The Psycho Pianist

It's always great to hear stories from people who performed on those iconic scores.
 
Here's also LSO's then-Principal Timpanist Kurt Hans Goedicke sharing his Star Wars memories:
 
 

That's hilarious! I also heard a thrilling tidbit from someone high up at Lucasfilm, that when Williams first showed Spielberg his ideas for Raiders of the Lost Ark, he actually had come up with two versions of the main theme. And when he asked Steven which one he liked, he simply said "can't you use both?" And then the latter theme became the bridge to the former's main melody!

That's hilarious! I also heard a thrilling tidbit from someone high up at Lucasfilm, that when Williams first showed Spielberg his ideas for Raiders of the Lost Ark, he actually had come up with two versions of the main theme. And when he asked Steven which one he liked, he simply said "can't you use both?" And then the latter theme became the bridge to the former's main melody!

That's hilarious! I also heard a thrilling tidbit from someone high up at Lucasfilm, that when Williams first showed Spielberg his ideas for Raiders of the Lost Ark, he actually had come up with two versions of the main theme. And when he asked Steven which one he liked, he simply said "can't you use both?" And then the latter theme became the bridge to the former's main melody!

I got a super secret inside scoop of something that happened as Spielberg was in post production on Schindler's List, an inside source told me, and after all these years I feel I can finally share it publicly.  Apparently when John Williams first saw the film, he told Steven he'd need a better composer than him to score it, and Spielberg responded "I know, but they're all dead!"

What about...
 
Johnny Williams – Johnny Williams. Rhythm in Motion / So Nice! With Johnny Desmond
 

Great find, Maclaine! That being said, I think it's worth noting that the bromance goes both ways, with Williams himself having a picture of Kobe in his office as well. 
 

Getting Out the Vote is awesome. And an excellent performance on that video!

@Jay, @crumbs, and @The Psycho Pianist, here's my attempt at an "Overture" score restore:
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8dtnn6n4s8lafhn/The BFG - Overture (Score Restore).mp4?dl=0
 
It's a little different than what you did, Psycho Pianist. I thought the "flying"-y music would start at the castle's appearance, for instance, not the first firework (although actually this is very debatable, who knows). It's a little puzzling - either way, it ends after the opening titles have started (less so in my version, though). Perhaps the space between the two things was shortened when they decided to axe JW's cue? Or perhaps that's just how it's supposed to be? 
 
There are some really, really awesome things here. If indeed Williams intended it for this scene, my appreciation for it has gone up so much - and I already loved it!
 
For instance, right when the little fairy dust or whatever it is makes the arch right before the Disney logo appears, there's a wicked harp gliss! Wow - lovely mickey-mousing!
 
Thanks so much Crumbs for pointing this out. I'd really like to believe that JW did indeed intend this, and there is quite a bit of evidence for that - although in that case it does puzzle me why Spielberg would ditch that in favor of various logos' individual music which doesn't work so well together. Maybe he didn't want lushly orchestrated new music before the quiet opening to become a distraction? But then why not make the logos silent? Maybe they thought When You Wish Upon a Star had more power? Maybe companies wanted their own music used? 
 
Anyway, this is the kind of thing that makes being a JWFan so fun!
 
EDIT: Also, I just realized that repeating the same music at the beginning and end of the film could have been very intentional on JW's part and not just "Oh I like that overture music, let's use it in the credits." 

Here is it synced up:
 
 

Here is it synced up:
 
 

3:18 = Williams' biggest Zimmer moment.

Oh, Williams won by a mile. Of course aided by the fact that almost all of the HZ arrangements were lacking the power of the original versions (brass in particular), whereas the Williams pieces are exquisitely orchestrated and were designed from the ground up for that ensemble.

I had never heard of these movies before. Has anyone seen them? Are they any good?

A poor man's Poe Dameron.

For me, the weak link in the cast was the guy who played the male lead. I thought he was seriously lacking in presence and charisma. Miscast. 

Popped up on my FB timeline today from a musician friend who performed on the original score. No idea if anyone know what this is for or whether it's been posted already, but great to see Williams out and about!
 
EDIT - As posted below, it seems as though this is almost certainly recordings for a new Spielberg/Williams Collab CD! Thread title updated!
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
Admin note: click HERE to jump to tracklist reveal and pre-order link
 

Apparently that gold robot we briefly saw may have a bigger role to play in the sequel? Looks like he may just be a ripoff of K-2SO?

"You need a much better composer than me for this movie."
 
"I know, but Giacchino is busy and the rest are all dead."

I can agree with that. Though let's not forget that this is a situation where a composer got replaced for unclear reasons, and it probably went like this:
 
 

I love both of them, but Rey's Theme has just that feeling of extra depth and complexity, and sense of satisfaction upon it finishing. Across The Stars has a (deliberately of course) lush, romantic, almost Tchaikovsky-esque feel; but it simultaneously feels quite one dimensional and pretty much repeats the theme over and over (kind of like Luke and Leia's theme), with only that troubled, low string and brass ostinato for contrast, which I feel is slightly incongruous with the tone of the rest of the piece.
 
Rey's Theme feels a lot more fresh and transparent, and layers two different thematic ideas right from the beginning - playing around with the melodic ideas and developing them midway through. Personally I prefer that approach from purely a musical standpoint, although of course they both work excellently as written for the films.

I love both of them, but Rey's Theme has just that feeling of extra depth and complexity, and sense of satisfaction upon it finishing. Across The Stars has a (deliberately of course) lush, romantic, almost Tchaikovsky-esque feel; but it simultaneously feels quite one dimensional and pretty much repeats the theme over and over (kind of like Luke and Leia's theme), with only that troubled, low string and brass ostinato for contrast, which I feel is slightly incongruous with the tone of the rest of the piece.
 
Rey's Theme feels a lot more fresh and transparent, and layers two different thematic ideas right from the beginning - playing around with the melodic ideas and developing them midway through. Personally I prefer that approach from purely a musical standpoint, although of course they both work excellently as written for the films.

I love both of them, but Rey's Theme has just that feeling of extra depth and complexity, and sense of satisfaction upon it finishing. Across The Stars has a (deliberately of course) lush, romantic, almost Tchaikovsky-esque feel; but it simultaneously feels quite one dimensional and pretty much repeats the theme over and over (kind of like Luke and Leia's theme), with only that troubled, low string and brass ostinato for contrast, which I feel is slightly incongruous with the tone of the rest of the piece.
 
Rey's Theme feels a lot more fresh and transparent, and layers two different thematic ideas right from the beginning - playing around with the melodic ideas and developing them midway through. Personally I prefer that approach from purely a musical standpoint, although of course they both work excellently as written for the films.