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What have you learned by looking at JW conductor scores?


pi

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I've learned that his harmonic language is absolutely fascinating and his skill at modulating is not to be laughed at. They are so fluid that when you compare the score and recordings the key changes all feel so natural and are often imperceptible through a chord analysis. His use of non-dominant cadences is also quite intriguing-Yoda's theme ending with a Neapolitan-I progression and the last phrase of Adventures on Earth, where he uses motion by seconds rather than the expected fourths or fifths. And his skill at orchestration is also quite brilliant, particularly (to me) the way he uses the brass. I was also quite relieved to find that his use of the harp goes beyond the glissandos that many composers use (Williams included). Mind you I haven't heard Angela's Ashes which apparently contains some great harp writing/playing. The only thing is, especially in Star Wars, I have some issues with the role the piano plays-which is to just fill in bass lines or woodwind flourishes. Obviously being the wise orchestrator he is, he has some reasons for doing this. It just bothers me that it often isn't audible.

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As a brass player I can say that I learned a lot about strings, including terms I had known before but never knew their meaning (pizzicatto, con arco). Also conducting along with some of his scores that have many time changes but cover basic time signatures (Adventures on Earth) has helped me practice and become more responsive with my conducting skills...thereby helping me to do better in class. I have learned A LOT from reading and conducting his scores, I cannot even begin to list everything!

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sorry non sheet music people.

No...hard...feelings... :banghead:

;)

Well, the only "real" Williams conductor score I've extensively studied is Battle of the Heroes. From it, I've learned (or been reminded) the following:

* In thickly-orchestrated tutti sections, the woodwind colors can be almost completely inaudible.

* When scoring for choir, Williams likes to put the baritones on the fifth of the chord.

* Anvil is difficult to hear when it's muted.

* He's not always particularly pedantic about harp writing. Sometimes, he just gives the direction to ad lib the glissandos.

* When orchestrating quick-moving lines that crescendo, he'll often progressively add sections and introduce octave changes along the way to enhance the crescendo.

* I don't envy double bass players who have to play Williams. The parts tend to be boring.

Of course, I could be entirely off on these assumptions...anyone want to sell me a few Williams scores so I can learn the truth? :sigh:

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What I love about reading these scores is that upon first reading, I discover little things I didn't realize were present, which makes me even more interested to go back and listen to a particular piece and listen for whatever it is I just found - chord progressions, miniature passages in certain instruments, different instrument combinations, time signatures, whatever. I'm also always amazed at the both the complexity of the more grandiose scores, such as Star Wars, and the more subdued, simplistic approach to other scores, such as Angela's Ashes. The more heavily scored pieces are certainly busy, but I feel like it's the appropriate amount on simultaneous "musical ongoings" (for lack of a better term). It also interesting to see what sort of slight edits have been made since the original soundtrack recordings and the updated concert versions, such as the added percussion in Duel of the Fates, or the expanded saxophone solo in Catch Me If You Can. I've learned much about which instrument combinations work well and which ones don't work so well. Reading these scores (and those of other composers) has improved my orchestration technique immensely, my ability to be attentive to various things all at once when listening to music. Score reading, in general, is excellent conducting practice. Last, it's fun (at least with the Signature Edition scores) to read the opening comments and learn about Williams' own perspectives on whichever piece I'm studying. It makes me realize that although the themes seem so simple to us at times, one can appreciate the fact that a great deal of time and thought was put into creating those themes to make theme cohesive, sensible, and, more often than not, quite memorable.

One more thing. I've learned that not only are most of his pieces very busy, but the individual parts are often quite complicated and technically difficult, possibly to even the most seasoned of performers. It suppose it makes one learn to humble oneself to the music.

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I've found that JW (in his sketches at least) seems more meticulous with the brass/string writing, often the woodwind parts don't indicate much voicing, except where important solos (or soli) are heard. One often sees "wind" on 1 or 2 staves in the sketches.

His string writing is quite detailed, often he indicates bowings in the parts.

Notationally, when in 4/4 time he often uses a double dotted half note followed by an eighth note quite often. This appears quite often in his earlier and his later scores. Perhaps it's a way of getting a slight break between the current note and the next note.

I like how he will double multiple woodwind on the same notes, it creates a nice, solid, composite sound which balances well with the rest of the orchestra. He'll also used unusual combinations at times without the listener being aware (for example, two tubas in the original STAR WARS score - they often play in unison).

I've noticed he likes to double bassoons and violoncellos - a technique used in a lot of music (Elmer Bernstein's TEN COMMANDMENTS and BUCCANEER scores used this device throughout those works). And in HOOK, the arrival Tink cue opens with two clarinets, bass clarinet, and e-flat contrabass clarinet. Quite interesting, Herrmann-esque orchestration.

By and large, Williams is unique to my ears in his ability to create textures of sound. He is well lauded (appreciably so) for his ability to write Korngoldian melodies, but some of his cues are anything but Korngoldian: "Baby's Trip to Earth" from SUPERMAN is a good example of mixing a lot of textures together, same for "FATHER'S INSTRUCTION" from SUPERMAN, in which his sketch goes up to 16 staves, with meticulously notated harp/piano/keyboard parts with very unusual rhythms - what sounds like a lot of ad libbing is very meticulously notated.)

EMPIRE STRIKES BACK has some rather interesting textures - "Ben's Instruction" features imaginative use of string tremolos, timpani tremolos with pedal glisses, and dissonant clusters of piccolos high above. Truly masterful and inspired.

Although not much discussed, his score to IMAGES is so different, and is an effective counterargument to those who say he can only write in the big, epic sound. Williams is more eclectic a composer than people give him credit for....

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As a composer myself, I have a great love of studying his scores, especially when I'm in a writers block so to speak. The transitions he writes in his music are not awkward at all, but very purposeful. Chord progressions he uses have a very jazz taste to them, but because he buries the defining jazz notes, we don't hear it so much without think about it. This shows a lot in his brass parts, which use a lot of jazz voicings.

What I find most interesting about Williams is his organization. Many of the orchestrations are very detailed like a piece of music that had taken a year to write, when we all know he does this in only weeks. now this could be the part of his orchestrator, but I doubt it, as he did his own orchestrations for many films. Like someone who was mentioning his sketches was saying, that he only uses two wind lines usually, which I find interesting. They're usually given what I like to call "Dress" lines. Just little splashes of color here and there, like his fabulous flute runs.

The doubling he uses is so discrete too. I wouldn't have thought there were flutes playing unison under the trumpets in "Hymn to the Fallen." Once you hear it though, one realizes how much it changes the sound.

I also learned about how thin orchestration is effective. I thought there was more going on in the opening of Yoda's Theme, when it's pretty thin. Chords and melody.

It's helped me immensely learn how to compose effectively for orchestra. Definitely worth the price tag of some of these.

~JW

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I wouldn't have thought there were flutes playing unison under the trumpets in "Hymn to the Fallen." Once you hear it though, one realizes how much it changes the sound.

I never noticed that before! Good find. Listening closely, I can indeed pick out a little bit of flute timbre, and some vibrato that sounds distinctly flute-like. Most intriguing...

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Well, since pi is the one who has all the rare printed scores, it would be very sad if he hasn't figured out by now that he ain't John Williams, and never will be.

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Well, since pi is the one who has all the rare printed scores, it would be very sad if he hasn't figured out by now that he ain't John Williams, and never will be.

Dude whats your problem? Cool the battitude.

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