John Williams

Happy 80th birthday today to composer John Williams!  In a career dating back to the 1950s, Williams has become known for writing, creating, and directly some of Hollywood’s most famous scores and theme music.  These include themes for the likes of Superman, Indiana Jones, Jaws, Harry Potter, and Kevin McCallister (from Home Alone), among many others.  (A complete list can be found on his profile page on IMDB.com.)  Williams is perhaps most famous, though, for composing the to the Star Wars films.

What’s your favorite piece of music by John Williams?  I regularly hum or whistle any number of his works, though I suppose my vote for my favorite might go to “Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars Episode I:  The Phantom Menace, which is featured above.