For those into "classical"

[Drama Queen]

Two discussion topics....

Will John Williams ever get the same recognition as the pioneering classical composers such as Beethoven, Bach and the likes?

If those guys were alive today what music would they be playing/ a fan of?


Personnally I think if any composer from any period ever hear the Star Wars theme, especially performed by the London Symphony, they would cream themselves.

Then there are other scores, such as Jaws for example... not the most audibly pleasing piece of music by any stretch of the imagination, but can you think of anything more appropriate for screaming "watch out there's a motherf'ing shark behind you?" at your tv? Lots of the old classics were composed around events, the music was more to tell a story than to just be easy on the ears.

I am just curious to see where people think Williams will stand a century from now... will he even be remembered at all?






As for what music the classical composers of old would be into now, I ask because one guy once said they would be into hardcore techno. He sounded pretty sure of himself. He may have a point with those who were mostly pianno based, but those who like to include lots of cello and strings I reason would clearly love the sounds of someone like Slash.   

[JaceGryphon]

Hard to say honestly, and I say that, because it depends on how you look at it.

At the time when Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and the like were composing, there wasn't (to the best of my knowledge) such a wide variety of musical styles.  What they were composing, that was basically it.  Those guys -were- the main stream.

It's a bit different with Williams.  In today's musical world, there's such a wide range of musical styles, everything from classical symphony music like Williams composes, to Rap/Hip Hop to Deth/Pirate/Goblin/Troll/Ghost Metal (and yes, all of those are real musical genres.   Well, maybe not Ghost, but I wouldn't be surprised).  The style of music that Williams composes is more of a niche genre in these times than anything else.  But I'll admit, I'm a bit of a geek and enjoy his music, and even purchased a few of the Star Wars sound tracks.  Just excellent stuff.

I guess the point I'm trying to push home here, is in the canon of classical symphonic composers, I think Williams does have place along side those you mentioned.  But in comparison, as far as being considered one of the greatest of his time, I'm afraid he'll (sadly) get overlooked for the likes of Diddy or someone else from one of the other more popular genres of this time.

[Drama Queen]

I guess the point I'm trying to push home here, is in the canon of classical symphonic composers, I think Williams does have place along side those you mentioned.  But in comparison, as far as being considered one of the greatest of his time, I'm afraid he'll (sadly) get overlooked for the likes of Diddy or someone else from one of the other more popular genres of this time.

I LOLed at this when I read it first. Then I read it again and almost cried, because I realize your probably right!  Good inciteful answer though, your points make sense.

As far as him being thought of among the greats of previous centuries however, I wonder if he will be seen as somewhat... how shall I say... lacking depth... or too commercial. For example back then pieces were composed about the seasons, weddings, funerals, wars etc... and well Williams composes based some sci-fi movie concept. I mean anyone with an ounce of sense can see it's brilliance, but well.. you know how elitist music fans can be... like say a metal band being snubbed because they were on MTV once or something.

As for being remember by mainstream music fans, well due to the success of Star Wars he will always be at least a footnote!

[TheNthDegree]

I'm a major music fan. I play brass and piano, very into classical.

I think Williams/composers will definitely go down in history. Perhaps not in the same breath as composers like Chopin and Beethoven and even Moussoursky and Licht (ugh that name brings terrible memories). If you listen, in a lot of places, some composers of the common day are having their songs played not just for their movies. Is it for the mainstream audiences, I suppose. A lot of the time it's at like, sports or something, but they're still played out of context of the movie.

I think that the "classical" (and not the real classical aka the 20th century era) composers will be recognized in the future, because one day, I imagine their songs will be taken out of context of the reason they were made for. Each song by itself tells a story on its own, even without the backdrop of a movie or something. If we were to hear the Imperial March or Indy's theme, we think of the movies, but take that music to someone who has never seen Star Wars or Indy (and believe me, I know some people) and they can see the song in an entirely new light.

I'm tired and this is probably making no sense. But I love old classical and new "Classical". Hans Zimmer, David Michael Frank, Jerry Goldsmith and even Sean Callery and Jesper Kyd (for his INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE score for Hitman 2). Take a listen to Zimmer's Chaveliers de Sangreal. Is it from The Da Vinci Code? Yeah. Is it a simply beautiful piece of music on its own? Yep. Same with David Michael Frank's 'The Unusual Suspects', Goldsmith's theme to Star Trek: First Contact, Callery's theme of David Palmer from 24 and Kyd's "47 Makes a Decision".

Yeah. This made no sense and I ramble.

Main point: I think that they'll be remembered. In a different light than Beethoven and Mozart, Bach and Chopin (just because they were each a victim of their times, with 1 style to follow but making each piece so different and meaningful in its own way) perhaps, but they'll be remembered.

As for point number 2...there's a genre - Classical techno. One of my favourite groups, a string quartet named Bond does it and I think if the maestros were living in this time, they'd pioneer something like that. Or do DDR songs *shrug*

[JaceGryphon]

As for point number 2...there's a genre - Classical techno. One of my favourite groups, a string quartet named Bond does it and I think if the maestros were living in this time, they'd pioneer something like that. Or do DDR songs *shrug*

Ok, that there just made me think of the commercial with 50 Cent conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.  Honestly, that sort of thing could help me tolerate Rap ALOT more.


By the way, I'm a huge band geek.  I played French Horn for 8 years from 5th grade through graduation, concert and marching band both.  If you play French Horn, you're automatically a geek.  So yea, in stark contrast to the character I play in the E-fed world, I'm a huge geek

[TheNthDegree]

That's my primary instrument too Been playing it since grade 6 for 8 years. No marching band up here but concert and cause he was desperate for members, my conductor asked me to play in jazz band for a year. The horn and jazz do NOT mix but I did it anyways.

As for the French Horn making you a geek ... yep. Totally been there. But it's so worth it.

[JaceGryphon]

Yea, I thought about jazz band, but I would have SO jumped to trumpet for that.  I didn't -exactly- play French Horn in marching band, I played both a Frumpet and a Euphonium.  No, I'm not making these up.  They both looked like over-sized trumpets that played in the key of F, so it was the same music, just had to learn different finger combos for the notes.

[TheNthDegree]

I once tried playing a Euphonium. Was not really used to the baritone like handling of it so I soon went back to my Horn like nothing happened.
Never heard of a Frumpet though, but it does make sense.