GALAXY'S EDGE - New John Williams composition (2018)

[Nick Parker 3,040]

26 minutes ago, Ghostbusters II said:

True Star Wars fans called 1-800-TRUE-FAN in the 90s.

 

 

[toothless 963]

4 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

When I went to the LTP of Azkaban most of the audience chatted and walked out on the orchestra when the credits hit. People just take music for granted, we’re conditioned to ignore it as background noise.

I would be so mad if it went that way in France. Usually, when the credits starts, there is 5sc of applause and then everybody listens . Sure there are always some who walk out but very few.

[mrbellamy 6,270]

My country ‘tis of thee...

[Incanus 5,713]

This new music is wonderful stuff. It feels closer to Williams' celebratory pieces for big public venues or celebrations with a broader jubilant feel to it. Definitely full of those little flourishes and stylistic details that make it almost instantly feel like Star Wars, although I am a bit surprised that the melodic hook is not catchier. 

 

I hope they will release this music at some point.

[toothless 963]

22 minutes ago, Incanus said:

I am a bit surprised that the melodic hook is not catchier. 

 

 

I would argue this is highly subjective 

[Incanus 5,713]

2 minutes ago, toothless said:

 

 

I would argue this is highly subjective 

Of course. But I guess Williams was going for a broader stylistic arc for the piece which seems like a "welcome to Star Wars Park" type of jubilant and grandiose introduction piece.

[toothless 963]

Just now, Incanus said:

Of course. But I guess Williams was going for a broader stylistic arc for the piece which seems like a "welcome to Star Wars Park" type of jubilant and grandiose introduction piece.

 

 

As an exemple, I find this melody more rapidly catchier than Adventures of Han (I like that piece but it took me longer to get it).

[Incanus 5,713]

7 minutes ago, toothless said:

As an exemple, I find this melody more rapidly catchier than Adventures of Han (I like that piece but it took me longer to get it).

I was mainly talking about the material heard in the first post of this thread which of course isn't the entire thing, not the subsequent videos where you can hear the longer piece under all the crowd noise at the event. I wish we could hear the complete piece in good sound.

[King Mark 3,624]

weird I can't get  it out of my head

[Tom 4,631]

This will be the best piece of the GE music (in all likelihood), but there is a good chance Williams scored some of the rides.  It will be exciting to hear all of it--especially the one that plays out as a mini-movie (don't know the name).   

 

As to Incanus's point, the recording is horrific and no sane person should have listened to it as much as I have.  However, the main melody is very strong and memorable.  It is "catchy" upon a couple of listens, but not so much the first.  Once the clean copy comes out (and, while waving my hand, a clean copy will come out), the melody and other moments of awesomeness will be evident.  This is top ten level SW music. 

[JohnnyD 1,220]

Are you referring to Rise of the Resistance? That is the reason why I am planning my trip for December. That attraction is the most advanced and ambitious that has ever been made, and it will be opening later this year, not on the opening of Galaxy’s Edge at the end of August. I want to experience EVERYTHING in one trip.

[King Mark 3,624]

that minute between 9.15 and 10.15 is mind blowing

 

the first few seconds is also one of the best opening of a concert version he ever did (we can hear that properly in the official live feed)

[Jay 37,254]

So no one's tried to clean up the audio and repost it yet? 

[King Mark 3,624]

I'm not sure how that's possible though

 

also I think the suite might be an edit of smaller section recorded seperately. In the original video the opening starts clean without the fanfare

 

[Jay 37,254]

We need an album of variations on the piece. Everything recorded. 

[Datameister 2,034]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

We need an album of variations on the piece. Everything recorded. 

 

That'd be an instant purchase. (I finally just listened to the SW Celebration video with the full suite, and I'm so in love!) I'm really hoping that somehow we get a "Music of Galaxy's Edge" album like we did with Cars Land when that opened.

 

In the meantime, pardon me while I go edit together the different bits that have been released...

 

EDIT: Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like we have the following:

 

1. The full concert suite ("Galaxy's Edge") as heard at SW Celebration, including the absolutely incredible "Galaxy's Edge Alt. Beginning"

2. A clean abridged version of the same suite, omitting the alternate beginning and editing out most of the middle

3. A clean bit at the start of the middle section that was edited out of #2, heard in this video

4. In that same video, what seems to be a similar alternate ending to the concert suite

5. The Coke ad

[King Mark 3,624]

ok I got this video to start at the opeining fanfare .it was kind of a pain in the ass to find

 

 

22 hours ago, Datameister said:

 

 

1. The full concert suite ("Galaxy's Edge") as heard at SW Celebration, including the absolutely incredible "Galaxy's Edge Alt. Beginning"

 

 what do you mean by alt beginning? the fanfare at the beginning?

 

As for  the "B" section of the theme, the original video on page 1 of this thread was the ending of the piece, while the more recent video that sounds more militaristic was the opening

[Datameister 2,034]

2 hours ago, King Mark said:

ok I got this video to start at the opeining fanfare .it was kind of a pain in the ass to find

 

 

 what do you mean by alt beginning? the fanfare at the beginning?

 

As for  the "B" section of the theme, the original video on page 1 of this thread was the ending of the piece, while the more recent video that sounds more militaristic was the opening

 

That opening fanfare seems to match a bit of sheet music distantly seen in the initial music video with the title "Galaxy's Edge Alt. Beginning." It certainly wasn't recorded as part of "Galaxy's Edge" proper, which starts with a big slow swell directly into the shimmering strings. (The swell at the beginning of the alternate beginning, as heard under Josh Gad's closing words in the video you linked, is different.)

 

And yeah, the original music video skips from the opening of the piece to near the end, starting with what you're referring to as the B theme. The more recent video contains statements of the same material from closer to the beginning.

[King Mark 3,624]

ah I get it. But that fanfare is great. I hope it's included in an eventual release of the piece

[Datameister 2,034]

10 hours ago, King Mark said:

ah I get it. But that fanfare is great. I hope it's included in an eventual release of the piece

 

Seriously!

[King Mark 3,624]

there's a chance it might not be fully released officially, but maybe more "promo" videos for Galaxy's Edge park will have the unreleased bits we can use to stitch a complete Version

[mrbellamy 6,270]

Since they made a point of saying the SW Celebration piece was “the first time” it was being played in public, I assume that’s what it’ll be if we’re lucky to get something this summer. Otherwise I guess he just meant the first time before it’s blasting through the park all day.

[Datameister 2,034]

10 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Since they made a point of saying the SW Celebration piece was “the first time” it was being played in public, I assume that’s what it’ll be if we’re lucky to get something this summer. Otherwise I guess he just meant the first time before it’s blasting through the park all day.

 

I wouldn't read too much into his wording. That was the concert suite as recorded (plus the alternate beginning); I think he was just saying it hadn't been heard before in its entirety. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say this will definitely get officially released in some form eventually, though. Probably either what we heard at SW Celebration or the same thing without the alternate intro. (Please let them include it!) When a music project from the parks is high-profile enough to get blog posts and official YouTube music videos and featured moments in conventions (even as exit music), it's something they'll include either on a standalone Galaxy's Edge album or at least on one of the whole-park/whole-resort soundtracks. It's a matter of when, not if, IMO.

 

As for the "blasting through the park all day", I'm guessing - and god, I hope I'm right - that this will NOT be part of the area background music in Galaxy's Edge. I want relatively unobtrusive indigenous Batuu music, not something orchestral and flashy and "Star Warsy." All of that wonderfulness can be saved for the queues and attractions. But if it's not and they do go orchestral for the area BGM, I'd be very surprised if it's all based on this new theme. Area BGM loops are typically over an hour long, and I doubt Williams has written and recorded over an hour of non-monotonous variations on this theme.

 

In fact, I'm really wondering where this theme will be used in the parks at all. It makes a lot of sense as trailer/promo music, but I can't think of anywhere it seems like it would fit in the land itself. Oh well...we'll know either way in a little over a month.

[crumbs 14,287]

Probably at the entrance and in their marketing, first and foremost. 

[mrbellamy 6,270]

3 hours ago, Datameister said:

As for the "blasting through the park all day", I'm guessing - and god, I hope I'm right - that this will NOT be part of the area background music in Galaxy's Edge. I want relatively unobtrusive indigenous Batuu music, not something orchestral and flashy and "Star Warsy." All of that wonderfulness can be saved for the queues and attractions. But if it's not and they do go orchestral for the area BGM, I'd be very surprised if it's all based on this new theme. Area BGM loops are typically over an hour long, and I doubt Williams has written and recorded over an hour of non-monotonous variations on this theme.

 

In fact, I'm really wondering where this theme will be used in the parks at all. It makes a lot of sense as trailer/promo music, but I can't think of anywhere it seems like it would fit in the land itself. Oh well...we'll know either way in a little over a month.

 

Well I was being sorta figurative, obviously I doubt it’ll just be this piece on a loop. But I feel like this is kinda made to be blared over loudspeakers. I think it’ll be played sporadically along with in-universe music, why not? They’re gonna wanna make people feel like they’re in a Star Wars movie, which musically should include both the weird/wacky shit the characters would hear and the John Williams romanticism that is essential to the movie experience. I’d totally wanna hear this walking into the park.

[Datameister 2,034]

If the goal is total immersion, I would argue that the use of orchestral score in the area BGM would be counterproductive. They have used this approach sporadically in Tomorrowland when it's been in full-blown Star Wars mode, and I'm not a fan. The SW scores follow the action so closely and hit so many leitmotifs that I end up feeling vaguely like there are specific moments going on nearby that we're all supposed to be reacting to. But instead, I'm marveling at the rockwork and architecture, or checking wait times, or looking for a restroom, or whatever. Nothing that would prompt a statement of Leia's theme or a dramatic action cue, in other words.

 

On the other hand, stepping into a specific, directed story like a show or an attraction queue provides a great opportunity for orchestral underscore. And it's all the more effective if you haven't already been listening to a bunch of Star Wars music for the last half-hour already.

 

Just my perspective, though. I'm also probably biased by comparisons to Wizarding World, where they did not take my approach...and Universal's proclivity for overly-short BGM loops gets on my nerves.

[Tom 4,631]

Disney has already addressed this issue.  The music throughout the park will be diegetic.  While they have not mentioned where this piece will be played, one would guess that it will be at the gates to GE itself. 

[Datameister 2,034]

54 minutes ago, Tom said:

Disney has already addressed this issue.  The music throughout the park will be diegetic.  While they have not mentioned where this piece will be played, one would guess that it will be at the gates to GE itself. 

 

Oh, did they? I must have missed that. I only knew about the diegetic music inside Oga's Cantina. Yay! Even the entrances to the land seem like they'd be a technical challenge - based on the layout, I'd imagine they don't have much sonic isolation from the nearby areas of the land itself, nor from the nearby areas of Frontierland and Critter Country. (I'm talking about the Disneyland version, of course. I'm less familiar with how the Florida version is situated.) But who knows!

[Fabulin 3,506]

.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

2012+ best ever

[karelm 2,901]

9 hours ago, Datameister said:

If the goal is total immersion, I would argue that the use of orchestral score in the area BGM would be counterproductive. They have used this approach sporadically in Tomorrowland when it's been in full-blown Star Wars mode, and I'm not a fan. The SW scores follow the action so closely and hit so many leitmotifs that I end up feeling vaguely like there are specific moments going on nearby that we're all supposed to be reacting to. But instead, I'm marveling at the rockwork and architecture, or checking wait times, or looking for a restroom, or whatever. Nothing that would prompt a statement of Leia's theme or a dramatic action cue, in other words.

 

On the other hand, stepping into a specific, directed story like a show or an attraction queue provides a great opportunity for orchestral underscore. And it's all the more effective if you haven't already been listening to a bunch of Star Wars music for the last half-hour already.

 

Just my perspective, though. I'm also probably biased by comparisons to Wizarding World, where they did not take my approach...and Universal's proclivity for overly-short BGM loops gets on my nerves.

Why would you think the goal is total immersion?  The goal is maximum profit.  You having a good time is more important than you feeling like you're there.  Music will be all over.  Lots of Star Wars walking around music I expect.  They want you to stay long and spend lots of money because you love your SW experience.  Does Caesars Palace in Vegas want you to be immersed in ancient Rome or spend lots of time and money at their venue?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Haunted Mansion is more immersive because you see yourself in the mirror with a ghost at the end.

[Arpy 4,145]

Theme Park - it's in the name - they're gonna blast out every Star Wars theme they can!

 

[Datameister 2,034]

3 hours ago, karelm said:

Why would you think the goal is total immersion?  The goal is maximum profit.  You having a good time is more important than you feeling like you're there.  Music will be all over.  Lots of Star Wars walking around music I expect.  They want you to stay long and spend lots of money because you love your SW experience.  Does Caesars Palace in Vegas want you to be immersed in ancient Rome or spend lots of time and money at their venue?

 

I did say "if." With regards to whether that actually is the goal, I suppose it depends on whose goals we're talking about. People whose job is to maximize profits will of course have that as their goal, generally speaking. Not everyone a company employs will fit that description, though - even when you're talking about a public company as massive and risk-averse as Disney. Some people like creating immersive stuff.

 

Besides, there's a broader trend in American theme park design right now toward ultra-immersive IP-based lands: Cars Land, Wizarding World, Pandora, Galaxy's Edge, that sort of thing. These are spaces whose designs are approved with maximal profit being a major goal, yes, but part of how they aim to do that is by appealing to the hardcore fans who want to spend lots of time soaking up all the details, catching all the Easter eggs, indulging the fantasy that they've actually stepped into a galaxy far, far away. Naturally, there are a lot of other markets they're going after, too - many of them much broader and much less discerning. But even for them, having a good time and feeling like you're there don't have to be mutually exclusive. At the very least, "complete immersion" is a significant part of how they're marketing Galaxy's Edge.

 

I suppose this discussion is a bit pointless if they've already confirmed the use of diegetic area BGM, as @Tom says. (Where did you hear that, Tom, if you remember? Just curious.) But in the absence of that confirmation, I would concede that the BGM situation could just as easily be going the other way. I would just find it disappointing based on my own tastes - tastes which also lead me to find Disneyland delightful and Caesars Palace vaguely repulsive.

 

EDIT: I'm an idiot. They confirmed it in the very page I linked to. "John Williams, who composed the saga’s unforgettable scores, has written new compositions for the land, which will play during cinematic moments in Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance. And the land promises to be filled with alien languages, sound effects, and the pop music of Batuu. 'We’re creating a soundscape,' said John Dennis, executive creative director of music production at Walt Disney Imagineering." That settles it. Total immersion wins here, at least!

[Tom 4,631]

I remember some other interview as well from a month or so that also mentioned that they did not want SW music blaring as you walk along the streets and shops.  I remember thinking that did not bode well for a big new theme--fortunately, I inferred wrong.  I take from the article linked-above near-confirmation that Williams scored the two rides, but I suppose there is a possibility that someone else adapted. 

[crumbs 14,287]

Ooh, I like the sound of an action sequence centred around the Resistance. Could be very fun!

 

Williams has been a little limited in his ability to present a fully-fledged rendition of the Resistance march in action mode thus far, but the brief quotes in Escape and Battle of Crait really demonstrate its potential for such usage. 

 

Just imagine an equivalent of Here They Come using the Resistance theme! 

[Holko 9,491]

The immersion would be much greater if nobody was walking around in modern Muggle clothes in HPLand. Put robes over everyone who enters and take it back when they exit or something! Maybe they could even purchase it to keep. People who bring their own get 10% off the ticket. Same with SWLand, give everyone an immersive poncho!

[Faleel 5,326]

Another doc with JW's theme:

 

https://video-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.9040-2/58930477_285102015712846_331269560525127680_n.mp4?_nc_cat=111&efg=eyJybHIiOjM1MiwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0%3D&_nc_ht=video-ort2-1.xx&oh=72f30e057e3c905a772f6581dbf1a804&oe=5CC21EE4

[Jay 37,254]

Any new material, or just different quality of what we've already heard?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

On 4/20/2019 at 11:08 PM, Holko said:

The immersion would be much greater if nobody was walking around in modern Muggle clothes in HPLand. Put robes over everyone who enters and take it back when they exit or something! Maybe they could even purchase it to keep. People who bring their own get 10% off the ticket. Same with SWLand, give everyone an immersive poncho!

 

Also if there weren't railings everywhere. The in-universe explanation for the railings in HP World may be that they magically conjured them to guide muggles on their tour of Hogwarts, but that never made sense anyway. Why are there railings everywhere?

[Faleel 5,326]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

Any new material, or juts different quality of what we've already heard?

No idea, the Williams music for the first TFA trailer is also in there, and possibly a new recording of the SW77 Main Title + End Title suite.

[King Mark 3,624]

doesn;t sound like anything new in there

[Datameister 2,034]

Yeah, nothing new from the land. This one's actually already been out since December. Here's the official posting, with better sound quality:

 

 

It was a very cool video for those looking forward to the land itself; just not much new as far as music goes.

[King Mark 3,624]

the  "official" release of the theme is probably the video with Ross conducting. It might stay that way forever

 

 

eeeh ,I extracted all the unreleased bits from the various videos for reference but trying to edit them together is kind of pointless

[Datameister 2,034]

5 hours ago, King Mark said:

the  "official" release of the theme is probably the video with Ross conducting. It might stay that way forever

 

 

eeeh ,I extracted all the unreleased bits from the various videos for reference but trying to edit them together is kind of pointless

 

I doubt it. It may take years, or it may come within the next few months, but I just have this feeling that there will be an official release. With how (relatively) much effort and publicity they've got surrounding the music of this land, I wouldn't be surprised if it got its own album. The Williams concert suite, some music from Oga's cantina, some area BGM, some ride score...call it a day. I'll certainly buy it.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I too am confident a release of sorts will happen, especially if JW is happy with the result. Perhaps it's gonna be digital-only, with physical CD available only in the parks.

 

It would be nice to know the amount of music he wrote. From what it seems, it's more than what we initially thought.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

6 minutes ago, TownerFan said:

 

 

It would be nice to know the amount of music he wrote. From what it seems, it's more than what we initially thought.

 

Stuff like this really makes you question the validity of this whole "total retirement" rumor. A composer who's maintained for decades that he'll do this job that he loves until he's physically unable, would go from 100 (pieces for Galaxy's Edge, his dozen-plus reworkings for Sophie-Mutter, etc.) to 0, full stop, after the completion of a movie? The only way that's plausible is if he's trying to cram as many pencil squiggles beforehand. 

 

Also, count me as another who believes at least the theme will be commercially released.

[crumbs 14,287]

If Williams is happy with the piece and wants it released, it'll be released.

 

Disney have bent over backwards to keep Williams happy since the Lucasfilm acquisition. A digital release costs them practically nothing and means  hundreds of thousands in revenue. It's such easy money, considering the volume of visitors they're expecting to visit the park.

 

Plus it has huge marketability, being recorded by the LSO. They don't come cheap!

[bollemanneke 3,334]

6 hours ago, Datameister said:

 

I doubt it. It may take years, or it may come within the next few months, but I just have this feeling that there will be an official release. With how (relatively) much effort and publicity they've got surrounding the music of this land, I wouldn't be surprised if it got its own album. The Williams concert suite, some music from Oga's cantina, some area BGM, some ride score...call it a day. I'll certainly buy it.

Or this might be a perfect moment for the LSO to bring out a 2-CD set with all the Star Wars concert arrangements plus this one re-recorded.

[Fabulin 3,506]

.