Jacck

One problem is that I can't help but compare this to the last Star Wars score, ROTS. Of this its an unfair comparison as ROTS is the end of a trilogy has has those necessary culminating sounds and emotional cues. TFA is far lighter and funner than ROTS. But as others have already said, the action music in TFA is disappointing, especially compared to past Star Wars action cues that are more memorable and more varied. TFA action cues seem to be defined only by brassy clashes. But there's no melodic identity to the action music on the CD release of TFA.

That's pretty fucking presumptuous.
So if everyone else was treading old ground, Williams is somehow at fault for exploring a new path? How dull and conformist your world must be.

Yes, the action music is one of the weaker parts of this score, in that it's pretty anonymous stuff for Williams. And there's just so much if it in this score. At least the action in the prequels had character.

"The Rathtars!" is perhaps my least favorite track on the album.

Right!! We KNOW there's so much music we haven't heard. And honestly, as an album, it's got to be one of JW's best. It's a killer listening experience.Many have said the OST represents the scores best highlights. And as an album it just can't compete with the highlights of any of the other SW scores.

It feels like it's just missing that one strong new setpiece theme, that the previous 5 films all had (Imperial March, Ewoks/Palpatine, Duel of the Fates, Across the Stars, Battle of the Heroes). I also think what may distinguish modern Williams from classic is perhaps a reluctance to borrow wholesale from classical music (Prokofiev, Holst, etc). He is now writing based on a long experienced career, rather than pastiche based on other styles and composers. (Perhaps the film was spotted with existing Star Wars music?) Either way, I think generally speaking the writing is strong, but there is definitely one unifying idea missing here, which is not the end of the world.

Three listens in and I will say this. It's good, but not great.

Ranked against the previous six Star Wars scores, its a clear last place

Ranked against all of Williams' post-2005 output, I like it more than Book Thief but less than War Horse, Lincoln, Tintin, and IJKOCS.

Ranked against all film music from the year 2015, its one of the best!


Really, the action music is the weakest part. There's some great, reflective stuff in "The Scavenger", "Rey's Theme", "Finn's Confession", "Han and Leia", and "The Jedi Steps". But the action music isn't as good as the Original Trilogy, or even the Prequel Trilogy, not even close.

For example, when I got the TPM OST, I was immediately replaying "Panaka and the Queen's Protectors ", "The Sith spacecraft and The Droid Battle", etc Long before I had even seen the filmed, I loved those. With AOTC it was The Chase Through Coruscant and The Arena. Those are instant classics! There's no action music on that level here.

Maybe I'll love this more once I've seen the film, but for now, its not a TERRIBLY exciting score. Of course, my expectations were probably too high.

AOTC has a good score. Its ROTS that the poorest one of the saga

I had no problem with the Main Title. A fine performance.

Just something about it, especially the brass writing, is more flamboyant than I usually expect from Williams. Obviously, much of it could be recalled from his other work, but it still sounds unusual in his repertoire.
Though, I am only 8 tracks in, now. Not a full sampling.

6 tracks into my first listen. This has a really... different sound for Williams. Not sure that's good or bad yet. Probably good because it doesn't seem like he is retreading.

Tavis's "mmm's" everytime Williams says something is grating and rude. I couldn't focus on anything Williams was trying to say without Tavis Smiley's damn interruptions!

Here's one that should calm down KM (from FSM)

I'm glad Williams didn't put any choir to Han and Leia's Theme. It's rather kitsch, and I really disliked this on the trailer.

The great stuff comes in little moments now, I would say. It's hard for an entire piece or score to make me think "WOW!" against his highest standard, but there are moments in all his recent scores where I just have to smile. That cool bass clarinet/harpsichord riff at the beginning of "The Adventures of Tintin," the crazy piano bouncing around in "Snowy's Theme," the multiple false endings of "The Adventure Continues," little dramatic moments like the Homecoming theme on solo piano with Albert/Joey silhouetted against the sunset or the slow pull-back of Abe Lincoln reading to his son with that beautiful melody on oboe. Stuff like that still makes it all worth it.

I love Across the Stars, Love Theme/The Arena, and Williams' music for the speeder chase at the beginning. More highlights there than in ROTS, at least for me.

He merely indulges to the modern trend. Are woodwinds still banned from modern scoring?

Dudamel resonates very well with the kind of music John Williams writes. His involvment here actually elevates the score in my opinion.
Music is for everyone, to share, to perform and complement with new ideas. Dudamel respects Williams and has done a superb job conducting his music, so I have high hopes for his recording here.

https://www.facebook.com/GDudamel/photos/a.10150274477143605.347258.17116083604/10153715589193605/?type=3&theater

I have this image of Spielberg showing up to JW's house only to see JJ and JW having dinner through the gap in the curtains

It seems like satire to me, as in, a lame joke entirely unrelated to the score.

Totally agreed, and that's just from judging the clip above. His constant "yeah"s and "hmmm" disrupt the flow and almost gives the impression he wants Williams to wrap up so he can hear his own voice again. He doesn't seem particularly insightful either.
My anticipation for this interview has just dropped quite a few levels. Still, these days it's a treat just to hear him talk about anything, so I take what I get.
But I DREAM of a day when Williams is interviewed by a proper, knowledgeable person, in a conversation that doesn't just cater to a general audience. Ah, well...

I'll deal with it when I hear Rey's actual theme. This is so trailerised and cliche that it may as well scream RCP

It used to be my favourite (as it includes many of my favourite moments from the prequel scores), but for the reasons stated by Henry, I realized TPM is a much better and more satisfying score overall.

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.