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[Toronto 3]

Removed

[Seth 67]

I think the story about him getting mad at a Pops rehearsal refers to his piece "America, the Dream Goes On." Apparently members of the orchestra snickered and/or made rude remarks while rehearsing the piece. As far as the ego goes, I've never read or heard anything that would make me believe he has an ego. He seems to be very humble and softspoken in all the interviews with him I have read or seen.

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Well, to be honest, as far as I can gather from the piano reduction "America (...)" is a particularly bland piece... somewhat the equivalent of the stuff Shostakovich had to write from time to time to keep Stalin happy...

[Marian Schedenig 8,177]

Those propaganda pieces Shostakovich wrote were still great music though.

Marian - who can't really blame the Pops for odd reactions to America (...).

Ballata Sinfonica (Akira Ifukube)

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Well, sometimes yes... but a piece like "Festive Overture"... sure, it's technically well-crafted music... but you can hear its false, shallow festiveness in every note...

[Indiana_Fett 0]

Williams was pretty humble at the Hollywood Bowl, allowing soloists to bow, making some jokes, smirking when an audience member yelled 'Star Wars!' to him, giving his regards to New Orleans, showing gratitude to Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

You'd think members of anorchestra would show a little more professionalism, especially in front of the composer himself? Unless I have much more to learn about being an ass/musician.

As far as the Filmtracks thing goes, Christian is extremely inconsistent when it comes to Williams. Sometimes he can do no wrong, when others he's inferior to Horner. I know I stopped caring what he thought a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure the one time he actually mentioned Williams' ego was an album released that had nothing but Oscar-winning music on it, conducted and produced by Williams. Of course, there was music from all of Williams' Oscar-winning scores, so this apparently pointed to the conclusion he thought too highly of himself. Er, whatever.

[King Mark 3,626]

, but I'm pretty sure the one time he actually mentioned Williams' ego was an album released that had nothing but Oscar-winning music on it, conducted and produced by Williams. Of course, there was music from all of Williams' Oscar-winning scores, so this apparently pointed to the conclusion he thought too highly of himself. Er, whatever.

I know of no such album.

K.M.

[Ollie 1,059]

I think CC's comments about Williams' ego came from an interview that JW gave years ago concerning the Oscars. I believe Williams was being good natured about losing and Clemmenson took it the wrong way. The exact quote from Williams is on Filmtracks somewhere.

[Jeshopk 8]

Marian - who can't really blame the Pops for odd reactions to America (...).

The lyrics are what make the song seem like a patriotic parody.

[King Mark 3,626]

I've been hoping someone would re-record an instrumantal version of it.The theme is quite good.

k.M.

[nightscape94 965]

In many ways, I think Williams took the Boston Pops gig soley to get his music more well known and more widely recorded.

He had an orchestra at his disposal for cryin' out loud, I don't blame him.

Tim

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

, but I'm pretty sure the one time he actually mentioned Williams' ego was an album released that had nothing but Oscar-winning music on it, conducted and produced by Williams. Of course, there was music from all of Williams' Oscar-winning scores, so this apparently pointed to the conclusion he thought too highly of himself. Er, whatever.

I know of no such album.

K.M.

The Hollywood Sound, conducted (and I presume) produced by John Williams.

[robthehand 3]

I think CC's comments about Williams' ego came from an interview that JW gave years ago concerning the Oscars. I believe Williams was being good natured about losing and Clemmenson took it the wrong way. The exact quote from Williams is on Filmtracks somewhere.

Here ye go:

Williams' personality is admired by many, but intensely disliked by others. In concert, both at the Boston Pops and on tour, his sense of humor captivates the audience almost immediately. On the other hand, other professionals claim that Williams' ego has become too inflated --perhaps due to his enormous worldwide success. In a 1997 interview regarding the Academy Awards (and his nomination for Amistad), he claimed that he wasn't so much concerned with the many Oscars he's won as much as all those he's lost over the years to other composers. But regardless of his reputation and/or personality, the scores of John Williams, from the perspective of orchestral music-lovers and his fellow peers, have changed the course of film music history.

:roll:

[Melange 446]

As far as the ego goes, I've never read or heard anything that would make me believe he has an ego. He seems to be very humble and softspoken in all the interviews with him I have read or seen.

The quiet ones are always the worst. Don't be decieved

[Incanus 5,713]

As far as the ego goes, I've never read or heard anything that would make me believe he has an ego. He seems to be very humble and softspoken in all the interviews with him I have read or seen.

The quiet ones are always the worst. Don't be decieved

LOL Who knows how much of an egomaniac Williams is in private. I can imagine their family at breakfast and his wife passes him a cup of coffee and says:"Here you go John dear."

A long silent stare from Williams and finally his wife sighs and says: OK very well. Let's play your game. Here is your coffee your highness. Would the Maestro be so kind and take this cup of coffee?

A small smile and nod of approval from Williams and a soft spoken " That's much better.Indeed I would love some coffee".

[Salacius 7]

Does anybody know where all these rumours of Mr. Williams' inflated ego comes from?  I know they say this on filmtracks.com, but I find it hard to believe; he is too modest and softspoken.  Does anybody have any info about the time he got angry during a Boston Pops rehearsal?  There was a website that had a blurb on it at one time...

I met a Boston Pops trumpet player once who told me that Williams was a real gentleman on and of the stage

[pthompso 0]

I'm not so much worried about him getting an inflated ego but getting senile. When i was at that hollywood bowl performance he must have done 5 of 6 encores or something ridiculous. He would walk offstage and come back seconds later. Then he would walk offstage again, come back and then maybe bow with the soloist, leave again, then come back and start playing more music. I always just imagined him walking back stage and someone being like "john you're on" and him coming out again and then getting to the stage forgeting where he was and bowing to the audience applause and repeating the process.

All joking aside, I really hope his mind doesn't deteriorate any time soon. Cuz when it does he'll no doubt start composing mediocre Horner scores (shudder....)

[Ollie 1,059]

8O

[King Mark 3,626]

Well,if he goes senile ,maybe his mind will regress to an earlier stage in his life and he'll start composing like Empire Strikes Back again.

K.M.

[Salacius 7]

Well,if he goes senile ,maybe his mind will regress to an earlier stage in his life and he'll start composing like Empire Strikes Back again.

K.M.

beerchug

[Quintus 5,399]

I'm not so much worried about him getting an inflated ego but getting senile.  When i was at that hollywood bowl performance he must have done 5 of 6 encores or something ridiculous.  He would walk offstage and come back seconds later.  Then he would walk offstage again, come back and then maybe bow with the soloist, leave again, then come back and start playing more music.  I always just imagined him walking back stage and someone being like "john you're on" and him coming out again and then getting to the stage forgeting where he was and bowing to the audience applause and repeating the process.  

All joking aside, I really hope his mind doesn't deteriorate any time soon.  Cuz when it does he'll no doubt start composing mediocre Horner scores (shudder....)

Williams could re-score Titanic from a dementia nursing home, whilst being spoon fed and it would still impress.

I heard he thought up the March Of The Villains whilst in the shower.

[tony69 0]

williams inflated ego... ah yes. its not a rumour. its quite agreed on by the younger musicians. to them, williams seems like a jerk. he's detached and quite pompous during rehersals. but from the older musicians, the reason is that williams is unbearably shy. He's uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and also with people he doesn't know. as a result, he puts on this pretense. from a cellist and a flautist who worked with him, they both agree that williams is ridiculously shy, so much that he has stopped walking on the red carpet before and literally froze. many people in the industry don't like him because of this part of his personality. he doesn't come across as a warm guy like goldsmith was (although he did have his tantrums as well).

[Incanus 5,713]

Well shyness in the entertaiment business can be harmful for your public image. You can come across as a jerk even if you just are shy and reclusive and do not like the acclaim and glamouring in the spotlight. We all are uncomfortable on some level around new people and situations and I imagine Williams is no different as you said tony69.

[King Mark 3,626]

But Williams did the TV show Evening at Pops....you can't be that shy to do a TV show.And he conducts in front of crowds.he conducted his Olympic pieces live in front of billions of people watching him.Also,he's always calm and well spoken in front of the camera doing interviews and when accepting awards.He doesn't seem so shy to me.

K.M.

[Ollie 1,059]

williams inflated ego... ah yes. its not a rumour. its quite agreed on by the younger musicians. to them, williams seems like a jerk. he's detached and quite pompous during rehersals. but from the older musicians, the reason is that williams is unbearably shy. He's uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and also with people he doesn't know. as a result, he puts on this pretense. from a cellist and a flautist who worked with him, they both agree that williams is ridiculously shy, so much that he has stopped walking on the red carpet before and literally froze. many people in the industry don't like him because of this part of his personality. he doesn't come across as a warm guy like goldsmith was (although he did have his tantrums as well).

I wouldn't take the above statement to seriously.

Williams looks pretty comfortable in the public eye to me. He looked relaxed and having fun when he was the Grand Marshall for the Tournament Of Roses Parade, he certainly looked relaxed throwing out the first pitch at a Red Sox game. Even though his acceptance speeches are short he looks at ease doing them. Evry photo I've seen as Williams at red carpet events show him as a person who's enjoying himself.

Funny that people actually in the business describe Williams as a class act who is very professional when working. He also comes across as a very humble man in his interviews.

Now Jerry Goldsmith has been described as withdrawn and a grump at time although very professional when working.

[tony69 0]

well i'm only quoting someone who's worked with him. he worked with him like a few times and was like he's such a jerk. then he called his other relatives, whom work with williams regularly on film scores and they told him that williams isnt a jerk. he's just really shy and very uncomfortable around new people. they've known him for a long time (as well as jerry too). and they say that williams is quite nice if you get to meet him. but yeah incanus basically nailed the thing about williams.

[tony69 0]

also wanted to point out most of the biggies all have their quirks too so its not like williams is the only wierd one.

horner likes to wear those hollandic type wooden shoes, which was a problem for the oscars 1997. notice you never see footage of his shoes, and that has to do with a lawsuit that he oscars put against horner. horner wanted to wear them, but the oscar organizers said 'Nope. thats not formal shoewear. you have to wear black shoes.' so horner custome made his wooden shoes to look black. then the academy got him back by never filming his shoes.

in addition, hermman and his famously bad temper. every biography of him mentions it. however, he was a genius. barry and his gambling addiction, though it seems that his newest wife helped him decrease it. and goldsmith and his intense abuse of his body (plus his famous jeans)

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

hen the academy got him back by never filming his shoes.

The bastards.

[Jacck 23]

and goldsmith and his intense abuse of his body

Oh?