Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Harry Potter… a box set brings together film scores composed by John Williams

Every day during the end-of-year holidays, the franceinfo culture department offers you a favorite.

If you are a fan of film music, and in particular those of Steven Spielberg, know that a monumental box set in homage to the famous American composer John Williams is on sale. That’s 20 CDs – nothing less – and a lot of fun and memories. He came out on November 24, 2023.

John Williams has composed the music for 112 films, not counting his television projects, his concertos or chamber music but also the ceremonies of four Olympic Games, the inauguration of Barack Obama, and his five Oscars received. Born in 1932, 91 years ago, in Queens, John Williams is the man behind many legendary soundtracks that have punctuated our lives, it’s difficult to name them all but you obviously know “Star Wars”:

“Jaws” :

“Indiana Jones”:

“Harry Potter”:

“AND” :

And yet he never imagined becoming a film composer; he entrusted it to Stéphane Lerouge who designed this box set for Universal Music France. “When I was young, I was a pianist. I didn’t have the idea of ​​becoming a composer for these films, entrusts John Williams to Stéphane Lerouge who designed this box set for Universal Music France. If someone had asked me the question at the age of 20, I would have said no, I don’t like it. For years I played in orchestras in Hollywood then for TV and cinema. It’s more a process of evolution, than a real initial ambition. My journey is based on both luck and wonderful timing.” Slightly less known anecdote, when John Williams blocked the music of “Schindler’s List” released in 1993. Not feeling up to the emotion aroused by the evocation of the Shoah. “Because of the gravity and seriousness of the subject. We will never be able to live up to this story, continues John Williams. But Steven Spielberg is great when we work with him, he is always encouraging. When writing the music I thought to the famous violinist Izsak Perlman who has both a superb sound but also this authenticity in what he suggests, who wears a Jewish vevu. My presentation had to be very private, very personal.”

Expanding his work to include his work with Robert Altman, Oliver Stone, George Miller and Clint Eastwood, “The legend of John Williams” offers 20 discs, 22 hours of music, and a 44-page booklet, among other things.