CGCJ

@tee_oh There's been a very limited leak of the sheet music, just the 11 cues shown above, probably barely 5% of the score, but it does include The Speeder Chase. That track consists of 3M1 and 3M3, except for the last few seconds of the album version. We're unsure if that ending is a revision, insert, ending recorded specifically for the album, or even sourced from somewhere else entirely. We also don't know yet if the OST track is micro-edited from the version in the sheet music, or if it was revised prior to recording.

I felt like sharing this for anyone interested: The Speeder Chase (Extended Version).
 
Enjoy!
 
 

This article indicates the chanting was created by the sound effects team:
 

https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2020/02/creating-the-oscar-nominated-sounds-of-the-rise-of-skywalker.html

The entire reason album presentation for films exist is because of the technological and budgetary limitations of the early-to-mid 1900's. Record labels and/or film studios were usually unwilling to release any more than one hour of music, whether the composer wanted all of their music to be released or not, to the point where it's become one of those unnecessary cultural traditions that people have become needlessly complicit with. It's a concept that needs to go in my opinion. We have the ability to release full scores these days, and if the composer feels they want to release those full scores, they should have the freedom to do so. I imagine most composers want all of their music to be released, but the studios won't let them out of the sake of tradition and wanting to spend the least amount of money they possibly can. It usually has nothing to do with the composer's intent, as some people here would wrongly have you believe. It all comes down to corporate greediness and the complicitness of some fans. In some cases, it might be the composer's wishes to release a condensed presentation, and those are the only cases I'm somewhat okay with.

Having watched Chapter 9 this evening, I have A LOT to say about the score as heard in episode. First off, I'm going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but I will be discussing the music in relation to the show in some detail so if you haven't seen it yet you may want to bookmark this for later. I will say that this episode was a fun season opener!
 
Anyways, what with all the worry and disappointment earlier today regarding an album (specifically the lack thereof), I'm trying to reason as best as can the cause for going this route, as well as what a release might end up looking like (fingers crossed for as much as possible, but I'm trying to look at this through a realistic lens). 
 
For one, this episode is scored in a very unique way: relatively equal parts new music and tracked Season 1 excerpts. Fortunately for the needledrops, they're generally well-placed, and the trained ear will be able to pick up on the production elements Goransson added to touch these cues up, which I can really appreciate. In addition to that, many said cues work their way into fresh material, so it's quite clear a lot of effort went into blending what they had with what they could manage to record in a way that was well-executed, musically consistent, and free from a cheap feeling. 
 
Some pre-existing elements that work their way into the show include, but may not be limited to:
- the plunky echo sound from Chapter 3's Second Thoughts
- the muted trumpets from Chapter 5's Raiders
- a statement of the Razor Crest theme that could easily have been tracked in, touched up with synths
- the walking music from the second half of Chapter 7's The Standoff
- interspersed statements of the recorder theme, which could still technically be new recordings
- the opening minute or so of Chapter 2's Celebration
- various drum patterns from Chapter 1, 2, etc.
- solo electric guitar version of the riff from Chapter 8's A Thousand Tears, speeded up with added percussion and synths for a fight scene
 
Looking at that list now, that seems like quite a bit, but I never really got the feeling of copy-paste on many of these because of the very slight technical additions. That being said, there's still loads of great new music in here! This is where some mild general spoilers may appear, so while I am careful and considerate, it's fair game. New stuff includes:
 
- opening scene: a hip-hop cue under two minutes in length, with the recorder riff played on electric guitar and a very prevalent bass beat. - a wacky source cue follows- it's kind of hard to describe what's really going on with it. 
- the western motif working towards the title card, punctuated by a brass version of the skeletal riff in five note stabs that is oh so cool
- big setpiece comes early on for a travelling montage: it's a new string-based theme that could go any way at this point, as it could easily be a smashing one-off tune or one that is only at the start of its development (it's certainly becoming of a lot of neat variations!). Goes into a very Morricone guitar take on the new theme. 
- introducing a new character, fairly non-descript but highly interesting sounds are employed: a take on the Season 1 flashback drums and a familiar "guess the strange woodwind" moment
- next travelling scene is yet another really fun and very different take on the new theme, more so riffing around it rather than stating it outright.
- nostalgic recorders and shaking percussion, followed with the strings playing to the drama with a big two note suspense idea as a character tells a story. Jawa theme gets a brief cameo in this sequence, and the character and introduction and dramatic string reprise.
- recorder riff underscores a speech from Mando, and leads into a preparation sequence, which gets a myriad of processed strings and solo winds, intermixed with electronics. This is yet another part of the episode where the score is at the forefront, and it's quite an awesome moment over all. 
- next walking sequence gets a Lawrence of Arabia-esque take on the recorder riff, yet another awesome new moment where the score is front and centre. 
 
The climax is where the mix between tracking and new music is most apparent, with several examples listed above (mainly from Chapter 2), appearing as mentioned. There's still plenty of string and electronic interplay that crops up for the first time to underscore these scenes. The credits play out the exact same way as the first season.
 
In conclusion, the cues I'd most want to hear make it to a release are:
- the opening hip hop cue (nice intro cue)
- the western motif with brass outline (badass rendition)
- the travelling setpiece with new theme (the big one)
- second travelling setpiece, shorter but expansive in nature
- the story flashback sequence (interesting idea and some callbacks)
- preparation sequence (big score moment)
- travelling to final confrontation sequence ("Arabian" strings)
 
Here's my attempt to isolate the 5 cues I highlighted above. SFX are obviously still present:
 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15HO0z-sqlJU07G5IAe6FRxUVsT6zbfbb?usp=sharing
 
I can understand how weekly releases are not the way Disney is going with this, but I'd certainly hope for at the very least the digital equivalent of two CDs length of music. Thinking about the long releases many TV scores of lower popularity have received recently (His Dark Materials, The Witcher), I'd hope something comparable is on the way for a truly worthy show. 
 
What I'd really like right now is a confirmation! Anyways...
 
 
...check out Ludwig Goransson conducting the theme from The Mandalorian just a few moments ago at the virtual premiere!

With Season 2 starting next Friday, it's time to wrap up with the final part of this analysis by digging in to Chapter 8. Holko and I had discussed how Chapter 7 can tend to wander into patchwork territory (NOTE: not a slight, but an observation), often drawing on pre-existing forms or small moldable ideas as utilities to bridge between the new material, as if to save up for something bigger. And indeed, Chapter 8 is easily the most noticeably spotted in the show (and the strongest album to boot!), presenting no shortage of long music-driven stretches, highly intensified development and general badassery to delight in. It's telling (and spot-on) that Redemption was the specific episode for which Goransson won the Emmy. The musical core of this finale is really about developing three themes that are still rather green for the most part. Now without further ado, let us begin!
 
Check Point whirs in to that comfortable hip-hop climate of Moff Gideon's, this time picking up with the two scout troopers sent to capture "the asset".  Overlapping brass and strings join forces to announce full statements of the two-part Gideon motif. Computerized percussion bridges these iterations with the deep closing string line, the Moff's theme in its simplest form. 
 
Nurse Droid is the first taste of IG's theme in this episode.  Although limited to that single montage in the previous episode, Goransson is really sure to stretch out plenty of development for IG over the course of this finale, progressing upon the introductory Reprogram track by incorporating new variants right off the bat. One thing that is similar with this continuation is the echo that lingers just after each note in the opening of the cue. The effect is increased here, adding to the mysterious, even eerie sound provided by the already eclectic instrument used. Minor dressings from the harp allow the cellos to briskly pick up after the solo, before we hear a full hip-hop takeover, one of the most unabashed of such moments in the entire show. To close, the strings take up the theme with a strong sense for the heightened strakes, the end note lining up with the first downbeat of a bombastic title card. By this point, it's quite clear that this is indeed the episode of redemption. 
 
As if the opening 2.5 minutes were not already a smashing display, The Ewebb marks the first "movement" in a string of successive setpieces that make up the meat of the chapter. Gideon's drum machine opens without hesitation, accompanied by that space-clearing alarm. We hear the Moff in control, suspended strings continuing to play into the contrasting panic of the cornered gang. At 0:19 the recorder riff makes an appearance, neatly descending at 0:25 before weaving between permutations of a very flexible and highly complimentary Moff Gideon setting. More severe statements of the the B section roll in at 0:39, with more noticeable backing from the brass. 0:49 opens a stretch of development that twists and turns in so many different directions, sampling some of the strongest riffing on any theme in the show while boasting delicious orchestrations (for example, the little brass reinforcement at 0:53). It's a definitive highlight passage that always makes me jump with excitement. The B section returns in proper form at 0:59 before twisting higher and higher up, eventually leading into that same string version of the recorder riff before settling down. Whistles from unorthodox winds and hits of the snare punctuate lines of the A section on low strings. At 1:48 a backing ostinato, reminiscent of Attack of the Clones, enters and plays underneath trombones. The strings take up the melody again at 2:20 for call and response with a clarinet. The orchestra unites for the climax, violins swirling around while horns take up the A section with an electronic touch. The stutter of the strings on that one small line at 3:11 is a really cool moment that segues into pounding drums and yet another modification of Moff Gideon's theme. Bustling strings close this cue, which is without a doubt one of my favourites due to unmatched complexity and an enormous amount of vastly unique development over a short time span. In short, it's a gem, and hardly the last one at that. 
 
A Thousand Tears fades in from the ending of The Ewebb in episode, opening a fantastic four minute sequence with no dialogue and mostly muffled sound effects. Goransson naturally seizes this opportunity and delivers the final piece in the three-part forging sequence thread, quite different from the previous two entries yet gathering all the same key traits for a glorious and highly emotional conclusion. Each trademark element converges into a chilling musical fabric that never fails to give me goosebumps. An electronic zing and the Forge beat begin, first supporting long-winded swells, with the percussion gradually growing in strength. When the Forge motif properly appears its chant qualities are manipulated to play out as a lament, the third statement at 1:01 featuring a fully united string section and marking the height of the theme's power in this regard. The chant dies down briefly but remains present, as guitar, piano and exotic woodwind take center stage. Highlighting the particular stretch at 1:30, one can really hear shades of the Creed scores coming to the fore (in terms of the tender material, see Family Visit from Creed II for example).
 
The way this cue is edited on album is not the way it appears in the film, with the rumbling electronics for the explosion being extended, with lengthened silent spaces. The start of the danger-signaling strings at 1:48 ended up being the first cutting point for my isolated score attempt (videos forthcoming), as I was not able to replicate what was heard in the episode effectively. Picking up at 2:11, an otherworldly go at the riff by way of electric guitars sends us into the second half of the cue. The Mando group motifs get their biggest showing, and we hear the recorder play in fairly standard form, the ending featuring some interplay with other woodwinds. 
 
Next up is Nurse and Protect, which sees IG go on a rampage through both the village and the orchestra (and Goransson's studio!). The fresh beat-electronic combo carries the track and kicks off immediately, first hosting a familiar statement of IG's theme, dying down for a second go, and carrying on with a quick flute whistle and a full orchestral variation, the strings playing to the beat and the trumpets accenting the melody (see 0:59). Shortly after the minute mark the string ostinato repeats as it jumps up the octaves and increases tension, climbing towards a release at 1:17, with electronics at the head of the foray. The particular synth effect at 1:28 adds an especially snappy pop edge. The Western motif turns action-oriented to hold up the middle section, strengthened by a repeating idea for hurried strings and eventually high trumpets. The drums hold over for a brief interlude, and the motif continues, this time spaced between bold brass statements of an idea that appears multiple times throughout the show (yet nowhere in my catalogue, woops). I especially love the brass triplets that ring out all over this cue; I find they do well as exclamation points to these already powerful phrases. A wildly original phantom version of Moff Gideon's theme cuts through the excitement (what a moment!), and his material hijacks the cue as the upper hand swings back to the baddies. The soundscape from 3:19 onward symbolizes the shock of the blow that knocks Mando off his feet. 
 
We take a break from the action in A Warrior's Death with a lento introduction of the Child's theme. Moff Gideon's theme twice appears at its most imposing over shots of a flametrooper, expanding the association towards not just the character but his forces too. Then comes the return of the Mando and child theme, beginning on horns and gathering triumphantly for a fantastic, full-fleshed presentation. This moment alone is a testament to the direction they opted for with the show and its music, as its quite clear that in any other case this would be a cut and dried Force theme drop. Incidentally, the initial similarity of the motif in question to Kylo Ren's theme is particularly interesting, as both received major key resolutions in December of 2019 . 
 
We take a break for a pair of cues that mix and match beats, sounds and motifs related to the underground cult of Mandalorians on Nevarro. What Remains in the Tunnels bears the most similarity to those Chapter 1 and 3 cues, branching off around the one minute mark for sorrowful strands of the recorder and synth choir. Drawn out high strings replay the utility counterpoint to wind the cue down. From there, Clan of Two continues with a subdued recollection of the Mando culture themes, the most interesting take for woodwinds starting at 1:05, and again similarly at 1:54. The mission continues, and IG's theme prepares for its conclusion with hints at an end objective. Orchestral hits and wavy synth signal  pending danger.
 
Sacrifice, as the title suggests, signifies the end of IG's thematic journey, showcasing the theme one last time with a renewed sense of purpose. The track begins with a smattering of synths, an electro-pizzicato fusion beat taking the helm. This repeating tune reveals itself as the rhodes motif in disguise as it picks up at 0:58, with IG's theme preparing to join it. Several partial passes work their way up to the rousing last word from the full orchestra as IG makes his heroic last stand. 
 
We are quickly reminded that the gang is not yet out of trouble, as Mando Flies opens with aleatoric busyness, cleared effectively by the "Gideon alarm" at 0:35. The drum machine returns, as does the cool and collected beat, suggesting the fight isn't over. The remainder of the cue plays out essentially like the expansion of the B section as heard earlier in The Ewebb as Mando grapples with Gideon's TIE fighter and wins the day. 
 
The victory won (for this season at least), the recorder riff earns a standard statement, once again interplaying with other woodwinds over top of the violins. A solemn solo horn recalls the Mando and child theme, which soon swells up in the string section and plays out splendidly. The chiming motif bridges into the skeletal recorder riff, here evoking a true sense of graceful happiness. The fanfare appropriately caps the cue, sending Mando off to the stars and us into a long wait for Season 2 (its much shorter now!). 
 
Well, well, well! So ends "part one" of our journey through the music of The Mandalorian, and not five days off from the start of the next season. I assure you that both the catalogue and the analysis will continue upon the conclusion of the second season, with the discussion that occurs in the next eight weeks helping to form the basis for future writing and timestamping. I will post isolated score videos for Chapter 8 sequences as soon as I can, and otherwise look forward to listening and conversing with you all very soon! If you haven't had a chance to chime in thus far, it'd be great to hear your opinion, observation or suggestion, as that's how a good back-and-forth is started. I'd love to see such a conversation take place in the very near future and strongly encourage participation from all interested members! Thank you for reading all of these, or at least planning to set aside time to revisit the music with my supplementary notes (probably the best way to appreciate it)! Cheers, cheers and cheers again! 

Unfortunately, these next two posts were a bit of a longer time coming than I would have hoped. Fortunately, I now have them ready to go, and just before Season 2 drops next Friday no less! I will mention that I did not spend a great deal of time sifting through the episodes for unreleased music, as I am swamped as is. If I have time to go back later I may add to both these and all my reviews before collecting them in PDF form for anyone to access at any time, all in one place. I will also be updating the timestamp catalogue with some revisions to specific names, most notably the chime motif to rhodes motif, as per a behind the scenes video, and the Western motif to be further labeled as the title card theme. I also started to work on an isolated score for a certain episode (hint: the only one I haven't posted about yet ). I will be sharing that at a later date! That being said, let's get a move on into Chapter 7! 
 
Man of Honour opens this episode of reckoning with the child's guitar, playing overtop some uncertain strings that foreshadow the forthcoming trials for Mando and company. Synth and orchestra plastering moves in and around before releasing into a big statement of the intro motif, complete with badbrass (see badass brass) and an especially pronounced triangle (?) hit. Three short cues, one being a cantina source (Country Pub), follow. I'm In features string clusters and metallic clangs, whereas Return to Agnot reprises ideas from Chapter 2's Trashed Crest edited together differently. 
 
Reprogram offers the first taste of a theme for IG, marking his new role as a nurse droid in a very sweet and well-measured montage. A particularly ethnic sounding wind instrument takes the helm, surrounded by steady percussive hits. The theme as presented here is taking its first steps, mirroring IG's shaky legs with the slightest edges, before being joined by more members and gathering strength. As a setpiece, the development is quite good, although it is merely the first part of a fantastic thematic journey, and not the last one to take the stage  in this chapter either. The pizzicato version of the skeletal main theme that bridges the two big statements is a particularly intriguing excerpt from a sonic perspective. 
 
Kuiil, sweetly misspelt as Quill in the original cue title, riffs on the organic, soulful recorder (at this point I'm assuming its one of the ones Goransson got in his set) that was present in Chapter 1' s You Are a Mandalorian, which leads into the rhodes and a rousing but ultimately brief shout of the fanfare, pumping synth hopping below. Skill of Hands, unreleased, comes before The Standoff, which opens with sets of the western motif and timpani rolls, plays around with some unique sounds, but only really gets interesting when Mando and company walk through the lava plains. A catchy percussive beat takes over, punctuated by echo-y wind sounds. To me this is one of the coolest sounding stretches in the episode. Interestingly enough, the entire standoff cue is about a minute longer in episode, beginning with the utility motifs as opposed to the sudden da-dum.
 
Black Skies rips right through the silence of the fading ending of the previous cue, blasting synth and tribal drums for a surprise attack at the campfire. Around 0:17 specifically you can hear a cluster of aleatoric strings and woodwinds likely touched up in the mixing process, a very neat nugget of an effect that may go unnoticed, but ultimately adds to the freneticism of the moment. The brass joins the electronics for a few outbursts before the cue settles. We hear a short wind idea potentially denoting the injured Greef Karga, as it also plays over his attempt to reason with Mando in Chapter 3, despite appearing nowhere else in the show. The child's guitar and strings get an especially rousing turn, hinting at future sweeping statements to come. As Kuiil speaks, his whistling resumes, and the gang walks along to a dynamic go at the recorder riff, dressed with familiar beats and patches. At 3:13 a really fun, bumping bunch of notes are played by muted horns, another short athematic moment that plays out really well to the ears. A distant vocalized synth (some futuristic Vangelis nod?) and the well-known tweeting synth from Chapter 2's The Egg round out the track. I think it's safe to say that Black Skies covers the most ground of any cue in the show in terms of range of moods, sounds, volume and style. Putting all the elements together in mind, it's really quite something!
 
Verbatim recorder riff opens This Is It, and as the gang sets out on the mission the strings confidently usher in the fanfare for a triumphant but not necessarily victorious variation. Elements of the main set of themes intermix in quick succession before the cue dies down. 
 
The Arrival is without a doubt a fantastic introduction cue for any villain, and in the case of Moff Gideon, I'm really excited to talk about the inner workings of his multi-faceted theme as we continue. For one, this track is yet another example of a proper score cue sort of doubling as a suite of sorts. The progression to the biggest statement is clearly marked and every individual aspect takes the spotlight at one time or another. I especially love how the space clears at 0:08 for the bass note and strings, symbolic of the way the character enters into the story. The drum machine adds an unrelenting quality to what *might* otherwise be a fairly standard villain theme, and Goransson's later development of the material further proves that this is no pastiche. The hip-hop qualities that enter at 0:30 are shaped to the Moff's confidence and comfort: this is a character who knows he has the upper hand, and it is apparent through the music. At 0:41, the second part of his theme plays, a dangerous little string line often used to represent the uneasiness and growing panic of our trapped heroes. The lower strings play a counter melody which is a reshaping of the A section, before rejoining full orchestra for part B. The bass note clears the freneticism before a repeating string swirl accompanies the A section for a strong running. The little repeat of those strings at 1:33 accompanied by the changing of the beat is a REALLY cool moment, in my opinion. Deep strings reprise their role at the beginning of the track before electronics and effects take us to the acoustic guitar outro. Those final shots (some of the best in a well-directed episode) are forever linked to those last few strums heard here: it's a spot-on moment all around.
 
An orchestral version of the end credits, sans the recorder theme, closes the album, providing an opportunity for a closer listen at the orchestrations and layered writing. It works really well as an overture for a highlights playlist, with the original version easily taking the final slot as a reprise (good call, Holko!). 
 
As always thank you for reading and I anticipate wrapping it all up with Chapter 8 very soon! Of course, Season 2 is just around the corner, so you can bet there will be no shortage of new discussion and a continuation of the thematic analysis in the coming weeks. I'm looking forward, and I hope you are too! I encourage your participation in these upcoming conversations, as there is no opinion, perspective, realization, tidbit or random thought that hasn't proved useful and/or constructive thus far! Cheers!

OK with amazing help from @BrotherSound it's now clear what's in each OST and DE track for the end of the movie
 
6M34 Savareen Tent = 27 Savereen Tent 2:00 | 14A The Good Guy [0:00-1:51] 1:51 6M35 Emfy’s Standoff = 28 Enfys' Stand-Off 4:25 | 17 Savareen Stand-Off 4:26 6M37-38 Joining the Cause = 29 Qi'ra Knows A Bit More Than Han 2:14 | 14B The Good Guy [1:51-3:58] 2:07 6M39-40 Real Thing Double Cross = 30 Double-Double Cross 4:47 | 14B The Good Guy [3:58-end] 1:26 {OST version is only two portions of the whole cue} 6M41-42A Dryden Fight = 31 Dryden's Long, Long Fight 4:51 | 19 Testing Allegiance 4:21 {OST version edited down} 7M42B-43 Skype Showdown = 32A Maul's Call / Parting Ways | 18A Good Thing You Were Listening [0:00-1:03] {OST only contained second half of the cue} 7M44A-B Beckett Departs = 32B Maul's Call / Parting Ways | was not on OST 7M44B Qi’Ra Departs = 32C Maul's Call / Parting Ways | 18B [1:03-end] Good Thing You Were Listening 7M45 Parting Ways = 32D Maul's Call / Parting Ways | was not on OST  

Cue DE OST 6M34 Savareen Tent 27 Savareen Tent 2:00 14A [0:00-1:51] The Good Guy 1:51 6M35 Emfy’s Standoff 28 Enfys' Stand-Off 4:25 17 Savareen Stand-Off 4:26 6M37-38 Joining the Cause 29 Qi'ra Knows A Bit More Than Han 2:14 14B [1:51-3:58] The Good Guy 2:07 6M39-40 Real Thing Double Cross 30 Double-Double Cross 4:47 14C [3:58-end] The Good Guy 1:26 6M41-42A Dryden Fight 31 Dryden's Long, Long Fight 4:51 19 Testing Allegiance 4:21 7M42B-43 Skype Showdown 32 Maul's Call / Parting Ways 5:38 18A [0:00-1:03] Good Thing You Were Listening 1:03 7M44A-B Beckett Departs       7M44B Qi’Ra Departs 18B [1:03-end] Good Thing You Were Listening 1:05 7M45 Parting Ways      

Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records says
 
 
https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=141620&forumID=1&archive=0

I've got these on my spreadsheet as guesses to each cue on the OST:
 
Testing Allegiance:
00:00-02:09 6m41-42A "Dryden Fight"
02:09-End Qi'ra and Han
 
The Good Guy:
00:00-01:50 6m34 "Savareen Tent"
01:50-02:40 "Beckett Leaves" [6m36?]
02:40-03:58 "You Don't Know Everything"
03:58-End 6m39-40 "Real Thing Double Cross" [End of cue?]
 
Good Thing You Were Listening:
00:00-00:08 7m42B-43 "Skype Showdown" [End of cue? Duel of the Fates heavy Skype opening cut?]
00:08-01:03 "Beckett Showdown"
01:03-End 7m44B Alt "Qi’Ra Departs" [01:03-01:46 Unused?]
 
I've not seen the film in quite a while so these are just my old guesses from when the cue titles turned up online.

Here's the full set of cue titles that turned up online that were not in the sheet music leak (No idea if some of these are simply tracked edits or not):
 
 

Looks like 7M42B-43 Skype Showdown is being split between tracks 31 and 32?
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fcd5KxqAJO0dgQ8y1sHfd0o9eCeTSF7sbNFWORc805o/

https://www.facebook.com/johnpowellmusic/photos/a.1690234244533204/2715459575343994/

Well, here it is
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R7JM5QmRNh6PbgqeBH_lbj2C3WLbzxz9px3Z7GKLaAk/edit?usp=sharing
 

 

After a week-long hiatus (*gasp*) it's time to dig into the next episode! Chapter 6, the last of the self-contained adventures in Season 1, features a plethora of new textures and techniques to take in, creating an entirely different world of sound that still feels very much at home with the rest of the show. I wasn't entirely sure I'd return to these next few for a closer look at the unreleased music, but eventually decided it was best to be thorough and went for it. Enough of an introduction, let's go track for track!
 
Welcome Back sets us up for what we can expect from the rest of the album; a grungy hip-hop landscape brimming with electronic effects, befitting the changing environment and the strange new characters introduced to the audience. Familiar themes are thrown into the mix, and Goransson provides no shortage of  those "I don't know what I'm hearing but that's a really cool sound" moments. We get a small motif for the ragtag gang, heard as a bopping, almost plucky synthetic patch here. The Gang drives us deeper into this unique atmosphere, and a sharp and jagged violin enters the conversation, seemingly representing the Twi'lek character as both dangerous and delicate at the same time. A hip-hop mode for the title motif rounds out the cue. A neat little tidbit is that Chapter 6 and Chapter 8 are the only albums that contain the title card in the second track. Ghost Ship, heard only in episode, is an unchanging continuation of some synthesizer ideas presented in Welcome Back. It runs just over a minute and underscores the outlining of the heist by Mayfeld. 
 
Greatest Warriors in the Galaxy largely features the recorder riff in a highly distorted setting, with various pitches overlapping each other to create a strange echo-y sound. Naturally, a beat and several electronic elements run complimentary here. Let's Just Do It is comprised of high, distant-sounding strings with synthetic dressings. What Is That?, unreleased, features some bass-shaking ideas presented earlier in The Gang.
 
Hyperspace and Little Mousey are the two noteworthy cues of this chapter, the former sampling some teamwork between the strings and electronics for a surging rendition of the gang motif. The recorder riff returns with familiar spaghetti western furnishings (see Chapter 1's Face to Face), as does the wild solo violin. Little Mousey introduces us to the hip-hop oriented integration of Bach's Toccata and Fugue, which works in and around a distinctly woodblock-esque sound. The second half of the cue moves into a entirely new territory, as it features a remarkable fusion between orchestral effects (dissonant descending slides and a rushing repeated line for strings) and hard electronics to underscore a fight scene between Mando and the prison guard droids.
 
Tracking Beacon employs pizzicato strings, and a pair of repeating lines build opposite each other, one in middle range while the other is taken up in the lower end by cellos. The Toccata theme and jagged violin are run through, and the fanfare outro close eerily on suspended strings. Immediately following but unfortunately not present on the album, Shut Up features the gang theme on punchy synth with a quickened tempo. My Saviour features some synthesizer rumblings before opening up to a full-on rendition of the Toccata theme for strings, this time supported against a single-use horn line. Mando on the Move reshapes the recorder riff, opening with a fairly standard statement (see Chapter 1's Hey Mando!) and mutating over a beat from there. 
 
Nice Family leans towards horror writing at times, as active strings take on the gang theme and a heartbeat sound pounds underneath. More pizzicato appears, igniting a call and response between the Toccata and the electronics. The horns even things out, and we hear another reference to Chapter 2's The Egg (still not the last!!!). 
 
Mando's Back is not technically a suite, but it is summative in nature, serving as a culmination of the very best elements heard in the episode thus far. The woodblock beat returns over a flurry of electronics, and we hear familiar bits and pieces take the stage in quick succession; the solo violin, sections of Little Mousey, a section for snare and strings, more of The Egg, overlapping orchestral lines with pounding drums and synth-blasts, and a classic recorder theme at the end. The very last bit of music heard is a meandering little wind figure that sounds a lot like the Jawa motif from Chapter 2 (specifically the beginning of Jawas Attack or The Egg). I did notice that this specifically underscores the moment when Baby Yoda playfully raises his hand when the gang's droid finds him in the closet, similar to the scene in Chapter 2 where he tries to reach out and heal Mando's wound. The latter is scored by nearly the exact same phrase, so that's an interesting item of note. The final two cues tally up to just over three minutes, all of which go unreleased. The first, No Questions, opens with the skeletal recorder theme for strings and winds, which segues into the fanfare, whose natural conclusion is interrupted by an especially dramatic interpretation of the Toccata for overlapping trumpets. Minimalist electronics are met with a solo rendition of the Toccata for clarinet. Dramatic swells in the orchestra signify danger for Mando, but tension releases as X-wings intervene. That Was a Bad Idea is comprised of what may as well be tracked quotes of the skeletal theme and the sharp violin. 
 
It's easy to draw similarities between passages in Chapter 6 and some of the more computerized efforts in Goransson's recent filmography, namely Death Wish and Tenet. Unfortunately, neither of these scores is up to snuff with what he offers here. I think it would be an interesting experiment to track isolated segments from Chapter 6 (and perhaps other fitting examples throughout the show) into Tenet once it gets a home media release, and see how it compares, because there's quite obviously a difference in the techniques at work, despite being within a general range of each other. I'd also like to try my hand (or extend the invitation to others) at some companion videos for Stu's isolated score showcase on Chapter 4. We'll see what happens, but I'll definitely be wrapping up with parts 7 and 8 soon enough. The "all in one place" PDF is still in the hopper, obviously, but I'll make that available to view and download as soon as it's ready. Cheers and good things! 

Thanks for posting that!  I might have seen it when the DVD came out but hadn't seen it since.  It's so nice to hear Williams talk directly about the score for longer than just cursory marketing fluff type statements.
 
And how interesting that it actually contains Williams talking about how Spielberg replaced his original "Surveying the Wreckage" cue with music tracked in from Epilogue?
 
And that little bit from 11:00-11:36 that just shows, unedited, a conversation between Williams and Spielberg about how to score a scene?  WE NEED MORE OF THIS FOOTAGE TO BE OUT IN THE WORLD!
 
Also, does anybody else enjoy literally any time we get to see recording session footage with the video screen up above the players showing the scene with the streamers and other markings rolling by over it?
 
Seeing all this footage of the film itself reminds me again that I haven't seen this film in 15 years and need to see it again.  Definitely going to watch it this weekend!

Yeah, I was just thinking about that. An expanded TFA release could potentially have as many as 8 different versions of the opening! JW wrote all the following to potentially follow the main title:
 
1. 1M2 “Hand Opening”
2. 1M2 R “Hand Opening”
3. 1M2 R (New Ending) “Hand Opening”
4. 1M1A [v1] “Starry Night”
5. 1M1A v2 “Starry Night - Longer”
6. 1M1A v3 “Starry Night”
7. 1M1A Free Version [v4] “Opening / Starry Night”
8. 1M1A Free Version [v4] “Opening / Starry Night” [with inserts]

Though we don’t know for sure which were recorded, apart from numbers 3, 6, 7, and 8. So there’s 4 versions at the very least…

Well, I thought cataloging all the timestamps was going to be the part that took the longest, but it turns out there's still a ton of work after all that, and it's very time consuming.
 
I'm now through reel 5 (out of 7) going through everything and putting everything in the right spot and typing out what's different in what spot, etc.
 
Incidentally, reel 5 ended up being the easiest of all by a massive margin - Not a single alternate, insert, overlay, or revision across the entire reel.  I guess Cuaron and Williams just jived on that stretch of film (Buckbeak's Sentence through The Whomping Willow), way more so than any other part of the entire movie

I'll be honest when I say that the score to Chapter 5 was not as immediately keeping as the episodes prior, but over time I have come to appreciate the progression it marks in the series. It's hardly a musical turning point, but there are certainly some new tones that appear in passing as the mid-season one-off adventure permits. Considering how diverse the sound palette of the show is, this particular chapter features some of the strongest mismatching of ideas, ranging everywhere from a brass-led space dogfight to a dynamic twangy guitar setpiece. Interestingly enough, Chapter 5 boasts the shortest runtime of all the mini-albums, clocking in at twenty minutes, with less than two minutes of unreleased music, as I'll discuss further (note that after Chapter 4 I have not rewatched with unreleased music in mind, so I'm leaning on CGCJ's fantastic spreadsheet at this point). Let's give it a shot!
 
Unfortunately, we don't hear much of Warm or Cold in the episode proper. Fortunately, the cue is included in its entirety on the OST. Surprisingly, this is the first taste of space battle music, as any other flying scenes have acted as transitions thus far (aptly underscored by that wavy synthesizer). Suspended strings run up and down as the fanfare gets stretched and pulled across the orchestra. As the stakes heighten, the utility theme walks a tightrope and delivers a strong sense of danger. A short intro segment sounds confidently as the tables turn, and leads into a verbatim Western title card. Dead Heads is a forty-second unreleased cue that, if I recall correctly, largely features a drum pattern used multiple times throughout the series.
 
Bright Eyes is most certainly a delectable little nugget in the grand scheme of the score. An uncertain opening of eerie synths make way for a lighthearted pizzicato and woodwind serenade, with dressings from harp and a certain "marimba"-esque synth that should ring familiar for those who read my write-up on Chapter 4. This cheery, bouncing excerpt takes the cake over the off-kilter Jawa motif (we'll get there in a moment) for the most Prokofievan melody in the show, embodying that playful innocence that Williams' tapped into with the Ewoks. It's certainly a unique passage in the score, standing above comparison to any other cue. 
 
Stuck With Me Now, to me, is fairly standard underscoring. We hear a deep, dark string line, foreshadowing the changing fate of the newly introduced rookie bounty hunter, but there's little else of note present here. Speederbikes is a short cue, but centre stage of the episode nonetheless. From the get-go the rhythm of the Jawa motif is borrowed and reshaped, this time taken up by full orchestra, ringing out joyously from the trumpets. A "surfing" guitar and familiar percussion bring in the new idea of the episode, which has both multiple parts and, in turn, multiple uses. Desert Raiders, only heard in episode, is fairly similar, but works out the new motif immediately.
 
Raiders is a rather intriguing cue for being, again, so short. The overlapping muted trumpets outline the very last notes of the fanfare, evoking a sound that reminds me of something out of Star Trek (cannot put my finger on it exactly, but I think you'll understand what I mean). The rest of the track is a soundscape dominated by pattering drums and a very wild (and unorthodox) woodwind of some sort. I have no recollection of hearing the next cue, First Watch, and given that it's no longer than half a minute, I'd wager it's not especially integral.
 
Night Riders offers a bit more space for the speeder motif, intermixed with cutting electronics that signal the rush of the bikes across the sand and the path of the flares in the night sky. A solo oboe ends the cue, which picks up again in The Hangar. Decidedly pretty winds and harp rise and fall before atmospheric strings take the reigns. That same brooding line from Stuck With Me Now comes full circle. As a last little Easter egg (emphasis on egg, hehe) the snooping synth from Chapter 2's The Egg reappears, and not for the last time either.
 
In Farewell, the Child's theme makes a rare but gorgeous appearance, reaching upwards on solo flute with a lovely harp accompaniment (John Barry, is that you?). The fanfare picks up with a bopping synth, and a full orchestra (and recorder) mark the end of the episode with the riff. The track ends with some dark, menacing elements for a brief tease at what must be a Season Two revelation. We'll know soon enough!
 
Glad I was able to follow up so soon. I aim to wrap it all up in the coming weeks and make all my notes and analysis available in a neat PDF, to keep things in one place. I am considering going back to Chapters 6, 7 and 8 as there's a lot more unreleased music there that I'd like to bring to light (twelve cues!!!). As always thank you for reading and cheers!
 

It did take a long time; The roadblock to me getting started was having to open up almost every single track to note down the timestamps where it switches from one cue to the next.  I often don't bother to do this with a lot of JW scores where he writes longer cues and it is usually obvious where the switch is in a track, and/or there is often only 2 cues in a track, etc
 
But with this score, it's a hundred short cues so there's no way to really discuss anything without knowing exactly where each cue starts and ends, so that was the bulk of the work.
 
Other than that, I had no idea how to present it for a while, until I had a apostrophe epiphany about the best way (I hope) to present it so now everything's coming together really quickly

Phew!  Got to the end of the score!
 
Now just need to clean everything up and make it presentable

Well, I did it.  I resumed work on the Azkaban google doc tonight.  Got through "Buckbeak's Flight and the Marader's Map"

Man I forgot how much of a pain all that Boggarts music was...

There’s several cues that make reference to “JW score“ and “sketch”:
 

 
1M1 Opening (“Meet Han”)
3M17 Walk to Dryden’s
5M32 Kessel Run Pt. 1 (“Reminiscence Therapy”) 
7M47-48 To Tatooine (“Dice and Roll”)

Screenshot from JP’s latest IG story:
 
I really love how JP seems to know and try to relate with filmmusic fans’s specific wishes and concerns, such as really long tracks and complete track title order.
It wont be surprising if Powell may have taken a look at this forum, FSM or filmtracks, to hear what we say.

Chapter 4 of Season 1 was initially my favourite of the mini-albums released for the show at the time of it's release. I'll echo something that Cerebral Cortex had said pages back, in that it amazes me how the new theme (multi-part theme, that is) for this episode is such an amazing little earworm of a melody that is exclusive to this chapter alone. It appears nowhere else in the score, and will likely have little reason to return in Season 2. And it's a better theme than most films (let alone shows) could ever hope to get in today's industry! Anyways, fascination aside, it's probably the one that has played in my head the most since I first heard it. Let's take a closer look!
 
The Ponds of Sorgan introduces a whole new soundscape, with the Razor Crest receiving a quaint and idyllic setting on acoustic guitar and clarinet. This small ensemble of instruments is representative of the villagers in the episode, and we hear the first shades of their minor motif played early on. The orchestra takes a back seat to what can only be described as an alarm, which the strings rustle beneath. Bombastic synths break through (which quite honestly sound like barking dogs) and we hear a fantastic build-up to the smashing one-off theme, accompanied by a simple but propelling beat (da--da--da--da--da--etc.). The frantic B section gets a running, and segues into the title card, with now familiar piano and fluttering synth.
 
With Off the Grid we go off the beaten path, at least for some interesting developments. The fluttering synth and fanfare get new modes, the latter playing over "news reel" strings. We emerge into a peaceful environment of synth and marimba (don't quote me), and hear a simply perfect interplay between the recorder and Razor Crest themes, further displaying just how complimentary they are to each other. Keep an Eye on the Asset, unreleased, provides building suspense in the string section as Mando tracks Cara's footprints. Please Come In, not on the album, is an encore of the earlier guitar rendition of the Razor Crest, this time with stronger involvement from the strings. 
 
Can I Feed Him? continues this scenic mood with innocent woodwinds and the guitar for the villagers. We hear the Razor Crest on flute, a solemn passage for the B section of the utility theme on horn, and an alarming bustle from the strings to round out the cue. Training the Plebs is without a doubt the cue of the chapter and the defining setpiece for the new theme. First off, and this is just something I noticed recently, it recycles the three-note "marimba vibe" synth from Off the Grid, and essentially plays it under most of the track, this time with an increased tempo. There are so many neat elements playing off of each other here, making this one of the most intriguing cues from an orchestration standpoint. I recommend listening to it very carefully and trying to separate all the different parts at work. In a lot of ways it is structured as a fugue, which really lends to my above points. 
 
Camp Attack is a synth plaster board, non-descript at times, but effective and not without a fair share of cool moments (the sound at 0:30 and a very heavy synth patch at 1:33). That takes us immediately into a more expansive setpiece with Spirit of the Woods. As a direct follow-up to Camp Attack, we hear a fusion of electronics and orchestra for extended passages throughout, slowly phasing out the computerized elements in order to return to a sense of calm in the closing cues. There's a simply fantastic throat singing effect that I was reminded of when I saw the trailer for the second season, which had a similarly unique musical choice. While I doubt that the music in the trailer is any reflection of Goransson's upcoming score, that particular part did well to stick out at me (fingers crossed all the same). The beat of the chapter theme serves as underlayment for interludes of the B sections. We then hear more of that deep voice work and some very Williams-y trumpet hits (think the destruction of the Death Star). The main fanfare gets down to business as the action reaches a climax, and the tension releases. 
 
Two short cues presumably not on the album follow: Fits Right In and Leaving Him Here. The former begins with that same rendition of the Razor Crest motif, moving into the recorder riff on what must be clarinets. Ominous music plays as bounty hunter appears in the woods. It is quite possible that I may have misheard, and that one (or both) of these cues make up the OST's Stay, but I know there are at least sections here that have yet to be heard clean. Mando Says Goodbye to the villagers, and a fitting reprise of the Can I Feed Him? melody plays them out. The Razor Crest gets a second go at its Off the Grid setting, played by full, lush strings with joyous but grounded interjections from the brass. The classic space cutaway zooms out the cue and closes the episode.
 
Had another great time revisiting this album! I believe Stu did an isolated score for a large part of this episode, and while I cannot find the video presently I highly recommend it as an opportunity to see how it lines up to the picture, particularly the training and battle scenes (EDIT: see Stu's post below me!). Thanks again for reading, and feel free to join the conversation, perhaps by sharing your thoughts on a particular cue or idea. Again, I will try my best to keep these coming in time for the incoming buffet in the coming months!!!

The album will always exist for those who love that presentation, but it is great that the entire score will also be available to the public as well, for those who are interested
 
Every score should follow this release pattern