ResidentAlien said:
I wasn't gonna ruin the mood...
...but I really dislike Williams. Since you were looking for people who did... that's me. I'm the odd man out. He's a perfectly competent composer... who cranks out the same stuff time and again. I find him trite and devoid of creativity. His scores are like old pulp literature. Cheap and entertaining... but not very good.
The same stuff over and over again? Williams clearly has at least three different "eras" of sounds; 50's and 60's...70's and 80's...90's and beyond.
If you think that "Catch Me If You Can", "Memoirs of a Geisha", or even "Schindler's List" sound the same as, say, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" or "Return of the Jedi"...then you seriously need a musical education. I won't even get into Williams' works for the classical concert hall, which range from traditional to downright modern avant garde classical.
Yes, there are certain compositional techniques that Williams will utilize repeatedly throughout his compositional career...but, that's part of his "sound". Any composer will do the same thing; they use similar orchestrational techniques because that is part of their "sound". Even popular music groups do the same thing. Their music may evolve from album to album...but, most groups retain the same elemental sound.
James Horner may grow and evolve, create new themes, and display remarkable maturity as a composer...but he will always SOUND like James Horner. The same thing can be said for Jerry Goldsmith...one of the greatest film music composers of the 20th century. The same thing can be said for Bernard Hermann or even Alfred Newmann...both legends in the field.
Ludwig van Beethoven's basic "sound" and compositional techniques remained the same throughout his career...just as Williams' have. But does that make Beethoven devoid of creativity or mean that he wrote the "same thing" over and over again? Not even close...
Williams competent? This may be your opinion...but, it's hardly a fact. The man single-handedly revived the use of symphonic film scores in the 70's...he continuously displays a remarkable ability to compose music that is densely textured in a very creative manner in regards to what is happening in the films he scores.
Devoid of creativity? Now, that's just plain misinformed, ignorant, and shallow. Sorry, but it is.
You're definitely entitled to your opinion...but, when it's that grossly exaggerated...well, it's quite suspect.
And, to once again pro-actively defend myself from your retaliatory remarks which are sure to follow, you absolutely CANNOT say I don't know what I'm talking about on this one. I have three music degrees from two of the top musical institutions in the U.S. (Juilliard and the Indiana University School of Music). I'm sure some will say that means "nothing" and doesn't make my argument any more substantiative than anyone else's or make me sound more impressive...but, you can hardly argue that I'm not well-informed or know what I'm talking about when it comes to this subject.
And...I'm sure someone will say I'm being condescending again...but, whatever. Facts are facts; Williams is anything BUT devoid of creativity and I know of what I speak on the subject. That may sound snobbish but...whatever.