John Williams

By Orla Wilson
 Film
Music used in a film to
Music is: accompany the action
and create atmosphere.
Functions of Film Music

➔ Illustrating Movement
➔ Creating Plot Relationships
➔ Create Atmosphere
➔ Portray Emotions
➔ Social/Cultural/Geographic References
➔ Time/Period References
➔ Connect Scenes/Montages
➔ Create Contradictions between scenes
➔ Parody
➔ Character Development
When did it start?

Film music as we know it started in the

1950s. Up until the then, film music had
been entirely symphonic. In the 1950s,
however, Jazz opened the industry up to
a vast and new world of possibilities.
Although it had been used for musicals
and animated films, this style had never
been used in mainstream genre films of
the 1930s and 1940s.
 John For this project, I decided to focus
on the career of the infamous

Williams John Williams. His work in film is

astounding, and I hope to find out
more about his various styles and
his life as one of the most
prominent modern composers.
Early Life
Born in Long Island, New York on February 8, 1932,
John Towner Williams discovered music almost
immediately, due in no small measure to being the
son of a percussionist for CBS Radio and the
Raymond Scott Quintet. After moving to Los Angeles
in 1948, the young pianist and leader of his own jazz
band started experimenting with arranging tunes; at
age 15, he determined he was going to become a
concert pianist; at 19, he premiered his first original
composition, a piano sonata.
Education
He attended both UCLA and the Los Angeles City
College, studying orchestration. He then joined up
for the US Air Force and spent 3 years conducting
for the first time. His return to the states brought
him to Julliard, where renowned pianist Madame
Rosina Lhevinne helped Williams master his
performance skills. He played in jazz clubs to pay
his way; still, she encouraged him to focus on
composing.
Work in Television

Returning to Los Angeles, Williams

became a movie studio musician. He was
heard as a pianist on films such as Some
Like It Hot (1959) and To Kill a Mockingbird
(1962).

Soon, Williams was composing his own

music for TV. Shows that received
Williams's musical touch include Wagon
Train, Gilligan's Island and Lost in Space.
Directors

Williams may be best known for his work

with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
Almost all of Spielberg's films have
Williams scores; their notable
collaborations include Jaws (1975), E.T.
(1982), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler's
List (1993), Catch Me If You Can (2002),
Munich(2005) and Lincoln (2012).
Williams also composed the music for
George Lucas's six Star Wars movies.
Composition Clips

Star wars theme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfLyMAHrQE

Jurassic Park theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJlmYh27MHg

ET Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O15x-B8PgeE
Awards

He received his first Academy Award nomination for Valley of the Dolls (1967).
In 1972, Williams won an Academy Award for his work on Fiddler on the Roof.
He'd also gained attention for his score for The Poseidon Adventure (1972),
which received an Oscar nomination as well.

As of 2018, Williams has garnered 51 Academy Award nominations, making

him the living person with the most nominations. He has won five Academy
Awards: In addition to Fiddler on the Roof, Williams received Oscars for Jaws,
Star Wars (1977), E.T. and Schindler's List. Williams has also received three
Emmy Awards and more than 20 Grammy Awards. In 2004, he was a Kennedy
Center honoree and was given a National Medal of Arts in 2009.
Work in Concert

Though Williams is best known for his film scores, he has written other music,
including concert pieces and the themes for several Olympic Games. Williams
also regularly works as a conductor: In 1980 he became the conductor of the
Boston Pops Orchestra, a position he held until retiring in 1993.
Composition Style

One of the things that defines Williams’ style is his use of leitmotif. This is a
memorable and recurrent theme of melody or rhythm that is associated with
a particular person, idea, or situation.

Williams' music is heavily influenced by the classical, firmly based on the style
of the late-romantics such as Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. This is not
saying that he does not stray at times to add some modernistic overtones
(such as with Close Encounters of the third kind), he just primarily composes
wholesome music full of memorable tunes. His use of techniques such as
fanfares and fun marches are particularly prominent.
Conclusion

After completing this project, I am even more sure of just how influential John
Williams is for the world of film. Not only has he composed some of the most
recognisable pieces of film music out there, but he has got the awards to
prove it.

Learning about the man behind themes such as Jaws, Star Wars and Jurassic
Park, was very interesting and helped to see each of his movies in a whole
new light.
 Jaws
Theme
Synopsis

Jaws is about the arrival of a dangerous great

white shark in the small island town of Amity

A police chief, a marine biologist, and a

fisherman set out on a journey to stop it

The "Jaws" theme is a fantastic example of

Williams’ use of Leitmotif

Jaws (music scene) - Main theme - YouTube

Features

MODE/TONALITY:

Minor Key

MAIN COMPOSITIONAL DEVICE:

Use of Chromatics (movement in semitones)

MOOD:

Mysterious - Threatening
Instruments, Dynamics and Tempo

The theme begins with:

➔ Slow tempo of cellos, low dynamics

Climax:

➔ Crescendo and quickened tempo

➔ Incorporation of other string instruments (harp, violin)
➔ High pitch, loud dynamics

Ends with:

➔ Decrescendo and use of brass instruments

Jaws Theme

In this film, the main theme is used for: It invokes the viewer to:

➔ Dramatic build up/Climactic underscoring ➔ Anxiety

➔ Background filler ➔ Nervousness
➔ Setting the mood
➔ To be scared or worried
➔ Establishing time and setting
➔ Alarmed
Bibliography

➔ https://prezi.com/alcthbiwr1qp/the-analysis-of-jaws-the-film-music/

➔ https://www.biography.com/people/john-williams-9532526

➔ www.twyman-whitney.com/film/essentials/music-history.html

➔ https://www.britannica.com/