Trevor Hewer

John Williams was first commissioned to write new opening orchestral music for the NBC Nightly News in 1985. He responded with four separate pieces including The Mission, which was re-recorded in 2006 in the video to come.

This work is a great example of Williams’s strengths as a composer. Mainly, his ability to latch onto the underlying emotions of the particular scenario he’s engaging with, whether it be the concert hall, film, or television. This is part of the reason why he’s such a successful film composer: by not stating the obvious but instead seeking to communicate that which the picture has left unsaid, he brings a new depth of character and emotion to the table. This keen perceptiveness is complemented by his skill at writing memorable themes that are entirely appropriate to the music’s emotional intent. And finally, like any good composer, he provides a sense of accomplishment and arrival by taking us on a journey of emotional peaks and valleys, fully exploiting the dramatic potential of the idea. Can you tell I’m a fan yet?

The Mission is constructed from one primary theme, a rhythmic ostinato, and two secondary motifs:

The ostinato in the strings at the outset seems to suggest the hustle and bustle of everyday events, acting as a sort of greeting to someone who might be feeling a little anxious or high-strung. The motif heard in bar 3 occurs in three primary areas throughout the piece. This angular, disjunct theme could represent the job of the media in keeping on top of unfolding situations. The main theme itself is warming and mostly stepwise, moving smoothly through several keys before returning to the tonic, in a similar manner to Williams’s flying theme from E.T. The final element in the mix—the descending four-note motif—adequately fills in during the long notes of the main theme, and adds a quality of playfulness throughout the piece.

What we have here is a condensed work consisting of the four elements described above. The rest is just filler material. Have a listen, paying attention to their uses throughout the piece:

After getting through the main theme, Williams wastes no time in moving into the next section—the build—with the introduction of the snare drum. The next thirty seconds consists of the two motives in conversation, gradually growing in texture and dynamics, their intermingling creating a swelling sense of excitement.

Next comes my favourite part. At 1:53, just as we’re expecting a huge crash and a full-blown statement of the theme, Williams removes the entire bottom end and the orchestra becomes airborne. We’re soaring. For me, this is the point where the music transcends it’s purpose as opening music for the news, and bridges the gap between television screen and viewer. There’s a certain bond there that can only be achieved with music. I mean, this is what it’s all about: breaking down barriers, and reaching people in a way that nothing else can. I hate to say it like this, but when it works, it’s magic.

After this, we have a cool-down period of sorts, with the first motif heard throughout the woodwind section, accompanied by the ostinato which has been reworked to fit into the major triad. Next comes a short build up to a tasteful stop, before the final presentation of the beginning of the theme and first motif.

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It’s clear that Williams’s intent with The Mission is to soften us up by the time the news starts. This is evident by his shift to using woodwinds for the theme near the conclusion, the gradual diminuendo, as well as by the use of the ostinato and motifs as functions of a major chord, rather than the established minor at the beginning.

The only criticism I have about The Mission is its ending. With such a clear trend in winding down, the last staccato chord sticks out like a sharp nail. Theoretically, you could justify its existence if it was set up by a similar staccato chord earlier, but no such chord exists. Or, perhaps if the work was becoming progressively more energetic it would feel more appropriate. But even despite the final fanfare, the overall emotional direction is clearly going the other way, bringing the listener down to a sense of calmness and peace that they didn’t have when the piece started. I’d say that this is a safe bet on what Williams was trying to do all along: helping us to relax and gain a clear mind before absorbing the subsequent barrage of information. And if that’s what his intentions were, then he should have chosen something more appropriate then a jarring, somewhat clichéd ending. This is only a minor annoyance, on the whole, the work is easily digestable, carefully thought out, and entirely relevant for its future function.

A few more parting thoughts, mostly from looking at the video: isn’t the camera work spectacular? They didn’t miss anything. Now, I realize that the footage was spliced together from several different takes, but when was the last time you saw footage of musicians on film or TV that matched—note for note—what you were hearing in the audio track? I mean, the glockenspiel notes all line up, the horn fingerings are all there, even Williams’s cueing mirrors what’s happening in the music. Kudos to the editor on this one. Overall, this piece is an excellent case study in writing integrated, well-rounded concert works. This is the challenge of composing: making a lot come out of a little.

Sources:

• Concert Pieces, jw-music.net
• The Music of NBC News
• Network News Music: NBC News

Tags: hollywood studio symphony, television