The Legacy of John Williams Podcast

GRAMMY-winning violinist talks about her life as a musician and her deep love for John Williams’ music, sharing memories of performing with and for the maestro.  Anne Akiko Meyers stands among the most influential violinists of our times. A GRAMMY® Award-winning artist with four decades of international acclaim, Meyers is a defining force in the field of contemporary music and has helped reshape the modern violin repertoire. She has been called “the Wonder Woman of commissioning” for her enduring commitment to playing and commissioning music by some of the most important composers of the last half century, including Arvo Pärt, Einojuhani Rautavaara, John Corigliano, Arturo Márquez, Philip Glass, Michael Daugherty, Mason Bates Morten Lauridsen, Wynton Marsalis, Somei Satoh, and Eric Whitacre. Anne Akiko Meyers is a huge admirer of John Williams since her youth. At age 19, she performed Camille Saint-Saëns's "Introduction and Rondò Capriccioso" at Boston's Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Williams. In 2018, she performed Williams’s “Theme from Schindler’s List” with David Newman and The American Youth Symphony to honor the composer, when he received a Trustees Award during a gala concert celebrating the Recording Academy’s 2018 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends. Meyers was part of another recent pivotal moment in Williams’ life, when in November 2025 the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced to name the stage of the renowned Hollywood Bowl after the composer. In this in-depth conversation, Meyers talks about her career in music and her mission to perform new music by living composers; she offers reflections on Barber's Violin Concerto, which is one of her favourite pieces to perform; she also shares stories and memories of performing with and for John Williams on several occasions, while professing her deep love for the music of the maestro. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2026/03/27/legacy-conversations-anne-akiko-meyers/

Hosted and Curated by Maurizio Caschetto On February 8, John Williams turns 94. It’s always very exciting to celebrate our beloved Maestro for his birthday and this year The Legacy of John Williams has prepared a gigantic tribute in the form of a 2-part podcast special that will hopefully engage and entertain you for a whole weekend of John Williams-themed festivities. The special is titled Words and Music by John Williams and that’s what you’re going to experience: over the course of two episodes you’ll hear a hefty selection of pieces from John Williams’s immense catalogue interjected with quotes from the Maestro himself, continuing a tradition that The Legacy of John Williams started since its early days. During the course of several decades, John Williams gave countless interviews to the press, sharing his wisdom, knowledge and also his wit on many occasions, illustrating his working process, elaborating on his ideas on music and reflecting on his incredible life journey. John Williams’ words are often as inspiring as his music and his thoughts and ideas speak more eloquently than any commentary one could put together. The selection you’ll be listening to in this 2-part special contains a wide variety of compositions by Maestro Williams for both film and the concert hall. It has been assembled to avoid the usual greatest hits collection that you can easily find elsewhere, but mostly to offer a broad look at the Maestro’s oeuvre and casting a spotlight on his chamelon-like ability in writing in many different styles while always sounding unmistakeably like himself. It’s not meant to be a chronological overview nor it has pretensions of being exhaustive. It’s curated to create a flowing and emotional musical journey: Take it as a sort of personal playlist that The Legacy of John Williams is sharing with all of you. Part 1 is available here. The full track listing available at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2026/02/06/john-williams-birthday-special/

Hosted and Curated by Maurizio Caschetto On February 8, John Williams turns 94. It’s always very exciting to celebrate our beloved Maestro for his birthday and this year The Legacy of John Williams has prepared a gigantic tribute in the form of a 2-part podcast special that will hopefully engage and entertain you for a whole weekend of John Williams-themed festivities. The special is titled Words and Music by John Williams and that’s what you’re going to experience: over the course of two episodes you’ll hear a hefty selection of pieces from John Williams’s immense catalogue interjected with quotes from the Maestro himself, continuing a tradition that The Legacy of John Williams started since its early days. During the course of several decades, John Williams gave countless interviews to the press, sharing his wisdom, knowledge and also his wit on many occasions, illustrating his working process, elaborating on his ideas on music and reflecting on his incredible life journey. John Williams’ words are often as inspiring as his music and his thoughts and ideas speak more eloquently than any commentary one could put together. The selection you’ll be listening to in this 2-part special contains a wide variety of compositions by Maestro Williams for both film and the concert hall. It has been assembled to avoid the usual greatest hits collection that you can easily find elsewhere, but mostly to offer a broad look at the Maestro’s oeuvre and casting a spotlight on his chamelon-like ability in writing in many different styles while always sounding unmistakeably like himself. It’s not meant to be a chronological overview nor it has pretensions of being exhaustive. It’s curated to create a flowing and emotional musical journey: Take it as a sort of personal playlist that The Legacy of John Williams is sharing with all of you. Part 2 will be available from February 8, 2026. The full track listing available at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2026/02/06/john-williams-birthday-special/

The author of John Williams’ biography returns together with two other film music writers to talk more about the composer’s extraordinary life With Tim Greiving, Doug Adams, Frank Lehman Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Tim Greiving‘s John Williams – A Composer’s Life, the first major biography on the esteemed American composer and conductor, was released in September by Oxford University Press and has quickly become a reference point for the ongoing studies of Williams’ opus. Now that the book is out and many fans read it, Tim Greiving returns on The Legacy of John Williams podcast to offer more reflections on his “adventure on Earth,” meeting his idol and spending time with him to tell the incredible story of his life. Joining Tim are two luminaries who also wrote seminal books and papers on the subject of film music and also very welcome returning guests on the show: film music theorist Frank Lehman (author of Hollywood Harmony and the upcoming The Skywalker Symphonies: Musical Storytelling in Star Wars) and writer Doug Adams (author of The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films). In this conversation, the trio of writers engage in a lively talk, commenting on how John Williams’ life story seeped into his own music for both film and concert hall, what it means to meet your heroes and engage with them in conversation and the challenge of writing a biography of a composer who is still contributing new music as we speak. For more information and the list of musical excerpts, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/11/17/legacy-roundtable-jw-biography/

Talented young composer talks about his love for the music of John Williams and how it inspired his incredible journey toward film scoring The landscape of contemporary film music is certainly eclectic and varied, but it feels a lot emptier than in the past if one craves for the classic storytelling-like, leitmotivic-based, orchestral film scores that accompanied many of the great movies of the past... But it's not time to lose hope yet, thanks to the talent of a very young composer who is becoming the "talk of the town" among film music aficionados and has put his name on the map as one of the most promising emerging talents in Hollywood: composer Cameron Moody. Cameron Moody is an American composer, conductor, and trumpeter based in Los Angeles, CA. His distinctive utilization of the symphony orchestra has given way to a varied resume, with project genres in film and television ranging from action and documentaries to romance and comedies. He recently composed the score for the Hulu original limited series Washington Black, an epic tale of courage, adventure and freedom accompanied by an ambitious symphonic score in the style of John Williams, who is one of Cameron's role models and whose music inspired him to become a film composer.  Cameron was also a frequent collaborator of Emmy-nominated and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels, composing additional music on scores such as Disney’s Star Wars: The Acolyte—for which he also served as a conductor. In this conversation, Cameron sits down with The Legacy of John Williams to talk about his deep love for the music of the Maestro, reminiscing how crucial it was for his upbringing as a child and how it shaped his dreams to become a fully fledged film composer. He also talks about his incredible journey that brought him to Hollywood, the joys and the challenges of writing new Star Wars music and his expansive work for the limited series Washington Black. For more information: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/10/31/cameron-moody-podcast Washington Black music featurette: https://youtu.be/ySWqCtiqX3w?si=tGvsOPZTRhd6v77H

World class chamber trio Sara Andon/Cecilia Tsan/Simone Pedroni and producer Robert Townson gather to talk on their prestigious recording project celebrating the music of John Williams. Among the many recordings that celebrated the music of John Williams over the last few years, one in particular has been perhaps the most surprising and unexpected: conceived and produced by Robert Townson, John Williams Reimagined is a sprawling collection of the Maestro's music transcribed for the unusual chamber trio of flute, cello and piano, performed by three world-class soloists: flutist Sara Andon, cellist Cécilia Tsan, pianist Simone Pedroni.  John Williams Reimagined is a 2-CD set album featuring more than 150 minutes of music: it's a wide selection of themes and pieces from many scores by John Williams scores including E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List and also features some real "deep cuts" from the composer's repertoire like The River, Images and Jane Eyre, performed and interpreted with great sensitivity in the unique setting of a chamber trio of flute, cello and piano. The album was released in 2024 by Warner Classics and was greeted with great acclaim. Now the trio is about to go on a mini world tour: John Williams Reimagined will play in Rochester, NY on 18th October (as part of the Soundtrax Film and Music Festival), Dusseldorf, Germany on 22nd October, London Cadogan Hall (UK) on 27th October and Paris, France on 28th October. Tickets and info: https://go.evvnt.com/3251881-0 (Rochester, NY), https://overlook-events.com (Europe). On the eve of their live performances, Sara Andon, Cécilia Tsan, Simone Pedroni and producer Robert Townson sit down with The Legacy of John Williams for a lenghty conversation about the genesis of the John Williams Reimagined project and how it all came together, while also sharing their love and admiration for the Maestro's music. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/10/16/john-williams-reimagined-podcast

Head of Music Preparation and Librarian for John Williams talks about his many years of close collaboration with the composer in a key role. Hosted and Produced by Maurizio Caschetto Mark Graham is Hollywood’s first-call “music prep man” and a name trusted by the entire community when it comes to the preparation and the recording of film scores, having worked as orchestrator, conductor, head of music prep, librarian and copyist on literally thousands of film and television projects. The head of music preparation is one of the most important member of the team that creates a film soundtrack and, together with the music editor, is often the composer’s right-hand person. He started to collaborate with John Williams in the late 1990s as part of the music prep team, taking the mantle from Williams' longtime trusted music preparator and librarian JoAnn Kane (who founded JoAnn Kane Music Service in the mid-1980s, the leading music preparation company for virtually the whole industry). Graham inherited JoAnn Kane Music Service and became the owner of the company, becoming Williams’ right-hand man for music preparation of all of his works. During all these years, Mark collaborated very closely with Williams in a key position, seeing first hand his working method and becoming a trusted colleague who ensured that everything would always go smoothly and efficiently. In addition to his work for John Williams, Graham also worked as orchestrator and conductor for such composers as Alan Silvestri, John Debney, Alexandre Desplat and Theodore Shapiro. As head of music preparation, he worked on an impressive series of successful films, including such all-time box office hits as Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of Water. Mark sits down for a rare conversation with The Legacy of John Williams to talk about the path that led him to become the leading music preparator in Hollywood and to his collaboration with John Williams, telling stories and anecdotes about his three decades of work for the Maestro and sharing the unique insight he collected over the years by being one of Williams’ closest and most trusted colleagues. For more information, read at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/09/30/mark-graham-podcast/

Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden With Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino As promised during his latest talk, GRAMMY-nominated soundtrack producer Mike Matessino returns to The Legacy of John Williams podcast to discuss more about the historical 50th anniversary soundtrack edition of Jaws, but also to present another archival reissue from John Williams' catalogue: the suspenseful score for the 1977 thriller Black Sunday, finally back in print in a newly remastered edition courtesy of La-La Land Records. Matessino also takes the chance to comment about his involvement in John Williams - The Anthology, a lavish retrospective boxset from Sony Classical whose first volume has been released last July. In this new conversation, Mike Matessino goes further in the depth of his restoration work for the Jaws 50th Anniversary soundtrack, addressing both the challenges and the joys of this venture; after that, he talks about his remastering of Williams' tense score for Black Sunday, for which he also offers a new assessement on its artistic value. The talk is rounded off with commentary on the John Williams Anthology boxset and a tribute to Kurt-Hans Goedicke, former legendary Principal Timpani of the London Symphony Orchestra, who recently passed away and whose epic and formidable sound graced classic Williams scores recorded in London including the original Star Wars trilogy, Superman, Dracula, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/09/16/soundtrack-spotlight-jaws50-black-sunday-jw-anthology/

LA-based arts journalist sits down to talk about the path that led him to write the first major biography on John Williams and his lifelong love for the music of the Maestro Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Edited and Produced by Maurizio Caschetto John Williams: A Composer's Life is the first major biography in English language on the legendary American composer, authored by Los Angeles-based writer Tim Greiving and published by Oxford University Press (release date is September 2, 2025). The 640-page book is an engaging overview on the life and career of the renowned composer, a comprehensive retrospective of a musician who defined the sound of movies for at least two generations of filmgoers and whose body of work is among the most well known of the modern era, going beyond its mere function as musical accompaniment to a film and becoming a revered object in itself. Yet the man has remained very private all throughout his career and while he became a beloved public figure, he kept his personal life very far from the spotlight. Through unique access to the composer himself and many of his longtime collaborators, friends, and family members, Greiving offers an exhaustive portrait of the man behind the genius, accurately chronicling his entire life and the incredible career trajectory that led him to become "the Maestro of the Movies." Tim Greiving sits down with The Legacy of John Williams to talk about his lifelong love for John Williams' music, his quest in bringing the first biography on the Maestro to life, the thorough learning process he went through when meeting and talking with his idol and the weight of the daunting task he chose. Read more at The Legacy of John Williams: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/07/16/tim-greiving-podcast/ Pre-order John Williams: A Composer's Life on Oxford University Press: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/john-williams-9780197620885 Tim Greiving's official website: https://timgreiving.com/ Follow Tim Greiving's Substack Behind The Moon: https://behindthemoon.substack.com/

Hosted by Tim Burden and Maurizio Caschetto Produced and Edited by Tim Burden “From legendary composer John Williams, a soundtrack so incredible it was recorded twice…”   On the heels of the celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of Steven Spielberg's blockbuster classic Jaws, Universal Studios and Universal Music Enterprises presents new remastered releases of the masterful score composed by John Williams. The plural is not a typo because both the original film score and the soundtrack album recording are being newly reissued in brand-new editions restored, remixed and remastered by GRAMMY-nominated producer Mike Matessino for digital, vinyl and CD releases. Soundtrack producer Mike Matessino comes back on The Legacy of John Williams podcast to offer a first round of commentary and illustrating the details of the various releases of the Jaws 50th Anniversary, while also assessing the importance of the score in John Williams' career and further elaborating on the differences between the original film score and the soundtrack album recording.   Visit Jaws50Music.com for more information. JAWS™ & ©1975 Universal City Studios LLLP   thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com

Listen to a fascinating journey showcasing highlights and curiosities from over 50 years of re-recordings of John Williams’ music Hosted by Tim Burden What are the best re-recordings of John Williams’ music by other conductors? Star Wars is famously one of the most re-recorded pieces of music in the world, yet there are so much more John Williams re-recordings by many top conductors which deserves a bit of recognition. Join The Legacy of John Williams Head Contributor Tim Burden in a fascinating journey showcasing highlights and curiosities from over 50 years of re-recordings of John Williams’ music—from the superb readings by Charles Gerhardt and Zubin Mehta to the recent vibrant recordings by Gustavo Dudamel, including some fun and unexpected oddities in-between. If you want to dig deeper on the subject, read the in-depth essay by Editor Maurizio Caschetto chronicling the history of John Williams’ re-recordings.

Producer Mike Matessino returns to talk about the remastered and expanded reissues of two riveting Americana scores by Maestro John Williams Hosted by Tim Burden and Maurizio Caschetto Special Guest: John Takis 2025 began with two long-awaited archival reissues of John Williams’ scores: The Reivers (from La-La Land Records) and The Patriot (from Intrada). Both are presented in fully remastered and expanded presentations by GRAMMY-nominated soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, finally giving fans of Maestro Williams the chance to rediscover two masterworks from the composer’s catalogue. The scores also presents the occasion to observe the evolution of Williams’ voice when writing music for American-themed subjects, a recurring motif in his career. Producer Mike Matessino returns on The Legacy of John Williams podcast together with film music writer John Takis to discuss these two milestone releases from John Williams’ filmography, offering commentary and reflections about how the two scores sit in the composer’s canon and their specific nature as part of Williams’ exploration of the American sound. A special tribute to Intrada’s late founder and producer Douglass Fake is included at the end of the episode. Special Thanks to Roger Feigelson, Jeff Johnson (Intrada) and MV Gerhard, Matt Verboys (La-La Land Records). Read more at thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com

Intrada Records announced the release of a newly expanded and remastered soundtrack 3-CD limited edition of John Williams' triumphant score for The Patriot, the historical epic drama from 2000 directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Mel Gibson as a hero of the American Revolution. The Academy Award-nominated score by Maestro Williams is a powerful, ambitious work full of stirring emotions enhancing the rousing adventure aspect of the film, but also replete with lyrical moments accompanying the inner feelings of the characters, including tender folk-like violin solos by Mark O'Connor. The score has plenty to offer in terms of themes and leitmotifs: a sonorous Americana theme and fanfare-like material for main hero Benjamin Martin; a gorgeous love theme for the characters of Anne and Gabriel; a haunting trumpet solo echoing Benjamin's traumatic war memories; plus a handful of secondary motifs. Williams also addresses the period in which the film takes place with authentic fife-and-drum music. The new soundtrack release is mastered, edited and produced for Intrada by Mike Matessino and presents the complete film presentation of Williams' score on Disc 1 and 2, plus a solid selection of alternate cues and a generous selection of source music tracks, including several composed by John Williams (got to thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com for the full track listing). A remastered presentation of the original Hollywood Records soundtrack album from 2000 rounds off the third disc. The 3-CD set also features a colorful booklet with film stills and in-depth liner notes by John Takis. The release will be available to order starting January 20th at Intrada.com and will begin shipping immediately afterwards. Intrada has graciously allowed The Legacy of John Williams to present an exclusive preview of this magnificent new release, hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden, including a full unreleased track ("The Defeat At Charleston"). Special Thanks to Roger Feigelson and Jeff Johnson at Intrada, Mike Matessino and John Takis.

Hosted by Tim Burden, Maurizio Caschetto, Mike Matessino Featuring Special Guests Jon Burlingame, Jeff Bond, Neil Bulk, Deniz Cordell, Annie Pasqua, Miguel Andrade, Jason LeBlanc, John Takis Sing a song for the glorious season! The Legacy of John Williams presents a special Christmas episode of its podcast series to celebrate the music of the Maestro during this magical, lyrical time of the year together with friends and a few esteemed guests, a sort of Christmas party with people gathering to exchange wishes and reminiscing what made us fall in love with John Williams’s music when we were kids. For this occasion, Mike Matessino joins Tim Burden and Maurizio Caschetto as co-host of the talk. Kicking off the festivities is journalist, author and lecturer Jon Burlingame, USA’s leading writer on the subject of music for films and television. Burlingame has interviewed John Williams many times over the years, becoming friendly with the composer and chronicling with accurate reporting the many milestones of his career.  The talk continues with another renowned authority on film music: author and writer Jeff Bond. Joining  afterwards are several first-time guests on the podcast: New York-based musicians Deniz Cordell and Annie Pasqua, soundtrack producer Neil Bulk and LOJW Contributing Writer Miguel Andrade. Returning guests Jason LeBlanc and John Takis round off the table of this special Christmas episode. It’s time to grab your favourite Holiday drink, sit down in the comfort of your chair, put the headphones on and feel that gingerbread feeling while listening to this cheerful conversation among friends and connoisseurs sharing their love for John Williams’s music and going somewhere in their memory to tell about how it all began. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/12/23/podcast-christmas-special/

Principal Percussion of the London Symphony Orchestra talks about playing for John Williams on such film scores as the Star Wars prequels, Harry Potter and also in several live performances. When it comes to the world of percussion in the orchestral canon, very few musicians in the world can bring to the table the same level of expertise, knowledge and mastery as Neil Percy, the Principal Percussion of the London Symphony Orchestra since 1990 and Head of Timpani and Percussion at the Royal Academy of Music since 2000. Neil performed in more than 150 film soundtracks, working with such composers as John Williams, James Horner, Patrick Doyle, Trevor Jones and Alexandre Desplat with their music for films such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Braveheart, Notting Hill, Twilight: New Moon and Unbroken, to name a very few. His experiences with John Williams are among Neil’s most cherished memories of playing with the LSO, as he matured a sincere love for the Maestro’s music over the years. In this conversation, Neil Percy sits down with The Legacy of John Williams to talk about his career in music, the fulfilling of his dream of being part of the LSO and his many memories of playing for John Williams on such film scores as Star Wars and Harry Potter, and also on several studio recordings conducted by the Maestro, offering his unique perspective as a percussion player. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/11/29/neil-percy-podcast/

Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Featuring Mike Matessino As part of its ongoing podcast series, The Legacy of John Williams presents an exclusive interview with Laurent Bouzereau, the director of Music By John Williams, the documentary film dedicated to the life and career of John Williams, now available for streaming on Disney+. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard among others, Music By John Williams presents the life's story of the legendary composer, who himself sits in front of the camera to recollect and reminisces the numerous highlights of his incredible career, with many of his closest friends and collaborators offering stories and insight about his timeless music. Laurent sits down with The Legacy of John Williams for an in-depth talk about the honour and the responsibility of creating the first documentary film on John Williams, his lifelong love for the Maestro's music, the challenges he faced throughout the production and why he made the film thinking about future generations. Joining the conversation is archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, who also worked as Music Consultant on Music By John Williams. Special Thanks to Rebecca Bass and Raegan Cutrino at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for their kind help and assistance.   Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/11/18/laurent-bouzereau-podcast/

Tommy Tedesco (1930-1997) was an American guitarist who worked for almost 40 years and had one of the greatest careers as a studio musician in Los Angeles and Hollywood. He performed on a gazillion of recording dates, including thousands of film and television scoring sessions for virtually all the major film composers in Hollywood. Tedesco was part of an unofficial collective of studio musicians labeled as "The Wrecking Crew," who performed (often uncredited) on an impressive amount of recordings for pop and rock artists between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, including such big stars as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Sonny & Cher, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Sinatra, The 5th Dimension, The Byrds, and many others. In this episode of the "L.A. Studio Legends" series, producer and director Denny Tedesco talks about the extraordinary career of his father Tommy, from his early days as a young guitar player to the peak years of The Wrecking Crew, going in detail about his many experiences playing for John Williams on numerous projects, including such film scores as Conrack, The River and Indiana Jones. Denny also reflects on his father's unique legacy and how he celebrated it through his own documentary film The Wrecking Crew. For more detailed information, go to https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/19/tommy-tedesco-podcast/

Soundtrack label La-La Land Records has announced the world premiere release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of the 1974 Universal Pictures film The Sugarland Express, the very first collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg. The esteemed director/composer duo celebrates this year the 50th anniversary of their legendary collaboration. Released by La-La Land Records and produced in association with Universal Studios as part of their Universal Pictures Film Music Classics Collection, this world premiere limited CD release is edited, mixed and mastered by archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino under the composer's supervision and approval. The album presents the original score composed and conducted by John Williams, freshly remastered from original multi-track session elements and includes also cues not heard in the final film. In this new "Soundtrack Spotlight" episode of The Legacy of John Williams podcast, producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss the long-awaited premiere release of The Sugarland Express. Together with hosts Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden, Matessino chronicles the journey that led to the 50th anniversary soundtrack album, also commenting on the virtues of both Steven Spielberg's stunning debut film and John Williams' gentle, blues-y score. More information at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/03/soundtrack-spotlight-the-sugarland-express-50th-anniversary/

Oboe and English Horn player extraordinaire talks his career as one of the most prominent double reed soloists in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams on such scores as Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, The Patriot, Memoirs of a Geisha and many others. For more information, go to https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/05/30/phil-ayling-podcast/

Renowned violinist talks about his career as a studio musician in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams. Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto   More info at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/05/10/bruce-dukov-podcast/

Composer & Conductor David Newman talks conducting classic film music live and the program curated by John Williams for the LA Phil concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on February 2-4. Featuring Writer and Journalist Tim Greiving Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Film music is now a staple of the concert hall experience, with countless performances across the world by orchestras and ensembles of all kind, from local community symphonies to major historical institutions. Music from the movies is performed on the same stage where only the established canon of classical repertoire was once allowed, bringing a new audience to the concert hall and reinvigorating the live experience with innovative formats like the live-to-picture concerts. If this is now an accepted reality of the classical music landscape, a huge part is owed to John Williams and his 45-year activity as a champion of conducting film music in concert halls. On February 2, 3 and 4 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, David Newman is conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program called A Century Of Film Music. The concert is part of a series curated by John Williams and it features an exciting selection offering a journey through several decades of great film music with pieces by some of the finest composers who ever wrote for the movies. This is the starting point of this new Legacy Conversation podcast episode, a lively discussion with David Newman about the challenges and the opportunities of performing film music in the concert hall, while also reflecting on how crucial John Williams has been in making film music more widely accepted and recognized. Joining the discussion is writer and journalist Tim Greiving, who has followed the film music industry closely for almost 20 years and witnessed the transformation of how music from the movies is perceived by the audience.   Read more: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/02/02/legacy-conversations-a-century-of-film-music Listen to "A Century Of Film Music" playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1blGRnjBOFUA4xfGZiX08O

Renowned trombonist talks his career as a studio musician in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams as Principal Trombone on such scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Star Wars films   William “Bill” Booth is one of the most respected veterans of the Los Angeles music scene and one of the most appreciated orchestral trombonists in the world. In a career spanning five decades, Bill Booth has performed on thousands of recording sessions, including a staggering amount of film and television soundtracks in Hollywood, thus becoming the leading trombonist in town. He has been the Principal Trombone for John Williams for all of the Maestro’s recordings in LA since 1991, performing on such legendary scores as Home Alone, Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the Star Wars sequel trilogy.   In this conversation, Bill Booth reflects on his career as a studio musician, chronicling the path that led him to Hollywood and becoming the leading studio trombonist for film and television. He talks at length about his many years playing for John Williams on dozens of his legendary film scores, reflecting on the special quality of the Maestro's music and his affinity for the instrument as shown in many of his film scores including Hook, Jurassic Park and the Star Wars series.   Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/01/19/bill-booth-podcast

Part 2 of the podcast special dedicated to La-La Land Records’ magnificent 3-CD set of John Williams’ masterful score for the 1991 Steven Spielberg fantasy epic Hook – The Ultimate Edition is  a 3-CD collection with a newly restored and expanded presentation of the magnificent score composed by John Williams for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino in full cooperation with the composer, the new release presents this seminal Williams’ work in a truly definitive and loving treatment, with the complete score presented in the film’s narrative order on disc 1 and 2, and a third disc featuring for the first time all the songs by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse for when the film was supposed to be a musical. In Part 2 of the Hook - The Ultimate Edition podcast special, producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss more of the musical contents of La-La Land Records' magnificent release, together with associate producers and co-writers of the liner notes John Takis and Jason LeBlanc. During the conversation, the trio of special guests dissect all the riches found in the treasure chest of this John Williams' score, analyzing the score's main themes, how the songs' melodies were reworked into the thematic fabric of the piece and offering their own thoughts and reflections on the film and its score. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/27/hook-podcast-special

The Legacy of John Williams presents a multi-part podcast special dedicated to HOOK - The Ultimate Edition, a 3-CD set of John Williams' magnificent score for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg, now available from La-La Land Records. Hook – The Ultimate Edition is a 3-CD collection from La-La Land Records with a newly restored and expanded presentation of the magnificent score composed by John Williams for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino in full cooperation with the composer, the new release finally gives this seminal Williams’ work the truly definitive and loving treatment it always deserved, with the complete score presented in the film’s narrative order on disc 1 and 2 (including cues dialed out from the film’s final dub), followed by a selection of alternate cues. But the real surprise of this new Ultimate Edition is the third disc, a program presenting for the very first time all the songs written by John Williams and lyricist Leslie Bricusse when Hook was supposed to be a full-on movie musical, interjected by additional alternate score cues and source music pieces, thus creating a fascinating experience that offers the listener a chance to connect with this music in a new and unexpected way. In part 1 of this Hook - The Ultimate Edition podcast special on The Legacy of John Williams, soundtrack producer Mike Matessino sits down to talk about the genesis of Steven Spielberg's 1991 fantasy epic, its place within the director's filmography and the long history of how it almost became a musical, while also addressing how Hook sits in the canon of the Steven Spielberg/John Williams collaboration; Matessino also talks about his friendship with lyricist Leslie Bricusse, the years-in-the-making process of assembling and producing this new set and his own personal journey to bring it to life with the utmost level of care and detail that such music always deserved. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/27/hook-podcast-special/

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino and Writer John Takis talk two early John Williams' masterworks, now available in new remastered editions from Quartet Records Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden European-based soundtrack label Quartet Records announced a 2-CD set presenting new remastered editions of two early masterworks in John Williams' filmography: Heidi (1968) and Jane Eyre (1970), both newly restored, assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino. Both scores were composed by Williams for two made-for-television films produced by Frederick H. Brogger for Omnibus Productions and both directed by Academy Award-winning director Delbert Mann. In this new podcast conversation, soundtrack producer Mike Matessino and film music writer John Takis talk the history of these two early landmark John Williams' scores, offering insights and reflections on the special quality and the timelessness of both scores, how they sits in the Williams' canon and chronicling the laborious restoration process both recordings went through for this new spectacular release, another one that cannot be missed in the CD collection of any true John Williams' admirer. Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/21/heidi-and-jane-eyre-podcast

Producer Mike Matessino returns to talk the remastered and expanded editions of two impressive scores from the Steven Spielberg/John Williams collaboration, recently released by La-La Land Records Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Special Guest: Jason LeBlanc, project assistant The collaboration between director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams continues to be one of the main subjects of the activities of The Legacy of John Williams. In the last few months, fans of the Maestro have been treated with two more remastered and expanded releases from the catalogue of the legendary Spielberg/Williams partnership, courtesy of specialty soundtrack label La-La Land Records: The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. In this episode, Mike Matessino returns to discuss these two releases, shedding light on his restoration work on both these seminal scores, but also offering his insightful comments on how they sits within John Williams' filmography and overall career. Project assistant Jason LeBlanc joins the episode as a special guest to further illuminate on the process of restoring these two releases and explaining his role assisting Matessino during their production. ---------------- Amistad 25th Anniversary Remastered and Expanded 2-CD Limited Edition https://lalalandrecords.com/amistad-25th-anniversary-expanded-limited-edition-2-cd-set/ The Lost World: Jurassic Park Remastered and Expanded 2-CD Limited Edition https://lalalandrecords.com/the-lost-world-jurassic-park-remastered-expanded/

World-renowned conductor and author JOHN MAUCERI returns on The Legacy of John Williams podcast for an in-depth discussion about his latest book "The War On Music: Reclaiming the 20th Century" (Yale University Press), a riveting analysis of how music written by classical composers in the 20th century fell victim on the battlegrounds between nations during the three major global wars (World War I, World War II and the Cold War), with so much orchestral and operatic repertoire being erased (or "cancelled") and not being performed as a consequence of ideologies and policy making.  The conversation spotlights how Hollywood became a refuge for musicians escaping the totalitarian regimes in Europe during the 1930s and how much this still reverberates in the music of composers working in Hollywood today, including John Williams.  GRAMMY-nominated composer AUSTIN WINTORY joins the discussion, bringing his own views and sensibilities as a contemporary composer of media music navigating the current landscape. Don't miss this fascinating talk with two very fine musical personalities exchanging passionate views and opinions about how the history of 20th century still lingers today with many consequences and how film and media music must play a pivotal role in creating a new pact with the audience of today. Hosted and Produced by Maurizio Caschetto for The Legacy of John Williams ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LISTEN to our 2019 podcast with John Mauceri: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/09/09/john-mauceri-podcast/ John Mauceri Offical Website http://www.johnmauceri.com/ Buy "The War On Music": https://a.co/d/djMXeki Austin Wintory Official Website https://www.austinwintory.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The acclaimed classical composer and conductor talks his most recent projects and how the music of John Williams continues to be a source of inspiration Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Peter Boyer continues to be one of the most talented, versatile and successful living American classical composers. His brilliant symphonic music is celebrated across the United States and around the world as some of the most accessible and enjoyable repertoire composed in the recent years. In 2022, Peter Boyer produced the fourth album of his orchestral music, ‘Balance of Power’ and Other Orchestral Works. Released on the Naxos label as part of their successful “American Classics” series, the album features world premiere recordings of symphonic works composed by Peter Boyer over the last number of years, with the composer on the podium conducting the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra. The music of Peter Boyer is unabashedly tonal, earnest and very emotional, yet composed with a thorough attention to detail to achieve a high level of craft in the treatment of the orchestral resources in the great tradition of such American luminaries of symphonic music as Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and John Williams. Boyer himself acknowledges how John Williams’s music is the gold standard for any orchestral composer when it comes to write memorable tunes and applying them with sensational dramatic instinct. In this conversation, Peter Boyer talks about his recent projects (including the recording of “Balance of Power”) and to offer more insightful and in-depth thoughts about his approach to composition, the challenges of writing for orchestra, his views on the contemporary classical scene and how John Williams remains for him a role model and an ongoing source of inspiration. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/06/21/legacy-conversations-peter-boyer

Top-tier flutist talks her career as a studio musician in Hollywood and her many collaborations with John Williams on such legendary scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, The BFG, and many others Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Geraldine Rotella is unquestionably one of the most heard flutists in the world. In a career now spanning five decades, she performed as a freelance on many studio recordings in Los Angeles, thus becoming one of the first-call studio musicians working in the area. She’s also Principal Flutist for the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Assistant Principal/Piccolo for the Pasadena Symphony. Geri Rotella performed on thousands of session dates for film and television soundtracks, playing for some of Hollywood's most acclaimed composers including John Williams, for whom he's the piccolo player since 1990 and performed on such legendary scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, The Lost World, Amistad, The Patriot, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Memoirs of a Geisha, War of the Worlds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse, The Book Thief, The BFG and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. She can be often heard playing high-pitched notes in the piccolo during the action scenes of those films (the Velociraptor sequences in the Jurassic Park movies being some of the trickiest she ever performed), but also performed a lot beautiful lyrical alto flute parts. In this conversation, Geri Rotella talks her illustrious career as a studio musician in Hollywood, highlighting her family heritage and unique musical upbringing, the mentorship she received from Sheridon Stokes and Louise Di Tullio, and her many collaborations with John Williams throughout the years. Geri recollects the unforgettable experiences playing on such scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, The BFG and Indiana Jones among others, reflecting on Williams’ flute writing and also at his skills as a communicator on the podium. For more information and the listing of the musical excerpts, go to https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/06/07/geri-rotella-podcast/

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino presents the new 2-CD expanded edition of John Williams' romantic score coming May 2 on La-La Land Records Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto & Tim Burden The Legacy of John Williams presents an exclusive preview of the first John Williams' archival soundtrack reissue of 2023, courtesy of La-La Land Records: a lavish 2-disc release of the Academy Award-nominated score composed by Maestro Williams for the 1995 romantic comedy Sabrina, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear. Assembled, mastered and produced by archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, the new edition offers a wonderfully exhaustive presentation of John Williams' lush romantic score, remastered from 1st-generation analog tapes and expanded with a great wealth of previously unreleased material, including many unused cues and several alternates. The new release presents an expanded edition of the original orchestral score composed and conducted by John Williams, plus all the source music and the songs (including the two original ones written by Williams and lyricists Alan & Marilyn Bergman) that were specifically arranged and recorded for the film.   In this special podcast episode, The Legacy of John Williams presents two exclusive preview tracks from the new expanded edition, with Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino offering his own precious insight and commentary on the lovely John Williams' score, how it sits in the composer's catalogue and chronicling the making of this new archival release.   Sabrina - 2-CD Expanded Soundtrack Limited Edition is coming May 2 on lalalandrecords.com Special Thanks to MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys (La-La Land Records)

Music Scoring Mixer and Recordist talks his experience working at Sony Pictures Scoring Stage on numerous film score recordings, including many projects with John Williams Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Special Guest: Douglas S. Lacey Adam Michalak is one of the most experienced scoring mixers working today in Hollywood. He made his first steps in the industry at Sony Pictures Scoring Stage, first as an intern and then gradually climbing up the ladder to become one of the most trusted recordists working in the studio. In that role, he worked for such veteran engineers of the industry as Shawn Murphy, Dennis Sands and Alan Meyerson, recording for film scores by virtually all the great film composers working in Hollywood including John Williams. In 2018, Adam left Sony and joined Hollywood Scoring, a company that has provided music production for feature films, episodic television, popular video games, and varied broadcast streaming media, but also produced large scale stadium music performances, concert hall productions, and outdoor music festivals. In this conversation, Adam recollects the path that led him to become a recording engineer for orchestral music, from his early days as a film music fan to his first steps in Hollywood working at Sony's scoring stage and experiencing first hand the work of great film composers and their trusted mixers, offering a unique insight into the creative process of John Williams and Shawn Murphy on several projects as seen from the recording booth. Adam also reflects on the history and evolution of the recording process, offering a wide variety of examples and sharing anecdotes from his own experiences as a scoring mixer. Joining the conversation is film music and John Williams connoisseur Doug Lacey, who shares a friendship with Adam and also has a great experience working in the audio field. Find more information at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/03/17/legacy-conversations-adam-michalak/

LA Phil Principal Pianist/Keyboardist talks about her unique experience of recording the piano solos for Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans, including the original score by John Williams Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto John Williams has written solo parts spotlighting specific instrumentalists both in his film scores and works for the concert hall. While it's not rare to see such superstar musicians as Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma or Anne-Sophie Mutter as the featured soloist and the dedicatee of a piece, Williams has often used the talents of some of the best musicians of the Los Angeles area, including distinguished members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It's the case of Joanne Pearce Martin, the Principal Keyboardist and Pianist of the LA Phil, who recently had the honour to be the featured piano soloist on the soundtrack for Steven Spielberg's acclaimed The Fabelmans, performing both the piano solos from the classical repertoire as heard in the film and John Williams' Academy Award-nominated original score. In this conversation, Joanne talks about her experience of playing for John Williams and Steven Spielberg on The Fabelmans, sharing stories and insights about her unique collaboration with both the director and the composer during the creation of the film's soundtrack. She also talks about her experience playing under John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl and at the Disney Hall with the LA Phil many times over the years and also as rehearsal pianist, giving her own perspective on the Maestro's musicianship as a composer and conductor. Learn more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/02/24/legacy-conversations-joanne-pearce-martin/(opens in a new tab)

Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor talks about his love for the music of John Williams and how it impacted his own life as a musician Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto The music of John Williams has inspired at least two generations of composers who have now successful careers not just in film, but also in the contemporary classical world. Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre is part of this peculiar group. One of the most popular and frequently-performed composers in the world, Whitacre is known primarily for his work in choral music, but he is actually a true multi-faceted artist who became a beacon and an inspiration for a multitude of singers, musicians, composer and lovers of music across the globe. His works are programmed worldwide and his ground-breaking Virtual Choirs have united more than 100,000 singers from more than 145 countries.  In this conversation, Eric Whitacre talks about his love for the music of John Williams and how it helped shaping his own musical imagination since childhood, explaining why it continues to be for him an object of sincere admiration and also reflecting on his own approach to musicmaking and what it means to be a classical composer today. More info at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/01/23/eric-whitacre-podcast/

n February 2022, the month of John Williams' 90th Birthday, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland staged a weekend of sold out concerts celebrating the maestro’s landmark birthday. The conductor was Richard Kaufman and The Legacy of John Williams was delighted to present two pre-concert talks with Richard at Dublin’s iconic National Concert Hall. Prior to the talk we screened our tribute video and images and video clips were presented to the audience members throughout the talk. The audio was recorded by the NCH and what follows is the full 36 minute talk hosted by Head Contributor Tim Burden, featuring Richard discussing his personal and professional experiences with John Williams, with whom he shares a long-lasting friendship. There are also insightful questions from the audience which gave a suitable intro to both Williams concerts. Find photos and exclusive videos from the concert at thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com

The Legacy of John Williams, in collaboration with Sony Music, is proud to announce the latest John Williams release - The Fabelmans (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack); a soundtrack album by the five-time Academy Award® winner for director Steven Spielberg’s deeply personal cinematic memory of the forces, and family, that shaped his life and career. The release marks the latest collaboration between Spielberg and Williams, whose longstanding creative partnership spans nearly 50 years and 30 films. From E.T., Jaws and Jurassic Park to Schindler’s List, Lincoln and Saving Private Ryan, Williams and Spielberg’s collaborations have produced some of the most stirring and well-recognized music in film history. The Fabelmans is a deeply personal portrait of a 20th century American childhood. Written by Spielberg together with Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner, it's a universal coming-of-age story about an isolated young man’s pursuit of his dreams, the film is an exploration of love, artistic ambition, sacrifice and the moments of discovery that allow us to see the truth about ourselves, and our parents, with clarity and compassion. The musical score by John Williams accompanies the film during its key moments with a poignant, lyrical tone that enhances the characters' most intimate and profound feelings--the main theme (heard in the opening track, "The Fabelmans") is one of the most heart-rending and touching themes ever composed by Williams. The music features chamber-like solos for piano, harp, guitar and celeste, painting a heartfelt portrait of the story and its main characters. The Legacy of John Williams is proud to present this special podcast episode featuring a commentary on John Williams' new soundtrack by Editor Maurizio Caschetto and Head Contributor Tim Burden. The talk focuses around three tracks from the soundtrack album selected by Caschetto and Burden, "Mitzi's Dance", "Mother and Son", and "The Journey Begins," which offer a beautiful representation of Williams' poignant and delicate scoring for this film. You can listen to John Williams' wonderful new music in full here: https://soundtracks.lnk.to/thefabelmans Special Thanks to Maria Kopp and Dani Chwatt (Sony Music)

Producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss the soundtrack reissues of three classic John Williams/Steven Spielberg collaborations, reflecting on the significance of such a unique relationship between composer and  director. Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden The collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg is by far the longest and most successful artistic relationship between a director and a composer in the history of cinema. The duo is synonymous of what means having a fruitful, honest and profound association between two people making films together. Calendar year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the very first encounter between Spielberg and Williams, which happened when the director was in preparation of his first feature film, The Sugarland Express; after being impressed by Williams’ work for such films as The Reivers and The Cowboys, the director decided he was the type of composer he was looking for. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. The Spielberg/Williams collaboration spans now six decades, 29 feature films (including the upcoming The Fabelmans, which will premiere at the 47th edition of the Toronto Film Festival in September) and several special projects, so it’s virtually impossible to sum it up in a few words. Their roster includes some of the most successful and everlasting movies in the history of cinema: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, but also such highly acclaimed dramas as Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich and Lincoln. Soundtrack label La-La Land Records has recently reissued three classic John Williams scores from the Spielberg canon: Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino returns to The Legacy of John Williams podcast to offer commentary on these three classic Spielberg/Williams collaborations, while also offering an in-depth overall reflection on the partnership between the composer and the director.

Award-winning pianist talks her career as a classical performer specialized in contemporary repertoire and her many collaborations with John Williams, including her solos on Munich and The Adventures of Tintin, and the recent premiere of ‘Prelude and Scherzo’ for Piano and Orchestra Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Pianist Gloria Cheng belongs in the category of instrumentalists who are true favourites of John Williams to the point of being even an inspiration for the composer. One of the most acclaimed musicians of his generation and an advocate of the contemporary repertoire and new-music, Gloria Cheng performed as pianist for John Williams in many film scores since the mid-2000s and has been spotlighted as soloist on such scores as Munich (2005), The Adventures of Tintin (2011) and War Horse (2011). She also performed on other Williams’ scores including The BFG, The Post, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. In addition to the film work, Cheng also had the unique honour of performing Williams’ rare piano compositions for the concert hall: the 4-movement Conversations for solo piano (written and dedicated to her between 2013 and 2014), and the Prelude and Scherzo for piano and orchestra, which premiered in Barcelona in 2021 with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Vallès under Marc Timón, and later for its American premiere with the Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Alan Miller. Gloria Cheng is one of the world’s leading interpreters of piano works by major composers and a true advocate for new music, establishing fruitful partnerships with such contemporary music icons as Gyorgy Ligeti, Pierre Boulez, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Terry Riley, Thomas Adès and Steven Stucky. Gloria Cheng also works frequently as pianist and keyboardist for film scores and has performed on soundtracks by by such composers as Randy Newman, James Horner, Michael Giacchino. In 2005, she began a fruitful association with John Williams that continues until this day. In this conversation, Gloria talks about her career as a classical performer and her path that led to perform as pianist for film scores; she recollectes her first experience playing for John Williams on Munich, the challenges of playing the solo on Tintin and her views on the Maestro’s style when writing for piano, reflecting upon her experiences playing Conversations and the Prelude and Scherzo. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/08/05/gloria-cheng-podcast/

Harpist extraordinaire talks her career both as a classical musician and studio recording artist, including her many collaborations with John Williams on such scores as Angela's Ashes, A.I. Artificial Intelligence and The Book Thief Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto JoAnn Turovksy is one of the most accomplished and talented harpists in the world. She is Principal Harp of several Los Angeles-based orchestras: the L.A. Opera orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In a career spanning now four decades, Turovsky has been lauded and revered with many accolades: she is the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the American Harp Society. Harp is an instrument very dear to John Williams as it's often prominently featured in a lot of his film and concert music. Harpist extraordinaire JoAnn Turovsky has possibly the longest and most impressive track record of playing a lot of John Williams' harp parts over the last three decades as his favoured principal harp for studio recordings in Los Angeles. Turovsky is heard playing exquisite harp solos on some of the composer's most lyrical and haunting film scores including Angela's Ashes, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Munich and The Book Thief. Turovsky's impeccable playing can be appreciated even when not playing a solo part, but when accompanying and enriching the orchestral texture, as the harp is used by Williams like a master orchestrator would do. JoAnn has also been a professor of harp at the USC Thornton School of Music for the past three decades and sits on the faculty of the Colburn Conservatory of Music and the Colburn School of Performing Arts, teaching the next generation of harpists. In this conversation, JoAnn Turovsky talks about her impressive career as a classical and studio musician, remembering her many experiences playing for John Williams, including her solo work for Angela's Ashes and The Book Thief, but also illuminating on the composer's use of harp and how he let the instrument shine within the orchestral palette. Visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/ for more information.

Producer Mike Matessino talks the latest John Williams expanded reissues just released: the 1986 space adventure film SpaceCamp and the 1990 courtroom drama Presumed Innocent Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden For the joy of fans and admirers of the Maestro around the world, the first two John Williams expanded archival releases of 2022 have been recently announced. They are respectively SpaceCamp (from Intrada) and Presumed Innocent (from Varèse Sarabande), two sought-after titles that have been long out of print and that now are finally available in expanded and remastered form courtesy of Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino, giving a new chance to listeners to appreciate and rediscover two very unique and distinctive film works in John Williams’ catalogue. In this conversation, Matessino returns to The Legacy of John Williams podcast to discuss how both SpaceCamp and Presumed Innocent fit into the chronology of John Williams’ career, talking about how the composer became a household name during the 1980s and how he challenged himself in new and diverse projects. Special Thanks to Douglass Fake & Roger Feigelson (Intrada), Cary Mansfield (Varèse Sarabande) and to Mike Matessino. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/

Listen to an exclusive preview of the new expanded release of John Williams' SpaceCamp, now available from Intrada Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden The Legacy of John Williams presents a special podcast "bonus" episode celebrating the release of the expanded edition of one of John Williams' most uplifting and joyous scores from the 1980s: SpaceCamp, composed for the 1986 film directed by Harry Winer and starring Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston and a very young Joaquin Phoenix, telling the story of a group of young kids accidentally launched deep into outer space during an astronaut training program. Specialty soundtrack label Intrada just announced the release of a 2-CD set featuring the complete film score composed by John Williams on disc 1 (mastered from the recently found original three-track film mixes by engineer Armin Steiner), and the original soundtrack album program as mixed for record by Len Engel from a newly mastered hi-res transfer of the 1/4" album master on disc 2. This new edition is once again assembled, mastered and produced brilliantly by Mike Matessino, who also wrote detailed liner notes chronicling the film's history and production and providing an excellent analysis of the score. A conversation with Mike Matessino discussing this new release is coming soon on The Legacy of John Williams podcast, but as a gift to our readers and listeners, The Legacy of John Williams presents a bonus "prologue" episode featuring two full tracks from this new release, including the long-awaited unreleased cue "Arriving at Daedalus", perhaps one of the most sought-after in the long list of previously unreleased pieces from Williams' filmography. So, sit back, relax and prepare to enjoy a special treat, courtesy of Intrada and Mike Matessino. Order your copy of SpaceCamp Expanded Edition at Intrada's website: SpaceCamp Expanded Edition 2-CD set   Special Thanks to Douglass Fake, Roger Feigelson and Jeff Johnson at Intrada, and to Mike Matessino.

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino talks his involvement in the preparation of the live-to-picture concert performance of John Williams' classic score premiering at the KKL in Lucerne on April 29 Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden On the eve of the world premiere of Superman In Concert at the KKL in Lucerne, Switzerland, The Legacy of John Williams welcomes Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino for Part 2 of the podcast special dedicated to this thrilling and long-awaited concert performance of John Williams' majestic score live to picture (listen to Part 1 HERE). In addition to his stellar soundtrack restoration work for which he's much appreciated, Matessino has collaborated with Film Concerts Live on several of their 'Film with Orchestra' projects, assisting and consulting on Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more recently on Superman: The Movie.  In this conversation, Mike Matessino sits down again with The Legacy of John Williams' Editor Maurizio Caschetto and Head Contributor Tim Burden to talk with thorough detail how the 'Film In Concert' presentations are put together, chronicling his work on Superman and also on other classic John Williams' film concerts as Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Matessino also discusses the reasoning behind the choice of reintroducing music that was originally dialed out or cut from the film's original theatrical release and the many technical challenges of the live-to-picture format. John Williams' Superman In Concert is having its world premiere on April 29, 2022 at the KKL in Lucerne, Switzerland, performed by the City Light Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anthony Gabriele. The event is presented by City Light Concerts in association with Film Concerts Live and Warner Bros. Pictures. It will also be presented on June 25, 2022, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Anthony Gabriele. More info at thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com

Conductor Anthony Gabriele talks the stirring musical score by John Williams for the 1978 classic film premiering in a live-to-picture concert presentation at the KKL in Lucerne on April 29 Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden The unforgettable superhero film Superman: The Movie is making a long-awaited comeback for the world premiere of John Williams' stirring musical score performed live to picture by the City Light Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anthony Gabriele in the splendor of the spectacular KKL Concert Hall in Lucerne (Switzerland) on April 29, 2022. The event is presented by City Light Concerts in association with Film Concerts Live and Warner Bros. Pictures. The 1978 classic movie directed by Richard Donner and starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando is rightfully considered as one of the best comic book films ever made and it's still beloved by legions of film and superhero fans around the world, thanks in no small part to the stirring and unforgettable musical score composed by John Williams. Superman is the latest of the classic John Williams' film scores being presented in the live-to-film concert format and, after two years of postponement due to Covid pandemic, it's finally having its long-awaited world premiere at the spectacular KKL in Lucerne, Switzerland, performed by the City Light Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anthony Gabriele. The conductor is one of the most renowned specialists of the 'film with orchestra' format and he kindly accepted the invitation of The Legacy of John Williams to talk about the music of Superman, how it sits into the filmography of John Williams, the many virtues of Richard Donner's film and its stirring score, and the uniqueness of Maestro Williams' overall opus. This is the first of a two-part podcast special dedicated to the world premiere of Superman In Concert. Listen to the full episode to discover the guest of Part 2...

Legendary singer and vocal contractor talks her illustrious career in Hollywood working in choirs and as soloist for many film composers, including her work for John Williams on Amistad and other projects Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Film score recordings in Hollywood are performed not just by hundreds of talented orchestra musicians, but they often feature the superb work of great vocalists, singers and choirs. Sally Stevens is perhaps the most famous and distinguished singer and vocalist who lent her beautiful voice to countless film and television soundtracks and studio recordings in Los Angeles. Her resume includes work for illustrious film composers including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Alan Silvestri, James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman, just to name a few, but also for some of the most famous names of the recording industry like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Burt Bacharach among others, in a career spanning five decades and thousands of performances. Under the banner name Hollywood Film Chorale, she contracted choirs and singers for successful films including Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Abyss, Forrest Gump, The Matrix Revolutions, Jurassic World, among others, and also on popular tv shows as The Simpsons and Family Guy. She also served as choral director of the Oscars broadcasts for over 20 years, the most recent being the 2018 Academy Awards. Sally's collaboration with John Williams started in 1997, when she was asked to be vocal contractor for the film Amistad, directed by Steven Spielberg. She also collaborated on such films as Minority Report (2002), War of the Worlds (2005), Munich (2005), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). In this conversation, Sally Stevens reminisces about her glorious career as a singer and vocal contractor working in Hollywood, from his early days singing in the choir for Alfred Newman's How The West Was Won to the work as soloist for Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith and other great composers. She also recollects her experience working as a vocal contractor for John Williams on Amistad and other projects involving choirs and vocal soloists, sharing her own unique insight and perspective on Williams' choral writing and the use of human voice. For more information and the list of music excerpts visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/04/01/sally-stevens-podcast/

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino returns to talk more on his work for the 50th Anniversary Edition, with distinguished Broadway Music Director and Conductor Andy Einhorn joining as a special guest to discuss the first concert performance of John Williams' orchestrations and the legacy of the beloved musical.   Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden   The Legacy of John Williams goes back to Anatevka for the long-awaited 2nd part of the discussion on Fiddler On The Roof 50th Anniversary Soundtrack Edition. The massive 3-disc set released by La-La Land Records was the subject of an in-depth talk and feature article published last December, and now Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino returns to offer more eloquent thoughts and insights about the 1971 classic film by Norman Jewison, its Academy Award-winning adaptation score by John Williams, and the painstaking restoration work he went through to bring new life to the original soundtrack recordings. This second act of the Fiddler On The Roof podcast special is also enriched by the presence of a very welcome special guest. Leading Broadway Music Director and Conductor Andy Einhorn joins to talk about a truly unique and very special initative: the presentation of a lightly-staged production of Fiddler On The Roof featuring the world premiere concert performance of John Williams' Oscar-winning orchestrations, a project spearheaded by the UMS in collaboration with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance/Department of Musical Theatre. During the conversation, Einhorn reflects on the various reasons why this project holds a special place in his career, the challenges he faced to put it together and the thrill of hearing Williams' sumptuous orchestrations performed live for the first time in 50 years, talking also about the details and nuances hidden in the score. He and Mike Matessino offer precious insight on the timelessness of Fiddler On The Roof and its relevance for today's audiences also in light of the tragic recent events happening in the same region in which the original story takes place, i.e. the small Ukraine village of Anatevka. Read more: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/03/04/fiddler-on-the-roof-podcast-pt2/

Legendary pianist and keyboardist talks about his career and his collaborations with John Williams on numerous projects, including his iconic solos on such classic scores as Harry Potter, Angela’s Ashes, Lincoln and The Book Thief Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto Among the studio musicians who performed for John Williams during the last two decades, Randy Kerber occupies a special place. He’s one of the most accomplished pianists and keyboardists working in the studio environment, with an impressive resume that includes many legendary film composers (Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Michael Kamen, Randy Newman, Alan Silvestri), but also a great deal of iconic recording artists including Michael Jackson, Paul Anka, Leonard Cohen, Rickie Lee Jones, Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, Rod Stewart, B.B. King, Bill Medley, Annie Lennox, Art Garfunkel, Anastacia, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, Ray Charles. He’s also a Grammy-nominated composer and arranger, and worked as orchestrator for top Hollywood composers including James Horner and John Powell. He had the privilege of being appointed as featured piano soloist on several John Williams’ scores including Angela’s Ashes (1999), Lincoln (2012) and The Book Thief (2013) among others, but was also the keyboard soloist playing the celesta part of “Hedwig’s Theme” on the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001). His impressive career as one of the first-call studio keyboardist in Los Angeles also includes such unforgettable film scores as Forrest Gump (music by Alan Silvestri) and Titanic (music by James Horner), in which he can be heard performing exquisite piano solos. Kerber’s impeccable playing is also prominently featured in the Academy Award-winning musical La La Land, with music by Justin Hurwitz. n this conversation with The Legacy of John Williams, Randy Kerber talks about his career as a session musician, his early years working in the studio environment and how he became one of John Williams’ first-call musicians, from his first experiences as a synth programmer on such films as Always and Jurassic Park, to the prominent role as piano soloist on Angela’s Ashes, Lincoln and The Book Thief. Randy also talks about John Williams’ approach to piano writing and offers his take on the Maestro’s musicianship, reflecting on the various experiences as seen from his perspective as a studio musician. For more information and a list of the musical excerpts featured in the episode, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/02/25/randy-kerber-podcast/(opens in a new tab)

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino remembers the legendary Academy Award-winning composer, lyricist and songwriter who collaborated with John Williams on several projects including Superman, Home Alone and Hook Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Composer, lyricist, librettist Leslie Bricusse (1931-2021) is one of the most talented and versatile musicians who worked in movies and musical theatre in the second half of the 20th century. His gift both for melody and catchy lyrics kept his works popular throughout the decades. Bricusse is well known to fans and admirers of John Williams for their collaborations on such pivotal and successful projects as Superman: The Movie (1978), Home Alone (1990) and Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991), but also for the film musical Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), for which Williams did a magnificent work of adaptation, arrangement and orchestration of Bricusse’s lovely song score. Bricusse passed away suddenly last October at the age 90 and we tribute his memory and his artistic achievements with this podcast episode featuring Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino, who worked on many restorations of Bricusse’s scores (Doctor Dolittle and Goodbye, Mr. Chips, among others) and was also a personal friend, offering an in-depth overview of Leslie’s career and his collaborations with John Williams. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2022/01/29/remembering-leslie-bricusse/

The great Los Angeles studio musicians reunite for the first time in years to celebrate John Williams Hosted and Produced by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden The Legacy of John Williams is proud to present this special podcast episode dedicated to the legendary Los Angeles studio musicians who performed in dozens of film soundtracks by John Williams, including such iconic scores as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Hook and Jurassic Park. L.A. STUDIO LEGENDS – The Reunion explores the unparalleled contribution that the great Los Angeles-based studio players brought to many of John Williams’ film soundtracks and recordings in a conversation with some of those world’s most legendary studio musicians who performed in principal roles on dozens of his scores recorded in Hollywood from the late 1960s until recent years: Flutists Louise Di Tullio and Sheridon Stokes, Pianist and Keyboardist Ralph Grierson, Trumpet player Malcolm McNab, French Horn player James Thatcher and Tuba player James Self. Joining the conversation is esteemed Conductor (and former studio Violinist) Richard Kaufman, one of the world’s leading interpreters of film music repertoire and also a personal friend of Maestro Williams. This spectacular ensemble of talented musicians, reuniting for the first time in years, offers a precious perspective on John Williams’ musicianship as a composer and conductor, recollecting the unforgettable performances on such classic film scores as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park among others and sharing many of their fond memories of playing for Maestro Williams. The event is hosted by The Legacy of John Williams’ Editor-In-Chief Maurizio Caschetto and Head Contributor Tim Burden. More info: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/12/23/l-a-studio-legends-the-reunion-video Link to video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ANAJK-hu_s

A tribute to the legendary award-winning composer, arranger and orchestrator who collaborated with John Williams on many projects over the years, as remembered by his stepdaughter Renata Pompelli Featuring Special Guest Mike Matessino Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Among the collaborators who worked with John Williams during his long and distinguished career, Alexander Courage (1919-2008) certainly holds a very special place. Composer, arranger, orchestrator and conductor of rare skill and incredible bravura, Alexander Courage (affectionately named "Sandy" by his family and closest friends) is considered one of the best and most revered musicians who ever worked in Hollywood at least since the 1940s. His association with John Williams started way back in the mid-1950s, when Courage requested a young man named Johnny Williams to perform as pianist for the soundtrack of the 1957 film musical Funny Face starring Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. Courage recommended Williams to Deutsch for orchestration duties on Some Like It Hot. Williams often spoke of Courage's importance as an arranger and orchestrator for the great MGM musicals of the 1950s, comparing him to great arrangers like Robert Russell Bennett and Conrad Salinger for his uncanny ability in creating a unique orchestral sound. Courage's collborations with John Williams continued also throughout the following decades. In 1970, Courage joined Williams as an orchestrator on Fiddler On The Roof, for which the composer won his first Academy Award (and thanked Courage during his speech). Courage also contributed orchestrations for The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Cowboys (1972) and also some of Williams' blockbuster scores of the era including Superman and Return of the Jedi. One of their key collaborations was for the 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, the last starring the beloved Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel. Among his orchestration credits for John Williams are also major blockbuster scores including Home Alone, Hook and Jurassic Park. We're very honoured to have Alexander Courage's stepdaugher Renata Pompelli as the special guest of The Legacy of John Williams podcast to honour and celebrate Sandy's memory and legacy on the day of his 102nd birthday (December 10). Renata is the family's custodian of memories and historian In this conversation, she shares many affectionate memories of Alexander Courage, both as a man and as a musician, offering an intimate, caring and lovely portrait of one of Hollywood's true (and perhaps lesser-known) musical geniuses, including his long-standing friendship and working relationship with John Williams. For more info, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/20

Soundtrack Producer Mike Matessino presents the 50th Anniversary Remastered Edition of Fiddler On The Roof and discusses the history and the legacy of the beloved film musical and its importance for the career of John Williams Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Soundtrack label La-La Land Records just released a spectacular new limited edition of one of the cornerstones in John Williams’ filmography. Fiddler On The Roof 50th Anniversary Remastered Edition is the most comprehensive and detailed release ever assembled of the soundtrack for the film adaptation of the beloved Tony Award-winning Broadway musical written by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, produced by the great Harold Prince and directed for the stage by Jerome Robbins on a play by Joseph Stein. The 1971 film version was directed by Norman Jewison and it features a phenomenal adaptation score by John Williams, who won his very first Academy Award for his work on this film. This new release presents a restored and remastered version of the popular soundtrack album, with alternates and newly-discovered material presented across an expansive 3-CD set. La-La Land Records’ lavish release, in time for the film’s 50th anniversary, is a wonderful opportunity to revisit a very important milestone in John Williams’ rich filmography. In this special episode of The Legacy of John Williams podcast, producer Mike Matessino returns to talk with Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden about Fiddler On The Roof and its place in John Williams’ filmography, while also reflecting on his own personal connection to the film and the original musical and why they’re still relevant to today’s audiences, John Williams' love affair with the violin and the many aspects that makes this release very special for fans and admirers of the Maestro. Learn more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/12/03/fiddler-on-the-roof-podcast-pt1/(opens in a new tab) ------- Thanks to Mike Matessino, MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys Order Fiddler On The Roof 50th Anniversary Remastered Edition on La-La Land Records: https://bit.ly/3d2XWDt Music Excerpts featured in the podcast © 1971, 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. under exclusive license to Capitol Records LLC. All Rights Reserved. Used under permission

Legendary pianist and keyboardist talks his unparalleled career as a first-call studio musician on thousands of film scores for top film composers, including his many collaborations with John Williams, for whom he played on more than 30 films including The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, The Eiger Sanction and Hook Pianist Mike Lang certainly doesn't need much introduction among the legendary musicians who performed on film and television soundtracks in the last 50 years. He represents the epitome of the greatness and versatility of the studio musician in several different ways, having performed with virtually all the greatest film composers since the 1960s in more than 2,000 film scores, in many cases as first pianist and keyboardist, but also with an impressive slew of iconic recording artists. Lang's resume is one of the most impressive among any living musician on the planet. Lang's career as pianist for film scores is the stuff of legend. He performed in thousands of film and television soundtracks serving virtually all the legendary film composers of the last 50 years including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, John Barry, Henry Mancini, Michel Legrand, Bill Conti, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard. Mike Lang's collaborations with John Williams started in the early 1970s and continued until the very recent years, playing in scores like The Towering Inferno, The Eiger Sanction, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Always, Hook, Rosewood, Catch Me If You Can and many others. In this wide-ranging, fun conversation, Mike sits down with The Legacy of John Williams' Editor Maurizio Caschetto and Head Contributor Tim Burden to talk about his unparalleled career as one of the most sought-after studio musicians in the history of music, not just film scores, reminiscing on his beginnings, his training and his early years playing for film composers, including John Williams. Mike also offers his own unique insight about Williams' musicianship, the Maestro's skills as pianist and the evolution of his career, while pondering also on the life as a studio musician with all its unique aspects and idiosincracies. For more information, visit https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2021/11/16/mike-lang-podcast