In an era when many classical musicians despair for their art’s future, the heroic brass opening of “Star Wars” is one of the most instantly recognized melodies in the world.When figures ranging from former US vice president Dick Cheney touniversity sports teams have wanted to toy with their images forruthlessness, they have made entrances to Darth Vader’s theme — and crowds needed no explanation.With more than three-quarters of Americans having seen a “Star Wars” film, covers and parodies of the music — including one recent one by a singing toddler — have generated millions of views on YouTube.The force behind the music is 83-year-old John Williams, who has written the music for all of the films in the blockbuster science-fiction series including the hotly anticipated seventh movie, “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,” which opens next month.Williams has been one of the most prolific composers in Hollywood, also writing music for the “Indiana Jones” series and most of Steven Spielberg’s films including “Jaws,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List.”His influence is so overwhelming in the movie industry — and in shaping the films themselves — that he has received more Oscar nominations than any single person except the late Walt Disney.He has won five Academy Awards, including one for best original score for the first “Star Wars” film, in which the enduring themes first appeared.”Every time I conduct the music of John Williams with any orchestra around the country, it’s always a big seller,” said Michael Krajewski, principal pops conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, who is leading concerts featuring Williams’s music ahead of the release of the new “Star Wars” film.”Whenever I give these concerts, I feel like turning around and telling the audience, ‘If you like this music, you ought to be coming out to the classical concerts that this orchestra puts on, because this is so very close to the music you’re going to hear’,” he said.Even as Williams creates the sounds of “a galaxy far, far away,” his music is firmly rooted in the classical tradition.With earlier scores performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, “Star Wars” music has little of the special-effects glitz that made the film so pioneering in its cinematography.Rossen Milanov, music director at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Ohio who also recently led Williams-based concerts, said that “Star Wars” has been so influential in part because classical music had turned so abstract by the time of the first film in 1977.
