A galaxy full of music

May 4 is Star Wars Day! (May the Fourth be with you!) A big part of what makes Star Wars so special is the music composed and directed by the illustrious John Williams. This is a good time to recognize the genius that has made so much iconic music for movies and television.

 

Williams has written music for more than 75 movies. And the songs for those movies are among the most recognizable themes in the history of cinema. There’s Star Wars, sure, and whether you like those movies or not, you’re sure to recognize the main theme for the space-faring science fiction collection, along with the menacing theme for Darth Vader, “The Imperial March.”

 

Part of what makes Williams’ scores so great is that he has distinctive themes for each main character. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia each have bits that you can hear when they are heavily involved in the story. Yoda has his own piece. He even added new music for Obi-Wan Kenobi when that character gained his own show on Disney+. 

 

But there’s so much more than Star Wars. Do you enjoy Indiana Jones? If so, the music for his movies was also created by John Williams. That’s another theme that most people will know as soon as they hear it, even if they have not seen the movies. (In fact, you might have it rolling through your head right now!)

 

Duh-dah. Duh-dah. Think of that in a deep tone as you scan across the ocean. You know what movie I’m talking about, don’t you? The theme from Jaws might be among the most recognizable movie songs ever. Sports teams use it to strike fear into their opponents at games. People will still chant it while they’re in the water. It was pure genius to put together music that actually frightens people based on how scared they were while watching a movie!

If you believed a man could fly when Superman first appeared on movie screens in the late 70s, it was, in part, due to John Williams’ fantastic theme for the Man of Steel. When you listen to that and, like Jaws, hear the slow build, it just leads to a burst of exciting action. This song is so influential that other composers have inserted homages to it in other iterations of the last son of Krypton.

 

Williams started on the Harry Potter franchise of movies, though he didn’t finish all of them. Still, that’s another series of songs that stick with a fan. You can picture Hedwig the owl swooping through the night sky while hearing the theme that goes with the magical creature. It’s too bad he couldn’t continue on the series, but his schedule just didn’t work. He’s always been a busy guy!

 

John Williams is even responsible for the “Olympic Fanfare” that you hear every four years on NBC. Every commercial break begins and ends with that song. Like so many of the other melodies I’ve mentioned, you can probably bring it to mind right now. And you should really listen to the entire song sometime; it’s magnificent!

 

There seems to be a signature to Williams’ work, some unknown element that just tells you he wrote it. I thought about this recently when we attended one of Jayna’s concerts at Winona State. The band played a song from the movie Munich, one I had never heard of, but apparently John Williams wrote the music. And sure enough, while listening, there was a particular verve that one seems to find in his work. 

 

John Williams is the greatest movie music composer of all time. I really think he deserves to be in the same breath as musicians like Beethoven and Brahms. The amazing thing is that it’s not just the melodies in his songs that are so breathtaking. When you really listen, really really listen, you hear so many little additions, some harmonic interludes, that just bring the songs to a whole new level. 

 

We always remember the big, bombastic themes, but Williams often wrote somber music that is just as impactful. Think of Saving Private Ryan or Angela’s Ashes; those both have very sad scenes and don’t exactly make you excited to be part of what is happening. Yet, Williams adds a tenderness through his music that taps into your empathy without the use of words.

From classics to franchises, John Williams has composed a body of work that is unmatched and unsurpassed. He has slowed down a lot, understandable for a man who is 92. He has said he’s done doing Star Wars music, but I have every confidence that I will hear his soaring beginning at the start of any future Star Wars efforts, just as it should be. 

 

Word of the Week: This week’s word is loquacious, which means an elegant, prolific speaker, as in, “There was no need for loquacious dialogue with the amazing film score helping to guide the action of the movie.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!