Notes and Editorial Reviews
In the second half of the 20th century, no composer has had a more lasting influence on Hollywood than John Williams. This collection of his music includes the famous signature film themes, but goes beyond to feature incidental music and themes for individual characters as well.
Williams' potent use of a full orchestra creates themes that propel films. His best-known work is well represented: the themes from STAR WARS, JAWS and SUPERMAN are all here. However, lesser-known pieces, such as the "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" from INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE are sure to thrill movie and music fans alike.
Some of these recordings are from the original films, but far more of them are later recordings. All the sessions were
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conducted by the composer himself. The Boston Pops, Tanglewood Festival, Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh and London Symphony, even the Skywalker Symphony Orchestras all lend their talents to this album. Such intergalactic talent makes for a thrilling ride through film music history. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Star Wars, Episode 4 - A New Hope: Main Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1977; USA
Date of Recording: 07/1996
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 5 Minutes 44 Secs.
2.
E.T.: Flying Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1982; USA
Date of Recording: 07/1996
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 3 Minutes 42 Secs.
3.
Superman: Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1978; USA
Venue: Anvil Recoreders, Denham, England
Length: 4 Minutes 25 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: Herbert Spencer
4.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Parade of the Slave Children by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1984; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 4 Minutes 53 Secs.
5.
Sugarland Express: Theme by John T. Williams
Performer:
Toots Thielemans (Harmonica)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1974; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 3 Minutes 35 Secs.
6.
Jaws: Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1975; USA
Date of Recording: 07/1996
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 2 Minutes 51 Secs.
7.
Olympic Fanfare and Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1984; USA
Date of Recording: 01/1996
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 4 Minutes 28 Secs.
Notes: This selection shares track and timing with "Charge!: Bugler's dream."
8.
Star Wars, Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi: Luke and Leia by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Skywalker Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1983; USA
Date of Recording: 03/1990
Venue: Skywalker Ranch, Marin County, CA
Length: 5 Minutes 2 Secs.
9.
The Reivers: Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1969; USA
Date of Recording: 12/18/1969
Venue: CBS Studio Canter, Hollywood, California
Length: 5 Minutes 13 Secs.
10.
Star Wars, Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back: The Imperial March by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Skywalker Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1980; USA
Date of Recording: 03/1990
Venue: Skywalker Ranch, Marin County, CA
Length: 3 Minutes 4 Secs.
11.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1988; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 2 Minutes 48 Secs.
12.
Empire of the Sun: Cadillac of the Skies by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
Boston Pops,
American Boychoir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1987; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 4 Minutes 58 Secs.
13.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: March by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1981; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 5 Minutes 11 Secs.
14.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Suite by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
Boston Pops,
American Boychoir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1977; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 9 Minutes 46 Secs.
Notes: This selection shares track and timing with "When you wish upon a star."
15.
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn to the Fallen by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1998; USA
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 6 Minutes 10 Secs.
16.
Jurassic Park: Main Theme by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1993; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1995
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 5 Minutes 29 Secs.
17.
Schindler's List: Main Theme by John T. Williams
Performer:
Itzhak Perlman (Violin)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1993; USA
Date of Recording: 12/10/1996
Venue: Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Length: 3 Minutes 32 Secs.
18.
Hook: Flight to Neverland by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1991; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1995
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 4 Minutes 41 Secs.
19.
Seven Years in Tibet by John T. Williams
Performer:
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1997; USA
Date of Recording: 07/1997
Venue: Sony Pictures Scoring Stage, Culver City
Length: 7 Minutes 9 Secs.
20.
J. F. K.: Prologue by John T. Williams
Performer:
Timothy Morrison (Trumpet)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1991; USA
Length: 4 Minutes 0 Secs.
21.
Stepmom: The Days Between by John T. Williams
Performer:
Christopher Parkening (Guitar)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1998; USA
Date of Recording: 10/1998
Venue: Sony Pictures Scoring Stage, Culver City
Length: 6 Minutes 27 Secs.
22.
1941: March by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1979; USA
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 4 Minutes 14 Secs.
23.
Home Alone: Somewhere in My Memory by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra,
Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 1990
Venue: California
Length: 4 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: English
24.
Summon the Heroes by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1995; USA
Date of Recording: 01/1996
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 6 Minutes 14 Secs.
25.
Rosewood: Look Down, Lord by John T. Williams
Performer:
Tommy Morgan (Harmonica),
Dean Parks (Guitar)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra,
Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1997; USA
Date of Recording: 1996
Venue: Sony Pictures Scoring Stage, Culver City
Length: 4 Minutes 12 Secs.
Language: English
26.
Far and Away: Main Theme by John T. Williams
Performer:
Itzhak Perlman (Violin)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1992
Date of Recording: 12/1996
Venue: Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Length: 5 Minutes 34 Secs.
27.
Born on the 4th of July: Theme by John T. Williams
Performer:
Timothy Morrison (Trumpet)
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1989; USA
Date of Recording: 1990/91
Venue: Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 6 Minutes 20 Secs.
28.
Star Wars, Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace: Duel of the Fates by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
London Voices
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1999; USA
Date of Recording: 02/1999
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 4 Minutes 14 Secs.
29.
Charge!: Bugler's dream "Olympic Theme" by Leo Arnaud
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 01/1996
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Notes: This selection shares track and timing with "Olympic Fanfare and Theme."
30.
Pinocchio: When you wish upon a star by Leigh Harline
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
Boston Pops,
American Boychoir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1940
Date of Recording: 05/1990
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Notes: This selection shares track and timing with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Suite."
Sound Samples
Main Title from Star Wars
Flying Theme from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Main Title from Superman (Instrumental)
Parade of the Slave Children from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Instrumental)
Theme from Sugarland Express
Bugler's Dream and Olympic Fanfare Medley
Luke and Leia from Return of the Jedi (Instrumental)
Main Title from The Reivers (Instrumental)
The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back
Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Instrumental)
Cadillac of the Skies from Empire of the Sun
Raiders of the Lost Ark (tm) from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind/When You Wish Upon a Star Medley
Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan
Theme from Schindler's List
Flight to Neverland from Hook (Instrumental)
Seven Years in Tibet from Seven Years in Tibet
The Days Between from Stepmom (Instrumental)
Main Title from Home Alone ("Somewhere in My Memory") (Voice)
Summon the Heroes (for Tim Morrison)
Look Down, Lord (Reprise and Finale) from Rosewood (Instrumental)
I. Theme from Born on the Fourth of July from Suite from Born on the Fourth of July (Excerpt)
Duel Of The Fates from Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
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