Jump to content

Why isn't there a force theme suite?


GoodMusician

Recommended Posts

I was curious... we have suites for all the major themes from star wars except this one... and this isn't like just a little theme... this is like...THE theme...

Granted it's never used to completion in the films themselves... they start to go into the B section in the finale to Empire, but it's never really done...

Are there force theme suites out there I don't know about? I keep looking but I've never found any.

I was alerted to this when someone gave me a trumpet star wars book (I don't play trumpet so I'm kinda confused why) BUT it had the "complete" Force Theme in it...which I'd never heard.

It came with a CD. I've uploaded the track if anyone is interested, PM me... but I was curious if there are any complete suites for it and if not, why not!? lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 41
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I'd love to hear the track. I don't know what I have been thinking for the last few years, but this week I started giving full album listens to Star Wars and... wooowww. I've already fallen in love with Burning Homestead, Tractor Beam and Battle of Yavin ;)

Can't get enough Star Wars at the moment ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd love to hear the track. I don't know what I have been thinking for the last few years, but this week I started giving full album listens to Star Wars and... wooowww. I've already fallen in love with Burning Homestead, Tractor Beam and Battle of Yavin ;)

Can't get enough Star Wars at the moment ;)

Good man.. now people won't have to behead you this week. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't want to hear a suite of it. It's one of those things that works because it has to be used in a specific manner and very sparingly.

The Force Theme was astonishing in Star Wars because it was juxtaposed against a backdrop of relatively highly contrasting "unemotional" material. So when we got a break and hit that highly emotional yet noble theme, it was beyond satisfying.

The theme lost a lot of its oomph in the subsequent movies, which were much more emotional in nature. Not to say it was bad...it just didn't have the same visceral impact as before.

It was fantastic again for a few seconds in Anakin leaves his mummy, and it provided the highlight of Revenge of the Sith in its action statement due to sheer novelty, but it never again achieved the heights of Binary Sunset or the likes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed.

To stretch it out into a suite would ruin it. It was composed to capture a certain moment or moments.

I agree with you, Mark.

I don't need a suite for the Force Theme. The nice moments in the scores are perfect touch for it. I mean if you really want to you could edit the material where the force themes come in and make your own suite...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well, I was just curious because from the outside, it seems such a strange thing... to NOT have a suite that uses it...especially after all these years... and it would seem that it was a conscious decision...

And looking back, I understand what you're all saying...and I actually really agree... it's like a spice tossed in... almost like the Rebel Fanfare in Episode III...

I still wonder what a proper suite would be like though :-p

I thought I'd check to see if there wasn't one I just wasn't aware of

Have you all heard the B section? I hadn't heard it until I got the trumpet book...and I saw it again in the piano book. Are you all familiar with it from such things as well?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well,thanks for reminding me about MY version of the Force Suite.

I had always thought it would be nice to have on.

Not to mention,a theme for Han and Chewie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I've never heard it, I have heard that there is a "Force Theme" suite which is partly based on the Force Theme statement at the beginning of "Rebel Fleet / End Titles" from Empire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I've never heard it, I have heard that there is a "Force Theme" suite which is partly based on the Force Theme statement at the beginning of "Rebel Fleet / End Titles" from Empire.

See... that's what I am talking about...

The Finale or Rebel Fleet from Empire started to go into this the B section, but before it finishes goes back into the main part and end ends... If its based off of it, then that's probably would cover use the otherwise unused B section...

Do you remember anything else? Where you saw/heard it?

It is something arranged for like school orchestras or something that maybe we could look for sheet music for it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't heard it "officially" and I haven't seen the sheet music. However, the closest I did find was on this site, with the piece being called "May the Force be with You".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes... lol that's the book I have lol so I am familiar with that lol

That along with the horn book are what inspired me to ask this... the horn book came with a practice cd of the track with/without the trumpet so you could play along with the music in the book and a recording... thats where I got the recording I uploaded..

but it's the same idea...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be very interested to here this supposed suite, but I must say I'm strangely glad there was never an official Force Theme suite on the OSTs. It's got to be my favorite Star Wars theme--and that's saying something!--but somehow it feels right without the "complete treatment."

- Datameister, who is listening to and loving "The Rebel Fleet/End Title"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still think they need to do a suite of the Trade Federation theme (in fact, I wish someone would make some new arrangements on those re-recordings of themes instead of almost note for note of the original --- I have no reason to by the re-recordings, I already have all those versions on the regular soundtracks -- seems most rearrangements are that way overall... nothing new, like Kunzel stuff --- how does he and others like him actually take credit for those, when he uses basically almost note-for-note replications of most of the themes? It's not like he did many of his own arrangements)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Listen to Belly of the Steel Beast.

Only if you want to hear John Williams action music at its dullest and least Trade-Federation-march-like.

You're insane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're insane.

Probably. After all, not being extraordinarily fond of just one Williams cue that many film score buffs enjoy is one of those hallmarks of clinical psychosis, right? Well, just to add some credibility to the diagnosis, I'll take another listen to the cue right now.

The first minute is my primary annoyance. After that, things pick up a bit, though they still bare little resemblance to the Trade Federation march. From here on out, I don't mind the track, but it's definitely not my favorite Williams action music. The trumpet lick at 2:40 (it's repeated at 3:02) is great, but the music surrounding it leaves me rather cold. Nothing wrong with it...but in my book, it just can't compare to the action music from "In the Idol's Temple," or the original Star Wars, or even many of the prequel action cues. (The buildup near the end is good stuff, too, by the way.)

The melodic contour and rhythms of the Trade Federation march start out rather similarly to the motif from "Belly of the Steel Beast," yes. But the chordal structure, orchestration, and remainder of the melody are very different. I'd rather listen to the Trade Federation march.

</insanity>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not bad to not be extraordinarily fond of every Williams piece, but I love "Belly of the Steel Beast". It boggles my mind when people bad mouth it, just like when people bad mouth the whole of The Last Crusade. It contains some of Williams' best action work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It boggles my mind when people bad mouth it, just like when people bad mouth the whole of The Last Crusade. It contains some of Williams' best action work.

There's a difference between badmouthing a cue or score and simply saying that it's merely good, rather than the usual extraordinary material Williams produces. <_<

- Datameister, who enjoys TLC and wishes the unreleased tracks were available in better-than-horrid sound quality, though he greatly prefers ROTLA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazes me too - I find it an exhilarating cue, and I find the whole of TLA a joy from beginning to end. Possibly my favourite of the trilogy.

I think the horrendous sound quality is all that keeps me from completely enjoying the boot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the horrendous sound quality is all that keeps me from completely enjoying the boot.

I know it slightly worsens my opinion of the score, since I subconsciously associate many of TLC's great cues with that warbly, distorted sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"The Arena", from Attack of the Clones, is the track to go to when you're in a Trade Federation March mood.

Which is an intentional connection by Williams.

John- who loves Belly of the Steel Beast (as well as just about every Last Crusade action cue) and still doesn't get what wrong with the CD's sound

Link to comment
Share on other sites

can we keep on topic please.

And yes that youtube video is the music I mean. It's the same as was on the website and the version I uploaded lol...

It's from about the same source as the version I have uploaded that I was saying people could listen to if they were unsure of what I was talking about. lol!

So yes... that's what I mean... of course any suite wouldn't be just that... that's the bare bones...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 years later...

There is, it's the extention to The Throne Room & Finale.

Well it's STILL the Throne Room Extension but Ben's quieter ( but still somewhat lively) "B" part still hasn't been written. And I mean "B" part and NOT just a modulation of the "A" part-that's nothing.

Also, this wouldn't be a suite at all-it would be a concert arrangement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is, it's the extention to The Throne Room & Finale.

Well it's STILL the Throne Room Extension but Ben's quieter ( but still somewhat lively) "B" part still hasn't been written. And I mean "B" part and NOT just a modulation of the "A" part-that's nothing.

Also, this wouldn't be a suite at all-it would be a concert arrangement.

This is an old thread.

But I have done the same thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.