No, I do not refer to a prestigious law firm in a city near you but instead to two composers who have impacted the film industry dramatically over the past few decades. As with any composer, his or her music has its own personality making it undeniably unique and identifiable. Following are just a few of my personal observations.
First, John #1. I believe my first introduction to John Williams was with the epic 1975 Jaws. Those first two bassoon notes, you’ve heard them, they brilliantly foreshadow what’s coming next…..a big shark! Due to the fact that the mechanical shark they used to film close up scenes didn’t work very well in salt water, director Spielberg decided to show less of the shark on screen. This actually served to build tension and mystery as to the nature of the protagonist of the film as it forced the viewer to use their imagination. This is so much more exciting than being force fed some fake-ish CGI images as they do today. The absence of advanced video technology actually made the film that much better in my opinion.
Two years later Star Wars lit up the screen and William’s music lifted the film to another galaxy, lol. That unmistakable Imperial march ushering in the impending doom of Lord Vader is unlike anything else is film score history. He also gave us the film scores for the many sequels of Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. I would describe Williams music as exciting and energetic, a perfect match for these fan favorite films. As an aside, I must note that John Williams happens to be the father of Joseph Williams, lead singer for the band Toto. Clearly the the apple didn't fall far from the tree, musically speaking.
John #2 is my personal favorite. If you’re an early James Bond fan you’ll easily recognize John Barry. The Bond theme is his invention. He’s also best known for Dances With Wolves score during which you’ll hear a few of those familiar James Bond chords if you listen closely. I would describe his compositions as dreamy, focused, and other worldly. They literally take me to a different place and in a different way than Williams.
Barry has some interesting musical origins. The John Barry Seven was a band formed by John Barry in 1957 which disbanded in 1965. Then Barry went on to score film after film, most of which are available on Spotify to preview. Name drop: An individual I am honored to know and call a friend is Ray Russell. He is from England and made his professional debut as lead guitarist in the Barry Seven. With Barry, Russell also played on the soundtracks for several James Bond films and was guitarist for that familiar James Bond guitar lick. Ray is also a composer in his own right. OK, so I got side tracked, but I love Ray and had to include him.
Granted I am biased towards these two composers most likely because of the films they scored. The memories associated with these films, who I was with, where I saw them, continually bring back a flood of positive memories.
Here’s a taste of John #2 (sorry about the annoying ads):
Enjoy!
Jim
Thanks for the music recommendations. This piece ties in perfectly. I would have never listened to a James Bond soundtrack but I'm glad you suggested it, because John Barry did an amazing job!