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Ever hear the women singing on SWANH: Princess Leia?


InTheCity

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As far as I know there is no choir in ANH besides this.

I definitely hear some women singing - sounds like a very small group perhaps 3 in the build up to the big B major Chord.

Anyone have info on this?

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No way that is a synth choir! At that time, the only "synth" that could emulate the human voice was the mellotron, and after 35 years of listeng to prog rock, I can easily tell a mellotron from real voices. That's a choir.

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Yes, the female voices in TESB are real, certainly not synth!

Regarding the OP, I think it's just a musical illusion due to Williams' high string writing in the concert version of Leia's theme, if that's what was being referred to.

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Is it the build-up to the chord that hits at 3:41? I think that's what you're talking about, and I think I hear what you are referring to, but I think it's a combination of woodwinds that I hear in there, that has this vocal quality. I would figure that if Williams wanted to use a choir on this piece, he'd have actually made them audible at that moment...that moment could be a grand choir moment! But I don't see why he would use a few woman's voices in there for that moment.

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As far as I know there is no choir in ANH besides this.

I definitely hear some women singing - sounds like a very small group perhaps 3 in the build up to the big B major Chord.

Anyone have info on this?

Just call it Star Wars, that is the films title. writing it as you did in the title of this thread is sick.
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Just call it Star Wars, that is the films title. writing it as you did in the title of this thread is sick.

I think it's sick that everyone leaves out the mention that it's from the Journal of the Whills, but that's just me.

Some one over at FSM is also convinced that JW uses a synth for a few seconds in ANH's Land Of The Sandpeople

He's not the same putz that throws his CDs away instead of selling them to used CD shops, is he?

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Yes it's like 8 bars but very noticeable. It's not woodwinds.

Joey sorry I will try to consult u before each post now on

just call it Star Wars, that is the name.

I'm pretty sure that Nick Winters the Lounge Lizard said

Star Wars, nothing but Star Wars, Give me those Star Wars, Don't let them end.

Nope nothing about A New Hope.

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As far as I know there is no choir in ANH besides this.

I definitely hear some women singing - sounds like a very small group perhaps 3 in the build up to the big B major Chord.

Anyone have info on this?

The first times I had listened to Princess Leia's Theme, I had also noticed this strange sound feature, and also got the impression that there was a small ensemble of women singing. But I perfectly agree with steb74's interpretation:

Regarding the OP, I think it's just a musical illusion due to Williams' high string writing in the concert version of Leia's theme, if that's what was being referred to.

In fact, although I do not have the full score with me right now, I think I recall that this "vocal-quality" passage (E, F sharp, G and back) is played, among the others, by violas in their high register (the octave above that of the C3), while violins are busy with the main melody line. Strings can give this illusion sometimes. Personally, I hear an analogous effect, here and there, also in this beautiful piece by Morricone (where I am sure there is no choir - only strings, harpsichord, oboe and timpani at the beginning):

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and in TOD, "Slave Children's Crusade" almost sounded like it.

Where in slave children's crusade?

1:30 to 1:34

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Just listened to it, sounds to me like Oboe (s) in the high register.

and in TOD, "Slave Children's Crusade" almost sounded like it.

Where in slave children's crusade?

1:30 to 1:34

Ah, yeah that's a nice section. I like the sound of unison strings octaves apart doing the theme like that.

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Guys its not the strings nor winds - you need listen geographically. The choir is coming about 15 degrees to the right while the woodwinds are coming dead center. Now also listen to them closely - I can hear her singing a different sylable even.

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Dude, it's the violas. When the rest of the orchestra stops at 3:48 you can clearly hear it was the violas all the time. It's one of those amazing aural illusions. Yes, it sounds like a few women singing, but it's really the violas.

If you want to hear a really freaky aural illusion listen to Ligeti's Lux Aeterna. It's for unaccompanied choir, but in places you'll be sure you can hear all sorts of other instruments in there!

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Guys its not - otherwise it wouldnt be what I want it to be, so shut up and agree with me.

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Guys its not the strings nor winds - you need listen geographically. The choir is coming about 15 degrees to the right while the woodwinds are coming dead center.

You're aware of panning, right?

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Dude, it's the violas. When the rest of the orchestra stops at 3:48 you can clearly hear it was the violas all the time. It's one of those amazing aural illusions. Yes, it sounds like a few women singing, but it's really the violas.

If you want to hear a really freaky aural illusion listen to Ligeti's Lux Aeterna. It's for unaccompanied choir, but in places you'll be sure you can hear all sorts of other instruments in there!

Maybe the singing is in harmony with the violas, like the vocals and trumpets in the Adam West Batman theme.

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Although being no stranger to conspiracy theories myself, I don't hear a choir

in the piece.

Or, wait! Listen to this:

That's what I call a helluva choir...

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Another John Williams piece where I often 'hear' a choir that isn't actually there is towards the end of the main titles of The Poseidon Adventure (at about the 1:15 mark).

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It is clearly the combination of the Oboe+English Horn and the Violas (just have a look at the printed score if you can) which let it sound like human voices - I can see why you would mistake it for female voices, but there simply isn't a choir in that piece.

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i know I'm late in joining this party, but I agree that what you're hearing are the violas. It is one of the illusions of vocal quality. But you can hear the viola line clearly starting its ascent at around 3:25 to the part where it sounds "choir-like" in 3:31. It's a viola line (I think), not a choir. :)

Although being no stranger to conspiracy theories myself, I don't hear a choir

in the piece.

Or, wait! Listen to this:

That's what I call a helluva choir...

Now, that's awesome! :o

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I swear I have ALWAYS heard a low mens choir singing as Anakin and Padme are brought into the Arena in Episode II. Especially in the high shot over the geonosians and slowly moving in towards them in the arena...

at 1:28...the low cello line. like a mens choir singing the main melody as an "mmm" sound

PS: they need to SHOOT who ever's phone went off in that Leah video...wow...choir with that is more awesome than I realized!

It seems there are two rules of concerts: cough and sneeze only when it's aboslutely quiet, and leave your phone on RING, never vibrate!

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I always for some reason hear a bunch of choir in Duel of the Fates and Hymn to the Fallen. Stupid Audio-illusions!!

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Guys, check out the other performances from that concert with the choir. Imperial March sounds so badass, almost reminds me of Verdi's Dies Irae:

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