Favorite Tim Morrison collaboration

[Figo 2]

Perhaps the most quintessential element of an American sound in music is the solitary trumpet, as exemplified by such works as Aaron Copland's "Quiet City," the aural equivalent of an Edward Hopper painting. Williams has used the trumpet on numerous occasions as shorthand for supposedly American attributes such as honesty, decency, simplicity, courage, persistence, and yes, naivety. In point of fact, the reality of the situation too seldom stands up to the ideal, but -- to conjure "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" -- when the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

Which of these scores, all of which incorporate the talents of frequent Williams collaborator Tim Morrison, is your favorite? (Perhaps it is unfair for me to include "Summon the Heroes" -- but how could I not?)

[Caldeira 0]

Actually, Nixon is my favourite collaboration between Tim and John!

[Figo 2]

I have yet to hear "Nixon!" My girlfriend and I have the film on order at our local video store. We watched "JFK" last week, and both of us liked it very much -- although Tommy Lee Jones (spray-painted gold) in a four-way with periwigged Joe Pesci, transvestite Kevin Bacon, and Gary Oldman (as Oswald) WAS a bit much. What happened to Kevin Costner, who used to make such good movies? (Actually, the other Kennedy film, "Thirteen Days" was very good.) I really liked the score, and am happy I picked it up second-hand a couple of months ago. Also, it's always nice to see Donald Sutherland getting work, even if it is for only one scene.

Figo, who has had many opportunities to taunt Arlen Specter about the "Magic Bullet," but who has always held his tongue.

[Morn 8]

Figo, who has had many opportunities to taunt Arlen Specter about the "Magic Bullet," but who has always held his tongue.

What does this mean?

Morn - Skeptical of both the magic bullet and the conspiracy theorists.

[Figo 2]

*Sigh* Arlen Specter put forth the theory that Oswald's third shot basically performed all sorts of impossible loop-the-loops to inflict mayhem upon the Kennedy motorcade. That was the "Magic Bullet," far from a conspiracy theory, in fact just the opposite. The Warren Commission came to this conclusion presumably in order to silence and discredit conspiracy theorists. The finding certainly wasn't based on any scientific reality or eyewitness testimony, both of which persuasively suggest multiple gunmen.

Now, I'm aware Oliver Stone is one of the most paranoid men alive (and therefore a perfect choice to direct "JFK"), and I don't by any means believe everything I am told, but clearly not everything that went on that day in Dallas was revealed to the American public. "JFK," the movie, is propaganda of the very first order, but it's none the worse for that. It's a subject that should be addressed, and it's shocking that in the forty years since the assassination, that such enormous gaps in the puzzle remain. In a few decades, sheafs of documents will be declassified, but by then it will be too late. The true perpetrators, if they are ever pinpointed, will be long dead.

Figo, convinced Oswald -- if he acted at all -- did not act alone.

[hhssoccerplayer 0]

I chose Summon The Heros, mainly because I like that song a lot. All of Tim's solos are great though and as a fellow trumpet player I enjoy them a lot.

Brandon

[Mari 279]

It was very tough to make a choice! I listened to both BOTFOJ and JFK again because it was that hard for me to choose between them. Today JFK is my favorite, tomorrow it may be BOTFOJ with Summon The Heroes a very close third. I also think Nixon is excellent, but have never been enchanted by Amistad or SPR for some reason.

Although not a big hockey fan, as a resident of Michigan I just have to say:

Congratulations Red Wings - winners of the Stanley Cup!

[Harry Potter 0]

Figo!!!!

You are speaking of something that I have a great interest in. I am convinced that Oswald didn't do it, nor did he do anything that should have warrant his killing, well except for him being the patsy as he said. I have my theories about this topic, but I don't know if this is the right place to say anything.

About the magic bullet, Morn: The Warren Commission said this single bullet hit JFK in the head, turned and hit John Connally, the Texas governor, in the back, and went through his wrist, and wound up looking like it hit nothing. See the pictures below.

The Magic Bullet after it performed its impossible tasks of going through two people:

A supposed path (the "?") of the bullet:

The person on the left (seated in the back of the car) is JKF, and the right person, seated in the middle seat, is Connally.

~Harry, who loves learning things about this

[Harry Potter 0]

Oh, and I voted for Summon the Heroes, by the way.

~Harry

[Morn 8]

And why is that the supposed path of the bullet? Are we sure it when through his head and through the other guy at those angles? Any chance of his head deflecting the bullet?

Morn - Who doesn't really agree with any side of the argument yet.

[Morn 8]

And PS, about deflecting, I've heard of bullets doing weird things like being deflected when at a sharp angle by a plaster roof without going through it.

[Harry Potter 0]

And why is that the supposed path of the bullet? Are we sure it when through his head and through the other guy at those angles? Any chance of his head deflecting the bullet?  

Morn - Who doesn't really agree with any side of the argument yet.

Why is that the supposed path? Because the Warren Commission said so, that's why. They were the ones in charge of finding "answers". That was the path they said the bullet travelled. No, we aren't sure that's the correct path. The Warren Commission did what they were told to do -- jump to conclusions and try to make everyone, at least in the government, happy.

~Harry

[Morn 8]

Well, I think it's still possible that it could be the same bullet that did the damage to both men. But definately not in the way on that picture. So, does anyone know for sure if it went straight through JFK's head? The impact of the bullet on his skull could have changed the direction of the bullet. But that is not possible if it went straight through his head.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The CIA killed him.

Not in Dallas, offcourse, that was just a decoy, the real Kennedy was killed 4 months before that.

Stefancos- who knows this for a fact.

[Harry Potter 0]

I think this was the bullet that was said to have went through his neck. Then it turned and went through Connally's lower right shoulder, then it shattered his wrist, and would up on a stretcher outside the hospital.

~Harry

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Morrison is such an amazing player, and all his solos are spectacular. My favorite is Summon the Heroes, it is just such a celebratory piece. Being a trumpet player helps me enjoy his playing even more.

Ray Barnsbury

[billybobab 0]

I as a Trumpet Player think that Born on the Fourth of July is the best. I have the music for it and I have played Summon the Heroes, and Born on the Fourth of July is better. It is a beautiful song in comparison to Summon the Heroes being more of a Fanefare, but I think it surpasses Summn the Heroes due to its musical quality.

Billybobab--Ray will probably disagree

[Justin 2]

Summon the Heroes.

Justin

[Harry Potter 0]

Well, I think it's still possible that it could be the same bullet that did the damage to both men. But definately not in the way on that picture. So, does anyone know for sure if it went straight through JFK's head? The impact of the bullet on his skull could have changed the direction of the bullet. But that is not possible if it went straight through his head.

No, no one knows the truth, and if someone did, they won't say anything. We will never know all of what went on and everyone who was involved. This plot was so well covered up and all the evidence vanished, so we have no hope of knowing the truth.

The bullet went through JFK's neck, Morn.

~Harry

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I as a Trumpet Player think that Born on the Fourth of July is the best.  I have the music for it and I have played Summon the Heroes, and Born on the Fourth of July is better.  It is a beautiful song in comparison to Summon the Heroes being more of a Fanefare, but I think it surpasses Summn the Heroes due to its musical quality.

Billybobab--Ray will probably disagree

Not at all! Born on the Fourth of July is a beautiful piece, and I also really enjoy Morrison's playing in that. I just favor Summon the Heroes based merely on personal preference.

Ray Barnsbury

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Summon the Heroes. My favorite non-film score Williams piece hands down!

-Chris, Who LOL ed and Steef's theory. I think that the Mafia did it! Or maybe the unborn ghoest of The Chrusher did it?

(Just kidding. Who cares who did it anyways? Its just fun to speculate.)

[Guest]

How about Saving Private Ryan. I like this score a lot more than a lot people do, it seems. I know it's no trumpet masterpiece, but "Hymn to the Fallen" is neat (even though it's weird picturing vets being honored by something as semi-American sounding as that--but somehow it still fits).

[PetePan 163]

i have to agree with you, seeing SPR in the theatre and knowing the music already, the two trumpets in the last 20 seconds of track 10 made me cry in the cinema. Those notes are so f**king high but played perfect and it was the most intense moment in the whole film for me.

Lucky me, I saw Tim Morrison playing in Rotterdam, about a year ago and to hear and see him live is simply fantastic!

[Eplicon 53]

I chose BOTFOJ, their first collaboration, particularly for "The Early Days, Massapequa, 1957." I always liked the bittersweet optimism and yet yearnful tone the cue plays over Kovic's childhood. It's like a Kodak moment: hitting the game winning homerun, the first kiss, etc. It's a wonderful sense of Americana. It was Oliver Stone's belief that America pretty much went down the tubes when the Vietnam War started, so this era before that takes place is quite warm in tone. Or has he puts it, "good corn" (i.e. corny in a good sense).

[Guest]

I know this is crazy on a JW board, but had it been listed, I would've chosen Morrison/Horner for Apollo 13. I liked SPR, but A13 was way better. Sorry vets.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No need to feel sorry, Dexjett.

Apollo 13 is a classic, that trumpet sends shivers down my spine every time i listen to it.

Stefancos- who also loves the film.

[Harry Potter 0]

Who cares who did it anyways? Its just fun to speculate.

8O 8O

I care! Figo cares! There are many people who cared what happened!

True, it is fun to speculate!

~Harry

[Figo 2]

Speculation is "fun," but some of the fun bleeds out of it when you realize that it concerns actual human beings -- and not just ANY human beings --the president of the United States and (possibly) any number of unknown operatives within the U.S. government. How is what happened on that day in Dallas and in the months that followed any different from the kind of thing that could, and did, happen in Germany in the 1930s and in the Soviet Union in the post-war years? That the assassination and subsquent tidy explanation/cover-up would be perpetrated -- and accepted! -- in a supposed democracy, that basically nothing was done about chasing down the truth when discrepancies presented themselves, is downright chilling. I doubt Jackie thought it was "fun" when she was suddenly covered in her husband's brains.

Anyway, I finally rented "Nixon" last night -- coincidentally on the 30th anniversary of the Watergate break in. I watched it in bed and actually fell asleep during the last hour (it's over three hours' long), so I'll have to watch the end tonight. Did anyone else notice Williams' reference to "JFK?" At one point, when we again see footage of the Kennedy motorcade, there is an obvious quotation using snares. I thought the "E.T."/Yoda thing was the only time he had done this, outside of writing for an actual sequel.

And, Morn, NO bullet (other than a magic one) would have looked like that after having passed through two men. Besides, there's the little matter of people who were not in the proper trajectory being sprayed with further debris.

[billybobab 0]

If anyone wants to see a picture of Morrison go to http://www.campavalon.com/morrisson.html

-Billybobab-

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

The point is that innocent people get murdered every day. Why should I care about an unsolved murder that happened so long ago? A President murdered is no more important than a baby or your next door neighbor getting murdered, it's still an innocent life taken and a serious offense... A capital offense.

Hence, I'm not as all ga-ga over the situation as some, although it is rather interesting to speculate over it. But at the same time, I'd worry about solving a crime that happened in our day, or every day in every part of the world rather than some dead President in the yesteryear.

Millions die without a tear, yet we only shed them for some? Certainly some are more famous and more missed, but the taking of an innocent's life is still an innocent's life. Famous or not.

Same thing with a famous person dying. A rock star or celebrity. It's just a person. What about the obituaries filled with lesser known people who passed on? Or deaths that don't even make obituaries? Sure, its more painful that someone you care for and love die, but no more or less important than the next.

And Titanic. Why does that haunt so many? How many ocean liners have gone down through the years with more deaths than the Titanic. Yet we obsess over it? It's fine to think about the mysteries of such things, but c'mon.

That's why I say that it's "fun" to speculate, but all the speculation on who did it and why they did it didn't solve it then, and isn't going to solve it now. Consipracy theories involve political parties, world governments, mafia... who knows? I certainly don't. And books and movies like JFK only muddle the situation more.

I'd rather worry about justice and injustices now and use the distant past as a guide for the future.

[Morn 8]

The point is that innocent people get murdered every day. Why should I care about an unsolved murder that happened so long ago? A President murdered is no more important than a baby or your next door neighbor getting murdered, it's still an innocent life taken and a serious offense... A capital offense.

Of course, but this is the excution of a president, that is not supposed to happen in a democracy. That is what makes JFK's death important, considering he could have been killed by people in the government.

Same thing with a famous person dying. A rock star or celebrity. It's just a person. What about the obituaries filled with lesser known people who passed on? Or deaths that don't even make obituaries? Sure, its more painful that someone you care for and love die, but no more or less important than the next.

It can be more important to you though, that's why it's more painful.

[Figo 2]

You miss the point, Chris. When a president is executed, it is not just any man, not just any injustice -- it is a coup d'etat, and I'm surprised that you don't grasp the larger implications. It's not for nothing that I draw comparisons to Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. What if people in your country began to "disappear" without explanation? Is that sinister enough for you? What if every few months your leader(s) were gunned down in the street? I think you'll have to agree, that's a little more serious than your average murder case, sad as it may be. Was Pim Fortuyn's assassination fun?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Was Pim Fortuyn's assassination fun?

Well, some great jokes are being made from it.

Besides, his death had more in common with that of Robert Kennedy.

Both were heading for a landslide, both were not currently in office, both had to rely on amateurs for security.

Stefancos- sick to death of the "Fortyun" canonization in his country.

[Figo 2]

You're right, Fortuyn was not the same as Kennedy. Still, it would be a little nerve-racking, don't you think, if people started gunning government officials down in the street with regularity?

At least they got the guy who did it -- or so we are led to believe.

Figo, who can think of certain presidents who were much more deserving than Kennedy. :lookaround:

[Justin 2]

Figo, who can think of certain presidents who were much more deserving than Kennedy.

Heh heh.

Er... :lookaround:

Justin - :arrow:

[Figo 2]

Who are those guys sitting out in front of my house in the black limousine?

[Director 1]

"Summon The Heroes" got my vote. I'm sure Tim loved it too since it was written for him to begin with.

Amistad has great solos, as does Saving Private Ryan, but Born On The Fourth Of July was Johnny's best Tim Morrison score, I think.

Director - who thinks Tim Morrison is the man

"Carla & Danny's Theme" from The Other Sister (Portman)

[Figo 2]

This is how I see it, too, for the most part, although his solos in "JFK" weren't exactly chopped liver, either. I really like that score. Having finally seen "Nixon," I was expecting the trumpet to play a much greater role. I've located the soundtrack on clearance. I will pick it up and give a close listen.

Figo, who hopes that Oliver Stone will round off his "presidents" trilogy with a film about George W. Bush (with Joe Pesci in a ten gallon hat).

[Director 1]

Yes, Figo. Tim's solos in JFK were great and they were great in Nixon -- a very good score, in my opinion.

It's just that Born On The Fourth Of July was defined by Morrison's solos. I think that is what made that score. That, and of course, Johnny.

Ollie Stone will most likely cap off his Presidential Trilogy with a dark look at Ronald Reagan. But he might work with Johnny at least one more time before he sets off to do that one.........Alexander will give Johnny the best chance to pay tribute to Rozsa, Korngold, and Copland -- more than any other project he's done/will do/might do/has been offered, etc.

Director - excited about a possible 40s-style musical he's been hearing about that will undoubtedly give Johnny the best chance to pay tribute to the Gershwins, Rogers, and Bernstein.

"The Greatest Woman On Earth" from As Good As It Gets (Zimmer)

[billybobab 0]

Director - who thinks Tim Morrison is the man

Just for the record, Morrison is good, but not THAT good. He was Principle Trumpet for the BPO, and BPO is not a extremely good orchestra. He also toured with Empire Brass. They are good, but he only Soloed he did not play 1st part. Solo parts can be 4th trumpet, and the 1st trumpet part is way harder

Billybobab-who is not bashing Tim Morrison, I do like him.

[Director 1]

Yes, I'm aware of that, billybobbab, but I have it on good authority that Morrison is quite the trumpeter.

Director - still convinced that Morrison is the man

"The Lanes Of Limerick" from Angela's Ashes

[Morn 8]

That's because he did JFK and BOT4J for you right?

[billybobab 0]

Yes, I'm aware of that, billybobbab, but I have it on good authority that Morrison is quite the trumpeter.

Director - still convinced that Morrison is the man

I'm not saying he isn't "quite a good trumpeter", he is. Does any one know who Rolf Smedvig is? I found out he played with BPO I think in Summon the Heroes, and a few other Williams songs.

Billybobab

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ollie Stone will most likely cap off his Presidential Trilogy with a dark look at Ronald Reagan.

Since Nixon was a complete flop at the box offivce it will be a long time if ever before he can make another 'presidential" film again.

Since Hollywood is now only interested in making non-controversial no-brainer box office films it has become very hard for Stone to get ANYTHING financed.

Besides, JFK was not about the man himself, it was about his death.

Stefancos- who thinks Nixon is a brilliant film.

[Harry Potter 0]

That's because he did JFK and BOT4J for you right?  

Notice your question went unanswered.

~Harry

[Figo 2]

Director - who thinks Tim Morrison is the man

Just for the record, Morrison is good, but not THAT good. He was Principle Trumpet for the BPO, and BPO is not a extremely good orchestra.

You're talking about the BSO, I assume. The BPO is the Berlin Philharmonic, a very good orchestra. The Boston Symphony, admittedly, has seen better days.

Figo, who expects incoming music director James Levine to do wonders for their precision, but little for the depth of their interpretations.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

On this MB the Boston Pops is often referred to as the BPO.

Stefancos- stating the obvious, and preparing to eat macaroni with chicken, bacon and mushrooms

[Figo 2]

Thanks. I forget sometimes that I have to scale back on what I know -- for instance, widely recognized orchestra abbreviations -- and gauge it to the board.

Figo, who would love to hear the Berlin Philharmonic record John Williams.

(Won't happen in this lifetime. :cry:)

[Director 1]

James Levine is an excellent music director. He did wonders in New York.

Morn (the Scab): Morrison did nothing for me -- at least no actual service to me.......but he has moved me every now and then.

Stefancos: Nixon is a great film, isn't it? I've always really liked it and thought Hopkins should've won that year......or maybe Sean Penn.

Harry: you're quite like Ollie yourself, aren't you? Looking for clues that might lead to some sort of "conspiracy" or shrowd of darkness.

Director - enjoying himself

[Morn 8]

BPO and BPO...... wait... this can't be, I agree with Figo.