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Amazon.co.uk Review
Thanks in no small part to his relationship with directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, composer John Williams has been associated with many of the greatest box-office successes of all time. Combining original tracks with re-recordings, Greatest Hits 1969-1999 surveys the astonishing body of work assembled by the composer over the past three decades. This handsomely packaged two-disc set demonstrates how Williams single-handedly revived the romantic, symphonic film score as personified by the Golden Age of Hollywood, while affirming the value of film as an important vehicle for serious musical expressi
Amazon.co.uk Review
Thanks in no small part to his relationship with directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, composer John Williams has been associated with many of the greatest box-office successes of all time. Combining original tracks with re-recordings, Greatest Hits 1969-1999 surveys the astonishing body of work assembled by the composer over the past three decades. This handsomely packaged two-disc set demonstrates how Williams single-handedly revived the romantic, symphonic film score as personified by the Golden Age of Hollywood, while affirming the value of film as an important vehicle for serious musical expression at the same time. The composer's melodic gifts are emphasised, whether it be through stirring marches ([Link removed - login to see], [Link removed - login to see]), enchanted Christmas music ([Link removed - login to see]) or opulent chorales ([Link removed - login to see]). Thirteen of his famous collaborations with Spielberg are offered (including [Link removed - login to see], [Link removed - login to see] and [Link removed - login to see]), as are excerpts from the four Star Wars films. The earliest score presented in the set is [Link removed - login to see] (1969), which confirmed Williams's arrival as an important new voice. Also included are his contributions to the 1984 and 1996 Olympics, along with recent efforts such as the spiritual Rosewood and the light sonorities of [Link removed - login to see]. The set also illustrates the composer's ability to break down the barriers between absolute music and functional music--consider his use of classical scherzos ([Link removed - login to see]) or the cello obligato of Yo-Yo Ma in [Link removed - login to see]. Williams's music was critical to the impact of all these films, none of which would have been nearly as successful without his unseen but heartfelt presence. --Kevin Mulhall
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