Romão

I can't praise ROTJ enough, it's one of my all time favorites, but I would never praise at the expense of TPM, which I also consider to be a masterpiece

The OST was indeed great, but the expansion did open up the Riddler theme for me, how it is carefully developed throughout the score. Plus, it has several new statements of this theme:
 
 
 
This is, in my view, one of the most gorgeous and sensuous love themes ever written. Why use it on such a wafer thin character?

The little low brass counter melody that ends up blatting that low C...ohhhhhh my god, it's so satisfying. This is what happens when you get a true blue composer to do a big cartoon type score!
 
Also love the little clarinet figure at :35, reminds me of the textures Walker would use for her Two Face theme, it's such a great and succinct depiction of the character. And the trademark Goldenthal brass growl around :58 is delicious, too.
 
 
 
 
On the subject of tiny satisying moments, the bari sax/trombone fall around 2:11 here gives me goosebumps almost every time.
 
 

Not to mention,  the score to Batman & Robin rocks

Not to mention,  the score to Batman & Robin rocks

Well, Batman & Robin is intentionally ridiculous, for better or worse. Batman V Superman is unintentionally ridiculous, for better or worse.

Well, Batman & Robin is intentionally ridiculous, for better or worse. Batman V Superman is unintentionally ridiculous, for better or worse.

That's absolutely lovely

That's absolutely lovely

Great thread idea @karelm -- you're absolutely right that this is so difficult to put into words, but it's really something I've noticed and loved about JW's music for the least few years. These sorts of mystical, ethereal moments never fail to move me emotionally, even more so than his grand orchestral moments. Somehow this type of music seems to me to underscore the fragility, indeed the ephemeral nature, of time, and of moments in our lives (or those of the characters on screen). 
 
Although I think Williams is best at this, Horner is also brilliant at it (actually, perhaps even equal to JW), as @SteveMc notes above. This gorgeous cue from The New World is a great example (I wish we could hear it without the bird-chirping, although I suppose that adds to the effect):
 
 

Joker
 
What the fuck? Terrible movie masquerading as an arthouse flick to make geeks feel smart, acknowledged and validated. Not one fun moment whatsoever, just a bleak, oppressive trek into realistic and relatable and dark and disturbing. How the hell did this turd make so much money?!

I can't say I enjoy all his output and I doubt many do. But a true testament of his versatility and adaptability is that although you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who genuinely enjoys all his output, you'd be equally hard pressed to find someone who doesn't appreciate anything from his output. That's a very hard thing to do

Well, regardless of the OP use of the word, there are truly some great moments and tracks being highlighted in this thread. Thank you all for this

What Karim meant, I guess, is when JW goes more heavily abstract-like to create a sort of suspended atmosphere through the usage of colours and textures produced by light instruments (like celeste, piano, harp, high-pitched strings), usually enhanced by electronic timbres of the synthesizer. I think this could be totally defined as one of JW's own trope.
 
Several examples come to mind:
 
 
 
 
 
Listening to these, I realize that despite they're heavily textural in character, they're also very pianistic at their core. It's sort of JW's own take on impressionist-like writing. It would be interesting to investigate his process when writing these kind of cues.

I think maybe you are asking for music that scores a character having an epiphany or self-actualization.
 
I think for that your best bet is Philip Glass. He seems to score the thoughts forming in a character's head which is quite remarkable.
 
Listen to this cue. Even for a character just sitting alone and brooding in a room, the music will tell you the exact moment they have a realization.
 
 

Sleepers - John Williams
 
So glad I got this score a while back due to the "hype" from:
 
@Romão
@Incanus

That really looks quite horrendous

Update from James:
 
Now finally have received stock from manufacturers... will start preparing to post out throughout the next few weeks
 
Sorry for the delay
James
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/681802762/king-of-kings-new-recording/posts/2877712?ref=ksr_email_backer_project_update_registered_users
 
 

These news are months old, but apparently this is indeed going forward as a mini series. Spielberg wll produce. Ciro Guerra (who directed the incredible Embrace of the Serpent) will direct and Steve Zallian will write the script based on a previous treatment by Dalton Trumbo. Besides the previously announced casting of Bardem as Cortés, they have also cast Moctezuma and Doña Marina (or La Malinche):
 
https://deadline.com/2020/02/tenoch-huerta-yoshira-escarrega-join-javier-bardem-in-amazons-hernan-cortes-limited-series-1202864677/
 
I really hope this goes forward, This is one of most fascinating and interesting historical events I have ever read about. It will probably work best as a mini series, but I would absolutely love if Williams scored this, as unlikely as that is

Update from James:
 
Now finally have received stock from manufacturers... will start preparing to post out throughout the next few weeks
 
Sorry for the delay
James
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/681802762/king-of-kings-new-recording/posts/2877712?ref=ksr_email_backer_project_update_registered_users
 
 

Update from James:
 
Now finally have received stock from manufacturers... will start preparing to post out throughout the next few weeks
 
Sorry for the delay
James
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/681802762/king-of-kings-new-recording/posts/2877712?ref=ksr_email_backer_project_update_registered_users
 
 

These news are months old, but apparently this is indeed going forward as a mini series. Spielberg wll produce. Ciro Guerra (who directed the incredible Embrace of the Serpent) will direct and Steve Zallian will write the script based on a previous treatment by Dalton Trumbo. Besides the previously announced casting of Bardem as Cortés, they have also cast Moctezuma and Doña Marina (or La Malinche):
 
https://deadline.com/2020/02/tenoch-huerta-yoshira-escarrega-join-javier-bardem-in-amazons-hernan-cortes-limited-series-1202864677/
 
I really hope this goes forward, This is one of most fascinating and interesting historical events I have ever read about. It will probably work best as a mini series, but I would absolutely love if Williams scored this, as unlikely as that is

Wow, never noticed that before! Is this the part you're talking about?:
 
 
 
To be fair to Broughton, I think both he and Williams are ultimately deriving this kind of hectic string writing from Prokofiev's Scythian Suite, specifically this section:
 
 
 

Il Divo is awful. And I find the whole endeavour deeply condescending of its target audience

how awesome is that.....?!