Tom

Cerebral Cortex · February 19

15 hours ago, Cerebral Cortex said:

Hmm, a theme for Obi-Wan, huh? Okay, um, let's see here... George had me shelve that theme for him back in '98. Damn, it's got to be here somewhere. Think, Johnny, think!"

Oh man, that sad face. Perfect.

February 18

47 minutes ago, Romão said:

The main theme from the Harry Potter series is not a theme for Harry Potter himself

Obviously it is possible the Obi theme will not be for the titular character, but I would say even a conservative probability estimate would put it at 95% chance that it will be. However, just like with Solo, his piece might have more than one theme to it.

February 18

12 minutes ago, Romão said:

A theme for the TV show is not necessarily a character theme

Well, unless the show is literally called the main character.

Manakin Skywalker · February 18

8 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

But I have no idea. I voted that it will be somebody else but I really don't know. At this point I wouldn't be surprised anymore if it came out Williams just gave up and scored the whole thing.

Sort of like when George Constanza was fired but decided to just keep coming to work anyway.

Brando · February 18

1 hour ago, Alex said:

Surely it would have to be someone JW approves of?

So your vote is for Shirley?

Not Mr. Big · February 17

Surely this picture can generate some creativity on the board.

John Williams Music Composer

February 17

I think he could still get a huge budget, but not for a period piece or musical. It would have to be big, and have whoever the star of the day happened to be.

That being said, one would think he could fund his own movie ala Lucas to the sum of just about anything.

February 17

7 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

It's too bad West Side Story bombed because if JW's opting out, then I'd just as soon see Spielberg do Broadway musicals the rest of his career.

It only bombed objectively, not subjectively.

Once · February 17

I have been waiting 25 years for Williams to record the Far and Away suite. Perfect performance.

BB-8 · February 17

The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.

February 17

Or maybe they never offered it to Gia, either because he is a full time movie composer or because Kennedy knows Williams was not happy with his work on RO (or some other reason).

Jurassic Shark · February 16

19 minutes ago, eitam said:

Crazy ! What's next, DG opens a John Williams - themed park ?

Following the Disney model of using predominately non-Williams ambient music.

Disco Stu · February 16

Its a good movie--a nice snapshot into history, both in terms of the setting of the story but also the 60s.

February 16

1 hour ago, igger6 said:

I forgot about that! When I was considering unreleased pieces the other day, I had this sense that the Vienna processional wasn't the only forthcoming celebratory piece, but I couldn't call this to mind. Great news! Hopefully they're both in the exuberant "Liberty Fanfare" / "Celebrate Discovery" mode rather than the more technical "Fanfare for Fenway" / "For the President's Own." I wonder how Williams will go about evoking the disparate ethos of the Hollywood Bowl and the Vienna Phil in music. One more nerdy thing that you know is going on in his mind that his humility prevents him from obliging us with!

Given that it is, in a strong sense, a Hollywood orchestra, I could see him going for first mode. It will be interesting to hear the Vienna piece side-by-side. I expect the latter to be a bit more formal, but still fun. As they were composed around the same time, I wouldn't be surprised with some similarities. My guess is the Oscar overture was composed in the same broad timeframe.

Brando · February 15

2 hours ago, blondheim said:

I was about to ask if anyone knew of any other time this had happened. It still feels different with these two collaborators. Maybe it's merely more personal to me but it feels like a very intimate score. I can't imagine how special these sessions with Spielberg and Williams at the piano were.

Why are you crying Steven?

That music is so harsh and dissonant? Why would you write that about me?

Oh, my mistake. I am also working on a proper piano concerto. Assistant, get me my movie notes.

February 15

This should also be the premiere (or at least performance) of the 100th anniversary fanfare he wrote.

February 15

When do you think interview with Williams was done? Sometimes these are a full month or so in advance.

Cerebral Cortex · February 14

It is interesting that the reporter uses the term "visions" for the Cello piece, but "planning" for the concerto. It reads as if it is his next big project--presumably after he finishes Indy.

I still think the scherzo and now prelude will be morphed into a larger concerto--the scherzo, in particular, plays as its own movement. I am not heard the prelude, so I am less confident about that.

Either way, I think it will be a "big" concerto, along the lines of the recent one for violin. A full half hour, generous use of the orchestra, impressionistic and dissonant at the edges but with a tonal center. And, probably really, really difficult to play.

February 14

11 hours ago, Ludwig said:

I believe he means that the first 3 notes of the melody in the Robin Hood overture are the same notes as the 4th, 5th, and 6th notes of the Krypton theme, which they are in terms of the notes of their relative major keys. After that, Robin Hood seems pretty different to me.

But since we're talking about the Krypton theme, it's always struck me how the notes of that theme are precisely the same collection of notes in the five-note "communication" theme in Close Encounters. It's like Williams took one of the dozens of possible combinations he wrote for the latter in 1977, maybe added a few repetitions of notes and voila - Krypton's theme in a film from 1978.

Yes, that seems right. Thank you. That part of Robin Hood sounds like a sped up Krypton to me, which in turn distracts me. But again, I love the Kamen score, which is far better than the movie for which it was composed.

mrbellamy · February 12

2 hours ago, Fabulin said:

.. could it be that the main title to the Kenobi series will be a standalone concert version of the Binary Sunset, the way The Adventures of Han can be performed in concert?

I know this comes up a lot, but isn't the extended throne room a 4 minute piece revolving around the force theme? How does that not count?

February 12

I love Kamen's Robin Hood. It is fun, brilliant, and even inspiring. Has anyone noticed the similarities to the Planet Krypton cue? Am I just hearing things?

BrotherSound · February 12

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

I freakin’ love Adventures of Mutt!

It is an excellent, fun piece. I remain convinced that the majority of those who do not like it dislike it because they think it is either a) not suitable to the character or b)they hate the character. In my JW fan world, a piece is good on its own intrinsic merits first and, if it fits a character, more power to it, but it does not undermine the musical merits of the piece. If the character is not good, then more power to Williams for crafting a great piece from a less than great character.

BrotherSound · February 11

2 hours ago, crypto said:

@BrotherSound raised a valid point to me. Why would JW pre-record a piece for the Oscars when they have an actual orchestra at their disposal on the night, performing all the other music?

Or does that no longer exist in the new, post-COVID Oscars ceremonies?

The music tied to the opening TV part is usually pre-recorded (usually tied to any graphics/announcements) and then the ceremony itself is live. But, I have no idea. It seems like the overture is the most likely thing given Williams recent comments that he wants to move on from scoring--doing a tv show opening strikes me as regressive on that mindset. The overture, like the two films, was a prior commitment.

Once · February 11

All we have is a performer wanting to share a birthday story, and then saying more than she should have. I would not read anything into any nuance. Oscars are a TV project, so it fits, as does Obi-Wan, as do other things.

BrotherSound · February 11

Yeah, my hope is the same. If it is the overture, it is a very fine piece worthy of a studio recording and wide TV audience.

Profiles

Forums

Posts posted by Tom

Important Information