Sunday Song: John Williams

So, today is not a single song - it is a composer. My favorite composer, to be specific. This is coming from a post I saw randomly yesterday - "what is your favorite song from a soundtrack?"

To be completely honest, I cannot answer that question. I don't have one favorite song from a soundtrack - I have so many that choosing one just makes my brain hurt.

So, instead of trying to select one song, I have selected my favorite composer, John Williams.

There isn't much that Mr. Williams has written that I have not loved. I am sure that my love stems from my love of the Star Wars movies. That is the first movie that I remember seeing as a child - the first Star Wars movie - back when it was just called "Star Wars" - from the back of the station wagon at the drive-in. My parents had been to the movie the night before and decided that they wanted to see it again. They figured that their three children (I was the oldest at seven) would fall asleep in their pajamas in the back. I didn't, though. That story sucked me into a world of possibilities that I had never considered before. I loved everything about it.

My experience with that movie, sitting in the back of the station wagon, surrounded by my sleeping siblings, did a couple of things for me. First, it ignited a life-long love of all things Star Wars, and second, it made me interested in movies.

Now, another part of why I love the music of John Williams comes from my selected instrument. I play the cornet because we had one in the garage - my father's cornet. I love brass instruments, playing them and hearing them. Mr. Williams' music is chockful of brass lines that are so much fun to hear and even more fun to play.

Now, his music is not my only favorite soundtrack music. I also really love Rachel Portman's soundtracks. They are significantly different from the music of Mr. Williams, but I love them as well.

Today, I am going to see the movie, Superman. I have heard bits of the soundtrack, and I know that they have incorporated Mr. Williams' theme into it. I also know that the soundtrack is not written by Mr. Williams (jointly composed by John Murphy and David Fleming), but I am looking forward to hearing those leitmotivs interspersed as appropriate for the story support. 

I just bought my ticket, so it is time to get going on the rest of my day. I might play one of the movies while I figure out the rest of my tasks for today. It is time to start appreciating Mr. Williams again. Well - I've never stopped, but it is time for more purposeful injections of this music that I love into my day-to-day life.

There we go...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Going on a Squeegee Hunt

One of the songs that I sang over and over and over again as a song leader in Girl Scouts was "Going on a Squeegee Hunt ." Now, you may be wondering what a "squeegee" is - good question! It is an imaginary creature that was probably invented by some obscure girl scout in Southern California many, MANY years ago! Anyway, similar to the traditional children's song of " Going on a Lion/Bear/Tiger Hunt ," the song takes you through a sequential process over, under, around, and through various obstacles towards a goal. Today, as I am sitting here writing, I am thinking about the poor squeegee being hunted. It is just in its cave, trying to do its squeegee things without interruption, when suddenly, BOOM! Some Girl Scout arrives to poke it! The poor squeegee does what it can - it jumps up and chases the Girl Scout all the way home!! This has not been a good work week. It is amazing how people will make mountains out of molehills. Here is the deal. I se...
Read more

Songwriting Sunday: Client Goals First and Foremost

Image
When I am writing music, I tend to do one of two things. I either start with a specific client in mind and write for that client's goals and objectives, or I start with an idea and let the idea grow regardless of the clients that I am serving at the time. I spend time with lots of hypothetical clients - thinking about the vast number of clients and their unique goals as I develop songs and therapeutic music experiences (TMEs). Today, though, I would like to start with the first focus - that of a specific client and his or her or their goals. Currently, I am sharing a wall with a class of students who are experiencing lots of life and school changes. Two students have transferred from residential care to home care and are now day students. One student is brand new to the classroom. Another student recently left the class. All of these changes have shifted the dynamics in the classroom group, and old behaviors of concern have reemerged as well as finding new behaviors to contribute. ...
Read more

Dear AMTA

Dear American Music Therapy Association: I am debating long and hard about remaining in this relationship. I have been in this relationship since college, and this is not a decision that I am taking lightly or without great cost.  I am not happy with what you are bringing to this relationship. Now, I have been a selfish partner over the past several years - mainly because I am not feeling like we share a common mission anymore. It is easy for me to place the blame on you, but I know that this is not all on me. I have tried to be invested in communication and support and understanding, but everyone comes to a time where enough is enough. I am trying very hard to decide if the benefits that you provide to me are worth the feelings that I have about where I think you and I are going. I am not sure that our destination is the same anymore, and this makes me sad. To be completely honest, I am only in this relationship these days for the music therapy interns. I don't think that is a hea...
Read more