Love the "Look! In the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!" allusion he throws in there at 4:01.

wow, Williams looks really energetic conducting this piece.

As much as I like Zimmer's theme from Man of Steel, it can't hold a candle to Willaim's iconic score.

Best work Williams ever did! Never mind believing a man can fly. I listen to this and I believe I can fly!! Bring on the next Supes film! Man Of Steel. Wannit!!!!

My late dad was a big band composer/conductor. I went with him to see this movie back when it came out in 1978. I remember him saying during the title sequence: "Wow! This opening music theme is already worth the price of admission! I already got back what I paid for". So true!

On hearing this music, I CAN believe a man can fly! Stirring stuff.

i play this superman the movie soundtrack quite often because it's my favorite. look @ j. williams & all those musicians playing. it's beauty & hardwork. it's strong & powerful music. i still miss c. reeve. it was also his music.****

This is a terrific anecdote. Thanks for sharing it.

John Williams is the movie theme song king!!

This is pretty awesome, I have heard many recordings and performances over many years by several orchestras but this is probably the best and closest orchestral performance to the original LSO recording from 1978. The London Symphony Orchestra back in the 70's and early 80's was just phenomenal. The trombonists were insanely good, they were perfection! Does anyone know what I am talking about? There was just something about those years or performances that we just don't hear or see in soundtrack recordings in these new films. Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars, The Fury, Raiders and few others were just moments in time that we will never see or hear again. Love seeing the brass tearing-it-up in these recordings! Would love see original studio recordings (full cues) from these movies, you know George Lucas has it hidden somewhere.

One of the greatest themes of all time! I remember as a kid,after hearing this song I'd get this feeling that if I'd look up I would see Superman flying watching over us. I'm 30 now and after hearing it again after so long it gave me that sensation again! I was almost afraid to look up as my imagination took over again! Thank you John Williams!

Lo digo en español... simplemente sublime, Maestro Williams es usted un GENIO

I believe the Hollywood Studio Symphony--a recording-only orchestra--performed John Ottman's score to "Superman Returns".

As a learning composer, I see this piece as a model of perfection. Every melodic gesture, counterpoint and punctuation feels harmonious. The orchestration is masterfully balanced and coloured. I know he uses the help of an orchestrator, but it is strictly a matter of time and money constraint; you cannot write a piece like this without being yourself a master orchestrator. The form is simply perfect. A masterwork by a a great master.

The little flute accents he throws in at 1:22 and 1:26 always make me think of CLark Kent typing at his typewriter.

If you're talking about the orchestra in this video, it's the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Man ,if I had footage like this when I was a kid ! Without a doubt one of the most awesome themes of all time! So many great melodies! I I love that piccolo that is in alot of John Williams music! Hear it in 'The Asteroid Field" (Empire Strikes Back) also.I remember first seeing this movie in the theatre when theatres had curtains.Incredible ! What a great time for movies and without the awful CG !

Remember good artists copy, great artists steal.

Judging by the sound, it is L.A. Philhormonic. They where the ones who did Superman Returns and it has the quality of sound.

I learned something new, thanks.

Epic....

Great observation! Never thought of that! Yes the flute staccato "high ostinato/pedal" line. I was able to take a look into the Williams "signature series" score of this: the "Superman March" - the details of his orchestrations are mind bending (I would be happy to really understand the hows and whys of 10% of it - I don't) and right up there with the great (early) 20th Century composers such as Holst and Copland. Awesome!

@songsmadeforyou I love that chord!! I know what you mean

For Christopher Reeves :D

Exactly! :-D In laymans terms: good artists seek inspiration and imitate as good as they can. Great artists have the profound knowledge and understanding of what they are copying - they have the chops to make exact transcriptions/replicas of the originals. Still: I just loooooove John Williams - isn't he just awesome???

S23062018. RIP Margot Kidder.

@songsmadeforyou CMaj7 over an FMaj7. The FMaj7 is in 3rd inversion, I think - play that chord on the piano, starting on the E below middle C. Just put a C Maj7 (in root position) an octave above that, and, as Otis says, "Wala". It's funny how everybody gets this chord wrong when they do fan versions of this piece. Have fun.

The brass/horn fifth intervals in unison ? Nah, it is just a small motif. The harmonies after that could clearly be called as bing "ripped off" from Aaron Copland - I call it John Williams, he openly admits to take bits and pieces from here and there (Wagner, Rachmaninov, Debussy) - but he turns them into something new - and owns them. Like all great composers he is able to take bits and pieces bdcause he 1) knows them, 2) understands them, 3) builds them together to form something his own.

Lex Luthor is the only 1 who dislikes this..

what chord is that when they go--- do do do "laaaaaaaaaaaaaa" so

Makes me think of old newsreel footage intros, complete with "fake" Morse code urgently beaming out the news. It's the same feel that he put into the "NBC Nightly News" theme. Surely 1:20 to 1:48 represents bustling Metropolis and 2:24 to 3:00 ("Can You Read My Mind") is Lois Lane and the Daily Planet, underscored with more "fake" Morse code. You can almost hear an "S O S".

Look, up in the sky Bird or plane We all know his name...

S09122017. Se parece mucho el Tema de Star Wars- Williams: The Imperial March a El inicio de Parade of The Charioteers Ben Hur-Rozsa para Re-Recording Carlo Savina, que igual se repite en Parade of The Charioteers Ben Hur-Rozsa OST Oficial 1959 Orchestra MGM. Ben Hur-Rozsa Re-Recording Carlo Savina 1960. Ben Hur-Rozsa Re-Recording Miklos Rozsa 1977: Que es el Prelude Ben Hur-Rozsa Tema de Ben Hur; que se repite en: El Inicio Finale Ben Hur-Rozsa. El inicio The Sea Battle Sequences Part Three. The Burning Desert. Messala Revenge. Fanfare For Start Of Race. Ben Hur Crowned. Lepper Search for The Christ, Ben Hur-Rozsa. Misma Parte que Rozsa repite en su The Cid-Rozsa Prelude Tema The Cid; misma parte Rodriguo's Doubts - Death of The Cid. Y que Rozsa utiliza en su Inicio de su Hail Galba Quo Vadis- Rozsa; y que repite en su Inicio de Prelude Knights of The Round Table- Rozsa, y donde se repita en Soundtracks Knights Of The Round Table Rozsa, inicio.Misma parte también Fanfare o Circus Fanfare From Ben Hur-Rozsa. Misma parte Quo Vadis Rozsa inicio Fanfare For The Bull. Firts Arena Fanfare. Second Arena Fanfare. Third Arena Fanfare: Que son un mismo soundtrack: Tema de Ben-Hur Prelude Ben Hur-Rozsa: En Soundtracks Ben Hur-Rozsa donde suena: Messala Revenge.The Burning Desert.The Sea Battle Sequences Part One, Part Three. Parade Of The Charioteers. Fanfare For Start Race. Ben Hur Crowned, que son un mismo Soundtrack. The Lepper Search For The Christ. Finale. Misma parte: Tema de The Cid: Prelude The Cid-Rozsa; En los Soundtracks The Cid-Rozsa donde se repita: Muerte del Cid, Finale The Legend. Similarmente en el caso Williams está Partitura posiblemente la repite en su Superman Theme y Score Superman- Williams donde se repita; Por ser Superman y Star Wars Temática Extraterrestre. Valgame aclarar que puede ser una Remembranza del Maestro John Williams de su Maestro El Maestro Miklos Rozsa. No un Plagio. Nunca un Plagio, que igual no podría asegurar.

Honest to God, if this song doesn't get your adrenaline flowing by the gallons, something is wrong with you.

I'm going to sound ignorant asking this, but the composer's movements, do they really mean anything for the musicians and how does it work anyways?

S23062018. Se parece mucho el Tema de Star Wars-Williams The Imperial March- reutilizado en Star Wars-Williams The Phantom menace The Flag Parade- a El Inicio de Parade Of The Charioteers Ben Hur-Rozsa para Re-Recording Carlo Savina, que igual se repite en Parade Of The Charioteers Ben Hur-Rozsa OST Oficial 1959 Orchestra MGM. Ben Hur-Rozsa Re-Recording Carlo Savina 1960. Ben Hur-Rozsa Re-Recording Miklos Rozsa 1977: Que es el Prelude Ben Hur-Rozsa Tema de Ben Hur; que se repite en: El Inicio Finale Ben Hur-Rozsa. El inicio The Sea Battle Sequences Part Three. The Burning Desert. Messala Revenge. Fanfare For Start Of Race. Ben Hur Crowned. The Lepers Search For The Christ, Ben Hur-Rozsa. En Soundtracks Ben Hur-Rozsa donde se repita su Prelude. Misma Parte que Rozsa repite en su Quo Vadis-Rozsa Fanfares For Nero. Third Fanfare for Nero. Fourth Fanfare for Nero. Inicio Fanfare For The Bull. First Arena Fanfare. Second Arena Fanfare. Third Arena Fanfare: Que son un mismo Soundtrack. Nero's Suicide. Hail Galba. Prelude Julius Caesar-Rozsa , Y Soundtracks Julius Caesar-Rozsa donde se repita su Prelude. Inicio de Prelude Knights Of The Round Table-Rozsa, y donde se repita en Soundtracks Knights Of The Round Table-Rozsa. The Cid-Rozsa Prelude Tema The Cid; misma parte Rodriguo's Doubts - Death of The Cid. Inicio de Prelude Knights Of The Round Table-Rozsa, y donde se repita en Soundtracks Knights Of The Round Table-Rozsa, inicio. Y en los Soundtracks The Cid-Rozsa donde se repita: Muerte del Cid, Finale The Legend. Similarmente en el caso Williams está Partitura posiblemente la repite en su Superman Theme y Score Superman- Williams donde se repita; Por ser Superman y Star Wars Temática Extraterrestre. Valgame aclarar que puede ser una Remembranza del Maestro John Williams de su Maestro El Maestro Miklos Rozsa. No un Plagio. Nunca un Plagio, que igual no podría asegurar.

F Lydian 11 (F-A-C-E-G-B).

@UFOSPACE1999 troll

chuck norris can't stand the fact that he's no match for superman that's why he disliked this video

Ripped off from Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" and and Korngold's "King's Row".