Episode 8 - The Craft of John Williams (with Frank Lehman)

John Williams recently celebrated his 91st birthday.  He's rightfully considered the most popular and perhaps the greatest film composer of all time!  His too-many-to-list credits include Jaws, Star Wars I through IX, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones series, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  What are the tools of John Williams' craft?  What are some of his composition techniques and his creative influences?  What are the various musical experiences aside from being a film composer that have helped shape his musicianship?  Besides discussing his early background, we will be focusing on 2 very different and seldom discussed scores to explore his style through his scores to Sabrina (1995) and Images (1972)

To help me discuss this is my guest, Dr. Frank Lehman, an associate professor of Tufts University.  He is a music theorist and a film musicologist who has specialized in study of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and film score music in general.  His many articles and peer-reviewed papers, including his massive ongoing catalog and commentary of all Star Wars themes can be found through his website at https://franklehman.com/

What is your favorite John Williams score or theme?  Let me know by telling me directly at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact

This episode uses several musical clips to accompany our discussion of the music. (Note: these music clips play on the podcast feed only, not on the YouTube video.) In order of appearance, here is the full list of clips.  All music is composed by John Williams except where otherwise noted.

10:05 "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

12:32 "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" from The John Tanner Touch

13:28 Opening from "You Are Welcome" a documentary about Newfoundland

14:35 "Pajama Game" from Not With My Wife, You Don't

16:00 Main Title from Tarantula - music by Henry Mancini

16:31 Theme from Peter Gunn - music by Henry Mancini

17:26 Theme from To Kill a Mockingbird - music by Elmer Bernstein

18:27 "Good-bye Willy" from Death of a Salesman - music by Alex North

19:30 "The Swamp" from Psycho by Bernard Herrmann

20:37 "The Nightmare" from Vertigo by Bernard Herrmann

21:30 Overture to the School of Scandal by Samuel Barber

21:55 Commando March by Samuel Barber

28:37 "Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina

29:40 ("Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina)

30:12 ("Theme from Sabrina" from Sabrina)

31:47 "Moonlight" (with Sting) from Sabrina

32:45 "How Can I Remember" from Sabrina

33:33 "Nantucket Visit" from Sabrina

34:29  "Linus' New Life" from Sabrina

40:13  Amériques by Edgar Varese

42:03 "In Search of Unicorns" from Images

44:36 "Killing Marcel" from Images

45:51 "Blood Moon" from Images

47:52 "Reflections" from Images

48:44 "Miracle of the Ark" from Raiders of the Lost Ark

49:35 "Barry's Abduction" from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

50:08 "Diving Away from Trouble" from War of the Worlds

51:17 "The Mecha World" from A.I. Artificial Intelligence

53:40 "The Imperial Attack" from Star Wars

54:06 "Map Room: Dawn" from Raiders of the Lost Ark

 

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