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I'm noticing a strong anti-"noodling" vibe here! First let me explain noodling: I interpret it to mean playing around, experimenting, or trial and error. A generally low-cost/high reward way of finding great ideas and eliminating bad ideas. Some anonymous quotes that demonstrate this strange stance against noodling and hold John Williams above such pedestrian practice: And just a sample of the anti-experimenting mindset: There seems to be a strange belief that great composers don't experiment. That it all comes to their genius brains in some great wave, in final form, and they just write it all down. That music written through trial and error and exploration is somehow inferior to this mythical music seemingly handed down by God. My only explanation for this strange phenomenon is that people here are more likely to have watched "Amadeus" and mistook it for some kind of factual documentary? Because I see this belief crop-up in musical communities more than any other creative or even engineering focused community, where trial and error and iteration are generally held up as the most reliable way to do great work. If you're learning to draw you're taught that you have to get comfortable with constantly using an eraser. When you're shooting a movie you're encouraged to do multiple takes and see what works. When you're engineering a bridge you're encouraged to prototype and test what works best before you build the whole thing. The idea in all cases is that the artist/director/engineer/architect does not miraculously know what will be best; their skill is in recognizing (via experimentation) when something works and when it doesn't. That's very different from knowing what the end results will be before starting. One process involves embracing trial and error. The other shuns it entirely, because you are only working towards a pre-defined end goal. But for some reason there's a strange belief that when it comes to music, "gleich alles zusammen!" For those unfamiliar, it's a quote falsely attributed to Mozart (it's actually from a forged letter), where "Mozart" supposedly explained that all the music came to him all at once. That's bullshit. The fact that he never said it is a testament to that is evidence of that. But if that's not enough, Mozart's remaining library of sketches, revisions and revisions, evidence of his musical experiments, letters describing his need for a piano to write, serve further proof. Mozart was prolific and he worked quickly. He had an incredible memory. But there is no evidence that he did anything other than work hard, recognize when something worked, and iterate, iterate, iterate. Fast forward to today, and a lot of JWFanners seem to be under the spell of this "Gleich Alles Zusammen!" bullshit, even going so far as to claiming that John Williams writes the same way as Mozart didn't! That he would never do something as pedestrian as work hard at getting to the music we know and love! That's why John has expressly forbade a piano in his office, right?! Because everything comes to him all at once, and he doesn't need to sit at a piano and play things and see what works and what doesn't! Right? That's why he wrote hundreds of iterations of the Close Encounters theme, because it came to him all at once! It's why John Williams explains his process as: "I developed from very early on a habit of writing something every day, good or bad. There are good days, and there are less good days, but I do a certain amount of pages it seems to me before I can feel like the day has been completely served. When I am working on a film, of course, its a six-day-a-week affair, and when Im not working on films, I always like to devote myself to some piece, some musical project, that gives me a feeling that Im maybe contributing in some small way or, maybe more importantly, learning in the process." Because he's not some noodler. He doesn't sit at the piano and play around to see how things work. He doesn't write bad music! He never has to figure out what happens next, it all just comes to him: "For me if Im ever blocked or I feel like I dont quite know where to go at the next turn, the best thing for me is to keep writing, to write something. It could be absolute nonsense, but it will project me into the next phase of thinking. And I think if we ourselves as writers get out of the way and let the flow happen and not get uptight about it, so to speak, the muses will carry us along." "The wonderful thing about music is it never seems to be exhausted. Every little idea germinates another one. Things are constantly transforming themselves in musical terms. So that the few notes we have, 7, 8 or 12 notes, can be morphed into endless variations, and it’s never quite over, so I think the idea of a block is something we need to work through." He just takes the final works in his head and writes them down! Yeah...because that's how real life works.

I love Snowy's theme

We need more taxation of trade route disputes!

I like this trailer but I also liked that Malickesque Man Of Steel trailer. It'll probably suck.

This Christmas, I received a wonderful gift. I had wanted to go see John Williams conduct the Pacific Symphony Orchestra last June. It would have been a double treat - my first concert with Williams, and luckily enough, at an orchestra in which a good family friend plays Viola. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the same day as another friend's wedding, so I gave up on the idea, confident that I would make the Hollywood Bowl concert later in the year. Well, we did make the Hollywood Bowl concert, and it was great fun. Unfortunately, a computer crash took all of my pictures of the event and put them back into the ether whence they came. :cry: Unbeknownst to me, Krista (the Violist) had contacted my wife, asking for a "head shot" of me. Kim (my wife) complied, but had no idea what Krista needed the shot for. Fast forward to Christmas. I'm at our friend's house, and she hands me a very strange shaped object to unwrap. It's a life-size shot of my head! I was confused, but pleased, as I had not yet owned a life-size head shot of myself. However, Krista wasn't done. She had me open the 2nd part of the gift. I could hardly believe my eyes! Krista had told John Williams that her friend was a big fan of his, but couldn't make it to the concert. Would he mind posing with a picture? John Williams said he would, but was a little surprised when Krista showed up with a picture of me on a stick! Ever the good sport, he posed for the picture and I got the best Christmas gift ever. He even signed the back of my head shot, "John, Merry Christmas! John Williams" even though it was June. You can see me giving Krista a hug, everything in one picture, and a close-up of the picture at these links. All photos are availble at this page, with links to the larger images. I couldn't be happier about my gift. I was shaking and near tears! I'd like to blow up the head shot of John Williams, put it on a stick, pose with a picture of it, and then send it to Williams! It's only fair that he have one of me, right? Thanks to Krista's gumption and shamelessness, I have a wonderful treasure, hanging proudly on my office wall! BigJohn

Hate on Alexandre Desplat all you like, but don't lump him in with Zimmer and his RCP folks.

Before the Prequels, all you needed to do for a Jedi spirit was to send away 2 UPC codes from Lay's Pizza Flavored Potato Chips and a check or money order for $1.99 Is this not canon anymore?

Zimmer's opinion doesn't count here, and neither does that of the guy who composed that cue!

I think you mean "disappointed".

If it meant less Aaron-Taylor Johnson and his terrible faux-American accent, it would.

I prefer tomboys.

Some tomboys can still be hot as hell.

You're right of course Marian. I was just referring to how unique it was in film music. The sound is a clear amalgamation of the language of the post-modern concert hall. But that isn't to say you don't hear Davis' own voice shine. And the blend of the electronica is a unique trait too.

My biggest fear is still Williams having to accomodate the filmmakers. For instance, I had a nightmare the other night after seeing the second teaser that the Millennium Falcon chase scene was temp-tracked with "Like a Dog Chasing Cars" from The Dark Knight.

One face, many scores. Does this better suit your expectations?

Daisy's smokin' and I'd definitely explore alternate gender roles with her.

No, I'd like you to post a lengthy diatribe, because CC's negative comments ultimately land down to 'I CAN'T TAKE THE RELENTLESS DISSONANCE!" There is nothing there dismissing the score as style over substance, in fact in one paragraph he suggests disappointment at the score not sounding like the trailer cue "The Eyes of Truth" by Enigma (whereas the sequels score move closer to that sound). Shoe-horning that in would be asking for more style over substance! Fact is, THE MATRIX is an incredibly tightly wound and interconnected stand alone score. There are dozens of motifs and thematic cells--the haunting canon for high strings and flutes associated with the distortion of time; the fugato-style perpetuum mobile figures for strings and winds; the Trinity and Neo Love Theme; the famous 'clashing' horns and trumpets chords associated with reflections and duality; the chromatic canons for trumpets for the machines and Agents, Bugs and Docbots; the chromatic triplet motif for the Agents (often projected as a tone pyramid); the 16th note accumulating clusters for the fight sequences; and the minimalist 7/8 'fate' motif (C-D-Eb-C-F-C-G).

Piccolos!

Nah, I really like both of them but not that much. I think the balance between the calmer parts and the action is very good and the underscore is extremely well written, I never get bored of it, it always has interesting stuff going on even in the 'aimless' parts. By far my most listened score from the year. The Mummy is probably my second favorite score of 1999, I am also a fan of Snow on Falling Cedars. I almost forgot that Mulan was 1998, I almost mentioned it instead of The Mummy...

It's the exact same word in Dutch actually.

I watched the trailer and it does look VERY good, stylistically. But I just can't get my head around the central concept - a conflict between Superman and Batman. And that it is to be a convincing one. It just seems a ludicrous prospect to me. "Do you bleed? You will." Heh heh, erm... hmmm. Another concern for anyone with more than half a brain and good taste should be the narration, the obviously central and oh so modern themes. It was all a bit Paul Haggis.

from 00:50. About perfect.

EXPLORERS - GOLDSMITH I haven't gotten the expanded (but I listened to it) because I think this short album is perfect as it is and a superb presentation of all that Explorers has to offer. Once again it shows what an incredible creative genius this man was. Hardly a track goes by where something interesting happens. The themes are keepers and the synth additions a lot of fun. I'm also fond of the songs which bookend the album. Takes me back to that most perfect time full of memorable catchy tunes. As much as I love Williams and Horner, it has to be said Jerry has constantly written the most fun film scores for films that not always deserved it but were improved greatly by his input alone.

Williams could try to portray BB-8's fast pace by tremolo violas doubled by marimba. It's something he's never quite done before, and could make for a really unique cue.

I've been speculating on who will and won't receive a theme in the movie. I'll be willing to bet that Rey and Kylo will have a theme. It could see Finn and Poe Dameron getting one too. Possibly BB-8 too.

The Matrix, while being more spartan then its sequel scores is very much an example of style over substance music. Much ado about nothing

Perhaps the Plaugieuis theme will return...

The best film score of 1999: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - John Williams

If there is anything that quickly becomes clear when reading or listening or watching John Williams interviews is that he never attributes his music to anything but hard work, a process that is sometimes easier sometimes more difficult but always a process of discovery while writing, experimenting and "noodling". He doesn't make it entirely blase though and has retained his sense of fascination, inspiration and enthusiasm in the music itself but it seems from his numerous quotes that it has always been to him an excercise, a routine and discipline and by his own words he approaches it almost monastically in seclusion and hours on end every day, especially earlier in his career when he was churning out scores at a faster pace but it can be said he probably continues it to this day. It certainly is a trial-and-error process and time and time again Williams professes that the most difficult and time consuming thing is the finding of these deceptively simple themes and he certainly doesn't do it by sitting down and waiting for the muse or divine inspiration to strike. And again without trying to trumpet JWs famous humility, he often states that he is still learning and it is in part what must drive him as there is constantly things he can find out, try to do better and learn. And this is what I expect it to be for most creative people, part hard work, part inspiration, trying to improve yourself and your work and do things better than the last time. And it involves a lot of experimenting, reworking, starting again from scratch but it is the sustained effort is what most often leads to that final destination, not just sudden full envisioning of something in your head fully made although that can happen as well at times.

Gordon, even with these few works under his belt, is a favourite of mine. His harmonic language, located in this no man's land between past and present, keeps my attention; the prototype of the modern Hollywood composer often fails miserably in that regard - even though i wearily accept that pleasing my musical sensibilities may not rate that high on the agenda. Take the following cue: a hardly essential romantic drama, the music (probably not much more than an afterthought laid on in post production) is minimalist, sweet and simple, and yet if you listen to this cue, the dramatic high point, there's real musical thought and craftmanship behind it. Out of a haunting violin soliloquy that slowly intensifies and finally releases the pleasant main theme, there is real dramatic breadth and a strong sense of storytelling (parts of it not unlike JNH's THE VILLAGE). Shame the guy does so little.

He uses the Force. It's what gives him his power. It's a musical field created by all living things. It surrounds him, it penetrates him. It binds his music together.

Achingly beautiful. Wow.

It's easy to fall into the same talking points time and again when you're on a press tour.

It'll be nice to have the opposite of a damsel in distress plot for once! The irony. Care to elaborate?Still so eager to hear what you meant by this!

Yes Karol

He was often a badass in the 1966 show.

Always watch original audio!

I've only ever listened to the 2.0 mix I never liked the remix of Jaws for the DVD release. One would have hoped this gimick of remixing sound mixes for older films into more complex mixes and altering them would have just been an early 2000s DVD era thing. Unfortunately, it continues to this day. Thankfully, the older sound mixes have been made available for many films. Nothing has been quite as offensive as the Star Wars DVD sound mix.

There's always a bigger fish.

Not a huge fan of the first poster. But this one that Colin just posted? Beautiful...

I'll commit. I LOVE it alot!!

The old logo signals that a good movie is beginning. The new logo signals that shitty movies are starting.

Let them Duplo bricks go man.

I think you have to empathize with his/her position. Many people (myself included) feel that anything even remotely approaching that idiom is hallowed ground. But a lot of those same people aren't aware of how much of an amalgam JWs music is, either. John "public domain" Williams, his haters used to say. Like, to the criticism leveled at me here - could you equally say that Star Wars is just a slavish re-interpretation of King's Row and The Planets? Fuck yes you could. Moreso, even. Would it be equally dismissive and reductive? Absolutely. But is there a kernel of truth in it? Uh, you betcha. I mean... have you heard King's Row? So while his/her criticism isn't actually an accurate musicological analysis (my piece has nothing thematically in common with the cues mentioned), it isn't really meant to be (I hope). It's a, "Fuck you, wannabe; you're no John Williams." And I think the spirit of that we can all get behind. 'Cause it's true; nobody is John Williams but John Williams. But the elements which comprise JWs music aren't uniquely his, either; they're common ingredients culled from many composers and many pieces in a long history of symphonic writing. Writing that way is how I've been trained for 35 years as well, and a composer's sound is greater than the sum of any one phrase or progression, modulation or orchestrational device. If my music "feels" like John's music, it isn't because I'm lifting his melodies (I don't; I don't have to), it's mostly because we steal the same devices from the same core composers. We both love VW, Respighi, Barber, Britten, and a dozen others; we're both session Jazz pianists who voice chords in a similar way, and even though we could identify the root pieces of music in virtually every one of JW's scores, we realize this doesn't affect the unique, inspired way he crafts a cohesive, dramatic narrative from those devices. In short, what a composer has to say is what matters; he doesn't have to invent an entirely new language to say it in. Sure, if you listen to E.T. back-to-back with Hanson's Romantic, you might cringe at the damn-near plagiarism. But Williams understands the material; gets its essence; knows how to cook his own dishes with the ingredients. A lot of chefs use cilantro; not all chefs are equal. Same thing. There are a lot of Williams imitators; so-called "pastiche" composers. You can hear their random woodwind runs and slapdash harp glissandos a mile away. Few of them posses compelling thematic ideas, and virtually none of them can sustain a long-form developmental arc. "The Race" is a study in such development; two themes, constantly evolving, intertwining, and influencing each other, serving a single, 3-act dramatic arc. It's a skill composers used to be trained for, and aren't anymore; and there's no way to fake it. This is why today's scores consist of a series of what may be perfectly-appropriate, cool-sounding cues, but which don't together create a long-form, cohesive story. The new Batman theme sounds exactly the same in the first scene of the film as it does in the last scene (literally), whereas the Force theme from Star Wars undergoes many developmental transformations during the drama; tentative and plaintive to match Luke's feelings in the beginning, militaristic and confident by the end of the film. That's what's missing, now. The unique quality of John's music isn't the chords he's stolen, or the melodies he's appropriated; it isn't the orchestrational devices he borrows, or the modulations he's lifted. It's the unique way he weaves these elements into a new, cohesive package. Any well-trained composer, with access to the same materials, will craft music which has things in common with what's come before it, but will also be inescapably unique, because we're all unique individuals. One of my podcasts for up-and-coming composers talks about this very thing, if you're interested. Finding Your Own Voice So give "publicist" a break; he/she feels strongly - maybe irrationally - territorial about JW's work. I do, too - he's the reason I became a composer. In the end, whether the music comes from me or not, I bet "publicist" doesn't want that type of music to die with John Williams. And those of us who've spent a lifetime studying the traditions are well aware of how high the bar is set. We keep at it anyway. And sometimes, even our failures turn out pretty well, too. _Mike

The first was "The Star Wars Trilogy".

My first orchestral album was also my first film score album was also my first CD was also my first Williams album was The Star Wars Trilogy (the one with the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra). And I still believe the album is underrated, for I like the interpretations very much. Marian - who still has the receipt.