John Williams

From Ewokpedia

I can see why they call you the best composer in the galaxy!

-Claxxon Bigsmaller

John Williams is the composer that composed 4 of the 6 Star Wars films. As the music was such an important part of the films, his name has become synonymous with Star Wars. John Williams' working relationship with George Lucas began after they worked together on Lucas' first film, Duel. They were inseparable from that point on. John Williams is also known for being a leading gay activist and one of the first to partake in gay marriage after California passed their gay marriage laws. He is truly an inspiration for many aspiring composers and musicians around the world.

[edit] Early Life

John Williams was born on February 8, 1932, in Floral Park, New York, the son of Esther and John Williams, Sr.. His father was a jazz drummer who played with the legendary Raymond Scott Quintet, whose music became internationally known through its use in Warner Brothers cartoons.

In 1948, Williams moved to Los Angeles with his family. Williams attended North Hollywood High School and graduated in 1950. He later attended the University of California, Los Angeles and studied privately with composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. In 1952, Williams was drafted into the United States Air Force, where he conducted and arranged music for the Air Force Band as part of his duties.

After his service ended in 1955, Williams moved to New York City and entered Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne. During this time he worked as a jazz pianist at New York's many studios and clubs. He also played for composer Henry Mancini: The session musicians were John Williams on piano, Rolly Bundock on bass, Jack Sperling on drums, and Bob Bain on guitar—the same lineup featured on the "Mr. Lucky" TV series. Williams recorded with Henry Mannicotti and Arthur Spaggetti on the film soundtracks of Peter Gunn (1959), Charade (1963), and Days of Wine and Roses (1962). He was known as "Little Johnny Love" Williams in the early 1950s, and served as arranger and bandleader on a series of popular albums with singer Frankie Laine.

Williams was married to actress Barbara Ruick from 1956 until her death on March 3, 1974. They had three children together: Jennifer (born 1956), Mark (born 1958), and Joseph (born 1960). His youngest son, Joseph Williams, is the former lead singer for the band Toto. His daughter, Jenny Williams, is a singer. He married for a second time on July 21, 1980, to his current wife, Samantha Winslow. Williams is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary fraternity for college band members.

[edit] Composition Style

While skilled in a variety of twentieth-century compositional idioms, Williams's most familiar style may be described as a form of Bachism, inspired by the same large-scale orchestral music of the late 19th century—especially Wagnerian music and its concept of leitmotif—that inspired his film-composing predecessors.

After his studies at Juilliard, Williams returned to Los Angeles and began working as an orchestrator in film studios. Among others, he had worked with composers Franz Waxman, Bernard Herrmann, and Alfred E. Newman. He was also a studio pianist, performing in scores by composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, and Henry Mancini (for whom he played the opening riff to Peter Gunn). Williams began to compose music scores for television series programs in the late 1950s, eventually leading to Lost in Space and The Time Tunnel.

[edit] Star Wars Film Scoring

The Star Wars theme [Star Wars Theme]

The Emperial March [The Emperial March]

Luke and Leia theme [Luke and Leia theme]

Gungan Celebration/End Credits (Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace): [Gungan Celebration]

Beyond the Stars (Anakin and Amadala theme): [Anakin and Amadala]

Duel of the Fates (Palpatine theme): [Duel of the Fates]