The "New" John Williams

America's greatest living composer is probably John Williams. Since his music has been around for about 50 years, there is a temptation to engage in chronological snobbery (new/old music is better because it is newer/older). The Maestro changes a bit with the times, so while many had Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark as their first Williams soundtrack, I had Jurassic Park. Younger people have Harry Potter. Those of the Star Wars generation may listen to War of the Worlds with disappointment; the Harry Potter child may embrace War of the Worlds with dark fascination. There may be value in both reactions.

I respect the analytical seriousness in Williams' work. It has always been there, but emerges more often as he gets older. Though written with exceptional skill, his epic fanfares and soaring love themes nevertheless tackle emotions he usually explores in far subtler ways, or not at all, when left to his own devices. Like Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein before him, he went through a phase where his music could touch almost everyone, learned from it, and moved on. John Williams' film music is sounding more like John Williams, and I admire this "new" sound.