NBC News - The Mission

[Thornhill 19]

Sorry if that has previously been discussed, but it has been a while since I have been here. I understand that back when Williams wrote "The Mission" for NBC News, there was a CD released (I'm guessing pretty limited) with variations on his famous theme. Does anyone know anything about it - or where one could find the music? Thanks!

[Thor 7,463]

I suspect you're talking about the 2CD NBC promo, which was a collection of bumpers, intros and outros of the theme (as well as Williams' other themes for NBC News, and music by other composers) - intended only for broadcast purposes. That is the only "release" I'm aware of, if you don't count the various commercial releases of the "Mission" theme on Boston Pops compilations and such.

I have no idea where you can find it, unfortunately; it made its rounds a few years ago in the collector's market.

[Incanus 5,713]

Yes official releases of the piece feature only the NBC News Mission theme long concertized version. John Williams has re-recorded this several times e.g. with Boston Pops.

As Thor said those different recordings of the main theme, short bumpers and various themes for the different NBC News specials were never commercially released and only sent as promos and for station use to the NBC affiliates. Some here are far more deeply versed in this so hopefully they can clarify the situation further.

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

That is corrrect. There are some bootlegs going around with those bumpers, but usually in poor quality. NBC created a couple of CDs, the second of them, a 2 disc set, with themes and bumpers to be used by their affiliate stations, and the later one does have some Williams tracks.

[DreamTheater 131]

I have the theme on 'The Music of America: John Williams', performed by Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, conducted by Williams

Not sure if this is helpful, but it's a fantastic set, that one.

[thx99 1,740]

Here is the information for the two NBC News promos that existed at one time, for use by NBC affiliates (as Thor, Incanus, & Miguel pointed out above)...



Track Listing

• Usage Rights (0:15)
• Nightly News :30 (0:33)
• Nightly News :20 (0:22)
• Nightly News :15 (0:18)
• Nightly News :10 (0:13)
• Nightly News :04 (0:07)
• Today Show :30 (0:33)
• Today Show :20 (0:23)
• Today Show :15 (0:18)
• Today Show :10 (0:13)
• Today Show :04 (0:07)
• Today Show (Serious) :30 (0:33)
• Today Show (Serious) :20 (0:23)
• Today Show (Serious) :15 (0:18)
• Today Show (Serious) :10 (0:13)
• Today Show (Serious) :04 (0:07)
• Today Show (Down) :30 (0:33)
• Today Show (Down) :20 (0:23)
• Today Show (Down) :15 (0:18)
• Today Show (Down) :10 (0:13)
• Today Show (Down) :04 (0:07)
• NBC News Special Reports :30 (0:33)
• NBC News Special Reports :20 (0:23)
• NBC News Special Reports :15 (0:18)
• NBC News Special Reports :10 (0:13)
• NBC News Special Reports :04 (0:07)
• NBC News Special Reports (Fuller) :30 (0:33)
• NBC News Special Reports (Fuller) :20 (0:23)
• NBC News Special Reports (Fuller) :15 (0:18)
• NBC News Special Reports (Fuller) :10 (0:13)
• NBC News Special Reports (Fuller) :04 (0:07)
• Meet The Press :30 (0:33)
• Meet The Press :20 (0:23)
• Meet The Press :15 (0:18)
• Meet The Press :10 (0:13)
• Meet The Press :04 (0:07)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Light) :30 (0:33)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Light) :20 (0:23)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Light) :15 (0:18)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Light) :10 (0:13)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Light) :04 (0:07)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Serious) :30 (0:33)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Serious) :20 (0:23)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Serious) :15 (0:18)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Serious) :10 (0:13)
• Saturday/Sunday Today (Serious) :04 (0:07)
• Dateline Up Radio :30 (0:33)
• Dateline Up Radio :20 (0:23)
• Dateline Up Radio :15 (0:18)
• Dateline Up :10 (0:13)
• Dateline Up :04 (0:07)
• Dateline Down Radio :30 (0:33)
• Dateline Down Radio :20 (0:23)
• Dateline Down Radio :15 (0:18)
• Dateline Down :10 (0:13)
• Dateline Down :04 (0:07)
• Today (Up)/Dateline :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Serious)/Dateline :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Down)/Dateline :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today/Dateline (Up) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today/Dateline (Serious) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today/Dateline (Down) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Up)/Nightly News :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Serious)/Nightly News :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Down)/Nightly News :15/:15 (0:33)
• Nightly News/Today (Up) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Nightly News/Today (Serious) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Nightly News/Today (Down) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Nightly News/Dateline (Down) :15/:15 (0:33)
• Dateline (Down)/Nightly News :15/:15 (0:33)
• Today (Up)/Nightly News :30/:30 (1:03)
• Today (Serious)/Nightly News :30/:30 (1:03)
• Today (Down)/Nightly News :30/:30 (1:03)
• Nightly News/Today (Up) :30/:30 (1:03)
• Nightly News/Today (Serious) :30/:30 (1:03)
• Nightly News/Today (Down) :30/:30 (1:03)
• Nightly News/Dateline (Down) :30/:30 (1:03)
• Nightly News/Dateline :30/:30 (1:03)
• Dateline/Nightly News :30/:30 (1:00)

TOTAL TIME - 34:42

Track Listings (source)

CD 1 (41:52)

John Williams
1. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) part I (01:50)
2. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) part IV (Meet the Press) (01:54)
3. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) opener (00:30)
4. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) opener/closer (00:30)
5. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) opener/closer (00:20)
6. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) opener/closer (00:15)
7. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) bumper #1 (00:08)
8. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) bumper #2 (00:08)
9. NBC News Theme (a.k.a. The Mission) bumper #3 (00:08)

Joel Beckerman, Lloyd Landesman, John Williams
10. NBC Nightly News Generic ("The Mission" Variation) (00:30)
11. NBC Nightly News Generic ("The Mission" Variation) (00:20)
12. NBC Nightly News Generic ("The Mission" Variation) (00:15)
13. NBC Nightly News Generic ("The Mission" Variation) (00:10)
14. NBC Nightly News Generic ("The Mission" Variation) (00:04)

Alan Zahn, Joel Beckerman, John Williams
15. NBC Nightly News Guitar & Piano (Sensitive) (00:30)
16. NBC Nightly News Guitar & Piano (Sensitive) (00:20)
17. NBC Nightly News Guitar & Piano (Sensitive) (00:15)
18. NBC Nightly News Guitar & Piano (Sensitive) (00:10)
19. NBC Nightly News Guitar & Piano (Sensitive) (00:04)

Alan Zahn, Joel Beckerman, John Williams
20. NBC Nightly News 6/8 Melody (provocative) (00:30)
21. NBC Nightly News 6/8 Melody (provocative) (00:20)
22. NBC Nightly News 6/8 Melody (provocative) (00:15)
23. NBC Nightly News 6/8 Melody (provocative) (00:10)
24. NBC Nightly News 6/8 Melody (provocative) (00:04)

Michael Kessler, Joel Beckerman, Alan Zahn, John Williams
25. NBC Nightly News Hard & Fast (00:30)
26. NBC Nightly News Hard & Fast (00:20)
27. NBC Nightly News Hard & Fast (00:15)
28. NBC Nightly News Hard & Fast (00:10)
29. NBC Nightly News Hard & Fast (00:04)

Arthur Bacon, Lloyd Landesman, John Williams, Joel Beckerman
30. NBC Nightly News Dramatic (orchestral) (00:30)
31. NBC Nightly News Dramatic (orchestral) (00:20)
32. NBC Nightly News Dramatic (orchestral) (00:15)
33. NBC Nightly News Dramatic (orchestral) (00:10)
34. NBC Nightly News Dramatic (orchestral) (00:04)
35. NBC Nightly News Melancholic (piano/violin) (00:30)
36. NBC Nightly News Melancholic (piano/violin) (00:20)
37. NBC Nightly News Melancholic (piano/violin) (00:15)
38. NBC Nightly News Melancholic (piano/violin) (00:10)
39. NBC Nightly News Melancholic (piano/violin) (00:04)

Stewart Winter, Joseph Saba, John Williams
40. Tense NBC (full tag) (00:30)
41. Tense NBC (spare tag) (00:30)
42. Tense NBC (slow tag) (00:30)
43. Basic NBC (full tag) (00:30)
44. Basic NBC (spare tag) (00:30)
45. Basic NBC (slow tag) (00:30)
46. Slow NBC (full tag) (00:30)
47. Slow NBC (spare tag) (00:30)
48. Slow NBC (slow tag) (00:30)

Joseph Saba, Stewart Winter
49. Special Report #1 (tag) (00:30)
50. Special Report #1 (bed) (01:00)
51. Special Report #2 (tag no pad) (00:30)
52. Special Report #2 (tag with pad) (00:30)
53. Special Report #2 (bed with pad) (01:00)
54. Special Report #2 (bed no pad) (01:00)
55. Special Report #3 (tag) (00:30)
56. Special Report #3 (bed) (01:00)
57. Special Report #3 (tag with beat) (00:30)
58. Special Report #3 (bed with beat) (01:00)
59. Tech Stock (bed) (01:00)
60. Tech Stock (pad) (01:00)
61. Tech Stock (bed no pad) (01:00)
62. Tech Stock (pad) (01:00)
63. Tech Stock (no pad, no drum) (01:00)
64. Excitement NBC (00:30)
65. Excitement NBC (00:20)
66. Excitement NBC (00:15)
67. Excitement NBC (hard end) (00:10)
68. Excitement NBC (drum intro) (00:10)
69. Morning NBC (00:30)
70. Morning NBC (00:20)
71. Morning NBC (00:15)
72. Morning NBC (hard in) (00:10)
73. Morning NBC (ramp up) (00:10)
74. Entertainment NBC (00:30)
75. Entertainment NBC (00:20)
76. Entertainment NBC (00:15)
77. Entertainment NBC (00:10)
78. Techno NBC (00:30)
79. Techno NBC (00:20)
80. Techno NBC (with break) (00:15)
81. Techno NBC (without break) (00:10)
82. Techno NBC (00:10)
83. Investigation NBC (00:30)
84. Investigation NBC (00:20)
85. Investigation NBC (00:15)
86. Investigation NBC (00:10)

CD 2 (21:37)

Jay Stollman, Fred Shehadi, Peter Primamore
1. Today Upbeat (00:30)
2. Today Upbeat (00:20)
3. Today Upbeat (00:15)
4. Today Upbeat (electric guitar melody) (00:10)
5. Today Upbeat (chime end) (00:10)
6. Today Upbeat (00:04)
7. Start with Today '97 (00:30)
8. Start with Today '97 (00:20)
9. Start with Today '97 (00:15)
10. Start with Today '97 (with vocal tag) (00:15)
11. Start with Today '97 (00:10)
12. Start with Today '97 (00:10)
13. Start with Today '97 (with vocal tag) (00:10)
14. Start with Today '97 (00:04)
15. Today Rock (00:30)
16. Today Rock (00:20)
17. Today Rock (00:15)
18. Today Rock (00:10)
19. Today Rock (guitar riffs) (00:10)
20. Today Rock (NBC sting) (00:10)
21. Today Rock (00:04)
22. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:30)
23. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:20)
24. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:15)
25. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:10)
26. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:04)
27. Today Mellow (with sax) (00:04)
28. Today Mellow (with guitar) (00:30)
29. Today Mellow (with guitar start with melody) (00:20)
30. Today Mellow (with guitar start with NBC chime) (00:20)
31. Today Mellow (with guitar) (00:15)
32. Today Mellow (with guitar) (00:10)
33. Today Mellow (with guitar) (00:04)
34. Today Mellow (with guitar) (00:04)
35. Today Serious (reflective) (00:30)
36. Today Serious (reflective) (00:20)
37. Today Serious (reflective) (00:15)
38. Today Serious (reflective) (00:10)
39. Today Serious (reflective with NBC chime) (00:04)
40. Today Serious (reflective) (00:04)
41. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:30)
42. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:20)
43. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:20)
44. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:15)
45. MTP - Soft Press (politics start with NBC chime) (00:10)
46. MTP - Soft Press (politics start with melody) (00:10)
47. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:04)
48. MTP - Soft Press (politics) (00:04)
49. Today Tech (00:30)
50. Today Tech (00:20)
51. Today Tech (00:15)
52. Today Tech (00:10)
53. Today Tech (00:04)
54. Today Scary (00:30)
55. Today Scary (00:20)
56. Today Scary (00:15)
57. Today Scary (00:10)
58. Today Scary (00:10)
59. Today Scary (00:10)
60. Today Scary (00:04)

Michael Karp
61. Dateline NBC Theme (majestic open) (01:38)
62. Dateline NBC Theme (energetic elec guitar) (00:10)
63. Dateline NBC Theme (energetic sax) (00:10)
64. Dateline NBC Theme (energetic, no melody) (00:10)
65. Dateline NBC Theme (sad fluglehorn) (00:10)
66. Dateline NBC Theme (comic) (00:10)
67. Dateline NBC Theme (comic, no woodblock) (00:10)
68. Dateline NBC Theme (heroic) (00:09)

Ketherine Bates & Samuel Ward arr. Roger Tallman
69. America The Beautiful (01:00)
70. America The Beautiful (00:30)

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I was recently reminded how awesome the Meet the Press theme (The Mission Part IV) is.  It's a shame that wasn't included in the concert version of The Mission.

 

Badass

 

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

It's totally one of my favorite JW pieces ever. I get legit excited whenever NBC uses it for breaking news.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I count the NBC News music among my favorite scores.

[Faleel 5,330]

I prefer the scherzo myself.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I don't think I prefer any of the individual pieces over each other, taken together they're some of my favorite Williams work.

 

But yeah, Today was on every single morning growing up so I can practically smell coffee and feel like I need to wipe sleep from my eyes when I hear this  

 

 

EDIT: I'm somehow only just finding out that the current ABC World News Tonight theme since 2012 is by Hans Zimmer!  And it sucks!

[nightscape94 965]

16 hours ago, Selina Kyle said:

I count the NBC News music among my favorite songs.

 

Fixed.

[Dr. Know 326]

Is there a better quality recording of the 2004 version of "The Mission" available than the 96kbps fils on that network news site?

[thx99 1,740]

22 minutes ago, Dr. Know said:

Is there a better quality recording of the 2004 version of "The Mission" available than the 96kbps fils on that network news site?

 

THIS a thousand times!!!

[Dr. Know 326]

I mean, where did that guy get it???