Mattris

Change what? Williams constantly changes his Potter themes in terms of orchestration and accompaniment, sometimes rhythm, sometimes harmony. There surely are varying definitions of "leitmotif". Most I can find online quickly are much less specific than mine here, and none of those are as strict as yours. I always get the feeling that you insist on one super-specific definition and instance of a technique and refuse to acknowledge anything that slightly deviates from it.

Probably not deceitful. Just stupid. 

Kevin Kiner took that motif and ran with it in Rebels. He repurposed it to use it as "Somethings going on, but I don't really know what the Force is." Gave me chills every single time.

The community has gotten to know each other over the years, and like in every long-running show, there is just more connection between us all. I think I can speak for all the regulars that over time we have learned how to read the JWFan room a bit better and just know what to say to each other.
 
Also, observing Williams aging and entering more and more mature phases in his career has made every return of his, no matter how small, feel like a little celebration of life...
 
...only for Williams to get so active as of late that we get to throw a reunion BBQ party every week now 

It is odd, isn't it? I think we'll find that Star Wars is full of (more) surprises.
 
 
And the cellist was, no doubt, allowed  to tease, proving that those in charge of Star Wars are quite adept at keeping major secrets. (They've done it many times already.)
 
 
It really is incredible. Does this news cause you to consider that the mysterious, un-used 90 minutes (we assumed was composed for IX) was actually for something else?
 
 
And 2 years ago we thought 9 films was the end of the Saga! (Oh, wait. Almost everyone in the world still does.)
 
 
This news only bolsters my theory that Williams' tenure will continue if the Star Wars Saga continues. (Surely, he would want to finish what he started.)
 
 
JW only wanted us to believe that he had moved on from Star Wars... just another part of the distraction from their real plans.
 
 
Most SW/JW fans can't currently fathom how crazy things could (soon) get.
 
 
Possibly. Or perhaps something else in 2027 for a certain 50th anniversary. 😉
 
 
I think you will realize that The Rise of Skywalker  titular theme was not composed for this reason... but instead, something... trIXie.
 
 
It really is that simple.
 
 
In the topic that shall not be named, I went on record (far too many times) that TROS would not be Williams’ final Star Wars project. While I didn't predict that he would compose the theme for Kenobi, I'm not surprised in the slightest.
 
I think fan hype can raise much higher. Considering how much hype is surrounding the Kenobi  series, I don't say that lightly. 
 
 
Or Episode. 😉
 
 
I don't think he's the only major Star Wars player playing (with) us.
 
 
I'm glad, too.  But it's likely that Williams has known about this project for some time.
 
My understanding of Star Wars has led me to believe that there is a particular method to Lucasfilm's release schedule and presentation strategy. (Bottom line: They have a plan comprised of... "a great many things.")

It is odd, isn't it? I think we'll find that Star Wars is full of (more) surprises.
 
 
And the cellist was, no doubt, allowed  to tease, proving that those in charge of Star Wars are quite adept at keeping major secrets. (They've done it many times already.)
 
 
It really is incredible. Does this news cause you to consider that the mysterious, un-used 90 minutes (we assumed was composed for IX) was actually for something else?
 
 
And 2 years ago we thought 9 films was the end of the Saga! (Oh, wait. Almost everyone in the world still does.)
 
 
This news only bolsters my theory that Williams' tenure will continue if the Star Wars Saga continues. (Surely, he would want to finish what he started.)
 
 
JW only wanted us to believe that he had moved on from Star Wars... just another part of the distraction from their real plans.
 
 
Most SW/JW fans can't currently fathom how crazy things could (soon) get.
 
 
Possibly. Or perhaps something else in 2027 for a certain 50th anniversary. 😉
 
 
I think you will realize that The Rise of Skywalker  titular theme was not composed for this reason... but instead, something... trIXie.
 
 
It really is that simple.
 
 
In the topic that shall not be named, I went on record (far too many times) that TROS would not be Williams’ final Star Wars project. While I didn't predict that he would compose the theme for Kenobi, I'm not surprised in the slightest.
 
I think fan hype can raise much higher. Considering how much hype is surrounding the Kenobi  series, I don't say that lightly. 
 
 
Or Episode. 😉
 
 
I don't think he's the only major Star Wars player playing (with) us.
 
 
I'm glad, too.  But it's likely that Williams has known about this project for some time.
 
My understanding of Star Wars has led me to believe that there is a particular method to Lucasfilm's release schedule and presentation strategy. (Bottom line: They have a plan comprised of... "a great many things.")

It is odd, isn't it? I think we'll find that Star Wars is full of (more) surprises.
 
 
And the cellist was, no doubt, allowed  to tease, proving that those in charge of Star Wars are quite adept at keeping major secrets. (They've done it many times already.)
 
 
It really is incredible. Does this news cause you to consider that the mysterious, un-used 90 minutes (we assumed was composed for IX) was actually for something else?
 
 
And 2 years ago we thought 9 films was the end of the Saga! (Oh, wait. Almost everyone in the world still does.)
 
 
This news only bolsters my theory that Williams' tenure will continue if the Star Wars Saga continues. (Surely, he would want to finish what he started.)
 
 
JW only wanted us to believe that he had moved on from Star Wars... just another part of the distraction from their real plans.
 
 
Most SW/JW fans can't currently fathom how crazy things could (soon) get.
 
 
Possibly. Or perhaps something else in 2027 for a certain 50th anniversary. 😉
 
 
I think you will realize that The Rise of Skywalker  titular theme was not composed for this reason... but instead, something... trIXie.
 
 
It really is that simple.
 
 
In the topic that shall not be named, I went on record (far too many times) that TROS would not be Williams’ final Star Wars project. While I didn't predict that he would compose the theme for Kenobi, I'm not surprised in the slightest.
 
I think fan hype can raise much higher. Considering how much hype is surrounding the Kenobi  series, I don't say that lightly. 
 
 
Or Episode. 😉
 
 
I don't think he's the only major Star Wars player playing (with) us.
 
 
I'm glad, too.  But it's likely that Williams has known about this project for some time.
 
My understanding of Star Wars has led me to believe that there is a particular method to Lucasfilm's release schedule and presentation strategy. (Bottom line: They have a plan comprised of... "a great many things.")

Can I just say that even though I'm excited to hear this piece, I'm beginning to find it a bit ridiculous that they're asking him to compose theme after theme that he really should have composed while he was doing the movies? Continuity-wise, this makes no sense at all, thoug it fits perfectly in Disney's 'we'll see where things go, just crank them out!' strategy.

What a beautiful reason for Falstaft to dust off that musical catalogue once more!
 
 
There is something I find genuinely so endearing about Williams, this very soft-spoken, private, and reserved man who deals in the traditional ways of pen and paper, being so protective over this massively loud space opera franchise of all things. Prior to the Disney ownership, I really wasn't sure how much Williams cared about his association to Star Wars, but the last few years have really helped to drill home that he really seems to hold such an association close to his heart.
 
 
And now we can add new John Williams Star Wars music to the list. 2022 sure is feeling a lot like 2002.
 
 
"Hmm, a theme for Obi-Wan, huh? Okay, um, let's see here... George had me shelve that theme for him back in '98. Damn, it's got to be here somewhere. Think, Johnny, think!"
 

 

Coming late to the party but what an exiting news. Can't wait to hear this, after watching the last SW TV show I thought we will never hear again some proper Star Wars music but here we go...
 
Star Wars is back! Love you Johnny baby!

Amazing news, if true.
 
Please get john powell as far as he can from this project. The modern synth rythms do not belong to a midage kenobi series...
 
My choice would be william ross, give him at last a full commitment, and maintain the classic sound please. No modern crap i pray.

It would be amazing if he did this, but it’s been 42 years since he actually did, right?
 
Obviously I’m hoping for a totally original JW theme, but there are some great possibilities for reimaginings of things here, too, and if it’s Powell, you know he’s game for it. Imagine some tragic, reminiscent renderings of BotH on soft woodwinds, maybe even some references to Anakin’s theme or “Across the Stars” in some oblique or transformed state. From what I understand, the Disney-era Vader comics have dealt with some sort of quixotic attempt by Vader to resurrect Padmé. Maybe this will be a two-hander about these two broken warriors picking up the pieces of their respective pasts, with opportunities for all sorts of prequel music to come back in.
 
What a lesson in gratitude the last decade has been for JWFans! We have it so good. 

Things I learned today.
 
1. John Williams is a big fat liar.
2. John Williams loves us all.

Will this make Williams the only person involved with all three Star Wars trilogies, their spin-off movies and now the television shows?
Anthony Daniels would only need to appear in one of the Disney+ shows, I guess, but for now I think Williams is the one consistant part of making of this franchise - spanning 45 years. Simply unbelievable.
 
I love putting things in perspective like that.
I know this is basically only of personal interest, but my great-grandmother was born in 1912, 20 years before Williams. I often thought about that and talked to her about it.
 
She was 65 years old when she went to the cinema to see the the first Star Wars movie (in 1978) and the biggest take-away for her was the music. Years later I introduced her properly to John Williams and at the age of 107 she listened to The Rise of Skywalker with me by her side. Many of my memories with her are tied to John Williams - and the other way around.
This theme and the upcoming The Fabelmans will be the first scores written by Williams (for the screen) I won't be able to share with my great-grandma and that feels strange. But also reassuring. I hope Williams has at least as many healthy years ahead of him as my 20-years-older-great-grandmother had!
 
Anyway! Yay! New music by Williams! Always a great reason for celebration!

.
 
 
 
 
 

I understand money concerns of course, bit why do you have to get rid of the original Philips pressings, if I may ask? Okay, it's the same content, but you can keep 'em in your collection and have the boxset as a nice addition (unless you're very tight on shelf space and that is an issue).
 
 
There is no problem with people offering critique and of course there is no reason why everything about JW should always be a wash of unabashed love and admiration (I am the first culprit there). Anyway, the kind of critique offered by this individual truly hides the same old, same old argument of "movie music=lesser music" (unless it's Bernard Herrmann or Prokofiev or Shostakovich) and all that follows. There is still prejudice, albeit much less than in the past, but it's no surprise to still hear some people offering the usual snarky comments on JW, i.e. he steals from the classical masters, he just writes music for Hollywood fare, Pops repertoire is just a dog-and-pony show, etc., just because he is the most prominent and most successful bridge-builder between the classical and film worlds. The point is that this attitude is luckily a dying one. The concert hall/classical music elite isn't stuck in 1969, thanks heaven.

Once on stage, an orchestra doesn't needs a conductor except for maybe dynamics and tempo.
If they haven't been properly prepared in rehearsal, nothing a conductor can do on stage will make a difference.
Don't argue with me!.
😎

I thought about this a bit when I saw TROS in the theater. When the film ends, the credits roll, and the audience sees "Music by John Williams" unassumingly fade onto the screen, what were general audience members thinking when they saw that? By this point, he has been the defining musical sound to the childhoods of multiple generations. It almost seems a little unreal to see that credit. "Wait, is that really the same John Williams? He's still at it? There's no way."

Some of you have already put to words the embodiment of my feelings for this man more succinctly and more poetically than I ever could. Instead, I will just say how fortunate I feel to live in an age of technology such as this where the love and appreciation for a singular man's life and work can act as the focal point from which the formation of a community as great as this can occur. The amount of times whereby I've been able to discuss film music in-person have been few and far between. To be able to come here and immediately be greeted with a mass of people who enjoy discussing film music, from generalized theory to the smallest bits of minutiae, is a true gift and privilege that still feels a bit unreal to me at times.

Woah, absolutely wonderful video Maurizio!  It brought a tear to my eye

Happy Birthday Maestro!  If beings from another world were to descend to Devil's Tower and need to understand what humanity is about, I might suggest playing more than 5 notes for them.  
 
Your incredible career has left a body of work that somehow musically communicates the best of what it means to be human, with all its strength, frailties, fear, dreams, courage, humor, and goodwill.   My life is richer for your music... You've filled my mind with wonder and optimism.  Thank you, and keep doing what you love.

Happy Birthday, Maestro!
 

Happy birthday, to you, Mr. Williams.
I know that you will not read this, but I thought that I'd write down a few lines, anyway.
On the occasion of your 90th birthday, I cannot express in words, what your music has meant - and continues to mean - to me. I am, simply, unable to put into writing how much pleasure, your music has brought me, over the past 47 years. I cannot say how much I looked forward to each and every release of one of your scores. From vinyl, to cassette, to CD, and beyond, I have anticipated your music with baited breath, never being disappointed, but moving, over time, from a liking, to a deep appreciation of what you do for a film.
If a film is dead without music, then you give it life and elevate it to the highest dimensions.
If all this sounds like fanboy gumpf, then I make no apology. You, truly, are the best of the best.
There are two words that do not mean a lot, these days, two words that have seem to have gone out of fashion, but I mean them from the bottom of my heart, and the depth of my being: thank you. Thank you for writing the greatest music that I have ever heard. Thank you. Thank you.

Crumbs is just bragging that he gets to celebrate for like 40 hours
 
Williams technically isn't 90 until it's the 8th in New York! 

I'm still not a fan of them deleting releases entirely from the website, which they only started doing with the redesign a few years back.  With the old site, I liked being able to see the entire catalog, even if there was no chance of it coming in print again.  These days of course I just use SoundtrackCollector to see OOP releases, which is fine I guess.