Jaws

The suite opens with the theme most people already know: two low notes, alternating and speeding up, meant to signal the shark moving closer before it is ever seen. Williams builds tension purely from that simple rhythmic idea long before anything happens on screen or, in concert, before the music resolves.

From there the music opens into a broader, more adventurous sound world tied to the human side of the story, the crew setting out on the boat, with brighter brass and swelling strings that feel more like a sea voyage than a horror film. Listen for the contrast between this open-water material and the tight, repetitive danger motif, since the suite moves back and forth between the two.

Later sections escalate the two-note idea into full orchestral chaos, with pounding low strings, jabbing brass chords, and quick bursts of activity across the orchestra suggesting attack and struggle. The piece typically closes with a final surge of that opening motif pushed to its loudest and fastest point, giving the suite a clear, dramatic ending even without visuals.

John Williams composed the score for Steven Spielberg's 1975 film "Jaws," his first major collaboration with the director. The two-note ostinato that opens the suite became one of the most recognized pieces of film music ever written, and the score won the Academy Award for best original score in 1976. Williams later arranged the film's music into a concert suite so that its themes could be performed independently of the movie. Orchestras began programming the suite as film music grew into a regular part of symphonic pops and family concert seasons, and it remains one of Williams's most frequently performed concert works, often paired with other selections from his film scores.