John Williams Fav Key?

[krosstj 0]

WE all know about the French Horn, but does anyone know what Key he writes in the most?

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

F, for the horn.

Ray Barnsbury - who doesn't know

[diskobolus 3]

Didn't someone ask him and he said D major?

[Composer_Fan 2]

That's an interesting question.

[Henry B 50]

I've noticed a lot of stuff in G minor.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

his Door Key

[hoby12 0]

I would say what are his favorite two keys: since he writes bitonally quite often.

[MSM 126]

I would say what are his favorite two keys: since he writes bitonally quite often.

Is that so?

I think a lot of his themes are in C major. He also likes B-moll major. He almost never writes in D major and never in any key with a lot of sharps or molls except if it is for a short transitioning passage in the development of a piece.

[SeekUYoda 0]

Didn't someone ask him and he said D major?

Yes, I did, and that's what he said! Actually, he just said "D."

[Composer_Fan 2]

his Door Key

[hoby12 0]

Pretty much half of Star Wars (ANH) is in two keys - look at here they come (such cool bitonal writing). Most of the brass fanfares are also.

[krosstj 0]

Well, that didn't clear anything up LOL. If he likes "D" and we will assume he meant DMaj, then that would be odd, since most of his stuff is not in "D". hmmm.

[Foxfan 128]

The main theme in hook (in the end credits) is in D-minor.

[Composer_Fan 2]

Isn't Flight to Neverland in B-minor? Just checking...

[SturgisPodmore 0]

SeekUYoda, is that "Hogwarts Forever" in your avatar?

~Sturgis

[SeekUYoda 0]

Why, yes it is! I'm amazed no one's figured that out until now. I picked it because he wrote it especially for horns, and only horns, and being a horn player and all...

And the "Flight to Neverland" is in b-minor.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Yay me!

~Sturgis

[SeekUYoda 0]

Yay you! Sorry I don't have a prize or anything...

[SturgisPodmore 0]

I accept checks.

~Sturgis

[Composer_Fan 2]

And the "Flight to Neverland" is in b-minor.

Yay me, too!

[jgraves 0]

For things in major keys, especially with lots of brass (and what doesn't have it?), he uses C major and sometimes D major, both of which are considered especially "bright" keys by composers with ears for such things, especially for the big endings. Those two keys are perfect in the upper register of the trumpets, trombones, and french horns, as well as the lower register for bass trombones and tuba.

Summon the Heroes - D

Star Wars Main title - C

Superman Main title - C

Raiders Main title - C

ET flying theme - C

Jason

[MSM 126]

1941 Main Title - C

Harry's Wondrous World - C

Leia's Theme - C

[Composer_Fan 2]

Star Wars Main title - C

I always thought it was in G. Almost every one of those crappy piano arrangements has that song in G.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

It should be the same key as the 20th Century Fox Fanfare.

[Foxfan 128]

Isn't Flight to Neverland in B-minor?  Just checking...

Are you talking about the scene in the movie or the concert arrangement?

If you're talking about the scene in the movie, it is in G-Sharp minor.

If you're talking about the concert arrangement, only the beginning is in B-minor. It then goes into the flying theme in C-Sharp minor, but in the second half (the main-theme used in the end credits) is definitely in D-minor.

[Jeshopk 8]

Star Wars is in Bb minor[EDIT: major], because he wanted the most brilliant high trumpet note, the high Bb. He has other times gone into Bb for major trumpet driven music.

I think it would be fun to make a list of the keys of his themes. Many of them modulate around alot, but we could analyse the reasons. Usually it has to do with the way the main instruments sound in that range, or how it sounds in comparison with the previous key. It would be neat to have it all written down to study his methodology.

[Foxfan 128]

I think the Star Wars main title is in B-Flat major.

[krosstj 0]

Star Wars is in Bb minor, because he wanted the most brilliant high trumpet note, the high Bb. He has other times gone into Bb for major trumpet driven music.  

I think it would be fun to make a list of the keys of his themes. Many of them modulate around alot, but we could analyse the reasons. Usually it has to do with the way the main instruments sound in that range, or how it sounds in comparison with the previous key. It would be neat to have it all written down to study his methodology

I agree, however, I go to Juilliard and here is a funny thing. We have score Analysis, and my Prof. will go into all this blah blah blah about the "methodology, and the technical contruct of the chords, why this was this way, and why that was that when. After this huge 45min lecture on a score he then says....well, maybe he just heard the music in his head and started too write. The best advice I ever got from school so far is that "the music writes itself, just follow the music" and that is soooo true.

[ChrisAfonso 186]

However, the "brightest high note thing" etc. is what often determines the key, I'd think. From my own experience, I tend to shift the key around a bit if I want some high stuff in trumpets or horns and it wouldn't be possible in the key I started it in, and wouldn't sound as good one octave lower. Same for low bass stuff.

[krosstj 0]

However, the "brightest high note thing" etc. is what often determines the key, I'd think. From my own experience, I tend to shift the key around a bit if I want some high stuff in trumpets or horns and it wouldn't be possible in the key I started it in, and wouldn't sound as good one octave lower. Same for low bass stuff.

Ah, yes. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've re-written an entire Section of a score just so I could get the beloved high Bb out of the trumpet, or the nice low C out of the F-horn.

[SeekUYoda 0]

I think you guys are on to something here. It amazes me every time I play Luke & Leia - it's in the perfect key for horn. Not too high, not too low, just sits in the really comfortable, full-sounding part of the horn's range and just comes out of the horn with almost no effort whatsoever. Brilliant!

After this huge 45min lecture on a score he then says....well, maybe he just heard the music in his head and started too write.

This has been my experience too, though not at Juilliard. Beethoven in particular - "these were the rules, and this is what he should have done, but here's what he did anyway." What's the piano sonata that has a one-note development section?

It is, however, fascinating to not the way Chopin and his contemporaries used keys, given all the just intonation that was going on at that time. D major was REALLY happy, and C# minor was really quite frightening.

Leia's Theme is stated in D when Leia first comes on the screen - something else to add to the list of things in D.

Parade of the Slave Children is in D too.

[Jeshopk 8]

I think the Star Wars main title is in B-Flat major.

Sh#t! Yes, I meant major!

[Composer_Fan 2]

I never gave too much thought to using certain keys for certain instruments' parts. Mostly, I just write whatever comes naturally to me, at the piano. And C Major is always nice, lol.

[krosstj 0]

I never gave too much thought to using certain keys for certain instruments' parts. Mostly, I just write whatever comes naturally to me, at the piano. And C Major is always nice, lol.

DAMN those Black keys!