MovieMusic.com Message Boards: The Origin of John Williams' MISSION THEME

Message Boards

Movie Soundtracks

The Origin of John Williams' MISSION THEME

Archive of old forum. No more postings.

Please visit our new forum, The MovieMusic Lobby, to post new topics.

Author	Topic: The Origin of John Williams' MISSION THEME

Ken S Romulan	Does anyone know the truth - THE FACT behind John Williams' "Mission Theme" ? I have always believed that the "Mission Theme", which was used on NBC News, originated in the score for "(The) Mission" pilot episode of AMAZING STORIES tv series. Below is the most important quotes from a conversation in another thread, but about this very subject. I'd be very interested to know the truth - am I right or am I just a person with too vast imagination (and selective ears) ? KEN quote: posted 01-17-2003 10:27 AM PT (US) by Marian Schedenig -- I disagree about The Mission, though it's not nearly as bad as some other stuff on the album (it's the CNN theme BTW, not the Amazing Stories music). *** posted 01-17-2003 11:16 AM PT (US) by Ken S -- (THE) MISSION was an original pilot episode for the AMAZING STORIES, and the theme music for the episode was INDEED later used as the theme for NBC NEWS, not CNN News. Thus Williams did a concert arrangement of the theme - once again, which was ORIGINALLY used on that specific AMAZING STORIES pilot and only later used on NBC News. Common knowledge for all Williams enthusiasts. * posted 01-17-2003 11:25 AM PT (US) by Ed Really? I can't remember hearing the "Mission Theme" quoted in "The Mission" score. I remember the "Mission Theme" came out of a period when NBC was using Williams on a regular basis. -- * posted 01-17-2003 01:52 PM PT (US) by Ken S Really, folks. Really. If you own the Varese Sarabande rerecording of Williams' THE MISSION score from the AMAZING STORIES, put it on and play the track "The Landing". There you will be able to hear the original "Mission Theme", which, true, is much more developed in its latter concert version. * posted 01-17-2003 02:33 PM PT (US) by Ken S ...But, if by chance someone knows better, AS A FACT, that Williams' "Mission Theme" has nothing to do with the original score for "The Mission" from AMAZING STORIES - PLEASE DO LINK THE EVIDENCE HERE, and I will stay humbly corrected ...but truly disappointed once more in the great "Maestro" John Williams, because the similarity between these two themes is too darn evident. Or am I really the only one with ears on this board ?!! * posted 01-17-2003 02:43 PM PT (US) by Marian Schedenig Okokok! Ken, I don't have that Varese disc, and I'd never read that the "Mission" theme was from "The Mission". *** posted 01-17-2003 02:46 PM PT (US) by Ed I didn't mean to sound skeptical, merely surprised at a musical connection I hadn't recognized before. See -- that's why I love coming here! Thanks, Ken. I'd really wish someone with the knowledge to step into this conversation. Thank you. KEN
posted 01-18-2003 12:19 AM PT (US)

SkyMakers Romulan	How come people are so gullible? Does that mean that a second theme of The Patriot was originally composed and was used on Amistad? But it wasn't perfect, so Spielberg wanted Williams to refine it before he'll use it. Also, some themes on American Journey were originally composed for Far & Away, but was rejected by Howard, because it wasn't good enough. Both of these examples have similarities that are so close, you can actually can consider them to be twins. Well, for those who want to be disappointed at Williams, there is a way to fix that. STOP listening to Williams! It's as simple as that.
posted 01-18-2003 08:38 AM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Romulan	Who says we're angry or disappointed? Like Ken, I'm simply interested in the answer to his question, because I had never heard of it before. And yes, some parts of American Journey sound pretty much like they're based on Far and Away, but not too much. Another theme is nearly straight out of The Patriot, but I prefer the version in AJ. As long as Williams doesn't keep doing this all the time, I don't have a problem with it. Well, he recently did go a bit overboard, with Ludlow the Zombie. That's a bit of an annoyance, but the rest of Harry Potter/Philosopher's Stone, for example, is great. NP: Ride With the Devil (Mychael Danna)
posted 01-18-2003 09:19 AM PT (US)

Ken S Romulan	SkyMakers, let me reprise one part of my original post again: I'd really wish someone with the knowledge to step into this conversation. You should really understand that this is not a matter of "being gullible". What I meant by saying of my disappointment is that I can't understand why Williams would name a theme for NBC News as the "Mission Theme" when he simultaneously has a score by that name which just happens to include a VERY similar kind of theme in structure and melody... As Marian said, we really like to know FACTS. KEN
posted 01-18-2003 04:11 PM PT (US)

Ken S Romulan	By the way, after checking up some things, I stand already humbly corrected: THE MISSION episode wasn't actually the pilot of the series, even though it was the only hour-long episode of the first season. One significant fact is that AMAZING STORIES series was produced for NBC. KEN
posted 01-18-2003 04:32 PM PT (US)

Ken S Romulan	Okay, the folks at JWFan.net convinced me of the fact that the "Mission Theme" has NOTHING to do with the score to AMAZING STORIES' "The Mission". I guess it's time for me to admit that I AM gullible because of my darn too vast imagination - but still I wish that such high profile artists as, for example, John Williams is, would NOT confuse their fans with things like this (anyway, what is the point of calling a theme for NBC News as "Mission Theme" - sounds more like a religious thing to me). KEN
posted 01-19-2003 06:42 AM PT (US)

Ed Romulan	quote: Originally posted by Marian Schedenig: And yes, some parts of American Journey sound pretty much like they're based on Far and Away, but not too much. Another theme is nearly straight out of The Patriot, but I prefer the version in AJ. As long as Williams doesn't keep doing this all the time, I don't have a problem with it. I believe that the rough-cut of AMERICAN JOURNEY was temped with FAR & AWAY and a few other things, and I believe Williams and Spielberg decided to keep close to the temp-track. Time, I think, was a factor.
posted 01-19-2003 08:17 PM PT (US)

justin boggan Romulan	Ah, when Horner does this he gets insulted, when Williams does and other composers, they get acclamations.
posted 01-20-2003 05:24 AM PT (US)

HadrianD Romulan	quote: Originally posted by justin boggan: Ah, when Horner does this he gets insulted, when Williams does and other composers, they get acclamations. Them damm hypocritical crazed fanboys.
posted 01-20-2003 05:37 AM PT (US)

HadrianD Romulan	quote: Originally posted by justin boggan: Ah, when Horner does this he gets insulted, when Williams does and other composers, they get acclamations. But Horner doesn't really try. At least with other composers, they'd try to work from it. You won't see them restate the same musically passage from a 2 year old score with minor orchestration changes. Horner plaigarize himself with no intention of hiding it, one movie after another.
posted 01-20-2003 05:42 AM PT (US)

justin boggan Romulan	No! Goldsmith does it. Every star trek movie's end credits are the same! Just kidding. But seriously, i can think of one time Goldsmith copyed a moment from another score and made no changes.
posted 01-20-2003 05:46 AM PT (US)

Good King Harry Romulan	I remember very clearly when John Williams wrote the Mission Theme for NBC News. It was a new piece, composed exclusively for their use, and not an adaptation of an existing piece. Unfortunately, I can't provide a link to any confirming evidence, but I recall seeing and/or reading interviews with him talking about how the commission came about (after he did the 1984 Olympic Theme) and what his intentions were in writing it. The "Mission" sub-title is supposed to refer to the grand "mission" of journalists in their search for the truth, or some other such clap-trap. Anyway, that's the story everyone was telling at the time. Any similarity in name or music with the Amazing Stories episode is purely coincidental.
posted 01-20-2003 09:07 AM PT (US)

Ed Romulan	quote: Originally posted by Good King Harry: Any similarity in name or music with the Amazing Stories episode is purely coincidental. I spent time this weekend listening to Varese's Amazing Stories disc (may there someday be a second one!) and decided that the theme from "The Mission" has a lot in common with the love theme from 1941! Specifically, any of the music for Nancy Allen's character, Donna, and her autoerotic obsession with airplanes.
posted 01-20-2003 09:40 AM PT (US)

Old Infopop Software by UBB