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Meeting Spielberg

Composer of the Week John Williams (1932-)
Episode 1 of 5

John Williams talks to Donald Macleod about his early jazz career, and his first meeting with a budding film director called Steven Spielberg.

John Williams talks to Donald Macleod about a date with a young rookie director that changed movie history. Williams discusses the lunch meeting with Steven Spielberg in 1972 that precipitated one of the cinema's greatest partnerships - as well as introducing his pioneering score to Spielberg's "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind".

Before that, we hear about Williams's early life in jazz, working with Henry Mancini and AndrΓ© Previn, and composing big band jazz scores for television - including the detective drama Checkmate. The composer discusses his experiences in the hothouse film and TV studios of the 1960s, and introduces his score to the TV film Jane Eyre, for which he visited the Yorkshire Dales.

The programme ends with the first of a series of Williams's concert works - the pungently dissonant, BartΓ³k-tinged Flute Concerto from 1969.

1 hour

Last on

Mon 30 Sep 2013 18:30
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • John Williams

    Flying

    • SONY CLASSICAL: S2K51333.
    • 2.

  • John Williams

    Checkmate (1960) - Main Theme

    Orchestra: Johnny Williams and His Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • FILM SCORE MONTHLY: FSM 0908.
    • 1.

  • John Williams

    Checkmate (1960) - The Bishop's Retreat

    Orchestra: Johnny Williams and His Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • FILM SCORE MONTHLY: FSM 0908.
    • 9.

  • John Williams

    Checkmate (1960) - Cyanide Touch

    Orchestra: Johnny Williams and His Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • FILM SCORE MONTHLY: FSM 0908.
    • 3.

  • John Williams

    Jane Eyre (1971)- Theme from Jane Eyre

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Composer: John Williams.
    • PRIMETIME: TVPMCD810.

  • John Williams

    Jane Eyre (1971)- Restoration

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • PRIMETIME: TVPMCD810.

  • John Williams

    Suite: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

    Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic.
    • DECCA: 4178462.
    • 7.

  • John Williams

    Flute Concerto

    Performer: Peter Lloyd.
    • VARESE SARABANDE: VSD5345.
    • 4.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 14 Jan 2013 12:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Mon 14 Jan 2013 18:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Mon 30 Sep 2013 12:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Mon 30 Sep 2013 18:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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