Henry B

So does the Resistance March actually disappear from the score just a couple minutes after it's introduced? It's a little strange that this boisterous new theme isn't included in the Starkiller battle, although I think Scherzo for X-Wings is fine as it is.

Womp. Okay, thanks for the info.

Hey guys, I remember reading some discussion that the HD release (HDTracks etc) was "faked," upsampled from CD-quality files. However, I haven't been able to track this thread down on JWFan or on the entire internet. Can anyone relink to that discussion?

The fanfare at the beginning of the FYC version of "Snoke" and the fanfare for the reveal of the star destroyer (Main Title and the Attack on the Jakku Village @ 1:35): pretty much the same, yeah? Some sort of First Order fanfare? It also seems like the low string figure at 4:12 in the end credits has something to do with this motif.

The worst part of the prequel politics was the barely-veiled criticism of a certain president in Revenge of the Sith. Not saying I agree or disagree with what was implied - I know, I'm not allowed - just saying that the execution came across as incredibly conceited and broke the fourth wall for me. Lucas isn't as smart as he thinks he is.

Just wondering: are we positive that OST "Snoke" is a concert arrangement? I feel like it would fit Snoke's second scene pretty well in a chronological edit, even if the music doesn't quite match. Am I remembering correctly that that scene took place between "Han and Leia" and "The Bombing Run"? I know somebody (Jay?) posted a speculative complete cue list, but I can't find it

Just going to speculate a little. In the middle of "Torn Apart" we hear essentially an exact reprise of "The Starkiller." It's certainly effective, but I do wonder whether Williams wrote some other options for that scene - maybe even the tragic version of Han and Leia's theme that we all expected. Another reason I'm looking forward to the unreleased, unused music.

Oh no it isn't.

It's a very chameleonic theme. I was conscious that I was hearing something throughout the film but I couldn't latch onto the melody. I kept expecting to hear "The Jedi Steps," which we thought was Rey's theme, so that distracted me as well. During my second viewing, by which time I had listened to the album several times, the themes were clear as day. Not just Rey's, but Poe's heroic fanfare, the March of the Resistance, all that.

​Somewhat mystified by the lukewarm reactions to this one. It has all the strengths of modern Williams and few of the weaknesses. And I think the few nods to the original trilogy style are more credible than anything in the prequel scores. (I'm talking about stuff like breezy, optimistic passages of music with a biting "wrong note" underneath - he used to do that all the time.) It corrects what was a very clunky transition in Revenge of the Sith.

I can't say I was terribly excited by Snoke's theme, but after seeing the film I understand why Williams didn't write a new Emperor's theme. Palpatine was a very religious figure: a demon, anti-Christ, etc. Grand choruses of doom suited him well. We don't really know anything about Snoke, but I get a different vibe. He seems more animalistic, and perhaps someone with a bone to pick, not a secret conspirator all his life.

Maybe my issue is that the theme is so romantic. The reveal of the Falcon is a light hearted, surprising moment, and I don't think a broad, dramatic melody would have fit. (Okay, so don't use it then, but place "Han and Leia" later on in the scene during the chase through the ship ruins? Fine, fine, perhaps.)

Yeah, true, it would have been nice to hear that theme get more of a workout. I don't think it would have fit the escape from Jakku scene at all, though, since Han isn't present.

One thing I loved about this score is that we've finally gotten Luke's theme back. That was one of the biggest disappointments of Episodes II and III: that we hardly heard the main theme of the saga. It felt odd to open and close the films with material that was totally alien to the rest of the score. (Sure, it does make a couple appearances in Episode III, one of them deleted from the film, buuuuuut...) Yes, the theme isn't really Luke's anymore, and isn't that okay? He's a world apart from the character we met in the original film, so maybe he deserves some new music (perhaps, like you guys have said, that tune from "The Jedi Steps.") I always thought that the "main theme" designation was more appropriate than "Luke's theme," and it is indeed a main theme in this film. In the same vein, I'm also fine with the fact that the Rebel Fanfare is now the Falcon Fanfare. The Resistance is a little bit different from the Rebellion, so it's appropriate that they have new music.

Listening to Revenge of the Sith as I await the new score. What strikes me is how good the individual moments are - and how little cohesion there is. A lot of the blame certainly lies with Lucas. There's the fact that large sections of the film were not made available to Williams and ended up with tracked music from the previous films. The narrative and thematic framework of the score is filled with holes because of this; certain ideas could not be developed or brought to completion (probably the most egregious unscored scene is Vader's march on the Jedi Temple). Then there's Lucas's editing style in general - just terrible for a dramatic score. Quick wipe, transition, shot of a ship landing, two lines of dialogue, another shot of a ship landing... too fragmentary to satisfactorily score. But I also think Williams dropped the ball on a few occasions; two complete renditions of "Qui-Gon's Funeral" in a row? What on Earth? As wonderful as that piece was in the context of The Phantom Menace, we really didn't need to hear it twice. And why didn't we ever hear much of Anakin's Theme? So what we're left with (both on album and in the unreleased stuff) is a series of brilliant moments, but a whole that is less than the sum of its parts. Abrams' editing style is totally different. I have high hopes that this score will feel complete and cohesive.

Skyy, for the same reasons that he was unable to score "Bridge of Spies" and had to turn over conducting duties on TFA to William Ross. I don't know anything specifically. I'm just wondering if it's a possibility.

Is it possible that Williams was simply unavailable to score Trailer #3 because of his recent medical issues? We all seem to be assuming that it was a marketing decision not to hire him.

It definitely functions as Han's leitmotif in Empire. There are scenes scored with that theme that don't have anything to do with Leia or the love story. But in Jedi, it serves as the love theme only.

So you would think. But some of the new books and games leading up to TFA (Uprising, Aftermath) incorporate Jakku, and they've made it clear that it is its own planet. Any ideas on the speakers of these lines? Leia? "Who are you?" "The Force... it's calling to you. Just let it in."

Indeed, Jay. It's quite impressive just how little this trailer reveals. Also, the shot of Finn standing on a cliff overlooking not-Mos Eisley... why is this a new planet and not Tatooine? I'm really, really confused.

I haven't been keeping up with prequel music completism lately, so I apologize if I'm repeating any information. In addition to this original score by Gordy Haab, the game contains a fair amount of Williams music, including unreleased prequel bits. I noticed that "Goodbye Obi-Wan" was there in its entirety, including the end of the cue with Anakin's nightmare. (Last I knew, we were missing these few seconds, but I could be wrong!) Also, the beta of the game (open only until this Tuesday) is lots of good, dumb fun.

Jay, I've picked up on a couple more references to Williams' music. The Island theme clearly appears at 4:25 in "Costa Rican Standoff," and at 2:35 in "Gyrosphere of Influence" there's something that might be a reference to the intro of the main theme. The last note is lower, though.

As for the Hollywood session players taking over for the LSO: the LSO is not perfect. They are actually regarded as a second tier orchestra, from what I understand (top tier = Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, etc.). The London Symphony Orchestra is not "second tier" by any stretch of the imagination. Where did you hear that, Henry? Second tier as in: still the best players in the world, immaculate sight reading ability, but not the top in artistic direction and programming choices. Maybe the term is too harsh; they're still really near the top of course.

Film score conducting is a very technical skill. It is not about infusing the music with enthusiasm and magic. Watch Williams conduct this legendary piece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGsbKZnaT8E&t=1m45s To me, getting upset about William Ross conducting is like getting upset that the orchestral parts aren't handwritten by Williams. It's a task that can be delegated; it doesn't affect the final product in any way. Besides, Williams isn't one of the top conductors in the world. He's not even necessarily the best conductor for his own music. Remember the Skywalker Symphony recording of Star Wars? As for the Hollywood session players taking over for the LSO: the LSO is not perfect. They are actually regarded as a second tier orchestra, from what I understand (top tier = Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, etc.). I agree that the brass sounded kind of awful in KotCS, but I think it was more of a mixing issue than a performance issue. I'm just glad that Williams is actually doing this score. Didn't we all expect the job to go to Giacchino when Episode 7 was announced?

Jesus Christ. It's no wonder that women never post here.