John Williams was born 80 years ago today! In celebration of Mr. Williams’ anniversary, JWFan will compile the best articles, podcasts and videos honoring the Maestro and his career. Happy Birthday, John Williams!
- John Williams’ 80th Birthday Medley – Arranged and performed by ear by myself on Piano, Keyboard, and Violin. – Watch the video on YouTube
- John Williams 80th Birthday: Watch Exclusive New Video – Movie music maestro John Williams turns 80 years-old today. To celebrate, I’m releasing never-before-seen footage of Williams remembering Raymond Scott. This amateur footage was shot by me, Jeff Winner, while Stan Warnow (Scott’s son) and I interviewed John Williams at the Tanglewood estate and music venue in Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on August 4th of 2008. Some of Stan’s footage was used in the new feature-length, award-winning documentary film, “Deconstructing Dad,” but this segment has never been seen before. – Watch the video on YouTube
- John Williams: The Master – There really isn’t a large introduction needed for John Williams. His music is possibly the most known film music of all time. His works have been ingrained and enjoyed in popular culture, and yet still studied by film score enthusiasts. His beginning started the same way as many film composers do. – Full article at The Music Behind the Screen
- John Williams and me: on the maestro’s 80th birthday – My first musical love affair was with John Williams’ score for “Star Wars”. I remember clearly lying down in my mother’s living room as young lad of 8 or 9, chin in hands, listening to the entire soundtrack on the vinyl I received as a gift. – Full article at AlainMayrand.com
- Happy 80th Birthday to John Williams! – I created this painting back in 1998 when I went to see him conduct the London Symphony Orchestra. I managed to get a print of this piece to John, although I didn’t meet him. A little while later I received a couple of lovely letters of thanks, one from his agent and the other from the Boston Symphony which was where he was working at the time as Laureate Conductor. – Full article at PSStudioDPI
- Happy 80th Birthday John Williams – Lucas Richman and The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra wishes John Williams a happy 80th Birthday. Recorded in January when preparing a concert with John Williams spectacular music from the Star Wars movies – Watch the video on YouTube
- John Williams Melbourne 80th Birthday Salute by the Brevard Symphony – The Brevard Symphony Orchestra performance of “Salute to John Williams!” (The Imperial March) with a little help from the 501st – Watch the video on YouTube
- Happy 80th John Williams! – Born 120 years and a day after Charles Dickens, John Williams is a legend still living. Here’s to you sir. – Watch the video on YouTube
- Spielberg and Lucas on Williams – Directors reminisce about collaborating with Hollywood’s greatest composer – The five-time Oscar winner (out of a record 47 nominations) will probably celebrate quietly at his Los Angeles home. He did not attend Monday’s Academy Award nominees luncheon, probably because he is already at work on the music for Steven Spielberg’s next film, Lincoln, due for release later this year. – Full article at Film Music Society
- John Williams Turns 80: A Look Back At His Greatest Hits – His music gives you insight into the characters and the universes depicted on screen in a visceral way — evil feels like evil, good feels like good, victory feels like victory, and fear feels like fear. Take a spin through his greatest hits below – Full article at TheHuffingtonPost.com
- Happy 80th Birthday John Williams! – We’ve created a “What’s your John Williams Theme?” page in honor of the Boston Pops Laureate Conductor’s 80th birthday today. – Listen at BSO.org
- Episode 80: A John Williams Salute – “It’s not a tablecloth, Yoda!” is a catchphrase from “The Sequels Strike Back.” Enjoy now my tribute to Star Wars and the Great John Williams. – Watch the video on YouTube
- John Williams: 80 Years, 8 Classic Moments – John Williams is 80 today. The man has created some of the most timeless tunes ever to come out of American cinema in the last 40 years. Just rattling off the list of well-known tunes is intimidating: Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Close Encounters, Harry Potter, ET, Schindler’s List… Here are some classic moments in cinema, made that way because of John Williams’ music. – Full article at The 24th Frame
- Happy 80th Birthday, John Williams – He’s written some of the world’s most famous movie music. He’s been nominated for 47 Oscars, winning five. He’s been honored by the president. Here is a look at five of his must-listen movie score moments and some of his reflections on writing them. – Full article at Wane.com
- John Williams at 80: Hollywood legend’s top 10 movie scores – As John Williams celebrates his 80th birthday today (February 8), we take a look at his top ten film scores. Many happy returns, John! – Full article at Digital Spy
- John Williams, Composer, Turns 80: ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Jurassic Park’ and his 10 Best Scores of All Time – In honor of Williams’ 80th birthday, we bring you his 10 best film scores of all time (in chronological order). – Full article at International Business Times
- The Music Man: Buon 80° Compleanno, John Williams! – ColonneSonore.net celebra l’ottantesimo compleanno del grande compositore americano con una panoramica sulla sua lunga ed eclettica carriera cine-musicale. – Full article at ColonneSonore.net (In Italian)
- Beethoven naszych czasów – Jego “Gwiezdne wojny” słyszało prawdopodobnie więcej osób niż “V Symfonię” Beethovena. Jest najpopularniejszym kompozytorem muzyki filmowej wszech czasów. Zdobył 5 Oscarów i 47 nominacji – więcej miał tylko Walt Disney. Napisał muzykę do ponad 100 filmów. Właśnie kończy 80 lat. I ani myśli o emeryturze. – Full article at Onet.Muzyka (In Polish)
- 80 Reasons Why John Williams Is The Man – To celebrate his auspicious anniversary, we have gathered together in no particular order 80 of his greatest cues to showcase the dizzying scope and seemingly unfathomable depths of his genius. – Full article at Empire Online
- ForceCast.net – IndyCast Special 7: John Williams’ 80th Birthday (Audio podcast) – Laird & Ron are joined by Lito Velasco as they celebrate John William’s 80th birthday and his iconic music! – Listen to the podcast at ForeCast.net
- John Williams Video Portrait by Andrew Zuckerman – “Music is a tough job. What’s rewarded is not so much inspiration as the applauded sustained work” (John Williams) – Watch the video at AndrewZuckerman.com
- Happy Birthday Johnny! Film Legend Celebrates Milestone with Pair of Compilations – The music catalogue world is celebrating one of Hollywood’s truest living legends with two, count ‘em, two, compilations next month. – Full article at The Second Disc
- Happy Birthday, John Williams! – On behalf of film geeks around the world wishing the über-maestro himself, Mr. John Williams, a very happy 80th birthday! Normally we celebrate years of life by giving gifts. Today, let’s celebrate the gifts we have received from Mr. Williams’ years of life. – Full article at Ain’t It Cool News
- The Film Music of John Williams: 80th Birthday Celebration (Carl Davis concert Review) – Bear with me for this slightly tenuous link but a little known playwright by the name of William Shakespeare penned the phrase, “If music be the food of love, play on”. Well, those readers who know me from the Rotten Tomatoes website know how much I love a good soundtrack. – Full article at Resolution Corner
- John Williams 80th Birthday Tribute – February 8, 2012 marks the 80th birthday of the world’s most respected film composer, John Towner Williams (born: 1932). It is surely a milestone that will be celebrated throughout the year with concerts and CD releases. – Full article at Film Music Review
- 80 Cumpleaños de John Williams – John Williams cumple hoy 80 años. Este es un gran día para JWC Blog y una edad muy significativa que esta sirviendo y va a servir al maestro de continuo reconocimiento y homenaje en todo el mundo, sobretodo en EE.UU y mas concretamente en Boston y Tanglewood – Full article at John Williams Composer Blog (In Spanish)