Will

I am considering writing a score analysis of some sort for TFA. That doesn't mean I for sure will do it -- I'm sure it will take a lot of time, and I'm pretty busy. But I'm wondering whether anyone else on these forums is working on one right now (because if so, I will definitely not do one). Please let me know if you are working on one!

Apparently on April 18 JKMS was "just finishing" Sorcerer's Stone in-concert: https://www.instagram.com/p/BEXjDBlKPrK/

Love the sign at 7:08 (the one that's now my profile photo). What is this, a sports event? See, JW is losing popularity, people don't make giant green signs with his name anymore!

Thanks for the time stamps! This score is so wonderfully complex, a true masterpiece -- it's incredible that we're still uncovering new themes months after its release (well, Marcus found this one right away, but for me it's a new discovery since I hadn't been able to find it without the time stamps). Also, I now look at the Snoke material in a new light -- I realize there was much more intelligence behind its composition than I had thought initially.

Hmm. Saw the red highlighted stuff but must have not read it very carefully. That's one long thread title!

Wow! I knew Williams had scored a Dreamworks logo, but I didn't realize it was the main one! I did enjoy that music even before I knew it was Williams, I'll like it even more now Also, this is unrelated, but what is the music in your signature?

What happened? Did JwFan2234 start a thread called "Goodbye John Williams" about the maestro's supposed death, and then one of the admins changed it later? And is Jwfan2234 really banned forever?

Could you please provide time stamps for what you believe to be the First Order theme? I'd be really interested.

Do we know who wrote this music?

Sad news today. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/04/04/erik-bauersfeld-voice-star-wars-admiral-ackbar-dies/82631784/

I noticed that no one has commented on this bit of my post. I found Williams's use of this melody intriguing. I believe that as far as we know, those two cues mentioned in the quoted post are the only ones that contain that melody (it's possible there is another appearance of the melody that I have forgotten about). It's first heard in the scene in which the Resistance members are at their base discussing the plan to destroy Starkiller Base, shortly before Han departs for Starkiller Base, and is later heard in what is believed to be an alternate for the scene where Han walks onto the bridge and is killed by Ren. Is this melody a motif that represents something? Or is this just clever musical foreshadowing from Williams? Or just a coincidence? I have to wonder whether the melody was heard more in earlier versions of cues that were replaced in the final film, alternate cues that we have never heard.

Would it be possible for you to isolate the cue "Landing At Lightspeed" (the one where the Falcon lands on Starkiller Base, bursting through the trees)? Indeed. That's a powerhouse of a cue (or cues?) Here are some examples of places where I heard musical ideas multiple times in the score. Some of these ideas might be motifs and in others cases there might not be any thematic link. Unless otherwise noted, the timestamps and titles refer to the YouTube videos posted by ChewyBomber. 2:30-end of "Bring Him Home" and :05-:38 of "Group Enters Base" share the same melody. :07-:20 of "You Need A Pilot" has a musical idea that sounds similar to what plays in the film at the moment Ren kills Han and the string stuff heard on the OST track "Snoke" (this is one I think is almost certainly coincidental because I can't imagine what the thematic link could be from "You Need A Pilot" to those two other cues) :20-:27 of "Preparing For Assault" and :17-:20, :24-:27, and :50-:53 of the "BIG unknown Unused Cue/Alternate" (that "BIG alternate" as posted by Faleel) share a melody. I believe the march music at the beginning of the "Star Wars Force Awakens Documentary Clip: Poe Comes Back" as posted earlier in this thread and :28-:35 or so in the "BIG unknown Unused Cue/Alternate" as posted by Faleel share the same musical idea (and I think there is a very similar passage somewhere in the Jakku Village Attack sequence; I can't remember exactly where though). I'm looking forward to hearing the thoughts of my fellow JW fans on which of these, if any, seem like motifs (and if so, what might they represent?) and which do not.

Thanks! "Preparing For Assault/Bring Him Home" and "You Need A Pilot" are real gems. "Group Enters Base" is also great. Many of those cues you "isolated" were ones I didn't really notice when I watched the film so thanks for bringing them to my attention. BTW I've been noticing some repeating musical ideas throughout some of those cues you "isolated" as well as the alternates from the documentaries, ideas that before I either hadn't heard/noticed at all or thought were isolated to one point in the score and I now realize happen more than once (motifs?). If I have time later I will try to post some examples.

I was a little disappointed with the teaser as well. I was hoping for a more light, fun trailer with soaring fantasy music. Instead the Disney marketing department apparently wants us to think this is a horror film. Let's pray that trailer is not representative of the tone of the actual film. I'm a Spielberg fan so I still have high hopes.

I'm trying to decide which version of TFA to buy. Does anyone here know whether the Digital HD download code that comes in the Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD set includes the bonus features (not just the film itself)? Does that Digital HD download code included in the three-disc set have the extra digital-only deleted scene (the one with Han, Finn, etc. under Maz's castle getting attacked by stormtroopers)?

Does that trailer have some previously unreleased Williams music? I can't remember hearing the :00-:10 music before, and it sounds like Williams to me. I rather like that bit. Also, the music from :10-:20 sounds familiar, from Williams' TFA score I think (I think it's something that has already been released on the OST or FYC).

Are you hearing the "tragic/hesitant" motif for Kylo (as heard several times at the beginning of OST The Abduction) in Torn Apart, or is the "menacing/evil" motif (as in the Attack on the Jakku Village) what you are hearing in Torn Apart? After a couple quick listens I'm not hearing what you're mentioning, but perhaps that's because I'm not sure which motif I'm listening for.

Well that is a disappointment. Although we should probably be thankful for anything we get. And perhaps there will be a bit of recording session footage/discussion of the score in the full-length documentary (Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey). Also, those deleted scenes look like they will be very cool (although they are much shorter than I had hoped). Particularly "Snow Speeder Chase." On the musical side of things, is there precedent for Star Wars deleted scenes on the Blu-Ray/DVD having music? Those scenes listed above look like they could have some fantastic currently unreleased/unheard music. A new variation of the Resistance March in "X-Wings Prepare for Lightspeed", perhaps? Kyle's "tragic" motif in the scene of him on the Falcon? More great action scoring in the snow chase? I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but there are certainly some exciting possibilities. Do you think we can expect to hear more Williams music in those deleted scenes on the release?

Thank you very much for that analysis. I'm starting to hear the similarity now. I'm still not entirely sure whether it was intentional by Williams to have that connection, but I'd like to believe that it was, because if it was that is yet another incredibly genius thematic link from Williams.

I've been trying to hear the similarity you're talking about, but I still don't quite hear it.

Actually, this is almost certainly in reference to getting pictures of Williams scoring TFA. Scoring Sessions.com has mentioned multiple times on their site in the past couple months that they were trying to get TFA scoring photos, including this from January 12 regarding the Force Awakens (from http://scoringsessions.com/2016/01/12/january-2016-update/): Seems like we'll soon be getting an inside look at Williams scoring TFA!

Hard to believe at this time last year, Williams had recently canceled his San Diego appearances due to health issues. And soon after, we learned he had suffered a health problem and could not score Bridge of Spies. And now? We just got a five-star masterpiece of a score from the maestro, he'll be conducting at at least five concerts in the coming year, he's looked healthy in recent interviews and appearances, he's already started, maybe finished, The BFG. Quite a turnaround -- a most welcome one. Happy Birthday, John Williams!

This was actually announced on January 28 but I didn't hear about it until earlier today. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-gustavo-dudamel-yola-super-bowl-20160127-story.html Another article on the topic: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-dudamel-super-bowl-20160129-column.html That sentence about them possibly playing Williams, even if it was entirely speculation, certainly made me excited for Sunday. Dudamel is a friend of Williams... But my hopes of them playing Williams (or a classical work, which would also be nice) were largely dashed when I saw a behind-the-scenes video of YOLA practicing and they were playing the Coldplay song "Viva la Vida". It would certainly be a disappointment if the orchestra was just a live backing track for Coldplay. Here's hoping that in addition to performing Coldplay stuff, YOLA will play something classical or, better yet, something by Williams. Somehow I doubt it though... Classical and Williams stuff is much less popular than Coldplay and other modern pop artists. By the way, if I remember correctly there are videos of YOLA practicing for the Super Bowl and some Dudamel interviews on NFL.com and YouTube. I don't have the direct links at the moment, though.