John Williams articles at Boston.com

[alainmayrand 22]

An insightful article I thought that gave me some extra perspective.

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/05/11/john_williams_celebrating_30_years_with_the_boston_pops/?page=full

Cheers,

Alain

[Incanus 5,728]

Thanks for posting this Alain! An insightful article indeed.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Good article. Shame about the idiot in the comments.

[crocodile 8,058]

His comments on Avatar are spot on: "You can have some very ordinary ideas presented in such an enhanced and brilliant way, it’s almost like a new medium.’’

But then again it probably wasn't intentional.

Karol

[Henry B 50]

I'm going to see him tomorrow!

[Datameister 2,094]

A day without a piano is not an option because Williams composes every day, 6 1/2 days a week, inspired or not, wherever he is. He has no hobbies and rarely vacations. At 78, John Williams is a music-making machine.

Awesome!

[John Crichton 4]

So he's already written all of Tintin? Interesting, if true (I'm always instantly dubious due to shoddy journalism in the past).

Good article.

[Ollie 1,069]

He plays 9 holes a day.

Yeah the comment section had a few misinformed posts but everyone has an opinion. I don't think that person is as familiar with Williams' music as they think they are.

[Josh500 1,615]

A day without a piano is not an option because Williams composes every day, 6 1/2 days a week, inspired or not, wherever he is. He has no hobbies and rarely vacations. At 78, John Williams is a music-making machine.

Awesome!

[alainmayrand 22]

Thanks for posting this Alain! An insightful article indeed.

You are completely welcome!

I was very happy to get some insight into the Maestro from his daughter like finding it rude to say good things about oneself, the walk at dusk (9 holes of golf) and that he sadly wasn't around much during his children's teenage years. I really enjoyed this one.

Glad I found this and was able to give something to this board which I frequent often but have not much to contribute!

Alain

[Datameister 2,094]

Yeah...most interviews and articles and whatnot don't go very much into his personal life, which is understandable, but it's nice to get a better idea of who John Williams is as a person, as opposed to a composer. Though according to the article, there isn't much of a difference between the two for him - which is probably why he's the best.

[Jay 37,501]

So he's already written all of Tintin?

We've had multiple conversations, including quotes from Conrad Pope, about that very fact here on the board, yes

[Luke Skywalker 1,807]

What a nice interview

you look at what you wrote last week and it’s rubbish and you throw it out,

John Williams humility again this man CANNOT write rubbish.

Sad that most of his rejected ideas surely are far better than some scores of late...

[John Crichton 4]

So he's already written all of Tintin?

We've had multiple conversations, including quotes from Conrad Pope, about that very fact here on the board, yes

I can't be expected to read everything. Not unless I have to.

[Brónach 1,302]

It drives me mad that the Tintin score does exists somewhere and I can't listen to it.

[John Crichton 4]

I'm sure it's just written, not recorded yet.

[TownerFan 4,991]

Really nice piece. It's great to have a little hint of the Man behind the Artist, even though in the case of Williams these two sides blurs very much into each other.

I loved this part:

Williams isn’t shy about confronting the question of whether his commercial film work has damaged his credibility in the concert world. Film music has always been treated with condescension by the critical press, he says, noting with a laugh that on more than one occasion they have been justified.

The Man is really down-to-earth.

[airmanjerm 78]

Good article. Shame about the idiot in the comments.

I know everyone's entitled to their opinion, I just hate people like that guy in the comments. The absolute BEST is when he asks another reader "were you in the presence of a Pulitzer Prize winning composer...last week?"

Give me a freaking break. Who is this guy, Frasier Crane? I took composition lessons from a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (Mario Davidovsky), and it was great. But it's not a life-changing event that means I'm gonna come onto some message board (i.e. the comments under that interview story) and declare my musical superiority. To be honest, few Pulitzer Prize composers would have the ability to composer music for films...it's more than just writing, and the synchronization itself is an art. I know for one that I've never done it much, and certainly couldn't do a big blockbuster film. Many Pulitzer-winning composers have also lost the ability to identify with an audience, looking only for the mathematical, unemotional approach to composition.

It's snobby, ignorant fools like that that give the classical music world such a bad rap sometimes. I'm glad that I deal more in the world of wind bands, where people are typically more appreciative of a composer's work. Not always of course (and there's a LOT of bad music for bands). Funny thing is though, that guy in the comments would have even MORE negative comments about the band world, I'm sure.

Too bad he didn't post a link so we could hear some of his own music. I'm sure it would get quite a lot of play on my iPod.

(End of rant. Sorry....long day at work and I'm just looking for somebody to just destroy! haha).

[Datameister 2,094]

If that's what some of these anonymous critics think of Williams, I wonder what they'd have to say about Zimmer et al.?

[Bowie 45]

Ignore those snobs who bash Williams: in their arguments against his music, they proclaim to be so amazingly informed about classical/symphonic repertoire and yet ironically are generally wholly uninformed about Williams' music. If they actually listened to and understood the wide variety of music he has composed over the years, they wouldn't be so snappy.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493]

LOL! There's always at least one of them. Even in casual conversation if my love of JW comes up, someone occasionally calls him out. "All his music sounds the same." Huh? Then obligatory note to self to never hang around these people again.

[Datameister 2,094]

Yeah, it's amazing how those sorts of opinions have a propensity for popping up whenever his name is mentioned. All you have to do is ask them which specific musical choices make Duel of the Fates sound like Sayuri's theme, or the Force theme sound like the underscore in CE3K, or the main titles to Catch Me If You Can sound like "The Immolation Scene." Expect bemusedly annoyed faces and a response that boils down to, "Whatever."

[steb74 53]

In all fairness though, this place isn't exactly immune to similar nonsensical notions.

'Uninspired' and 'Filler' are just a couple of the tired clichés to be found here on an almost daily basis

Very nice article though, further testament as to why I and many, many others hold Williams in such high regard.

[Datameister 2,094]

Well, I think there are certainly passages that feel like they were written more through technique and experience than inspiration and originality, and as such they may not appeal to me as much. But I also respect that it's a pretty subjective thing...and I know that even being able to write that sort of music on "auto-pilot" requires an enormous amount of talent and education that Williams' critics don't acknowledge.

[steb74 53]

Indeed man.

What really bothers me though about the majority of these self-proclaimed critics is that they actually make so much effort in ignoring Williams' talent and education.

[Hlao-roo 389]

No mention of Schinder's List and dead composers? I believe the authenticity of this interview is dearly in question.

[Datameister 2,094]

I need to write a program that will automatically post that smiley every time you post something. It's invariably appropriate.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Well this is the first year that I have not gone to see Williams at Film Night. I am very upset with myself for not getting tickets. I suppose I get a little used to having him around. I know how lucky I am to live in Boston, some of you guys have never seen him.

[Bowie 45]

No mention of Schinder's List and dead composers? I believe the authenticity of this interview is dearly in question.

He's trying out some new repertoire.

[Josh500 1,615]

No mention of Schinder's List and dead composers? I believe the authenticity of this interview is dearly in question.

He's trying out some new repertoire.

Steven Spielberg does the same thing, actually: he always tells the story of how he snuck onto the Universal studio lot when he was a lad of 19 or so.

I guess every "legend" does this, building their own myth.

[TownerFan 4,991]

However, one of the most interesting things in the article is the news Williams just finished writing a new chamber piece. Can't wait to hear what it is!

Did anyone see the concerts in Boston?

[Jarbas 1]

It's a great article! Very illuminating about his professional work and personal life. And I'm glad her daughter was able to approach her father even though only in recent times. Unfortunately often the price of success is very high for the family.

In honor of the comments that guy I'm listening to a Williams playlist on my iTunes