John Williams
A Composer's Life
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:2nd Sep '25
Should be back in stock very soon
The first biography of a great American composer of the cinema age John Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music, in the words of director Oliver Stone, "came to stand for the American culture." In John Williams: A Composer's Life, the first biography of the composer, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations--among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and the Harry Potter series--and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams's musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him, Greiving delves deeply into the composer's decades-long career, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout, he analyzes and describes Williams' film scores, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams's principle strengths: his musical storytelling. With unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews--including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends--John Williams: A Composer's Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.
Tim Greiving takes us on a fascinating and insightful journey into the brilliant mind of composer John Williams. Fantastic! I could not put it down. * Howard Shore, Composer *
John Williams defines the word inspiration. Almost every young composer I meet says that John was their inspiration for wanting to compose (including my own son!). I am personally inspired by how incredibly generous, supportive, and kind he is as a human being. It's rare to know someone so successful with such genuine humility and compassion. I think the world of John. * Marin Alsop, Internationally renowned conductor *
Readers be aware, the deep love for music on the following pages is highly contagious! * Hildur Gudnadóttir, Composer and musician *
John Williams' music was essentially the soundtrack for my entire childhood, and I'll never forget meeting him for the first time at President Obama's inauguration in 2009. To record and perform his piece, Air and Simple Gifts, with Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Itzhak Perlman was one of the greatest moments of my life. He has given all of us the gift of perfect storytelling through music. It is fantastic to see his amazing story told to the world. * Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic and internationally acclaimed Clarinet Soloist *
Captivatingly written, Greiving's book understands deeply the power, the art and the humanity of John Williams's music. From his beginnings and musical heritage, this is a fascinating walk-through of Williams's life and his musical influences. Steeped in interesting detail of the musical era and the beginnings of film music right through to current times, the book is especially luminous when Greiving pauses, steps back and comments on Williams's music and his person. Greiving knows his subject well and has painstakingly immersed himself in understanding Williams's work, writing engagingly, while enlightening the reader with deep insights into the man himself. * Rachel Portman, Film composer *
Fans of John Williams' music will devour this all-encompassing work. [Tim Greiving] provides reams of fascinating inside information about several spectacular scores, including for the classics Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Schindler's List. * Kirkus Reviews *
[Greiving] is a sharp writer with a vivid turn of phrase and the only time I put the book down was to seek out online whatever music he was describing. ... If you want Williams trivia, this is the place. * Neil Armstrong, Mail on Sunday *
John Williams: A Composer's Life gives the master the kind of biography he deserves, in this richly narrative and deeply researched book by journalist Tim Greiving. Like its subject, the book wears its expertise lightly, inviting all to sit down and relax with a beautiful story. * The Boston Globe *
[John Williams] is widely acknowledged as possibly the greatest film score composer of all time, and Tim Greiving's meticulous... biography will tell you everything you will ever need to know about him. * Paul Whitington, Irish Independent *
Tim Greiving's exhaustive study of the world's most popular composer is a masterwork. Allying extensive, exclusive access to Williams with great storytelling, intelligent analysis and a deep love for its subject, it's as gripping and essential as Williams' best themes are catchy. ... Frankly, it's the book Williams' monumental talent deserves. * Ian Freer, Empire Magazine *
[A] stunning achievement that digs deep into the composer's work and life in a way that's fascinating and unforgettable. * January Magazine *
A Composer's Life, it's called, but even the briefest glance at John Williams's resume reminds you that his music is all our lives. ... It's a dense, literate read which illuminates his work with brilliant insight. * Nick Setchfield, SFX *
A beautifully written, revelatory tribute. * Michael Beek, BBC Music Magazine *
[A] hugely engrossing new biography of Hollywood's premier composer. * Norman Lebrecht, The Critic *
Fans of Mr. Williams's music will find Mr. Greiving's book completely absorbing. * Holiday Gift Guide 2025, Wall Street Journal *
Greiving's excellent musical analysis of individual Williams works is formulated so passionately and knowledgeably that individual film moments appear in the mind's eye. * Sassan Niasseri, Rolling Stone (Germany) *
This is a tacitly authorised biography... and one so exhaustive that it is hard to see there ever being a need for another... a serious book about a serious musician. * Alexandra Wilson, The Critic *
A Composer's Life has the elements of a starry biography, as well as a discography of quintets, sextets, and tracks. It also offers a vista of modern America as sweeping and compelling as Williams's music. * Susan Gray, The Church Times *
Greiving's magisterial biography of our greatest living film composer - somehow the first ever published - offers exceptional insights into the man and his methods, spinning more than 20 hours of interviews with Williams into a narrative of cinematic sweep, clarity, and color. * Nate Chinen, 2025 Gift Guide, WRTI-FM (Philadelphia, PA) *
ISBN: 9780197620885
Dimensions: 224mm x 163mm x 48mm
Weight: 1043g
640 pages