come to mind) he rewrote the music by ear, as the manuscripts were lost.

If i were a film composer i would include an overview of the most important themes and motives on the first few pages.

It's natural that JW will forget many of the themes he never played in concerts. If someone asks for a specific theme and he doesn't remember, it would seem logical that he has an overview of all the themes and motifs without having to search for it in all the cues he has written for that score...

[indy4]

I want to know about the JW works that are either forgotten or never written/recorded. His vocal stuff (Thomas and the King, the opera he almost wrote in 2002), his symphony, his very first concert works...this type of stuff intrigues me very much.

Miguel, I thought Richard Dyer was a film critic, not a music critic? http://en.wikipedia....ki/Richard_Dyer

[Joey]

More snippets

Brian Williams, Cuz, the dweebs, nerds, geeks, really think I'm going to ask you in depth questions about the film scoring process. So let me begin with Where do you get your inspiration?
John Williams, rolls eyes, This again. Where do you think. I listen to the masters of classical music, and then I pick and choose. I must be good at it because other than a few accusations of stealing the Planets, I've avoided most while crybaby is always being accused of stealing which of course is true, his stealing the enterprise is straight from Prokofiev. Course I stole from him too in several star wars sequel prequel scores.
Brian Williams, Doesn't that sound unethical?
John Williams, There are only so many notes, and therefore only so many combinations. Given time a bunch of monkeys banging on a keyboard could do what I do! Given enough time so could Hans Zimmer. okay, now that's probably not going to happen, but it's the carrot on the stick for Hans.
Brian Williams. Why do you only work with Steven Spielberg?
John Williams, Isn't it clear, he pays well and he's tone deaf.
Brian Williams, Isn't it true that my cousin and your son was in Toto?
John Willaims, yeah but it was after all the good stuff was done and if you hear him sing, it doesn't sound the same with him singing. He likes to think he got some of my talent, but in reality he just got my bald gene.

[Thor]

I want to know about the JW works that are either forgotten or never written/recorded. His vocal stuff (Thomas and the King, the opera he almost wrote in 2002), his symphony, his very first concert works...this type of stuff intrigues me very much.

Miguel, I thought Richard Dyer was a film critic, not a music critic? http://en.wikipedia....ki/Richard_Dyer

I'm interested in that stuff too, and had planned to ask him those very questions if I'd managed to score the interview I had hoped in a month. But sadly -- and perhaps expectedly -- that didn't happen.

[chinaismine]

Apparently this is on tonight. Preview clip here:
http://www.starpulse...ics_opening_cer

[Joey]

They previewed a bit of the interview on NBC news.

Brian Williams was in awe of John. That was obvious.

He asked John to play the Mission, which he did on piano. I was nearly moved me to tears to hear and see the man who has been my idol for 47 years play the piano.

He is so friendly, so polite, so unassuming. He's such an amazing person in my eyes. He is older but still the entertainer who has given me moments of unparalleled enjoyment.

I urge those Americans and Canadian who can watch tonight do so and enjoy.

[chinaismine]

Here's the Nightly News Clip:
http://www.msnbc.msn...32619/#48346071

[indy4]

Haha, what a great clip. Can't wait for this!

[jtwfan]

Hope they remember to mention that he wrote the NBC Theme music as well.

[king mark]

antedeluvian lol

Williams uses some big words again

The show is on TV now

I came in 15 minutes into the show, did I miss JW? the just interviewd Bob costas

[king mark]

that was so awesome!!!!

[E.T. & Elliott]

Okay, so this will be a good one. Williams will discuss iPods and technology!

[Joe Brausam]

Hasn't aired yet.

[king mark]

After the commercial break now

that was a nice tribute

[Michael]

Fantastic!

More please!

[Joey]

I love John Williams.

[KK.]

Wow, I would love to see the whole thing! That clip was awesome!

[Koray Savas]

http://video.msnbc.m...47279/#48347279

Can't confirm that that is the entire interview as I did not watch it on air.

[king mark]

it's not the same as the TV version. TV showed a lot more film clips with his scores and of him conducting. Also on TV they edited the end of him playing the NBC theme on the piano .And they didn't show the part where he says he gets a kick out of hearing his music 20 years after

[Incanus]

The clip was a nice warm tribute to the Maestro but I hope the longer version becomes available somewhere at some point.

August is a word that comes to mind when I see Williams talking, ever so soft spoken and humble and genuinely warm. It is impossible not to feel admiration and complete respect for the man, who is so self effacing and down to earth yet who seems to be so in touch with some higher inspiration and who has all his life worked hard to aspire to the best.

[indy4]

That was great, both the TV version and the online version. For those who missed the former, it's not very different from the online one.

[king mark]

I didn't like 2 things in the TV version:

1)The still picture of him at the beginning and they try to "animate" his arms to make it seem like he's conducting.. What the fuck was that

2)That the cut off the end of him playing The Mission on the piano, which was the coolest thing in the entire interview