The music of ET, A discussion with John Williams

John Williams
E.T.
Scoring
Steven Spielburg

[@undeadnightorc]

Wow, you know you're a master composer when a master director like Spielberg agrees to scrap his original edits so that you can pace the music however you want.

[@marcellkovacs5452]

My understanding is that Spielberg had to adjust his cut points to match the pace of the music. So, it’s not really “scrapping” the edit, just subordinating it to the music rather than subordinating the music to the picture as it would normally happen.

[@arefxp]

What a wonderful childhood gift ET was. Thank you🙏

[@cocoabutterjohnny8182]

John Williams is a master composer. E.T. is one of my favorites of many of his cinematic themes. So uplifting. Love him.

[@russellholt5879]

9:26 imagine being down the hall and hearing this ... the master we are so lucky he has shared so much

[@robertdora7026]

I've had the privilege of conducting much of the score (original orchestration) of E.T.. It is such a wondrous and easily underappreciated sound track that in my opinion is one of the best sound tracks ever composed!! An incredible mind John Williams has, and an equally amazing humbleness. Thank you Mr. Williams for touching so many of our lives so profoundly 🙏🙏

[@RaphaelFellowes]

It is an absolute masterpiece. As much as I love Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Close Encounters, it’s really when I’m listening to ET that I’m just blown away by the quality of the music

[@Ivosferatus]

Spielberg / Williams: the greatest friendship in movie history.

[@missjtrep]

As a 8 year old i remember watching this in class with a bunch of kids crying lol... what a great movie definitely takes me back in time

[@lemondemerveilleuxdechrist6515]

Behind the scenes of the creation of John Williams' most epic and moving composition! It's visceral in me and arouses such a torrent of emotions that I always cry! I admire so much the genius that a human being can deploy to arouse such emotion... Worthy of a superpower!

[@RonD84]

The music makes the film, Without the scores and soundtrack these don't have half the magic, Outstanding Composer

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

I got to see John Williams conduct the last section of the film live just a few rows away from him. It was such an emotional and bucket list moment for me! I’ll never forget it, thank you John for creating such a gorgeous and emotional score! I touched the podium after John walked off, I wanted to absorb that energy

[@wickster2121]

at a concert or while making the movie?

[@dianalee3059]

How awesome at the end to hear him play ET music on the piano….John, I love you!

[@Lowebotz]

I found myself getting emotional listening to the score. Very nostalgic for me.

[@tommybohannon1989]

Top 5 film score of all time for me. Williams is just incredible at conveying emotion

[@dianalee3059]

This is absolute magic to me! John Williams’ music has nourished my soul forever. I love videos like this. First time I saw ET in the theater….and every time after that…. I cried my eyes out. For 6 decades I was blessed with a busy studio singing career and had the honor and privilege to work with John on Close Encounters. John is the nicest, most incredibly humble man….not an ounce of ego. On a break I mentioned to him how much I loved Star Wars. He just smiled and replied, it was a lot of work! No kidding!

[@bensonmum20]

that must have been incredible to have worked with the maestro!

[@dianalee3059]

@@bensonmum20Indeed it was

[@williamledbetter2223]

I will always consider it a great priviledge to have been coming of age as an aware musician at the time of the great cluster of his music - Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders, ET. These scores allowed me ti sit in my living room with my eyes closed and watch these movies through closed lids over and over, day after day. My father shouted at me because when ET came out I listened to the LP front and back, over and over so much that within 3 weeks the grooves were spoilt and he had to buy a new album. Even now, 40 years later, I still get teary at the grande, sentimental musical gestures that Williams wrote to convey this odd, simple, small, but beautiful friendship between a boy and an alien.

[@txmoney]

That Timpani at the finale breaks me every time.

[@Scalaflow]

Very interesting to see Spielberg deciding to go back and re-edit the movie to fit the music - rather than the other way round ! He knew how important the music was.

[@martinianotanoni]

This was the very first movie I have recall of (I probably watched it a few years later of his premiere since I'm from 1984). I remember as a child falling in love with the music instantanously... Later, I watched the original trilogy of Star Wars and of course that feeling was confirmed. And that's the reason I'm a musician and composer.

[@cameronskye94]

A movie that still brings a little tear of joy to my eye. John Williams gave this movie so much heart

[@davidabarnes1993]

Wonderful video. Love 2:55 when the music kicks in and we get a dose of Williams magic

[@MrJimmy1953]

Two geniuses. Plain and simple.

[@avocate2017]

Two masters at work. I love how involved Spielberg was in the music.

[@Samara98GoofyPoodleQuapx2Jones]

Yet another brilliant session from the master JW. This is real taste and patience.

[@aob505]

Literally the soundtrack of our lives. ❤

[@TheGetup17]

This puts a lump in my throat. Nostalgia overload

[@DamianHowardTV]

John Williams truly is a modern day Mozart or Beethoven 🫡 🙇🏻 A genuine musical genius.

[@johnparker1673]

I would 100% agree with that statement

[@dwalden74]

The Man, the Myth, the Legend. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@ka7705]

I watched scenes of E.T. without music and I will say that music is what makes that movie. The acting is great but the music like in so many other movies is what brings the emotion out. I was almost 7 when I watched E.T. in the theater and I remember crying at the end. Best movie from my childhood.

[@ChrisValera]

Composers usually write music in sync to the scene and edits. But Spielberg edited the scene in sync with the music.

[@richmorals81]

I love to see Spielberg’s and John Williams enthusiasm.

[@roadkill_666]

Brilliant. Love it. Grew up with his scores, I'm 39.

[@flaviomoreira4603]

E. T. É o filme da minha vida. Resume toda minha infância. Toda vez que assisto choro e me emociono muito.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@flaviomoreira4603]

@johnwilliams1505 admiro muito você e seu magnífico trabalho.grande maestro e o maior compositor de trilha sonoras de todos os tempos.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@manuelorozco7760]

John’s AFI 2016 Tribute sent me here! I already loved the Flying theme long before I sat down to watch the movie!

[@yekeehs]

Just talking about it so casually .True genius ☎️ 🏠

[@jameslemode]

I could watch this for hours

[@RapFanatic4ever]

John Williams is such a genus . His scores in E.T. Just made you cry 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🍕🍕🍕

[@lennyramon622]

The magic in this whole process is overwhelming! It is amazing what imagination can produce when you add a bit of genius along with it

[@Dr-dl4iw]

This score is Williams masterpiece and Spielbergs too.

[@jchomedog2887]

The music helped tell the story so well! ❤️

[@timothyflood]

Both such great talents. Thanks for the art

[@mooseyman74]

I love watching people focussed on producing their best work and their enjoyment from doing so

[@lemondemerveilleuxdechrist6515]

A masterpiece !

[@moaningpheromones]

The music would be enough, they were kind enough to set a film to it.

[@moaningpheromones]

ooo - playing it on the piano at the end . . .

[@gabrelconner9146]

So brilliant….no words…

[@kthx1138]

An ABC After School Special for kids and moms? No, a GLOBAL PHENOMENON, thanks in large part to the universal appeal of John's music. E.T.s in other parts of the universe are rejoicing upon hearing radio transmissions of John's music!

[@MJverse]

Masterful!

[@anthonymurdoch9437]

Best John Williams score hands down.

[@Nightowl427272]

40 years…hard to believe.

[@Ali_Ahmed_Yousuf]

Just watched the movie and i almost cry🥺❤️ the cgi, the bgm, editing everything is on its peak. Hard to say that the movie was shot in 1980's

[@paulytheking7365]

I don’t think there’s any cgi

[@Dr-dl4iw]

​@@paulytheking7365 They must have watched the 2002 edition where Spielberg did that "George Lucas thing" with the original effects replacing and enhancing them with modern cgi. He later regretted doing that and the 2022 40th anniversary release with the original 1982 version.

[@Pwj579]

The score is so good that it’s better than the film

[@DavidRLentz]

I so deeply cherish these brief lessons, and I joyously admire Mr. Williams in giving us his educational guided tours of his scoring process. I only wish that he and the production staff of these videos had the time to be comprehensive, covering 1) every note of the entire score, 2) all of Mr. Williams's other cinematic oeuvres, 3) all the other such scores of recent years, e.g., Howard Shore's lushly symphonic adventures through Middle-earth, and 4) the film scores of the masters long past; this last would require scholars and musicians who could manage to recreate what these composers then had endeavoured to impart to the productions.

[@gunterakridge4311]

Epic.

[@user-ik4kh9lt6d]

I would honestly compare John Williams to that of Beethoven, Mozart, and Handel.

[@niltonrenna5632]

Genius!!

[@pimmagrimm]

Man, how much that piano he's sat at through all those years will be valued at in years to come?

[@marksevel7696]

His piano playing and timing is perfect. See from 2m mark

[@Esdra478]

How do you create this music?? You’re just amazing!!

[@dirkdiggler5622]

that crescendo

[@sanjastankovicmusic]

👍👍👍

[@dvlarry]

3:28 goosebumps

[@GustavoSMoreira]

indeed, it’s impressive to see him controlling the dynamics, asking the orchestra to hold on during 3:30-3:31 and then counting to 4 with all his strenght!

[@tintintoto9190]

Spielberg

[@veevintage2619]

Genius.

[@dollydolldoll2]

yes i know the entire soundtrack off by heart

[@katie-ek7om]

Katies

[@tacopeters9028]

Nederland

[@tacopeters9028]

nederlands

[@erikchun93]

Steven Spielberg's name is spelled "Spielberg" not "Spielburg."

[@jenrose4177]

More proof that the Disney star wars is garbage because John's score are uninspired generic fodder as opposed to his many brilliant scores paired with good movies.

[@keeganmclean2017]

Damn that’s harsh. I think the new trilogy scores are great work (albeit not as great as some of his older scores)

[@Masilya111]

The movies are uninspired and a retread of the original trilogy. John did what he could despite the circumstances and his age.

[@Plathismo]

Harsh, but I can't really argue. The new trilogy clearly didn't inspire him like the original did, or like Spielberg's classics did. Also, he's in his 80s now and no one stay creatively vigorous forever. Still, Williams is the GOAT when it comes to film scoring. No question in my mind.

[@josephvu9913]

@@Plathismo Williams did a few classical concertos from 2015-2019, and he also scored the BFG and the Post in 2016 and 2017. All of those works were a A Plus.

[@wesleycolemanmusic]

@@Plathismo When Williams works with talented musicians or directors, you can hear the energy in his music. It has nothing to do with his age.

[@HANDSWORTHMAGIC]

John williams plays this better than anyone on the piano. Wish i had the whole of this.

[@tacopeters9028]

Nederland

[@tacopeters9028]

nederlands