Uni

I kept it pretty well contained until, "I have been, and always shall be, your friend *cough*" At that point I completely lost it.
That was, I think, the best use of two actors and a bevy of inside jokes I've ever seen used for an advertisement. Whoever dreamed this up and crafted it should win an award.
- Uni

What if I'm singing underwater? The enclosed acoustics would suggest dry, but . . . y'know. . . .
- Uni

What if I'm singing underwater? The enclosed acoustics would suggest dry, but . . . y'know. . . .
- Uni

It was more than a risk. You just went ahead and exposed your ignorance for everyone to see. Wow.
Well, now I can go ahead and thank you for doing so . . . because I've been wondering for quite some time now what the HELL the difference is between the whole "wet" and "dry" recording thing. (Yup.) I just never got around to asking. Now I get it!
So thanks!
- Uni

Excellent questions, fantastic answers. That was truly a joy to read.
- Uni

You should edit that title out of your post, Once. Could be a spoiler for those who haven't played yet.
- Uni

Think you know your JW pretty well? Here's the real test. Vulture.com has put up a John Williams quiz that challenges you to identify twelve of his scores . . . after hearing only three notes from each.
Sounds pretty easy, doesn't it? Think again. I was bursting with pride for getting ten out of twelve correct, but it took me quite a while (I refused to reveal the answers until I was sure I had it right).
Take your best shot at the link below. Try to be honest when you post your score here. . . .
Name That Tune - John Williams
- Uni

As a personal pursuit, aiming for a future goal, it's probably no big deal. But you'll likely have to plan on publishing your biography posthumously (meaning after JW's death, of course—not yours). I speak from experience on this.
I was on the same trail back in 2001 or so. I spent some time talking with Michael Matessino about the prospect of researching a biography directly, contacting Williams, his publicist, agent, etc. to get the necessary details. Mike made it pretty clear how difficult that sort of thing would prove (as I'm sure you've discovered yourself). He indicated that the value Williams places on his privacy would make publishing a biography difficult, and if I went ahead with it anyway, it would be something that Williams himself would probably not approve of. He wasn't trying to be discouraging, just realistic.
So I scrapped my plans and moved on to another project. I can deal with an uphill battle when it comes to the footwork involved in research; but displeasing the man himself so I could make a name for myself was, and is, something I'm not willing to do.
- Uni

This is just speculation (of course), but I'm guessing this is a place where JW brought the music to a full stop with a slight pause to change gears and head in a different direction—in an entirely different key. His intention in doing so might've been to accentuate the transition. Spielberg then says he wants to connect the two parts, paint straight through the pause so there's no break at all. It makes sense to him and his limited ear; he probably doesn't realize the nature of what he's asking. John likely just did a bit of transposing to connect the two parts and pushed the modulation back a few bars. Nothing too big . . . except you have to wonder if composers in this situation feel any regret about what they're losing. I'm sure by this time Williams is able to shrug it off pretty easily. (Other composers who have a harder time letting go learn what it means to have a score rejected. . . .)
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

I'm gonna see if I can get myself listed as the composer for the new Star Wars trilogy. . . .
- Uni

I promise you, he was just thinking. There's nothing "passive-aggressive" in his interaction with Spielberg. This is what directors and composers do during the scoring sessions—or what they should do. The composer's job is to make the director happy, and they're always ready to make adjustments on the fly in order to cater to the needs of the film. (Goldsmith was legendary for this.)
That's especially true when a) the relationship between the two goes back decades; b) said relationship is predicated on common understanding and and easy rapport; and c) the director considers music as important an element in the film as any other component (as Spielberg always has). Spielberg doesn't necessarily understand the intricate language and technicalities of music, but he knows the palette available to him, and how much he can reasonably draw from it. In this case, we see him making a request that's not a simple matter of adding a few measures in one section of the orchestra. It requires modulation at the very least, and a possible transposition for another section at the most. There are logistics involved in such a change—the time needed to reorchestrate, get the changes to the musicians, make sure everyone's on the same page with it, etc.—and you can see Williams taking those logistics into account here. Spielberg's aware of them too, which is why he suggests moving the recording for that cue back a day to compensate.
But Williams isn't seething with resentment at the idiotic director interfering with his masterpiece. He's just working through the puzzle, looking for the right fix. They've done this a hundred times together before. If only we could hope they'd both be around to do it a hundred more. . . .
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

I can't bring myself to complain about what they haven't released, or might not release, or the quality of what they have released, on a day like today. If someone had told you people on Monday you'd be swimming in eleven minutes of unreleased JP music on Wednesday, you'd have pissed yourself with glee.
I'm thrilled with this—and somehow the fact that they didn't trumpet its imminence for a month ahead of time makes it even better. Think about it: we always hear about upcoming releases these days. We're constantly ticking off the days until we're able to pre-order a new release. How great is it to wake up and find one of our grails, something we've been waiting years to get our hands on, right there in arm's reach? That alone has enhanced this experience. It leaves me that much more grateful to the folks who put this together.
I think the remastering is instantly apparent, and the sound quality is fantastic. I love the new music . . . and somehow, today, it almost seems like the "old" music has a new feel to it. Maybe that's just because I'm so happy to be getting this. Whatever. I'll enjoy this as it was meant to be enjoyed, as the Maestro clearly intended his audience to enjoy it.
Thank you, John.
- Uni

Ah. I did misunderstooded you. This makes sense—and it's the prime reason the whole thing's hard to swallow.
- Uni

It's the jacket that seals the deal.
- Uni

Anyone who's ever gone through this process understands the inevitability of it. What's funny (and so relatable) is that Jerry wasn't able to see the answer until he went through the two-week process. In this case, it wasn't about creating greatness; it was about recognizing it.
- Uni

Jerry was a master. It takes a little more time to realize it with him than with John, but if you listen long enough it will inevitably come to you.
My favorite Goldsmith story is of his struggles writing the lush, romantic theme for Medicine Man (which makes its finest appearance—and one of his finest moments ever—in "The Trees"). He spent two weeks suffering major writer's block, going through iteration after iteration, theme after theme, attempt after attempt. Nothing worked for him. One evening, at the end of this fortnight of futility, he sat blankly looking through the few dozen themes he'd composed. At the bottom of the stack he found his very first attempt . . . and instantly he knew that was the right one. It had been there all along. He'd just forgotten about it.
And he was right. It was the best theme.
This has got to be the single unfunniest, most pointless video I have ever encountered on the internet.
- Uni

Oh, c'mon . . . no one's gonna pay you to order it!
- Uni

Oh, c'mon . . . no one's gonna pay you to order it!
- Uni

Oh, c'mon . . . no one's gonna pay you to order it!
- Uni

"E.T. and Me" (from the OST).
- Uni