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A Birthday Tribute To John T. Williams
February 8 is the birthday of the world's most popular
film composer,
John Towner Williams (born: 1932).
This birthday tribute page was first
released in 2007 for his 75th birthday with the Listener's Poll.
It has been updated
for the 90th birthday tribute by Roger Hall, Steven A. Kennedy, and Steve Vertlieb.
See the special limited edition CD -- Film Music of John Williams on Radio.
The Music of John Williams
In addition to being a distinguished composer of classical and film music, John Williams is also an accomplished
pianist and songwriter, as well as past conductor of the Boston Pops.
He has conducted numerous other major orchestras
in the U.S.A.
and in Europe, for example, in Vienna and Berlin.
Over the years he has worked with many film directors but especially two of the most successful collaborators:
John Williams and Steven Spielberg
(photo: Murray Close)
George Lucas and John Williams
(photo: Peter Mason)
The Sammy Film Music Awards
These awards were begun in 1988 by Roger Hall and were named in honor of movie lyricist, Sammy Cahn,
winner of 4 Oscars
and nominated more than any other past songwriter.
John Williams has received more Sammy Film Music Awards than any other film composer.
Here is the list of his 16 scores and songs chosen for these annual awards:
2019:
STAR WARS:
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
2017 (2 CDs):
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
and
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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
(expanded remastered edition by Mike Matessino)
2015: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
2014: EMPIRE OF THE SUN (expanded limited edition)
2011: WAR HORSE
2005: MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
2004: THE TERMINAL
2001: A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
1998:
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
1997: SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET
1995: "Moonlight" (lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
from SABRINA
1993: SCHINDLER'S LIST
1990: "Somewhere In My Memory" (lyrics by Leslie Bricusse)
from HOME ALONE
1989: BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
1988: THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST
Remembering A Magnificent Film Music Master
With over 100 film scores composed, you may wonder which one would John Williams select as his favorite?
I attended a Boston Pops event years ago and John Williams was asked
which of film scores he prefers.
He thought for a moment and
said he would proabbly pick his score to
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.
He also mentioned that same score in an interview with Richard Kaye during a Boston Pops radio broadcast in 1994.
I agree with his choice and it is one of my favorites too. A very diverse and effective film score with contemporary rhythms, an ingenius 5 note theme, subtle use of the chorus, and his beautiful handling of the classic Disney tune, "When You Wish Upon A Star." Director Steven Spielberg has said that he was thinking of the 1940 Disney movie, PINOCCHIO and that Oscar-winning song, when he wrote the screenplay for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.
The final portion of the John Williams score is mesmerizing in its beauty.
It's a milestone film score and one of his best.
Another favorite of mine is his score to SAVING PRIVATE RYAN which was named for a
Sammy Film Music Award and especially for the
extremely moving theme: "Hymn To The Fallen."
Another great film score.
But there are so many memorable film scores he has composed,
it is difficult
to pick just one or two of them.
I first became aware of his music from early television programs like M SQUAD (1957-60)
and
CHECKMATE (1960-62).
Later I enjoyed his scores in the 1960s, like
BACHELOR FLAT (1961), HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1967),
and A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN (1967).
And then his Pre-JAWS films,
like THE REIVERS (1969),
THE COWBOYS (1972),
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972),
CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973),
THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974) and THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974).
It was my great pleasure to present a special birthday program to John Williams in 1983 on WGBH-FM,
hosted by popular Boston radio personality, Ron Della Chiesa.
On that radio program I featured some rare recordings of his early scores like M SQUAD and BACHELOR FLAT.
After I sent Mr. Williams a copy of that program, he sent me a kind letter and also included a signed page
from his Oscar-winning score to E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, which I later included on the title page of my book
shown here:
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On this auspicious occasion,
I wish John Williams continued years of good health
and much success with his brilliant music.
He is a man of many talents and a magnificent film music master.
Happy birthday, Maestro!
-- Roger Hall, February 2022
Two CD Box Set Reviews by Roger Hall:
Two Reviews by Steven A. Kennedy - click here
A Personal Remembrance of John Williams by Steve Vertlieb -- click here
Listener's Poll
Many online readers participated in a special John Williams Listener's Poll held in 2007 for his 75th birthday. Several hundred votes were sent in for a wide variety of his scores.
There were 52 different film scores which received at least one vote,
from THE REIVERS (1969)
to MUNICH (2005).
Here are the results of the Top Ten vote getters for John Williams film scores:
1. STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
2. STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977)
3.
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978)
4.
E.T.:The EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
5.
JURASSIC PARK (1993)
6. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1979)
7. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)
8. JAWS (1975)
9. HOOK (1991)
10.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
And the next 20 vote getters, listed alphabetically...
THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (1988)
AMISTAD (1997)
A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001)
BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY (1989)
DRACULA (1979)
EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987)
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (2001)
HOME ALONE (1990)
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)
JANE EYRE (1970)
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005)
MINORITY REPORT (2002)
THE PATRIOT (2000)
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002)
STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999)
STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)
STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005)
WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)
Limited Edition CD Only Available Here!
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Feauring over one hour of highlights from Boston radio programs between 1979 and 1994,
including a special birthday tribute by Roger Hall to John Williams from 1983,
featuring rare highlights from John Williams early TV and film scores.
Also on the disc are several Sammy Film Music Award announcements,
including the very first one from 1989.
This special CD is intended
to help support
and keep Film Music Review (FMR) online as a free e-zine.
Your order is payable to PineTree Productions,
owner of this website
through safe and secure PayPal.
The shipping cost is included in the price.
Click on this button to
After you have placed your order,
to confirm your mailing address
send to:
FILM MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS ON RADIO
Thank You For Your Support of Film Music Review!
One track from this CD
titled, "The Discovery" from M SQUAD (1959),
is available from the American Music Recordings Collection.
To order this one track at a reduced price
-- click here
100 Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century
See the John Williams film scores on this list -- click here
© 2007-2024 -
This birthday tribute to John Williams is not to be reproduced without permission.
For permission to reprint it
-- click here
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