Loert

Each have their highs and lows, but I have a soft spot for ROTS.

To alter even further - Williams' music sounds like it possibly might not be as good as it sounds but it actually is.

Um...?

1999-2005 is the gold standard for me, but 1980's opening blast is incredible! (I definitely prefer the single timpani hit vs. the roll).

Merry Christmas!!!

Since you asked for it (10:32)

LOVE the first 10 seconds!

Any of the Kung Fu Pandas.

Went on an afternoon stroll today:

Yes.

Interesting that you frame this as a negative...I think he is genuinely trying to do this! But I guess you mean that his way of doing it is too obvious. For what it's worth, most of my appreciation for JW comes from what I perceive to be his impeccable command of orchestral writing in the "neo-Romantic" style. And to me, the fact that he is a "film composer" means mostly that he has had plenty of experience to acquire that command, not that he writes for film. At the end of the day, for me John Williams is the living composer whose music is closest in quality to that of

Talent + hard work. The only way to find out is by trying to write melodies. Studying other music + reading books on music theory helps, but only to an extent. It's just like anything else really - you can't become an Olympic runner just from watching other runners + reading books on running technique (though they help).

I'd like to see The Phantom Menace re-recorded using the recording equipment that was used for The Empire Strikes Back.

I've recently been listening to Albert Roussel's 4 symphonies. 1 and 2 are my current favourites. I really like this buildup in the 1st movement of 2 (from 5:39): That high D in the cello at 6:00 is positively terrifying! Fantastic!