Actually, they're more like Led Zeppelin, Beatles, etc.wangus12 said:
Yes. Todays top composers (Williams/Zimmer/Shore etc) are the modern equivalent of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach. They are absolutely comparative.
There was a LOT of competition in Beethoven's time. That was probably the peak in regards to a lot of people composing stuff. In fact, it has been argued that Beethoven himself basically ended the real competition as a lot of composers became disheartened as they could not do what he did.ABATTBQ11 said:
TBF, most classical composers are cemented where they are because there was little competition in any form at the time. If you wanted entertainment you went to a symphony, opera, ballet, etc. They were like the movie makers of their time. It's like asking if George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg will be remembered in 200 years.
I think in their case and Williams', the answer is absolutely yes. Zimmer might be in there or maybe on the level of Dvorak.
During the Olympics a week or two ago I saw a short piece on Williams and his contributions to the theme music we're been hearing pretty much our entire lives if you're Gen X. There was a grainy video of him live up in front of the orchestra at what I think was the 1984 LA games.Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
Yes. John Williams as well.
Exactly. I knew he composed that music at the time of the '84 Olympics, and I have always enjoyed listening to that piece. Everyone who has gone to movies in the last 50 years will know his work through Star Wars, Superman, Jaws, etc, but might not know of many of the "smaller" movies he has done - probably because the scores were of a different nature or the movies themselves just did not resonate for whatever reason. Movies like The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, The Eiger Sanction, Black Sunday, Space Camp, Born on the Fourth of July, Presumed Innocent, Sleepers, or The Book Thief.Urban Ag said:During the Olympics a week or two ago I saw a short piece on Williams and his contributions to the theme music we're been hearing pretty much our entire lives if you're Gen X. There was a grainy video of him live up in front of the orchestra at what I think was the 1984 LA games.Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
Yes. John Williams as well.
Had no idea. Thought to myself, this guy was everywhere and half the time we didn't even know it. He's a national treasure.
I love the Olympics, and that theme he composed in '84 is a big part of why. Love hearing it every four years. The one he composed in '96 is nearly as good.Urban Ag said:During the Olympics a week or two ago I saw a short piece on Williams and his contributions to the theme music we're been hearing pretty much our entire lives if you're Gen X. There was a grainy video of him live up in front of the orchestra at what I think was the 1984 LA games.Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
Yes. John Williams as well.
Had no idea. Thought to myself, this guy was everywhere and half the time we didn't even know it. He's a national treasure.
There are a couple one hit wonders on the internet that are damned good too.CaptAmerica03 said:
Last thing to chime in on is some newer nameless compositions from Two Steps from Hell and others are fun and compelling, at least in my opinion.
Once their stuff gets into the public domain, the music will be used everywhere. People may not know Jaws two hundred years from now, but they'll recognize the theme from another movie or maybe a commercial or whatever media they use.aTmAg said:
Will people be listening to Williams and Zimmer in 200 years after the movies their work is based on are gone from public memory? I sorta doubt it.
Agree on the bolded, as that has been me for most of my life. While I listened to groups like Rush, Styx, and Foreigner, or Bruce Springsteen a little later, my musical tastes tended toward movie scores when I was in junior and high school. There was a lot of ostracism over that, I was considered weird and most of the time I just kept my enjoyment of movie scores to myself. Of course, I look back on that now as simply a bunch of jackass kids being jackass kids. I've not once had any raised eyebrow looks in any professional setting when it is learned that I'm sitting at my desk, writing code while listening to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Interstellar, or Alien.CaptAmerica03 said:
I think Zimmer is easily on a modern Rushmore for composers... Williams is another no-brainer along with Shore and likely James Newton Howard.
To your point on Zimmer and Interstellar, one reason it is so unique is the use of pipe organ. Most never darken the door of a traditional church any more, and it sure ain't used for many other things outside of baseball games.
"Traditional" composers along the lines of Mozart, Beethoven, and others dwindled to where only the Bernsteins and Coplands existed, at least among American consciousness. While your stereotypical musicians still exist, they likely are in orchestras and don't do much to put new stuff where it can be reached by average civilians.
But I wish more folks sought out scores instead of just pop culture music. A good teacher in elementary/middle/high schools would bring some of this stuff to the classroom. I routinely use scores while I work, work out, or just want to think. No words allow my personal thoughts to flow with fewer interruptions.
So much of "popularity" now is driven by access and market to consumers. TikTok and YouTube shorts drives viewership among the younger population and it takes olds like me a while to learn of the trends. Some kid could easily come along and promote themselves as a composer by adding their own score to already-released movies, or to real life clips. Kinda like Bieber getting discovered, albeit with a smaller audience.
**Feel compelled to add as a middle-aged guy that popularity doesn't necessarily mean it's good. But I'm all for capitalism.
Last thing to chime in on is some newer nameless compositions from Two Steps from Hell and others are fun and compelling, at least in my opinion.
JDUB08AG said:
I personally find Thomas Newman's music to be the most enjoyable that stand alone from the film they were scored for. Not sure if that makes sense, but a lot of music I enjoy because I tie it directly to my enjoyment of the film. With Neman, I could listen to his music all day independent of the movie.
So like Jaws. Without any attachment to the movie is the title song actually good? I don't think so. The main part that everybody knows is basically 2 notes over and over again. What makes it good at all is the visuals of the movie that go with it. I think it's nostalgia factor. Which people 200 years ago won't have.MGS said:Once their stuff gets into the public domain, the music will be used everywhere. People may not know Jaws two hundred years from now, but they'll recognize the theme from another movie or maybe a commercial or whatever media they use.aTmAg said:
Will people be listening to Williams and Zimmer in 200 years after the movies their work is based on are gone from public memory? I sorta doubt it.
Rudyjax said:
BTW: John Williams was on Smartless recently and he is still sharp as a tack at 92.
And to the point of Cinco Ranch, that "theme" rolls around in my brain for my entire life. It's literally engrained in me. That's the stuff of history.double aught said:I love the Olympics, and that theme he composed in '84 is a big part of why. Love hearing it every four years. The one he composed in '96 is nearly as good.Urban Ag said:During the Olympics a week or two ago I saw a short piece on Williams and his contributions to the theme music we're been hearing pretty much our entire lives if you're Gen X. There was a grainy video of him live up in front of the orchestra at what I think was the 1984 LA games.Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
Yes. John Williams as well.
Had no idea. Thought to myself, this guy was everywhere and half the time we didn't even know it. He's a national treasure.
Quote:
Last thing to chime in on is some newer nameless compositions from Two Steps from Hell and others are fun and compelling, at least in my opinion.
I have a ton of TSfH on my ipod that I still run to.cr06gis said:Quote:
Last thing to chime in on is some newer nameless compositions from Two Steps from Hell and others are fun and compelling, at least in my opinion.
Two Steps from Hell is my go-to when I've got submittal deadlines. Was so happy to come across it a few years back.
My Mt Rushmore would be: John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Jerry Goldsmith. 4th spot would be tough, out of James Horner, Ennio Morricone, Alan Silvestri, Bill Conti, and James Newton Howard. Not sure who I would go with, and can make a case for each.Mr.Ackar07 said:
Ennio Morricone belongs on that Mount Rushmore list if we are including 20th century contributions
