John Williams - Greatest Hits 1969-1999 double-CD (Sony 1999)

Conducter: John Williams
Includes songs and scans in English.
Just mentioning the name John Williams brings a myriad of themes to mind: Superman, Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List, etc. Well, Sony Classical has done a nice job of incorporating all of these themes and more into a double CD set. Sony Classical has released one of the best compilations in the last few years with John Williams Greatest Hits 1969 - 1999. This tribute to maestro John Williams has just about every score fan's favorite John Williams' themes, with only a few curious inclusions, great track flow, and all in a decent package. This is a near-perfect compilation.

There are a couple of great features to this particular compilation. First, all of the selections are conducted by the composer, John Williams. This is interesting in that some of the performances vary from the original soundtrack recordings. For instance, track 2 of Disc 2, Theme from Jurassic Park is performed at somewhat of a hurried tempo when compared to the original. Flight to Neverland from Hook (track 4, disc 2) features an intriguing arrangement of some of the best themes. Another noteworthy example is the arrangement for the Flying Theme from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (track 2, Disc 1).

Yet another wonderful characteristic of this particular compilation is the track order. Here, Sony really does a wonderful job in leading the listener from one track to the next. This is especially evident on disc 2. Beginning with the somber Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan and aptly concluding with Williams’ summer of 1999 smash, the epic Duel of the Fates from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, a perfect stroll down the John Williams lane of film music masterpieces is constructed.

A dilemma is always faced when putting together a John Williams compilation. How much and which pieces from Star Wars do we include? In spite of the huge amount of memorable Star Wars themes to choose from Sony hit the mark with their selections of The Main Title, Luke and Leia, The Imperial March, and Duel of the Fates. These selections provide a good sampling of the depth and variety found just within this one slice of the John Williams musical pie.


Cues form Star Wars or the Indiana Jones trilogy are obvious candidates for inclusion in such a compilation, but a surprisingly nice touch is John Williams’ Olympic work. Two tracks display more of the composer’s ability to write themes that ingrain themselves into our national as well as individual consciousness. First, track 7 or disc 1, Olympic Theme and Fanfare features John Williams’ memorable theme for the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles. The track begins with Leo Arnaud’s unforgettable Bugler’s Theme and moves right into John Williams’ piece- a very nice touch. The second sampling of the Olympic spirit comes on track 10 of disc 2, Summon the Heroes. This powerful piece was written for the 1996 Games held in Atlanta, Georgia, which marked the 100th Olympic Games held. This bold, heroic theme can stand toe to toe with many of Williams' best film score themes.

There are a couple of other pieces that are pleasurable surprise additions. Seven Years in Tibet and Empire of the Sun may be two of John Williams most underrated scores, but they are given some due credit with their inclusion here. Yet another fantastic track is that of the theme from Far and Away which was originally found on Cinema Serenade. Itzhak Perlman's performance is astounding!

John Williams is responsible for giving us some of the most unforgettable movie music in the last thirty years and this compilation certainly does his work justice. For those curious as to the lure of film music, this is the disc I’d plop into their hands and say, “Just listen to this and you’ll understand.” For those who are in the midst of the film music mania, this disc provides a professionally produced compilation that likely matches those many have compiled themselves; however, Sony gives great packaging and liner notes along with it. Certainly, this belongs in any film score collector's library. It is, no doubt, the best released on John Williams yet. Christopher Coleman

Conducter: John Williams
Performers: London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra, The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, American Boychoir, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Tim Morrison, Christopher Parkening
Date of release: November 1999

Disc One
01 Star Wars - Main Title 5:44
02 E.T. - Flying Theme 3:42
03 Superman - Main Title 4:25
04 Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom - Parade of the Children 4:53
05 Sugarland Express - Theme 3:35
06 Jaws - Theme 2:31
07 Olympic Fanfare and Theme 4:28
08 Return of the Jedi - Luke and Leia 5:02
09 The Reivers - Main Title 5:13
10 The Empire Strikes Back - The Imperial March 3:04
11 Indana Jones and the Last Crusade - For Motorcycle and Orchestra 2:48
12 Empire of the Sun - Cadillac of the Skies 4:58
13 Raiders of the Lost Ark - The Raider's March 5:11
14 Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Suite 9:46
Total Disc Time: 66:11

Disc 2
01 Saving Private Ryan - Hymn to the Fallen 6:10
02 Jurassic Park - Theme 5:29
03 Schindler's List - Theme 3:32
04 Hook - Flight to Neverland 4:41
05 Seven Years in Tibet - Seven Years in Tibet 7:09
06 JFK - Prologue 4:00
07 Stepmom - The Days Between 6:27
08 1941 - March 4:14
09 Home Alone - Somewhere in My Memory 4:54
10 Summon the Heroes 6:14
11 Rosewood - Look Down, Lord 4:12
12 Far and Away - Theme 5:34
13 Born on the Fouth of July - Theme 6:20
14 Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - Duel of the Fates 4:14
Total Disc Time: 73:41
Total Playing Time: 144:02