Modern Williams Orchestral Ideas

[Jacck 23]

I thought I'd start a thread where we could discuss about the way that William uses parts of the orchestra these days , and discuss what we think of them..

I'm just going to outline a few recent ideas that Williams has used that I liked... It would be interesting if anyone could tell me if these ideas are truly original, or if Williams took the idea from another composer..

Firstly, something that I love when Williams uses is the combination of an Oboe and a Clarinet together playing the exact same notes at the same octave... It creates this beautiful optimistic, happy sort of sound that I really love to hear. He used in Catch Me If You Can most effectively as I remember. And also I loved it used in the NBC Night Theme... Whenever you hear it you can really immediately say "That's John Williams"

Another combination of instruments that I love when Williams uses is the combination of Tremolo Strings and a Marimba - which I first heard him use in Everybody Runs! from Minority Report... There's something refreshing and exciting about hearing the strings and marimba play trademark Williams rapid ostinato type passages together... It creates a certain feeling in me but I can't really describe it.. (I guess if I could there would be no point in the Music.)

Another quite recent thing (to my knowledge) is when he uses two two Timpanis to great effect. They're panned left and right in the recording, and When they both play together it's really powerful. But he also uses them in question and answer phrases which I find very clever... i.e. The Intersection Scene

He's also recently started writing these quirky little passages on mute trumpets (I think) .. And for some reason I associate them with General Grievous, I can't remember if he used them at this Point in ROTS... But I really like the way he writes the sort of low quirky mute trumpet lines... sort of harsh and short... It actually remimds me a bit of the motif that Don Davis used for the raptors in JP3, where he sort of mimicked the sound of a raptor with these mute trumpets...

I can't be bothered to type any more so I'll shutup now

[Henry B 50]

I don't like that muted trumpet motif at all, which, as far as I can tell, originated from The Patriot.

[Composer_Fan 2]

What an interesting thread. Not that I have any ideas to contribute, but it's interesting to read.

[Jeshopk 8]

highest note piccolo writing, like in phantom menace and the werewolf scene of HPPOA

[JMan 0]

A lot more compound time in his writing....i.e. 7/8-9/8, more complex rhythms definatley.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

remimds me a bit of the motif that Don Davis used for the raptors in JP3, where he sort of mimicked the sound of a raptor with these mute trumpets...

Didnt Williams do it 1st in JP?

[Trumpeteer 302]

The xylophone/flute combination. I think it first came into prominence in "The Phantom Menace."

I think it's fun in chase scenes.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Uuuuhhh...

Boom Tzzzz?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

I dont think those are Xylophon-flute.