One of the most popular and successful American orchestral composers of the modern age, John Williams is the winner of five Academy Awards, 1 7 Grammas, here Golden Globes, two Memos and five ABAFT Awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. John Williams was born in New York, on February 8, 1932, the oldest of Esther and Johnny Williams. Music played an important part in his life. From the age of seven he studied piano, and he also learned to play the trombone, the trumpet, and the clarinet. In 1948 the family moved to Los Angels, where the father free-lanced with film studio orchestras.
After graduating in 1950 from North Holly. Voodoo High School, where he played, arranged, and composed for the school band, He composed his first serious ark, a piano sonata, as a nineteen-year-old student and later a wind quintet never finished or performed. In his јStar Wars’ films, John Williams has successfully used music to accompany he scenes of the Main Theme and Princess Leila from Instars Wars’; Asteroid Piled and The Imperial March’ from the Empire Strikes Back’; and Jab the Hut from Nature of the Jed’, by incorporating melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, tonality, timbre and dynamic.
The Main Theme is featured with the powerful full symphony orchestral music to help the audience to involve to the atmosphere in the unpredictable space scene. Williams used syncopated rhythms and articulations on strong beats and extreme dynamics with the main string melodies to create a powerful, unexpected and wondering feel. Williams also used polyphonic texture, major tonality with repeated main theme string leitmotifs to reinforce the strong forceful space atmosphere in order to help the audience to feel the boundless universe.
In the classical Film music, the leitmotif technique is most often representing a person or group of persons, In the Costar Wars’ films, Williams uses leitmotifs to represents characters – Luke, Leila, Evader, Yodel He also transforms his motifs according to context and dramatic need of the moment, often with tremendous effect. Princess Leila is a total contrast with the powerful feel of the Main Theme.
High registered instruments like violin and flute with the accompaniment of harp portrays the innocent, serene, and beautiful characteristics of Princess Leila_ Polyphonic texture with simple melodies, gradual changes of dynamics and moderate tempo portrays the elegant movements of Princess Leila. Williams also uses major tonality to show the audience Princess Lei’s innocent and dignity. Asteroid Field presents the unpredictable flying chase in the asteroid field.
Williams uses syncopated melody with articulations such as accents and Staccatos; sudden changes Of dynamics to depict the unpredictable and fearful atmosphere at the asteroid field. Main string melodies with percussion accompaniment and allegro tempo creates the tense, worried feel and portrays the fast chasing around the asteroid field. The use of polyphonic texture and minor tonality rhythms also help the audience be more involved in the tension atmosphere of the chase. In Imperial March, Williams uses the powerful, dramatic sound of the main brass melodies and percussion accompaniment to portray the battle scene.
Strict and accented rhythms and moderate fast tempo depicts the actions and movements of the soldiers in the battle. The minor tonality and the accented, loud dynamics depict the idea, mood and atmosphere of war violence, Polyphonic texture and the brass timbre also show the dark and violent actions in the battle field. Percussion accompaniment helps the audience to feel the tension of the fighting. Williams presents a fat, huge, heavy character in Jab the Hut. A very low registered instrument, tuba, is used to portray the heaviness Of the character _
Long sustained notes follow by short staccato notes created an unbalanced feel Of the movements Of the bulkiness character. Short string solo With flute syncopated rhythm accompaniment and the short detached accidental notes emphasizes the bizarreness and clumsy feel Of Jab. The use Of polyphonic texture and moderate slow tempo and gradual changes of dynamics reinforce the weird, strange and barbarous feels of Jab and show the audience his own distinct characteristics. Minor tonality also depicts the dark surroundings as he lives in an isolated mansion in the desert.
There is no doubt that John Williams’ music for Star Wars’ made a massive impact on the scene, rekindling the demand for full orchestral scores after something of a lull, and even daring to bring back the concept of different themes to differentiate between the good and had characters, Williams has gone on to produce many other examples to memorable music in collaboration with Steven Spielberg and other directors, He is one example of a vibrant industry full of talented composers today producing material along both traditional and experimental lines.
