in jaws in what register of the orchestra is the shark's theme
Jaws (soundtrack) John Williams composed the film's score, which earned him an Academy Award, his second win and first for Original Score,[1] and was later ranked the sixth greatest score by the American Film Institute.[2][3] The main "shark" theme, a simple alternating pattern of two notes—variously identified as "E and F"[4] or "F and F sharp"[5]—became a classic piece of suspense music, synonymous with approaching danger (see leading-tone). Williams described the theme as "grinding away at you, just as a shark would do, instinctual, relentless, unstoppable."[6] The piece was performed by tuba player Tommy Johnson. When asked by Johnson why the melody was written in such a high register and not played by the more appropriate French horn, Williams responded that he wanted it to sound "a little more threatening".[7] When Williams first demonstrated his idea to Spielberg, playing just the two notes on a piano, Spielberg was said to have laughed, thinking that it was a joke. As Williams saw similarities between Jaws and pirate movies, at other points in the score he evoked "pirate music", which he called "primal, but fun and entertaining".The primal opening notes are developed from the opening foreboding tone of Ravel's La Valse. [8] Calling for rapid, percussive string playing, the score contains echoes of La mer by Claude Debussy as well of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.[5][9]