Which do you prefer? "Across the Stars" or "Rey's Theme"?

[Josh500 1,615]

1 hour ago, Damien F said:

The problem I have with Across The Stars is not the music itself, but rather it accompanies probably the worst written romance in cinema history. That's obviously not JW fault though. He was scoring the idea of the Anakin/Padme relationship rather than how it actually transpired onscreen.

 

Look at my original post. The very first thing I wrote. 

[Damien F 1,742]

13 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

 

Look at my original post. The very first thing I wrote. 

 

Haha. Fair point. Rey's Theme is still the winner musically for me.

[Biodome 714]

OP's question is a difficult one to answer, because he is asking to compare themes that sound completely different and serve two different purposes. For instance, even if you say that Rey's Theme is better, that doesn't mean you could use it in place of Across the Stars, and vice versa. I can't find an objective way to judge these themes against one another, and I think the better way would be to compare the whole soundtracks of the two Episodes, because that's a comparison you could make more easily.

If that's the case, then, in my opinion, AotC soundtrack is superior to TFA soundtrack.

[Josh500 1,615]

1 minute ago, Biodome said:

OP's question is a difficult one to answer, because he is asking to compare themes that sound completely different and serve two different purposes. For instance, even if you say that Rey's Theme is better, that doesn't mean you could use it in place of Across the Stars, and vice versa. I can't find an objective way to judge these themes against one another, and I think the better way would be to compare the whole soundtracks of the two Episodes, because that's a comparison you could make more easily.

If that's the case, then, in my opinion, AotC soundtrack is superior to TFA soundtrack.

 

You're overthinking it. I'm simply asking which theme you like better.

 

It's more emotional than intellectual. Listen to both themes back to back, then ask yourself, Which has a greater impact on me?

[artguy360 1,843]

Both Rey's Theme and Across the Stars are thematically rich and musically seamless. Both demonstrate JW's deft touch with writing complex themes. I think Rey's Theme is a little more impressive because of how seamlessly its multiple components are employed throughout the piece but Across the Stars is on a grander scale and that full, epic sound is very satisfying. The construction of the piece is a little more predictable than Rey's Theme but that's ok. 

[crocodile 8,017]

Can't decide I'm afraid. Both are great for different reasons.

 

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Yes, but Rey's theme is better, so pick that one.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indeed!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Rey's Theme is beautiful.  The other is insipid.

[Josh500 1,615]

On 17/12/2016 at 2:39 AM, artguy360 said:

The two are so different, it's hard to compare. Across the Stars is so grand and melodramatic. Its a huge theme for a great, tragic love story that never materialized on film. Rey's Theme seems smaller and leaner. Its various components have a kind of utility to them, like they are sewn closer to the film than the grandiose love theme that flies above the film. I don't know if any of that makes sense.

Can't wait to see how JW develops this theme for Episode VIII! 

 

I really hope we get a definitive Concert Version a la Across The Stars.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Didn't we get one already?

[Josh500 1,615]

Which one is definitive?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Rey Theme? From the OST?

[Josh500 1,615]

Hmm, considering that the most memorable rendition of this theme is found in the end credits, but not in this track....

 

I dunno. It doesn't seem like a concert piece on a par with Across the Stars, Duel of the Fates, The Imperial March, Yoda's Theme, etc.

[Jay 37,371]

I wouldn't mind if Episode 8's end credit contain another new arrangement of Rey's theme

[mrbellamy 6,287]

13 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

Hmm, considering that the most memorable rendition of this theme is found in the end credits, but not in this track....

 

I dunno. It doesn't seem like a concert piece on a par with Across the Stars, Duel of the Fates, The Imperial March, Yoda's Theme, etc.

 

I don't really understand the argument that because it's not as good as his others or even the best version he wrote, that means it's not the definitive arrangement. It's called "Rey's Theme"!  It's clearly a self-contained piece, includes all the key components, and he's been performing it all over the place this year. 

 

I actually also prefer both of the end credits statements, but I dunno. Yoda's Theme is different in the ESB credits too, there are probably people who prefer listening to that uptempo. 

[Jay 37,371]

Nah, the track "Yoda's Theme" captures Yoda's character better; that arrangement would have been to slow for the end credits medley methinks, and the version he arranged for the medley is brilliant but less exciting as a standalone listen probably

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The main theme can be a bit cloying depending on my mood, but I actually prefer the bridge section of the "Love Theme from Attack of the Clones" to "Rey's Theme". That part is especially amazing where it suddenly becomes ominous and uncertain.

[Josh500 1,615]

4 minutes ago, Selina Kyle said:

The main theme can be a bit cloying depending on my mood, but I actually prefer the bridge section of the "Love Theme from Attack of the Clones" to "Rey's Theme". That part is especially amazing where it suddenly becomes ominous and uncertain.

 

Imo, "Across the Stars" is one of JW's masterpieces in the latter part of his career (since 2000).

[Jay 37,371]

The concert arrangement of Across The Stars is brilliant, as it only focuses on the lovey aspects of the theme in the beginning for delving into its dark b section and bridge and stuff which is cool.  Though, I love where he takes it in the end credits cue for AOTC even more

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

I still can't tell the difference between the two AtS arrangements.  

[Josh500 1,615]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

The concert arrangement of Across The Stars is brilliant, as it only focuses on the lovey aspects of the theme in the beginning for delving into its dark b section and bridge and stuff which is cool.  Though, I love where he takes it in the end credits cue for AOTC even more

 

The segue from The Imperial March to Across the Stars is one of the most impressive feats. Heartbreaking and chilling.

[Jay 37,371]

4 minutes ago, Not Mr. Big said:

I still can't tell the difference between the two AtS arrangements.  

 

The end credits and the theme arrangement track?  Are you kidding?

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Josh500 said:

 

The segue from The Imperial March to Across the Stars is one of the most impressive feats. Heartbreaking and chilling.

 

That's the finale of the film, i'm talking about the end credits specifically

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Just now, Jay said:

 

The end credits and the theme arrangement track?  Are you kidding?

No.  It all blends together to me.  Unlike Rey's Theme. 

[Josh500 1,615]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

 

The end credits and the theme arrangement track?  Are you kidding?

 

No, he's not. 

[Jay 37,371]

Wow, that's nuts.  The endings are COMPLETELY different

[Josh500 1,615]

2 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

That's the finale of the film, i'm talking about the end credits specifically

I'm saying I love that part too.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Just now, Jay said:

Wow, that's nuts.  The endings are COMPLETELY different

Oh, I know about the endings.  The rest of it blends together for me. 

[Jay 37,371]

Well then you can tell them apart!

The main part that just covers the romantic theme is literally the same bars of music used both times

[Josh500 1,615]

I've always wondered about the use of the harpsichord in the version found in the end credits (gives you a slightly mediaeval feel). Why wasn't this used in the track "Across the Stars" too?

 

I always got the feeling that JW couldn't quite decide which fit better... just harps, or harps doubled with harpsichord. So he just decided to include both versions.

 

You know anything about this, Jay?

[Jay 37,371]

He wrote and recorded the end credits first, then starting working on the separate concert arrangement track.  Peter Gelb from Sony Music was involved in trying to make it as commercial as possible and it went through 3-4 versions before they settled on what we got on CD.

[Josh500 1,615]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

He wrote and recorded the end credits first, then starting working on the separate concert arrangement track.  Peter Gelb from Sony Music was involved in trying to make it as commercial as possible and it went through 3-4 versions before they settled on what we got on CD.

 

Hopefully one day we'll get to hear the other versions as well, when the Complete Star Wars - Attack of the Clones is released. 

 

(Hopefully by LLL, hopefully done by Matessino.)

[Jay 37,371]

There's not a chance the specialty labels will get to do the SW scores, they will surely be put out on Disney's own record label.  And the label doesn't matter as long as Matessino is producing (Other than the loss of Jim Titus)

[Josh500 1,615]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

There's not a chance the specialty labels will get to do the SW scores, they will surely be put out on Disney's own record label.  And the label doesn't matter as long as Matessino is producing (Other than the loss of Jim Titus)

 

Yeah, a Matessino produced 6 (or maybe 9?) CD boxset of the Star Wars prequels would be a dream come true.

 

But I can wait. Right now I'm still waiting and excited for the Jurassic Park John Williams boxset.

[Romão 2,274]

One thing that's really encouraging to me is the prospect of a theme like Rey's, to which Williams gave several different sections, phrases and iterations being the centerpiece of the this sequel trilogy

[Jay 37,371]

Well said! 

[toothless 964]

Impossible to choose between the two. But realizing I heard both live, I choose Across the stars (video of the representation bellow) just for that matter.

 

 

[Josh500 1,615]

Nice performance! 

[Perrinzki 8]

For me it's Rey's Theme, and I agree with the sentiment that "Across the Stars" is a bit too one-dimensional (it is still gorgeous music, nonetheless). Wherever John Williams takes Rey's theme next I cannot wait to experience; just with the end credits arrangement its enormous potential was made very clear for when JW decides to fully unleash it.

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

From a musical construction point, it has to be Across the Stars. I think out of all of Williams' love themes, there is something so despairing about this theme, something troubling and very unsettling. Yet it is absolutely gorgeous and sweeping and epic.

 

It has the feel of a ruined great life or a ruined great romance. Something that once was great that was corrupted.

 

The piece also is so beautifully constructed, it builds and builds into these euphoric statements and then we get the despairing bridge section. Finally ends with a tragic subdued solo.

 

As a stand alone piece, it has great value. 

[Incanus 5,715]

Across the Stars in classic Williams fashion comes slowly together in the course of the film, the different parts emerging from different aspects of the romance. The pure love theme (the A part), the troubled darker forbidden aspect (the B part) and the turbulent menacing section, the grim horns and the repeating weaving string figures, that ties into Anakin's fall, the love being one of the prime movers in this (the C part). While Lucas deals with this in a way akin to a cheap romance novel in the film, Williams distills these three elements into his theme in a very succint way. He has spoken of Lucas writing archetypes that he finds inspirational or easy to relate to and I think in this case he really outdid the director and composed an archetypical tortured love theme.

[Josh500 1,615]

6 hours ago, Incanus said:

Across the Stars in classic Williams fashion comes slowly together in the course of the film, the different parts emerging from different aspects of the romance. The pure love theme (the A part), the troubled darker forbidden aspect (the B part) and the turbulent menacing section, the grim horns and the repeating weaving string figures, that ties into Anakin's fall, the love being one of the prime movers in this (the C part). While Lucas deals with this in a way akin to a cheap romance novel in the film, Williams distills these three elements into his theme in a very succint way. He has spoken of Lucas writing archetypes that he finds inspirational or easy to relate to and I think in this case he really outdid the director and composed an archetypical tortured love theme.

Well said! 

 

It's the archetypal Romeo and Juliet type love theme. Deep, unconditional love overshadowed by despairing and unforgiving tragedy. The whole theme is like a stab to the heart....

 

JW is a master at evoking these visceral emotions, and the LSO plays every single note to its full effect.

[toothless 964]

12 hours ago, Josh500 said:

Nice performance! 

 

It's the only one I ever attended so I can't say if it's great or just average. But it sounded wonderful to me. (Same for duel of the fate by the way)

[Josh500 1,615]

On 21/12/2016 at 1:55 PM, toothless said:

 

It's the only one I ever attended so I can't say if it's great or just average. But it sounded wonderful to me. (Same for duel of the fate by the way)

 

There are several performances of "Across the Stars" and other JW pieces on YouTube, both by professional and amateur orchestras. 

 

This is one of the better ones. I also love the one played by the Prague Philharmonic. 

[Demodex 557]

Across the Stars is way better IMHO.  Rey's theme is completely forgettable. 

[crumbs 14,318]

I'd love to know the reasoning behind the concert version of Across the Stars replacing the end credits version Williams specifically wrote for, you know, the end credits. That always irritated me.

 

Best video I could find:

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,551]

Which one's better?

Its like being asked to choose between death by being burned at the stake, or death by being disemboweled.

They're both terrible.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crumbs 14,318]

28 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

I think I'm gonna be sick...

 

Paul Greengrass filmed it.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

6 hours ago, crumbs said:

I'd love to know the reasoning behind the concert version of Across the Stars replacing the end credits version Williams specifically wrote for, you know, the end credits. That always irritated me.

 

 

It was probably considered too cerebral or imaginative to function as a closer for the film? Perhaps pandering to SW fanboys who heard the music video and they were afraid they'd be like "hey that's not the proper version I heard!"