John Williams’ recording output has already been the centerpiece of no less than three CD box-sets in recent years: both Sony Classical and Decca (Philips) retrospectives of the maestro’s work with the Boston Pops, and a superb Universal France box-set that offered a curated sojourn through Williams’ filmography, mainly with unremastered, LP-length programs but many rare and offbeat recordings as well. This month brings the first entry in what ought to be the most ambitious undertaking of these deluxe packages to date, JOHN WILLIAMS: THE ANTHOLOGY, a three-volume release from Sony Classical that seeks to offer most of Williams’ film recordings from 1969 onwards along with non-movie works.

Volume 1 spotlights Williams’ most significant soundtracks written from 1969-90, highlighting the majority of his scores from that time, mostly in their original LP configurations (though not all), and mainly in their most recent, remastered form. This means if Mike Matessino has remastered one of these scores in the not-too-distant past, that most up-to-date remaster has been used here. Sadly, that also means the Star Wars Trilogy scores are derived from the more recent, and somewhat controversial, Disney album “re-creations” and not the generally superior “Special Edition” ‘90s remasters that RCA (and, later, even Sony Classical themselves) issued.

What it does is bring together over 20 years of amazing film music in an individual package that’s spectacular simply because the music itself is. Even if you’ve bought these scores repeatedly, there’s something to be said for a single big box that collects so many riches from a lifetime of film scoring that’s filled with undisputed greatness.

Here’s a breakdown of each disc and what’s included:

• Disc 1 – The Reivers [LP program, Matessino remix]/Images [Matessino restoration, identical program to Quartet CD]
• Disc 2 – The Cowboys [Matessino remix, Varese CD Club expanded program minus two of that disc’s bonus tracks]
• Disc 3 – Earthquake [LP program, Matessino remix]/The Towering Inferno [LP program, Matessino master]
• Disc 4 – Jaws/Jaws 2 [LP programs, Matessino masters]
• Disc 5 – Star Wars [2-LP program, Disney remix by Leslie Ann Jones & Shawn Murphy]
• Disc 6 – Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Matessino remix, identical to “Expanded Soundtrack Presentation” (Disc 1) from the 40^th Anniversary La-Land release)
• Disc 7 – The Sugarland Express [Matessino remix, identical program to La-Land CD]
• Disc 8 – 1941 [LP program, Matessino remix]/The Fury [LP program]
• Disc 9 – Superman: The Movie [2-LP program, Matessino remix]
• Disc 10 – Dracula/Monsignor [LP programs, Matessino masters]
• Disc 11 – The Empire Strikes Back [2-LP program, Disney remix by Leslie Ann Jones & Shawn Murphy]
• Disc 12 – Raiders of the Lost Ark [Expanded program, identical to 2008 Concord/current Disney release, engineered by Shawn Murphy, Patricia Sullivan master]
• Disc 13 – E.T. [LP program, Matessino pre-master production, Bruce Botnick master]
• Disc 14 – Return of the Jedi [LP program, Disney remix by Leslie Ann Jones & Shawn Murphy]
• Disc 15 – Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom [Expanded program, identical to 2008 Concord/current Disney release, edited by Seth Presant, Patricia Sullivan master]
• Disc 16 – Spacecamp [LP program, Matessino master]
• Disc 17 – The Witches of Eastwick [Original Warner album]
• Disc 18 – Empire of the Sun [Original Warner album]
• Disc 19 – The Accidental Tourist [Original Warner album]
• Disc 20 – Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade [Expanded program, identical to 2008 Concord/current Disney release, edited by Seth Presant, Patricia Sullivan master]
• Disc 21 – Born on the Fourth of July/Always [Williams only tracks from their original MCA albums]
• Disc 22 – Home Alone [Original CBS album program minus Drifters/Southside Johnny Lyon tracks; Matessino remix]

Each disc is housed in its own sleeve with the original album artwork on one side and musical contents on the back. The track listing is also housed in a 132-page booklet featuring notes from Mike Matessino and John Takis along with the extensive, individual recording credits, dates, and corresponding information for each soundtrack represented here.

Obviously this isn’t a “definitive” package as the set is absent a few Williams favorites (“The River” specifically) and several others that weren’t available commercially at the time of their release – naturally I’m referring to the likes of “The Poseidon Adventure,” “Family Plot,” “Midway” and “Heartbeeps,” and their omission does leave a bit of a gap when one considers those scores are all worthwhile and, in the case of “Heartbeeps,” quite excellent indeed (even if the reputation for the picture isn’t!). Nor does it include Williams’ contributions to “Yes, Giorgio,” specifically the Pavarotti performed “If We Were In Love,” which did make it into the Universal France retrospective.

For that reason, Williams fans will likely want to retain/track down that 20 CD package for its uniquely curated discs and content, but there’s no question this Sony Classical anthology set is still well worth owning – especially if one is new to Williams’ filmography and/or doesn’t own some of the discs contained herein. It’s especially nice to have in-print versions of “The Accidental Tourist” – a lovely contrast to the Spielberg scores he was writing predominantly at the time – and “The Witches of Eastwick” again, even if one continues to yearn for an expanded version of the latter.

Naturally, for those of us who already own these scores, the value of this set lies in its collectible aspects and the convenience of housing so many outstanding works in one venue, and in that regard the set delivers. The packaging, meanwhile, is akin to most any classical CD box set you can find today, with the booklet promising that both Volumes 2 (1991-2008) and 3 (2011-22 and “Non-Film Works”) will be out this Fall. Recommended!

NEXT TIME: Kino Lorber Wraps Up August with REPOSSESSED (and more!) Until then, don’t forget to drop in on the official Aisle Seat Message Boards and direct any emails to our email address. Cheers everyone!