The Astounding Body of Work of John Williams
Even if you don't know who John Williams is, you know who John Williams is. If you've been to the movies in the last 40 years, you have heard a John Williams' score. In fact, he's responsible for some of the most recognizable and lasting movie scores in history.
I came across this list which is an effort to rank Williams' top 10 movie scores. Here's what they came up with:
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
9. Star Wars Episide 1
8. Superman
7. Jurassic Park
6. Raiders of the Lost Ark
5. Schindler's List
4. Catch Me If You Can
3. Hook
2. Jaws
1. Star Wars Episode 4
Look back over that list again. It's unbelievable that all of this music sprang from the genius of one man. But if you keep reading about John Williams, you find some even more astounding things. Here's a few of the facts:
- He has been nominated for an Oscar 41 times (won 5 of them)
- He was first nominated for an Oscar in 1967. Between then and 2005, there were only 9 years in which he wasn't nominated for an Academy Award.
- He's been nominated for more than one Oscar in a single year 13 times.
There are all kinds of things we might say in looking this body of work. We might, for example, note the value of working well with others on a consistent basis. John Williams seems to be Steven Spielberg's go-to composer for his movies, and Spielberg ain't too bad at his craft either.
Or we might comment on the value of developing what's inside you. John Williams didn't write the score for Jaws when he was 15. It took a while, with consistent effort and hard work, to bring forth what was there all along.
But I think what is so impressive to me is the staying power of this man. He's in his eighties now, still composing, still doing what he loves. Despite many opportunities, I'm sure, to retire and do something different, he's kept plugging along. And take a look at what can be accomplished over the course of a life that's spent doing the same thing.
Perseverance is the word for today for me. Perseverance.
