[Forster]

Would you mind telling us a detailed account of your experience? UFO's have been in the news a lot lately.

No thanks. This thread is about John Williams, not about personal UFO experiences.

 

[David Lilly]

This thread is about John Williams, not about personal UFO experiences.

Well, it seems it was , until we were graced with what seemed like a teenage-wet-fantasy scene straight out of a sci-fi movie.

 

[Hogwash]

Sure. Let me start by saying I am not a conspiracist, I do not believe alien life visits us and I do believe UFO's are exactly that, unexplained, and that ascribing anything more to them is fool hardy.
So, with that disclaimer, here it goes.

I was 21 years old working on my uncle's onion farm. (I always wanted to be a farmer) I was with my 18 year old girlfriend. It was dead of night, closer to predawn than midnight. I was staying in my grandmother's farmhouse where by chance I live today. My grandmother was in the downstairs bedroom, my girlfriend and I were upstairs in one of the bedrooms, the other 2 bedrooms upstairs were without occupant.
My girlfriend, with her striking blue eyes and shoulder length hair lived next store in a house my grandmother rented to her mom. She was truly beautiful and we were in love.
That night, when we made love, was the first indication that something was different. The intensity of my orgasm was something I had never experienced prior nor since. It was pure bliss yet unsettling. I can't put to word how different it was.
After, we listened to music and relaxed as we always did dreading when I'd have to walking her home, pre-dawn. We never slept much that summer.
As we lay there, something, I still can't say what it was, made me get up and walk to the empty bedroom across the hall from us. I just had a feeling, something, someone was there.
Nothing was amiss that I could find, so I went back to the bedroom from where I had come and that is when my girlfriend noticed that my veins were raised, stretching the skin as if about to break through. It seemed every vein in my body was in this extended condition.
We did not know what to think.
Finally that dreaded time came when I had to walk her home.
When we stepped outside the back door, the same side of the house where the empty bedroom was that I has explored earlier, we saw a very bright "star" in the sky. Well, except it was too big to be a star.
Suddenly we realized it was not very far away at all. It was between us and the big old oak tree in back. Less than 300 feet away. Probably closer to 200 feet. It was then that we noticed two things. First, it was moving, slowly. It circled behind the barns and out around her house. In addition to this circular motion it had descended because as it passed behind the barns and house it was not visible. As it did, we could hear all the animals of the wild crying out, screaming out. I had no idea animals made so many sounds of distress, which were unmistakably what the sound's were.
These sounds all came from the back of the house where this object was.
Finally, it moved away, out into the dark onion fields. Thousands of acres of onions. As it did the animals started to settle down on the back side of the house and now the same screams of distress could be heard on the other side of the house.
Yes, the sounds were first head behind the house, there we were surrounded by the sounds, then the sounds moved to the front of the house and became faint. All in correlation with the movement of this object.
As we were walking across the lawn to her house we could see out in the fields lights. This is where the orb had moved to. But this was not light from the orb. This was larger light and it was strange because it was a self contained light. It held it's place, not radiating out, not illuminating things around it. Again, this was a complete unique experience, I have never seen a light like this prior or since.
And this, where lights never are at night. In the middle of the onion fields.
I said good night and walked back to my grandmother's house. When I got back in the house the electric was strange. The lights would turn off, flicker, go back on.
My grandmother was somehow awake. The only night that summer she did not sleep through the night.
Next door, at my girlfriend house, it seems her mom too was awakened by something. Her mom went outside and sat on her front porch to have a cigarette. Her front porch faced the fields when the very big self contained light was and she too saw it. Having lived her entire life in the onions fields this was unique to her too.

If you recall the movie Close Encounters, you will see the similarities. Just an inner feeling of something, not sure of what, the probes or as I called it, an orb. The giant lights of the mothership, the self contained light not outwardly illuminating. The energy field that made the animals squeal and electric become unstable.

@mikeh375

Thanks for telling us about your mysterious experience! A lot of the events you describe are, indeed, similar to other persons accounts of UFOs. Do you remember discussing and confirming what you had seen with your grandma and girlfriend's mother or was this something you all kept under wraps ("they'll think I'm crazy")? Was your family farm located near a military testing site or industrial complex? And [to stay on topic for this thread] were you listening to John Williams music at the time of the event?

 

[Forster]

Blockbusters are just as valid as "serious" art. The idea that "serious" is somehow more important, or elevated or valuable than other entertainment is misguided.

Art that makes us laugh, or makes us forget real life, or gives us an adrenalin rush is just as valid as the thought-provoking, the "meaningful", the "rub-your-nose-in-it" reality of serious art.

 

[eljr]

No thanks. This thread is about John Williams, not about personal UFO experiences.

I'll never understand why classical music forum forums seems to attract the most unhappy people.

🐊

 

[Forster]

I'll never understand why classical music forum forums seems to attract the most unhappy people.

🐊

It's a shame "understanding" is in such short supply here. That, for example, asking that a thread stick to the point is not an indicator of "unhappiness".

 

[eljr]

Thanks for telling us about your mysterious experience! A lot of the events you describe are, indeed, similar to other persons accounts of UFOs. Do you remember discussing and confirming what you had seen with your grandma and girlfriend's mother or was this something you all kept under wraps ("they'll think I'm crazy")? Was your family farm located near a military testing site or industrial complex? And [to stay on topic for this thread] were you listening to John Williams music at the time of the event?

Not sure what you are asking. My girlfriend and I saw it, her mom saw it, my grandmother did not, she merely awoke.
We all talked about it the next day. Well for a week or two.
Honest, I don't recall if others also saw it. I think there were a few mentions outside of our immediate area.
I never considered, "they will think I am crazy." Why would I? I saw it, felt it, heard the animals, witnessed the effects. I shared the experience with family and friends.

And yes, which was my though that next day, the most likely answer to the riddle was the airbase about 15 miles away.

 

[David Lilly]

I'll never understand why classical music forum forums seems to attract the most unhappy people.

🐊

From my perspective, pointing out what bothers you about a forum and group of people you seem so active with only seems to strengthen your own insecurities and unhappiness.
Happy people don't typically seem to have the need to divulge a (more than likely fictitious) and deeply personal story to a group of strangers- perhaps seeking justification through creating a memory of sorts they wish they had actually experienced.
The oddly specific and completely irrelevant to the story description of your girlfriend in this tale, along with the not-so-needed sexual details, makes it hard to believe and rather lends the story to present itself as a fantasy.
Also, just from skimming through a few of your posts, it is apparent you appear to live in Manhattan / New York City. I don't know of many thousand-acre plus onion farms with an inherited Grandmother farm house on property sitting around the Manhattan area.

 

[eljr]

It's a shame "understanding" is in such short supply here. That, for example, asking that a thread stick to the point is not an indicator of "unhappiness".

How it is expressed is.

Peace brother

 

[eljr]

From my perspective, pointing out what bothers you about a forum and group of people you seem so active with only seems to strengthen your own insecurities and unhappiness.
Happy people don't typically seem to have the need to divulge a (more than likely fictitious) and deeply personal story to a group of strangers- perhaps seeking justification through creating a memory of sorts they wish they had actually experienced.
The oddly specific and completely irrelevant to the story description of your girlfriend in this tale, along with the not-so-needed sexual details, makes it hard to believe and rather lends the story to present itself as a fantasy.
Also, just from skimming through a few of your posts, it is apparent you appear to live in Manhattan / New York City. I don't know of many thousand-acre plus onion farms with an inherited Grandmother farm house on property sitting around the Manhattan area.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No joke, this post made me laugh out loud hard. How to win friend and influence people?
lol

Thanks

Peace

BTW, some of the most fertile soil in the entire world. Drowned Lands.

 

[Manxfeeder]

Back in the early '70s, I was student attending a music conference somewhere in LA, and one of the sessions was led by an unassuming balding man who was breaking down everything he did to make sure the theme from some new movie called Jaws had a terrifying effect on our brains. I didn't know who John Williams was back then, but I do remember seeing the trailer for Jaws and thinking, "Oh, that's what he was talking about."

That's my John Williams story.

 

[Forster]

How it is expressed is.

Peace brother

Eh? "No thanks" is an expression of unhappiness?

Funny how words can strike people so differently. For example, "Peace"...sounds like anything but. 🤷‍♂️

 

[pianozach]

I was rather surprised to learn the other night that Mr. Williams has won 5 Oscars as I have never been a fan. Also, there seems to be much love for him within the small community here that accepts original scores for movies as classical.

My question is, why is he so widely acclaimed within film score? What is his best work in your opinion?

I am trying to find how this love is born.

I have a hunch that simply being associated with Star Wars has lead to an acceptance based more on familiarity than production. Thoughts?

Is there a piece you can recommend as his best work?

Williams will always be remembered for his Star Wars score, as well as many others.

It might be well to note that Star Wars, released in 1977, was not his first Oscar. Williams' filmography goes back to 1959.

In 1976 he won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy for the soundtrack for Jaws.

He received his first Academy Award nomination in 1967 for Valley of the Dolls, and twice again in 1969 for both Goodbye Mr. Chips and The Reivers.

He was again nominated in 1971 for Fiddler On the Roof, and secured his first Oscar.

Obviously any of these scores are likely to be of high quality, as they've all been recognized by the Academy as being worth of nominations. But Williams now has a total of 53 Academy Award nominations and 25 Grammy Awards.

Here's the thing though; you cannot reasonably ask for a single representative work, or even a "best" work. They're film scores, they are all different.

Yet, one can easily find rankings of his scores online.

Variety has a rather mainstream and predictable list of his Top Five Scores

Star Wars
Jaws
E.T.
Jurassic Park
Superman

Entertainment Weekly's list is almost identical, with Indiana Jones & The Raiders of the Lost Ark replacing Superman at Number 5. the Honeybee lists those Top Four, but slides Schindler's List in at Number 3.

He received two nominations in 1972 for Images and The Poseidon Adventure, and twice more in 1973 for Cinderella Liberty and Tom Sawyer.

In 1974 he was nominated for The Towering Inferno, and won the Oscar the following year for Jaws.

When he won for Star Wars in 1977, he was actually competing against himself for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Want a score that shows his breadth and diversity? Try Emipre of the Sun, Hook, JFK, Seven Years in Tibet, Amistad, Memoirs of a Geisha, or his Themes for the 1984, 1988, 1996, or 2002 Olympics.

 

[eljr]

Eh? "No thanks" is an expression of unhappiness?

Funny how words can strike people so differently. For example, "Peace"...sounds like anything but. 🤷‍♂️

It was a personal rebuff of another. Me in this case.

As you can see, it made me sad.

 

[SanAntone]

One of his scores that I happen to like quite a bit is the one he did for Catch Me If You Can, which he later arranged as a concerto for alto saxophone Escapades.

 

[doctorjohn]

Go listen to Dvorak's new world symphony and tell me the Lord of the Rings soundtrack didn't straight up lift the theme of the 2nd movement.

I always assumed it was filched from Mahler 2

 

[eljr]

One of his scores that I happen to like quite a bit is the one he did for Catch Me If You Can, which he later arranged as a concerto for alto saxophone Escapades.

Perfect, tonight after my Brooklyn Net's lose to Sacramento I can listen to this... If not, in the AM before my office heat's up.
I have little doubt I will find this interesting. If I like it or not...

 

[David Lilly]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No joke, this post made me laugh out loud hard. How to win friend and influence people?
lol

Thanks

Peace

BTW, some of the most fertile soil in the entire world. Drowned Lands.

Likewise, your initial story made me laugh out loud as well.
Listen, I have nothing against you personally. I don't know you, and you don't know me. I was simply stating I found your story rather fantastical based upon the manner in which you presented it, for the reasons I stated that apparently made you "ROTFLMAO". There just seemed to be rather unnecessary and irrelevant details included.
All I'm saying is I don't believe you - not that I dislike you or wouldn't be your friend, should I ever meet you in person. A lot of my friends try to tell me things I tend to disregard as fiction. Sometimes it's human nature.

 

[eljr]

Likewise, your initial story made me laugh out loud as well.
Listen, I have nothing against you personally. I don't know you, and you don't know me. I was simply stating I found your story rather fantastical based upon the manner in which you presented it, for the reasons I stated that apparently made you "ROTFLMAO". There just seemed to be rather unnecessary and irrelevant details included.
All I'm saying is I don't believe you - not that I dislike you or wouldn't be your friend, should I ever meet you in person. A lot of my friends try to tell me things I tend to disregard as fiction. Sometimes it's human nature.

Calling someone a liar is very personal.

 

[hammeredklavier]

"world-renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter debuting an excerpt from John Williams' Violin Concerto No. 2 at Tanglewood."