Spielberg’s Liner Notes for ‘War Horse’ Reveal the Score has “Four Central Themes”

As posted on the FSM Board by David Garland, host/producer of Movies on the Radio on WQXR, which will premiere at least two tracks from the War Horse soundtrack album this Saturday:

I’ve received the packaging graphics for War Horse, and thought you’d be interested to read this statement from Spielberg, which is included in the booklet:

“The dramatic countryside of Dartmoor has inspired John Williams to compose a score of such beauty and quiet majesty that one might think the earth was speaking through him, much as the heavens have done for nearly five decades. When I first heard John’s sketches of the four central themes for War Horse, I didn’t need my memories of the film to underscore the feelings I was having.

The music was a stand-alone experience and it affected me deeply, as have so many of John’s scores during our nearly 40-year collaboration. I feel that John has made a special gift to me of this music, which was inspired not only by my film but also by many of the picturesque settings of the poet William Wordsworth, whose vivid descriptions of the British landscape inspired much of what you are going to hear. I’m not sure what I can give John in return, other than a promise of more films to come … for as many more years as we both can imagine!”

– Steven Spielberg

Kind of makes me want to hear it, you know? I’ll have the music in a couple days, in time for my on-air premier on Saturday. I’ll play a couple tracks, not the whole score, but I’ll do my best to represent the key themes and emotions.

Source: FSM Board