The Force Awakens The Force Awakens - Complete Score Breakdown & Chronological Order (Film Spoilers Allowed)

[Incanus 5,894]

1 hour ago, Datameister said:

 

If they're referring to the funeral material from TPM, that's obviously silly because the music was written two years before FOTR hit theaters. But I'm not gonna lie, that quiet bit at the beginning of "Anakin's Dark Deeds" is a dead ringer for LOTR.

As far as TFA is concerned I doubt J.J. Abrams temp tracked it or that JW saw any cuts with temp on it. Prequels had several places in AotC and RotS that more or less show the imprint of temp track influencing Williams' writing. Meadow Picnic bears a resemblance to Basil Poledouris' love music from Les Miserables and that opening humming chorus and bass drum strokes in Anakin's Dark Deeds is indeed "inspired" by Shore's Fellowship of the Ring, specifically The Treason of Isengard/Three Is Company. Even JW has to bow down sometimes to the demands of the temp track it seems.

[Not Mr. Big 5,011]

I think temp tracks can bring out interesting new colors from Williams.  Here's hoping Johnnson temps VIII with Under the Skin and Junkie XL music.   

 

 

[Incanus 5,894]

If Sicario at times seems to resemble Williams' Munich with its heartbeat pulse effects then who knows, perhaps Johnny will embrace the new fangled synth work and youthful dubstep in his career.

[DominicCobb 196]

Just realized the string part at the end of Snoke (OST, also heard in the film in the character's second scene) is very similar to the string part (unreleased) that plays in ROTS when Anakin learns Palpatine is the Sith Lord.

 

 

 

[Xander Harris 9,741]

Yeah it's like the Trek to Pankot film version insert combined with that. Most of TFA sounds like something else and inspires me to listen to other scores.

[Luke Skywalker 2,387]

The original Star Wars was temp-tracked with classical music (Lucas' original intent).

 

I'm sure Spielberg and Lucas could give williams a temp track. Because they are more or less of the same age and know themselves from young. Now, a young director like JJ, would feel anxious if he had to give a temp track to a living legend like Williams. I sure would, at least.

[DominicCobb 196]

Wouldn't TFA have been temp tracked with Williams Star Wars music anyway?

 

Why would JJ temp track it with Goldsmith or Conti?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,463]

Why not?

[Xander Harris 9,741]

Conti + Goldsmith > Williams

[Not Mr. Big 5,011]

Never been much of a Conti fan to be honest.  

[leeallen01 2,368]

Does anyone think this little fanfare at 2:13 in 'The Falcon' and 0:11 in 'Scherzo For X-Wings' has any significance or is it just a lead in blast to the thematic material?

[Datameister 2,587]

I don't think there's any significance to that, personally. But after watching the film again just now, I'm now fully convinced that there is indeed a "map theme." Or perhaps motif - it just consists of two alternating minor chords, a tritone apart, sometimes voiced as arpeggios. It's heard very consistently in a leitmotivic fashion when the map is discussed or shown.

[Jay 46,476]

Timestamps!

[Datameister 2,587]

2:30 in OST track 1 would be the first instance of it. It's also heard in the unreleased cue for the first viewing of the map, and when they later view the map at the Resistance base - and there's an unused statement on the OST that I believe was for right before the final viewing with R2's help. Totally intentional use of the same motif.

[artguy360 2,237]

27 minutes ago, Datameister said:

2:30 in OST track 1 would be the first instance of it. It's also heard in the unreleased cue for the first viewing of the map, and when they later view the map at the Resistance base - and there's an unused statement on the OST that I believe was for right before the final viewing with R2's help. Totally intentional use of the same motif.

This is different from the short motif in Rey meets BB8 that sounds a bit like the Jedi Steps music? That has been taken to be a map theme in previous discussions.

[Incanus 5,894]

2 hours ago, Datameister said:

I don't think there's any significance to that, personally. But after watching the film again just now, I'm now fully convinced that there is indeed a "map theme." Or perhaps motif - it just consists of two alternating minor chords, a tritone apart, sometimes voiced as arpeggios. It's heard very consistently in a leitmotivic fashion when the map is discussed or shown.

I always thought this was related to BB8 but it is present in all the scenes related to the map so could be either way.

[DominicCobb 196]

I posted about that a couple times awhile back:

I'm pretty sure BB-8 has a motif. 0:39 on Rey Meets BB-8. 0:07 on Follow Me. 1:57, 2:47 and 3:07 on Han and Leia. 2:05 on Farewell and the Trip.

Hmm. Is this a motif for BB-8 or for the map to Skywalker? It seems definitely like BB-8, but the one thing that keeps nagging at me is it's similarity to The Jedi Steps. And I just realized now that the motif is in The Attack on Jakku at 1:10, when the map is handed over to Poe (and BB-8 is not present), which would suggest it is, in fact, for the map. Of course, the reason it's hard to know is many of its statements could conceivably be for either the map or BB-8 (for obvious reasons), but the thing that's tripping me up are the moments where it doesn't make sense as a map motif, just a BB-8 motif (such as when BB-8 reunites with Poe). Also there are moments that have more to do with the map that don't have the motif (when it's first projected on the Falcon, for instance). So... I don't know really. Still, a nice motif!

[Datameister 2,587]

Ah yes, I thought I remembered some discussion about that. Bottom line, on this viewing, it seemed immediately obvious that this material indeed represents the map given to BB-8.

[Datameister 2,587]

In case anyone missed it, we now have confirmation on a few cue titles:

 

* the main title is now "Opening"; no slate number

* an unused alternate of the next cue is "Opening / Starry Night"; the slate number is 1M1A (Free Version)

* "Rey's Theme" is called exactly that, except there are apparently at least two versions that differ in length, and one is listed as "(longer version)"

[Henry B 51]

Maybe the shorter version is the one from the end credits, assuming each part of the end credits was recorded separately.

[Datameister 2,587]

That would make sense. Then again, there's certainly precedent for Williams rewriting or expanding concert arrangements (e.g., "Across the Stars"), so who knows?

[Jay 46,476]

Pretty sure he wrote and recorded several versions of Rey's Theme until they arrived at the one they wanted for the album.

 

The end credits sections are likely titled as being in the end credits and not uniquely titled.

[artguy360 2,237]

Weren't there several versions of DOTF recorded before JW and Lucas decided on the concert version heard on the album and film? I seem to recall a shorter version and one that had more percussion and cymbal clashes. It was kind of messier and grittier than the refined version we ended up with. 

[Jay 46,476]

Yea I think the final album version is a combination / edit of multiple recordings?

[tedfud 39]

On 2/18/2016 at 2:52 AM, Datameister said:

I don't think there's any significance to that, personally. But after watching the film again just now, I'm now fully convinced that there is indeed a "map theme." Or perhaps motif - it just consists of two alternating minor chords, a tritone apart, sometimes voiced as arpeggios. It's heard very consistently in a leitmotivic fashion when the map is discussed or shown.

 

Do you mean this, Happens first at .58 in "attack on the jakku village part one" ....I think it's the first time we see BB8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

t

[Datameister 2,587]

That's not the most typical form of it, but it could be interpreted as a variation on it.

 

The material I'm talking about is heard at the following moments in the OST:

 

* "Main Title and The Attack on the Jakku Village" 2:30-2:56, with other stuff sometimes happening over it

* "Han and Leia" 3:08-3:12

* "Farewell and The Trip" 2:05-2:13

 

There's definitely a long unreleased use of this motif in the scene when Han is wandering through the map and they're talking about the legends of the Jedi and so forth. There might be one or two other unreleased statements in the film but I can't remember for sure.

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

So around 0:24 of that video there seems to be an alternate of Farewell and The Trip using the Rebel Fanfare?

[Datameister 2,587]

I'm thinking it's from some other unreleased cue, but I could be wrong.

[tedfud 39]

1 hour ago, Datameister said:

That's not the most typical form of it, but it could be interpreted as a variation on it.

 

The material I'm talking about is heard at the following moments in the OST:

 

* "Main Title and The Attack on the Jakku Village" 2:30-2:56, with other stuff sometimes happening over it

* "Han and Leia" 3:08-3:12

* "Farewell and The Trip" 2:05-2:13

 

There's definitely a long unreleased use of this motif in the scene when Han is wandering through the map and they're talking about the legends of the Jedi and so forth. There might be one or two other unreleased statements in the film but I can't remember for sure.

 

ah...well those are going the other way . Dm down to Abm. sounds very similar though.

 

t

[Datameister 2,587]

Yep. Still shares the alternating-root-position-minor-chords-a-tritone-apart idea, but the direction and rhythm are different. I'd say it's probably an intentional relative of the same motif.

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

This is not the first sStar Wars to have a motif like this.

[Datameister 2,587]

What do you mean?

[Luke Skywalker 2,387]

On 23/2/2016 at 4:12 PM, Datameister said:

In case anyone missed it, we now have confirmation on a few cue titles:

 

* the main title is now "Opening"; no slate number

* an unused alternate of the next cue is "Opening / Starry Night"; the slate number is 1M1A (Free Version)

 

As i understood it, I think that since they recorded the main title sepparate, "Opening" would be the title crawl outro (pan down to the stars and planet, star destroyer entrance and "starry night" the next cue, where the troops transports are seen entering the planet surface (starry night pretty much describes the scene). "free version" would mean it is "free" of the main title. They used it for the FYC.

 

Unless, of course, the notes presented in that page are the 1st notes of the main title, then i'm completely wrong.

 

[Score 775]

4 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

 

As i understood it, I think that since they recorded the main title sepparate, "Opening" would be the title crawl outro (pan down to the stars and planet, star destroyer entrance and "starry night" the next cue, where the troops transports are seen entering the planet surface (starry night pretty much describes the scene). "free version" would mean it is "free" of the main title. They used it for the FYC.

 

Unless, of course, the notes presented in that page are the 1st notes of the main title, then i'm completely wrong.

 

 

The notes presented in that page are indeed the beginning notes of the main title.

[Luke Skywalker 2,387]

oookay then

 

How great would it be to be able to read notes and at the same time picture in your mind how they sound....

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

39 minutes ago, Datameister said:

What do you mean?

ROTS also has a two note motif.

[Score 775]

10 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

oookay then

 

How great would it be to be able to read notes and at the same time picture in your mind how they sound....

 

Well, in this case, it is the 2nd Horn part, so it is not the most recognizable line. However, I have had the Hal Leonard score of the Main Title in my hands so many times and for so many years, that I think I could recognize it from almost any part!  

 

[Datameister 2,587]

29 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

 

As i understood it, I think that since they recorded the main title sepparate, "Opening" would be the title crawl outro (pan down to the stars and planet, star destroyer entrance and "starry night" the next cue, where the troops transports are seen entering the planet surface (starry night pretty much describes the scene). "free version" would mean it is "free" of the main title. They used it for the FYC.

 

Unless, of course, the notes presented in that page are the 1st notes of the main title, then i'm completely wrong.

 

 

This discussion can get confusing quickly because at least two cues use the word "opening" in the title.

 

For clarification, the video shows a horn part for "Opening", and it does indeed match the main title, note for note. On the other hand, a few instruments' parts for 1M1A Free Version "Opening / Starry Night" are seen in this video and in a 60 Minutes video, and what we see reveals that this cue is not the version on the OST or the version heard on the FYC. It still starts with the same twinkly stuff heard at the beginning of "The Attack on the Jakku Village Part 1", but then it goes into unreleased/unused material for the stormtroopers in their transports.  (Part of this is heard in the 60 Minutes video.) It's unclear what the rest of the cue sounds like.

 

And I could be mistaken, but I believe "Free Version" refers to the cue being recorded without a click track. The conductor works "freely", while still using the film's streamers and punches to maintain sync.

[Incanus 5,894]

6 hours ago, Faleel said:

ROTS also has a two note motif.

Explain! Explain!

 

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

On the OST you can hear it here:
 

General Grievous
 

0:52
1:04
 

Greivous Speaks To Lord Sidous
 

1:14

On Trent's Edit you can hear it here:
 

Revisiting Padme
 

0:37
1:05
 

Hold Me
 

0:27
 

Palpatine's Big Pitch
 

0:28
 

Going to Utupau
 

0:45
 

News of the Attack
 

1:07

 

You can also hear it in these videos:
 

 

[Datameister 2,587]

Wait...every time the melody descends a whole tone, that's a statement of a motif? Hell, I've heard that "motif" used in most pieces of Western music ever written, then. Sorry, Faleel, but there's a big difference between the coincidental reuse of the same melodic interval and the intentional repeated alternation between two specific chords that only occur in scenes featuring a certain object.

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

1 hour ago, Datameister said:

Wait...every time the melody descends a whole tone, that's a statement of a motif? Hell, I've heard that "motif" used in most pieces of Western music ever written, then. Sorry, Faleel, but there's a big difference between the coincidental reuse of the same melodic interval and the intentional repeated alternation between two specific chords that only occur in scenes featuring a certain object.

So can the Jaws motif, and You're right about one thing, its not a motif for a certain object, its more of a motif for a concept.

And you can also hear it (on Trent's edit):

 

Revisiting Padme

0:37
1:05
 

Palpatine's Big Pitch

0:28
 

Going to Utupau

0:45
 

News of the Attack

1:07

 

[karelm 3,275]

On 2/15/2016 at 11:13 AM, Luke Skywalker said:

The original Star Wars was temp-tracked with classical music (Lucas' original intent).

 

I'm sure Spielberg and Lucas could give williams a temp track. Because they are more or less of the same age and know themselves from young. Now, a young director like JJ, would feel anxious if he had to give a temp track to a living legend like Williams. I sure would, at least.

 

Don't forget, the temp track is not just for a composer.  It is for the film editor too.  It helps set the pacing or rhythm of the scene.  Shot...reverse shot.  The composer might ignore it but the editor might use it to give the scenes a rhythmic flow.  I bet the film was heavily temped then the resulting shots were adjusted for brevity, flow, reaction shots, etc.

[Rachael Foley 10,198]

On 2/24/2016 at 11:01 AM, Faleel said:

So around 0:24 of that video there seems to be an alternate of Farewell and The Trip using the Rebel Fanfare?

On 2/24/2016 at 11:17 AM, Datameister said:

I'm thinking it's from some other unreleased cue, but I could be wrong.

 

To bring this thread back on topic, I ripped the unknown statement of the Rebel Fanfare from the Sound of the Galaxy video:
 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxQSwI5aPja9WXNJOUIxR0dBZWc/view?usp=sharing

 

[Scarpia 132]

I wonder if some of the supposedly extensive unused material for The Force Awakens will be adapted for Episode VIII score.

[crumbs 16,069]

I'm sure everything will be used extensively for the temp track. 

[Scarpia 132]

I'm positive the deleted scenes on blu-ray will contain the music written for them. I'm very intrigued about the unused stuff. 

[Manakin Skywalker 5,948]

"It's in the Droid" is actually on the OST.

 

[Jay 46,476]

So you're saying the scene in question simply tracks in music from The Abduction, right?

Not that Williams stuck that short cue in "The Abduction" OST track?

[Manakin Skywalker 5,948]

I think it was stuck in "The Abduction", considering the bit from the piece in the FYC contains a clean opening, and this short cue contains both a clean opening and ending in the film. That's just my opinion anyway. Either way it was recorded separately from the rest of the track.

 

EDIT: Although the few cut seconds do raise some questions. Now that I think about it, it really could go either way.