Williams not scoring Harry Potter and GoF

[TownerFan 4,983]

John Williams is the most person alive who's working in the gernre of orchestral music, he would never have become that famous if it was not for those blockbuster films that he scored.

He might have been a good or even great composer, but known to only a very limited crowd.

John Williams is who he is because he was smart enough to score Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman and Harry Potter.

Yes but, as you have pointed out, he has already done this kind of scores! Why he should write scores for fantasy/adventure again and again? Why he should continue only to work on big franchise movies like Harry Potter or Star Wars? He's already so much famous and rich that he could permit himself to turn down such a high-profile movie. And let himself explore new ideas in different kind of movies. Probably is also a very humble way to put himself in a corner and let to younger composers (like Michael Giacchino, for example) to make their big jump in big fantasy franchise movies like Harry Potter. In this way, he can continue to focus his attention and his talent only to the things he really wants to do. And this, for an artist, is the greatest accomplishment one could achieve, because it means freedom.

[A24 4,327]

Damn who?

Damn The Patriot! The Patriot always ends every discussion.

[John Crichton 4]

Good post Lord Maurizio. I still think Geisha over GoF is a mistake, but you make good points and are making an effort to be understood and polite. And not just trying to be an ass unlike some people.

EDIT- For clarification, thanks to the perils of similtanous posting. I was referring to Lord Maurizio's post at the end of page 2, not the one at the start of this page.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Damn who?

Damn The Patriot! The Patriot always ends every discussion.

Hardly, I don't blame williams for excepting that job, it must have gotten him a lot of money.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Damn who?

Damn The Patriot! The Patriot always ends every discussion.

The Patriot is surely not the best thing John has written... but is far to be boring or flat. In purely compositional terms, there's a lot to enjoy (for example the folksy, gentle love theme for fiddle).

[A24 4,327]

Yes but, as you have pointed out, he has already done this kind of scores! Why he should write scores for fantasy/adventure again and again? Why he should continue only to work on big franchise movies like Harry Potter or Star Wars? He's already so much famous and rich that he could permit himself to turn down such a high-profile movie. And let himself explore new ideas in different kind of movies. Probably is also a very humble way to put himself in a corner and let to younger composers (like Michael Giacchino, for example) to make their big jump in big fantasy franchise movies like Harry Potter. In this way, he can continue to focus his attention and his talent only to the things he really wants to do. And this, for an artist, is the greatest accomplishment one could achieve, because it means freedom.

Exactly. And I believe JFK is a product of this freedom. I still hope John will pick a few daring projects before he leaves us.

[A24 4,327]

 and are making an effort to be understood and polite. And not just trying to be an ass unlike some people.

Seems you are guilty of the same thing you accuse others of. You just called someone an ass. Not very polite, John.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Good post Lord Maurizio. I still think Geisha over GoF is a mistake, but you make good points and are making an effort to be understood and polite. And not just trying to be an ass unlike some people.

Thank you, John. I always try to be polite, because I like to discuss everything (especially art) in the simplest and most joyful way.

BTW, I'm not a fan or defender of Memoirs of a Geisha over Goblet of Fire. But I respect Williams' choice in doing a drama like that. Probably he's interested more in writing a score for a movie like that instead of another Potter movie.

[King Mark 3,626]

The Potterdom (Mark and Joe) thinks Williams should only compose for very popular films. He's wasting his time on other films.

No,my nuance is that Williams should score his remaining films at what hs's best at,not necesarely popular films.

Lets see the List of "Different" Williams scores:

The Zany Comedy score:Guide To The Married Man

The Friggen Weird Psycho Score:Images

The Comedy Mystery Score:Family Plot

The Suspense/Action Score:Black Sunday

The Synth Score:HeartBeeps

The English Score:Jane Eyre

The Americana Scores:Sugerland,Missoury Breaks,The River

The Irish Score:Far And Away

The Jewish Score:Schindler's List

The Tibetan Score:7YIT

The African Score:Amistad

The Russian Score:The Terminal

The Ultimate Melodrama Score:Angela's Ashes

The Military Elegious Score:SPR

The Political Serious Scores:JFK,BotFJ,Nixon

The Cheezy Romantic Score:Sabrina

The Jazzy Score:CMIYC

The Soap Opera:Stepmom

The Westerns:The Reivers,The Cowboys

The Dissonant Oddball Score:Sleepers

The Thriller Score:Presumed Innocent,

The Straight Black and White Action Score:Minority Report

See,he's done it all already,if it's not potter we'll get another one of the above,which isn't nessesary.

K.M.

[Adam 1]

My two cents :

Given the situation, I?m not necesarily too disappointed with this news - but it will depend on how good the films in question end up being. The HP films have given us a lot of great music but they?re a bit overrated as a venue for his talents, IMO. I had hopes that PoA would provide more opportunities for Williams and in someways it did. But in other respects the film has some of the same limitations as the first two. Anyway, the prospect of something very different like Memoirs is exciting, although, again, it will depend a lot on how well these films are made. If, in fact, Goblet ends up being the ESB of the Harry Potter series, that would be a lot more disappointing to have JW not score it. But that remains to be seen.

I don?t think that its going out too far on a limb to say that this message board is not necessarily representative of JW?s fans. And even if it is, my own impression is that, even on this message board, there are a lot of people who enjoy his smaller, less commercially successful scores (although we may be relatively less prominent in our posting prowess). KM tried to minimize the amount of people who would say this and I?m remembering his recent poll where he suggested JW should work with somebody besides Spielberg so as not to repeat the crime of scoring lower-budget films and he had a whopping few votes of agreement out of dozens of votes. That suggests something quite different.

But, more important, its not about populatity - we enjoy what we enjoy. If I was the only person in the world to appreciate a score, I wouln?t alter my opinion about it simply to fit in with the prevailing orthodoxy. I?m willing to hear peoples reasons for liking or disliking something and see if they make sense but the only obnoxious thing is when someone acts like their tastes are superiour or more correct -an attitude that both sides can exhibit. For people interested in the smaller-type scores, JW gives us a lot to enjoy and appreciate. If you're not, by all means listen to the bigger stuff and visa-versa. I'm glad to have both.

- Adam

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I don?t think that its going out too far on a limb to say that this message board is not necessarily representative of JW?s fans.

I would be very interested in hearing why you think this?

[King Mark 3,626]

Let me put it this way,I thought PoA was limited in what Williams could do with it too,it was a very claustrophobic twisty plot driven book,with not many scenes lending themselves to more operatic moments.GoF is another story,it's like it was tailor made for Williams to score,like all the stars in the Heaven gave Rowlings the inspiration to write such a book so that Williams could produce his final great epic masterpiece.This could be it folks,THE score that could top ESB,Superman and Raiders,that we'll cherish forever and seal Williams destiny among the Dieties of music.

BUT NO!, were going to get an "intimate" mid 15th century experimentalistic Chinese flavoured chamber music score with God knows what weirdass period instruments that don't even exist anymore instead that's gonna sound like a cross from hell between Soundings,Nixon,Stepmom,Sleepers and Essay for Strings.

I know my Williams,and can predict approximately how a score will sound no matter what style he uses,so don't say I didn't warn you.

K.M.

[Gizmo2k4 0]

oh no,he didn't read my signature..,Memoirs of Geisha...WTF .I guess we'll never hear another version of Fawke's theme.

Wait,is this Chinese July Fool's Day?

K.M.Utterly bummed out. :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

There were rumors going on about Williams not scoring PoA either. You sure this is true?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

"Our sources are Carter Armstrong, director of music at Warner Brothers, and Conrad Pope, Williams orchestrator. We don't make up the news." -Ricard L. Befan.

[Hlao-roo 389]

oh no,he didn't read my signature..,Memoirs of Geisha...WTF .I guess we'll never hear another version of Fawke's theme.

Wait,is this Chinese July Fool's Day?

K.M.Utterly bummed out. :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

There were rumors going on about Williams not scoring PoA either. You sure this is true?

No one can be certain of the future, but it appears that Williams's schedule in 2005 will make his availability to score the next 'Potter' film unlikely. Read the thread -- Ricard's identification of his sources has now been quoted here a total of three times.

[Gizmo2k4 0]

"Our sources are Carter Armstrong, director of music at Warner Brothers, and Conrad Pope, Williams orchestrator. We don't make up the news." -Ricard L. Befan.

OOO Well I'm SORRY mister perfect!

@ Hlao-roo: Well every time I visit this site the topics are laready at page 3 and I'm not really up for reading 3 entire pages hehe :oops: still I'm glad you gave me a mature anwser instead of my fellow dutchie over there shouting the words into my face

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

OOO Well I'm SORRY mister perfect!

No need to get all pissy just because I answered a question you posed.

still I'm glad you gave me a mature anwser instead of my fellow dutchie over there shouting the words into my face

Posting text in a bold font is not shouting, that's posting in ALL CAPS!

I was merely providing you with some info you seem to want, if you dislike me for that then you can go stand in an empty field with a lightning rod as far as i'm concerned.

[Gizmo2k4 0]

It is obvious that we have different opinions in what we think is shouting on a message board. Still sounded dry though, but my apologies nevertheless

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

- Gebruik enkel hoofdletters in uw berichten voor het benadrukken van

een belangrijk punt of om een titel/header aan te geven. Het in

hoofdletters schrijven van complete woorden, die geen titels zijn, wordt

over het algemeen als onbeleefd beschouwd en betitelt als

SCHREEUWEN!

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Maurice.Maka...aay/netiquette/

[Adam 1]

I don?t think that its going out too far on a limb to say that this message board is not necessarily representative of JW?s fans.

I would be very interested in hearing why you think this?

Its not relavant to my main point but a few factors that bear on that point of view:

1. the number of people interested in JW's music must surely be much, much larger than the number of people posting at any given time. A typical poll gets what 30, 40, 50 votes at the most? (I honestly am not recalling at the moment). Not a very strong sample. The total membership I'm sure would provide a much stronger sample but when do we get a chance to hear from that many people?

2. In terms of the discussion, point of view will be even more weighted towards those relatively small few, like yourself and others, who spend more time posting. I don't say this as a criticism, only a reality that should be kept in mind. And to the extent that those opinions shape others' point of view or more likely, contribute to others' unwillingness to express a different point of view, the distortion would be even greater.

3. I doubt its much of a factor, but non-English speaking people aren't heard. Luckily, that still includes a good portion of Europe and other scattered souls.

4. Finally, its a bit of a stereotype, but there may be some correlation between in an interest in sci-fi, big budget movies and the likelihood that the person is computer-savvy. In otherwords, there must be a lot of fans who don't use the internet, or who do, but don't particpate in forums, chat-rooms, etc. If I had to guess, I'd say, in general, they might also be less likely to be as interested in the Harry Potters, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. Can't prove it but it seems like a reasonable impression.

- Adam

[Gizmo2k4 0]

- Gebruik enkel hoofdletters in uw berichten voor het benadrukken van

 een belangrijk punt of om een titel/header aan te geven. Het in

 hoofdletters schrijven van complete woorden, die geen titels zijn, wordt

 over het algemeen als onbeleefd beschouwd en betitelt als

 SCHREEUWEN!

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Maurice.Makaay/netiquette/

They actually made official rules about this? some people have too much time on their hands

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I've never agreed with anyone on this board as much as I agree with KM's posts in this thread. Well said, KM. I wonder if JW would care that this news is being lamented by so many, and if anything would change if he knew.

Ray Barnsbury

[HPFAN_2 0]

Let me put it this way,I thought PoA was limited in what Williams could do with it too,it was a very claustrophobic twisty plot driven book,with not many scenes lending themselves to more operatic moments.GoF is another story,it's like it was tailor made for Williams to score,like all the stars in the Heaven gave Rowlings the inspiration to write such a book so that Williams could produce his final great epic masterpiece.This could be it folks,THE score that could top ESB,Superman and Raiders,that we'll cherish forever and seal Williams destiny among the Dieties of music.

BUT NO!, were going to get an "intimate" mid 15th century Chinese flavoured chamber music score with God knows what weirdass period instruments that don't even exist anymore instead.

I know my Williams,and can predict approximately how a score will sound no matter what style he uses,so don't say I didn't warn you.

K.M.

Probably for the first time in the history of JWfan.net i agree with everything you just said.

Some people don't understand that Gof is the epic of the hp series. Its like the Return of the King for the harry potter series. Much more action, much more suspence, much more drama and an ending that a director dreams of directing.

[John Crichton 4]

K.M. is definately on a roll. I think he should be the one to write an "offcial response" on behalf of all (well, most) of us, maybe even a letter to JW himself (if anyone knows where to send it?).

But first someone needs to teach him which one's the spacebar. LOL

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

They actually made official rules about this?   some people have too much time on their hands

Why, you seemed more then willing to have your own personal rule about a bold text being considered shouting, and were angry at me for breaking that rule.

And now you mock others for having set out guidelines for us to follow so we can avoid stupid mistakes like the one you made?

[Henry B 50]

Wouldn't it be funny if Williams DID score Order of the Phoenix?

Cerrabore - just throwing something out there

[Adam 1]

Let me put it this way,I thought PoA was limited in what Williams could do with it too,it was a very claustrophobic twisty plot driven book,with not many scenes lending themselves to more operatic moments.GoF is another story,it's like it was tailor made for Williams to score,like all the stars in the Heaven gave Rowlings the inspiration to write such a book so that Williams could produce his final great epic masterpiece.This could be it folks,THE score that could top ESB,Superman and Raiders,that we'll cherish forever and seal Williams destiny among the Dieties of music.

BUT NO!, were going to get an "intimate" mid 15th century experimentalistic Chinese flavoured chamber music score with God knows what weirdass period instruments that don't even exist anymore instead that's gonna sound like a cross from hell between Soundings,Nixon,Stepmom,Sleepers and Essay for Strings.

I know my Williams,and can predict approximately how a score will sound no matter what style he uses,so don't say I didn't warn you.

K.M.

There's no law-of-nature that says this will be a well-executed film - it doesn't matter how much potential it has. I don't really regret that JW didn't do the other Jaws films or Superman films. This series has a lot more going for it but we shouldn't pretend we know for sure what this is going to look like. However, if I was a big-time Harry Potter fan, I probably wouldn't care how good the film was, I'd want him to score it really bad.

You have different tastes, KM, than many of us so I don't see why you would have to "warn" us about Memoirs. I'm intrigued by the possibilites. And I hope all of the agreement you're getting is not in regard to your dismissal of a score that hasn't even been written. I agree you'd prefer another HP score but some us are less certain.

- Adam

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Well, I'm glad a few positive things have come out of this. The Potter fans here who were divided over the PoA film (I'm looking at myself and Joe and HPFAN) have banded together to mourn over this news. And defending our opinions. Alex, just because Philosopher's Stone was the score that had me interested in Williams' music DOESN'T mean it's the only thing I listen to. Far from it. If it wasn't for that particular score I'm sure this board wouldn't be half as populated as it is now. If it wasn't for that score I wouldn't be here arguing with you. You should be glad that, even though it's labelled rehash, it displays the best of Williams' career over the last fifty years and "recruited" so many people.

Oh, and thanks for the little bit of humour amongst the depressing news, Neil.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

JoeinAr wrote:

Joe, who would like to see this board if John were not a film composer, oh wait it wouldn't exist, 'cause no one would know, except Miguel, who John was.

Yes, and that'd make his music reaaally bad.

No Ross, it would make John's music irrelevant, sort of like Alex's third grade insults to us Potter folks.

Music that goes unheard is irrelevant.

All of you who bitch about us who like John's popular stuff, need to use your brains for more than just foaming at the mouth.

John Williams is who he is because he wrote Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders, and E.T., etc

John is not who he is because he wrote CONCERTO FOR HORN AND ORCHESTRA, SOUNDINGS, CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA, and his other concert works.

His blockbuster scores give him accessability. Those works do not.

Its sort of like the line in Jaws, you yell barracude and people go who, what, you yell shark, and you've got a panic on the 4th of July

Miguel points out that he knows people in music who are more talented than John, but they chose a different path, and their music isn't well known. Well he erroneously makes the assumption that their musical talent would have allowed them succeed as well as John, if they had chosen film music.

He actaully puts John down by making it seem the so called more talented folks chose a higher path, meaning John chose a more disrepectful path, which is that same elitist bullshit we get here from time to time.

When one of John's "important" works gets this board to build a thread with more post than this, tell me about it, maybe I might get interested.

No, I guess I really wouldn't, but then again none of his concert works will garner enough interest for a thread to grow this long.

[King Mark 3,626]

You have different tastes, KM, than many of us so I don't see why you would have to "warn" us about Memoirs. I'm intrigued by the possibilites. And I hope all of the agreement you're getting is not in regard to your dismissal of a score that hasn't even been written. I agree you'd prefer another HP score but some us are less certain.

- Adam

Yes,but don't forget I own every Williams score and ConcertPiece that was ever released on c.d. officially or as a bootleg besides listening to his music almost exclusively,including the scores I like less,so I am very familiar with Williams every style inside and out.I'm getting quite good at "predicting" what a score will sound like.Williams never comes out with a score that has no ties whatsoever with something he's done in the past.

If he scores Potter,it will be like the first 3 only with the possiblity of more grandiose set pieces(those long Journey to the Island /Desert Chase type cues)and thrilling new themes.If he scores Geisha it will be like his 90's dramatic scores with some special Ethnic sound and instrument solos he hasn't done before.

K.M.

K.M.

[Romão 2,274]

Well, I preditic both GOF and Geisha could have fantastic JW scores.

I absolutly adore Seven years in Tibet, it's probably one of my top 5 favorite scores. I love Amistad. I love Schindler's List. I adore Angela's Ashes (and the book is amazing... thank you Miguel for the recomendation ). So I'm pretty much excited excited about the prospect of JW scoring this film. I wish he could score both, though.

And Joe, if you knew Miguel, you would know that was not what he meant by his post. And I wish I had half the artistic sensibility he has.

Romaõ, who even this day regrets not showing up at Miguel's exibition.

[Adam 1]

You have different tastes, KM, than many of us so I don't see why you would have to "warn" us about Memoirs. I'm intrigued by the possibilites. And I hope all of the agreement you're getting is not in regard to your dismissal of a score that hasn't even been written. I agree you'd prefer another HP score but some us are less certain.

- Adam

Yes,but don't forget I own every Williams score and ConcertPiece that was ever released on c.d. officially or as a bootleg besides listening to his music almost exclusively,including the scores I like less,so I am very familiar with Williams every style inside and out.I'm getting quite good at "predicting" what a score will sound like.Williams never comes out with a score that has no ties whatsoever with something he's done in the past.

If he scores Potter,it will be like the first 3 only with the possiblity of more grandiose set pieces(those long Journey to the Island /Desert Chase type cues)and thrilling new themes.If he scores Geisha it will be like his 90's dramatic scores with some special Ethnic sound and instrument solos he hasn't done before.

K.M.

K.M.

That?s probably a safe guess but that doesn?t describe a lot. One doesn?t need to own a lot of his music to predict something along those lines. For example, one could sort of predict what Schindler?s List was going to be like but until I actually heard the music, words utterly fail to capture what that score is about. Until somebody can figure out a way to actually write his music before hearing it, the essense of the score will go unpredicted. Plus, again, the kind of score we get still depends a lot on the direction. That?s why a lot of people?s predictions on PoA were so off. They weren?t in a position to account for how different the tone would be of the direction.

- Adam

[QMM 4]

I don?t think that its going out too far on a limb to say that this message board is not necessarily representative of JW?s fans.

I would be very interested in hearing why you think this?

Its not relavant to my main point but a few factors that bear on that point of view:

1. the number of people interested in JW's music must surely be much, much larger than the number of people posting at any given time. A typical poll gets what 30, 40, 50 votes at the most? (I honestly am not recalling at the moment). Not a very strong sample. The total membership I'm sure would provide a much stronger sample but when do we get a chance to hear from that many people?

2. In terms of the discussion, point of view will be even more weighted towards those relatively small few, like yourself and others, who spend more time posting. I don't say this as a criticism, only a reality that should be kept in mind. And to the extent that those opinions shape others' point of view or more likely, contribute to others' unwillingness to express a different point of view, the distortion would be even greater.

3. I doubt its much of a factor, but non-English speaking people aren't heard. Luckily, that still includes a good portion of Europe and other scattered souls.

4. Finally, its a bit of a stereotype, but there may be some correlation between in an interest in sci-fi, big budget movies and the likelihood that the person is computer-savvy. In otherwords, there must be a lot of fans who don't use the internet, or who do, but don't particpate in forums, chat-rooms, etc. If I had to guess, I'd say, in general, they might also be less likely to be as interested in the Harry Potters, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. Can't prove it but it seems like a reasonable impression.

- Adam

Adam has hit a point that I have tried to touch on but never come through fully. All of his points are valid but especially #2. The new posters of course dont have the amount of respect that the veterans do even though they may have as good or even better opinions on these matters then all of us. Some users' opinions are swayed towards the more respected poster's or they'll deny their own to stay with the respected poster(s).

I also agree with KM's post and wish that JW was still on for GOF but I still remain optimistic about whatever the hell his new movie is going to be even though it will not come close to what could have been with GOF.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Hey, how about Howard Shore?  

NO!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

And Joe, if you knew Miguel, you would know that was not what he meant by his post.

No matter how he meant it, thats how it sounds, John Williams is a film composer because he doesn't have the talent to be something "better".

[pixie_twinkle 48]

The Potterdom (Mark and Joe) thinks Williams should only compose for very popular films. He's wasting his time on other films.

No,my nuance is that Williams should score his remaining films at what hs's best at,not necesarely popular films.

Lets see the List of "Different" Williams scores:

The Zany Comedy score:Guide To The Married Man

The Friggen Weird Psycho Score:Images

The Comedy Mystery Score:Family Plot

The Suspense/Action Score:Black Sunday

The Synth Score:HeartBeeps

The English Score:Jane Eyre

The Americana Scores:Sugerland,Missoury Breaks,The River

The Irish Score:Far And Away

The Jewish Score:Schindler's List

The Tibetan Score:7YIT

The African Score:Amistad

The Russian Score:The Terminal

The Ultimate Melodrama Score:Angela's Ashes

The Military Elegious Score:SPR

The Political Serious Scores:JFK,BotFJ,Nixon

The Cheezy Romantic Score:Sabrina

The Jazzy Score:CMIYC

The Soap Opera:Stepmom

The Westerns:The Reivers,The Cowboys

The Dissonant Oddball Score:Sleepers

The Thriller Score:Presumed Innocent,

The Straight Black and White Action Score:Minority Report

See,he's done it all already,if it's not potter we'll get another one of the above,which isn't nessesary.

K.M.

He hasn't done a porn score yet!

The porn score: Boston Pop Shots (aka boom chikka baw waaa)

[John Crichton 4]

He hasn't done a porn score yet!  

The porn score: Boston Pop Shots (aka boom chikka baw waaa)

"What CD did you buy?"

"It's the new John Williams score, Lesbian Spank Inferno*."

*Title shamelessly stolen from Coupling

[pixie_twinkle 48]

John Williams is who he is because he wrote Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders, and E.T., etc

John is not who he is because he wrote CONCERTO FOR HORN AND ORCHESTRA, SOUNDINGS, CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA, and his other concert works.

One of my favourite composers is Ravel. By your argument Ravel is who he is because he wrote Bolero. It's a cool piece, but hardly the best thing he wrote. And yet 99% of people who have heard of Ravel have only ever heard of Bolero. You should have said John Williams is as famous as he is because he wrote Jaws, Star Wars etc...

Here are my feelings. I completely agree with Miguel et al regarding Williams' less fantasy-based scores. He has already proved himself in that field, not that there isn't anything else he can contribute. I am glad that he feels he can still take projects by personal preference rather than just because it's a Star Wars film or a Spielberg film, or a Potter film. 2002 wasn't Williams' finest year for scores now was it? I think he felt trapped by a load of commitments and simply couldn't find the inspiration.

Personally however I am very disappointed he won't be scoring GoF. I think it's the most exciting book in the series and I would have loved for John to stick with us through this chapter of Potter. In all honesty I would rather he scored GoF over Ep.III. I have no really high expectations for either the film or the score by this point. I am completely serious, I wish he would dump Ep.III and take GoF instead. Let Shore score Star Wars, his music is more in tune with George Lucas' new style.

[John Crichton 4]

In all honesty I would rather he scored GoF over Ep.III. I have no really high expectations for either the film or the score by this point. I am completely serious, I wish he would dump Ep.III and take GoF instead. Let Shore score Star Wars, his music is more in tune with George Lucas' new style.

I'm sorry, but this is nuts. Episode 3 is the culmination of one of Williams' most important works. Not just because it's popular, but because he's devoted so much of his professional life to it. Finishing the Star Wars Saga is a seminal moment in his career, and there is nothing that should keep him from it.

John- who thinks a Howard Shore Star Wars score is the stuff of the most terrifying, disturbing nightmares.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

One of my favourite composers is Ravel. By your argument Ravel is who he is because he wrote Bolero. It's a cool piece, but hardly the best thing he wrote. And yet 99% of people who have heard of Ravel have only ever heard of Bolero

if your going to participate in this argument, then don't bring this kind of crap in here. Ravel is a classical composer, he's not a film composer. His popularity is irrelevent to this discussion. As are all classical composers, they are not in the here and now. Their popularity is based on passing a test of time, but you don't see a single dead classical composer with an active website based on what he will do next. :roll:

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Williams not scoring GOF?

This sucks on so many levels...

banghead

[King Mark 3,626]

Yes it does,and were only at discussing the first level right now:Gut reaction to the News.

What is the REAL reason Williams will not score GoF?

K.M.Not sure he buys that non-Spielberg directed Geisha schedual conflict story.

PS.Damn,I was thinking of changing my signature pic,now it stays untill Williams changes his mind and scores GoF.

[Henry B 50]

In all honesty I would rather he scored GoF over Ep.III. I have no really high expectations for either the film or the score by this point. I am completely serious, I wish he would dump Ep.III and take GoF instead. Let Shore score Star Wars, his music is more in tune with George Lucas' new style.

Uh, no.

1) Episode III is coming out several months before Goblet of Fire, so even if Williams did drop it, he still wouldn't be able to score Goblet of Fire (if this Geisha thing happens).

2) There's little reason to believe Episode III will be a disappointing score.

[Bowie 45]

I, for one, am really excited about both Episode III and Memoirs of a Geisha! I must say I was a bit surprised at the subconfidence on the EIII score poll... just "cautiously optimistic"? I say, have more faith in the best composer currently alive. He is also the best scorer of the sequel (yes, including Shore whose Fellowship-to-Return thematic evolution was either non-existent or contrived/predictable, IMO, though rightly so cos it was essentially one 10-hr-long film, alas, it shouldn't have won the Oscar twice).

Can you imagine which themes he overlaps in which battles, where the love theme makes an appearance, how menacing/varied the Imperial March rendition will be, how the trilogy ends musically? It is definitely worth the 10 month-wait from hereon in. Will there be an Oscar nomination, finally, after 22 years, for another Star Wars film?

And if Memoirs of a Geisha's score turns out anywhere near its potential, to which Williams obviously is reaching closer and closer ever since Sorceror's Stone, I have to say I wouldn't mind sacrificing it for Goblet of Fire. As someone else said earlier, better go out on a Seinfeldian high... I can't actually imagine how Williams would handle having to come up with new themes all the time. In fact, Prisoner of Azkaban was quite anaemic on new leitmotifs representing new characters. Perhaps he had run out of ideas just as he finished Priz. Double Trouble and the Past themes were motivic, the Buckbeak highlight was only briefly re-stated, the Dementors had no theme at all and Peter Pettigrew's harpsichord motive was so lousy it didn't even make the album cut.

Either way, this is an exciting time in Williams' career, his brilliant past seeming to be catching up with him... even the chance that he does decide to score Goblet is exciting... we all hope it... but with all due respect, he's so old now and quite frankly him just being alive is a thrill, and no matter what he scores, each year he remains on this Earth is worth each year of mine (in a non-freaky, non-nerd kind of way).

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Ravel is a classical composer' date=' he's not a film composer. His popularity is irrelevent to this discussion. As are all classical composers' date=' they are not in the here and now. [/quote'']

How does it matter what medium a composer writes in? All composers are in the field of art as entertainment, regardless of genre. Therefore my point is valid. Ravel lived his life under the cloud of Bolero, so much so that he grew to hate the piece. He clearly wanted to write something more personal and to be accepted for it. Likewise with Elgar. All the ignorant public wanted to hear was Pomp and Circumstance. As for classical composers not being in the here and now . I'm guessing you don't get to hear contemporary music very much.

Their popularity is based on passing a test of time' date=' [/quote']

and the lasting popularity of film scores isn't?

but you don't see a single dead classical composer with an active website based on what he will do next. :roll:

Your point being?

You really need to learn to read other people's viewpoints without getting angry and rude. It betrays a lack of faith in your own argument.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

In all honesty I would rather he scored GoF over Ep.III. I have no really high expectations for either the film or the score by this point. I am completely serious, I wish he would dump Ep.III and take GoF instead. Let Shore score Star Wars, his music is more in tune with George Lucas' new style.

I'm sorry, but this is nuts. Episode 3 is the culmination of one of Williams' most important works. Not just because it's popular, but because he's devoted so much of his professional life to it. Finishing the Star Wars Saga is a seminal moment in his career, and there is nothing that should keep him from it.

John- who thinks a Howard Shore Star Wars score is the stuff of the most terrifying, disturbing nightmares.

The Shore comment was supposed to be tongue in cheek based on what I think of the prequels. Trust me, I am in NO way endorsing Howard Shore! I suppose I'm just not into the new trilogy nearly as much as the original one, and I don't really feel that Johnny has had much opportunity to write classic film music for it. In fact I really don't like the AOTC score very much at all. It just doesn't seem like it belongs next to the first 3 scores, which already have a place of distinction in the history of film music. The Phantom Menace score was better than AOTC, but even so the style was so very different from the first 3 films. For me I can't think of Star Wars as being either 6 films OR six scores, but rather 3 of each. Of course I don't want a different composer writing the last score, but were it to come to a choice between the two I'd still rather Williams did Potter.

Hope this clarifies my remark.

[A24 4,327]

No Ross, it would make John's music irrelevant, sort of like Alex's third grade insults to us Potter folks.

Dear Joe, it is YOU who is insulting John Williams by saying he's NOT a composer and that his other music is irrelevant. The insults given by me were only conclusions (albeit a bit drastically, I admit) made upon the opinions of certain Potter folks.

Music that goes unheard is irrelevant.

Why? Because it is not popular? That would mean, according to your line of thinking, that Britney Spears is more relevant than any other artist or art form out there. Really clever, Joe. There are so many examples in history of people who started out being unpopular. Many of them died poor. Why do you always equate quality with popularity?

He actaully puts John down by making it seem the so called more talented folks chose a higher path, meaning John chose a more disrepectful path, which is that same elitist bullshit we get here from time to time.

It is you who puts John down by dismissing his "serious" work. John wouldn't be the film composer he is, if it wasn't for his searchings through different and diverse musical idioms.

When one of John's "important" works gets this board to build a thread with more post than this, tell me about it, maybe I might get interested.

You always follow a safe popular route. I wonder why ... I mean, you only start liking LOTR after it received all those Oscars. Now that was odd! The third movie isn't much different from its predecessors.

Ask yourself this, why would there be much interest in a fine score like Stanley and Iris in a message board infected by "Potter folks". I don't see any big threads about those type of scores. Where's the huge JFK thread?

Harry Potter, like Star Wars, is a very popular phenomenon. It's a whole ready-made world that appeals to a lot of young people (and one guy in his forties), and like Star Wars it is very discussable (why, I still don't know). The music is a part of it. This is why so many Potter folks find their way to this site.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Henry B 50]

Of course I don't want a different composer writing the last score, but were it to come to a choice between the two I'd still rather Williams did Potter.

But as I said, there is a six-month gap between the releases (and presumably the scorings) of these two films, meaning that sacrificing Episode III for Goblet of Fire isn't plausible.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I guess I was a little confused about when GoF is coming out. I assumed it was going to be Summer. Thanks for the clarification.

[Henry B 50]

Nope, November.