John Williams: The American Composer

John Williams: The American Composer

In American Culture, myriads of art forms have been created. There are the photographers, who capture beautiful moments with the click of a camera and touches of computer editing. Next are the sculptors, carefully depicting real life or imaginative works with soft clay molded into a thousand different shapes. Writers use language to leave images in our heads and create stories in our minds. Dancers are their own artwork, illustrating artistic expression through moving their bodies in a rhythmic fashion. There are also drawers and painters, depicting their works on canvas or paper with pencils, paints and other various media. Out of all of the forms of art, there is one specific form of
Besides loads of experience and an incredible imagination, there is an explanation to why movie music makes such a heavy impact on viewers. The background music in a film can make all the difference: Without the music, the movie may seem to have less depth, and even be boring. The film score is meant to manipulate the audience and create a “more convincing atmosphere of place and time” (Fischoff). The costumes, characters, and sets are important to create an accurate setting, but the background music is also crucial. In scary movies, such as Jaws, the music is a key factor in inspiring the horrific feel. The iconic theme from Jaws that everyone has heard evokes fear in the minds of the viewers with dissonant chords. In a study conducted by Daniel Blumstein, the “irregular minor chords trigger the same instinctual response [a mother animal] feels when her babies are threatened” (Why is Scary Music Scary). Also, the music can emphasize character’s moods and thoughts. For example, the music from the theme of Schindler’s List, a dramatic movie about the Holocaust, has a beautiful score of longing, solemn melodies complementing the tone of the movie. “The Star Wars Imperial March” (Darth Vader’s theme), in contrast, has loud, upbeat, powerful chords demonstrating Darth Vader’s attitude and the overall feeling for the scene. Movie music also is able to enhance thematic development. A scene could only reach a certain intensity without the background music. At the Climax of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, another famous work of Williams, the music is high pitched with a quick tempo, creating tension and adding to the characters’