Why isn't John Williams considered the greatest composer of all time?

He is a tremendous musician, but how can he fit with the likes of Bach or Stravinsky? These are just two while the genius of European classical music is large. Williams may be the greatest popular culture composer of all time but how can we say he has the intellectual fervor or a wide enough palette of musical command that the greats displayed? There were classical musicians in history who were relegated to the "inferior" realm of being populists (Satie) simply because they favored accessibility and simple enjoyment over intellectual concerns. I think there is a degree of sophistication in the greats not present in Williams that separates him as a populist which philosophically may be in conflict with the aspirations of "fine art", "art for the sake of art", or evolving an entire traditional canon forward. In this sense, Williams is not so much a participant in it, as he is somebody who decided to focus on something else in his day and age, the cinema. I am not arguing this is aesthetically justified, but I cannot imagine Williams creating piano solos like Prokofiev or challenging an entire historical conception of music a la Schoenberg, etc. I may be ignorant because I have only listened to Williams' music from movies. Just because I have not seen fine art pieces from him does not mean they do not exist. It is also possible Williams' will be slowly brought into the classical realm in future generations as composers reach their greatness in the eyes of society after they've perished.

Williams is very good, and so have been many others. My advice is to open your search scope and discover a whole world of amazing music.

For a taste of the amazing amount of talented composers and music that is not recognized as mainstream but still brilliant, dial up the Unsung Masterworks channel on YT:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxTXsWYeS_-FK5eGLiARa5pgH...

For even more in the same “incidental” genre as Williams, perhaps consider some of the British Light Music composers:

https://youtu.be/NF4uBFYGva0

Robert Farnon is a personal favorite. Cheers!

He composes popular music that fits the movie its in very well. The melodies are memorable, the marches, stirring, and he is very prolific. However, listen to a Beethoven symphony, particularly the 5th or the 9th. Except for the bit about movies, they have everything a Williams piece has and more. Much more. The 9th, for example, runs anywhere from an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Much of Williams stuff runs a couple of minutes, at best. As far as being prolific, Beethoven is credited with 722 works of all types.

Is he the G.O.A.T.? No, not even close.

"Considered" by whom? And who has that honor now, to the best of your knowledge? Does it seem a bit juvenile to imagine artists ranked on a linear scale of "greatness?" Like teenagers arguing about the "greatest" rock drummer or "greatest" car?

No one serious about music would attempt to compare Beethoven to Bach, or Mozart to Verdi, or try to establish a ranking that includes Wagner and Williams.

“That’s a part of the sickness in America, that you have to think in terms of who wins, who loses, who’s good, who’s bad, who’s best, who’s worst. I don’t like to think that way. Everybody has their own value in different ways, and I don’t like to think who’s the best at this. I mean, what’s the point of it?” ― Marlon Brando

Listen to Beethoven’s 5th from beginning to end.

You will find that Williams does a good job re-arranging classical music.

it's because he hasn't yet experienced enough suffering to please the critics. like beethoven was a person of deafness. mozart was a person of coprolalia.

Indeed. But maybe because he works in the movies?

probably it's the same reason as how some good selling authors aren't considered as 'literary'