Trumpeteer

Once · January 13

Hello, all. I was invited to speak about John Williams in a new episode of the podcast "Speeding Bullitt," which is very similar to my John WIlliams podcast in that it is an oral biography of Steve McQueen's life through his movies. The link below will take you to the episode I did, which discusses Williams' work on the Steve McQueen film "The Reivers."

As many of you know, "The Reivers" turned out to be a pivotal point in John Williams' career, and I was happy to educate the show's host on that, and other tidbits about John Williams' life before and after that film.

Show website link: Speeding Bullitt Podcast

I accidentally posted this in the wrong section. Let's discuss this here:

Cerebral Cortex · September 7, 2021

I was at the Sunday concert and it was a lot of fun. Of course, since I have finished my podcast, I knew there would be no new film music for me to hear, but that was fine. The Overture to the Oscars was new, I think? I have to look it up, but it sounded like the music that opened the 2002 Oscars when he was co-musical director.

I enjoyed seeing JW looking so lively at 89 years old. I spoke with a woman after the show, and after I told her John Williams was five months away from turning 90, she said, "He looked like he was in his 70s!"

But the highlight of the show was meeting Eduardo Victoria, who was a cohost on my podcast for the "War of the Worlds" episode. It was the first time meeting one of my cohosts in person, and we had a wonderful pre-show conversation.

Brando · June 4, 2021

I am attending the Sunday evening show. It would be great to have a JWFan gathering after or before the concert. I got to meet members of JWFan way, way back in 2004 after a Boston Pops concert with JW, and it was a big highlight.

KittBash · May 10, 2021

Hi, folks! I brought in some of my cohosts from my John Williams podcast to offer their thoughts about the upcoming Indy 5 film and score. And since we recorded this close to Star Wars Day, I asked everyone to let me know their favorite "Star Wars" musical moments. Some were surprising, but most gave responses that were expected. Enjoy!

March 31, 2021

On 3/22/2021 at 12:55 PM, Jay said:

This is all true, except that eventually, he did write a bunch of cues to specific edited footage: Check out this list here. All the stuff with XMX numbering was written to specific footage, while the unnumbered cues after are the ones he wrote as you described

That's interesting about "The Witnesses," because it sounds a little choppy in the film mix, but that could have just been some last-minute editing choices made.

bruce marshall · March 22, 2021

Just to clear up and clarify some points being made here in this topic:

John Williams was asked by Oliver Stone to write a score for "JFK," which Williams quickly accepted. However, Williams was very busy with Steven Spielberg's "Hook," which at the time was being discussed as an original musical. Both films were set for a fall/winter 1991 release, and the timelines for scoring both projects created a conflict.

After "Hook" officially became a nonmusical, Williams had a little time to work on the "JFK" score. He visited Stone on the New Orleans set to talk about some ideas, and visited Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy was shot. After that, he wrote music to fit scenes as written in the script and concepts of the film. Stone and Williams agreed that the music would be recorded almost as concert suites, with Stone and music editor Ken Wannberg fitting the music into the film where needed. The only scene that seems to precisely fit the score and visuals is the team examining David Ferrie's home after his apparent suicide. The music for that scene doesn't appear anywhere else, and likely Williams was able to write music for that specific scene after Stone presented a rough cut.

If you never heard the soundtrack album, and you didn't know the story, you would think Williams composed the score pretty much in his usual fashion. I didn't know the back story of the composing technique until about 2005, and it offered a different perspective on the score but did not detract from the "enjoyment" of it.

I discuss many of these points with Brian Martell in my "JFK" epsiode of my podcast:

BrotherSound · March 12, 2021

The music for this scene comes from "Garrison's Obsession," track 6 on the official CD release. The music comes from 1:20-1:59. The music underscores Oswald being questioned by police, ushered out of police headquarters to the throng of reporters where Jack Ruby is waiting and builds to the gunshot. After that, there is no music as Oswald falls to the ground.

Erik Woods · February 7, 2021

6 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Will JW make a guest appearance?

I would love that, but unfortunately no. The biggest celebrity I could get for this show was @Erik Woods.

February 7, 2021

As we all know, John Williams' 89th birthday is tomorrow (Monday), and I will be posting a special video episode of "The Baton" to celebrate. I will be joined by 12 of my podcast's cohosts as we share how we celebrate the Maestro's birthday, and talk about some of Williams' music we would use to introduce a new fan.

This video will make its debut as a YouTube "live" Premiere at 9 am Eastern on Monday, February 8. Link is below. I invite you to the Premiere to chat with other John Williams fans as the video plays. If you can't make the "live" video, it will be available at the same link as an on-demand video.

Celebrating John Williams' 89th birthday

January 19, 2021

18 hours ago, bruckhorn said:

I started in the middle and listened to a few episodes (scores I was familiar with). I have now downloaded all of the episodes.

I highly recommend them. The approach is amateur in the truest sense of the word: for the love of it. Very little techie talk (e.g.: chord progressions, use of pedal tones, use of modes) which usually comes from co-hosts. Heck, I think he misidentified a recorder as a flute, but I don’t expect him to point out the Wagner tubas in Empire. (Star Wars Oxygen didn’t mention it).

And yet, with all I’ve read/heard about Stars Wars, there was something in his Star Wars episode that was new to me. That’s something, right?

No, I’m not going to say what it was: you have to listen to it yourself.

Just as a reminder: I mention in the first episode that I am not a trained musician, so approach this podcast knowing that. Plus, I would personally be bored if every episode was a music theory lecture. My frequent cohosts add that when needed and I am very thankful for that.

@bruckhorn I am curious to know the new piece of information you learned in the Star Wars episode. Send me a private message.

January 19, 2021

Thanks @Biodome and @Bayesian for the kind words. They are much appreciated. I am happy that you discovered more music from John Williams and are going to watch some of the films. Many of the scores will be greatly enhanced from matching the music with visuals.

Hey @T.RASK you are the first to say that you are going backwards. That feels like reading a book from the last chapter to the beginning, "Memento"-style. Hope you find it enjoyable.

Bayesian · January 7, 2021

Thanks for posting those videos, @Erik Woods. I was trying to inform as many people as possible, and forgot the most important place!

Here is background on these videos: I hosted a virtual roundtable for 18 John Williams fans, all of whom cohosted "The Baton" with me. We talked for two hours about a lot of topics, including John Williams' legacy and the state of film scoring in the 21st century. There was also some lengthy debate about the music for two Indiana Jones films. But the highlight (at least for me) was a WORLD PREMIERE of a trombone overdub by Jim Nova of "Wide Receiver," the composition Williams wrote for NBC's football coverage.

I hope everyone enjoys this special bonus episode of "The Baton."

November 30, 2020

11 hours ago, Spider-Fal said:

Secrets of the Force Awakens featurette has the clean ending, I used it in my edit.

That's not where I got it, but I'm glad it's there as well.

Chewy · November 30, 2020

On 11/27/2020 at 4:32 AM, bollemanneke said:

Hey, where did that clean ending in The Jedi Steps come from?

A journalist never reveals his sources.

Jurassic Shark · November 24, 2020

3 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Did you have to give him something? A JW expansion? A pat on the back?

Nothing in return. The Brits have always been happy to be a part of the show. (Three of my four "special guests" come from the UK.)

WampaRat · November 24, 2020

On 11/22/2020 at 2:13 PM, WampaRat said:

@Trumpeteer, can I ask, how does one even begin to get in contact with the director for a project like this? Did you just look up his agent and let him know you had a podcast and asked if he’d be interested?

That's exactly how it happens.

bollemanneke · November 21, 2020

2 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

The questions asked to the director are absolutely fantastic.

Thanks. That's my journalism degree at work!

November 18, 2020

3 hours ago, WampaRat said:

@TrumpeteerListening to the Book Thief episode right now. Terrific. How fortunate you got the director of the film on this one! Probably the best episode you’ve produced yet. Bravo!

Thanks. "Fortunate" is the best word to describe our opportunity to hear Brian give us this insight into John Williams' process. The story about sitting next to Williams while he played the piano was wonderful.

On 11/15/2020 at 2:12 AM, Gurkensalat said:

Finished the Lincoln Pocast, great as always. Small correction: Rounds is not Williams first composition or recording for a solo instrument, since he composed at least several pieces for solo Cello before. Some you can hear on the YoYoMa CD with the Cello Concerto, another on YouTube with Lynn Harrell. Just FYI.

Thanks for the clarification. I'll fix that.

Gurkensalat · November 13, 2020

Just now, bollemanneke

Another great episode! I'm sitting here listening to Getting Out the Vote smiling like an idiot now. And incredible that you got to talk to a director. No pressure, but hoping for Chris Columbus and Steven Spielberg at one point too.

I always smile when I hear "Getting Out the Vote." Such a fun composition to go with a great montage sequence.

Bayesian · October 24, 2020

I am happy to see all the comments that have sprung from the information I gave on my podcast about Williams almost scoring "Batman." I never tried to ponder what the music would sound like, but I do believe Burton would have fought for Danny Elfman, unsuccessfully.

The problem is that Jon Peters was the Harvey Weinstein of his day (minus the sex stuff) and no one said no to him. So, if Jon Peters had gotten John Williams that was the final decision. That is also part of the reason Prince got involved. Burton caved in to demands that Prince write songs and he has said often that he regrets that decision.

October 22, 2020

5 hours ago, Gurkensalat said:

Congratulations, I just listend to the episode, very nice. One small thing; I think the solo at the end that you contribute to a clarinet, is in reality an oboe. Otherwise, as so often, your podcast made me rediscover this soundtrack I had only listened to once or twice.

Sometimes I get those instruments mixed up. I often just say "woodwinds" unless it is clearly a specific instrument.

October 22, 2020

17 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

Really liking the new episode so far. My first Brian Martell episode too, great co-host.

He was great for The Eiger Sanction, Jaws and Amistad. I always had fun recording with him.

Bayesian · October 15, 2020

I can't believe the 100th episode of this podcast is now available for the world to hear. Where has the time gone? It feels like yesterday I was nervously recording the first episode, then watching "Daddy-O" with excitement. Well, that was two years ago this month, and this only shows how fast time flies when you are having fun.

Here's the 100th episode, covering the music from "Munich." People have said the score is boring and lifeless, but I think you need to hear it in the film in order to really appreciate it.

carlborg · October 12, 2020

9 hours ago, Gurkensalat said:

Will you continued in some fashion? Like the TV series or the concert works?

I have always hoped that JW would produce one or two more scores during your 2 years of podcasts, but Corona put an end to that so we will end with Ep.9 as No 110, right?

The possibility of me exploring his TV scores deeper than I already have is very low. It's hard to track down exactly which episodes he scored, and which were taken from the Universal library. The concert works would be fun, but many of them were never recorded, so they are impossible to find. I have had some help finding some of the ones I feature in some of the episodes, but I can't imagine someone out there has, for example, one of the two performances of Symphony No. 1.

I started working on this project two years ago this month. It required a lot of sacrifice from other things in my life, which I was very happy to do. Now, it is almost time to ride off in the sunset. I will do an "epilogue" episode after Rise of Skywalker, and that's probably the last one, unless a film score announcement comes.

ricsim88 · October 12, 2020

2 hours ago, ricsim88 said:

I finally decided to start the podcast from the beginning. I listened to a few episodes, and realized that it makes a lot more sense to go in order. Tonight I stopped after The secret ways. Even in 1961, you definitely start to hear thé genesis of his style. Really enjoying your analysis of the scores. Not sure how long it’ll take me to catch up, but I’m definitely going to keep going in chronological order.
Thanks for doing this

Yes, it is definitely the right thing to listen to the shows in order. Imagine reading someone's biography and starting on chapter 10?

Don't rush through them. All episodes will remain available long after I finish the series in December.

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