CRRL Picks - Great Lives 2026 - John Williams: Movie, Music, MasterLike this list

13 items

• The William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series

  View on umw.edu

  Biography is the most intimate approach to history--and the most entertaining. UMW’s Great Lives lecture series reveals how extraordinary people--some born to privilege and power, others from modest backgrounds--shaped art, literature, science,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• John Williams

  a Composer's Life

  Greiving, Tim

  Add John Williams to your for later shelf

  Read the first major biography of John Williams! This work includes new, never-before-seen interviews with Williams, presents new research regarding the ancestry of Williams and his early years, and provides a comprehensive archive of the life of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Close Encounters of the Third Kind

  Add Close Encounters of the Third Kind to your for later shelf

  Released in 1977 and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, the score featured some of Williams' more modern interpretations, along with complex writing.

• E.T., the Extra-terrestrial

  Add E.T., the Extra-terrestrial to your for later shelf

  Released in 1982 and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, Williams won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

  Add Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to your for later shelf

  Released in 2001, this soundtrack was composed by John Williams, but conducted by William Ross. This film introduced the world to one of the most well-known tracks of the 21st century thus far, "Hedwig's Theme" which is the main theme of the film…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Jaws

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  Released in 1975 and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, the soundtrack was critically well received, having won multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Score, in addition to Golden Globe and Grammy accolades, as well.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• John Williams, Steven Spielberg

  the Ultimate Collection

  Williams, John, 1932-

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  Features many of the major releases for Spielberg films featuring music from John Williams, including, but not limited to, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T.," "Jaws," and "Jurassic Park."

• Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

  Add Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark to your for later shelf

  Released in 1981 and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Williams created a lasting theme that defined the character of Indiana Jones and would continue to provide compositions for the following films, as well.

• Jurassic Park

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  Released in 1993 and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, the score uses one of the largest orchestras Williams worked with and often includes a variety of instruments not utilized in other works by Williams.

• Star Wars

  Beginning Piano Solo

  Williams, John, 1932-

  Add Star Wars to your for later shelf

  Learn to play the music of Star Wars on piano.

• Star Wars. Episode I, The Phantom Menace

  Add Star Wars. Episode I, The Phantom Menace to your for later shelf

  Released in 1999 and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Williams returned to Star Wars to offer music for the new era, including the highly regarded "Duel of the Fates."

• Star Wars. [Episode IV], A New Hope

  Add Star Wars. [Episode IV], A New Hope to your for later shelf

  Released in 1977 and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the music of Star Wars has gone on to redefine cinema scores and establish a lasting legacy for both music and film.

• Star Wars. Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back

  Add Star Wars. Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back to your for later shelf

  Released in 1980 and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Williams continued to add to his already critically regarded score of the previous film by including arguably the most iconic track of any Star Wars film, "The Imperial March."