The Mission

“The Mission” is the name of an orchestral suite originally commissioned by NBC News in 1985. It was written by famed film composed John Williams and features four distinct movements: “The Mission” (the movement is distinct from the suite) “Fugue for Changing Times,” “Scherzo for Today” and “The Pulse of Events.” Many of the movements have been re-orchestrated and re-recorded over the years with differing sounds, though the core signature of “The Mission” is still used by “NBC Nightly News” while “Pulse of Events” is heard on “Meet the Press” and in NBC News Special Report opens. “Today” stopped using “Scherzo” in 1990 and “Fugue” has seen only minimal use over the years. To make the most of each recording session, the various versions have reportedly recorded multiple variations and cuts over the years, some of which have never been widely heard.