Popular Post MikeH 768 Posted February 3, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/03/john-williams-at-90-he-is-so-much-smarter-than-his-critics Timo Martikainen, BrotherSound, Bayesian and 12 others 12 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ludwig 1,120 Posted February 3, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2022 Thanks for sharing! And congrats to @Falstaft for his prominent contribution to the article. I'm glad he mentioned the care and effort that Williams puts into shaping his themes. Their memorability and tailor-made nature may make it seem that they are in a sense easily done, especially because they don't generally go overboard in what it is they are meant to express. I know WE know this here of course, but I'm happy it was put in a mainstream article because it really gives a different perspective on his work - with the complexity of his underscoring, one could easily think that that's the greatest struggle for him, but no, it's the more easy-sounding themes that take the most work. So thinking of them that way, one can better understand why they're memorable enough to not only live well beyond their films but to actually become cultural icons as well. In other words, it isn't simply that they tap into film and classical traditions but that they draw on particular aspects of them that he deems the best fit for a theme and melds them together in a convincing and original way. I'd also add that jazz harmony is a huge part of his theme writing, though not jazz style. The themes don't sound jazzy, they draw on aspects of jazz, and in being blended with film and classical aspects, they become something new, original, and memorable. I think this is a big part of Williams' genius for film music, his blending or better yet, assimilating, of many influences into a style all his own. Oceadge, MrJosh, mahler3 and 11 others 13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 550 Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Great stuff. Can anyone tell me if the POA flute passage used as an audition piece is on the OST and, if so, which track it is? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taikomochi 1,136 Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 1 minute ago, QuartalHarmony said: Great stuff. Can anyone tell me if the POA flute passage used as an audition piece is on the OST and, if so, which track it is? Mark 1:54 crumbs and MikeH 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuartalHarmony 550 Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Yikes. I would not want to do that with anyone watching me critically. Who played it on the OST? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Disco Stu 15,495 Posted February 3, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2022 1 minute ago, QuartalHarmony said: Yikes. I would not want to do that with anyone watching me critically. Who played it on the OST? Karen Jones crumbs, QuartalHarmony and BrotherSound 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrotherSound 2,248 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 3 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said: Great stuff. Can anyone tell me if the POA flute passage used as an audition piece is on the OST and, if so, which track it is? I’ve also seen The Cowboys Overture come up for xylophone on percussion auditions, and understandably so! crumbs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tom 4,681 Posted February 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2022 This might be the best piece of its kind written on Williams--informative, analytical, and compelling. A mention of the Fablemans would make me happier, but Indy works for the global audience. Edmilson, Once, armorb and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,421 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 Fabelmans, not Fablemans. Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,681 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 I did not realize that--nor did I even know what a fabel was. But, I looked it up and now I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Naïve Old Fart 9,603 Posted February 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2022 "...Zimmer's synth-driven mood pieces..." That's one way of describing them. Joni Wiljami, Martinland and GerateWohl 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,514 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 10 hours ago, Taikomochi said: 1:54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,407 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 Really the best article on Williams, that I recently read. BB-8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,514 Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said: "...Zimmer's synth-driven mood pieces..." That's one way of describing them. Zimmer's mood-driven synth pieces :-) Martinland 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mahler3 478 Posted February 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2022 The brilliant CBSO flautist Marie-Christine Zupancic really nailed the solo during this rehearsal. It was one of her first gigs and unsurprisingly she became principal soon after. GerateWohl, crumbs, MaxTheHouseelf and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post QuartalHarmony 550 Posted February 5, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2022 On 4/2/2022 at 12:03 AM, BrotherSound said: I’ve also seen The Cowboys Overture come up for xylophone on percussion auditions, and understandably so! I still remember getting to the Barbican early in 1996/7 whilst the orchestra warmed up and hearing the LSO’s xylophonist relentlessly practising that fast run from The Cowboys with an increasingly desperate air! Mark fommes, Falstaft, Martinland and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,407 Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 Yeah. That's the magic about John Williams' music. It's so challenging to play. But people practice like hell to be able to because it's so good. apples 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now