American Journey (originally titledThe Unfinished Journey) is a six-partorchestral composition by the American composerJohn Williams. The piece was commissioned byU.S. PresidentBill Clinton to accompany a multimedia presentation titledThe Unfinished Journey directed bySteven Spielberg for the 2000 "Millennium" celebrations. The work premiered at theLincoln Memorial inWashington, D.C. onNew Year's Eve, 1999.[1]
Lasting approximately twenty-five minutes in performance,American Journey is composed in six short movements played without pause:
The first movement, "Immigration and Building," contains quotes from Williams' score to the 1992 filmFar and Away. Additionally, the style of the music would heavily anticipate his score to the 2000 filmThe Patriot.[2]
American Journey is scored for threeflutes (II doubling onIrish flute, III doubling onpiccolo), twooboes,English horn, threeclarinets (III doubling onbass clarinet), threebassoons (III doubling oncontrabassoon), sixFrench horns, fourtrumpets, fourtrombones,tuba,timpani,percussion (bass drum,chimes,cymbals, field drum,orchestral bells, smalltriangle,snare drum,suspended cymbal,tambourine,tamtam,triangle,vibraphone,xylophone),harp,piano, andstrings (violins I & II,violas,violoncellos, anddouble basses) with optional accompaniment by two narrators.[1]
The film music critic James Southall said of the work, "...it's fantastic music. At times reminiscent of some of his film music, it's still wonderfully bracing and vividly descriptive music."[3] Christian Clemmensen ofFilmtracks was slightly more critical of the piece, saying, "Even within the United States, Williams' style is distinctly tied to theEast Coast, with the bulk of his efforts in tribute toNew England,New York and the traditions of music unique in those regions of the country. The 'American Journey' suite has nothing, for instance, to musically representCalifornia or theRocky Mountain region." Despite this criticism, Clemmensen nevertheless called the work "wholesome, entertaining music."[2]
A recording ofAmerican Journey was released January 15, 2002 on a compilation album bySony Classical Records. The album also featured Williams'1996 and2002Olympic themes, theNBC Nightly News themeThe Mission,For New York, and various other celebratory works and fanfares for orchestra.[2]
