Your favorite use of the flute/bassoon/clarinet...

[Josh500 1,615]

There are so many examples, but I'll say this:

flute: Reunion and Finale (Sleepers) from 1:12 onwards... so lovely!!! I love this section. In fact, I love this whole track.

bassoon: Secrets of the Castle (Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban) from 1:30 onwards... so spookily well-written!!! Only JW could have arranged it like this.

clarinet: Omaha Beach (Saving Private Ryan) from 5:25 onwards... so brief but so moving!!! One of his best!!!

[Red 75]

There are many, many Williams flute pieces that are amazing, but "The Face of Pan" from Hook is among my favorites.

[Seth 67]

Flute-I'm kind of partial to the jazz tinged solo in the concert arrangement of Leia's Theme.

Bassoon-There's some great clownish writing in the Jar-Jar music from TPM. The concert arrangement of Smee's Plan has a really nice solo, and the desert music in Star Wars has some great section writing.

Clarinet-The Terminal obviously. There are several nice passages scattered throughout E.T.. But one of my favorites is the scalar passage just before the action music in "Ben's Death/TIE Fighter Attack."

[King Mark 3,631]

Can't say I like the bassoon much

[Seth 67]

The bassoon is somewhat of an acquired taste. I used to not like it but with a good player it's a beautiful instrument.

[King Mark 3,631]

JW's concerto's are weird enough as they are I wish he's at least pick the horn instead of a second bassoon concerto.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I would love JW to write a Concerto for oboe and orchestra with style like The Search For Robin , The Fury and

Avner and Daphna , Munich.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

The 3 flutes in CE3K. There's a scene towards the end of the movie at Devil's Tower. Before the UFOs sweep down lower they perform a "light display" in the night sky, like shooting stars. Towards the end of the display three "stars" come together and then fly apart again. At that point the three flutes form a minor triad with a little (dorian?) flourish. It's such a delicate and beautiful moment. It affected me ever since I first saw the movie (aged 8), even though I had no idea what minor or dorian were at that time.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

The 3 flutes in CE3K. There's a scene towards the end of the movie at Devil's Tower. Before the UFOs sweep down lower they perform a "light display" in the night sky, like shooting stars. Towards the end of the display three "stars" come together and then fly apart again. At that point the three flutes form a minor triad with a little (dorian?) flourish. It's such a delicate and beautiful moment. It affected me ever since I first saw the movie (aged 8), even though I had no idea what minor or dorian were at that time.

Yes, that is an amazing scene and one of the many reasons why I'm possessed by this score.

Beautiful piccolo parts also.

[TownerFan 4,983]

When it comes to woodwinds, John Williams never fails to write some of his best pieces (ditto for strings, brass, percussion and keyboard instruments )

I have many favourites JW pieces that sport great moments written for woodwind instruments, so it's not easy just to pick one or two. I think "Schindler's Workforce" from Schindler's List contains some of the best woodwind writing (especially for clarinet) he has ever done; "Lost Boy Chase" from Hook has some amazing, virtuosic passages for flute and piccolo that always leave me breathless; Saving Private Ryan is brimful of impeccable clarinet/flute writing; I also love the flute solos throughout The River and Sleepers.

But if I have just to pick one single moment of pure Williams woodwind bliss, I choose the final minute of "Secrets of the Castle" from Prisoner of Azkaban. Pure delight!

[Josh500 1,615]

Good points, Lord Maurizio! Speaking of Schindler's List, I love the flute solo somewhere halfway through "Making the List." I said so in another thread already, but this is one of his best! Also, the final rendition of Sabrina's Theme has a nice flute accompaniment. (First oboe, then flute.) All I can say is... wonderful!