karelm

I've seen the "two symphonies" listed in his concert bio on several occasions. Is it possible the two symphonies means the original symphony and then it's revision as a different work (like how Prokofiev has two versions of his fourth symphony that are very different and both good)? It appears he's not happy with the revised version either since it was pulled at the last moment. Maybe one day there will be symphony v3.
I'm very surprised to hear BSO owns the rights to the concerto they've commissioned. This is not typical even for a composer just getting started so how could this be the case such an established composer with a reputation? Films typically own the copyright but unusual for a commissioned concert piece that the orchestra owns it.
The concerti I've heard are all strong and show his typical craft though structure and texture are more prominent than flash and melody. I believe more people would like these if they didn't have the thematic expectations by seeing it was composed by Williams. I listened to the oboe and harp concerto a few days ago and they surprised me with how restrained they were but they are extremely well written. I still favor the violin concerto no. 1 and cello concerto for their gloomy understatement and depth.

As a personal pursuit, aiming for a future goal, it's probably no big deal. But you'll likely have to plan on publishing your biography posthumously (meaning after JW's death, of course—not yours). I speak from experience on this.
I was on the same trail back in 2001 or so. I spent some time talking with Michael Matessino about the prospect of researching a biography directly, contacting Williams, his publicist, agent, etc. to get the necessary details. Mike made it pretty clear how difficult that sort of thing would prove (as I'm sure you've discovered yourself). He indicated that the value Williams places on his privacy would make publishing a biography difficult, and if I went ahead with it anyway, it would be something that Williams himself would probably not approve of. He wasn't trying to be discouraging, just realistic.
So I scrapped my plans and moved on to another project. I can deal with an uphill battle when it comes to the footwork involved in research; but displeasing the man himself so I could make a name for myself was, and is, something I'm not willing to do.
- Uni

It seems like JW’s action music fits into three distinct categories.
Ostinato: categorized by rhymic repition. Swashbuckling: emphasis is on melody and harmony and ornaments. This is the Korngoldian/old fashion approach to action music. Modern: clusters and advanced techniques. Great for intense dinosaur music. Examples of the Ostinato action:
Empire Strikes Back: Hyperspace -
Phantom Menace: Duel of the Fates
(after chorus)Minority Report: Everybody Runs!
Minority Report: Spiders!
Examples of Swashbuckling/Melodic Action:
ESB: Asteriod Field:
Jaws: Shark Cage Fugue:
Star Wars: Battle of Yavin:
Hook: Ultimate War:
Jurrasic Park: TRex:
Far & Away, Indiana Jones, Superman, etc.
Modern:
Jurassic Park - Raptor:
I think if broken down by these three styles, you see more continuity in his action approach. For example, ostinato approach that seemed fresh in Minority Report was heard in Hyperspace too so its really just a matter of which action approach was used rather than an evolution. It seems like his bigger action sequences such as Battle of Hoth, Desert Chase in Indiana Jones, T-Rex finale in Jurassic switch between these various approaches depending on the dramatic needs.

I always associate this documentary with a moment when I impressed myself—and first began to realize how intimately I was getting to know these scores. When it first cuts to the scene of him working at the piano, he plays a sequence of four chords (three identical, the fourth a couple of steps higher). I instantly knew the precise moment in the film he was composing for: after Han shoots the ground in the asteroid and the earthquake begins. I was a little amazed I could "Name That Tune" so easily.
That feeling was replaced a few seconds later with a staggering realization . . . I am watching him compose the music for that moment in cinematic history. Somehow the specificity of it just floored me. It was like seeing actual footage of of Lincoln writing the Gettysburg Address, or of Stravinsky's first performance of Rite of Spring, or something similarly historic. It was a singular act of creation that happened once and will never happen again (I mean for those notes in that score specifically). It's not like that's his best piece or anything. But it's that piece. And we got to see the inception of it. Too cool, really.
- Uni

Oh certainly, but that's not the argument here (or at least for me). It's just I seriously doubt there was any intention of a "power grab" when he was speaking a few words at some random concert to some random audience. I think these comments don't really mean much in the end and that they're being blown out of proportions.

It sounds like you're blowing a simple comment waaay out of proportion.

To me, it seems like the man just wanted to say something nice about a franchise he loved working on to an audience at a concert. There were no intentions of screwing others over (I don't think he expected anyone outside of the audience to even know what he said) or expressing his arrogance. They were simple words on a series he's fond of.

John is the classiest and humblest individual in an industry packed with ego monsters. Would that they were all his equals where etiquette is concerned.
Fascinating to see the reaction that an offhand comment, made during a performance featuring the theme to a franchise that's very big in the news right now (so why wouldn't he say something?), can create. Given that speculation is the only form of expression left to us where the new films are concerned, I guess it's only natural. But it's also fascinating how everyone seems to know, better than Williams, better than Abrams, better than Lucas, better than Disney, exactly how this is going to turn out. Wish I had that kind of foreknowledge.
Personally, I don't know how things will go. Were I to speculate, I think the key factor will probably be age. I doubt the question mark would be quite so big right now if the Maestro were still in his fifties.
Whatever the chances are at this point, for my part I remain hopeful that he'll be the one to do it—at least for the first installment.
- Uni

All we can do at this point is hope that he will be able to do it. Each new composition these days is a blessing to cherish.

I would LOVE to hear what he could do in a non Spielberg/Lucas sci-fi adventure film while paying tribute to the established vocabulary. Sort of like a reboot of his own material. How cool would that be to hear if he knew then what he knows now, how he would approach this material. I would be surprised if he ends up scoring it but am keeping my fingers crossed.

What he is saying is he puts the seventh of the chord at the bottom which emphasizes the dissonance. He does this frequently. It is also in Lando's palace. Example: in c major the 7th is a B. if you put the seventh at the bottom you hear the B next to the C (a minor second) which emphasizes the dissonance compared to when the 7th is on top of the chord where the dissonance is deemphasized.

In 2007, John Williams was rehearsing with my school’s orchestra and I spent the week attending these rehearsals since there was so much to learn just from being there and observing. I was back stage and got to meet and talk to him on several opportunities which was very exciting for me.
 
The concert program included his standards such as E.T., Star Wars, Imperial March, Raiders, Jurassic Park, etc., plus the Horn Concerto with Jim Thatcher on horn (he was the horn soloist in “JFK” Arlington cue.). I waited back stage where JW would come to lead the orchestra on the first day of rehearsing and about one minute before rehearsal (after the orchestra was tuned up), he was walking towards me (there was no other way for him to go since I was at the back stage entrance. His eyes met mine and I mumbled something incoherent that must have sounded like cave man talk (“me picture you give”) or something. I was very nervous having him look me in the eyes from just two feet away. I recall him saying: “there will be time for that later.” he was direct but focused since he was on the clock and had to start right then. I sat and watched the first rehearsal back stage from the orchestra’s venue. He started off by telling us what a pleasure it was for him to work with us and how much he enjoyed working with young musicians. He also mentioned finishing up a meeting with Spielberg and Lucas just a few minutes earlier since they were working on “Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull” at the time.
 
The security was tight and they prevented video and pictures during rehearsal so these were all sneaked pictures. I have several videos as well during the rehearsals mostly pretending the camera was off. I’m still not clear why the extra security but I gather it is just because there is a monetary value on these things so it must be managed. I would be surprised if JW himself cared as much as his managers but I’m sure there are others on this site more in the know than I am.
 
JW never seemed worried, never was condescending when a wrong note was hit, etc. For example, if a horn cracked a high note in E.T., you didn’t get any indication that he wanted to call that out. Instead, he was beyond courteous to the players. One example that I vividly recall was during I believe Princess Lea’s theme, it starts with a long flute solo. He told the young flautist, “you played that so beautifully, I won’t conduct you. Just play as you feel it should be played and I’ll start on bar 3”. It was something to that affect. The whole orchestra applauded her but I have to think being told something like that by JW was life changing for her.
 
He did not explain his music much but always demonstrated respect for the players. For example, letting all the non-essential players (strings) leave for one of the Harry Potter cues that was winds alone. I believe the cue was for that crazy bus. He said they can leave if they go quietly and every one instead stayed in their seats to watch and observe.
 
The overall sense of the man was of a mentor rather than a tyrant. He never raised his voice and anytime he said anything, the orchestra was 100% in attention (rare). Spending the week with him, you also get the distinct impression he is a very generous though guarded man. I recall someone nearly shaking with excitement coming out of his trailer. I asked him what happened and he showed me a letter of recommendation signed by JW. Basically, as I put the details together, this person who I didn’t know had a story that touched JW and he agreed to hear him out and offer his powerful endorsement. I don’t know any more details of who this was or what it was about other than that, but I did think it demonstrated a human, paternal side to JW that is hard to see except up close. It was a very little moment but memorable.
 
He also offered some of us composers personal advice at one stage after that days rehearsal. We all introduced ourselves and his guidance was something along the lines of “follow your passions rather than the flavor of the month”. If this had come from someone else like a teacher or parent, it might have seemed trite but coming from him, it seemed revelatory and profound.
 
In general, I found him to be utterly professional, disciplined, genuinely humble, and sincerely appreciative (dare I say even surprised) of the excited performers attention. He has very discerning ears but also doesn’t nitpick. Most of the direction came in terms of phrasing and a few minor balance tweaks but I was overall surprised how little control he put on the performance. They just understand his intentions and guessing by the fact that we all grew up with his themes, I suppose it’s not a surprise they knew the material so well. There were still moments where I felt the percussion is too loud but he didn’t seem bothered by it. For example, the snare drum in Imperial March was louder than the soundtracks but that wasn’t commented on. An example of how humble he is, he repeatedly stepped aside during the applause to let a soloist stand and get their moment. Since this was a concert where every five minutes came an applause, he was very frequently stepping aside for others to bow who were just starting off. He never demonstrated any hint of stress or pressure that he might be under with his day job scoring a big film. If there was any insecurity ("might I fail? what if India Jones 4 bombs? When will i get the time to write 100 minutes of music?") absolutely none of it was detected. Some composers can be very insecure about how their music is percieved, but here, there was just focused, non threatening attention to details.
 
A few times I did find myself looking at his head thinking how cool it is that all this brilliance comes from that guy who’s brain is just oozing with ideas. There was no moment of "ah hah, now I understand his secret" but rather a reminder of how dilligent hard work and respectfulness can pay off big over time. And I completely agree with Pete in this thread who said: "There really aren't any short cuts. And genetics play a part too. Obviously some parts of his brain are firing off a greater number of little electric charges compared to the norm. A happy congruence of a brain geared for creativity, a love of music, a rich musical childhood, and the timing of his birth giving him opportunities to learn his craft when TV required composers to compose a hell of a lot. Not to mention one hell of a work ethic."
 
It was a wonderful privilege to experience this and every minute was valuable.
 
The top picture is of Jim Thatcher who was playing the horn solo on the concerto. Jim said it was extremely difficult and he was quite nervous.

In 2007, John Williams was rehearsing with my school’s orchestra and I spent the week attending these rehearsals since there was so much to learn just from being there and observing. I was back stage and got to meet and talk to him on several opportunities which was very exciting for me.
 
The concert program included his standards such as E.T., Star Wars, Imperial March, Raiders, Jurassic Park, etc., plus the Horn Concerto with Jim Thatcher on horn (he was the horn soloist in “JFK” Arlington cue.). I waited back stage where JW would come to lead the orchestra on the first day of rehearsing and about one minute before rehearsal (after the orchestra was tuned up), he was walking towards me (there was no other way for him to go since I was at the back stage entrance. His eyes met mine and I mumbled something incoherent that must have sounded like cave man talk (“me picture you give”) or something. I was very nervous having him look me in the eyes from just two feet away. I recall him saying: “there will be time for that later.” he was direct but focused since he was on the clock and had to start right then. I sat and watched the first rehearsal back stage from the orchestra’s venue. He started off by telling us what a pleasure it was for him to work with us and how much he enjoyed working with young musicians. He also mentioned finishing up a meeting with Spielberg and Lucas just a few minutes earlier since they were working on “Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull” at the time.
 
The security was tight and they prevented video and pictures during rehearsal so these were all sneaked pictures. I have several videos as well during the rehearsals mostly pretending the camera was off. I’m still not clear why the extra security but I gather it is just because there is a monetary value on these things so it must be managed. I would be surprised if JW himself cared as much as his managers but I’m sure there are others on this site more in the know than I am.
 
JW never seemed worried, never was condescending when a wrong note was hit, etc. For example, if a horn cracked a high note in E.T., you didn’t get any indication that he wanted to call that out. Instead, he was beyond courteous to the players. One example that I vividly recall was during I believe Princess Lea’s theme, it starts with a long flute solo. He told the young flautist, “you played that so beautifully, I won’t conduct you. Just play as you feel it should be played and I’ll start on bar 3”. It was something to that affect. The whole orchestra applauded her but I have to think being told something like that by JW was life changing for her.
 
He did not explain his music much but always demonstrated respect for the players. For example, letting all the non-essential players (strings) leave for one of the Harry Potter cues that was winds alone. I believe the cue was for that crazy bus. He said they can leave if they go quietly and every one instead stayed in their seats to watch and observe.
 
The overall sense of the man was of a mentor rather than a tyrant. He never raised his voice and anytime he said anything, the orchestra was 100% in attention (rare). Spending the week with him, you also get the distinct impression he is a very generous though guarded man. I recall someone nearly shaking with excitement coming out of his trailer. I asked him what happened and he showed me a letter of recommendation signed by JW. Basically, as I put the details together, this person who I didn’t know had a story that touched JW and he agreed to hear him out and offer his powerful endorsement. I don’t know any more details of who this was or what it was about other than that, but I did think it demonstrated a human, paternal side to JW that is hard to see except up close. It was a very little moment but memorable.
 
He also offered some of us composers personal advice at one stage after that days rehearsal. We all introduced ourselves and his guidance was something along the lines of “follow your passions rather than the flavor of the month”. If this had come from someone else like a teacher or parent, it might have seemed trite but coming from him, it seemed revelatory and profound.
 
In general, I found him to be utterly professional, disciplined, genuinely humble, and sincerely appreciative (dare I say even surprised) of the excited performers attention. He has very discerning ears but also doesn’t nitpick. Most of the direction came in terms of phrasing and a few minor balance tweaks but I was overall surprised how little control he put on the performance. They just understand his intentions and guessing by the fact that we all grew up with his themes, I suppose it’s not a surprise they knew the material so well. There were still moments where I felt the percussion is too loud but he didn’t seem bothered by it. For example, the snare drum in Imperial March was louder than the soundtracks but that wasn’t commented on. An example of how humble he is, he repeatedly stepped aside during the applause to let a soloist stand and get their moment. Since this was a concert where every five minutes came an applause, he was very frequently stepping aside for others to bow who were just starting off. He never demonstrated any hint of stress or pressure that he might be under with his day job scoring a big film. If there was any insecurity ("might I fail? what if India Jones 4 bombs? When will i get the time to write 100 minutes of music?") absolutely none of it was detected. Some composers can be very insecure about how their music is percieved, but here, there was just focused, non threatening attention to details.
 
A few times I did find myself looking at his head thinking how cool it is that all this brilliance comes from that guy who’s brain is just oozing with ideas. There was no moment of "ah hah, now I understand his secret" but rather a reminder of how dilligent hard work and respectfulness can pay off big over time. And I completely agree with Pete in this thread who said: "There really aren't any short cuts. And genetics play a part too. Obviously some parts of his brain are firing off a greater number of little electric charges compared to the norm. A happy congruence of a brain geared for creativity, a love of music, a rich musical childhood, and the timing of his birth giving him opportunities to learn his craft when TV required composers to compose a hell of a lot. Not to mention one hell of a work ethic."
 
It was a wonderful privilege to experience this and every minute was valuable.
 
The top picture is of Jim Thatcher who was playing the horn solo on the concerto. Jim said it was extremely difficult and he was quite nervous.

In 2007, John Williams was rehearsing with my school’s orchestra and I spent the week attending these rehearsals since there was so much to learn just from being there and observing. I was back stage and got to meet and talk to him on several opportunities which was very exciting for me.
 
The concert program included his standards such as E.T., Star Wars, Imperial March, Raiders, Jurassic Park, etc., plus the Horn Concerto with Jim Thatcher on horn (he was the horn soloist in “JFK” Arlington cue.). I waited back stage where JW would come to lead the orchestra on the first day of rehearsing and about one minute before rehearsal (after the orchestra was tuned up), he was walking towards me (there was no other way for him to go since I was at the back stage entrance. His eyes met mine and I mumbled something incoherent that must have sounded like cave man talk (“me picture you give”) or something. I was very nervous having him look me in the eyes from just two feet away. I recall him saying: “there will be time for that later.” he was direct but focused since he was on the clock and had to start right then. I sat and watched the first rehearsal back stage from the orchestra’s venue. He started off by telling us what a pleasure it was for him to work with us and how much he enjoyed working with young musicians. He also mentioned finishing up a meeting with Spielberg and Lucas just a few minutes earlier since they were working on “Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull” at the time.
 
The security was tight and they prevented video and pictures during rehearsal so these were all sneaked pictures. I have several videos as well during the rehearsals mostly pretending the camera was off. I’m still not clear why the extra security but I gather it is just because there is a monetary value on these things so it must be managed. I would be surprised if JW himself cared as much as his managers but I’m sure there are others on this site more in the know than I am.
 
JW never seemed worried, never was condescending when a wrong note was hit, etc. For example, if a horn cracked a high note in E.T., you didn’t get any indication that he wanted to call that out. Instead, he was beyond courteous to the players. One example that I vividly recall was during I believe Princess Lea’s theme, it starts with a long flute solo. He told the young flautist, “you played that so beautifully, I won’t conduct you. Just play as you feel it should be played and I’ll start on bar 3”. It was something to that affect. The whole orchestra applauded her but I have to think being told something like that by JW was life changing for her.
 
He did not explain his music much but always demonstrated respect for the players. For example, letting all the non-essential players (strings) leave for one of the Harry Potter cues that was winds alone. I believe the cue was for that crazy bus. He said they can leave if they go quietly and every one instead stayed in their seats to watch and observe.
 
The overall sense of the man was of a mentor rather than a tyrant. He never raised his voice and anytime he said anything, the orchestra was 100% in attention (rare). Spending the week with him, you also get the distinct impression he is a very generous though guarded man. I recall someone nearly shaking with excitement coming out of his trailer. I asked him what happened and he showed me a letter of recommendation signed by JW. Basically, as I put the details together, this person who I didn’t know had a story that touched JW and he agreed to hear him out and offer his powerful endorsement. I don’t know any more details of who this was or what it was about other than that, but I did think it demonstrated a human, paternal side to JW that is hard to see except up close. It was a very little moment but memorable.
 
He also offered some of us composers personal advice at one stage after that days rehearsal. We all introduced ourselves and his guidance was something along the lines of “follow your passions rather than the flavor of the month”. If this had come from someone else like a teacher or parent, it might have seemed trite but coming from him, it seemed revelatory and profound.
 
In general, I found him to be utterly professional, disciplined, genuinely humble, and sincerely appreciative (dare I say even surprised) of the excited performers attention. He has very discerning ears but also doesn’t nitpick. Most of the direction came in terms of phrasing and a few minor balance tweaks but I was overall surprised how little control he put on the performance. They just understand his intentions and guessing by the fact that we all grew up with his themes, I suppose it’s not a surprise they knew the material so well. There were still moments where I felt the percussion is too loud but he didn’t seem bothered by it. For example, the snare drum in Imperial March was louder than the soundtracks but that wasn’t commented on. An example of how humble he is, he repeatedly stepped aside during the applause to let a soloist stand and get their moment. Since this was a concert where every five minutes came an applause, he was very frequently stepping aside for others to bow who were just starting off. He never demonstrated any hint of stress or pressure that he might be under with his day job scoring a big film. If there was any insecurity ("might I fail? what if India Jones 4 bombs? When will i get the time to write 100 minutes of music?") absolutely none of it was detected. Some composers can be very insecure about how their music is percieved, but here, there was just focused, non threatening attention to details.
 
A few times I did find myself looking at his head thinking how cool it is that all this brilliance comes from that guy who’s brain is just oozing with ideas. There was no moment of "ah hah, now I understand his secret" but rather a reminder of how dilligent hard work and respectfulness can pay off big over time. And I completely agree with Pete in this thread who said: "There really aren't any short cuts. And genetics play a part too. Obviously some parts of his brain are firing off a greater number of little electric charges compared to the norm. A happy congruence of a brain geared for creativity, a love of music, a rich musical childhood, and the timing of his birth giving him opportunities to learn his craft when TV required composers to compose a hell of a lot. Not to mention one hell of a work ethic."
 
It was a wonderful privilege to experience this and every minute was valuable.
 
The top picture is of Jim Thatcher who was playing the horn solo on the concerto. Jim said it was extremely difficult and he was quite nervous.

In 2007, John Williams was rehearsing with my school’s orchestra and I spent the week attending these rehearsals since there was so much to learn just from being there and observing. I was back stage and got to meet and talk to him on several opportunities which was very exciting for me.
 
The concert program included his standards such as E.T., Star Wars, Imperial March, Raiders, Jurassic Park, etc., plus the Horn Concerto with Jim Thatcher on horn (he was the horn soloist in “JFK” Arlington cue.). I waited back stage where JW would come to lead the orchestra on the first day of rehearsing and about one minute before rehearsal (after the orchestra was tuned up), he was walking towards me (there was no other way for him to go since I was at the back stage entrance. His eyes met mine and I mumbled something incoherent that must have sounded like cave man talk (“me picture you give”) or something. I was very nervous having him look me in the eyes from just two feet away. I recall him saying: “there will be time for that later.” he was direct but focused since he was on the clock and had to start right then. I sat and watched the first rehearsal back stage from the orchestra’s venue. He started off by telling us what a pleasure it was for him to work with us and how much he enjoyed working with young musicians. He also mentioned finishing up a meeting with Spielberg and Lucas just a few minutes earlier since they were working on “Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull” at the time.
 
The security was tight and they prevented video and pictures during rehearsal so these were all sneaked pictures. I have several videos as well during the rehearsals mostly pretending the camera was off. I’m still not clear why the extra security but I gather it is just because there is a monetary value on these things so it must be managed. I would be surprised if JW himself cared as much as his managers but I’m sure there are others on this site more in the know than I am.
 
JW never seemed worried, never was condescending when a wrong note was hit, etc. For example, if a horn cracked a high note in E.T., you didn’t get any indication that he wanted to call that out. Instead, he was beyond courteous to the players. One example that I vividly recall was during I believe Princess Lea’s theme, it starts with a long flute solo. He told the young flautist, “you played that so beautifully, I won’t conduct you. Just play as you feel it should be played and I’ll start on bar 3”. It was something to that affect. The whole orchestra applauded her but I have to think being told something like that by JW was life changing for her.
 
He did not explain his music much but always demonstrated respect for the players. For example, letting all the non-essential players (strings) leave for one of the Harry Potter cues that was winds alone. I believe the cue was for that crazy bus. He said they can leave if they go quietly and every one instead stayed in their seats to watch and observe.
 
The overall sense of the man was of a mentor rather than a tyrant. He never raised his voice and anytime he said anything, the orchestra was 100% in attention (rare). Spending the week with him, you also get the distinct impression he is a very generous though guarded man. I recall someone nearly shaking with excitement coming out of his trailer. I asked him what happened and he showed me a letter of recommendation signed by JW. Basically, as I put the details together, this person who I didn’t know had a story that touched JW and he agreed to hear him out and offer his powerful endorsement. I don’t know any more details of who this was or what it was about other than that, but I did think it demonstrated a human, paternal side to JW that is hard to see except up close. It was a very little moment but memorable.
 
He also offered some of us composers personal advice at one stage after that days rehearsal. We all introduced ourselves and his guidance was something along the lines of “follow your passions rather than the flavor of the month”. If this had come from someone else like a teacher or parent, it might have seemed trite but coming from him, it seemed revelatory and profound.
 
In general, I found him to be utterly professional, disciplined, genuinely humble, and sincerely appreciative (dare I say even surprised) of the excited performers attention. He has very discerning ears but also doesn’t nitpick. Most of the direction came in terms of phrasing and a few minor balance tweaks but I was overall surprised how little control he put on the performance. They just understand his intentions and guessing by the fact that we all grew up with his themes, I suppose it’s not a surprise they knew the material so well. There were still moments where I felt the percussion is too loud but he didn’t seem bothered by it. For example, the snare drum in Imperial March was louder than the soundtracks but that wasn’t commented on. An example of how humble he is, he repeatedly stepped aside during the applause to let a soloist stand and get their moment. Since this was a concert where every five minutes came an applause, he was very frequently stepping aside for others to bow who were just starting off. He never demonstrated any hint of stress or pressure that he might be under with his day job scoring a big film. If there was any insecurity ("might I fail? what if India Jones 4 bombs? When will i get the time to write 100 minutes of music?") absolutely none of it was detected. Some composers can be very insecure about how their music is percieved, but here, there was just focused, non threatening attention to details.
 
A few times I did find myself looking at his head thinking how cool it is that all this brilliance comes from that guy who’s brain is just oozing with ideas. There was no moment of "ah hah, now I understand his secret" but rather a reminder of how dilligent hard work and respectfulness can pay off big over time. And I completely agree with Pete in this thread who said: "There really aren't any short cuts. And genetics play a part too. Obviously some parts of his brain are firing off a greater number of little electric charges compared to the norm. A happy congruence of a brain geared for creativity, a love of music, a rich musical childhood, and the timing of his birth giving him opportunities to learn his craft when TV required composers to compose a hell of a lot. Not to mention one hell of a work ethic."
 
It was a wonderful privilege to experience this and every minute was valuable.
 
The top picture is of Jim Thatcher who was playing the horn solo on the concerto. Jim said it was extremely difficult and he was quite nervous.

The problem with these type of radio programs is pretty much all the detail is too high level for die hards such as us. We've heard all this before and frankly the music excerpts are not of the highest audio quality compared to what I'm sure we already have. It is nice to be reminded of the quality of the writing though. I like how they are spending quite a bit of time on JW's concert music. Interesting personal question about how did he find his muse after his first wife's death. After taking a year off from writing, he wrote his Violin Concerto but it was really for his children's sake that he found the urge to keep going (out of necessity) and become the blockbuster composer we know and love. So in a way, thanks to his kids we have the JW today. It's nice to hear a personal response from him.

I vividly remember the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back premieres even though I was very young. As soon as I realized there would be a sequel to Star Wars, I (and all my friends) were so excited. It was the talk of the playground and it felt like the day of ESB premiere would never arrive. As the date approached, there were more teasers and even a few re-releases of Star Wars just to wet our appetites. There were trading cards of Star Wars that would eventually “leak” an ESB card. It totally blew our minds to see those new planets and enemies. I couldn’t have imagined how the characters would survive such new adventures and this completely stirred our imaginations. The day of the premiere finally arrived. I had to wait a few days to see it (which felt like FOREVER!!) and some of my brothers friends had seen it before I. They wouldn’t give any specific details other than to say how great it was and that it definitely felt like it needed a sequel unlike Star Wars. The weekend finally arrived and my entire family went to the Playhouse 4 theater to see it. I was shocked to see a line that wrapped around the theater. I had never seen that before. In line, the only thing anyone could talk about was various theories of the film. It was completely sold out and our seats were quite close to the screen. I recall the anticipatory excitement and how long it felt to be let in. Everyone coming out of the previous screening looked so "enlightened". The feeling of anticipation was so intense. Everyone was excited and at the moment of the “A Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” there was absolute total silence. Then the B flat blast hit us and the audience and I erupted with unstoppable excitement! This moment had FINALLY arrived!! The closest I could describe the feeling was how a child feels about summer break on the first day of school. It would never arrive but as it gets close your whole being is focused on that approaching date. I vividly remember the range of emotions at the start. From wonder, to fear, to hope, to excitement, etc. I had waited 1/3 of my life for this and immediately felt so relieved to see the old characters I had obsessed about since Star Wars. I remember being completely absorbed in the story and the character’s plight almost immediately. I first thought Yoda sounded a lot like fozzy bear. But seconds later completely forgot about it being a puppet. The action was so exciting and intense. Especially memorable was the asteroid belt and the Hoth battles which my friends and I replayed countless times on the playground. Sometimes I played Luke, sometimes Han, sometimes a villian, sometimes a nobody, but we went through it so, so much exploring the story through every permutation. The sense of dread when Luke finally confronts his nemesis, Vader, was inescapable. Everyone was absolutely glued to the film recalling the shocking end of Ben Kenobi when he confronted Vader. Vader was a very formidable adversary. I remember a lot of people laughing at the jokes like “laugh it up fuzz ball” and the various admirals getting killed by vader. The utter despair towards the end was inescapable and we gasped at learning that vader was luke’s father. No one believed it and afterwards we had to debate it impact and truthfulness of this revelation. It was utterly shocking. The ending was disappointing only in that we MUST know the answer to the open questions. Was Vader really Luke’s father? Why did Obi wan lie? Will Han survive? What will happen to our hero’s next? I also remember being blown away by the score. It was so much better than I expected and I expected a great score. This was a very real memory of just how perfect the music was in every way. I probably saw the film another 8 or 9 times only to reexperience the score. The music at Han's death scene was so emotional and the ending so tragic. I was only 9 years old but clearly remember not being able to get the ideas, characters, and most importantly the music out of my mind. It exceeded my expectation in every way. My playground friends and I could not stop talking about the film and I’m sure I saw it at least ten times.
Thanks for the question and this brief trip down memory lane. Those were good days and I’ll never forget it.

Hi,
Welcome to this site. My thoughts on your questions:
1. Woodwind fast runs:
This technique has been in use for a very long time. It’s frequently used in Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky for example at climactic moments. It is all over Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" too. Have a listen to this furious moment at 7:47 from Rite of Spring and notice the flutes and piccolo runs.
These runs add a propulsive energy at the moment and also serve to reinforce the harmony. In loud passages, woodwinds can be covered up but they will “peak” through if they are moving. Also they are articulate instruments that can play fast passages and runs with ease (in general). I believe the point Datameister is making is that these woodwind runs are reinforcing the established harmony so the runs would likely be scales for that passage. Basically, this is an embellishment that adds a surge of energy in action music and at climactic moments so it is commonly used. The high note of the run would be something important to the scale – so for example, it might land on the root of the scale or something.
2. Harp Glisses: Not sure what the question is here but harp glisses also add a color and fill to a scale. Often, the gliss will proceed the download so the downbeat is the arrival of the harps gliss. Sometimes a harpist will need quite a range to give a nice big glissando in a loud passage (so something like five octaves).
3. Mixolydian flat 6. This is a scale based on the fifth degree of the major scale with a flat 6th. So in C major, the fifth note is G but unlike G major which has an F#, here we’ll have F natural since we are in the scale of C and then flatten the 6th so its E flat. It has an exotic color to it. The flat six does have an exotic color to it and it is used a lot for outer space. The way you spelled the chord could also be A minor maj 7 (So A – C- E- G#) which is also the chord for the Star Wars Death Star theme. The high note of G#/A flat might be doubled to emphasize its exotic color which might be what you are referring to.
4. The way I would describe this is in loud passages, notes for non-brass have to move to be heard. So you’ll get a lot of runs, arpeggios, and ostinatos in the strings and winds to add a forward momentum and energy to a passage – especially if there are loud brass such as a big climax.
5. Another common John Williams progression is to the sub-mediant. So for example, A major to F major.
6. Bitonality - I believe John Williams jazz influence is very prominent in his film music due to the “spicey” harmonies. For example, the chord at the start of Lando’s palace is an E major 7 chord which is voiced with the D# and E rubbing against each other in the melody. Though John Williams mostly needs to be triadic due to his prominent and memorable themes, he will sometimes harmonize them with a major 9 chord or maybe use a #11 (Superman theme and in the NBC Nightly News Theme). Minor 6 is very common (lots of this in the second half of Empire Strikes Back). For those unsettling moments, he might use a minor maj7. The Min Maj7 is a favorite of Jerry Goldsmith too. In a major key, he often goes to a flat 2 (such as a D flat chord in the key of C). He uses modes a lot – such as Lydian. And his bass notes tend to move in 3rd quite often (instead of 2nd, 4th, 5th). The flat 2 is often used in Herrmann and Vaughan Williams. For example in Vaughan Williams symphony No. 6 (last movement), he alternates between e flat minor and e minor throughout. I think part of what makes John Williams so great is his ability to melodically and harmonically conjure up just the right emotion the scene or drama needs at that very moment with his very skilled handling of all the musical elements (tempo, rhythm, melody, orchestration, harmony, etc.).

I vividly remember the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back premieres even though I was very young. As soon as I realized there would be a sequel to Star Wars, I (and all my friends) were so excited. It was the talk of the playground and it felt like the day of ESB premiere would never arrive. As the date approached, there were more teasers and even a few re-releases of Star Wars just to wet our appetites. There were trading cards of Star Wars that would eventually “leak” an ESB card. It totally blew our minds to see those new planets and enemies. I couldn’t have imagined how the characters would survive such new adventures and this completely stirred our imaginations. The day of the premiere finally arrived. I had to wait a few days to see it (which felt like FOREVER!!) and some of my brothers friends had seen it before I. They wouldn’t give any specific details other than to say how great it was and that it definitely felt like it needed a sequel unlike Star Wars. The weekend finally arrived and my entire family went to the Playhouse 4 theater to see it. I was shocked to see a line that wrapped around the theater. I had never seen that before. In line, the only thing anyone could talk about was various theories of the film. It was completely sold out and our seats were quite close to the screen. I recall the anticipatory excitement and how long it felt to be let in. Everyone coming out of the previous screening looked so "enlightened". The feeling of anticipation was so intense. Everyone was excited and at the moment of the “A Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” there was absolute total silence. Then the B flat blast hit us and the audience and I erupted with unstoppable excitement! This moment had FINALLY arrived!! The closest I could describe the feeling was how a child feels about summer break on the first day of school. It would never arrive but as it gets close your whole being is focused on that approaching date. I vividly remember the range of emotions at the start. From wonder, to fear, to hope, to excitement, etc. I had waited 1/3 of my life for this and immediately felt so relieved to see the old characters I had obsessed about since Star Wars. I remember being completely absorbed in the story and the character’s plight almost immediately. I first thought Yoda sounded a lot like fozzy bear. But seconds later completely forgot about it being a puppet. The action was so exciting and intense. Especially memorable was the asteroid belt and the Hoth battles which my friends and I replayed countless times on the playground. Sometimes I played Luke, sometimes Han, sometimes a villian, sometimes a nobody, but we went through it so, so much exploring the story through every permutation. The sense of dread when Luke finally confronts his nemesis, Vader, was inescapable. Everyone was absolutely glued to the film recalling the shocking end of Ben Kenobi when he confronted Vader. Vader was a very formidable adversary. I remember a lot of people laughing at the jokes like “laugh it up fuzz ball” and the various admirals getting killed by vader. The utter despair towards the end was inescapable and we gasped at learning that vader was luke’s father. No one believed it and afterwards we had to debate it impact and truthfulness of this revelation. It was utterly shocking. The ending was disappointing only in that we MUST know the answer to the open questions. Was Vader really Luke’s father? Why did Obi wan lie? Will Han survive? What will happen to our hero’s next? I also remember being blown away by the score. It was so much better than I expected and I expected a great score. This was a very real memory of just how perfect the music was in every way. I probably saw the film another 8 or 9 times only to reexperience the score. The music at Han's death scene was so emotional and the ending so tragic. I was only 9 years old but clearly remember not being able to get the ideas, characters, and most importantly the music out of my mind. It exceeded my expectation in every way. My playground friends and I could not stop talking about the film and I’m sure I saw it at least ten times.
Thanks for the question and this brief trip down memory lane. Those were good days and I’ll never forget it.

I vividly remember the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back premieres even though I was very young. As soon as I realized there would be a sequel to Star Wars, I (and all my friends) were so excited. It was the talk of the playground and it felt like the day of ESB premiere would never arrive. As the date approached, there were more teasers and even a few re-releases of Star Wars just to wet our appetites. There were trading cards of Star Wars that would eventually “leak” an ESB card. It totally blew our minds to see those new planets and enemies. I couldn’t have imagined how the characters would survive such new adventures and this completely stirred our imaginations. The day of the premiere finally arrived. I had to wait a few days to see it (which felt like FOREVER!!) and some of my brothers friends had seen it before I. They wouldn’t give any specific details other than to say how great it was and that it definitely felt like it needed a sequel unlike Star Wars. The weekend finally arrived and my entire family went to the Playhouse 4 theater to see it. I was shocked to see a line that wrapped around the theater. I had never seen that before. In line, the only thing anyone could talk about was various theories of the film. It was completely sold out and our seats were quite close to the screen. I recall the anticipatory excitement and how long it felt to be let in. Everyone coming out of the previous screening looked so "enlightened". The feeling of anticipation was so intense. Everyone was excited and at the moment of the “A Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” there was absolute total silence. Then the B flat blast hit us and the audience and I erupted with unstoppable excitement! This moment had FINALLY arrived!! The closest I could describe the feeling was how a child feels about summer break on the first day of school. It would never arrive but as it gets close your whole being is focused on that approaching date. I vividly remember the range of emotions at the start. From wonder, to fear, to hope, to excitement, etc. I had waited 1/3 of my life for this and immediately felt so relieved to see the old characters I had obsessed about since Star Wars. I remember being completely absorbed in the story and the character’s plight almost immediately. I first thought Yoda sounded a lot like fozzy bear. But seconds later completely forgot about it being a puppet. The action was so exciting and intense. Especially memorable was the asteroid belt and the Hoth battles which my friends and I replayed countless times on the playground. Sometimes I played Luke, sometimes Han, sometimes a villian, sometimes a nobody, but we went through it so, so much exploring the story through every permutation. The sense of dread when Luke finally confronts his nemesis, Vader, was inescapable. Everyone was absolutely glued to the film recalling the shocking end of Ben Kenobi when he confronted Vader. Vader was a very formidable adversary. I remember a lot of people laughing at the jokes like “laugh it up fuzz ball” and the various admirals getting killed by vader. The utter despair towards the end was inescapable and we gasped at learning that vader was luke’s father. No one believed it and afterwards we had to debate it impact and truthfulness of this revelation. It was utterly shocking. The ending was disappointing only in that we MUST know the answer to the open questions. Was Vader really Luke’s father? Why did Obi wan lie? Will Han survive? What will happen to our hero’s next? I also remember being blown away by the score. It was so much better than I expected and I expected a great score. This was a very real memory of just how perfect the music was in every way. I probably saw the film another 8 or 9 times only to reexperience the score. The music at Han's death scene was so emotional and the ending so tragic. I was only 9 years old but clearly remember not being able to get the ideas, characters, and most importantly the music out of my mind. It exceeded my expectation in every way. My playground friends and I could not stop talking about the film and I’m sure I saw it at least ten times.
Thanks for the question and this brief trip down memory lane. Those were good days and I’ll never forget it.

Yes, this is what I meant. He tinkers with completed works from many years ago including the suites or concert arrangements from decades ago making increasingly subtle adjustments. I also believe there is much else written that never sees the light of day (though this is not unusual for a composer) and probably will never be known… Sort of like the Sibelius Symphony number eight that he never felt was up to his own expectations so after 30 years of working on that 8th symphony (and completing it several times!) just destroyed it. I believe that jw is very hard on himself but unlike Sibelius, he's more practical. I am in the camp that believes he really is a genius, and when he's gone there will be an unfillable gap. The end of that line. I recently saw the new movie, Lincoln, and was curious to see if Lincoln still had any living relatives. Sadly, his last descendant died in the mid 1980s. Sad to think they are no more and never will be. This is why I feel it's appropriate to appreciate each new score from JW. Each completes a fuller picture of a consummate pro of a vanishing style.

Some facts:
- He still writes every day - about two minutes of finished music regardless if anyone ever hears it.
- He is very hard on himself. He revisits old scores (both film and concert works) frequently to make minor tweaks most people will never hear because it doesn't fit his ideal version.
- He is a very youthful 80 year old with many years ahead of him.
- Some very skilled and talented people have said this about their experience working with him even recently: "I've never seen anyone in all my experience attack a compositional problem with as much focused effort as John Williams does". Who else is around can the same be said of?
- Compositional style has evolved as it does for all great composers
- Film making/scoring styles has evolved

That goes without saying. We all know the mantra: The man composed the music and he is the sole author of his own work.

Some facts:
- He still writes every day - about two minutes of finished music regardless if anyone ever hears it.
- He is very hard on himself. He revisits old scores (both film and concert works) frequently to make minor tweaks most people will never hear because it doesn't fit his ideal version.
- He is a very youthful 80 year old with many years ahead of him.
- Some very skilled and talented people have said this about their experience working with him even recently: "I've never seen anyone in all my experience attack a compositional problem with as much focused effort as John Williams does". Who else is around can the same be said of?
- Compositional style has evolved as it does for all great composers
- Film making/scoring styles has evolved

That's really great to see! A lot can be learned from this one minute of footage...just imagine seeing hours of this from various films throughout his career. A real model of professionalism, craftsmanship, and talent in perfect balance.

Completely agree with Henry Buck. I don't think wanner251 understands what he doesn't know.