Film composers & instruments

[Carnifex 5]

I have been wondering about styles composers have for instrumentation: what instruments does Williams (or any composer) use more and what less? Do you hear an oboe in Goldsmith's scores often and so on. One might say that it depends on the film he is composing not having preferences and that could be true.

But still do you honorable film music fans think that there are certain styles visible concerning instruments?

[Humpty Dumpty 0]

I have been wondering about styles composers have for instrumentation: what instruments does Williams (or any composer) use more and what less? Do you hear an oboe in Goldsmith's scores often and so on. One might say that it depends on the film he is composing not having preferences and that could be true.

But still do you honorable film music fans think that there are certain styles visible concerning instruments?

John Williams likes French horns—a lot.

[Carnifex 5]

It requires lot of concentration to notice these things, to list possible ratios for solo instruments for example. I find it interesting to know though. I have not paid much attention about his earlier, and it might be futile also.

[Beowulf 4]

I have been wondering about styles composers have for instrumentation: what instruments does Williams (or any composer) use more and what less? Do you hear an oboe in Goldsmith's scores often and so on. One might say that it depends on the film he is composing not having preferences and that could be true.

But still do you honorable film music fans think that there are certain styles visible concerning instruments?

John Williams likes French horns—a lot.

As does Goldenthal.

[Carnifex 5]

Also I usually hear the harp in Williams' scores. Does anyone else use it in the same scale?

[John Crichton 4]

Williams uses timpani and cymbals much more than anyone else.

[Ollie 1,061]

Isn't that also known as Boomtzzzzzzz?

[Carnifex 5]

Williams uses timpani and cymbals much more than anyone else.

Goldsmith had his share of timpani and very effectively he used them too.

Mark you said it first.

[John Crichton 4]

Isn't that also known as Boomtzzzzzzz?

I do believe it is.

Of course you get plenty of them seperate too.

[Carnifex 5]

I think we can connect oboe and Thomas Newman. He sure likes it and I too.

The way he used it in "How to Make an American Quilt" is hauntingly beautiful.

[Marian Schedenig 8,237]

Isn't that also known as Boomtzzzzzzz?

I do believe it is.

The Boomtzzzzz doesn't use a timpani, but a bass drum.

Williams does have an occasional fondness for timpani solos, often even having the timpani play a theme. That's cool.

[Carnifex 5]

Isn't that also known as Boomtzzzzzzz?

I do believe it is.

The Boomtzzzzz doesn't use a timpani, but a bass drum.

Williams does have an occasional fondness for timpani solos, often even having the timpani play a theme. That's cool.

I love that term "The Boomtzzzzz". Sounds like an orchestra name "Johnny Williams and The Boomtzzzzz".

[Treatyman 0]

From what i have seen and heard I thinks instruments he really likes to use are:

WW: Clarinets Most commonly used woodwind in his writing.

BRASS: F Horns Most commonly used instrument in the orchestra! To be honest the man is a genius, i just think he uses the horn way way too much. IMO

PERC: Timp, Piatti's, Glockenspiels. BOOMTZZZZ DING, DA, DINGLY, DING, DING

KEYBOARDS: Piano, Celeste. Pianos and the Celeste a usually never ever used in classical repertoire, well at least not as extravagantly as JW thats y i think he really appreciates the effect the instruments have on an orchestra. I would say this would be his favorite because its his primary.

HARPS:Harp(altho may not be used alot in a piece you can tell by his scoring he really does love the instrument)he puts Harps in every piece. Now studying Schindler's List you can really see his love for the harp come throughout the score.

STRINGS: Cello(WOOOHOOOO baby!!!) you can commonly see how JW uses the cello to really create most of his moods. pitch and sound-wise they relate to the horns very much, so you commonly see them doubled together quite oftan.

[oierem 155]

Regarding woodwinds, Williams loves flute and oboe solos. (basically all the love themes). You rarely hear a clarinet solo-theme (The Terminal is one of the few examples).

[Carnifex 5]

Yeah John Williams is the bastion of Western music, he cannot use clarinet as a solo instrument.

[Treatyman 0]

Regarding woodwinds, Williams loves flute and oboe solos. (basically all the love themes). You rarely hear a clarinet solo-theme (The Terminal is one of the few examples).

very true. not trying to argue you have a valuable point but that could possibly just be the style he wanted.

[Luke Skywalker 1,799]

Regarding woodwinds, Williams loves flute and oboe solos. (basically all the love themes). You rarely hear a clarinet solo-theme (The Terminal is one of the few examples).

schindler's list also

[oierem 155]

Right

And Fiddler on the Roof.

[Carnifex 5]

Do you think there are any particular reasons why not to use clarinet more, is it just because of the films or personal choices?

[oierem 155]

Also in classical music, there are much more oboe solos. For romantic moments oboe or flute work best.

[Marian Schedenig 8,237]

The piano has seen quite a lot of uses at least starting with the Romantic period. Several operas make heavy use of it (like Korngold's Die tote Stadt, which I just saw today, but also some Strauss operas).

The horn/cello combination was also often employed by Goldsmith, notably in the wonderfully Brucknerian The Monastery from The Final Conflict. And I still have fond memories of the big LSO horn section in his 2001 concert.

[Eric_JWFAN 11]

Williams likes everything indiscriminately. I can't even narrow it down to favorites.

[Red 75]

I've heard that one of his favorites instruments is the tuba.

[Incanus 5,723]

In the course of his long career Williams has had time to write solo parts for just about every instrument. One thing in common with most solo instruments is that he makes all of them sing. Every single note is meaningful and makes an impact.

Some of his favourites seem to be

Oboe: Williams employs this instrument for lyrical passages, as it is typically used. His oboe solos are often thoughtful, more so in his later work, almost meditative. Of course the instrument has a romantic quality which is in abundance in all of Williams' work.

Harp: Williams writes the best harp music in films these days. Most people remember just the glissandi of his adventure scores but he has written many subtle but beautiful passages for harp. Lanes of Limerick from Angela's Ashes or The David and Supermecha from A.I. (where there is a subtle harp duet) come to mind first.

Cello: There are numerous examples of cello in his recent years: A.I., Seven Years in Tibet, Memoirs of a Geisha, Angela's Ashes, Munich.

Horn: I think horn is his particular favourite. He writes such beautiful and powerful music for horn(s).

[Luke Skywalker 1,799]

Right

And Fiddler on the Roof.

And he did a clarinet concerto.

[oierem 155]

Harp: Williams writes the best harp music in films these days. Most people remember just the glissandi of his adventure scores but he has written many subtle but beautiful passages for harp. Lanes of Limerick from Angela's Ashes or The David and Supermecha from A.I. (where there is a subtle harp duet) come to mind first.

Fluffy's Harp :cool:

[Maglorfin 196]

Williams does have an occasional fondness for timpani solos, often even having the timpani play a theme. That's cool.

Hmmm, do you remember any examples (of timpani playing a theme in JW's music)?

[ChrisAfonso 188]

One I know from the top of my head is at the end of the Intersection Scene from WotW, where the timpani (even two sets of them alternating parts of the motif from the far left/right of the stereo spectrum) repeat the aggressive rising motif the horns play before. I really love that passage

[Melange 446]

James Horner = CLANG!!!!!

[Maglorfin 196]

One I know from the top of my head is at the end of the Intersection Scene from WotW, where the timpani (even two sets of them alternating parts of the motif from the far left/right of the stereo spectrum) repeat the aggressive rising motif the horns play before. I really love that passage

Very interesting, thanks! I don't remember that, I'll have to listen to the score again when I come home for the weekend.

[Marian Schedenig 8,237]

Yes, that's a cool one. The timpani also gets some cool counterpoints in Star Wars, for example.