The Baton: A John Williams Musical Journey
TV & Film:Film History
Though two composers had won Oscars for their scores on previous Alan Parker films, the director didn't reach out to them to write music for his first straight nonmusical drama in almost 10 years. Neither Giorgio Moroder or Michael Gore would have fit the mold for the music needed for "Angela's Ashes," based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir by Frank McCourt. John Williams had read the book and agreed to do the score, opting to forgo any of the typical Irish instruments that he employed seven years earlier for "Far and Away." Host Jeff Commings examines the score's universal appeal through its two themes played on piano and strings, as well as some cues that were not used in the final film version. As this film was unspooling in theaters in late 1999, Williams was ready to conduct a six-part composition for a short film by Steven Spielberg about the American experience. Enjoy a portion of that composition on this episode as well as we move ahead to the new millennium!
Episode 34 - The Paper Chase
Episode 33 - The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing
Episode 32 - The Long Goodbye
Episode 31 - Tom Sawyer
Episode 30 - Pete 'N' Tillie
Episode 29 - Images
Episode 28 - The Poseidon Adventure
Episode 27 - The Cowboys
Episode 26 - Fiddler on the Roof
Episode 25 - Jane Eyre
Episode 24 - Story of a Woman
Episode 23 - The Reivers
Episode 22 - Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Episode 21 - Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
Episode 20 - Heidi
Episode 19 - Valley of the Dolls
Episode 18 - Fitzwilly
Episode 17 - A Guide for the Married Man
Episode 16 - Not With My Wife You Don't
Episode 15 - Penelope
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