John Towner Williams
2023-2024 Mystery Composer
Music is indeed the most beautiful of all Heaven's gifts to humanity wandering in the darkness.
Alone it calms, enlightens, and stills our souls.
It is not the straw to which the drowning man clings;
but a true friend, refuge, and comforter,
for whose sake life is worth living"
~ Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
This year's Mystery Composer is Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky! March 30th and 31st saw our Mystery Composer Group Lessons where we watched videos, discussed the life and music of Tchaikovsky and compared different experiences of those who had seen or danced in Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Students received packets with information about Tchaikovsky as well as homework assignments (besides practicing). Homework is due the week of April 27th at your student's private lesson.
This year, I assigned student's written assignments at Group; Aural assignments are posted as of April 7th. All assignments are listed below; just click on the link for your age group.
Parents: Spread out the listening assignments over the next couple of weeks, especially for the elementary students. This is a lot of music to enjoy so take the time to do so. Family dinners, in the car, and/or a daily 10 minute special "listen" time would be good choices for the entire family to enjoy the music of Tchaikovsky. Enjoy them!
Homework Assignments:
Click on your appropriate group for a pdf file of your assignment.
Elementary Students
Secondary Students
Listening Links
1. Children's Album, Op.39,
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Tchaikovsky's Children's Album is a collection of 24 short piano pieces composed between May and Julie 1878. Dedicated to his nephew Vladimir Davydov, this suite was inspired by Schumann’s Album for the Young. Tchaikovsky wanted to fill a gap in the Russian pedagogical repertoire, seeking to compose accessible yet artistic pieces. These pieces are a mix of everyday childhood scenes and musical sketches of different nations.
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2. Piano Concerto #1, Op. 23
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https://youtu.be/hu_VtZD_f5g?si=m9ptzWI3bpTOXHNt
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2. Theme to "Jurassic Park"
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John Williams and the Vienna Philharmonic This concert, held in Vienna's Musikverein in January 2020, was the first performance Williams had ever conducted in continental Europe. For further enjoyment check this link provided by Deutsche Gramophone: Discover “John Williams in Vienna”: http://dg.lnk.to/Williams |
3. Main Title Theme from "Superman"
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Instead of watching a live orchestra with, perhaps, John Williams conducting, we are listening to part of a soundtrack while clips of various scenes from the movie stream across the screen. A different experience than attending a live concert but closer to how we first hear this music.
Soundtrack from the 1978 Richard Donner film "Superman" with Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty, Margot Kidder, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford, Trevor Howard, Valerie Perrine & Terrance Stamp. YouTube clip offered by HD Film Tributes, a channel with over three hundred movie homages currently posted. |
4. Harry Potter Suite (4 "movements")
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John Williams and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. (PBS) This suite is narrated by John Williams who gives an overview of how and why he picked the instruments he used for each character/act of the movie. 1. Opening - Hedwig's Theme 2. 2:02 - Fluffy 3. 4:42 - Quidditch 4. 7:09 - Wizards Orchestra at Diagon Alley (This clip does quit rather abruptly due, in some part, to Copyright Laws.) |
5. Star Wars: A New Hope
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John Williams and the Vienna Philharmonic. This track is #9 on the program of the concert in Vienna mentioned above.
I remember sitting in the movie theatre in 1977, watching the opening of Star Wars and hearing this for the first time. My word, the chills that went down my back. I can imagine exactly how the people from the two comments below feel! “Dude, we’re playing Star Wars for John Freaking Williams!” “Dude, I know, we totally are!” "The joy on that guys face at 0:38 really makes you smile." |
6. Catina Band from "Star Wars"
Three different versions : 1st, the original soundtrack score from the movie; 2nd, the Danish National Symphony elaborating the magnificent jazz form; and 3rd, the Film Symphony Orchestra (FSO) Constantino Martínez-Orts, conductor, having some fun!
A B
A B
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7. Theme from "Schindler's List" |
According to starwars.com/database, the Catina Band we hear in the Movie is Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes. This 7-piece ensemble of Bith musicians was a common sight at the Los Eisley Cantina, playing swinging instruments for the watering hole's staggering patrons. One never knew who might walk in! |
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From the LA Opening Gala 2014: John Williams Celebration John Williams: Schindler´s List Theme Itzhak Perlman Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel John Williams only wanted Itzhak Perlman to perform this--and composed it for him. |
8. Jaws: A: Theme -The Boston Pops B: With music? Without? Which is scarier?
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9. Air and Simple Gifts: written and arranged by John Williams
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Itzahak Perlman, Violin Anthony McGill, Clarinet
Yo Yo Ma, Cello Gabriela Montero, piano Composed for the January 20, 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Williams based the piece one the familiar 19th century Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts" by Joseph Brackets. The source piece is famous for its appearance in Aaron Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring. Williams chose the selection from Copland, one of Obama's favorite classical composers. |
10. Interview: John Williams & Steven Spielberg with Steven Colbert
The Late Show with Steven Colbert, March 3, 2023 The Late Show with Steven Colbert, March 10, 2023
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11. Biographies of John Williams
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12. 50 Years of John Williams and Steven Spielberg
followed by a
90th Birthday Tribute to John Williams (2022)
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