Popular Post Holko 9,525 Posted December 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 Thought it might be a good idea to start a collection - he writes precious little but it's always great! I'll be updating this master list with posts later posted here. Booklet scans in first spoilers, transcripts for accessibility in second spoilers. Signature Edition notes graciously donated by @mrbellamy! 1969 - Flute Concerto 1983 LSO/Slatkin recording Spoiler THE FLUTE CONCERTO I wrote my flute concerto in 1969. The concerto was "inspired" by some demonstrations of the Japanese Shakuhachi flute that I had heard at that time. I was so impressed by the music of this instrument that I wanted to try to create something for the conventional modern flute that would reflect the atmosphere evoked by Shakuhachi flutists. I wanted the solo part to sound “improvised” and decided to make the flute the only wind instrument in the piece. The accompaniment is provided by strings, percussion, piano, celeste and harps, as they make mysterious sounds like the snapping of branches, while we explore some imaginary mythical forest. -John Williams Spoiler 1970 - Jane Eyre Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When director Delbert Mann asked me to compose a score for his exquisite film Jane Eyre, I was enjoying an extended stay in England with my wife and young children. I accepted the assignment with great pleasure, and at Mr. Mann's invitation, I was able to travel to Yorkshire and to visit the parsonage where Charlotte and Emily Brontë grew up under the tutelage of their preacher father. It was here in the isolation of the parsonage that the two sisters wrote what have long been considered masterpieces of 19th Century British literature, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. In her story Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë introduces the reader to the young girl Jane, who begins her life attending Lowood School, with its liturgical and austere atmosphere, to which girls of her class were routinely subjected. The first movement of the suite attempts to capture the ambience of a vanished but still haunting world. In "To Thornfield", the orchestra presents a lively scherzo accompanying a brisk and breathtaking carriage ride across the moors of Yorkshire... and is followed by "Reunion"... a lyrical theme that serves to underscore the love story that is at the core of this enduring and highly romantic tale. 1972 - Images Written for the LP OST that went unreleased, circled around as an Academy FYC promo, then as a boot, then as a not-quote-properly-legal release, then finally released officially and authorised in 2021 by Quartet Records, text reproduced in the booklet. Spoiler Spoiler In his new film Images, Robert Altman creates Umbany, the strange "other" world in the life of Cathryn, his female protagonist. In photographing the film, Altman shows a remote corner of Ireland to achieve the alone-ness, the never-before-seen strangeness of Umbany. The film, however, does not seek to contrast the two worlds of the schizophrenic Cathryn. Instead, it creates and atmosphere so conductive to Cathryn's flights from reality that, during the course of the film, the audience becomes unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy - for Altman, with his consummate skill, witholds this distinction from the audience until the final moments of the film. When Altman first showed me his film in London in January 1972, I was overwhelmed by the picture and the atmosphere he created. It did seem to me, however, that some contrast between the "real" and "unreal" might be achieved musically - not fir the purpose of cueing the audience, but more to get inside Cathryn's head, so to speak., and musically accompany her state of mind rather than her physical condition or behavior. I wanted to contrast the sad, loveless, childless greyness of her "real" life with the terrifying encounters of her "other" existence. For her real-life music I composed a simple, sad, G-minor tune, but with peculiar Prokofiev-like shiftings of key center, and contrasted with a 6/8 running-in-the-woods kind of figure. All of this is presented in a very conventional way, set for piano and string orchestra, without giving any hint of the horrors Cathryn is to experience. I also tried to give this "real" music a quality of great age so that it would accompany Cathryn as she composed her stories for children, which seemed to be made up of characters from an epoch long forgotten. While searching for an idea for the music of Cathryn's "other" life, I remembered a concert presentation given in Los Angeles some years ago. The concert featured music performed on sculptures created in Paris by the French sculptors François and Bernard Baschet. I remembered the sculptures being visually striking, and the possibilities for sounds created on these instruments were unmistakable. A few years after this concert, while on a trip to London, my friend André Previn brought the work of a Japanese percussionist, Stomu Yamash'ta, to my attention, and mentioned to me that Yamash'ta was performing on the sculptures of Baschet. The memories I had of the sculptures, with the coincidence of Yamash'ta's performance in London, did not come together in my mind until I was suddenly struck with the idea that these elements were exactly what I needed for Altman's film. I immediately contacted Yamash'ta who was instantly receptive to the idea, and we met in Paris, where he lives, to discuss how I could work out a practical method of notation for the Baschet instruments. This was not difficult, since Yamash'ta is a superb musician and was instantly able to play with total accuracy anything I notated for him, including the various vocal noises and more conventional percussion effects that appeared in the score. Combined with string orchestra and keyboards, Yamash'ta's playing served to accompany Cathryn's flight from reality. It accompanies her meetings with lovers past and present, and underscores her three acts of violence, two imagined and one real. In writing this music I employed some of the current methods of avant-garde, that is to say, graph-like music without the use of bar lines, etc., producing some random aleatory-like freedom but within the rigid discipline of split-second timing when the film's action required it. This music is written for a normal string orchestra of approximately 26 players, with all vocal and percussion effects done by Yamash'ta, and all keyboard playing done by myself. Also, Yamash'ta's own creative contribution was invaluable, especially his performance on shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese flute, as well as other percussion effects of his own invention, all of which he lent freely to the enterprise. I also want to particularly thank John Richards of C.T.S. Recording Studios in London for his marvelous work in the recording of the music. 1975 - Jaws Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When I first saw Jaws, I thought that it was a great movie in the best time-honored tradition of adventure films. It was thrilling, at times terrifying, and always tremendously enjoyable to watch. The film plumbed the depths of our fear of the deep, and offered an opportunity for the basses and celli of the orchestra to sound the alarm. As the small boat, the Orca, set out to do battle with the great white shark, the orchestra provided a fugue to underscore the epic struggle between man and beast. Jaws was director Steven Spielberg's first great popular success, and the role that the music played in the film is something that always elicits a broad smile from me, and what I hope is a permissibly small measure of pride. (1974-)1976 - Violin Concerto I. 1983 LSO/Slatkin recording Spoiler THE VIOLIN CONCERTO The 20th century has been an extremely rich period in the production of violin concertos. It is a period in which we have been given masterpieces of the genre by Barton, Berg, Elgar, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Walton and others. These works have set a very high standard for any composer wishing to contribute a piece of this kind. However daunting these great examples of the recent past may be, the medium of the violin concerto continues to fascinate. The violin itself remains an instrument of enormous expressive power, and the urge to contribute to its repertoire is great. With these thoughts in mind, I set to work laying out my concerto in three movements, each with expansive themes and featuring virtuosic passage work used both for effective contrast and display. The pattern of movements is fast, slow, fast with a cadenza at the end of the first movement. Although contemporary in style and technique, I think of the piece as within the romantic tradition. The first movement starts with an unaccompanied presentation, by the solo violin, of the principal theme, which is composed of broad melodic intervals and rhythmic contour, in contrast with the more jaunty second subject. Orchestra and soloist share the exploitation of this material, and after the solo cadenza the movement is brought to a quiet conclusion. The second movement features an elegiac melodic subject. While this melody is the central feature of the movement, there is, by way of contrast, a brisk middle section based on rushing ‘tetrachordal’ figures that are tossed back and forth between soloist and orchestra. The mood of the opening is always present, however, as the rushing and playing about continue to be accompanied by hints of a return to the movement's more introspective opening. The finale begins with chiming chords of great dissonance from the orchestra, all of which pivot around a G being constantly sounded by the trumpet. The solo part commences immediately on a journey of passagework in triple time that forms a kind of moto perpetuo which propels the movement. In rondo-like fashion, several melodies emerge until insistent intervals, borrowed from the first movement, form to make up the final lyrical passage ‘sung' by the solo violin. An excited coda, based on the triple-time figures, concludes the work. I began composing the concerto in 1974, finishing it October 19, 1976. It is dedicated to the memory of my late wife. -John Williams Spoiler 1976 - Midway Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Midway March" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents The Battle of Midway was one of the great events in the history of the United States Navy. It was wonderful to see the recent reunion of American and Japanese veterans joining in peace and warm friendship, as they've searched to locate the site of the great struggle. When I was young, I remember my father recounting to me that, during his childhood, he'd heard and seen John Philip Sousa conduct his famous band. And so, when the opportunity emerged to compose music for the film Midway, I tried to write an orchestral march that would be American in spirit, with a jazzy nautical swagger, and would fit squarely in the tradition of the great American marches that I've loved since my youth. 1977 - STAR WARS Written for and appearing on the double LP OST. http://www.jw-collection.de/scores/swlp.htm 1977 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents Over the years, Close Encounters of the Third Kind has remained one of my favorite Steven Spielberg films. With its depiction of the long-awaited visit of the beautiful and loving extra-terrestrials, the fascinating premonitions of the little boy, and the five-note musical motif used to communicate with our other worldly guests, the film offered a rich and unusual canvas on which to present the music. I'm indebted to Mr. Spielberg for the opportunity he offered me through this film, and am delighted to share this concert edition with those who may remember this exceptional film as fondly as I do. 1977; 1980 - Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents During 1997, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of George Lucas' classic film Star Wars. All of us connected with this phenomenal movie have been greatly gratified to see an entire new generation of very young film-goers enjoy the Star Wars trilogy and relate so strongly to its story, characters, and music. Also, I am personally delighted to have this new edition of the score available to orchestras and the public. It includes the "Imperial March" and "Yoda's Theme," both of which have not been available until this present printing. I have always felt privileged to have had the opportunity to compose music for these landmark films, and the ongoing interest in the films and their music has continued to be one of my greatest joys. 1977; 1980; 1983 - Music from the Star Wars Saga Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Hide contents When composing the music for the first Star Wars epic, I had no idea that there would be many more films to come. At that time, I couldn't anticipate the extent of George Lucas' creativity, but as each film was added to the collection, I was given a unique opportunity to develop new themes as the stories required. This collection of pieces from Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, evoke much nostalgia for me, as well as an ongoing delight that young people…. now across a generation… continue to be captivated by the "Force" of George Lucas' imagination. 1978 - Superman: The Movie Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Superman March" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Growing up in my generation meant that you avidly followed the exploits of Superman in the syndicated comic strips that regularly appeared in newspapers across the country. It was a time when Superman fired the imaginations of all of our youngsters, and I was no exception. Many years later, when director Richard Donner asked me to compose the score for his feature-length film of Superman, I was thrilled. I truly felt that I was revisiting a formative part of my childhood. I remember how excited I was when Mr. Donner showed me his wonderful film with actors Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder flying high above the Statue of Liberty in one of the movie's many memorable moments. I began by writing this piece, which formed the basics of the musical score for the film. The movie's great success wouldn't have been possible without Christopher Reeve who embodied every characteristic of what we imagined Superman to be. I would like to dedicate this concert edition to my friend Christopher, without whom this music would never have seen the light of day. 1979 - 1941 Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The March from 1941" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Steven Spielberg's hilarious comedy 1941 featured the late actor John Belushi brilliantly portraying a character known as Wild Bill Kelso. Kelso was a crazy, impertinent but lovable Air Force pilot whose antics seemed to require a musical accompaniment that had humor and rhythmic vitality. As a result, I set myself the task of writing a zanily patriotic march that upon hearing, we might be moved to tap our feet to an imaginary parade going by, and have fun doing it. 1980 - The Empire Strikes Back (Charles Gerhardt Rerecording) Spoiler Spoiler In recent years, Charles Gerhardt has done more than anyone else toward advancing the course of film music. I was delighted when he asked me if he could record the suite from The Empire Strikes Back, since I am a great fan of his recorded performances. Moreover, I was so pleased with his recordings of the original Star Wars and Close Encounters scores, which he also made in association with producer George Korngold, that I have looked forward to this recording with special anticipation. When I heard a test pressing, I was thrilled. The Suite, which I had specially written and adapted for concert performance (The Imperial March, Yoda's Theme, The Asteroid Field, Han Solo and The Princess and Finale), had been skillfully augmented with other music from the film to form a unified whole. A great orchestra and Gerhardt's opulent sound and dramatic phrasing combine to make a fine addition to a rapidly growing list of great scoring of film music. 1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Raiders March" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents "The Raiders March" was written in 1981 for Steven Spielberg's production of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I created the march as an "adventure" theme to be associated with Indiana Jones, the colorful hero of the film, played so brilliantly by actor Harrison Ford. The success of this wonderful movie led to two sequels: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. These films formed a trilogy which become one of the most successful action-film series in cinema history and we used the march as the central musical theme for all three episodes. This music was introduced at the beginning of the first film when Indiana made his initial escape from the pursuing villains and it was subsequently used as the musical accompaniment for all of his daring exploits. Since its composition, I've had so much joy performing this piece in its original form, that I'm delighted that this edition has been made available. 1982 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Flying Theme" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In the film E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial), director Steven Spielberg gives us scene after scene during which we willingly "suspend" our "disbelief." Toward the end of the film, Spielberg has the group of youngsters featured in the story mount their bicycles and hurry to take E.T. back to his spaceship and safety. They're hotly pursued by the local police, and a brilliant chase ensues. The children accelerate their bikes to the point where gravity is neutralized...they reach "escape velocity" and majestically soar over the moon. Watching all of this, we accept it as reality and fly along for the ride. Of the countless scenes I've scored in films, I think that this one is perhaps my favorite of all. It continues to hold a very firm, fond and permanent place in my memory. Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Adventures on Earth" Hide contents Adventures On Earth is part of the score that I composed for Steven Spielberg's classic film, E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial). The music was designed to accompany the bicycle chase near the end of the film and as the young cyclists reach escape velocity, E.T's theme is heard as they fly "over the moon." The more sentimental music that follows, accompanies the dialogue as E.T. bids farewell to his earthling friends. This is followed by timpani and brass fanfares as the orchestra brings the film to a close. 1982 - Monsignor Written for and appearing on the LP OST packaging, reprinted in the 2019 Intrada Records reissue/expansion. Spoiler Spoiler Monsignor presented a wonderful opportunity to create a musical theme which would convey a sense of the futility, sadness and great conflict that characterizes the relationship of Flaherty and Clara. The opening statement of this theme is first presented by the trumpet, here beautifully played by Maurice Murphy, the great principal trumpeter of the London Symphony Orchestra. The theme of “Reunion In Italy" is used in the film as an atmospheric piece which accompanies Flaherty and Varese as they travel throughout Italy and Sicily. The “Gloria” accompanies the great scene at the Vatican and features the Ambrosian Choir in the traditional Latin text used in the Gloria of the Mass. These principal pieces of material form the basis of the score which reunited me with the London Symphony Orchestra. After Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Dracula, Superman and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Monsignor becomes my latest score, recorded with this great orchestra in a collaboration that I hope will continue for many years to come. 1983 - The Star Wars Trilogy (Varujan Koijan/Utah Symphony Orchestra Recording) Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When producer George Korngold told me of his plans to present music from all three Star Wars films on one record, I was particularly pleased. I was gratified because this record will mark the first time that the music will appear in one collection, and secondly because it will be presented by the very fine Utah Symphony Orchestra which I have admired for such a long time. The scores of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were composed over a period of seven years- and I have tried while working over this long period to write music, the parts of which would eventually form one unified whole. I thank Maestro Koijan for bringing together his forces to present an idea that I have hoped would be realized since the earliest days of my work on The Star Wars Trilogy. 1984 - NBC News - "The Mission Theme" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents I wrote The Mission Theme in 1984 at the request of the NBC News Division, and was delighted when they chose it as their musical signature for the NBC Nightly News featuring Tom Brokaw. Although used in small sound-bite versions, the music was heard each night during Mr. Brokaw's long and distinguished career at NBC. While writing this piece I remembered my father expertly tapping out Morse Code signals, or the clatter of the old ticker tape, so I decided to start the music with a kind of allusive reference to these pre-Internet means of news delivery. The opening figure provided a rhythmic pulse over which I could lay the main Mission theme. Because of time constraints common to the medium, I don't believe the full version presented here has ever been heard on television, and so if orchestras and audiences might derive a little pleasure from this piece without the aid of their TV sets, I would feel as though we're having a truly good-news day. 1986 - SpaceCamp Written for and appearing on the LP OST packaging, reproduced in the 2014 Intrada reissue. Spoiler Spoiler In the creation of SpaceCamp, Director Harry Winer and Executive Producer Leonard Goldberg have given us a marvelous movie! The film succeeds as pure entertainment while simultaneously succeeding on several other levels. The story embraces the excitement of discovery and the exultation of being on the edge of a great new frontier - a frontier which presents unparalleled opportunity for all of us. In the film our student astronauts are presented a daunting challenge as they make their first flight into space. They rise to this challenge brilliantly and experience that first great flush of success that is the result of their hard, work and courage. The movie also brings us some of the wonderful atmosphere and ambience of NASA and of the great effort involved in the exploration of space. Our entire country - the whole world, in fact - feels a sense of inspiration from this great endeavor and, despite setbacks and growing pains, the space program continues to be one of our country's most lustrous success stories. In composing the music for the film, I've tried to express the exhilaration of this adventure in an orchestral idiom that would be direct and accessible ... speaking directly to the “heart" of the matter. I feel honored to have been asked to compose this score, and I feel particularly proud of my association with SpaceCamp and its creators. 1988 - "The Olympic Spirit" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Spoiler "The Olympic Spirit" was written in 1988 at the request of the NBC Sports Division to accompany parts of their visual presentation of the Olympic Games celebrated that year in Seoul, South Korea. I tried to create a clear, simple "anthem" that could be stated by the entire orchestra, bur primarily featuring the brass choir which is unequalled in its ability to conjure the spirit of heroism and dedication exhibited by the Olympic athletes. As always, the Olympic Games themselves present a metaphor for peaceful competition and worldwide cooperation that are our best hope for the future, and if "The Olympic Spirit" can in some small way capture the essence of these higher goals it would be rewarding indeed. 1989 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When Harrison Ford and Sean Connery took their wild ride on a motorcycle side-car in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, I wrote this piece for our orchestra to accompany it. When I finally heard the sequence in the finished movie, the sound of the motorcycle predominated, so I later thought that it might be fun to play the piece without the participation of that unmelodious vehicle. Though we will never find an instrument called a "motorcycle" in any of our orchestration books, I nevertheless chose to title the piece "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra," leaving the sound of the motorcycle to the imagination. 1990; 1992 - Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Three Holiday Songs from Home Alone" Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents "Somewhere In My Memory" and "Star of Bethlehem" were written in 1990 as part of the musical score for the film Home Alone. "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" appeared two years later in the sequel production entitled Home Alone II. The atmosphere in both of these films was charming and they were both imbued with a warm Dickensian glow. To further enhance the effect of all this I utilized a children's chorus to sing with our orchestra on the soundtrack recording. In this present version I have rearranged the songs for either an adult chorus or a children's chorus with orchestra. When performing with an adult chorus, I think the music would be greatly enhanced by adding as many children's voices as might be available. The colorful lyrics are by my friend and long-time associate, Leslie Bricusse. 1991 - JFK Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When Oliver Stone asked me to compose the score for his controversial and thought-provoking film J.F.K., he presented me with a challenge that I especially welcomed. For all Americans, and particularly for those of my generation, President Kennedy's life has always been imbued with a mythical dimension, no less powerful today than he was alive. The three movements of this suite are taken from the film score. They include the "Theme From J.F.K.," which attempts to portray something of the young president's character, including a reference to his Irish ancestry, followed by "Motorcade," which deals with the tragic events that took place in Dallas in 1963, and finally by "Arlington," where at the Arlington National Cemetery the eternal flame burns, symbolizing our country's devotion to one of its most beloved heroes. 1991 - Hook Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Flight to Neverland" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents For countless centuries mankind has dreamed of flying, which is why I think it could be argued that the greatest achievement of the twentieth century may have been the accomplishment of flight itself. Our fascination with flying, and the freedom we associate with it, may be among the principle reasons why the story of James Barrie's 1923 play has been retold in every imaginable medium. My favorite moment has always been when Peter Pan and Tinkerbell rise above the rooftops of London and fly off to Neverland. In writing the music for Steven Spielberg's film version of the story, which he called Hook, I tried to create a clear, singing melody that might combine some of the wonder of childhood with the energy and "lift" required for this famous flight. 1992 - Far and Away Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents After seeing John Ford's classic film The Quiet Man as a youngster many years ago, I had always aspired to write a film score based on an Irish subject. When Ron Howard asked me to score his film Far and Away, I immediately realized that my opportunity had arrived. Given the richness of Irish vernacular music, the challenge to create original melodies in the Irish style was a daunting one. Nevertheless, it was a challenge I particularly enjoyed and had great fun with. I wrote one theme attempting to depict County Galway circa 1892, another describing the "fighting Donelly's," a love theme for the characters Joseph and Shannon (played respectively by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), and a "blowing off steam" fight theme that accompanied the typically Irish fun-filled "donnybrook" that was so perfectly realized in the film. My fondest hope is that orchestras and audiences might derive even a fraction of the pleasure from this music that I had in writing it. 1993 - Jurassic Park Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme from Jurassic Park" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In his highly successful book, Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton has, with flights of fancy and great writing skill, enabled us to imagine what the return of the great vertebrates of 150 million years ago might be like. Steven Spielberg, in his 1993 film adaptation of the book, provided us a glimpse of the power and beauty of these fascinating creatures. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to tell the film's story musically, and while we can luxuriate in the magnificent sound produced by our modern orchestras, it's nevertheless tempting to imagine what the trumpeting of these great beasts of the distant past might have been like. 1993 - Schindler's List Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Three Pieces from Schindler's List" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Spoiler During the summer of 1993 it was my great privilege to compose music for Steven Spielberg's brilliant film Schindler's List. The film's ennobling story, set in the midst of the great tragedy of the Holocaust, offered an opportunity to create not only dramatic music, but also themes that reflected the more tender and nostalgic aspects of Jewish life during these turbulent years. For this part of the soundtrack I featured a solo violin, accompanied by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and our greatest good fortune was to have Itzhak Perlman as soloist for the recording. Included here are three pieces - "Theme From Schindler's List", "Jewish Town (Krakow Ghetto - Winter '41)", and "Remembrances" - which embody the main thematic elements of the score, and it is especially gratifying to me that this music can now be available for performance independent of the film. 1993 - Sound the Bells! Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In 1993, I led the Boston Pops Orchestra on a tour of Japan where the orchestra has played many times for wonderfully friendly and enthusiastic audiences. That particular tour was nearly contemporaneous with the wedding of Crown Prince Naruhito and Masako Owada, and I thought our concerts would present a good opportunity to celebrate the event by offering a fanfare written especially for these concerts. I've always been fascinated by the huge Japanese temple bells, and while I made no attempt to emulate these, they were a kind of inspiration for the prominent use of percussion. "Sound the Bells!" was originally written for brass and percussion only, and I later orchestrated it for full orchestra for use on our Boston Pops concerts. 1996 - Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Solo Trumpet with Piano Reduction Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents As a youngster growing up in the 1940s, I was not unaware of the enormous influence that the brass players of the great swing bands had on the young people of our country. Beginning with Louis Armstrong, whose contribution inspired generations of trumpeters, these artists extended the expressive capabilities of their instruments and can certainly be credited with developing a school of brass playing, the influence of which can still be felt in nearly every musical ensemble that employs brass. In my teen years, I too wanted to join in the fun. My father agreed that if I continued with my piano studies, I could have a trombone; and he arranged for me to take lessons. I also taught myself to play a little on the trumpet, but I was never very comfortable switching mouthpiece sizes, so my brass playing - always amateur level to be sure - was pretty much restricted to the trombone. Given this background and after writing so much brass music for films and for ceremonial pieces, you can imagine my pleasure when the Cleveland Orchestra asked me to write a concerto for their newly appointed principal trumpeter, Michael Sachs. Not only did this commission offer me an opportunity to compose a work for an instrument that I truly love, but it promised the privilege of having the piece performed by one of the world's greatest orchestras and featuring one of the world's most elegant trumpeters. The premiere performances were brilliantly conducted by the orchestra's music director Christoph von Dohnanyi in October of 1996 with Michael Sachs as soloist. Mr. Sachs has also very successfully performed this version for trumpet and piano. Whether the influences mentioned above can be felt at any level of this piece, I cannot say, but I nevertheless hope that interested students and professionals might find a fraction of the pleasure that I have found in writing this concerto and having it performed by these wonderful artists. 1997 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme from The Lost World" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In the spring of 1997, Steven Spielberg created The Lost World, which appeared as a sequel to his earlier and highly successful Jurassic Park. These fascinating stories, taken originally from novels by Michael Crichton, became wonderful material for films due to the brilliant technical innovations that made it possible to show huge prehistoric animals in full lifelike realism. Both films required extensive orchestral score, and for The Lost World, with its slightly darker and more mysterious mood, I tried to create a high adventure theme which would suggest a storybook atmosphere of "uncharted" islands located on "off the map" latitudes. To achieve this I used extensive percussive rhythms, mixed with irregular but dancelike metric patterns, all of which could be combined and presented with full orchestral force and energy. 1997 - Amistad Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents Composing the musical score for Steven Spielberg's very moving film, Amistad presented a particular challenge. The story required that the music form a connecting bridge between the rich oral traditions of African tribal culture and Quaker-inspired music of early 19th century America. For some of the scenes requiring an African texture, I felt that the use of children's voices would be particularly effective. This seemed especially true in the final "boat" scene when the Africans, now free, were returning home. As I searched for a text of what the children might sing, I discovered in a volume of West African poetry, a poem by Bernard Dadié written decades ago, which was entitled "Dry Your Tears, Africa Your Children Are Coming Home." I was thrilled to discover this, however accidentally, as it seemed ideal for the final scene of this film. I was especially excited to learn that Bernard Dadié is alive, well, living in Africa, and pleased that we wished to use his poem for the film's musical score. The words of the song that I wanted to write would of course, have to be sung in Mende, the native tongue of the Africans associated with this true story, and so with the help of a translator at the Sierra Leone embassy in Washington D.C., I arranged to have the poem translated from English into Mende. After slightly adjusting some of the text to fit the musical phrases, and with Mr. Dadié's permission, and adding some generic phrases such as... "sing a song of joy...hush child don't cry", it only remained to teach our children's choir to phonetically sing the song. I was particularly pleased that after we had completed the film and music I had the pleasure of meeting Bernard Dadié's family at the Washington D.C. premiere of the film. It was wonderful to realize once again how music has the power to join people together who are otherwise separated by oceans and continents. 1997 - Five Sacred Trees Hal Leonard Signature Edition Hide contents As we become increasingly aware of the damage done by the destruction of our forests, it is illuminating to discover that our ancestors, many thousands of years ago, prayed to the spirits before felling a tree. One prayer was appropriate for a maple, another for the elm, the ash and so on. The English poet, Robert Graves, writes of these prayers, which I have been unable to find but which, nonetheless, have moved me to compose this music about trees featuring the bassoon, itself a tree. This is all the result of a request for a concerto by the great bassoonist Judith Le Clair, whose unparalleled artistry is a mystery and a wonder in itself. I Eo Mugna, the great oak, whose roots extend to Connla's Well in the "otherworld," stands guard over what is the source of the River Shannon and the font of all wisdom The well is probably the source of all music, too. The inspiration for this movement is the Irish Uilleann pipe, a distant ancestor of the bassoon, whose music evokes the spirit of Mugna and the sacred well. Il Tortan is a tree that has been associated with witches and as a result, the fiddle appears, sawing away, as it is conjoined with the music of the bassoon. The Irish Bodhrán drum assists. III The Tree of Ross (or Eo Rossa) is a yew, and although the yew is often referred to as a symbol of death and destruction, the Tree of Ross is the subject of much rhapsodizing in the literature. It is referred to as "a mother's good," "Diadem of angels," and "faggot of the sages." Hence, the lyrical character of this movement, wherein the bassoon incants and is accompanied by the harp! IV Craeb Uisnig is an ash and has been described by Robert Graves as a source of strife. Thus, a ghostly battle, where all that is heard as the phantoms struggle, is the snapping of twigs on the forest floor. V Dathi, which purportedly exercised authority over the Poets, and was the last tree to fall, is the subject for the close of the piece. The bassoon soliloquizes as it ponders the secrets of the Trees. 1998 - Saving Private Ryan Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Hymn to the Fallen" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Saving Private Ryan is certainly one of Steven Spielberg's most powerful films. The accumulative effect of his great photography and the splendid performances contained in the film combine to produce a jolting emotional impact, particularly in the closing moments of the movie. Preparing the music for this portion of the film presented a particular challenge in that the music needed to be effectively reverent in tone while still being quiet and simple enough so as not to intrude on the private reflections of each viewer. It occurred to me that the music could be vocal, at least to the extent that it featured a choral texture but without relying on a written text that might present a distraction for the audience. I do however feel that the piece can be performed effectively with orchestra alone. In writing the music, the fallen heroes shown in the film were constantly in my mind and it is to the memory of the real-life heroes portrayed so convincingly in the film that I have the privilege of dedicating this music. 1999 - Angela's Ashes Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Two Concert Pieces from Angela's Ashes" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Bringing a brilliant book to the screen always requires a transition that is both difficult and precarious. Fortunately in the case of Frank McCourt's beloved autobiography "Angela's Ashes", this task has been accomplished with tremendous skill and taste by the great British film director Alan Parker. Mr. Parker's film offered me an opportunity to compose themes that, while being somewhat Irish in character, might also embrace a broad and perhaps more universal emotional appeal as well. It is a joy to be able to share these two themes from the motion picture score with those who may have derived the same pleasure that I have from this unforgettable book and outstanding film. 1999 - Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Written for and appearing on the CD OST. Looking for a better booklet scan if anyone's willing to work on it. Spoiler Spoiler While recording the music for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace with the London Symphony Orchestra, I was delighted to see that there were a dozen or so members of the orchestra who had played on the original 1977 soundtrack. During our first intermission, several of the younger players approached me and explained that, as children, they had seen and heard Star Wars, and immediately resolved to study music with the goal of playing with the London Symphony. As you can imagine, hearing this thrilled me since I had frequently noticed how many six-year-olds in our own country, who, not even having been born at the time of the original Star Wars movies, nevertheless know the story, characters and music of all three earlier films. George Lucas seems to have created a truly trans-generational phenomenon. He has in fact created a mythological world full of tall tales, magical creatures and exotic places that has taken a permanent place in the popular culture of the entire world, and it is my continuing privilege to accompany him on his uniquely creative journey. 1999 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents With the creation of his Star Wars films, George Lucas has contributed an addition to the popular culture that is truly cross-generational. At the recording sessions for the music of The Phantom Menace, we were reunited with the London Symphony Orchestra which had performed so brilliantly on the soundtracks of the three original films. During the first intermission at Abbey Road Studios, several of the younger members of the orchestra approached me to say that when, as children, they had heard the music of Star Wars, they resolved to study music with the goal of eventually playing with the great London Symphony Orchestra. It was thrilling to be reminded that the films and the music have reached so many people all around the world. In composing the score for The Phantom Menace, I was given the opportunity to add to the collection of music written for these films, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to write new themes that would comfortably wed to the texture of the original music. This suite from The Phantom Menace contains four new pieces: "The Flag Parade", "Anakin's Theme", in which I placed hints of Darth Vader's "Imperial March" thus signaling the metamorphosis that Anakin is to undergo, "The Adventures of Jar Jar", and "Duel of the Fates". Unlike the music of the earlier films, "Duel of the Fates" utilizes chorus. For the text of this piece, I have used a portion of the old Celtic poem "The Battle of the Trees", which I discovered in a translation by Robert Graves which appears in his great book The White Goddess. I was captivated by the stanza "Under the tongue root a fight most dread, while another rages behind in the head." This seemed to me to be mystical and ritualistic and very appropriate to accompany the great sword fight in the film. For translation into a language that would be cryptic and obscure, I first tried Celtic and Greek, before finally, with the help of a scholar at Harvard, settling on Sanskrit. I felt this beautiful old language contained vowel sounds that would be very effective for chorus. I've used single words and syllables which never quite complete the stanza, but which suggest its meaning in a way complete enough for my musical purposes. I think the piece is most effective in its original choral setting, but I also feel that it can produce a very good result if played with orchestra alone. I must say I feel very fortunate indeed in having the privilege of accompanying George Lucas as he continues on his creative journey through these magical Star Wars films. 1999 - Tributes!/For Seiji! Can be found on The John Williams Collection Webpage. Reveal hidden contents For Seiji! is a collection of musical thoughts and jottings that form a kind of Festschrift* for orchestra, which has been written for Seiji Osawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra as they celebrate twenty-five years of artistic collaboration. These jottings also form little portraits of just a few of the great soloists in the orchestra's ranks, and, at other moments, sketches of entire sectional groups. I've attempted to "freeze-frame" some of the wonderful sonorities the orchestra produces that are among my personal favorites. The piece is based on the interval of a major second, which, like its sister interval, the seventh, has to be constantly tuned and retuned in performance, according to its modal and harmonic context. Musicians make these adjustments intuitively, and the tuning of this small interval is one of the great secrets of good orchestral intonation, which is, in turn, a prerequisite to making a beautiful sound. The piece opens with sonorous brass intoning a low "D", which in my mind is a kind of signature pitch level of the Boston Symphony as its sound resonates with the empathetic and all-knowing walls of Symphony Hall. The strings then sound the secundal "E" and we proceed from there, as a five-note melodic idée fixe carries us along. I've dedicated all of this to Seiji, who has not only led the orchestra but has tended and nourished it through these many years, thus preserving and invigorating a great tradition. These few notes are but a small tribute to Seiji and the great Boston heritage we all so rightly treasure. John Williams * A Festschrift (German for "festival-writing") is, in a literal sense, a collection of writings published in tribute to its honoree. 2000 - The Patriot Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents The film, The Patriot, with its brilliantly realized scenes of heroism and sacrifice on the battlefields of the American Revolutionary War, created a wonderful opportunity for a colorful musical score. I felt that the character of the music should be direct and in an approachable American style, and I therefore tried to write themes that would accomplish this end and create the desired atmosphere for the film. The music features woodwind flourishes which paraphrase the "fifing" tunes that we associate with the pageantry of the time, as well as a nostalgic song-like melody that functioned as a love theme for the young people so poignantly separated by the war. The film, which was directed by Roland Emmerich and starred Mel Gibson, was released in the year 2000, and I'm delighted that this edition has been made available for those particularly interested in film music. 2000 - TreeSong Source: http://www.jw-collection.de/classical/treesong.htm Spoiler For quite a few years it's been my habit to walk in the Boston Public Garden as often as I can, and it has been during these walks that I found myself stopping before a particular tree and pausing to admire it. The tree is a beautiful specimen of the Chinese dawn redwood, or metasequoia, and over time my fascination with it grew into a full-fledged infatuation. I later learned that the dawn redwood dates from the Mesozoic era, and until as recently as the 1940s it was thought to be extinct. Fossils of its presence in the deep past did exist, but when live specimens were discovered in China, the tree became referred to as the "living fossil.” Standing before the tree one can sense its age and feel its wisdom. I kept this affair of the heart very much to myself for several years until one day when I was walking in Boston's Arnold Arboretum with Dr. Shiu-Ying Hu, the Harvard-based botanist, to whom I'd been recently introduced. During our stroll we casually paused in front of a large tree that I hadn't looked at closely enough to recognize immediately. Pointing to the tree, Dr. Hu explained that this tree was the oldest metasequoia in North America and that she had planted it in the late 1940s using seeds she had brought with her from China. I was thunderstruck by this coincidence, and when I told her of "my” metasequoia in the Public Garden, she informed me that the younger tree I loved so much was also one of her children. Recently, when I was given the opportunity to write a piece for Gil Shaham, I thought of Dr. Hu and her tree. The result is TreeSong for violin and orchestra. The piece doesn't aspire to "describe” the tree per se, but it does attempt, in my mind at least, to connect, to the degree possible, the great beauty and dignity of this magnificent conifer with the elegance and grace of Gil Shaham and his art. 2001 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite for Orchestra Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents The success of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has been a heartwarming phenomenon to all those who love books. The worldwide reception that these works have received added greatly to the sense of privilege that I felt when I was given the honor of composing the music for the film version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The story's imaginative array of wizards flying on broomsticks and mail-delivering owls, all occupying a wondrous world of magic, offered a unique canvas for music, and the prospect of sharing it with some part of the great army of readers who love these books is a great joy for me. 2001 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Children's Suite Written for and appearing in the Hal Leonard published sheet music, reproduced in the 2018 La-La Land Records Harry Potter 1-3 Expanded Box's common tracklist and liner notes booklet. Spoiler Spoiler When I wrote the full orchestral score for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I hadn't planned to write the eight miniatures presented here. The film's score did not require them, and our production schedule, usually very difficult in the film world, made no provision for their arrival. However, if I can be permitted to put it a bit colorfully, each piece seemed to insist on being "hatched” out of the larger body of the full score. I began writing Hedwig's little piece, and each of the others followed quickly as they seemed to arrive all clamoring for their individual identities. I selected a combination of instruments that suited each theme, and this suite of pieces is the result. Hedwig, the beautiful owl who magically and mysteriously delivers mail to Harry Potter at Hogwarts School, is musically portrayed in the first miniature by the celesta, a luminous little instrument which is capable of producing pearly, crystalline tones at dazzling speeds. The celesta begins its flight alone, but quickly is joined by the violins, possibly the only other instrument capable of attaining the dizzying pace needed to defy gravity and achieve flight. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that august institution that has trained and taught young wizards for centuries, is probably best described by the French horn section of the orchestra. No other instrument seems so perfectly suited to, capturing the scholarly atmosphere of Hogwarts than the noble and stately French horn. In the third miniature we meet Harry Potter's arch enemy, the evil Lord Voldemort, who is portrayed here by a trio of bassoons sounding their mysteriously deep and sonorous tones. The Nimbus 2000 is Harry Potter's own personal broomstick. To musically depict this ingenious mode of transportation we have the woodwind section, with its flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, all capable of extraordinary leaps and astonishing, agility, forming a perfect match for the nimble Nimbus 2000. On the third floor of Hogwarts School we find Fluffy, the huge three-headed guard dog. Fluffy is a music lover who can only be made to fall asleep to the sound of music. Here the contrabassoon represents the snoozing Fluffy, while his music is provided by the beautiful ... and in this case ... soporific harp. In the Harry Potter books, Quidditch is a form of intramural, competition that's played on flying broomsticks. The games are conducted every year at the Hogwarts School with great pageantry, featuring colorful flags and cheering crowds. In the sixth miniature, the pomp and ceremony of these Quidditch games is best represented by the blazing brass section of the orchestra, with its tuba, French horns, trombones, and heraldic trumpets. In the seventh miniature, "Family Portrait,” the clarinet introduces the themes that relate to the disparate parts of Harry Potter's emotional life, and here it is accompanied by the cello section of the orchestra, which produces a wonderfully warm and beautiful sound. Diagon Alley is a sort of shopping mall of the wizard world. Along with the wondrous things to be seen in the Alley, we're also transported by the sounds of antique recorders, hand drums, and percussion instruments of all kinds. There is even an elaborate solo part for the violin, cast in the role of the witch's fiddle. With all of the miniatures presented, the suite concludes with the entire orchestra as it explores many of the themes heard throughout “Harry's Wondrous World.” My fondest hope is that instrumentalists and listeners alike might share in some of the joy that I have felt in writing music for this delightful story. - JOHN WILLIAMS 2002 - "Call of the Champions" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents I was extremely pleased to have been invited to compose a theme for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, to be held in February of that year in Salt Lake City, Utah. When I learned that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would be available to perform the piece, I was delighted, as I hadn't before had the privilege of working with this glorious ensemble, and have long admired them. As I searched for an idea for a text, I came upon a Latin phrase that was adopted as the official Olympic motto at the inauguration of the Modern Olympic Games, held in 1896. The motto is composed of three words: "citius, altius, fortius," meaning "swifter, higher, stronger," and as far as I've been able to determine, has never been set to music. I therefore decided to adopt it, as I thought this colorful triad of words would be well suited to effect a declamatory salvo from the chorus that would underscore the celebratory and heraldic spirit of the Games. It was my great honor to conduct the premiere of the piece with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony at the Opening of the Games in Salt Lake City on February 8, 2002, which happened to coincide exactly with my 70th birthday. 2002 - Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Across the Stars" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is the fifth film in George Lucas' series for which I've written the music. This installment of Mr. Lucas' far-reaching saga offered the unusual and very welcome opportunity to compose a love theme. The classic love stories in literature invariably describe a forbidden relationship where the lovers are separated by family, cultural constraints of one kind or another, or religion. Our story is no exception in that Padme and Anakin are separated by rank and social status. This time-honored tension presents the challenge of expressing love's exultation while simultaneously suggesting the grief and tragedy that separation would eventually bring. Likewise, the title, "Across the Stars" suggests the timelessness of love-eternal while dropping the hint that our lovers' knot might be ill-fated and "star-crossed." As always, in matters of the heart, the outcome is time's own secret. 2002 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second of J. K. Rowling's wonderful stories to be translated into film by director Chris Columbus. The film presented me with an opportunity to write themes for Rowling's growing collection of fascinating characters, including Fawkes the Phoenix, the noble bird that rescues Harry at the end of the film, as well as Dobby the magical elf and Gilderoy Lockhart, the foppish Hogwarts don. The present suite concludes with an orchestral version of "The Chamber of Secrets" in which I've tried to capture something of the awe and wonder of the mysterious Chamber itself. 2002 - Catch Me If You Can Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra" Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents The 2002 film Catch Me If You Can constituted a delightful departure for director Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of Frank Abagnale, the teenaged imposter, who baffled FBI agents with his incredible exploits. The film is set in the now nostalgically tinged 1960's, and so it seemed to me that I might evoke the atmosphere of that time by writing a sort of impressionistic memoir of the progressive jazz movement that was then so popular. The alto saxophone seemed the ideal vehicle for this expression and the three movements of this suite are the result. In "Closing In," we have music that relates to the often humorous sleuthing which took place in the story, followed by "Reflections," which refers to the fragile relationships in Abagnale's broken family. Finally, in "Joy Ride," we have the music that accompanied Frank's wild flights of fantasy that took him all around the world before the law finally reigned him in. In recording the soundtrack for this entertaining film, I had the services of saxophonist Dan Higgins, to whom I'm indebted for his virtuosic skill and beautiful sound. My greatest reward would be if other players of this elegant instrument might find some joy in this music. 2004 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite for Orchestra Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the third in J.K. Rowling's popular series of books to be presented on film. The story is rich with characters and situations offering wonderful opportunities for music. This suite includes references to magic, flight and wizardry, including Aunt Marge's helium balloon trip, the zany Knight Bus ride through the city and "Double Trouble," the admonitory song of the students at Hogwarts School. It was a joy to team up with film director Alfonso Cuarón on this adventure, and I must say I had a particularly good time setting music to this story which resulted in such an entertaining and enjoyable film. 2004 - The Terminal Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Viktor's Tale" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents The largely fictitious character of Viktor Navorsky was the central player in Steven Spielberg's entertaining film, The Terminal. In the story, Viktor left his home in an imaginary Eastern European country, arriving at a U.S. airport where his adventures began. To portray Viktor's warmth and friendliness, I decided write a dance-like piece for clarinet and orchestra that would capture something of his colorful ethnic background. In recording the soundtrack of the film, I was very lucky to have the services of the clarinetist Emily Bernstein, who performed the music with great style, technique and taste. 2005 - Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Battle of the Heroes" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In bringing us Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas connects and completes the tale of his great epic in space. The fateful encounter of Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi takes the form of a brilliant lightsaber duel symbolizing the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. To accompany this moment in the film, I've written "Battle of the Heroes," for which I've constructed a motif based on four simple pitches which are in turn driven by the full propulsive force of the orchestra. 2005 - Memoirs of a Geisha Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Chairman's Waltz" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents When Arthur Goldman's novel Memoirs of a Geisha appeared in 1997, I read it with great pleasure and was intrigued by its description of a culture noted for its great delicacy and exquisite art. The invitation from director Rob Marshall to compose the score for his film version of the story conferred upon me an exciting opportunity and a daunting challenge. At the center of the story is the little girl Sayuri, who is captivated by an older man who shows kindness to her, and who later in her life becomes her mentor, and later still her lover. The gentleman in the story is called The Chairman, and to underscore his first meeting with Sayuri, Rob Marshall suggested that I write a simple and delicate waltz expressing the innocence of the child... and "The Chairman's Waltz" is the result. For the film soundtrack recording, made in 2005, it was our great privilege to have Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma as our soloists. 2008 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Adventures of Indiana Jones" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents In creating the character of Indiana Jones, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have introduced an enduring and much loved figure into the pantheon of fictional movie heroes. For over a quarter of a century now, the films have been illuminated by the superb comedy-action performances of Harrison Ford and enlivened by the spirited direction of Steven Spielberg. Speaking for myself, I must say that the experience of composing music for these films has been a very happy one, and it has consistently offered me a wild and joyous ride. The pieces contained in this volume are from the most recent Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and I hope they might bring with them some measure of the genuine spirit of fun that engendered their creation. 2011 - War Horse Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Dartmoor, 1912" Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Reveal hidden contents The counties of Devon and Dorset in the west country of England are among the most beautiful places on earth, and in the first two decades of the 20th century, the great modern masters of the English pastoral style wrote musical paeans to this, their beloved countryside. Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frederick Delius, George Butterworth, the Australian Percy Grainger, among others, all contributed to a rich literature that I've loved and admired for a long time. In a very real sense, "Dartmoor, 1912" was written as an homage to these great men. I'm also very grateful to Steven Spielberg for the opportunity offered in his film War Horse, to attempt to recreate the atmosphere of an historic time in an enchanting place. 2012 - "Fanfare for Fenway" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents If we're fortunate enough to attend a baseball game at a major league ballpark... hear the crack of wood on leather, and listen to the roar of the crowd, we know we are witness to one of the most enduring elements that unify the American soul. My parents were both New England people, and as I grew up, I often heard of the wondrous events that occurred at a place called Fenway Park in Boston. Many years later, when I was privileged to visit the park at night when it was empty, it was impossible not to feel the presence of countless great athletes who performed there, and the millions of happy fans who were thrilled by the games. Fenway Park is certainly hallowed ground in the history of American sport, and when the Red Sox asked if I would write a fanfare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the park, I accepted immediately, and joyously went to work. It was also my honor to conduct members of the Boston Pops Orchestra in the first performance of the piece, at the Centennial Celebration of the park on April 20, 2012. 2015 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Over the years, George Lucas' Star Wars saga has continued to hold its grip on the imaginations of its millions of fans worldwide. Presented with the task of renewing and extending the great story, in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, director J.J. Abrams has risen to the challenge magnificently. New and exciting characters join the original cast on a joy ride that offered rich possibilities to extend the musical score. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Harrison Ford give particularly strong performances, and it's been my privilege to musically accompany their fresh and energetic screen presence. For the soundtrack recording, we had the services of a brilliant Los Angeles-based studio orchestra, and with this new suite, my hope is that other orchestras and audiences may also want to continue to join in the fun of Star Wars. 2017 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Rebellion is Reborn" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Spoiler With the eighth installment of the Star Wars films, director/writer Rian Johnson has graced us with Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He's produced an exciting new extension of the now iconic saga that reintroduces Daisy Ridley as Rey, with Adam Driver, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in their respective and memorable roles. We also have newly revealed planets, homes to such magical creatures as sparkling, crystalline foxes and tiny, birdlike porgs. As Luke Skywalker intones towards the end of the film, "The Rebellion is Reborn," and all Star Wars fans, including myself, can rejoice! 2018 - Solo: A Star Wars Story Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Adventures of Han" Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Spoiler Han Solo...carefree pilot, inveterate gambler, reckless adventurer...has been portrayed magnificently by Harrison Ford from the very inception of the Star Wars series. In fact, his contributions to the roles of Han Solo in Star Wars, and Dr. Jones in the Indiana Jones series, earn Harrison a very high place in the history of action/adventure films. In Solo: A Star Wars Story, directed by Ron Howard, we learn more of the development of Han's personality from his beginnings as an orphan on the planet Corellia. Here, a more juvenile Solo is played by the actor Alden Ehrenreich, and "The Adventures of Han" forms the basis of the orchestral accompaniment to the bold exploits of this highly original and truly unforgettable character. 2019 - Star Wars Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker Written for and appearing on the CD OST. Spoiler Spoiler More than 40 years ago, George Lucas introduced to the world his singular imagination, ingenuity and creative genius. He also gave me an opportunity never before enjoyed by an operatic or film composer... the chance to work continually for four decades on a single project, and with each film, to add to a collection of musical themes which I hope will be seen as parts of a singular, organic whole. This experience has been one of the highlights of my professional life, bringing me so much joy in working with some of the world's greatest orchestras and musicians. I stand before the now completed nine Star Wars films with pride and gratitude for the gift of this extraordinary journey. 2019 - Across the Stars Written for and included in the releases' booklets. Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents Life without surprises would be very dull indeed. You might therefore imagine my surprise, pleasure and delight when, a couple of years ago, Anne-Sophie Mutter asked me to write a little piece for her. The idea that I might contribute in some small way to her already glorious career flattered me greatly, and challenged me at the same time... challenged because she also expressed a desire to record a collection of my themes from motion pictures. In discussing this idea, we both realized that I had adapted only one or two of these pieces for solo violin and orchestra, and that the remainder of the chosen material would have to be newly developed and orchestrated to complete her album. Because the opportunity to write for a great virtuoso always presents an energizing and exciting opportunity, I set about this project with great enthusiasm. Truly, this endeavor has been a particular joy for me. Anne-Sophie is many things... a great artist, a brilliant woman who brings honor to her country, and, through her many travels, a highly contributive and outstanding world citizen. There is, however, one thing that she is not. She is not a woman you can say no to. I couldn't ever... and never would! John Williams Working with Anne-Sophie on this recording has been a pure inspiration. She has brought vibrant life to these familiar themes in new and unexpected ways, which has been a great joy for me as a composer. John Williams 2020 - Live in Vienna Written for and appearing in the limited golden 2LP edition. Reveal hidden contents Reveal hidden contents The privilege of conducting the esteemed Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein was, for me, the honor of a lifetime. I was particularly impressed with the magnificent acoustics of the Great Hall, which are so justly renowned and so beautifully captured in Deutsche Grammophon’s splendid recording of these concerts. I was also very touched by the generosity and hospitality of the members of this great orchestra, all of whom performed this music with brilliance and enthusiasm. In these challenging days, when musicians and audiences around the world cannot come together to share the pleasures of music-making person, I look back on these very special concerts with great fondness, and I hope that these recordings might give listeners and viewers some measure of the joy I experienced in visiting beautiful Vienna. 2021 - West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein, adapted by David Newman) Written for the OST booklet. Spoiler On 21/12/2021 at 1:31 AM, ZackR said: Here is a quick shot of Williams' note from the WSS CD. Spoiler By the time I met Leonard Bernstein, he had already evolved into a great master conductor, internationally performing Mahler symphonies along with a broad and vast repertoire, bringing excitement, charisma and scholarship to everything he undertook to perform. But even with such a great aura surrounding him, it was impossible not to call him "Lenny." It all started in Boston when he was a student at Boston Latin and Harvard, where his electrifying intellect immediately shook the stone walls of those austere academic institutions. He was a star before he ever picked up pencil or baton. As a child he wrote plays and musicals with his sister Shirley, and was forever, then and always, a creature of the theater. It's not surprising that he created Fancy Free, On the Town, Candide and others before arriving at his masterpiece West Side Story. I believe that the idea to transpose Shakespeare's Capulets and Montagues into Sharks and Jets originated with Jerome Robbins, who turned to Arthur Laurents to write the book, a complex task he performed masterfully. It brought together three geniuses in the persons of Robbins, Stephen Sondheim and Lenny himself. It might be suggested that this golden trio never really knew too much about Puerto Rico or the Latin music they'd heard in Harlem, or even jazz for that matter. But their combined instincts for the theater were exactly what was needed to forge a work that stands as a beacon among twentieth century American musicals. Robbins' choreography has always been universally admired, and when it came to the art of creating a design for moving people around in the limited space of the average Broadway theater, he had few, if any, peers. Sondheim, who already had written the lyrics for Gypsy and still had his feet planted firmly on Tin Pan Alley, created some of his best early work here in West Side Story, before leaving gravity behind, and soaring to the heights of his later work. The third member of this golden trio was Lenny. His symphonic works are certainly Important, and even though his references to Jazz were sometimes a bit academic and stiff, they were always refreshingly his own. But of all his music, it is his work for the theater that we should especially cherish. Alex Ross is right when he says, if Lenny had written nothing else but "Simple Song" from Mass, he would have achieved immortality. In fact, Lenny himself has even been quoted as saying “Maria' is the greatest love song ever written." I have always felt that "Somewhere" is particularly moving, as it is redolent of the universal dream of finding... "a place for us." When Steven Spielberg told me that he was going to film West Side Story, I confessed to being a little jealous... as I'd written the scores for most of his films for over forty years, I had to concede that West Side Story didn't really need a new score! But Steven had always said that he wanted to make a musical, and we can be grateful that he brought his genius, generalship, and resources to bear, making it possible for him to enshrine on film this theatrical masterpiece for all posterity. Why this album? Simple... you will never hear this score performed better than it is here, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and played by the New York Philharmonic, Lenny's own orchestra, with additional music by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, all of whom brought to life the wonderful orchestrations of my late friends Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal. These men were longtime associates of Lenny's who had the uncanny ability to unravel his often-Beethovenian scrawls, written in the white heat of creativity This recording, engineered by Shawn Murphy and produced by David Newman, Matt Sullivan and Jeanine Tesori, should be on the shelf of every lover of one of our country's singular achievements, the American musical theater. 2021 - Violin Concerto No. 2 Written for the 2022 DG release. Spoiler Composing program notes has always been challenging for me. These descriptions always seem to try to answer the question "What is this music about?" And while music has many purposes and functions, I've always believed that, in the end, it ought to be freely interpreted through the prism of every listener's own personal history, prior exposures and cultural background. One man's sunken cathedral might be another woman's mist at the dawning. The meaning must therefore reside, if you'll forgive me, in the "ear of the beholder." I can only think of this piece as being about Anne-Spohie Mutter, and the violin itself - that unsurpassed product of the luthier's art. With so much great music already written for the instrument, much of it recently for Anne-Sophie, I wondered what further contribution I could possibly make. But I took my inspiration and energy directly from this great artist herself. We'd recently collaborated on an album of film music for which she recorded the theme from Cinderella Liberty, demonstrating a surprising and remarkable feeling for jazz. So, after a short introduction, I opened the "Prologue" of this concerto with a quasi-improvisation, suggesting her evident affinity for this idiom. There is also much faster music in this movement, and while writing it, I recalled Anne-Sophie's particular flair for an infectuous rhythmic swagger. At the beginning of the next movement, a quiet murmur is created by a gentle motion that I think of as circular, hence the subtitle "Rounds". At one point you will hear harmonies reminiscent of Debussy, but I would ask you to reflect on another Claude - in this case Thornhill, a very early hero of mine who was the musical godfather of the Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaboration. It is also in this movement that a leitmotif appears that is later restated in the "Epilogue". "Dactyls", a word borrowed from the Greeks that we use to describe a three-syllable effect in poetry as well as the digit with its three bones, may serve to describe the third movement. It is in a triple meter and features a short cadenza for violin, harp, and timpani - yet another triad. The violin's aggressive virtuosity produces a rough, waltz-like energy that is both bawdy and impertinent. The final movement is approached attacca by violin and harp, the two instruments reversing their relative balances in a kind of "sound dissolve" that transports us to the "Epilogue". It is in this final movement that the motif introduced in "Rounds" returns in the form of a duet for violin and harp, closing the piece with a gentle resolution in A major that might suggest both healing and renewal. Once, Muad'Dib, Marc and 29 others 10 3 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 He also wrote short introductory notes for the OST albums of SpaceCamp, The Phantom Menace and The Rise of Skywalker. There is also a brief quote in the Memoirs of a Geisha booklet. Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 24 minutes ago, TownerFan said: There is also a brief quote in the Memoirs of a Geisha booklet. Not in the digital booklet or the scan I found - is it in the 2012 "remastered" physical booklet only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,357 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 18 minutes ago, Holko said: Not in the digital booklet or the scan I found - is it in the 2012 "remastered" physical booklet only? In the physical edition from 2005, that I own, there are no liner notes at all. Funnily I realised, that I have two equal booklets in my CD. But no liner notes or quotes of any kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bollemanneke 3,343 Posted December 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 this thread is a fantastic idea! GerateWohl, crumbs, WampaRat and 4 others 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,357 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Just remembered, that Williams as well wrote liner notes for the Charles Gerhardt recording of The Empire Strikes Back. Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,353 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Great idea for a thread! He also wrote liners for the 1977 Star Wars and 1980 Empire Strikes Back double LPs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 17 minutes ago, Jay said: He also wrote liners for the 1977 Star Wars and 1980 Empire Strikes Back double LPs OK from now on I'll start asking for help with sources for these, because the discogs images are generally godawful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,357 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 The 1977 double album had liner notes? Mine had just images from the movie inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollemanneke 3,343 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Another thread idea could be to collect the liner notes that directors have provided for all his OSTs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 12 minutes ago, GerateWohl said: The 1977 double album had liner notes? Mine had just images from the movie inside. It seems he did a whole track by track commentary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricard 2,245 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 SW:http://www.jw-collection.de/scores/swlp.htm TESB:http://www.jw-collection.de/scores/tesblp.htm GerateWohl and Holko 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TownerFan 4,983 Posted December 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 4 hours ago, GerateWohl said: In the physical edition from 2005, that I own, there are no liner notes at all. Funnily I realised, that I have two equal booklets in my CD. But no liner notes or quotes of any kind. I misremembered, sorry. I was pretty sure there were three quotes from JW, Yo-Yo Ma and Perlman, but it was probably some press release. 2 hours ago, Jay said: He also wrote liners for the 1977 Star Wars and 1980 Empire Strikes Back double LPs TESB OST Liner Notes were written by Alan Arnold. JW wrote a short one for Gerhardt's recording with the NPO, though. Jay, Amer, Holko and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,286 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 If we're including those HP Children's Suite notes, it might be good to start pasting all of his Hal Leonard Signature Edition intros, they're all fantastic. Am I crazy or did he write something for the Revenge of the Sith OST too? Seem to remember that, don't have it on me right now. Might be confused. bollemanneke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 10 minutes ago, mrbellamy said: If we're including those HP Children's Suite notes, it might be good to start pasting all of his Hal Leonard Signature Edition intros, they're all fantastic. 5 hours ago, Holko said: OK from now on I'll start asking for help with sources for these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,357 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 By the way, I think, there are quite a lot of liner notes by Williams for recordings of his concert pieces, I think. But I guess this thread is just about soundtracks, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,286 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Seems like it should be fair game and any program notes or other little items he's written about his own or others' music would be worth documenting. Just not interviews. Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,067 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 48 minutes ago, mrbellamy said: Am I crazy or did he write something for the Revenge of the Sith OST too? If I remember correctly he wrote a bit of music. mrbellamy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mrbellamy 6,286 Posted December 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 Hopefully this isn't cluttering the thread lol. But here are a few from the Signature Editions. I can post more as time allows. 1979 - 1941 Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The March from 1941" Spoiler Spoiler Steven Spielberg's hilarious comedy 1941 featured the late actor John Belushi brilliantly portraying a character known as Wild Bill Kelso. Kelso was a crazy, impertinent but lovable Air Force pilot whose antics seemed to require a musical accompaniment that had humor and rhythmic vitality. As a result, I set myself the task of writing a zanily patriotic march that upon hearing, we might be moved to tap our feet to an imaginary parade going by, and have fun doing it. 1982 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Flying Theme" Spoiler Spoiler In the film E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial), director Steven Spielberg gives us scene after scene during which we willingly "suspend" our "disbelief." Toward the end of the film, Spielberg has the group of youngsters featured in the story mount their bicycles and hurry to take E.T. back to his spaceship and safety. They're hotly pursued by the local police, and a brilliant chase ensues. The children accelerate their bikes to the point where gravity is neutralized...they reach "escape velocity" and majestically soar over the moon. Watching all of this, we accept it as reality and fly along for the ride. Of the countless scenes I've scored in films, I think that this one is perhaps my favorite of all. It continues to hold a very firm, fond and permanent place in my memory. 1990; 1992 - Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Three Holiday Songs from Home Alone" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler "Somewhere In My Memory" and "Star of Bethlehem" were written in 1990 as part of the musical score for the film Home Alone. "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" appeared two years later in the sequel production entitled Home Alone II. The atmosphere in both of these films was charming and they were both imbued with a warm Dickensian glow. To further enhance the effect of all this I utilized a children's chorus to sing with our orchestra on the soundtrack recording. In this present version I have rearranged the songs for either an adult chorus or a children's chorus with orchestra. When performing with an adult chorus, I think the music would be greatly enhanced by adding as many children's voices as might be available. The colorful lyrics are by my friend and long-time associate, Leslie Bricusse. 1991 - Hook Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Flight to Neverland" Spoiler Spoiler For countless centuries mankind has dreamed of flying, which is why I think it could be argued that the greatest achievement of the twentieth century may have been the accomplishment of flight itself. Our fascination with flying, and the freedom we associate with it, may be among the principle reasons why the story of James Barrie's 1923 play has been retold in every imaginable medium. My favorite moment has always been when Peter Pan and Tinkerbell rise above the rooftops of London and fly off to Neverland. In writing the music for Steven Spielberg's film version of the story, which he called Hook, I tried to create a clear, singing melody that might combine some of the wonder of childhood with the energy and "lift" required for this famous flight. 1992 - Far and Away Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler After seeing John Ford's classic film The Quiet Man as a youngster many years ago, I had always aspired to write a film score based on an Irish subject. When Ron Howard asked me to score his film Far and Away, I immediately realized that my opportunity had arrived. Given the richness of Irish vernacular music, the challenge to create original melodies in the Irish style was a daunting one. Nevertheless, it was a challenge I particularly enjoyed and had great fun with. I wrote one theme attempting to depict County Galway circa 1892, another describing the "fighting Donelly's," a love theme for the characters Joseph and Shannon (played respectively by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), and a "blowing off steam" fight theme that accompanied the typically Irish fun-filled "donnybrook" that was so perfectly realized in the film. My fondest hope is that orchestras and audiences might derive even a fraction of the pleasure from this music that I had in writing it. 1997 - Amistad Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Dry Your Tears, Afrika" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Composing the musical score for Steven Spielberg's very moving film, Amistad presented a particular challenge. The story required that the music form a connecting bridge between the rich oral traditions of African tribal culture and Quaker-inspired music of early 19th century America. For some of the scenes requiring an African texture, I felt that the use of children's voices would be particularly effective. This seemed especially true in the final "boat" scene when the Africans, now free, were returning home. As I searched for a text of what the children might sing, I discovered in a volume of West African poetry, a poem by Bernard Dadié written decades ago, which was entitled "Dry Your Tears, Africa Your Children Are Coming Home." I was thrilled to discover this, however accidentally, as it seemed ideal for the final scene of this film. I was especially excited to learn that Bernard Dadié is alive, well, living in Africa, and pleased that we wished to use his poem for the film's musical score. The words of the song that I wanted to write would of course, have to be sung in Mende, the native tongue of the Africans associated with this true story, and so with the help of a translator at the Sierra Leone embassy in Washington D.C., I arranged to have the poem translated from English into Mende. After slightly adjusting some of the text to fit the musical phrases, and with Mr. Dadié's permission, and adding some generic phrases such as... "sing a song of joy...hush child don't cry", it only remained to teach our children's choir to phonetically sing the song. I was particularly pleased that after we had completed the film and music I had the pleasure of meeting Bernard Dadié's family at the Washington D.C. premiere of the film. It was wonderful to realize once again how music has the power to join people together who are otherwise separated by oceans and continents. 1999 - Angela's Ashes Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Two Concert Pieces from Angela's Ashes" Spoiler Spoiler Bringing a brilliant book to the screen always requires a transition that is both difficult and precarious. Fortunately in the case of Frank McCourt's beloved autobiography "Angela's Ashes", this task has been accomplished with tremendous skill and taste by the great British film director Alan Parker. Mr. Parker's film offered me an opportunity to compose themes that, while being somewhat Irish in character, might also embrace a broad and perhaps more universal emotional appeal as well. It is a joy to be able to share these two themes from the motion picture score with those who may have derived the same pleasure that I have from this unforgettable book and outstanding film. 2001 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite for Orchestra Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler The success of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has been a heartwarming phenomenon to all those who love books. The worldwide reception that these works have received added greatly to the sense of privilege that I felt when I was given the honor of composing the music for the film version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The story's imaginative array of wizards flying on broomsticks and mail-delivering owls, all occupying a wondrous world of magic, offered a unique canvas for music, and the prospect of sharing it with some part of the great army of readers who love these books is a great joy for me. 2002 - "Call of the Champions" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler I was extremely pleased to have been invited to compose a theme for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, to be held in February of that year in Salt Lake City, Utah. When I learned that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would be available to perform the piece, I was delighted, as I hadn't before had the privilege of working with this glorious ensemble, and have long admired them. As I searched for an idea for a text, I came upon a Latin phrase that was adopted as the official Olympic motto at the inauguration of the Modern Olympic Games, held in 1896. The motto is composed of three words: "citius, altius, fortius," meaning "swifter, higher, stronger," and as far as I've been able to determine, has never been set to music. I therefore decided to adopt it, as I thought this colorful triad of words would be well suited to effect a declamatory salvo from the chorus that would underscore the celebratory and heraldic spirit of the Games. It was my great honor to conduct the premiere of the piece with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony at the Opening of the Games in Salt Lake City on February 8, 2002, which happened to coincide exactly with my 70th birthday. 2002 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second of J. K. Rowling's wonderful stories to be translated into film by director Chris Columbus. The film presented me with an opportunity to write themes for Rowling's growing collection of fascinating characters, including Fawkes the Phoenix, the noble bird that rescues Harry at the end of the film, as well as Dobby the magical elf and Gilderoy Lockhart, the foppish Hogwarts don. The present suite concludes with an orchestral version of "The Chamber of Secrets" in which I've tried to capture something of the awe and wonder of the mysterious Chamber itself. 2002 - Catch Me If You Can Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler The 2002 film Catch Me If You Can constituted a delightful departure for director Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of Frank Abagnale, the teenaged imposter, who baffled FBI agents with his incredible exploits. The film is set in the now nostalgically tinged 1960's, and so it seemed to me that I might evoke the atmosphere of that time by writing a sort of impressionistic memoir of the progressive jazz movement that was then so popular. The alto saxophone seemed the ideal vehicle for this expression and the three movements of this suite are the result. In "Closing In," we have music that relates to the often humorous sleuthing which took place in the story, followed by "Reflections," which refers to the fragile relationships in Abagnale's broken family. Finally, in "Joy Ride," we have the music that accompanied Frank's wild flights of fantasy that took him all around the world before the law finally reigned him in. In recording the soundtrack for this entertaining film, I had the services of saxophonist Dan Higgins, to whom I'm indebted for his virtuosic skill and beautiful sound. My greatest reward would be if other players of this elegant instrument might find some joy in this music. 2004 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite for Orchestra Spoiler Spoiler Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the third in J.K. Rowling's popular series of books to be presented on film. The story is rich with characters and situations offering wonderful opportunities for music. This suite includes references to magic, flight and wizardry, including Aunt Marge's helium balloon trip, the zany Knight Bus ride through the city and "Double Trouble," the admonitory song of the students at Hogwarts School. It was a joy to team up with film director Alfonso Cuarón on this adventure, and I must say I had a particularly good time setting music to this story which resulted in such an entertaining and enjoyable film. 2005 - Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Battle of the Heroes" Spoiler Spoiler In bringing us Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas connects and completes the tale of his great epic in space. The fateful encounter of Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi takes the form of a brilliant lightsaber duel symbolizing the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. To accompany this moment in the film, I've written "Battle of the Heroes," for which I've constructed a motif based on four simple pitches which are in turn driven by the full propulsive force of the orchestra. 2012 - "Fanfare for Fenway" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler If we're fortunate enough to attend a baseball game at a major league ballpark... hear the crack of wood on leather, and listen to the roar of the crowd, we know we are witness to one of the most enduring elements that unify the American soul. My parents were both New England people, and as I grew up, I often heard of the wondrous events that occurred at a place called Fenway Park in Boston. Many years later, when I was privileged to visit the park at night when it was empty, it was impossible not to feel the presence of countless great athletes who performed there, and the millions of happy fans who were thrilled by the games. Fenway Park is certainly hallowed ground in the history of American sport, and when the Red Sox asked if I would write a fanfare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the park, I accepted immediately, and joyously went to work. It was also my honor to conduct members of the Boston Pops Orchestra in the first performance of the piece, at the Centennial Celebration of the park on April 20, 2012. Once, Amer, Ricard and 3 others 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 Wow, I never knew about any of these! Thank you! mrbellamy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mrbellamy 6,286 Posted December 22, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2021 Oh good! Well, here's the rest of what I have. I did exclude a few like Olympic Fanfare or Lincoln which didn't have any personal thoughts or reflections about the music, they were just kinda bland summaries ("this is when I wrote it, what it was for, who performed it"). Some others were borderline uninteresting but I still threw them in here. Most of these have something to say, or just good writing. A few of them are extra beautiful, my favorites being Superman, Trumpet Concerto, and Across the Stars (the last line of that one, damn, John!). And in my previous post his Fanfare For Fenway note <3 Missing some Signature Editions altogether which maybe others can add, but this seems plenty. 1970 - Jane Eyre Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler When director Delbert Mann asked me to compose a score for his exquisite film Jane Eyre, I was enjoying an extended stay in England with my wife and young children. I accepted the assignment with great pleasure, and at Mr. Mann's invitation, I was able to travel to Yorkshire and to visit the parsonage where Charlotte and Emily Brontë grew up under the tutelage of their preacher father. It was here in the isolation of the parsonage that the two sisters wrote what have long been considered masterpieces of 19th Century British literature, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. In her story Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë introduces the reader to the young girl Jane, who begins her life attending Lowood School, with its liturgical and austere atmosphere, to which girls of her class were routinely subjected. The first movement of the suite attempts to capture the ambience of a vanished but still haunting world. In "To Thornfield", the orchestra presents a lively scherzo accompanying a brisk and breathtaking carriage ride across the moors of Yorkshire... and is followed by "Reunion"... a lyrical theme that serves to underscore the love story that is at the core of this enduring and highly romantic tale. 1975 - Jaws Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler When I first saw Jaws, I thought that it was a great movie in the best time-honored tradition of adventure films. It was thrilling, at times terrifying, and always tremendously enjoyable to watch. The film plumbed the depths of our fear of the deep, and offered an opportunity for the basses and celli of the orchestra to sound the alarm. As the small boat, the Orca, set out to do battle with the great white shark, the orchestra provided a fugue to underscore the epic struggle between man and beast. Jaws was director Steven Spielberg's first great popular success, and the role that the music played in the film is something that always elicits a broad smile from me, and what I hope is a permissibly small measure of pride. 1976 - Midway Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Midway March" Spoiler Spoiler The Battle of Midway was one of the great events in the history of the United States Navy. It was wonderful to see the recent reunion of American and Japanese veterans joining in peace and warm friendship, as they've searched to locate the site of the great struggle. When I was young, I remember my father recounting to me that, during his childhood, he'd heard and seen John Philip Sousa conduct his famous band. And so, when the opportunity emerged to compose music for the film Midway, I tried to write an orchestral march that would be American in spirit, with a jazzy nautical swagger, and would fit squarely in the tradition of the great American marches that I've loved since my youth. 1977 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Over the years, Close Encounters of the Third Kind has remained one of my favorite Steven Spielberg films. With its depiction of the long-awaited visit of the beautiful and loving extra-terrestrials, the fascinating premonitions of the little boy, and the five-note musical motif used to communicate with our other worldly guests, the film offered a rich and unusual canvas on which to present the music. I'm indebted to Mr. Spielberg for the opportunity he offered me through this film, and am delighted to share this concert edition with those who may remember this exceptional film as fondly as I do. 1977; 1980 - Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler During 1997, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of George Lucas' classic film Star Wars. All of us connected with this phenomenal movie have been greatly gratified to see an entire new generation of very young film-goers enjoy the Star Wars trilogy and relate so strongly to its story, characters, and music. Also, I am personally delighted to have this new edition of the score available to orchestras and the public. It includes the "Imperial March" and "Yoda's Theme," both of which have not been available until this present printing. I have always felt privileged to have had the opportunity to compose music for these landmark films, and the ongoing interest in the films and their music has continued to be one of my greatest joys. 1978 - Superman: The Movie Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Superman March" Spoiler Spoiler Growing up in my generation meant that you avidly followed the exploits of Superman in the syndicated comic strips that regularly appeared in newspapers across the country. It was a time when Superman fired the imaginations of all of our youngsters, and I was no exception. Many years later, when director Richard Donner asked me to compose the score for his feature-length film of Superman, I was thrilled. I truly felt that I was revisiting a formative part of my childhood. I remember how excited I was when Mr. Donner showed me his wonderful film with actors Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder flying high above the Statue of Liberty in one of the movie's many memorable moments. I began by writing this piece, which formed the basics of the musical score for the film. The movie's great success wouldn't have been possible without Christopher Reeve who embodied every characteristic of what we imagined Superman to be. I would like to dedicate this concert edition to my friend Christopher, without whom this music would never have seen the light of day. 1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Raiders March" Spoiler Spoiler "The Raiders March" was written in 1981 for Steven Spielberg's production of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I created the march as an "adventure" theme to be associated with Indiana Jones, the colorful hero of the film, played so brilliantly by actor Harrison Ford. The success of this wonderful movie led to two sequels: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. These films formed a trilogy which become one of the most successful action-film series in cinema history and we used the march as the central musical theme for all three episodes. This music was introduced at the beginning of the first film when Indiana made his initial escape from the pursuing villains and it was subsequently used as the musical accompaniment for all of his daring exploits. Since its composition, I've had so much joy performing this piece in its original form, that I'm delighted that this edition has been made available. 1984 - NBC News - "The Mission Theme" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler I wrote The Mission Theme in 1984 at the request of the NBC News Division, and was delighted when they chose it as their musical signature for the NBC Nightly News featuring Tom Brokaw. Although used in small sound-bite versions, the music was heard each night during Mr. Brokaw's long and distinguished career at NBC. While writing this piece I remembered my father expertly tapping out Morse Code signals, or the clatter of the old ticker tape, so I decided to start the music with a kind of allusive reference to these pre-Internet means of news delivery. The opening figure provided a rhythmic pulse over which I could lay the main Mission theme. Because of time constraints common to the medium, I don't believe the full version presented here has ever been heard on television, and so if orchestras and audiences might derive a little pleasure from this piece without the aid of their TV sets, I would feel as though we're having a truly good-news day. 1988 - "The Olympic Spirit" Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler "The Olympic Spirit" was written in 1988 at the request of the NBC Sports Division to accompany parts of their visual presentation of the Olympic Games celebrated that year in Seoul, South Korea. I tried to create a clear, simple "anthem" that could be stated by the entire orchestra, bur primarily featuring the brass choir which is unequalled in its ability to conjure the spirit of heroism and dedication exhibited by the Olympic athletes. As always, the Olympic Games themselves present a metaphor for peaceful competition and worldwide cooperation that are our best hope for the future, and if "The Olympic Spirit" can in some small way capture the essence of these higher goals it would be rewarding indeed. 1989 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" Spoiler Spoiler When Harrison Ford and Sean Connery took their wild ride on a motorcycle side-car in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, I wrote this piece for our orchestra to accompany it. When I finally heard the sequence in the finished movie, the sound of the motorcycle predominated, so I later thought that it might be fun to play the piece without the participation of that unmelodious vehicle. Though we will never find an instrument called a "motorcycle" in any of our orchestration books, I nevertheless chose to title the piece "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra," leaving the sound of the motorcycle to the imagination. 1991 - JFK Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler When Oliver Stone asked me to compose the score for his controversial and thought-provoking film J.F.K., he presented me with a challenge that I especially welcomed. For all Americans, and particularly for those of my generation, President Kennedy's life has always been imbued with a mythical dimension, no less powerful today than he was alive. The three movements of this suite are taken from the film score. They include the "Theme From J.F.K.," which attempts to portray something of the young president's character, including a reference to his Irish ancestry, followed by "Motorcade," which deals with the tragic events that took place in Dallas in 1963, and finally by "Arlington," where at the Arlington National Cemetery the eternal flame burns, symbolizing our country's devotion to one of its most beloved heroes. 1993 - Jurassic Park Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme from Jurassic Park" Spoiler Spoiler In his highly successful book, Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton has, with flights of fancy and great writing skill, enabled us to imagine what the return of the great vertebrates of 150 million years ago might be like. Steven Spielberg, in his 1993 film adaptation of the book, provided us a glimpse of the power and beauty of these fascinating creatures. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to tell the film's story musically, and while we can luxuriate in the magnificent sound produced by our modern orchestras, it's nevertheless tempting to imagine what the trumpeting of these great beasts of the distant past might have been like. 1993 - Schindler's List Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Three Pieces from Schindler's List" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler During the summer of 1993 it was my great privilege to compose music for Steven Spielberg's brilliant film Schindler's List. The film's ennobling story, set in the midst of the great tragedy of the Holocaust, offered an opportunity to create not only dramatic music, but also themes that reflected the more tender and nostalgic aspects of Jewish life during these turbulent years. For this part of the soundtrack I featured a solo violin, accompanied by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and our greatest good fortune was to have Itzhak Perlman as soloist for the recording. Included here are three pieces - "Theme From Schindler's List", "Jewish Town (Krakow Ghetto - Winter '41)", and "Remembrances" - which embody the main thematic elements of the score, and it is especially gratifying to me that this music can now be available for performance independent of the film. 1993 - Sound the Bells! Hal Leonard Signature Edition Spoiler Spoiler In 1993, I led the Boston Pops Orchestra on a tour of Japan where the orchestra has played many times for wonderfully friendly and enthusiastic audiences. That particular tour was nearly contemporaneous with the wedding of Crown Prince Naruhito and Masako Owada, and I thought our concerts would present a good opportunity to celebrate the event by offering a fanfare written especially for these concerts. I've always been fascinated by the huge Japanese temple bells, and while I made no attempt to emulate these, they were a kind of inspiration for the prominent use of percussion. "Sound the Bells!" was originally written for brass and percussion only, and I later orchestrated it for full orchestra for use on our Boston Pops concerts. 1996 - Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Solo Trumpet with Piano Reduction Spoiler Spoiler As a youngster growing up in the 1940s, I was not unaware of the enormous influence that the brass players of the great swing bands had on the young people of our country. Beginning with Louis Armstrong, whose contribution inspired generations of trumpeters, these artists extended the expressive capabilities of their instruments and can certainly be credited with developing a school of brass playing, the influence of which can still be felt in nearly every musical ensemble that employs brass. In my teen years, I too wanted to join in the fun. My father agreed that if I continued with my piano studies, I could have a trombone; and he arranged for me to take lessons. I also taught myself to play a little on the trumpet, but I was never very comfortable switching mouthpiece sizes, so my brass playing - always amateur level to be sure - was pretty much restricted to the trombone. Given this background and after writing so much brass music for films and for ceremonial pieces, you can imagine my pleasure when the Cleveland Orchestra asked me to write a concerto for their newly appointed principal trumpeter, Michael Sachs. Not only did this commission offer me an opportunity to compose a work for an instrument that I truly love, but it promised the privilege of having the piece performed by one of the world's greatest orchestras and featuring one of the world's most elegant trumpeters. The premiere performances were brilliantly conducted by the orchestra's music director Christoph von Dohnanyi in October of 1996 with Michael Sachs as soloist. Mr. Sachs has also very successfully performed this version for trumpet and piano. Whether the influences mentioned above can be felt at any level of this piece, I cannot say, but I nevertheless hope that interested students and professionals might find a fraction of the pleasure that I have found in writing this concerto and having it performed by these wonderful artists. 1997 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme from The Lost World" Spoiler Spoiler In the spring of 1997, Steven Spielberg created The Lost World, which appeared as a sequel to his earlier and highly successful Jurassic Park. These fascinating stories, taken originally from novels by Michael Crichton, became wonderful material for films due to the brilliant technical innovations that made it possible to show huge prehistoric animals in full lifelike realism. Both films required extensive orchestral score, and for The Lost World, with its slightly darker and more mysterious mood, I tried to create a high adventure theme which would suggest a storybook atmosphere of "uncharted" islands located on "off the map" latitudes. To achieve this I used extensive percussive rhythms, mixed with irregular but dancelike metric patterns, all of which could be combined and presented with full orchestral force and energy. 1998 - Saving Private Ryan Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Hymn to the Fallen" Spoiler Spoiler Saving Private Ryan is certainly one of Steven Spielberg's most powerful films. The accumulative effect of his great photography and the splendid performances contained in the film combine to produce a jolting emotional impact, particularly in the closing moments of the movie. Preparing the music for this portion of the film presented a particular challenge in that the music needed to be effectively reverent in tone while still being quiet and simple enough so as not to intrude on the private reflections of each viewer. It occurred to me that the music could be vocal, at least to the extent that it featured a choral texture but without relying on a written text that might present a distraction for the audience. I do however feel that the piece can be performed effectively with orchestra alone. In writing the music, the fallen heroes shown in the film were constantly in my mind and it is to the memory of the real-life heroes portrayed so convincingly in the film that I have the privilege of dedicating this music. 1999 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler With the creation of his Star Wars films, George Lucas has contributed an addition to the popular culture that is truly cross-generational. At the recording sessions for the music of The Phantom Menace, we were reunited with the London Symphony Orchestra which had performed so brilliantly on the soundtracks of the three original films. During the first intermission at Abbey Road Studios, several of the younger members of the orchestra approached me to say that when, as children, they had heard the music of Star Wars, they resolved to study music with the goal of eventually playing with the great London Symphony Orchestra. It was thrilling to be reminded that the films and the music have reached so many people all around the world. In composing the score for The Phantom Menace, I was given the opportunity to add to the collection of music written for these films, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying to write new themes that would comfortably wed to the texture of the original music. This suite from The Phantom Menace contains four new pieces: "The Flag Parade", "Anakin's Theme", in which I placed hints of Darth Vader's "Imperial March" thus signaling the metamorphosis that Anakin is to undergo, "The Adventures of Jar Jar", and "Duel of the Fates". Unlike the music of the earlier films, "Duel of the Fates" utilizes chorus. For the text of this piece, I have used a portion of the old Celtic poem "The Battle of the Trees", which I discovered in a translation by Robert Graves which appears in his great book The White Goddess. I was captivated by the stanza "Under the tongue root a fight most dread, while another rages behind in the head." This seemed to me to be mystical and ritualistic and very appropriate to accompany the great sword fight in the film. For translation into a language that would be cryptic and obscure, I first tried Celtic and Greek, before finally, with the help of a scholar at Harvard, settling on Sanskrit. I felt this beautiful old language contained vowel sounds that would be very effective for chorus. I've used single words and syllables which never quite complete the stanza, but which suggest its meaning in a way complete enough for my musical purposes. I think the piece is most effective in its original choral setting, but I also feel that it can produce a very good result if played with orchestra alone. I must say I feel very fortunate indeed in having the privilege of accompanying George Lucas as he continues on his creative journey through these magical Star Wars films. 2000 - The Patriot Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Theme" Spoiler Spoiler The film, The Patriot, with its brilliantly realized scenes of heroism and sacrifice on the battlefields of the American Revolutionary War, created a wonderful opportunity for a colorful musical score. I felt that the character of the music should be direct and in an approachable American style, and I therefore tried to write themes that would accomplish this end and create the desired atmosphere for the film. The music features woodwind flourishes which paraphrase the "fifing" tunes that we associate with the pageantry of the time, as well as a nostalgic song-like melody that functioned as a love theme for the young people so poignantly separated by the war. The film, which was directed by Roland Emmerich and starred Mel Gibson, was released in the year 2000, and I'm delighted that this edition has been made available for those particularly interested in film music. 2002 - Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Across the Stars" Spoiler Spoiler Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is the fifth film in George Lucas' series for which I've written the music. This installment of Mr. Lucas' far-reaching saga offered the unusual and very welcome opportunity to compose a love theme. The classic love stories in literature invariably describe a forbidden relationship where the lovers are separated by family, cultural constraints of one kind or another, or religion. Our story is no exception in that Padme and Anakin are separated by rank and social status. This time-honored tension presents the challenge of expressing love's exultation while simultaneously suggesting the grief and tragedy that separation would eventually bring. Likewise, the title, "Across the Stars" suggests the timelessness of love-eternal while dropping the hint that our lovers' knot might be ill-fated and "star-crossed." As always, in matters of the heart, the outcome is time's own secret. 2004 - The Terminal Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Viktor's Tale" Spoiler Spoiler The largely fictitious character of Viktor Navorsky was the central player in Steven Spielberg's entertaining film, The Terminal. In the story, Viktor left his home in an imaginary Eastern European country, arriving at a U.S. airport where his adventures began. To portray Viktor's warmth and friendliness, I decided write a dance-like piece for clarinet and orchestra that would capture something of his colorful ethnic background. In recording the soundtrack of the film, I was very lucky to have the services of the clarinetist Emily Bernstein, who performed the music with great style, technique and taste. 2005 - Memoirs of a Geisha Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Chairman's Waltz" Spoiler Spoiler When Arthur Goldman's novel Memoirs of a Geisha appeared in 1997, I read it with great pleasure and was intrigued by its description of a culture noted for its great delicacy and exquisite art. The invitation from director Rob Marshall to compose the score for his film version of the story conferred upon me an exciting opportunity and a daunting challenge. At the center of the story is the little girl Sayuri, who is captivated by an older man who shows kindness to her, and who later in her life becomes her mentor, and later still her lover. The gentleman in the story is called The Chairman, and to underscore his first meeting with Sayuri, Rob Marshall suggested that I write a simple and delicate waltz expressing the innocence of the child... and "The Chairman's Waltz" is the result. For the film soundtrack recording, made in 2005, it was our great privilege to have Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma as our soloists. 2008 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Adventures of Indiana Jones" Spoiler Spoiler In creating the character of Indiana Jones, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have introduced an enduring and much loved figure into the pantheon of fictional movie heroes. For over a quarter of a century now, the films have been illuminated by the superb comedy-action performances of Harrison Ford and enlivened by the spirited direction of Steven Spielberg. Speaking for myself, I must say that the experience of composing music for these films has been a very happy one, and it has consistently offered me a wild and joyous ride. The pieces contained in this volume are from the most recent Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and I hope they might bring with them some measure of the genuine spirit of fun that engendered their creation. 2011 - War Horse Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "Dartmoor, 1912" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler The counties of Devon and Dorset in the west country of England are among the most beautiful places on earth, and in the first two decades of the 20th century, the great modern masters of the English pastoral style wrote musical paeans to this, their beloved countryside. Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frederick Delius, George Butterworth, the Australian Percy Grainger, among others, all contributed to a rich literature that I've loved and admired for a long time. In a very real sense, "Dartmoor, 1912" was written as an homage to these great men. I'm also very grateful to Steven Spielberg for the opportunity offered in his film War Horse, to attempt to recreate the atmosphere of an historic time in an enchanting place. 2015 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens Hal Leonard Signature Edition - Suite Spoiler Spoiler Over the years, George Lucas' Star Wars saga has continued to hold its grip on the imaginations of its millions of fans worldwide. Presented with the task of renewing and extending the great story, in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, director J.J. Abrams has risen to the challenge magnificently. New and exciting characters join the original cast on a joy ride that offered rich possibilities to extend the musical score. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Harrison Ford give particularly strong performances, and it's been my privilege to musically accompany their fresh and energetic screen presence. For the soundtrack recording, we had the services of a brilliant Los Angeles-based studio orchestra, and with this new suite, my hope is that other orchestras and audiences may also want to continue to join in the fun of Star Wars. 2017 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Rebellion is Reborn" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler With the eighth installment of the Star Wars films, director/writer Rian Johnson has graced us with Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He's produced an exciting new extension of the now iconic saga that reintroduces Daisy Ridley as Rey, with Adam Driver, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in their respective and memorable roles. We also have newly revealed planets, homes to such magical creatures as sparkling, crystalline foxes and tiny, birdlike porgs. As Luke Skywalker intones towards the end of the film, "The Rebellion is Reborn," and all Star Wars fans, including myself, can rejoice! 2018 - Solo: A Star Wars Story Hal Leonard Signature Edition - "The Adventures of Han" Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Han Solo...carefree pilot, inveterate gambler, reckless adventurer...has been portrayed magnificently by Harrison Ford from the very inception of the Star Wars series. In fact, his contributions to the roles of Han Solo in Star Wars, and Dr. Jones in the Indiana Jones series, earn Harrison a very high place in the history of action/adventure films. In Solo: A Star Wars Story, directed by Ron Howard, we learn more of the development of Han's personality from his beginnings as an orphan on the planet Corellia. Here, a more juvenile Solo is played by the actor Alden Ehrenreich, and "The Adventures of Han" forms the basis of the orchestral accompaniment to the bold exploits of this highly original and truly unforgettable character. Ricard, ragoz350, Raiders of the SoundtrArk and 7 others 6 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 1983 - The Star Wars Trilogy (Varujan Koijan/Utah Symphony Orchestra Recording) Spoiler Spoiler When producer George Korngold told me of his plans to present music from all three Star Wars films on one record, I was particularly pleased. I was gratified because this record will mark the first time that the music will appear in one collection, and secondly because it will be presented by the very fine Utah Symphony Orchestra which I have admired for such a long time. The scores of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were composed over a period of seven years- and I have tried while working over this long period to write music, the parts of which would eventually form one unified whole. I thank Maestro Koijan for bringing together his forces to present an idea that I have hoped would be realized since the earliest days of my work on The Star Wars Trilogy. I went through my collection and this is the only one I have to contribute. I could have sworn there was a brief blurb in my copy of Sabrina, but upon further inspection I realize it's actually just a small-font dedication from JW which reads "For @Bespin". Wonder what he meant by that... Keep up the great thread! Holko and Bespin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollemanneke 3,343 Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Oh God, thank you so much for including the HL ones! I never thought I'd be able to read these! He writes so beautifully. Once and mrbellamy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rough cut 1,714 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Great thread! The liner notes were always little gems back in the day, pre internet, where there really wasn’t much information for a young man to find about the music, and have been a constant connection to the maestro since then. Lovely to see it all collected here. Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,310 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 I wonder if he's written anything for the HL Rise of Skywalker signature edition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,286 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 He hasn't missed one yet afaik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,516 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 I know it's a "by the way", but were there liner notes for HOOK, anywhere? My import copy, bought back in 1991, doesn't have any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollemanneke 3,343 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Wait, he writes that Home Alone can also be sung by children, but then what do they do with the male parts? Children can't sing that low. Or are you then just supposed to leave those out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TownerFan 4,983 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 3 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said: I know it's a "by the way", but were there liner notes for HOOK, anywhere? My import copy, bought back in 1991, doesn't have any. You mean Spielberg's? Yes, it was printed on the last page of the booklet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,357 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 5 hours ago, crumbs said: I wonder if he's written anything for the HL Rise of Skywalker signature edition? He already wrote a note for the regular edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,516 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 3 hours ago, TownerFan said: You mean Spielberg's? Yes, it was printed on the last page of the booklet. Sorry, dude: not in mine, it isn't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Some more Hal Leonard Signature Editions score notes for the thread: Adventures on Earth: Spoiler Adventures On Earth is part of the score that I composed for Steven Spielberg's classic film, E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial). The music was designed to accompany the bicycle chase near the end of the film and as the young cyclists reach escape velocity, E.T's theme is heard as they fly "over the moon." The more sentimental music that follows, accompanies the dialogue as E.T. bids farewell to his earthling friends. This is followed by timpani and brass fanfares as the orchestra brings the film to a close. [The physicist in me still winces at JW's use of the phrase 'escape velocity'] Five Sacred Trees: Spoiler As we become increasingly aware of the damage done by the destruction of our forests, it is illuminating to discover that our ancestors, many thousands of years ago, prayed to the spirits before felling a tree. One prayer was appropriate for a maple, another for the elm, the ash and so on. The English poet, Robert Graves, writes of these prayers, which I have been unable to find but which, nonetheless, have moved me to compose this music about trees featuring the bassoon, itself a tree. This is all the result of a request for a concerto by the great bassoonist Judith Le Clair, whose unparalleled artistry is a mystery and a wonder in itself. I Eo Mugna, the great oak, whose roots extend to Connla's Well in the "otherworld," stands guard over what is the source of the River Shannon and the font of all wisdom The well is probably the source of all music, too. The inspiration for this movement is the Irish Uilleann pipe, a distant ancestor of the bassoon, whose music evokes the spirit of Mugna and the sacred well. Il Tortan is a tree that has been associated with witches and as a result, the fiddle appears, sawing away, as it is conjoined with the music of the bassoon. The Irish Bodhrán drum assists. III The Tree of Ross (or Eo Rossa) is a yew, and although the yew is often referred to as a symbol of death and destruction, the Tree of Ross is the subject of much rhapsodizing in the literature. It is referred to as "a mother's good," "Diadem of angels," and "faggot of the sages." Hence, the lyrical character of this movement, wherein the bassoon incants and is accompanied by the harp! IV Craeb Uisnig is an ash and has been described by Robert Graves as a source of strife. Thus, a ghostly battle, where all that is heard as the phantoms struggle, is the snapping of twigs on the forest floor. V Dathi, which purportedly exercised authority over the Poets, and was the last tree to fall, is the subject for the close of the piece. The bassoon soliloquizes as it ponders the secrets of the Trees. The following HLSE publications have no JW notes in my copies: Dry Your Tears, Afrika (SATB/Children's Chorus edition) (HL08741511) Three Holiday Songs from Home Alone (SATB) (HL087400830) Theme from Sabrina (Violin/Piano) (HL00841382) Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 And another: Music from the Star Wars Saga (HL04491067): Spoiler When composing the music for the first Star Wars epic, I had no idea that there would be many more films to come. At that time, I couldn't anticipate the extent of George Lucas' creativity, but as each film was added to the collection, I was given a unique opportunity to develop new themes as the stories required. This collection of pieces from Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, evoke much nostalgia for me, as well as an ongoing delight that young people…. now across a generation… continue to be captivated by the "Force" of George Lucas' imagination. mrbellamy and Holko 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post QuartalHarmony 543 Posted December 27, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 27, 2021 Not sure they really count as 'liner notes', even in a generous sense, but I've spotted the following interesting performance notes in Music from the Star Wars Saga (HL04491067): In The Forest Battle, theme entry at bar 63 (1m 33s on the OST recording) has the remark "Can-Canish" In Cantina Band, the solo section starting at bar 49 (1m 27s on OST) has the remarks 'ad lib. (Gene Krupa style)' in the drum part and, in the vibes part 'Solo ala Lionel Hampton'. On the OST, steel pans play the vibes part. I'd never thought of the Forest Battle theme as being in the style of a Can Can, but now I've seen it in the score, I can't unhear it, so to speak. In Cantina Band, it's interesting to see which (excellent) performers he seems to have had in mind. Mark Muad'Dib, Holko and blondheim 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rough cut 1,714 Posted January 6, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 6, 2022 Although no physical release exists, John seems to have penned some program notes for his concert work For Seiji! (1999) that can be found on The John Williams Collection Webpage. Spoiler For Seiji! is a collection of musical thoughts and jottings that form a kind of Festschrift* for orchestra, which has been written for Seiji Osawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra as they celebrate twenty-five years of artistic collaboration. These jottings also form little portraits of just a few of the great soloists in the orchestra's ranks, and, at other moments, sketches of entire sectional groups. I've attempted to "freeze-frame" some of the wonderful sonorities the orchestra produces that are among my personal favorites. The piece is based on the interval of a major second, which, like its sister interval, the seventh, has to be constantly tuned and retuned in performance, according to its modal and harmonic context. Musicians make these adjustments intuitively, and the tuning of this small interval is one of the great secrets of good orchestral intonation, which is, in turn, a prerequisite to making a beautiful sound. The piece opens with sonorous brass intoning a low "D", which in my mind is a kind of signature pitch level of the Boston Symphony as its sound resonates with the empathetic and all-knowing walls of Symphony Hall. The strings then sound the secundal "E" and we proceed from there, as a five-note melodic idée fixe carries us along. I've dedicated all of this to Seiji, who has not only led the orchestra but has tended and nourished it through these many years, thus preserving and invigorating a great tradition. These few notes are but a small tribute to Seiji and the great Boston heritage we all so rightly treasure. John Williams * A Festschrift (German for "festival-writing") is, in a literal sense, a collection of writings published in tribute to its honoree. Also, it might be interesting to include these two letters written for the concert in London (2018) and Vienna (2020) respectively. John Williams’ message due to his absence during the concerts in Royal Albert Hall, London (2018): Spoiler Spoiler October 26, 2018 To Sue Mallet and the Members of the London Symphony Orchestra, For more than four decades, I have been fortunate to count the magnificent London Symphony Orchestra as one of my most treasured artistic relationships. The opportunity to make music once again with all of you is something that I’ve looked forward to with tremendous joy and excitement for many months. I cannot adequately express my disappointment in having fallen ill upon my arrival in London, and in having to miss our long-awaited reunion at Royal Albert Hall. It gives me great comfort to know that the performance will take place this evening, and I’m grateful to Maestro Dirk Brossé for kindly agreeing to take the podium in my place on such short notice. And I send my particular thanks to each and every one of you for being here tonight, along with my best wishes for what I hope will be a truly joyous evening of music. With gratitude and great appreciation, John Williams John Williams’ personal message included in the limited golden 2 LP edition of “Live In Vienna” (2020): Spoiler Spoiler The privilege of conducting the esteemed Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein was, for me, the honor of a lifetime. I was particularly impressed with the magnificent acoustics of the Great Hall, which are so justly renowned and so beautifully captured in Deutsche Grammophon’s splendid recording of these concerts. I was also very touched by the generosity and hospitality of the members of this great orchestra, all of whom performed this music with brilliance and enthusiasm. In these challenging days, when musicians and audiences around the world cannot come together to share the pleasures of music-making person, I look back on these very special concerts with great fondness, and I hope that these recordings might give listeners and viewers some measure of the joy I experienced in visiting beautiful Vienna. Lastly, John’s contribution to Anne-Sophie Mutter’s Across The Stars from 2019 is not yet mentioned: Spoiler Spoiler Life without surprises would be very dull indeed. You might therefore imagine my surprise, pleasure and delight when, a couple of years ago, Anne-Sophie Mutter asked me to write a little piece for her. The idea that I might contribute in some small way to her already glorious career flattered me greatly, and challenged me at the same time... challenged because she also expressed a desire to record a collection of my themes from motion pictures. In discussing this idea, we both realized that I had adapted only one or two of these pieces for solo violin and orchestra, and that the remainder of the chosen material would have to be newly developed and orchestrated to complete her album. Because the opportunity to write for a great virtuoso always presents an energizing and exciting opportunity, I set about this project with great enthusiasm. Truly, this endeavor has been a particular joy for me. Anne-Sophie is many things... a great artist, a brilliant woman who brings honor to her country, and, through her many travels, a highly contributive and outstanding world citizen. There is, however, one thing that she is not. She is not a woman you can say no to. I couldn't ever... and never would! John Williams Working with Anne-Sophie on this recording has been a pure inspiration. She has brought vibrant life to these familiar themes in new and unexpected ways, which has been a great joy for me as a composer. John Williams Once, mrbellamy and Holko 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rough cut 1,714 Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 Thanks! Don't know how I forgot AtS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConorPower 148 Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 This is a super thread, finding it very helpful to see what Williams's has written on his own music. I've been digging into The Cowboys recently - has Williams written anything on it? Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Steve 591 Posted January 13, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2022 38 minutes ago, ConorPower said: This is a super thread, finding it very helpful to see what Williams's has written on his own music. I've been digging into The Cowboys recently - has Williams written anything on it? Yes, in the booklet of the President's own Marine Band release from last year. He says Andre Previn encouraged him to arrange the concert version. mahler3, Holko and ConorPower 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConorPower 148 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 21 hours ago, Steve said: Yes, in the booklet of the President's own Marine Band release from last year. He says Andre Previn encouraged him to arrange the concert version. Ah I've found that now. Excellent! Thank you so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aviazn 273 Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Wow, what a great wealth of information in this thread. I haven't seen or listened to the new WSS yet, but those liner notes from JW are fascinating. Very interesting to see him acknowledge the critiques of WSS' creators not knowing anything about Puerto Rican music and to label Bernstein's allusions to jazz "academic and stiff." I would love to read some extended thoughts from JW on his relationship with jazz and Black music. Also, what a fun shoutout to Alex Ross of the New Yorker — it seems there's a healthy mutual admiration there, after Ross' glowing reviews of TFA and TLJ and his sit-down interview/profile. ConorPower 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Just noticed the request for a better scan of TPM OST notes. This is a photo, and it’s only JW’s bit, but will hopefully improve on what’s already there. Mark Holko and GerateWohl 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 Added JW's liner notes for his second Violin concerto found in the recent release's booklet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 On 21/12/2021 at 10:29 AM, Holko said: "...while music has many purposes and functions, I've always believed that, in the end, it ought to be freely interpreted through the prism of every listener's own personal history, prior exposures and cultural background. One man's sunken cathedral might be another woman's mist at the dawning." I'll be buying it soon, I'm sure, but it's great to have this (very true, IMHO) opinion of JW on the record. Thanks, @Holko Mark Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 Can’t believe I forgot the notes he wrote for the LSO/Slatkin premiere recordings of the violin and flute concerti (VSD 5345): THE VIOLIN CONCERTO The 20th century has been an extremely rich period in the production of violin concertos. It is a period in which we have been given masterpieces of the genre by Barton, Berg, Elgar, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Walton and others. These works have set a very high standard for any composer wishing to contribute a piece of this kind. However daunting these great examples of the recent past may be, the medium of the violin concerto continues to fascinate. The violin itself remains an instrument of enormous expressive power, and the urge to contribute to its repertoire is great. With these thoughts in mind, I set to work laying out my concerto in three movements, each with expansive themes and featuring virtuosic passage work used both for effective contrast and display. The pattern of movements is fast, slow, fast with a cadenza at the end of the first movement. Although contemporary in style and technique, I think of the piece as within the romantic tradition. The first movement starts with an unaccompanied presentation, by the solo violin, of the principal theme, which is composed of broad melodic intervals and rhythmic contour, in contrast with the more jaunty second subject. Orchestra and soloist share the exploitation of this material, and after the solo cadenza the movement is brought to a quiet conclusion. The second movement features an elegiac melodic subject. While this melody is the central feature of the movement, there is, by way of contrast, a brisk middle section based on rushing ‘tetrachordal’ figures that are tossed back and forth between soloist and orchestra. The mood of the opening is always present, however, as the rushing and playing about continue to be accompanied by hints of a return to the movement's more introspective opening. The finale begins with chiming chords of great dissonance from the orchestra, all of which pivot around a G being constantly sounded by the trumpet. The solo part commences immediately on a journey of passagework in triple time that forms a kind of moto perpetuo which propels the movement. In rondo-like fashion, several melodies emerge until insistent intervals, borrowed from the first movement, form to make up the final lyrical passage ‘sung' by the solo violin. An excited coda, based on the triple-time figures, concludes the work. I began composing the concerto in 1974, finishing it October 19, 1976. It is dedicated to the memory of my late wife. -John Williams THE FLUTE CONCERTO I wrote my flute concerto in 1969. The concerto was "inspired" by some demonstrations of the Japanese Shakuhachi flute that I had heard at that time. I was so impressed by the music of this instrument that I wanted to try to create something for the conventional modern flute that would reflect the atmosphere evoked by Shakuhachi flutists. I wanted the solo part to sound “improvised” and decided to make the flute the only wind instrument in the piece. The accompaniment is provided by strings, percussion, piano, celeste and harps, as they make mysterious sounds like the snapping of branches, while we explore some imaginary mythical forest. -John Williams Holko and rough cut 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rough cut 1,714 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 On 25/12/2021 at 10:25 PM, QuartalHarmony said: Adventures on Earth: Reveal hidden contents Adventures On Earth is part of the score that I composed for Steven Spielberg's classic film, E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial). The music was designed to accompany the bicycle chase near the end of the film and as the young cyclists reach escape velocity, E.T's theme is heard as they fly "over the moon." The more sentimental music that follows, accompanies the dialogue as E.T. bids farewell to his earthling friends. This is followed by timpani and brass fanfares as the orchestra brings the film to a close. JW’s notes for Adventures On Earth - generally considered to be one of his most exciting pieces of music he has ever written throughout his entire career (and that’s saying something!) - are about as dry as they can get. 😂 Brando 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 543 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 I should have added that the Varese notes for the violin and flute concerti should be dated 1983, which was the original year of the recording’s release (although my CD is a 1992 reissue, according to discogs). Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,353 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 4 hours ago, rough cut said: JW’s notes for Adventures On Earth - generally considered to be one of his most exciting pieces of music he has ever written throughout his entire career (and that’s saying something!) - are about as dry as they can get. 😂 And it's wrong, because they fly over the sunset at the end of the movie; The moon is earlier in the movie BB-8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rough cut 1,714 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 😂 Well, at least he coined the expression “reach escape velocity”, which is something I will forever try to work into any conversation I have. BB-8 and Brando 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holko 9,525 Posted July 28, 2022 Author Share Posted July 28, 2022 Added TreeSong. rough cut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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