Jump to content

Thank You, Johnny!


Miguel Andrade

Recommended Posts

As John Williams reaches his 75th birthday, with over five decades of music making, let me express my gratitude.

From Johnny, to John Towner, to John T. Williams, to John, he has become at the eyes of the world as one of the most acomplished composers for film, that ever graced the silver screen. And while I tend to think of his music, either the one written for film, or the other, for the concert hall, as pure music, I have to say that John Williams has scored my life to the second, with milimetric precision.

He scored my adventures on earth, my escapades, my love interests with fairy tales music and luxuriant love themes...

He scored my turbulent years, my sad recollections, but also my joy rides, just as the accidental tourist I am.

In a nutshell, he scored my story.

And time and again, just as it was his score that made us believe that a bycicle could go over the moon, it was his music that made me raise to the ocasion, whenever I needed.

Thank you indeed, John Williams. You made my day... no. You made my life!

And a happy 75th, with wishes of many more to come, filled with more great music. Every single day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 42
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Very beautiful tribute, Miguel.

John Williams is the light in my life, in the good moments, in the bad ones, he's always been there. Source of most of my illusions, he's never disappointed me. I've grown listening to his music, so his music has influenced the way I am. When he evolved stylistically to new ways of expressions, so did I. And you never find enough in his music, there is always something to be discovered.

The man has aged very well. He's writing as much music as always, and better than ever, let me add.

Happy 75th birthday to the greatest man in the world :music:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

no one has to read my sappy tribute, but the man's 75th gives me an excuse to verbalize my appreciation.

i can honestly say that John Williams holds the dearest place in my heart of any living person not a personal friend or family member. his music has accompanied me and driven me for the entirety of my life. i have no doubt that it will continue to do so until the day i die. i can't imagine getting married without his music; i can't imagine a funeral without his music. there is something so euphoric, so divine in his voice. he expresses emotions i cannot. he can capture the way i feel or determine the way i feel with a note or a motif.

God created his imagination, and therefore, when i listen to the outflow of his imagination, it is God's that i hear.

C.S. Lewis said, "for many people, music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity." God has placed eternity in my heart, in the form of music. when i hear the music of John Williams, it is a taste of the eternal - the echo of a tune i haven't heard yet. i can't wait to sit in that great symphony hall and listen to the real thing.

thank you, John Williams, for 75 years of one of the most substantial influences of my life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How beautifully written Maestro! You just put into words how I feel about John Williams and his music.

John Williams' music has been and is an inseparable part of my life. It has been with me on all paths of my life, carried me through difficult times, celebrated and rejoiced with me, wept with me and shared my sorrow and comforted me and lifted me to unknown heights. It has light and dark, it has every nuance of life written into it. It continues to be a good companion on this road of life.

I also hold Williams dear as a person even though I have never met him. He shares a special place in my heart as an example to which strive for and as a man I deeply admire, not just for his music but as a person. But his music speaks more eloquently about the man than any interview could. It reveals to us his very person, his deepest expression.

Happy 75th Birthday John Williams! May there be many more to come!

And may you continue to write music that is new but still familiar, like a part of my soul, like a piece that has been missing or whose existence I have not known and yet at that moment of hearing it feels like it had always been there. Dimidia pars animae meae.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The oldest "working" film composer is something he should strive for.

;)

Happy Birthday, Maestro!

I can't really think of anything to say, it would either sound sappy or stupid (or most likely both), so I'll just listen to plenty of JW music today, change my avatar, and watch Close Encounters tonight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm now listening to a very beautiful score, that will hopefully uplift me...

A passionate score, a fairy tale score, delicate and full of love...

But then again, that's probably in many of Johnny's scores, passion, love, all very delicate, and sensible, just as the soft spoken gentleman who wrote them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy 75th John Williams!!!!!

;)

Here's to many more.

:beerchug:

I agree with most of the feelings expressed in this thread. Williams holds a special place in my heart and his music has meant alot to me over the years. It's been there for me thru sad and happy times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can hardly add anything more to what was said above. Film music is my true passion and it all has begun thanks to JW's music. I couldn't imagine my life without it. In these terms, I really owe John Williams a lot. Happy Birthday, Maestro! :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:P

Thank you for making so many hours of my life as enjoyable. Of course, I'm waiting for more. ;)

Many rewarding professional offers and a peaceful personal life. And good health, of course!

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As John Williams reaches his 75th birthday, with over five decades of music making, let me express my gratitude.

From Johnny, to John Towner, to John T. Williams, to John...

Don't forget about Jiovanni or I suppose more correctly Giovcanni B)

At least according to Leslie Bricusse

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's pretty difficult to get a hold of I've heard. I tried to send him something via his agency, gorfaine Schwartz, and it never got through. I'm sure there's something out there mentioning his fan Address.

I remember the first time I heard John's Music and acctually "heard" it. I was, oh, 8 I think, and visiting Universal Studios. They have this Jurassic Park ride, and while a few others in my family went on it with my father, me and my mother stayed behind. They were piping in music from the film to set the mood of the area and I remember being there on a bench in the park at sunset, leaning over the top of the bench to where the speaker was, striving to block out the crowd noise and listen to what I would later know was the fanfare from the film. It was looped and played over and over again and every single time it brought me to shivers hearing the trumpets atop the strings. I must have listened to that little fragment 50 times, and every time I was just as facinated. It never got old, and I didn't even want to leave the area when it was time to move on.

Well, my life was never the same again obviously. Mr. William's music has always been a constant for me, it could even detemine how I feel that day. The first time I listened to "Saving Private Ryan," I was solumn for days. From the beautiful Chorales he's written to the frantic Schertzos that are barely playable, from the power of his fanfares to the mystique of his greatest childrens scores. From the most horrific of moments, to the most loving and delicate: Williams has never ceased to strike a chord with the soul in us all at one point, and all this while timing precisely to an image with pinpoint precision. He has an eternal gift that I'm thankful he shares with us all.

Thank you for sharing with us for 75 years, and may you have the health to continue sharing for many years to come! :P

~Drew R.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As John Williams reaches his 75th birthday, with over five decades of music making, let me express my gratitude.

From Johnny, to John Towner, to John T. Williams, to John, he has become at the eyes of the world as one of the most acomplished composers for film, that ever graced the silver screen. And while I tend to think of his music, either the one written for film, or the other, for the concert hall, as pure music, I have to say that John Williams has scored my life to the second, with milimetric precision.

He scored my adventures on earth, my escapades, my love interests with fairy tales music and luxuriant love themes...

He scored my turbulent years, my sad recollections, but also my joy rides, just as the accidental tourist I am.

In a nutshell, he scored my story.

And time and again, just as it was his score that made us believe that a bycicle could go over the moon, it was his music that made me raise to the ocasion, whenever I needed.

Thank you indeed, John Williams. You made my day... no. You made my life!

And a happy 75th, with wishes of many more to come, filled with more great music. Every single day.

What more can I say? In fact, I'm quoting verbatim the beautiful thoughts Miguel put down because I'm totally feeling the same.

I'm listening to Schindler's List right now and again I'm witnessing why John Williams is the greatest film composer ever. He's able to put out his inner feelings through music and make feeling the same to the people who listen to it. He's one of the best musical storytellers the art of cinema has ever got.

He scored all of my life too... in fact, now that I think about it, his music is accompanying me since the very early days of childhood, when I was watching the old super8mm version of Star Wars at the the age of 4 or 5. And his music never left me for a moment since then. It stayed always with me, helping me, making me feeling good, making me cry or making me think. His music is something that transformed and helped shaping my life from then till now that I'm almost 30 years old. And I'm really sure it will continue to accompany me until the last days of my life. That's the touch of a Great Artist and the blessing of Great Art. It enhances and develops one man's whole life, going deep to the core of our souls.

Happy Birthday, Maestro. Here's to another 75 and more years of real magic. You're the King. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy 75th to one brilliant man. May there be many more music-making years to come!

I echo the sentiments expressed here - John Williams' music opened me up to a whole new world and has meant so much in my life. When I was young and learning music, it was a joy to play arrangements of his scores, his themes left me filled with awe and wonder. What better introduction could a child have? Over the years, I have only come to fully appreciate his genius. Without his music, there would be one empty hole in my heart. :rolleyes:

Here's to one of the truly great composers of our time.

:P

We are so ever grateful for you sharing your musical gift with the world, and touching so many lives, including mine.

My best wishes to the Maestro,

Greta

Link to comment
Share on other sites

no one has to read my sappy tribute, but the man's 75th gives me an excuse to verbalize my appreciation.

i can honestly say that John Williams holds the dearest place in my heart of any living person not a personal friend or family member. his music has accompanied me and driven me for the entirety of my life. i have no doubt that it will continue to do so until the day i die. i can't imagine getting married without his music; i can't imagine a funeral without his music. there is something so euphoric, so divine in his voice. he expresses emotions i cannot. he can capture the way i feel or determine the way i feel with a note or a motif.

God created his imagination, and therefore, when i listen to the outflow of his imagination, it is God's that i hear.

C.S. Lewis said, "for many people, music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity." God has placed eternity in my heart, in the form of music. when i hear the music of John Williams, it is a taste of the eternal - the echo of a tune i haven't heard yet. i can't wait to sit in that great symphony hall and listen to the real thing.

thank you, John Williams, for 75 years of one of the most substantial influences of my life.

Good form, Maestro. :P

Happy Birthday Mister Williams. Although one day you will leave this world, your music never will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Close Encounters came out when I was 8 years old. Sure, Jaws had already been out, and Stars Wars was huge. But it was Close Encounters that reeled me in. From that moment on, I was hooked. I, like many here, have been a loyal John Williams fan for most of my life. I can honestly say that he has been one of the biggest influences in my life. Without question, the biggest musical influence.

I had the great honor and privilege of watching Mr. Williams conduct the New York Philharmonic last year at the Lincoln Center. Being a huge Spielberg fan as well, I was very moved to see them walk on stage in person. I remember I kept saying to myself.."I can't believe I'm only yards away from John Williams" It really was surreal. It was a Close Encounter with the man who has given me such inspiration all through my life. It was a Close Encounter that I will certainly cherish for as long as I live.

Happy Birthday Mr. Williams. Thank you for everything you have done and for all that you have contributed to the hearts and spirits of people all around the world. I wish you many more happy birthdays Sir.

I'm so happy that I am able to convey my feelings here in this wonderful forum. For I truly know, I am not alone.

Sincerely,

Jordan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A very Happy Birthday, Mr Williams. :P

"when every-things really by the dark side of the moon, play the 75 tones". :rolleyes:

All the best,

Cheers,

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

75 and counting, what's the record for the oldest film composer ever?

FYI ... I don't know if he was the oldest ever, but Elmer Bernstein received an academy award nomination for "Far From Heaven" when he was 80.

So many eloquent thoughts have been shared on this special day and I can only echo how much I agree with each and every one.

:P

Happy B-Day John Williams!

Kathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy 75th to Mr. Williams! In addition to touching our lives with his music, he's really brought us all together here. And that's something for which to be just as thankful. :P

Ray Barnsbury

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Close Encounters came out when I was 8 years old. Sure, Jaws had already been out, and Stars Wars was huge. But it was Close Encounters that reeled me in. From that moment on, I was hooked. I, like many here, have been a loyal John Williams fan for most of my life. I can honestly say that he has been one of the biggest influences in my life. Without question, the biggest musical influence.

I had the great honor and privilege of watching Mr. Williams conduct the New York Philharmonic last year at the Lincoln Center. Being a huge Spielberg fan as well, I was very moved to see them walk on stage in person. I remember I kept saying to myself.."I can't believe I'm only yards away from John Williams" It really was surreal. It was a Close Encounter with the man who has given me such inspiration all through my life. It was a Close Encounter that I will certainly cherish for as long as I live.

Happy Birthday Mr. Williams. Thank you for everything you have done and for all that you have contributed to the hearts and spirits of people all around the world. I wish you many more happy birthdays Sir.

I'm so happy that I am able to convey my feelings here in this wonderful forum. For I truly know, I am not alone.

Sincerely,

Jordan

Great post, and welcome to the board!

Always glad to see another Close Encounters fan. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.