The following is a short essay that I wrote today for my Music Appreciation class. The assignment required a minimum of 500 words, which is why it’s so short. Thankfully, though, I get to do a research paper on John Williams and ALL of his wonderful creations 
For over one hundred years, children of all ages have been captivated by the fantasy of Peter Pan and the world of Neverland. Generation after generation has continued to keep the dream alive with various adaptions of the story on both stage and screen. Today, one hundred and seven years after James Barrie first introduced Peter Pan to the world on stage, one of the most popular versions of the beloved story is the 1991 film Hook. Hook is not the typical Peter Pan story about the boy who did not want to grow up. Instead, Hook presents to us the sequel; the part after Peter has, in fact, grown up and forgotten about Neverland… But finds his way back in order to rescue his children who were kidnapped by Captain James Hook. Telling the story along with Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman (the leading actors) is John Williams. Few people associate the name “John Williams” with the movie, but John Williams had as much to do with Hook as James Barrie. John Williams is the creator of the unforgettable music that tells the story of a man who has forgotten who he is, and draws us in so that we may accompany him on his journey back to Neverland.
The music that John Williams created for this movie perfectly captures the essence of the story. Each song was written in such a way that the music on its own tells the same story that is being acted out. A perfect example of this is the song “Banning Back Home.” This song is played towards the beginning of the movie while Peter Banning (Peter Pan) is shown in an extremely busy setting at his office and then franticly trying to leave once he realized he was late for his son’s baseball game. The song has a jazz style and as such it portrays not only Banning’s rush to the game but also the modern world in which the movie opens. The jazz style of “Banning Back Home” contrasts the rest of the score, which is orchestration that illustrates the dreamlike sense of an adventure to a world beyond the third star to the right and straight on ‘till morning.
The orchestral adventure begins in the song “The Arrival of Tink/Flight to Neverland” when Tink comes to whisk Peter off to Neverland. The song begins with the violins and double basses creating a sense of urgency while the woodwinds and harp reflect Peter as he aimlessly meanders through the room. The music gradually changes and the violins strike single high notes to reflect the flight of Tinker Bell as she approaches the window. The music goes on to illustrate the conflict between Peter and the “Firefly from hell,” as he refers to her. After the struggle passes, and the music softens, it crescendos to a new melody that flows smoothly and contrasts the tension of the previous portion. The new melody is carefree and majestic; it demonstrates the thrill of being swept away to a world of dreams.
Such a brilliant and beautiful marriage between story and song is evidence of John Williams’ talent and genius. He has written the score for numerous movies and each one emanates the same exquisite mastery. His music has delighted the hearts of the young and old for more than four decades. As John Barrie’s stories captivate the imagination, likewise, John Williams’ music engulfs the heart and enthralls the soul.
I enjoyed reading this Janie. You are really good.