Sandor 796 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I'm not very familiar with Fiddler On The Roof and only know a couple of the most famous songs. Recently I read John Williams wrote the main title sequence all himself. Is it true? Is it somehow based on the existing song material Williams had to work with or is this 100% a John Williams composition? Thanks for the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Yes, the violin cadenza is JW's own composition. Of course it's molded after Jerry Bock's original material from the musical, but it's more a composition job than an arranging one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor 796 Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, TownerFan said: Yes, the violin cadenza is JW's own composition. Of course it's molded after Jerry Bock's original material from the musical, but it's more a composition job than an arranging one. Thanks. So there are direct melodic references to Bock's material? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 57 minutes ago, Sandor said: Thanks. So there are direct melodic references to Bock's material? If you listen to the album, you'll quickly realise that the opening titles quotes themes and motifs from Bock's material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor 796 Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 22 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: If you listen to the album, you'll quickly realise that the opening titles quotes themes and motifs from Bock's material. Ok clear and thanks for answering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stravinsky 203 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Is there more underscore than was released on the Anniversary CD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,507 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Isn't the music that underscores the trashed wedding, JW's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 7 minutes ago, stravinsky said: Is there more underscore than was released on the Anniversary CD? At least Opening Title is unreleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, stravinsky said: Is there more underscore than was released on the Anniversary CD? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Andrade 1,262 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I believe that the Dream Sequence also has some additional incidental music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,480 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I hate the dream sequence in Fiddler. There is no more annoying and ittitating sequence in all the cinematography world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,903 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 I believe he also composed some of the entre'acte music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jediwashington 59 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 I mean, it's sort of a battle of semantics. In my opinion, Williams' Fiddler is not simply a re-orchestration and putting in a few transitions; it even presses the boundaries of arrangement into "reinterpretation" at times. That being said, all of the source material is from the original score with all melodies and vocal lines preserved 99% of the time. It's really the supporting material in the background that is the most different and adds a lot more virtuosity and he changes some keys. A simple crescendo in the broadway book gets incredible treatment from woodwind runs and miracle of miracles turns into this incredibly sweeping piece that puts the broadway version to shame from an orchestration standpoint. Everything from the original score is just brought to a different level of life with his additions, but Williams is tasteful and rarely alters the work structurally. Dances may be the exception to this, but the original book had TONS of dance music that isn't on albums that he may had pulled from. Been a while since I've played the show. The violin melody is from the original show, but he takes a lot more liberty with the development. As karelm mentioned, the entre'acte also has a lot of material that isn't necessarily composed, but has really imaginative combinations as well. The show has so many great classic melodies and motifs, you don't really need to "compose" much. Once 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,478 Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 It definitely bears Williams' stamp through and through, but there isn't as much incidental/original music as in, say, TOM SAWYER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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