Best use of choir in a Williams score?

[scissorhands 16]

John Williams used a female choir for the first time in "Family Plot", in order to provide the movie a mystical tone.

He continued using the chorus as a part of the orchestra (to give more energy to the score, generally) till "Empire of the Sun", where it became another character of the movie.

"Home Alone" needed a boy-choir to represent the christmas of a child. "Jurassic Park" needed a word-less chorus to glorify the dinosaurs. It was used in "Schindler's List" as held suffering in "Immolation". It was the ethnic statement in "Amistad". The timeless tribute to the fallen in "Saving Private Ryan". The most recent example would be the epic and tragic score for "Revenge of the Sith".

What is your opinion?

[nightscape94 965]

How is War of the Worlds an option already?

Tim, curious

[King Mark 3,631]

Return of the Jedi,because it has The Dark side Beckons,the ultimate Williams choir cue

You forgot Heartbeeps,which has one of my favourite choir passage,in the cue Going to Sleep.

Most Notable choir moments:

Opening of the Family Plot Theme

Theme from Jurassic Park

Map Room,Dawn

Battle of the Heroes

Anakin's Betrayal(Film Version with extended coda)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azcaban(The Patronus Light,but film version)

Yoda and the Younglings,AotC

Last part of Middle Passage(Amistad)

A.I.Last segment of Stored Memories and Monica'sTheme

CE03K:TV Reveals

K.M.

[A24 4,357]

Empire of the Sun and Close Encounters have Williams best choir writing to date.

[Luke Skywalker 1,799]

Does synth count?

Becasue the Lost worlds, i think has it in Sara's rescue.

[Melange 446]

Schindlers List

[benefactor 3]

Schindlers List

There are no original choir peices in this score!

[Jacck 23]

TPM And LOL^^

[A24 4,357]

Schindlers List

There are no original choir peices in this score!

Immolation (With Our Lives, We Give Life)

[Melange 446]

There are no original choir peices in this score!

Which means they are to be discounted? Not in my opinion.

Like Alexcremers, i thought Immolation was original anyway.

[Justin 2]

Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Followed closley by

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of The Sith

Justin - Into a "Recent Williams scores" mode.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I find Justin's taste agreeable.

[Trumpeteer 302]

"Return of the Jedi," simply for "The Dark Side Beckons."

Next would be "Schindler's List," "Empire of the Sun" and "AI."

By the way, you forgot to list "images." It's not really choir. It's more of a solo, but it should count.

I'm not sure some of these should be on the poll, because the choir is only used for song purposes, like "Home Alone" and "Rosewood."

[batmanand 0]

I went for RotS, because I prefer the choir in BotH to DotF.

[scissorhands 16]

I'm not sure some of these should be on the poll, because the choir is only used for song purposes, like "Home Alone" and "Rosewood."

Dramatic purposes, I would add. It's the soul of the movie in "Rosewood"!

Luke, synth chorus doesn't count (remember "The Terminal" had it too).

I should have added the monks of "Seven Years In Tibet"

[Simon R. 10]

A.I. and Empire of the Sun. Vote had to go to A.I. though - so brilliant.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

EOS, its a musical orgasm

[glennwbutler 0]

Return of the Jedi, for the same reason others have given.

[John Crichton 4]

Return of the Jedi

Revenge of the Sith

The Phantom Menace

Temple of Doom

Sorcerer's Stone/Prisoner of Azkaban (can't decide, they're pretty close for choral work)

Time, more listens, and a complete score release may move RotS to the top spot. Some truly amazing choral work in there.

[scissorhands 16]

EOS, its a musical orgasm

Hear, hear!

scissorhands, who thinks that 15 brilliant seconds (ROTJ) can't reach the (musical -including dissonances- and argumental -reflecting the character's dreams and fears) complexity, involvement and richness of a whole score sustented with the chorus (EOTS).

[Damo 0]

Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of The Sith

[Trumpeteer 302]

scissorhands, who thinks that 15 brilliant seconds (ROTJ) can't reach the (musical -including dissonances- and argumental -reflecting the character's dreams and fears) complexity, involvement and richness of a whole score sustented with the chorus (EOTS).

While we've been alking so much about those 15 seconds in ROTJ, it can't be denied how the choral rumblings of the Emperor's Theme weave themselves into the mix, expecially after the chorus during the Luke/Vader. The chorus continues to declare the Emperor's supremacy, and eventually spiraling down the chasm with him to his death.

I will admit I generally have stayed away from "Empire of the Sun," but the score does have some good moments from what I remember. One of these days I'll get the initiative to watch the movie again. I just think the film lacks some coherence at times. It doesn't SAY anything.

[A24 4,357]

I will admit I generally have stayed away from "Empire of the Sun," but the score does have some good moments from what I remember. One of these days I'll get the initiative to watch the movie again. I just think the film lacks some coherence at times. It doesn't SAY anything.

It's Spielberg most complex work. Each time I see it I discover something new. It's one of the few films I don't get tired of. The score is the reason why I am still a Williams fan today.

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Alex Cremers

[CYPHER 1]

I cast my full vote behind Amistad - there's some amazing stuff there.

CYPHER