Posted on 12/19/2015 9:19:32 AM PST by Perdogg
Star Wars†without John Williams would be like the Skywalker family without the Force: missing much of its power.
Williams, 83, has given the sci-fi series, now seven entries strong, its musical lifeblood from its introduction in 1977 through the opening of “The Force Awakens†on Thursday night. In what amounts to 15-plus hours of original music, he has composed a space opera on a Wagnerian scale — densely packed with iconic character themes and grand dramaturgy.
“I’m just lucky,†he said from his home in Los Angeles. “As far as I know, that’s a unique opportunity. It would be like writing an opera, and then writing six more based on the same kind of material and the same story ... over the course of 40 years.â€
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
ping
The music is the best part of most of the Star Wars movies.
Good, he’s a good talented man - glad he had fun.
His ongoing spirit and talent will leave us with a precious musical legacy.
Leni
The word “turgid” comes to mind.
We’re going to see the kcmo symphony perform his works!!!
Williams is a good composer.
Morricone is better for me, more reflective of the American experience
Williams is a good composer.
Morricone is better for me, more reflective of the American experience
If John Williams had been born in the early 1700’s he would have been on the stage with Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner, and all those whose name I cannot properly spell.
Musical “elitests” will name him “only” as a movie composer.
I’d like the opportunity to set spellbound, listening to a three hour concert beginning with the 1977 opening theme and segueing into each of the following themes, in order, that tell the entire saga. Maybe more than three hours.
My favorite part are the lyrics he wrote to the Darth Vader Theme.
While we discuss modern Composers, here is Vaughn Williams The Lark Ascending
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2JlDnT2l8
Modern, as in a young pup compared to Hayden :)
If anyone says a work is “Wagnerian” I think of the word, “turgid” also.
The brass section will be glad when it’s over. :) Went to see the London Philharmonic during the ‘Star Wars Live’ tour and saw several lips blown out by the end of it. Stellar performance, tho. Williams does love his brass.
I love The Lark Ascending. It always reminds me a bit of Chinese music, somehow.
A personal favorite if mine
bump
He is the greatest since Straus.
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