Datameister

Definitely go for it. It showcases the entire score the way Horner recorded it. I think there are some interesting choices in the film edits (which are indeed not included), but ultimately, I too want to hear the composer's intentions. And the complete score flows really nicely. "2½ Miles Down" is a particularly hypnotic and evocative addition.

Oh, I still have the Blue Box sitting proudly on my shelf. But for the first score, I listen exclusively to this LLL release.
 
If you're happy with the Blue Box's sound, I suppose you might as well stick with it. For me, I was simultaneously grateful for the big improvement and disappointed that it still sounded "off." Then the LLL release came along and made the first generation elements absolutely shine. I think it's the gold standard for how a late 70s JW/LSO score can sound. If Star Wars sounded like this, I'd weep with joy.

This is a must-buy for any fan of 70s/80s Williams. The Blue Box was a vast improvement in sound quality. This is an equally vast improvement over the Blue Box. Buy it if you haven't.

Nah, it sounds terrible throughout. Muffled and deadened. But only on the SE album. Clearly there was no issue with the recordings themselves.
 
I really do think ROTJ is an incredible score. It's surpassed by its predecessors purely because of their extraordinariness. It's no mark against it.

Nah, it sounds terrible throughout. Muffled and deadened. But only on the SE album. Clearly there was no issue with the recordings themselves.
 
I really do think ROTJ is an incredible score. It's surpassed by its predecessors purely because of their extraordinariness. It's no mark against it.

Nah, it sounds terrible throughout. Muffled and deadened. But only on the SE album. Clearly there was no issue with the recordings themselves.
 
I really do think ROTJ is an incredible score. It's surpassed by its predecessors purely because of their extraordinariness. It's no mark against it.

I love Toy Story. But 5 had better be the end.
 
It probably should have ended after 2. Then it really should have ended after 3, which was very affecting but mostly just recapitulated themes from its predecessor. There was still plenty to like with 4, but it was so unnecessary, and I wasn't onboard with the ending at all. For me, the only silver lining to doing 5 is that it's a chance to right that wrong.

I love Toy Story. But 5 had better be the end.
 
It probably should have ended after 2. Then it really should have ended after 3, which was very affecting but mostly just recapitulated themes from its predecessor. There was still plenty to like with 4, but it was so unnecessary, and I wasn't onboard with the ending at all. For me, the only silver lining to doing 5 is that it's a chance to right that wrong.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.