Search - :: Greatest Hits 1969: 1999

A must-have album for all John Williams fans!

Alex Diaz-Granados | 11/13/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was ecstatic when I found this CD, which contains a wonderful collection of Williams' best---from classic favorites like "Star Wars" and "Jurassic Park", to sure-to-be classics like "Duel of the Fates" and "Hymn to the Fallen". I was also pleased to hear some of his other non-cinematic masterworks like the Olympics themes. Overall, it is a fantastic compilation of a variety of music, which pays tribute to Williams' considerable range as a composer."

John Williams' first 30 years' celebration

Alex Diaz-Granados | Miami, FL United States | 09/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Williams -- The Greatest Hits 1969-1999, as its title proclaims, is a two-disc anthology of one of Hollywood's most famous and prolific composers. Starting from 1969's "The Reivers" and ending with 1999's "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace," its 28 tracks cover most of Williams' film scoring career, with two Summer Olympics' (1984 and 1996) fanfares thrown in for good measure.Disc One covers the period between 1969 and 1989, even though the tracks are not arranged in chronological order. Instead, the fun begins with Williams' most famous (and maybe most popular) piece, "Main Title from Star Wars." It's in this disc that works from his most prolific period appear, including themes from Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T., Empire of the Sun, and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies.Although most of these tracks appear in other John Williams albums, I discovered one new gem in the Main Title from The Reivers (1969). I've never seen the film or read the Steinbeck novel of the same name, but I was captivated by John Williams' way of introducing a melodic idea with a solo instrument (a guitar), then adding an Aaron Copland-like flourish of brass and strings, followed by a series of variations on a theme evoking open spaces and fun hijinks out in the countryside (indicated by the use of banjos and horns).Another surprise on Disc One is the new arrangement of the 1984 Olympic Fanfare, commissioned for the Los Angeles Summer Games. This reworking of the fanfare adds the familiar "Bugler's Dream" everyone associates with the Olympics to Williams' vibrant march.Disc Two covers the 1990s (with the peculiar appearance of Williams' "March from 1941," Steven Spielberg's 1979 comedy dud). Although Spielberg is the director whose movies have more representation with five of 14 tracks on this disc -- 1941, Hook, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan -- there is plenty of variety, both musically and genre-wise. Two Oliver Stone films (Born on the Fourth of July and JFK) have themes presented here, and such diverse movie themes as "The Days Between" from Stepmom, "Somewhere in My Memory" from Home Alone, and the album's final track "Duel of the Fates" from 1999's "The Phantom Menace" are a testament to Williams' talent, audience appeal, and versatility.With over two hours' of music, this is a fine addition to any fan of film or orchestral music's CD collection."

Outstanding!

Mark Brown | Birmingham, AL | 12/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been looking for these songs on the same CD for quite a while, and this set does not disappoint. This 2 CD set contains an outstanding compilation of some of the best soundtrack music, new and old, ever composed by John Williams. You will recognize most of the tracks from blockbuster movies --Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Superman. The Olympic theme songs are also included. This is one to pop in the CD player at home or in the car and turn it up. This set has a high replay value, too. It will never sound stale."