John Williams and Steven Spielberg discuss the creation of the ‘Jaws’ score

In the documentary ‘Music by John Williams’, director Steven Spielberg recounts his initial reaction to the minimalist score composed for the 1975 blockbuster ‘Jaws’. When composer John Williams presented a simple piano theme rather than a complex orchestral arrangement, Spielberg initially believed Williams was ‘making a joke’.

Williams explained that the intent behind the low-register strings and simple, repetitive tones was to create a sense of dread, simulating the experience of hearing something dangerous approaching in total darkness and silence. While the final soundtrack eventually incorporated additional orchestral elements such as tuba and bass trombone, the core concept of using deep, sparse sounds proved to be a defining element of the film’s tension.