Bland John WIlliams

[laurenmcoakley]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "Sea Change" <nakedkali at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Lauren asked: [snip]
> 
>  Where did you get the idea that he barely won 
> > the contract for the HP films?  I've never heard that, and given 
the 
> > man's reputation, I would think that the producers would've 
surely 
> > considered him a top contender, if not the only contender.  Who 
else 
> > is more well-known than JW?
> _________________________________
> 
> Sea Change replies:
> 
> I live in LA and we hear & read the scuttlebutt of 'the biz'-there 
was no idea to 'get'.   John 
> Williams barely won the contract.  He was actually forced to 
submit a sample of music, 
> which is normally not done at all at his level.  The contract was 
renewed for the next two 
> films because he showed he could, if forced, actually do it in the 
first movie.   When I hear 
> the next two movies, I hear an increase in major triads and much 
lush sandwiching, so 
> much Lawrence Welk, that by movie three, I wanted to strangle the 
music editor who made 
> the score so intrusively loud.
> 
> I wish I could hear whatever it is you are hearing in PoA.  I just 
played it a few days ago 
> and am mystified as to what you could be referring to.  JW does a 
creditable job in the first 
> movie.
> 
> ______________________________________________ 
> 
> Lauren then broke the bad news:
> > 
> > Good riddance?  Well, he'll be back for OoTP, so we're not rid 
of JW 
> > at all!  Welcome back, I say!
> 
> _______________________________
> 
> Sea Change responds:
> 
> Brrr!  Sorry to hear that.
> 
> 
> 
> Sea Change, who has lived on this planet long enough to know 
that 'well-known' is not the 
> same as 'good'.


Hi Sea Change (and everyone else),

I have just read some distressing news (to me, anyway!).  According 
to Mugglenet, IMDB now lists Dario Marianelli as the composer for 
OoTP.  I'm sure those of you who are complaining about JW being 
bland and boring will be happy, though there is no confirmation on 
this from WB as of yet.  

Anyway Sea Change, I can't be sure if I've lived on this planet as 
long as you have, but I do understand that well-known doesn't equal 
good.  Though, I feel that the reason JW is so well-known happens to 
be because he is pretty good at what he does.  He composes music for 
movies.  I think this is definitely a different thing than if you 
are composing musical pieces to be enjoyed without a visual 
dialogue.  It is meant to reinforce a feeling or mood.  And the 
music itself may seem repetitive from movie to movie, but that is 
because there are certain themes that JW has developed to tie into a 
certain mood or character, just as certain characters or moods can 
be repeated throughout these films.  When I review a movie's 
soundtrack, I ask two questions: How well does the music fit and 
enhance the film? How will does the music stand alone, separate from 
the film? As to the first question, this soundtrack fits and 
enhances its film as well as any. The scene-to-scene transitions of 
the music are never jarring. As to the second question, most 
soundtracks sound a bit disjointed when heard away from their 
movies.  I don't think PoA is disjointed as much as GoF is.  I don't 
enjoy GoF on it's own at all.  It's ok for the movie, sort of flat 
and empty, but the movie is so good, I barely pay attention.

I will use the PoA soundtrack for all of my examples, because not 
only is it my favorite and most familiar to me, but it's also 
playing in my iPod right now!  Take Hedwig's Theme for instance...  
How many people (no matter how they feel about the music for the 
rest of GoF, and JW not composing for it) were surprised (if not 
slightly disapointed) to hear something other than the familiar 
notes of this theme?  By putting it in the beginning of each film, 
it is like a "doorbell".  It welcomes us back to Harry's world.  It 
may be repetitive, but it's part of what I've come to expect and 
love about these films. 

My most favorite composition is (of course) from the PoA soundtrack- 
A Window To The Past.  First, the lone flute brings you to a 
introspective sad place, like Harry missing his parents and thinking 
deeply about his past, and eventually it builds into a glorious 
uplifting triumphant masterpiece.  It reminds me of James Horner's 
themes from his Braveheart soundtrack.

I also adore Aunt Marge's Waltz.  It it light (like Aunt Marge 
becomes as she's blowing up) and I especially enjoy the staccato 
notes interchanged with the lolling legato ones.  As a trumpet 
player, I love the crispness.

Also, I really love Hagrid the Professor too.  (I think it's the 
trumpet player in me).  The beginning reminds me of playing in brass 
band for Christmastime.  It's just used as a segway piece in the 
movie, but it's a great example of a piece that can stand on its own.

I know JW has a reputation for being "boisterous", but I like loud 
when it's appropriate.  And for the record, I like Lawrence Welk too.