A Tribute To John Williams - An 80th Birthday Celebration

In a career spanning almost six decades, John Williams has composed some of the most popular film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars series, Jaws, the Indiana Jones films, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler’s List, Superman, the first three Harry Potter films and many more. He has received numerous awards, including twenty-one Grammy® Awards, four Golden Globe awards, five Emmys, five Academy Awards®, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Olympic Order, and the National Medal of Arts. He has received 47 Oscar nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person, and the second-most-nominated person in Oscar history.

Awash in honours and still going strong after a nearly 60-year career, prolific composer John Williams is easily the best-known and most beloved composer working today. To mark his 80th birthday, Sony Masterworks is releasing a retrospective compilation album featuring some of the composer’s own favourite works, conducted by Williams himself. From his music for Jaws to his latest score for the critically acclaimed War Horse, A Tribute to John Williams: An 80th Birthday Celebration is a collection of brilliant music from one of America’s most celebrated musical voices.  

In addition to music for television, the concert stage, and festive occasion pieces, this recording also features selections from some of Williams’ iconic film scores, including E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and, of course, Star Wars. As George Lucas said of Williams, "Every fan of Star Wars and of great music is in his debt." This album reminds us how true that is. It is sure to please movie-music buffs as well as lovers of great orchestral concert music. In Williams' own words, "There could be no greater birthday gift than the collected performances of the soloists, orchestras and artists assembled on this CD. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to have worked with all of them."