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Which Star Wars: Main Title rendition is your fave?


Quintus

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I'd have to go for ROTJ. I love the brass, though the percussion isn't as defined as it was in ESB, but its an acceptable trade off. The Main Title in ROTJ also seems to have a more epic sound than in previous recordings - a bigger sense of acoustic scale, particularly during the strings bridge before the main theme's reprisal. And what a reprisal it is, by far the most powerful of of all the renditions I've heard, including any of the re-recordings.

That said, I'd still like to tinker with it if only possible! I'd have the opening blast and Main Theme's first statement from EpIV followed by the strings of of EpVI, with a merging of EpV's percussion and EpVI's brass for the reprisal. But you can't have everything in life I suppose ;)

Also, what is regarded as the definitive version of the Star Wars: Main Theme by the people here? Perhaps its not even an ost rendition?

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I shall hunt it down!

Yes, I have recently gotten back into this theme. In case anyone was wondering. Goes to show: Even JW over-played pop music is worth a re-listen once in a while. Lest we forget its the reason he is famous.

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It is a tie for me. My two favorite Star Wars: Main Title renditions are from "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Revenge of the Sith" I them both equally. The Empire Strikes back because it starts on the Planet Hoth and you get to hear something longer than the "A New Hope" Main Title. Revenge of the Sith I like because it has that dark hymn which starts out with the bass drum or some other type of instrument. It is a great way to start a Star Wars film. I hope they come out with the special editions for Episodes I-III soon.

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there was no recording of the Star Wars main title for Revenge of the Sith, so that invalidates that answer.

The Original recording sounds best, not that there is anything wrong with ESB or ROTJ, but they don't sound just right.

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there was no recording of the Star Wars main title for Revenge of the Sith,

Yes, I looked forward to the release of the title music for AOTC, but it was just TPM tracked in again. Same for ROTS. I felt quite deflated (in ost terms) by that.

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I think I'd go for ESB, although what follows might have something to do with that. Otherwise, I prefer the original main title that opened Star Wars. I don't like the prominent trumpets in the RotJ recording as much.

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I'm mostly partial to the prequel recording myself, although I love ANH's too. Jedi's is fine, but the orchestral differences used in ESB just don't work that well for me.

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If your allowing renditions by conductors other than Williams (and I assume you are as someone choose the Gerhardt version) I have always championed the Zubin Mehta / Los Angeles Philharmonic recording. The tempi are brisk and the sound quality is exceptional.

Here are two CD's that have the theme:

http://www.amazon.com/Holst-Planets-Gustav...7117&sr=8-7

http://www.amazon.com/Holst-Planets-Willia...7117&sr=8-6

Both are budget priced and the theme is coupled with Holst's "The Planets" which is also performed with great enthusiasm and skill. :thumbup:

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I most prefer the 1977 version. One of my favorite things done in that version and not in any other is the timpani playing the bass line solo, after the horns play the recapitulation of the main theme. Even the 1977 suite (printed score) doesn't show that interesting timpani part.

I'd say Jedi is my least favorite. Overall, the recording sounds flat to me - as it does for the whole score. Not sure if it's the room or the engineering, but the sound just doesn't sound as good. I like the sound of the 1977 recording the most. I read somewhere they used the same microphone used in the Fox studios in the 1950s which Lionel Newman helped pioneer. I've seen pictures of Lionel at the March 1977 recording sessions too.

I have a live concert recording of it somewhere that i like,the woodwinds really stand out.
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Guest macrea

It's not even a contest for me. No other recordings, for the films or otherwise, ever sounded like the original Star Wars, which remains perfect and definitive to me.

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Hmm, this is a toughy for me. Got to consider that the Prequel Main Titles is the exact same recording...

Don't get me wrong it's a good recording and all but I dunno which one to really choose. If I had to really choose I'd probably have to go with Star Wars.

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My instinctive reaction would be the prequel recording. I love the "raw" feeling of the LSO's older recordings as much as the next guy, but the Star Wars main titles just feel a little better to me with the more refined sound heard in more recent times. That being said, the original recording has a special place in my heart and certainly brings back a lot of nostalgia. (In the middle section, I also like the little A - Bb - C figure in the horns--in later arrangements, the trumpets play A - Bb - A instead.) Also, the reprise sounds quite nice in the ROTJ performance, though I agree that the trumpets are too loud in a number of places. The ESB recording is a little fast and...I dunno, tepid, I guess, for my tastes. Doesn't have enough heart.

But in general, I just love the main titles. It's an overused theme that can get slightly cheesy at times, but the undeniable enthusiasm and gusto of that opening title is undeniable fun. I'm tempted to say I like the middle section even better than the opening and the reprise. Listening to all four recordings again so I could post my opinion, I found myself falling in love with all of them all over again. :o

I've got to say, though, ANH definitely wins in the category of post-main-title music. ROTJ is really the only one I don't like--all the others are great--but ANH is unbeatable. ESB, TPM, and AOTC are all appropriately eerie, sure. In its original form, ROTS strikes me as rather inappropriate to the scene, though I like the simple war drum intro that was used. BUT--ANH still pwns. Sorry. That 3/4 ostinato pounding in the low brass and timpani while the Rebel theme soars above it...man, Zimmer sure as heck will never write anything that ballsy. ;)

On a side note, does anyone know why there's that awful pitch shift when you listen to the very beginning of ANH? It's not on the soundtrack, only on the VHS and DVD. Very odd and unpleasant. You'd think Lucas would take the time to replace that instead of certain other changes that fanboys have been whining about for a decade now. :(

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All six film's Main Titles sound exactly the same to me. I don't hear the slightest difference in any of them.

;)

Listen to the one from Star Wars, and then The Phantom Menace. You think they sound "exactly the same"?

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Did you really expect Demodex to really tell the difference? ;)

After all he finds nothing wrong with the chopped up to hell so called "Ultimate Edition" of the Phantom Menace score...

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Listen to the one from Star Wars, and then The Phantom Menace. You think they sound "exactly the same"?

With the prequels he's 50% correct. ;)

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I get chills equally from "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back."

"Star Wars" for its opening blast and the way the tempo seems to pick up slightly as the main theme churns away, and for the French horn near the end. (I've always wished there was footage of those first takes. There had to be a lot of electricity in the air, knowing that they were doing something amazing.)

"The Empire Strikes Back" for the bridge between the string section and the second rendition of the theme, and the trumpet crescendo near the end.

I get the use of the trumpet solo in "Jedi" symbolizing Luke's lone journey to overturn the Emperor and his heroic attempt. But the orchestra at times doesn't seem to be in sync and JW has to wrangle them all together a couple of times. Of course, that could just be the editing.

The only time I got goosebumps hearing the prequel rendition was during my first viewing of "The Phantom Menace" in the theater, and that was because it was the first time I'd heard it in full surround sound in a couple of years.

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I get chills equally from "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back."

"Star Wars" for its opening blast and the way the tempo seems to pick up slightly as the main theme churns away, and for the French horn near the end. (I've always wished there was footage of those first takes. There had to be a lot of electricity in the air, knowing that they were doing something amazing.)

I wonder if they really did think of it like that, especially some of the elitist performers of the classically renowned LSO. "Hmmph, bloody sci-fi drivel..."

"The Empire Strikes Back" for the bridge between the string section and the second rendition of the theme, and the trumpet crescendo near the end.

I just love that part. Probably the only noteworthy thing about the ESB titles.

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there was no recording of the Star Wars main title for Revenge of the Sith,

Yes, I looked forward to the release of the title music for AOTC, but it was just TPM tracked in again. Same for ROTS. I felt quite deflated (in ost terms) by that.

It is the same recording but I believe it has been remixed each time. One thing I noticed right away on the ROTS version is that the harp is much clearer than on the others (bridging the introduction and the main theme).

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Someone point out to me the differences between the films' titles. I don't hear it.

Read the thread, people have already described several differences. Or, better still, just play one after the other and listen.

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If your allowing renditions by conductors other than Williams (and I assume you are as someone choose the Gerhardt version) I have always championed the Zubin Mehta / Los Angeles Philharmonic recording. The tempi are brisk and the sound quality is exceptional.

Here are two CD's that have the theme:

http://www.amazon.com/Holst-Planets-Gustav...7117&sr=8-7

http://www.amazon.com/Holst-Planets-Willia...7117&sr=8-6

Both are budget priced and the theme is coupled with Holst's "The Planets" which is also performed with great enthusiasm and skill. :eek:

I was going to mention that one, thought not my favourite of them all. :mrgreen:

For that I would go for the 1996 recording of the theme with the LSO under Williams on "Hollywood Sound" and the Charles Gerhardt condcuted one (with the NPO) from his Empire Strikes Back recording.

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Star Wars. TPM is very technically proficient in performance, while there's a lot of enthusiasm in Empire and Jedi (in parts, anyway). Star Wars has both.

Skywalker Symphony sounds pretty good, though a little under tempo. McNeely's recording from Shadows of the Empire is also very strong.

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All six film's Main Titles sound exactly the same to me. I don't hear the slightest difference in any of them.

clean out your ears, they are full of gunk.

even the deaf can hear the difference

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This thread got me to go back and listen to a number of rendtions. One that I forgot about (and I don't know how I could because it was so thrilling) was the very first take rendition which is a buried track on the RCA 09026-68746-2 release. It has that slight trill at the beginning which was later eliminated in favor of the strong abrupt beginning in the final film version. Even if you don't like the deleted beginning, it's still amazing to hear the very first time the orchestra ever struck up that wonderous theme that would become famous throughout the world! :eek:

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This thread got me to go back and listen to a number of rendtions. One that I forgot about (and I don't know how I could because it was so thrilling) was the very first take rendition which is a buried track on the RCA 09026-68746-2 release. It has that slight trill at the beginning which was later eliminated in favor of the strong abrupt beginning in the final film version. Even if you don't like the deleted beginning, it's still amazing to hear the very first time the orchestra ever struck up that wonderous theme that would become famous throughout the world! :wave:

Yes, I really love that one as well.

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I've always wished there was footage of those first takes. There had to be a lot of electricity in the air, knowing that they were doing something amazing.

I'd love to see that footage, too, but as TheGreatEye pointed out, they were probably rather unimpressed at the time. Remember, no one thought Star Wars would even make it off the ground, let alone go soaring into the heart of pop culture. So for me, I find myself wondering how they managed such enthusiasm and gusto without knowing just how great this thing would end up being. I doubt any of them knew how amazing this would turn out.

Someone point out to me the differences between the films' titles. I don't hear it.

The sound quality is different in each one, with the prequel recording sounding the most markedly different in this respect. There are minor differences in orchestration. Tempo varies between recordings--notice how fast ESB's recording is. As others have mentioned, the trumpets are quite loud in ROTJ. Some of the recordings have sloppier openings than the others, as well as other minor performance flaws.

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This ain't any mickey mouse music , the trumpets must be loud.(rotj)

And when the horns join the the theme it's also pretty loud and cool.

In Jedi the orchestra sounds first time real (SW is like small room without reverb,ESB little improvment)

The theme in the prequels sounds great but there is more feeling in jedi.

And again , my opinion is based to the original LP records , not any (later) mixed versions.

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So for me, I find myself wondering how they managed such enthusiasm and gusto without knowing just how great this thing would end up being.

Well, they are the London Symphony Orchestra.

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The original crescendo/trill that opened "Main Title" is one of those things you love to hear, yet you know are fundamentally wrong. Good thing it went. And good call on Lucas's part to tone down the woodwinds; they're downright obnoxious in the first take.

Which Star Wars: Main Title rendition is your fave?

The one that John Williams wrote.

I can't figure out if this is a joke or one of your extremely loyalist, yet nonsensical Williams remarks.

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The ones with percussion higher in the mix are less appealing. I also don't like to hear much of the chimes during the first seconds (something I think too much present on the dry re-recordings).

I still wish that George would have left Johnny do at least a run of the main title for AOTC and ROTS. Did he really need to cut the cost that much?

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Maybe Williams decided that he had composed and arranged the title 4 different times and there was nothing else he could do or wanted to do to it.

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I'll try to listen to the different versions some day, but I honestly never knew there was a difference between any of them until I saw this thread.

And yes, I do like TPM UE.

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