Happy birthday John Williams

2,129 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 2 mo ago by wangus12
Brian Earl Spilner
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Turns 86 today.

To celebrate --
What are your favorite pieces of music from Williams?
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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Too many to name them all ... so, all of them ...

Seriously, anything he did in Star Wars or Indiana Jones, but also his scores for 1941, CE3K, Hook, Jaws, Empire of the Sun, and Jurassic Park
MW03
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Personal favs:

Indiana Jones main theme
Indy theme from Temple of Doom
Superman main theme
Jurassic Park main theme
Jaws main theme
Madmarttigan
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Duel of the Fates
redd38
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AG
The Collective
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oragator
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Was just thinking about John Williams and so I read up a bit. Was going to start an appreciation thread but found this one. Here are a few nuggets.

From 1971-2002 there were only five years he DIDN'T get an Oscar nomination.
He has been nominated for an oscar 51times. Only Walt Disney has more.
In the span of about five years he gave us 4 of the most iconic themes of all time (Jaws, Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones).
In one scar year, Star Wars had to go up against Close Encounters for best original score.
But he also did the Olympic theme that NBC still uses, the NBC Sunday Night football theme, and the NBC nightly news theme music. All three, especially the Olympic music are totally iconic and timeless.


He may be in the top 5 best talent Hollywood has produced, regardless of role. And, the dude is 86 and still cranking it out, he did TFA.
Fat Bib Fortuna
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oragator
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Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

Too many to name them all ... so, all of them ...

Seriously, anything he did in Star Wars or Indiana Jones, but also his scores for 1941, CE3K, Hook, Jaws, Empire of the Sun, and Jurassic Park
The Debt
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In honor of John Williams, I present "Happy Birthday" by John Williams.


It's exactly like the regular birthday song, except it has more timpanies.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Great interview from his 90th.

Cinco Ranch Aggie
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

Great interview from his 90th.


I was impressed with Hans Zimmer's take on 007 with No Time To Die. I'd love to see the GOAT do a Bond score.
Dr. Mephisto
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John Williams is a national treasure, an unequivocal musical genius, and a perfect harmonic accompaniment to every movie he has ever scored.

I would love to live long enough to hear his equal.
Dr. Mephisto
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John Williams belongs in the top stratus of movie music makers just like some might put Spielberg in the top stratus of movie directors.
oragator
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I started a thread a few months ago about John Williams' Berlin concert, it's on PBS and it's great, would still strongly recommend. I've watched it a number of times.
I have gone down a bit of a rabbit hole since then, so many great stories.
When Spielberg showed him the rough cut for Schindler's List, Williams said that Spielberg needed to find someone better than him to score it. Speileberg's response was "I know, but they're all dead". Pretty much sums up where a Williams stands.
I mentioned 1941 above, it's so hard to find a really good version of it, but so underrated. Spielberg said he thinks it's better than the a Raiders theme and I agree. So much in it. Here's an actual good full symphonic version of it.

Brian Earl Spilner
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Dr. Mephisto said:

John Williams belongs in the top stratus of movie music makers just like some might put Spielberg in the top stratus of movie directors.


He IS the top stratus.
Lathspell
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

Dr. Mephisto said:

John Williams belongs in the top stratus of movie music makers just like some might put Spielberg in the top stratus of movie directors.


He IS the top stratus.
Exactly. John Williams' legacy and body of work pretty much objectively puts him there. I don't even think that can be argued.

If you had your Mount Rushmore of movie composers and John Williams wasn't on it, it's probably because you are purposefully being a contrarian and want to somehow look cool or edgy by picking some unknown dudes. John Williams is the gold standard.
Lathspell
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I also have to say, every interview I have ever seen with John Williams shows him to be such a warm and humble man. He never ceases to impress me with each viewing.

I am admittedly not a classical music connoisseur. I love several compositions, but don't live in that world. But taking the issue of antiquity out of it, I would say John Williams belongs in the conversation of one of the greatest composers of all time. In film composing, he is the GOAT. As far as just being a symphony composer, he belongs in the top stratosphere.
maroon barchetta
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Agreed
Brian Earl Spilner
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The GOAT.

wangus12
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Greatness
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