Question about Star Wars Anthology CDs

[dsguardian 0]

Okay, so I just got my hands on the 4-disc Star Wars Anthology set that I kept hearing about. My question is, do the anthology CDs contain any film version cues not heard on the 2-disc '97 CDs? Specifically, I'm wondering if perhaps the Anthology set has the proper film version for Rebel Fleet from the end of ESB? I think I read on here a while back that the film version of Rebel Fleet is actually a different take than the one on the '97 CD (something about same notes, but different timings). Any thoughts? Thanks!

[King Mark 3,626]

Well, you got Lapti Nek and original Ewok Celebration

Return of the Jedi in better sound

ESB finale sounds like the film version

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

Okay, so I just got my hands on the 4-disc Star Wars Anthology set that I kept hearing about. My question is, do the anthology CDs contain any film version cues not heard on the 2-disc '97 CDs? Specifically, I'm wondering if perhaps the Anthology set has the proper film version for Rebel Fleet from the end of ESB? I think I read on here a while back that the film version of Rebel Fleet is actually a different take than the one on the '97 CD (something about same notes, but different timings). Any thoughts? Thanks!

Why spoil the fun of checking the discs by yourself?

[Genius_Gone_Insane 5]

Isn't there a snippet in "The Heroics of Luke and Han" that is here and on the Album but not the Big release? Can't remember, always confused!!

[dsguardian 0]

Okay, so I just got my hands on the 4-disc Star Wars Anthology set that I kept hearing about. My question is, do the anthology CDs contain any film version cues not heard on the 2-disc '97 CDs? Specifically, I'm wondering if perhaps the Anthology set has the proper film version for Rebel Fleet from the end of ESB? I think I read on here a while back that the film version of Rebel Fleet is actually a different take than the one on the '97 CD (something about same notes, but different timings). Any thoughts? Thanks!

Why spoil the fun of checking the discs by yourself?

Actually, I did check them myself. But I figured there shouldn't be any harm in asking on here, seeing as how there are lot of people here who know a heck of a lot more about every single note of these scores than I do.

[dsguardian 0]

Isn't there a snippet in "The Heroics of Luke and Han" that is here and on the Album but not the Big release? Can't remember, always confused!!

Hmm, have to check that. Thanks.

[Guest macrea]

Yeah, I think there something near the end of the track that is cut to match the film instead of presenting the full music as originally recorded and on the OST.

[Henry B 50]

The Anthology version of "Luke's Escape" omits a couple of measures, yes.

[King Mark 3,626]

Never noticed

[pixie_twinkle 48]

2 great things about the anthology:

First, for those of us who bought it when it was first released it was the pinnacle of Star Wars music to date. It seemed inconceivable at that point that there would be any better release.

Second, the booklet in my copy was signed in person by the maestro after he'd conducted a concert of film music at the Barbakan Centre in London in 1996.

[Trent Hoyt 13]

Yes I remember when I received the anthology. It was a Christmas gift, I was what 9 or 10, and I had no idea what it was. My uncle and I went to the basement and listened to Jedi. I remember sitting there and listening to it with him. He was a huge fan of Star Wars and film music. I would like to think that it was my uncle and my grandfather that got me started on this film score journey. But it all starts with the Star Wars Anthology. My copy of the book is so worn out but I still adore and read every page of it each time I listen to the scores.

[Maglorfin 196]

Second, the booklet in my copy was signed in person by the maestro after he'd conducted a concert of film music at the Barbakan Centre in London in 1996.

Ah, lucky you ... Too bad that JW seemingly didn't even think of coming back to the Barbican for the last 10 years or so ...

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Second, the booklet in my copy was signed in person by the maestro after he'd conducted a concert of film music at the Barbakan Centre in London in 1996.

Ah, lucky you ... Too bad that JW seemingly didn't even think of coming back to the Barbican for the last 10 years or so ...

I can never remember how to spell Barbican! LOL

[robthehand 3]

I can never remember how to spell Barbican! LOL

Glad to see I'm not the only one with that problem. I can never remember either.

- Rob, who saw 2001 there this week

[Ollie 1,059]

There are a couple of cues from Empire that are the film edited versions. Those would be The End Credits, edit in the love theme before the fanfare and another edit in the love theme for the Millenium Falcon's escape from Hoth.

There was a post over at FSM several years ago from either Mike Matessino or Nick Redman that explained the assembly somewhat and removed the ridiculous claim that it was somehow Ford Thaxton's fault.

[Lurker 5]

Comparisons for Empire can be found here.

And for here's Star Wars and Jedi.

I make no claim about the authenticity of these notes.

Neil

[Marian Schedenig 8,177]

There was a post over at FSM several years ago from either Mike Matessino or Nick Redman that explained the assembly somewhat and removed the ridiculous claim that it was somehow Ford Thaxton's fault.

But everything is Ford Thaxton's fault.

[GoodMusician 56]

The short hand is: no... there really isnt' a lot of material on the anthology not on the SE's.

The only differences is Lapti Nek on disc 4, the "Rebel Fleet and Finale" from disc 2 being the original version if I recall, not the extended re-scored version after Lucas extended the sequence...and a couple of incorrect takes from "Star Wars."

Past that, the Anthology suffers from slightly incorrect transfer rates... so most of the cues are a tad too slow... nothing audibly noticeable though ... but the pitch is almost always correct except in a few moments where it will slightly warble.

The mixing is near perfect though compared to the SE's.

Jedi will sound better... Empire will sound better on the SE though because most anything on the Anthology that's on the SE is a premixed, Thaxton mix... anything else on the SE is an incorrectly mixed Risner mix.

Star Wars sounds great on the Anthology... but is slightly incomplete... and has incorrect takes of cues becuase they didn't have the original masters OR the original notes on what parts of what takes were used.

Also, it emulates a bit of the editing on the original Album so it's not quite chronological.

Past those ...I think it really is only those two cues... the Anthology doesn't have anything the SE's don't... except good mixing.

The SE's are more complete, but suffer from a lot of hiss removal in the case of Jedi, a lot of limiting the case of Star Wars to make the music sourced from the original masters not sound so much better that the cues sourced from the lower quality masters wouldn't stick out as sounding bad, and the horribly mixing job on most of Empire.. but are still incomplete.

Empire, as stated, doesn't have the original Finale that the Anthology has... and Jedi is still missing a lot of material that is presumed lost including source cues.

[Ollie 1,059]

The Anthology has the original Ewok End Credit celebration.

It also has the film version and the album version of TESB end credit suite.

[dsguardian 0]

The short hand is: no... there really isnt' a lot of material on the anthology not on the SE's.

The only differences is Lapti Nek on disc 4, the "Rebel Fleet and Finale" from disc 2 being the original version if I recall, not the extended re-scored version after Lucas extended the sequence...and a couple of incorrect takes from "Star Wars."

Wow, I didn't know that Rebel Fleet & Finale were extended. Was the sequence extended for the '97 re-release or did Lucas fiddle with it in the original release? Never really noticed that. Thanks for the info!

[Ollie 1,059]

The Rebel Fleet and Finale on the anthology is the version as heard in the film. The Special Edition CD restores the original version that appeared on the double LP album of TESB.

The same thing occurs with the Falcon's escape from Hoth, the edited version heard in the film is used on the Anthology while the S.E. restores the complete piece that was on the double LP, which was the second part of the cue called "The Heroics of Luke and Han".

[GoodMusician 56]

There were two versions.

Williams scored the scene for the 70mm edit. When Lucas saw it, he suggested some more shots of ships, making the rebel fleet seem larger, so he rescored it. The only difference is a bit of extending added during the "Lea's Theme" part I believe.

As far as the ewoks music I COMPLETELY forgot about those two. The Anthology has two mixes of the original Ewok music: the ewok singing version, and the choir version. It does NOT however present the film version.

Also, as I stated, becuase Empire on the Anthology has the alternate take of the Finale, is does also have a different edit of the end credits suite. Nothing is "different," its just edited differently... more noticeable edits really, and a horn omission in the transition into "The Imperial March."