Wonderfully unexpected 1988 interview with John Williams by his old Hollywood pal, Andre Previn.
Williams takes over, leaving Andre struggling to control the conversation…
There has been a rush to repair the…
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, b. Brescia, January 5, 1920…
The death has been announced of Andrzej Klimczak,…
A tenor who was audibly below par, an…
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What a wonderful interview! I had no idea John Williams was a classically trained pianist – with Rosina Lhevinne indeed. As Andre Previn implies near the end, it makes one sad that he was not tempted to write more symphonic music for the classical orchestra.
When he writes concert music it has few of the qualities that make his film music appealing.
Robert, we may disagree about that but allow me to suggest an audition of the Violin Concerto No.1 for those interested.
He has written many works for orchestra alongside numerous concertos and concertante pieces.
Fascinating. Thank you.
Rare?
Great composers have the ability to create a piece that ends up as a ear worm. Too many writers instead create just the opposite of that. Why that is, I’m not sure.
Different tastes? Different preferences? Different politics, different philosophy? A belief that the dark, esoteric or inscrutable is somehow more fitting and sophisticated?
When you start taking music theory and composition courses, you realize that you can be taught endlessly about harmony, texture, structure, etc. and yet when it comes to melody, the most basic element of music, you either have that or you don’t. There was only so much training they could give you on that. Plenty of amazing composers borrowed catchy folk tunes and built entire compelling symphonic worlds around them but are so-so at coming up with an original melody. Some composers though really have a gift for tunes, and I do think that should be celebrated.
I agree. Beethoven was terrible at writing lovely melody.
John Williams has written an astonishing amount of extraordinary music—one of my favorite pieces is “Theme for Marion” in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”—and his work is probably the most widely known of any composer. And having known him for more than forty years, I can say he’s one of the nicest people on earth.
“his work is probably the most widely known of any composer”
That is unlikely. Although lots of people have seen the films, there really aren’t that many people who listen to film music. Even though Beethoven is niche in the wider scheme of things, there really are more people who would recognize a piece of his music even if they rarely listen to classical music. Most widely known of all is probably the Beatles.