John Williams recently celebrated his 91st birthday. He's rightfully considered the most popular and perhaps the greatest film composer of all time! His too-many-to-list credits include Jaws, Star Wars I through IX, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones series, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. What are the tools of John Williams' craft? What are some of his composition techniques and his creative influences? What are the various musical experiences aside from being a film composer that have helped shape his musicianship? Besides discussing his early background, we will be focusing on 2 very different and seldom discussed scores to explore his style through his scores to Sabrina (1995) and Images (1972)
To help me discuss this is my guest, Dr. Frank Lehman, an associate professor of Tufts University. He is a music theorist and a film musicologist who has specialized in study of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and film score music in general. His many articles and peer-reviewed papers, including his massive ongoing catalog and commentary of all Star Wars themes can be found through his website at https://franklehman.com/
What is your favorite John Williams score or theme? Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact
This episode uses several musical clips to accompany our discussion of the music. (Note: these music clips play on the podcast feed only, not on the YouTube video.) In order of appearance, here is the full list of clips. All music is composed by John Williams except where otherwise noted.
10:05 "Hedwig's Theme" from
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
12:32 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" from
The John Tanner Touch
13:28 Opening from "You Are Welcome" a documentary about Newfoundland
14:35 "Pajama Game" from
Not With My Wife, You Don't
16:00 Main Title from
Tarantula - music by Henry Mancini
16:31 Theme from
Peter Gunn - music by Henry Mancini
17:26 Theme from
To Kill a Mockingbird - music by Elmer Bernstein
18:27 "Good-bye Willy" from
Death of a Salesman - music by Alex North
19:30 "The Swamp" from
Psycho by Bernard Herrmann
20:37 "The Nightmare" from
Vertigo by Bernard Herrmann
21:30
Overture to the School of Scandal by Samuel Barber
21:55
Commando March by Samuel Barber
28:37 "Theme from Sabrina" from
Sabrina
29:40 ("Theme from Sabrina" from
Sabrina)
30:12 ("Theme from Sabrina" from
Sabrina)
31:47 "Moonlight" (with Sting) from
Sabrina
32:45 "How Can I Remember" from
Sabrina
33:33 "Nantucket Visit" from
Sabrina
34:29 "Linus' New Life" from
Sabrina
40:13
Amériques by Edgar Varese
42:03 "In Search of Unicorns" from
Images
44:36 "Killing Marcel" from
Images
45:51 "Blood Moon" from
Images
47:52 "Reflections" from
Images
48:44 "Miracle of the Ark" from
Raiders of the Lost Ark
49:35 "Barry's Abduction" from
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
50:08 "Diving Away from Trouble" from
War of the Worlds
51:17 "The Mecha World" from
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
53:40 "The Imperial Attack" from
Star Wars
54:06 "Map Room: Dawn" from
Raiders of the Lost Ark
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