JOHN TOWNER WILLIAMS

By Randy Lamb Music 1010 Craig Ferrin

John Towner Williams

EARLY LIFE OF JOHN WILLIAMS

Born February 8, 1932 in Queens New York Parents Johnny and Esther Towner Williams Father musician for CBS radio Family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1948 John started his own jazz band at age 15 At age 19 he performed his first original composition

SCHOOLING OF JOHN WILLIAMS

Graduated North Hollywood high 1950

Attended Los Angeles City College and UCLA in 1952

Studied with Robert Van Epps

Joined Military where he conducted for the U.S. Air force Band
Attended Julliard in New York City in 1955

JOHN WILLIAMS FAMILY

Married Barab Ruick in 1956 Children Jennifer, Mark, and Joseph Barbara died March 1, 1974 Remarried Samantha Winslow in 1980 Joseph Williams plays for band Toto Grandson Lionel Williams plays in band Vinyl Williams Granddaughter Hannah Ruick upcoming pop star

THE BEGINNING OF A CAREER

Piano player for T.V. shows

Peter Gunn
South Pacific Staff arranger for Columbia

Staff arranger for Fox

Scored for Motion Pictures Reivers Steven Spielberg George Lucas

A GREAT CAREER
Scored Music for many films Jaws Star Wars E.T. Superman Indiana Jones Conductor for the Boston Pops Orchestra Tried to retire in the 1990s but demand was to high for his music Jurassic Park Saving Private Ryan Schindlers List Complete list at IMDB.com

JOHN WILLIAMS IN THE NEW MILLENIA

Olympics

Harry Potter
Lincoln Star Wars

AWARDS WON BY JOHN WILLIAMS

5 Oscars Nominated 43 other times 5 Golden Globes Nominated 19 other times 6 BAFTA awards 17 Grammies Nominated 47 other times

OSCARS
1994 Schindlers List 1982 E.T. 1977 Star Wars 1975 Jaws 1972 Fiddler on the Roof (adaptation)

GOLDEN GLOBES

2011 War Horse 2005 Memoirs of a Geisha 1982 E.T. 1977 Star Wars 1975 Jaws

BAFTA AWARDS
1975 1978 1980 1982 1988 1993 2005 Jaws Star Wars Empire Strikes Back E.T. Extra Terrestrial Empire of the Sun Schindlers List Memoirs of a Geisha

GRAMMY AWARDS
1976 1978 1979 1980 Jaws Star Wars Star Wars Star Wars Close Encounters of the Third Kind Close Encounters of the Third Kind Superman Superman Empire Strikes Back Empire Strikes Back Raiders of the Lost Ark E.T. E.T. E.T. Olympics Best Album Best Pop Instrumental Performance Best Composition Best Album Best Composition Best Album Best Composition Best Album Best Composition Best Album Best Album Best Composition Best Arrangement Best Album Best Composition

1981
1982 1982 1985

GRAMMY AWARDS CONTINUED

1995 1999 2001 2007

2009

Shindlers List Saving Private Ryan Angelas Ashes Memoirs of a Geisha Munich Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls

Best Composition Best Composition Best Composition Best Album Best Composition Best Composition

MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS

John Williams has composed over 200 pieces of music, we are going to look at only 4. These are few of his most popular.

FOR MUSIC REFER TO LISTENING GUIDE BELOW OR CLICK HERE FOR RHAPSODY MUSIC

STAR WARS MAIN TITLE

Star Wars was written and produced by George Lucas. He wanted to have classical music played throughout the movie; When he met with the Director (Steven Spielberg) and his composer (John Williams) they liked the idea. They suggested that they compose music that would fit the movie and also use leitmotivs. The inspiration for this came from the famous German Composer, Robert Wagner; where they would play a certain theme for each character of the movie. During the movie franchise you can hear this with each of the main characters.
The inspiration for the piece that is labeled Star Wars: Main Title came from a 1942 film, The Kings Row by composer Eric Wolfgang Korngold. John Williams liked the main theme for this movie and adapted it for Star Wars. The Theme that John Williams came up with is played at the beginning of every Star Wars film in the franchise (moongadget.com 2014).

HIGHLIGHTS TO STAR WARS MAIN TITLE

0:00 0:48 1:18 1:36 Main Star Wars Theme Introduced in 4/4 time with trumpets and drums playing. Brass instruments become the subject and play thematic music in an allegro tempo. Music begins to quiet to almost nothing adding intensity to the music with woodwinds playing an accompaniment. The music is lento. Percussion instrument, gong sounds out concluding quiet intensity and making music forte again. Trumpets start playing in a Moderato tempo. Violins are forte with xylophone accompanying the music starts to be in a Moderato tempo, causing a sense of what is next with the music. Cellos and counter basses begin to play a thematic part. The music is lento and the pitch is soft. The music turns to more of a romantic feeling. Brass and lower stringed instruments start playing in allegro. Trumpets start into forte and allegro. Trumpets are in forte as the play a decrescendo slowing music to a moderato tempo. Music ends abruptly.

2:30
3:11 3:50 4:26 5:00 5:17

FOR MUSIC REFER TO LISTENING GUIDE BELOW OR CLICK HERE FOR RHAPSODY MUSIC

JAWS MAIN TITLE

John Williams has made our movie more adventurous and gripping than I ever thought possible (Steven Spielberg 1975). Jaws was the second movie that Williams composed for Spielberg. When they met for the first time to think of what kind of music would be played for this movie, Williams thought for a few minutes, and began to play the now famous notes, E-F-E-F. Spielberg began to laugh, after which John Williams began to explain that these two notes with what they were portraying with the shark, would become terrifying, because of its simplicity. Spielberg paused, thought for a few minutes and said: Lets do it. Since the movie was released the music for Jaws is credited for being in the top ten, for having the most terrifying music in a film. Williams credits composer Eric Wolfgang Korngold for the inspiration for the fifty minutes of music that is played during the movie Jaws. His intentions were to make it feel like old time pirate movies, where the captain is at the helm (filmmusicsociety.org John Burlingame 2012).

HIGHLIGHTS TO JAWS MAIN TITLE

0:09 0:14 Counter bass begins a very low note after the eerie silence. The music is lento. Second note from the counter bass is played higher pitched than the last and continues to be lento. 0:17 The same two notes are repeated only quicker but still in a lento tempo. 0:21 Same notes are played and then repeated even more quickly than the last. Music continues to be lento. 0:28 Same notes are played again and then repeated three more times giving this piece a 4/4 time. The music however is still a lento tempo. 0:50 Violins play notes from the beginning in allegro. 1:28 Brass instruments play in unison loudly same pitch in lento. 1:49 Orchestra plays forte. The tempo is in allegro for the first time however, it is played sounding like chaos. This matches what is happening in the movie, making it more suspenseful. 2:08 Woodwinds play while violins play flat sharp notes. The music still is moderato and in a minor form. 3:17 Trumpet begins to accompany along with the harp. Both are still lento. 3:28 Music ends.

FOR MUSIC REFER TO LISTENING GUIDE BELOW OR CLICK HERE FOR RHAPSODY MUSIC

JURASSIC PARK
As John Williams was driving down the road, he was blaring the music from the Earth, Wind, and Fire band. He noticed the mirror making unusual movement similar to how a dinosaur stomp would look in a puddle. This later became the inspiration for the scene where the ripple effect happens in the cup of water. Williams uses three different themes in Jurassic Park. The first is the main title theme, which he used cantilena lines to portray the beauty and awesomeness of the dinosaurs. The second theme he used was to create a sense of adventure. You can hear this in the music that is being played as they fly into the island. Lastly he uses menacing music to show the carnivore dinosaurs. With these three themes he again is using leitmotivs, only the characters are different parts of the island instead of the main characters. Williamss intention for the music for this movie was to shake the floor and put everyone on the edge of their seats. He wanted to recreate the ripple effect that he saw in his mirror while listening to the Earth, Wind, and Fire band (The Making of Jurassic Park, Robert Siegel 2012).

HIGHLIGHTS TO INTRO TO JURASSIC PARK

0:00 0:46 1:05 1:22 2:18 2:51 3:28 4:15 5:03 5:30 6:01 Trumpets start the composition in a lento tempo. Brass instruments begin new theme only forte and switch to a moderato tempo. Stringed instruments begin to play the melody with brass instruments as accompaniment music is strong and in a moderato tempo. Trumpets are introduced forte with the stringed instruments holding notes for longer periods of time. The music is still moderato but violins are lento. Trumpets are forte playing melody with orchestra playing accompaniment. Tempo continues to be the same. Begins a new theme with the stringed instruments playing, the bass is heard a little more adding texture to the theme. The tempo is a moderato theme. Trumpets begin to play forte with harp and orchestra accompanying. The music is adventurous again but is played loudly. Strings begin an accompaniment. Music is softer but is back to a allegro tempo. Trumpets play melody at normal time with strings playing accompaniment. Trombones play melody with trumpet accompaniment and symbols adding texture. Music is in allegro. End of piece.

FOR MUSIC REFER TO LISTENING GUIDE BELOW OR CLICK HERE FOR RHAPSODY MUSIC

HARRY POTTER HEDWIGS THEME

John Williams was asked to compose the music for Harry Potter at the beginning of the franchise with the first movie the Sorcerers Stone. He wrote Hedwigs theme as a leitmotiv for the film. It later was the only piece that was used throughout the entire film franchise. Williams only scored the first three movies, but his inspiration continued throughout the movie. Williams decided to use a Celesta to try to create unusual sounds like the wizard world. It is the first instrument that you hear as the music starts to play. The inspiration for the music came solely on Williams reading the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. He read the books and loved them, after which he wrote the original music for the movies. He wrote Hedwigs theme first which was used in a movie trailer. The popularity was so over whelming that he decided to use it as the theme to the movie. The music for Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone won many awards and is named one of the best soundtracks of all time (filmtracks.com).

HIGHLIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER HEDWIGS THEME

0:00
0:30 0:50 1:08 1:24 1:37 1:55 2:12

Music begins with a Celesta playing a melody. The celesta gives a unique sound to the music. The music is played in a moderato tempo Melody repeats as the string instruments crescendo. Music moves to an allegro tempo. For me the way the violins are playing you feel like you are flying. Trombones begin to play the melody while orchestra accompanies. The music continues to be played in allegro keeping you in flight as the music keeps playing. French horn starts to play the melody while strings continue the accompaniment. The celesta begins to play a new theme with orchestra in accompaniment. Music continues in a moderato tempo. Violins start to play a sub theme, while celesta accompanies. The celesta plays a new melody as a solo but in a moderato tempo. Music ends abruptly. At the end you are left with wondering if that is the end.

CONCLUSION
John Williams has been a very interesting person to study about. Throughout his career, his music has inspired many others and me. You cannot go anywhere in the world and not have someone recognize his music. His compositions have made movies more enjoyable, exciting, adventurous, intense, and most of all loveable. His legacy will live on for eternity just like other great composers such as Mozart and Bach.

The End

BIBLIOGRAPHY
lyricsfreak.com 2014

IMDB.com, 2014
biography.com/johnwilliams, 2013 Interview with John Huscher, John Williams, 2003 moongadget.com 2014 filmmusicsociety.org John Burlingame 2012 The Making of Jurassic Park, Robert Siegel 2012 filmtracks.com

MUSIC FROM ITUNES

Itunees does not allow music to be put into Powerpoint . So music in presentation is matched to Rhapsody Music. tar Wars: Main Title, John Williams, Great Composers: John Williams Main Title and First Victim, John Williams, Jaws (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) [Collector's Edition] Main Themes (From "Jurassic Park"), John Williams, The Music of John Williams - 40 Years of Film Music (Box Set)

Prologue, John Williams, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)