Collaboration

I recently watched the AFI Master Class episode in which Steven Spielberg and John Williams discussed their collaboration on such films as "Jaws," "E.T." and "Schindler's List."  Spielberg commented that the musical score provided by Williams has taken his films to another level.  The impact of suitably placed music
in a film is readily apparent.  Who can forget the tension and terror evoked upon first seeing "Jaws" heightened by the perfectly themed score?  Music enhances documentaries as well, perhaps most ably demonstrated in the work of Ken Burns.  The tone set throughout by "Ashokan Farewell" attracted new audiences to his masterpiece on the Civil War.  Symbiotically, interest in the song and the events spiked.  Many people, myself included, mistakenly believed this waltz to be a traditional, 19th century work, that may have been played in campgrounds between 1861 and 1865.  In fact, it was composed by Jay Ungar in 1982, some eight years before Ken Burns conquered PBS.  It may well be the star of the film.