Falstaft

Hi everyone. I thought it might be useful to put together a listening guide of sorts for Williams's second violin concerto. This struck me as appropriate given how it's going to be heard in performance again fairly soon. Also, the piece, particularly its first movement, is fairly difficult to grasp on first listen!
 
I've only put together a guide to the first movement (by far the most challenging), but if this is indeed helpful I'll consider doing the other three--or maybe someone else would like to. It's quite difficult to do this without a score, to put it mildly, so take everything here as provisional. I'm surely missing quite a lot of important details...
 
 
Listening Guide for John Williams, Violin Concerto 2
 
MOVEMENT 1: "PROLOGUE" 
Overall, the most formally loose and spontaneous-seeming movement, fitting given Williams's striving for a "quasi-improvisatory" character. Not a truly non-repetitive piece, however: there are both aspects of inner-movement unity and some subtle prefiguring of material to come, particularly the concerto's principle "leitmotif" introduced in the 2nd Movement. The unpredictability of the music on a measure-to-measure level is compensated by an extremely clear division of 6 large-scale sections, summarized below.
 

 
More in-depth account:

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION 
0:00    Quiet, slow introduction showcasing harp, supported by bed of strings. Shape of opening harp melody (D3-E3, D3-E3-C3-A3-D3) vaguely anticipates some later motivic details. First harp-based subphrase tonally centered on B♭-lydian, with contrasting Gm6(♭13) in middle.  Second, string-based subphrase more dissonant, melodically disjunct. The third, once again harp-based subphrase coalesces on Dmaj6/min chord. 1:11    Introduction of soloist. Violin begins with repetition of note F4, giving bluesy quality to faint D-major tonality maintained by strings/harp. Melodic D tonic flanked by tritones A♭4 & G♯3 above and below. Progressively expands range upward, with what will become a quasi-motivic repeated note figure, here on B♭4 and E♭5. Thinner texture and new harmonies (F♯m and A-dim) and octatonic scale-fragment in violin at 1:50, followed by downwards chromatic cascades and melodic peak of E♭6. Unaccompanied violin sags glumly back downwards.  
SECTION 2 – FAST AND TURBULENT 
2:24    Pulsing, agitated pattern in orchestra midrange on dissonant harmony (A3+B♭3+C4+ D♭4), supported at unpredictable intervals by rising bass-figure starting on low D. Violin gathers energy with repetition of Eb4, proceeds to a flowing, unpredictable musical thought, up to the first of several big orchestral swells marked by dissonant chord and percussive punctuation that swallows up soloist. 2:46    Violin reasserts itself over motivic rising bass-figure. Pace of textural and melodic change speeds up considerably, and music becomes increasingly key-less, violin and orchestra exchanging frenzied, short-lived ideas. Particular prominence to harp, timpani, clarinet. Low-strings trace downwards arpeggio of important Gm9 chord, echoed by violin (3:09), and Em9♭5, F♯dim7. 3:16    Lighter but more dissonant texture. Spiky, progressively accelerating violin writing against unpredictable staccato wind and pizzicato bursts. 3:33    Arpeggiating eighth-note figures in low strings resume, now upwards (D2-B♭2-D3-G2-C3-E♭3, etc.), quickly losing tonal focus as another dissonant tutti swell overtakes violin, followed by brief timpani solo (3:44). 3:46    Purely orchestral climax. Dissonant pitch pyramid assembled over B pedal. Similarly vaulting bass figures under now unified upper strings in octaves on urgent melody, arching upwards in successive swells. Pulsing/sustained brass and string melody help refocus tonality onto D, and downwards chord progression (D--C--B), while dissonant, can be referred to D-center. Ends on a shrieking tutti cluster, similar to opening sonority of section but greatly intensified.   
SECTION 3 – SLOW  AND TRANSPARENT 
4:23    Dreamy extended-tertian sonorities, starting with and centered on Gm13 (chord anticipated at 3:11, arpeggiated texture anticipated at 3:33). Violin enters with comparatively lyrical theme with pronounced downwards-moving trajectory. Tonality shifts to Dm, moving stepwise to Fm. Melodic shape heard in passing at 5:00 (F5-E5-G♯5-C5) seems to anticipate the recurring “leitmotif” of movements 2  & 4 -- you know, the one that sounds a bit like "Moonlight" from Sabrina. 5:10    Clear sense of tonality dissolves, violin becomes more agitated, emphasis on dotted rhythms, brief mini-solo of dissonant stops (5:18-5:22). Followed by dense, highly dissonant wind-ensemble writing, drawn from immediately preceding violin solo and segueing back into it. 5:39    Deep, dark minor chords (C♯m--Caug) prepare a catchy but ominous melody for solo violin built on double-stops (parallel minor 6ths), again with contour (A♭4-A♭4-G4-B4-C4) that anticipates shape of recurring leitmotif from mvts 2 & 4.  5:50    Busily spinning passagework for violin and glittering accompaniment, foreshadowing movement 2, recedes to background to allow brief flute solo (B♭4-A4-E5-G5-F♯5-F♯4) in E-minor, suggestive but as far as I can tell not motivically derived from anything else. Violin follows-through with flute melody, seamlessly moving to a… 6:20    Pre-cadenza for violin and harp, again with elements of flute melody (G6-F♯6-A5…B♭5-D♭6-C6-C5)  
SECTION 4 – CADENZA
6:50    Succession of contrasting technical and expressive ideas, not a huge degree of thematic connectivity with preceding sections though fairly consistent within its own scope. (Substructure: Downwards Em/B♭ chords—leaping octave pairs—compound melody (E6-D♯6-B5-A♯5, D♭6-C6-A5-G♯5)—trills—resigned droop—gathering energy—ascending melody over pedal—arpeggios—trills—melody reminiscent of VC1—ascending passagework maxing out at A6—descending, harsh stops, ending with repeated D4.)
 
SECTION 5 – BROAD AND CLIMACTIC
8:38    Rather spooky melody for violin (F♯4-D5-B♭6-F♯5) over brief suggestion of B-minor.  Quickly yields to new material for orchestra, with massed brass, strings in octaves, and thick, repeating wind quasi-fanfares, all grounded over low C-pedal (C-A♭-D♭-G chord?). Classic JW concert music stuff (c.f. For Seiji, Soundings, Heartwood, etc.). Much of this seems to respond vaguely to material introduced in the Cadenza. 9:00    Almost aleatoric sounding passage for harp, solo high winds, pizz strings. 9:09    Emphasis on low winds and strings. Recollection of ascending bass figure from 3:33 (now E2-B2-D3, F♯2-B2-E3) 9:14    Climax building really starts in earnest. Wind chords seem to outline violin’s spooky melody from start of section, against aggressive massed-string section counterpoint, ending on bright, dissonant wind chord.   9:25    Violin solo reasserts self, now more actively interacting with rest of orchestra. Strong sense of rhythmic and harmonic acceleration, climax building pauses after timpani interjection (9:40). 9:48    Final, rapidly attained climax, fastest solo violin writing; impression of huge sweeping motions from whole orchestra, culminating on a huge tutti chord of characteristically JW-dissonant flavor (A-C-E- F-A♭-C♭)  
SECTION 6 – AFTERMATH AND CODA
10:11    Instantly quiet, clear duet for harp and violin. Clear reminiscence of beginning of Section 3, via repeated harp arpeggio of extended triadic sonority, this time F♯m11(b♭13) instead of Gm11(nat13). Meditative violin solo above, not clearly connected to previous themes. 10:40    Quiet upwards scurrying from violin, reaching high B6, followed by abrupt, staccato motif (second phrase accompanied by four dissonant pizzicato chords from rest of string section). 11:03    Violin settles on sustained low A♭3, against resonant F2-A1 bass support on harp. Full fade-out by 11:16.

I get what this topic is about. My suggestion is what Benjamin Wallfisch posted on Facebook -- a cue from one of the best scores of 2016, BITTER HARVEST. I don't know how to share Facebook posts on here, but I can share the YouTube video in question:
 
 
 

This all makes me even more frustrated that the TROS Signature Edition hasn't come out yet, and that we're largely in the dark as to exactly what is in those 4 movements...

This all makes me even more frustrated that the TROS Signature Edition hasn't come out yet, and that we're largely in the dark as to exactly what is in those 4 movements...

Sometimes they'll reverse shots like that for practical concerns: easier to keep from accidentally bumping an actor's head raising them up rather than lowering them down. Though in this case, the editor specifically said no shots were reversed: https://comicbook.com/starwars/news/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-ben-solo-footage-reversed-rey-kylo-ren/
 
 
This!

https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/02/25/randy-kerber-podcast/
 
Randy is an amazing musician and a really nice guy. He shared a lot of anecdotes and insights, be sure to listen to the whole show

Cool photo! I love how all the people at the table are smiling and listening as Williams tells them some fun anecdote that no one has heard before. 
 
 
 
 

Interesting revelation here for the musical nerds out there.
 
There's a cue from TROS called The Kiss. One of the cellists who worked on the sequel trilogy even describes its musical content: "This part, I'm looking at it right now, it's in D minor, it's REALLY sad. You think, wait a minute, it's a kiss, why is it sad? We were all wondering... somebody died!")
 
The discussion about vague cue titles comes up here, then she pulls out her phone to read the actual sheet music:
 
The only other cue title she mentioned was Cockpit Dialogue, which we already knew about. She also specifies it was an Episode IX cue -- not the identically named cue from TLJ.
 
So why is this an interesting revelation? Because I'd long speculated the music for Ben/Rey's kiss in the film is either an insert or a fragment of an alternate, based on some very obvious editing revealed in the spectogram (check the black gap from 2:50 onwards, indicating an alternate recording was spliced in, complete with an artificially pitch-shifted section immediately preceding it):

 
@Falstaft @BrotherSound you might be interested in this!

Sure, they're not all exact -- I think I acknowledge as much at the end. Though the majority are quite close. Here's a few transcriptions -- feel free to judge for yourself!
 

 
 
and from Ep 8:
 
 
 
 

Wow, never noticed that before! Is this the part you're talking about?:
 
 
 
To be fair to Broughton, I think both he and Williams are ultimately deriving this kind of hectic string writing from Prokofiev's Scythian Suite, specifically this section:
 
 
 

The VF article might seem to pull its punches (although I don't blame the writer; he couldn't get his sources to name names), but it's high-profile enough to potentially make a dent for the better in the film scoring universe. 
 
I am all for equitable treatment of ghost composers in terms of recognition, payment, and royalties, but I find it dismaying to read about composers claiming credit for such basic elements in a film score. In the article, Mike Zarin claims credit for Zimmer's horn of doom (the ol' "BWAAAM" trick). It is literally one fucking chord. Anyone could have written that, and probably has, countless times, in the history of music. Is Zarin seeking to claim credit for marking the dynamic fff, or calling for x number of horns instead of x−n horns, or adding some synth layer? A single chord is not writing music. It's arranging.
 
The older I get (and I'm not old), the more I bemoan how regressive many things are becoming, even as (comparably fewer) things are improving. Thank God JW is still alive -- and not just in the sense of "still alive but not doing anything, so he's just a living symbol of a lost competence," but instead "still alive and still showing the rest of the world how it's done."

Good for Powell and Sener. Which is why I am baffled that RCP composers get such a bad rap. On Zimmer's website, you can see all the cuesheet sheet credits and the additional composers are on it. Additional composers are also openly listed. Do other composers outside of RCP ever talk about their additional composers? I honestly have never read a quote about it. 

"Enter Lord Zimmer" is Williams' most epic cue

So, I've gone ahead and made a mockup of the cue "2m1" to be able to listen to it without the dialogue. Thought some of you might be interested in that.
Of course, it might not be 100% accurate or sound as good as it could (the horns crescendo a little too hard, for example), but here we go nonetheless.
 
2m1 "Belloq"
2m1 Belloq.mp3  
 

I am not sure this is helpful or not information given all that has been written in the thread, but I'll provide it in any case.
 
When I worked on Young Indy, we had access to all the Skywalker Sound sound effects reels. (These were on quarter inch, half tape format reels - e.g. 2 stereo channels only going in one direction as compared to consumer quarter inch that had 4 channels.) Amongst those tapes were the stereo mix downs of the recorded orchestral Raiders's music. We used a few bits as temp music before Joel McNeely and Laurence Rosenthal did the new scores. Overall, George Lucas preferred us to use no William music at all in the temps because he was worried that the tunes would be too associated with their original placement in the movies.
 
Back to the question:
2m1 was not on the reels. I know this because I made a copy of the reel to cassette which I still have (but is in storage) as well as a capture of that tape. So, I would agree with @Jay that this was not recorded in 1981 - possibly it was spotted and maybe sketched. Since the tape reel were almost complete (even the insert fixes for 8m3 Indy Rides the Statue were there), my guess at the time is that they represented everything printed from the music recording sessions. (The 1m3 insert for the Boulder sequence was not there so I guess that was done later or created out of another take? CORRECTION: I checked, and it was on the ¼" reel and my cassette!)
 
However, there were no source music pieces on those tapes - there was only the Williams score, leading me to believe that those queues were found/recorded/licensed from elsewhere. 
 
For example, the diggers song at Tanis was on the sound effects reels for Raiders. This song occurs at about 58 minutes. My understanding was this was recorded by the extras during the film production. (I personally edited this into the YIJC Cairo 1908 episode as an Easter egg when Indy arrives at Howard Carter's camp 21 mins into the My First Adventure movie that includes this episode.)
 

The interpretation of Korngold's name is pretty funny. But Williams did draw on Mars for an iconic passage: the initial Star Destroyer flyover. Those dissonant chords are borrowed so directly from Mars that it strikes me as a winking reference. Otherwise the similarities to The Planets tend to be overstated.

What a beautiful reason for Falstaft to dust off that musical catalogue once more!
 
 
There is something I find genuinely so endearing about Williams, this very soft-spoken, private, and reserved man who deals in the traditional ways of pen and paper, being so protective over this massively loud space opera franchise of all things. Prior to the Disney ownership, I really wasn't sure how much Williams cared about his association to Star Wars, but the last few years have really helped to drill home that he really seems to hold such an association close to his heart.
 
 
And now we can add new John Williams Star Wars music to the list. 2022 sure is feeling a lot like 2002.
 
 
"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!"
 

 

https://ums.org/performance/fiddler-on-the-roof-in-concert
 
 
 
This is very cool!

That was just me and Jay refreshing the page to see if they fixed Fabermans.

This has been the most popular article on Variety all day! Nice to see that people care about Williams's involvement.

JKMS just posted a video on Facebook showing off the sketches of 12M2 Pt. 1 (The Warehouse) and 12M2 Pt. 2 (End Credits), and including a well-deserved shoutout to @Falstaft and his guide to the themes of Indiana Jones.

https://fb.watch/bfEBNhuT0B/?mibextid="BB"T8P6bm
 

So well put, @ChrisAfonso. One of the most glaring of a number of clumsy passages in the R1 score where Giacchino's admiration for Williams's music exceeds his ability to convincingly emulate it. This case in particular seems like a poorly remembered transcription of this segment from Munich, right down to key. 
 
 

Absolutely fantastic news, and there’s something quite nice about the fact that TROS will no longer be Williams’ final Star Wars project.
 
This series will be the closest we might ever get to an extension of the nine-episode saga, and specifically Lucas’ original six. Williams coming up with the main theme for it raises my hype level and expectations even more, when I thought they couldn’t possibly be higher just from the subject and characters alone.

The best thing is, even if it’s another desert Western pastiche (like Mando and Boba), hearing Williams’ take on that will be incredible. And if it’s not a Western, even better.