John Williams:The Mission, Video directed by Frank Radice

NBC"s Lester Holt looks at John Williams legendary musical accomplishments and tells the story of how, in 2004, the Theme to NBC Nightly News was Digitally re-recorded 20 years after the original was tracked. This piece was broadcast on MSNBC the week the new music premiered.

[@Neubs-xv8tw]

Does not matter how old it gets, it'll never get old, it transcends time. It's simply amazing.

[@ianjoshuaalvarezarcelo3650]

This is the best musical theme that NBC News does.

[@lekoman]

The Mission really is an exceptional piece of music.

[@kthx1138]

The Williams sound could be described as "neo-romantic", romantic with a high-tech flare, a technical precision. I love it.

[@douglasdenoff367]

Frank I had no idea until today that you directed this...bravo Maestro!

[@fjradice1]

Thanks, Doug. I hope all is well. I’m living the dream in London now.😎

[@rr7firefly]

NBC used to play "The Mission" on their weekend news program. There was a sweeping montage of the entire country from coast to coast, culminating in the New York City skyline as the music built to its crescendo. I will never get over that -- it was so powerfully beautiful.

[@MasterKingSirPlease]

*NO WAY THAT'S LESTER HOLT!!* He looks so different!!!

[@wythetrumpet6419]

Wow, Malcolm McNab, Tim Morrison and Jon Lewis on trumpets. It doesn't get any better than that! They are some of the best studio trumpet players in the world!

[@mrgrant888]

While I was familiar with Star Wars, it was THIS piece that made me really appreciate Williams even since I was 12 years old! Once I realized it was the SAME guy who made all this music, I was musically in love with this guy! Such a gifted composer! I would love to meet him someday!

[@mjtvalfather]

I get a thrill down the spine every time I hear this guy's music. He's an absolute legend.

[@bassbone52]

Calling out the trombone section! Classic!

[@jerimassi1889]

This is great. I have fallen in love with the Meet The Press Theme. I think it's as exciting as anything Williams has composed. And I have always thought that NBC News had the most beautiful music of all the news themes on cable and TV.

[@travissweat9098]

NBC Nightly News please keep playing "The Mission" and panning the NYC skyline. These two things joined represent America's vision. It is ICONIC! Thank you. Sincerely, Travis Sweat

[@Jogador96]

Travis of Bickley yes. When I was in the US I always watched NBC Nightly News-partly or largely because of the stirring theme music in the intro and at the conclusion.

[@jimhults4916]

That was Alex's theme from our QVC Adventure because on Class of 96 was the same music from every show and movies for Megan Ward and we deliver it.

[@stevenpowellii5617]

To be honest, this is my favorite Williams piece. It brings tears to my eyes when I watch Nightly News, and to hear it in its entirety was just pure magic. God blessed this man wiyh an extraordinary talent and he uses it to the fullest. I wish more of my generation appreciated this genre. Thank you for posting this.

[@TheAerovons]

I know what you mean. I was there at the theater in the 70s watching "The Towering Inferno" at a sneak preview and was similarly blown away by his score to that....which has some similar moments in it. People asked me about the film and I just spoke about the score. The opening title sequence of that film is all score, and is breathtaking.

[@GideonsTrump]

What age demographic are you referring?

[@TheAerovons]

don't understand the question....I wasn't referring to any age demographic

[@GideonsTrump]

You wrote "my generation". Are you referring to Millennials?

[@TheAerovons]

Thanks for catching that, I should have said "I wish more of THIS generation...".....which didn't grow up on scores like those of William's and Goldsmith.

[@polkmusic]

I just love this. What a great theme. Another classic from the Master.

[@timd381]

Love watching the strings... the way their bows move in unison as if they’re all being controlled by the same puppet master is fascinating and beautiful. ❤️

[@twelge15]

Even though it's an NBC theme, I look at it as New York City's theme. It's stood the test of time along America's renowned Brooklyn born & raised composer.

[@b.victoradams9346]

More of an 'American' theme, and not just defined by or as New York.

[@bond-suits]

Not Brooklyn, but Queens!

[@fjradice1]

Thank you so much for your kind words. It was an honour to work with such a great man as John.

[@bjstix]

Stunning brilliance! I watch NBC nightly news just to hear this song...and of course Lester Holt

[@BVictor21]

That was awesomeness. I love seeing these practice and recording videos of John Williams with a large orchestra. It always lifts me up. You can see the wheels turning in his brain after the last note was played, undoubtedly still tweaking the music in his head. I'd like to see all the Mission parts like this posted. Meet the Press, although shorter in length has such seriousness in it, it creates it own beauty. Bravo to John Williams for his skill; and bravo to fjradice1 for posting.

[@maxulic]

RIP right ears :(

[@armstronglance]

Absolutely one of my favourite pieces of music ever!!! I can listen to it 100 times and I still hear hear new parts & notes every time! John Williams is my favourite composer/arranger ever!!!

[@paulguerciosr7220]

armstronglance

[@CurzonRoad]

Great, wonderful, superb... THANK YOU!

[@mariosmanesis8376]

i am 48 years old and i was a fan of j.w.from 1978 wen i herd for the first time that theme in canada i thot that theme sounds like raiders of the lost ark and imidiatly realize that is from john williams

[@thegoodgeneral]

Thank you Frank for this amazing footage!

[@johnblack8911]

It invokes an epic sense of the western pioneer spirit.

[@sirvincent7263]

The music just drips of Americana: bold, lush melodic lines punctuated with Williams' signature brass motifs with the obligatory horn fanfares. It would thrill me to hear this music when overseas in other countries and am grateful that I am a citizen of the greatest country on the planet.

[@mhstpt]

Frank, that was so much fun to watch. It brings back some wonderful memories. John is a treasure. He is wonderful to work with as you so well noted. Of course, having Malclm McNab, Tim Morrison, and Jon Lewis doesn't hurt, either. I also believe I recognize Bill Booth and Andy Malloy on trombone and Jim Self on tuba. I wish I knew the rest of the brass section - especially the french horns, because they were all wonderful, too.

[@markusschultz4637]

thanks for your uploading. this is my favorite piece of music and he is a talented composer whom i decided to become a composer. i always think that I still have much to learn when i read his socres.

[@rjmcallister1888]

Watch a master at work; the finest composer/arranger/conductor of his time, along with about a hundred of the finest musicians. In use at NBC since 1985. BTW, the Sony scoring stage in Culver City is the former MGM facility; how many other classics have been recorded within those walls.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Nice band. We all recognize that John is the master of movie and video music. You do wonder what he might have produced if he went the classical route instead.

[@musicdudeman]

great video, thanks for sharing (and directing too)

[@simiamghan7916]

Thanks again Frank for uploading. Keep coming back to this for inspiration. Any chance we could get a re-upload as youtube seems to have compressed it?

[@AroundSun]

I love John Williams...He is the man. Saving Private Ryan soundtrack..all I have to say....this is great, thanks for uploading this

[@kevinwillis6320]

Excellent

[@manguera9]

John williams charge 1'000,000 dollars per movie score, studio recording,musicians enginners,hours of studio renting, 1'000,000 dollars

[@zoltan902]

Just utterly brilliant. 'nuff said.

[@HDDude1981]

the two cadential chords starting @7:33 are especially tasty. Sweet spicy, sour polychordal soup. Delish!

[@BrianBisetti]

Sumptuous! I love the softer iteration of it with the harp at 7:57. Yummy!

[@nicoquiles7714]

6:52 - Malcolm McNab, a genius with the trumpet.

[@user-rn1lb8sx2c]

as to with tim morrison

[@MyFlamsAreLethal]

inspirational.

[@razzledazzle2006]

BRAVO, John Williams!

[@TyroneEpps]

Tbis is cool😊😊😊😊

[@AroundSun]

I was just thinking about 3:47 today and that song before I watched this. The end of the Meet the Press theme is just awesome!

[@fjradice1]

Thanks. I have just updated the information about the clip.

[@alexanderdelacruz9249]

And one of my favorites of the master is his JFK soundtrack, it's so beautiful

[@dianefwh539]

Yes, yes, yesss😊

[@audell2]

My left ear is happy

[@mydogskips2]

Yes, John Williams is such a great master of music and this is certainly a very beautiful piece, very majestic, moving and inspiring, I want to thank fjradice1 for uploading it, it is really well done, the best audio quality I have been able to find of this piece, with only a few slight glitches at about 1:09, 2:15, 3:23, 4:30, 5:35, 6:35 and 7:38 Is there anything you could do about that? With the video documentary and background on Mr. Williams and the Mission Theme, it is truly great work.

[@clebertlima]

my left ear: R.I.P.

[@theimp5901]

How bout the great Tim Morrison killing that trumpet solo ! AS always TIM !

[@user-rn1lb8sx2c]

legend

[@fjradice1]

"The Mission" is often performed at John's Live concerts. A version of which is played every evening on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. I do not know if it is on a commercially available recording but shouldn't be too hard to locate with a google search. Good luck. FR

[@johnathankaner4365]

Full version available on the call to champion record

[@sierratrilogy]

It was available on CD. I purchased the CD specifically for The Mission. The guy in the music store thought I was nuts, when I asked for the The Mission, and when I clarified it was the NBC news theme, he was like "I don't know where you'd get that", to which I responded "Show me your John Williams collection".

[@metalheadjock3513]

Piece is also available since late 80's on the infamous album.."John Williams: By request". Boston Symphony Orchestra plays here In the 80's so I bought the cassette. The "Call to Champions" version is played by the Utah Symphony Orchestra. CD was timed to be available for the 2002 Winter Olympics, where Williams conducted in a live outdoor performance. It happened to be his 70th birthday that day. NBC was owned by the Parent company GEC =General Electric Corporation, the three notes played inverted are the recognizable "Call notes" to the network itself. These call notes were preceeded John Williams' score for "The Mission", but you CAN hear a somewhat altered version of the three call notes in Williams' version. Love the ostinato in the brass (ala Fourth Movement of Rimsky-Korsakov's, "Sheherezade"). This ostinato, played throughout The Mission, first on violins as piece opens, imitates old-school typewriters chattering away in a busy newsroom. Go to your piano, if you can, and played G3,E4 and C4 in succession and you have the original NBC theme. Sounds like the original, simple orchestration of it employed Vibraphone, Harp, Accoustic Electric Guitar and one clarinet to all fullness..all superimposed on the exact same notes. Have a wonderful day, from Wisconsin!

[@mcguirexn]

@PINCHUNO Thanks, but that doesn't answer my question at all. "The Mission" is made of of many parts, but this music has not yet aired on NBC as any official theme or title and seems to only appear in this video. I am wondering if there is a recording available of this music.

[@NEBUKEDNEZZA]

Starts at 3:20

[@TromboneConductor767]

Is there a commercial recording available of this particular take featured in the video? The two recorded versions I’m aware of, one with the Boston Pops, and one done for the American Journey album, don’t have quite the same flavour and zest as this one does. The details are so pronounced, the tempi are a little more controlled and add to the overall effectiveness of the piece. I’ve only ever heard this version on this video.

[@assignmentearth2899]

Malcolm McNabb sighting 6:52. Cool John Williams trumpet run there.

[@mcguirexn]

What is the music at 1:48 to 3:14? This is beautiful but I've never heard it. Is there somewhere we can listen to it?

[@jazz4]

4:15 so good.

[@simiamghan7916]

What happened to the audio? Has youtube compressed the file? Used to be better. Thanks for posting!

[@paulguerciosr7220]

Simiam Ghana

[@AusNetFan13]

Yes, I wonder why there are far too many audio dropouts. Hopefully the uploader could rectify the problem.

[@GeorgesGondard]

What is the music at 1:48 to 3:14? Not part of "The Mission" theme...

[@jimgorycki4013]

There are two or three parts of "The Mission" the one that we mostly hear is the NBC Nightly News intro. There are other pieces that are played for the intro and ending of Meet The Press

[@coolcrabcakes1287]

kinda resembles the cbs evening news theme from 2006

[@zoltan902]

At 1:19, What piece is this????

[@Ives831]

Anyone know if these new recordings of the piece(s) are available anywhere?

[@RaymondHng]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHLdlGCGbtqApqs

[@alexkije]

The PRODUCTION showing the strings that look like they go on forever. However, there IS dropout! So go back to the excerpt of this in another file here on YT.

[@assignmentearth2899]

Who's that trumpet soloist sitting next to McNabb? Exciting stuff.

[@65strad]

Tim Morrison. He's an amazing player, fabulous tone

[@crixxxxxxxxx]

3:15 you know news about something serious is about to break.

[@BigRick324]

I love the part between 6:47 and 7:38

[@baylinkdashyt]

Do you happen to know, sir, if the recording of the studio session was done in any better resolution than NTSC, and if that material still exists anywhere? Did they only rerecord the first movement? Or the entire 9 minute suite?

[@fjradice1]

It was not.

[@baylinkdashyt]

@@fjradice1 well, bother. Thx.

[@Ives831]

Anyone know if these new recordings are available anywhere?

[@RaymondHng]

Probably on Spotify

[@RaymondHng]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHLdlGCGbtqApqs

[@nekoinuwakamen]

Please tell me the song title of the song from 2:34 seconds!

[@fjradice1]

I believe it is a movement in “The Mission”

[@Glinkaism1]

5:17 sounds a bit like from ET.

[@jazz4]

Jesus, think of the royalties this guy must earn alone.

[@jonahkelly2737]

1:45 Tim Morrison

[@bibifrijam]

4:50

[@Tigerwarhawk]

Is that Pokorny on tuba?

[@ikmarchini]

Don't tell Morricone.

[@mjtvalfather]

I get a thrill down the spine every time I hear this guy's music. He's an absolute legend.

[@stevenpowellii5617]

To be honest, this is my favorite Williams piece. It brings tears to my eyes when I watch Nightly News, and to hear it in its entirety was just pure magic. God blessed this man wiyh an extraordinary talent and he uses it to the fullest. I wish more of my generation appreciated this genre. Thank you for posting this.