Music by John Williams: 5 best moments of the documentary

As a gamer who grew up with a life soundtrack composed by the maestro John Williams, I must say that “Music by John Williams” documentary was an emotional rollercoaster ride, much like his iconic scores themselves. From the tense anticipation of Tatooine’s twin suns to the triumphant victory march in Star Wars, the documentary offered a unique insight into the mind of the genius behind some of the most unforgettable musical moments in cinema history.

On November 1st, the documentary titled “Music by John Williams” made its debut on Disney+. This film offers a captivating account of maestro John Williams’ life journey spanning nearly two hours. Since I started playing music at the tender age of 3, John Williams has been an inspiration to me even before I watched Star Wars. Watching this documentary expanded my knowledge about him and resonated with me emotionally in much the same way as his compositions do.

Here are the 5 best moments of Music by John Williams.

Occasionally, there’d be a signal, and George Lucas would respond, “That’s not quite what I envisioned,” as he discussed the first Star Wars movie. A brief moment later, the screen displays Tatooine’s twin suns along with the words “unused cue.” The music is fast-paced, tense, and slightly uncertain, with a hint of ominous brass tones in the background. This musical piece resembles an earlier work by John Williams, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and shares the intrigue of the unknown.

The music that replaced this hum of anticipation is full of purpose and longing, and it becomes the victory march at the end of the film. It would be interesting to hear what the original music would have sounded like if used for that same purpose.

Williams’ past as a jazz musician and composer receives considerable attention, with much focus on his experiences. During his high school years, he was an active participant in the school band, even contributing to the arrangement of some tunes played by the ensemble.

The unique jazz ambiance of the Mos Eisley cantina was set by its music, which stood out distinctively. Although Figrin Dan and the Modal Nodes didn’t typically play what Earth-based musicians would recognize, their tunes were some of the most familiar sounds audiences encountered in that first film.

I hail from Boston, where I used to catch a ride on the school bus to venture into the city and witness John Williams leading his own compositions with the Boston Pops Orchestra. One of my cherished CDs was a medley of film scores by John Williams, performed by that orchestra under his baton.

It came as quite a shock when I found out that musicians from my hometown strongly disliked his work, as Thomas Newman, an American film composer, explains. In other words, it seems that Boston musicians had strong criticisms or apprehensions towards entertainment music. John portrays the older musicians as highly critical, to the point where, in 1984, they booed their conductor and subjected him to four years of hostility. Eventually, John Williams resigned but later returned to his position and continued conducting until 1993.

Nowadays, it’s common for major orchestras to perform films live, and people are really excited about movie soundtracks. However, the behavior of the Pops members back in 1984 was just hard to fathom.

The leitmotif for a Jedi Master introduced in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is one of the most understated pieces of music in the Williams repertoire. It requires no extraordinary skill or unusual instruments to play well, but it combines the gravity of Yoda’s wisdom and his playful nature. Yoda is my favorite Jedi, and his music is part of that.

Towards the finale of the documentary, John shares his most cherished pieces of music. He mentions the final part of the cello concerto and the second movement of the violin concerto he penned in honor of his deceased spouse. Furthermore, he labels Yoda’s theme as “exceptionally remarkable” and “unique…[and] strikingly simple.” It’s a delight to witness the admiration for the music that stirs such emotions from the composer himself.

5. “What is that? What are you going to do?”

The movie starts with ominous shark theme music reminiscent of the underworld (Jaws). Over time, this music has made countless viewers jumpy with fear. Yet, even Steven Spielberg didn’t know at first how significantly John Williams’ score would impact the film.

Enthusiasts of movie soundtracks often resonate with that feeling of awe and excitement. In this instance, John Williams was tasked with composing a captivating piece for a trailer, which eventually became the renowned melody known as “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. At that time, it served as an evocative atmosphere rather than an instantly recognizable symbol of a cherished character. One of Williams’ most impressive skills lies in his ability to craft entire worlds from such seemingly simple ideas.

Music by John Williams can be found on Disney+.

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2024-11-05 16:21