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I know that this a gossip subject but after reading the new John Williams book I was very much disappointed by Ennio Morricone who said that the Star Wars score wasn't any good and that a fugue would be more proper for the main title. He also dismisses all composers who use orchestrators. Of course we all know that in some cases orchestrators do most of the job but in most cases orchestrators are just glorified copyists. I think it's envy speaking. In a John Scott interview that I read a while ago he said that Williams was just a good arranger and that he knew him just as an arranger. I was disappointed by these remarks. Of course it's very easy to attack Williams because he is the most successful of all film composers. Of course there are excellent remarks from film composers about their colleagues. Like the one by Mancini for Goldsmith. That everybody is scared of his talent. Anyway do you know any other such stories?
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Which book are you refering to? The one from Emilio Audissino?
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Yes.
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I sure would have liked to hear his Star Wars Fugue! I sure would NOT! Think about Hundra...
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I don't think Morricone's comments about "Star Wars" amounts to jealousy, just disagreement.
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The only time I recall words like "jealousy" or "envy" being used was that reference that Jerry Goldsmith was envious of John Barry's facility for simplicity.
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I wish I could tell folks where to look but there's a great interview with Bernard Herrmann's widow somewhere where she tells all about who he respected and didn't. No love lost there between Bennie and Andre Previn, apparently. And he keenly resented Quincy Jones for commanding and getting a higher fee than he could, at least for a time. He did respect Jerry Goldsmith and Howard Blake. Can't remember who else was mentioned.
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Posted: |
Aug 7, 2014 - 5:54 AM
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By: |
Tall Guy
(Member)
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(Morricone) also dismisses all composers who use orchestrators. Of course we all know that in some cases orchestrators do most of the job but in most cases orchestrators are just glorified copyists. I think it's envy speaking. I don't think Morricone has anything to be envious about. Wildly talented, rich and successful, the composer of choice for many respected directors, arguably the most sought after composer for films in the western world over the last fifty years (and indisputably one of them), multiple covers of many of his compositions by all stripes of musician from John Zorn to Sarah Brightman to Metallica, and the required use of water cannons just to control the crowd when his concert tickets go on sale... I guess his view is that once a choice - any choice at all - is made not by the composer but by another person, it ceases to be 100% your creation. I can respect that. Shostakovich thought the same, by all accounts. I fell deeply in love with their music in both cases before I knew that fact about either of them. And both took/take their music very seriously. If it were possible to speak to them in a common language, it wouldn't take 30 seconds for me to be utterly lost in musical theory. Interestingly, for some time it was common currency that Bartok envied Shostakovich his success, the main evidence being the grotesque parody of the invasion march from the 7th symphony in Bartok's concerto for orchestra. I believe it's now known that it was Bartok's brother, or agent, or similar, who started that rumour for their own reasons. All the truly talented people I've known in any field have been totally secure in their own ability, and rather than being jealous simply strive harder if they perceive a better practitioner than themselves.
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The only reason to go on the record about not liking Williams Star Wars score, given its success, is jealously. Ennio is human and that kind of outsize success that seems to redefine everything makes the whole world turn to the competition and say, "Well, what have you got?" Stuck in his craw, I'd say. It's OK, really. I do notice that when Morricone has done space movies he went as far away from Williams as possible. Also, some composers don't name names but you get the gist. Jerome Moross talked about his approach to Big Country and the western genre by noting how the pervading Hollywood style for oaters was all wrong. Hello, Dimitri!
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