# Which John Williams score to buy?



## davidgary73 (Feb 23, 2014)

Good day everyone, 

I need some advise in choosing which score to buy as this is my first time buying JW score to study. 

I have 2 JW orchestral scores here and they both looks great. One has all Star Wars theme and one with various scores from Raiders, Superman, Star Wars, E.T etc. 

Which would you recommend that i should buy first? 

Tribute to John Williams @ http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/a-t ... c/19526621

Star Wars [email protected] http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/sta ... ic/3979685

Also, i'm looking for Jerry Goldsmith The Motion Picture Main theme orchestral score as well and do you know which website i can purchase it from? 

Cheers
David


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## G.E. (Feb 23, 2014)

They are both great so get the one you are more excited about first.I assume you're getting them both eventually anyway.


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## JohnG (Feb 23, 2014)

I'm not sure about the first one. It says it's arranged for "Symphony Pops, grade 6," which might be fine or might be oversimplified. The second one looks like the real thing.

I have a number of JW's scores and every single one has gems in it. When one compares the cost of buying one of these signature editions to a course on orchestration or harmony or arranging, $75 looks like a bargain.

Also, naturally one can buy anywhere, but just so you know, our forum member Peter Alexander sells the JW Signature Edition scores. I am friendly with Peter but I don't receive any money or anything else for mentioning him.

http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Departments/Film-Scoring-and-More/John-Williams-Study-Scores.aspx (http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/Depa ... cores.aspx)


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## JohnG (Feb 23, 2014)

One other thought -- these scores are not always note-for-note what one finds on a soundtrack release. Sometimes they are, but sometimes they have been altered somewhat for concert performance, with passages (long ones) from the soundtrack releases and then it might skip a bit or add some material.


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## davidgary73 (Feb 23, 2014)

@ G.E

Probably get one first  

@ JohnG

So i reckon getting the real deal is better right since it's JW signature series? I do like Symphony Pops score as it has different score from various movies and like you said, hopefully it is not oversimplified. 

Also, where to buy Jerry Goldsmith The Motion Picture Main theme score?


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## ed buller (Feb 23, 2014)

yes good advice. Try and get as close as you can to his original score orchestrations as that is where all the nuggets are.


As far as I know there are no Jerry Goldsmith Full conductor scores for sale anywhere. You'd do well to pick up the Batman Score from OMNI publishing.....it's fab

http://www.omnimusicpublishing.com/


e


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## JT (Feb 23, 2014)

The tribute to John Williams is arranged by Paul Lavender, editor at Hal Leonard. The Star Wars Suite is by JW. 

Paul works very closely with JW, but there might be some differences, I'm not familiar with this arrangement. I worked for HL for a few years. The John Williams edition scores, although sometimes slightly different for concert performance, were all taken from the original cues.


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 23, 2014)

I usually advise people to order scores orchestrated by Herb Spencer:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817965/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1


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## davidgary73 (Feb 23, 2014)

@ed buller

Thanks Ed for the info on Jerry Goldsmith score. I'll check out the link you gave. Thanks 

@JT

Wow..great info mate. Must have been a great working in HL and get to view all these scores. I will definately get the JW edition. 

@Peter Alexander

Read about Herb working with JW. I tried looking to buy scores orchestrated by Herb as you have suggested but could not find any. Any links you can recommend?


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 23, 2014)

Per the IMDB link I gave you above:

1941
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/March-from-1941-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490288.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90288.aspx)

Close Encounters
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Close-Encounters-of-the-Third-Kind-%28Excerpts-From%29-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490154.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90154.aspx)

ET
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Adventures-on-Earth-%28from-ET--The-Extra-Terrestrial%29-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490009.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90009.aspx)

http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Flying-Theme-from-ET-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490420.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90420.aspx)

Home Alone
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Three-Holiday-Songs-from-Home-Alone-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490039.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90039.aspx)

Raiders
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Raiders-March-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490015.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90015.aspx)

Star Wars
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Star-Wars-%285-Suites%29-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490057.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90057.aspx)

Superman
http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products/Superman-March-Deluxe-Score__HL-spc-04490228.aspx (http://alexanderpublishing.com/Products ... 90228.aspx)


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## davidgary73 (Feb 23, 2014)

Thank you so much Peter. Will check out the links you gave. 

Cheers


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## aaronnt1 (Feb 24, 2014)

Peter, I know those scores say they are 10"x14" but do you know what are the staff sizes?
Thanks.


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## marclawsonmusic (Feb 24, 2014)

+1 for the John Williams signature series scores. 

You can follow along with the soundtrack recordings, which makes it very easy for study.

Also, for what it's worth, I found Mike Verta's recommendation to transpose portions of the score PRIOR to reading the actual version to be invaluable for orchestration / ear training.

Oh, and get one you like. It makes it that much more fun!

Cheers and good luck 
:-D


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## JAM (Feb 24, 2014)

Hello, does anybody know if the Map Room Dawn is available in full orchestra?


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 24, 2014)

aaronnt1 @ Mon Feb 24 said:


> Peter, I know those scores say they are 10"x14" but do you know what are the staff sizes?
> Thanks.



1/2 a centimeter. Clear and easy to read.


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 24, 2014)

JAM @ Mon Feb 24 said:


> Hello, does anybody know if the Map Room Dawn is available in full orchestra?



It's not.


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## aaronnt1 (Feb 24, 2014)

Peter Alexander @ Mon 24 Feb said:


> aaronnt1 @ Mon Feb 24 said:
> 
> 
> > Peter, I know those scores say they are 10"x14" but do you know what are the staff sizes?
> ...



Excellent thanks, yes 5mm is nice and big.


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## g.c. (Mar 9, 2014)

On the Herb Spencer referal, on his web page are 2 Jerry Goldsmiths-"The Man Who Would Be King" & "Bandelero".
Also, Alex Norths "Cleopatra". North is gone now and I've never seen his name on these pages but he was a big time, unique & yet almost always recognizable within the 1st few bars of any film, monster of an orchestral writer of film music, a student of Reveluetas I've read, an influence prevalent in his work, particularly Under the Volcano.
He was probably to unique in his voice to be mimicked.
Listen to Cleo, particularly now that Goldsmith towards the end of his life recorded it along with several other North scores. The complete Cleo score was a 4 hour film in its original state.
g.c.


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