Edward Elgar´s influence...

[Alawill 0]

I often hear that Williams is influenced and/or inspired by compositions of Edward Elgar. As I don´t know much of Elgar´s music, I wonder if anyone could give me a hint, which recordings I might should hear to?

Thanks, and all the best,

Alawill

[Morn 8]

Cello Concerto

Enigma variations

And of course those pomp and circumstance marches

This is what I suggest.

Well

Williams has said in the past his Violin and Cello Concerti are brilliant.

I suggest you get his symphony's too if you want Williams like stuff.

[Figo 2]

I love Elgar. I second Morn's recommendations. Start with the "Enigma Variations." The Cello Concerto is very passionate, not at all what you would expect from a composer who, from all outward appearances, looked every bit the stuffed Edwardian gentleman. (Love that mustache!) It is, in a word, excellent. One of the greatest cello concertos ever written. The "Pomp and Circumstance" Marches will likely be the most readily appealing. If you like the Throne Room music from the original "Star Wars," you will like these. (You will also hear similarities in the finale of the "Enigma.") The Symphony No. 1 was used in the film "Greystoke." I love the symphonies -- I think I actually prefer No. 2 these days -- but you probably won't want to start with them. The music when Han and company are being shown around Cloud City (in "Empire") reminds me very much of Elgar.

In that regard, Sir William Walton will be another composer you will want to explore. His coronation marches "Crown Imperial" and "Orb and Sceptre," his cantata "Belshazzar's Feast" (which has some wonderful Williamsian moments, if you can stand the singing!), the "Music for Children" (I am reminded of some of the incidental stuff from "Superman" every time I hear it), and when you think you are ready, his mighty Symphony No. 1. Williams sounds more like Walton than any other composer, save Prokofiev.

I also hear Vaughan Williams in some of his orchestrations. "The Banquet" from "Hook" always reminds me of V.W. Once you get to know some of these guys better, you will even recognize similarities in the better-known stuff, especially the "Superman" march. But beware, many of V.W.'s more famous pieces are a little on the pastoral side. They are lovely, but not the kind of music I am talking about.

If your local library has a good music collection, start there. Then you'll know what you like and not waste any money. All of this music is very rewarding, and you may grow into it, even if it doesn't really strike you at first.

[Morn 8]

For Williams like composers you might want to try Mahler and Prokofiev as well

[Marian Schedenig 8,210]

There's an excellent album with recordings of both Enigma Variations and all five Pomp and Circumstance marches conducted by Sir Adrian Boult on EMI's "British Composers" series, and it should be rather cheap, too. Picked it up myself in London after last year's Goldsmith concert.

I used to be not overly impressed by Enigma Variations (BTW, who noticed that Goldenthal spoofed this in one of his Batman Forever track titles? ), but Nimrod is awesome and alone worth the price of the CD. The finale is also very good, and I generally like the whole thing better and better everytime I play it.

For RVW (Ralph Vaughan Williams), get The Wasps and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, both are absolutely amazing.

[Figo 2]

"Enigma" is one of my very favorite pieces of music. Boult knew the composer personally, and his readings are authoritative.

Looooooove "The Wasps!"

[Ren 75]

i lllooooovvvveee RVW!

[Morn 8]

Must be a luckly name Williams.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I'm listening now to Vaughan Williams' stupendous Sinfonia Antarctica... which has some passages that recalls Attack of the Clones, especially the soprano solos and the ascent/descendent chords (which recalls me also parts of Goldsmith's STAR TREK:TMP). Check it out, it's a beautiful composition.

Regarding the great Edward Elgar, I recommend also his superb In the South symphonic overture, a very Williams-esque piece.

BTW, JW has said various times that Elgar is his favourite composer... and it's easy to understand why

Maurizio

--

"Landscape: Lento" from Ralph Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antartica (very "starwars-eque"!)

[Morn 8]

I have Sinfonia Antarctica, indeed it is very Goldsmithian. And also, it was based on a film score by RVW too!

RVW was also Bernard Herrmann's favourite composer and you can hear his influence on Herrmann.

[Alawill 0]

... for all those tips. I will start hunting for records soon... I´m very curious about the music.

Best,

Alawill

[Director 1]

I've read that Johnny was inspired by Howard Hanson when he did E.T.. Is this true?

Dan - who loves Elgar's music and sees its influence in Johnny's music at times

[EvanED 1]

I hear ET in Hanson... especially the 16th note-16th-8th part like at the beginning of Adventures on Earth, and the last mvmt. of Hanson's 2nd Symphony ("Romantic")

[Director 1]

Cool! Thanks, Evan. I think I'll do some listening up on Howie.

Dan - always shortening names

[Morn 8]

I need some Howard Hanson

[Director 1]

Any recommendations, anyone?

Dan - eager

[ocelot 508]

Adventures on Earth was completely based on the last movement of Howard Hanson's ROmantic Symphony. I think the scene was tracked with it to start with. NOt only the woodwind figures at the begining but also the brass repeated duplet/triplet descending and ascending motif.

Firebird ballet by Starvinsky. It's the same music Williams uses for Tinkerbell in Hook.

Stravinsky's Rite of Spring - Williams has used this as a basis of a lot of compositions in Star Wars and other big adventure stuff. In Harry Potter Williams uses the same String motif as in "Dances of the Pretty Maidens" and in Star Wars when the droids are in the desert look at the similarities between that and "Great Sacrifice - Introduction".

Both Star Wars and Superman's main titles uses stuff from Korngolds "Kings Row" I have the MP3 of it if anyone is interested.

etc etc etc etc..... Williams has a lot of other Influences like the before mentioned composers.

[Morn 8]

Ohh yes! Rite of Spring is a must get!

And which part of Harry Potter are you refering to?

[Guest]

For some strange reason...whenever I listen to the Andante of Hanson's 2nd, I always think it sounds so much like the Alien end credits! I don't know why I have this crazy dream, but it all seems so real!

I hear TRON in Adagio, towards the middle and the end.

[ocelot 508]

Morn,

It's one of the last tracks, or maybe it was only in the film and not on the CD, I'll have to listen to it again, but it's the whole down bow aggressive chomping string thing, and it's not the part at the end of track 13, its just like the rite of spring part... very effective!!!!!

[Director 1]

Well, I don't know much about Hanson, but what great composers to be inspired from, huh? Stravinsky is, arguably, one of the best ever and Korngold was, hands down, an incredible composer.

Dan - wondering how Berlioz and Mozart inspire Johnny