John Williams: A Composer's Life
John Williams: A Composer's Life
John Williams: A Composer's Life
Description
Description
The first biography of a great American composer of the cinema age John Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music, in the words of director Oliver Stone, "came to stand for the American culture." In John Williams: A Composer's Life, the first biography of the composer, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations--among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and the Harry Potter series--and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams's musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him, Greiving delves deeply into the composer's decades-long career, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout, he analyzes and describes Williams' film scores, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams's principle strengths: his musical storytelling. With unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews--including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends--John Williams: A Composer's Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.
About the Author
About the Author
Tim Greiving is an arts journalist in Los Angeles who specializes in film music. He has contributed stories to NPR, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. He has written program notes for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Royal Albert Hall, and liner notes for more than one hundred soundtrack albums. He contributes to the Visual History Program for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and teaches film music history at the University of Southern California.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"Tim Greiving takes us on a fascinating and insightful journey into the brilliant mind of composer John Williams. Fantastic! I could not put it down." -- Howard Shore, Composer"John Williams defines the word inspiration. Almost every young composer I meet says that John was their inspiration for wanting to compose (including my own son!). I am personally inspired by how incredibly generous, supportive, and kind he is as a human being. It's rare to know someone so successful with such genuine humility and compassion. I think the world of John." -- Marin Alsop, Internationally renowned conductor"Readers be aware, the deep love for music on the following pages is highly contagious!" -- Hildur Gudnadóttir, Composer and musician"John Williams' music was essentially the soundtrack for my entire childhood, and I'll never forget meeting him for the first time at President Obama's inauguration in 2009. To record and perform his piece, Air and Simple Gifts, with Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Itzhak Perlman was one of the greatest moments of my life. He has given all of us the gift of perfect storytelling through music. It is fantastic to see his amazing story told to the world." -- Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic and internationally acclaimed Clarinet Soloist"Captivatingly written, Greiving's book understands deeply the power, the art and the humanity of John Williams's music. From his beginnings and musical heritage, this is a fascinating walk-through of Williams's life and his musical influences. Steeped in interesting detail of the musical era and the beginnings of film music right through to current times, the book is especially luminous when Greiving pauses, steps back and comments on William's music and his person. Greiving knows his subject well and has painstakingly immersed himself in understanding Williams's work, writing engagingly, while enlightening the reader with deep insights into the man himself." -- Rachel Portman, Film composer"Fans of John Williams' music will devour this all-encompassing work. [Tim Greiving] provides reams of fascinating inside information about several spectacular scores, including for the classics Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Schindler's List." -- Kirkus Reviews
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Pub date:
2025-09-02
Length:
640 pages
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