Datameister

I know what you mean. Sound quality is definitely a factor; I suspect that if it ever gets a proper remaster, a lot of feelings will shift. But it's not just that. Compositionally, I agree that it's a notch or two below its predecessors. (Which still puts it above 99.99% of all film scores, to be clear.) One factor is the way JW handled the Imperial March. He may have overused it in ESB, but many of the arrangements were better. There's something leaner, angrier, more militaristic. Vertically speaking, there's a stronger emphasis on fifths and octaves. In ROTJ, the thirds are more prominent. It sounds cheesier to me. There's also a tendency in ESB to keep something of a pedal tone going beneath the first phrase or two. That vanishes in ROTJ. The bassline tends to just follow the tonic of the chord. Anyway, it's still an incredible score.

There is no musical work I could confidently say I like better than ESB. There are others on that same tier, but nothing higher. It's just so richly inventive, with new sounds and tonalities and emotions around every corner, all of them coalescing into one spectacular orchestral work. The first score will always be an extraordinarily strong contender for my favorite of all time. But I also think it's really cool that for the second go-around, JW got to move away from the direct pastiche approach he favored in ANH. As fun as that approach is, ESB sounds more wholly Williams. I do think there a few too many bombastic statements of Vader's theme. But the score as a whole is strong enough to easily overcome that.

Yeah, the amount of unreleased music we know was recorded is pretty small. There's more stuff that was written, but it may never have been recorded.

I too hate it when polls editorialize the options. I prefer to speak in my own words. Which, in this case, are: Of course I don't. The fanfare is essential to the overall Star Wars listening experience.

Very cool. I finally listened to this concerto in the past week. I enjoy it more than the other JW classical work I've heard—which, admittedly, is limited just to the contents of Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Music of John Williams. It's all challenging music, for sure. Williams speaks so directly in most of his film music. This is different, in ways that are hard to describe.

I'm guessing it's a little of both. He's obviously studied, internalized, and experimented with plenty of music theory. Like @karelmsaid, it's probably not something he usually has to consciously articulate to himself anymore. And I'm sure it also depends on the nature of the writing.

I'd dispute the idea that composition is unnatural. Music seems to go back at least as far as language, and for as long as it's been around, there have been people to dream up the sounds. That said, I'm aware of zero evidence that men are somehow more biologically predisposed to write music.

Interesting stuff. Voicing certainly does matter. Williams uses one particular construction (e.g. C Ab B) so often that I literally just think of it as the "Williams chord." I'll write "C Wil" or whatever as a shorthand when it comes up as I study his music.

I've listened to neither one alone, but I thought Loki was stronger too. (Show and score.)

Yes it was. And if I remember correctly, they also made the contact flashes persist as long as two sabers were touching. Awkward.

Very true. And what a mixed bag those differences are.

Ben Burtt's contribution to the films was huge. He got truly creative and was allowed to let the results shine. A lot like Williams. By comparison, SW sound design in the Disney era is functional, sensible, unobtrusive. A lot like a lot of modern film music. I'll also mostly agree on the lightsabers. There are some cruddy bits, but I'd also say the very first saber shot features the best-looking saber of the Lucas era, jumpy ignition aside. ESB never quite reaches that height but it's more consistently excellent with its saber effects. ROTJ has some issues. TPM—mostly not bad. AOTC and ROTS suck. Then the ST turned it around with those awesome light-up props. (If only Burtt had been providing their sound.) Anyway, as to the topic at hand … yeah, I remember when that video came out. It's an interesting experiment made by talented fans. It would be godawful in the actual film, particularly if you were watching the series for the first time in release order (as everyone should).

Get Back, but make it JW. I'd lose my $#@&.

The Very Best Film Ever Made: The Motion Picture – or, Dr. Seuss's Sex and the City XIV: Destiny Squadron

Ordered TWOK!