Favorite moment or motif from the prequels?

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

Do you have a favorite original moment in the score or favorite original motif from the Star Wars prequels? Like to hear what you think. What is your track and time?

[Bellosh 3,811]

:00-:20

 

 

I find those first few seconds so exhilarating.  'Battle of the Heroes' is my favorite motif from the prequels as well.

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

Not sure what my favorite moment is, but Ithis segment of the love theme playing over this shit. It's so dark and rosy violet.

 

2:30-3:05

 

[Jay 38,812]

I just love "Entrance Of The Monsters" to death

 

 

[2:41-6:57] 

[bored 428]

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

I just love "Entrance Of The Monsters" to death

 

Gotta agree, annoying that it was cut down so heavily. Though I do agree that it makes a better theme for the clones / republic than the Arena, it's just a shame that we never really got a full statement like that presented on the album. 

[Jay 38,812]

Nah, it woulda worked fine if left in the arena sequence

Instead of tracking it into ROTS, GL should have had JW write an original march that evoked the same feel

[Datameister 2,230]

I've got far too many to name. I'll give one of them at random: the music that kicks off the first Coruscant scene in TPM, the one with Sidious and Maul.

[Jay 38,812]

Another cue I just absolutely love is "Darth and Qui-Gon", the cue for their duel in the Tatooine dessert

 

 

The whole cue is great, but the part from 0:40-1:15, I remember sitting up in my chair in the theater on opening night, and, well, A) being wowwed that I was hearing something so incredible that somehow wasn't on the OST album, but B) also thinking this was a cool sound that sure would get more variants through the rest of the film, and then unfortunately it doesn't really

 

But boy, what a great little action cue

[Edmilson 8,519]

This cue from AOTC is so good, so warming and charming, I love it:

 

 

The Dies Irae reference on this one is great:

 

 

This cue is so epic and powerful, I love the choir in it:

 

 

Those are a few of my favorite moments from the prequels that I remember right now.

[Bellosh 3,811]

In 'Augie's Great Municipal Band' I've always loved how the choir sings/mimics the trumpet fanfares at 1:00-1:06. 

 

 

[Jay 38,812]

Heh, yea that parts cool 

[Bellosh 3,811]

I think it's his most underrated 'End Credits' of any of the Star Wars scores.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,455]

1:18 one of the best iteration of the Droid Invasion theme

 

0:00-2:08  So mysterious, love it

[Edmilson 8,519]

The finale of Attack of the Clones might be one of my favorite Star Wars finales ever. I love the powerful performance of Across the Stars for the wedding, and the following end title suite is amazing:

 

 

[bored 428]

"I Am The Senate" is pretty fantastic. The action is energetic and terrifying, and the atmosphere and buildup to Vader's theme after Windu is killed is superb. 

 

 

[Naïve Old Fart 10,229]

I like the "arrival on Courascant" music, from Ep. II. I'm sure there's a quote from some Hoth music, there.

The cue where Anakin's pod racer is fired up, the night before the race, is very "Biblical", if you take my meaning.

The quiet, atmospheric music in Ep. I, that begins with "I am TC-14...", is lovely.

[Bespin 8,650]

Fore me it's this one : PAM PAM TA LA LA!

[Naïve Old Fart 10,229]

Are you on mind-altering substances again, @Bespin?

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,455]

9 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Are you on mind-altering substances again, @Bespin?

Apparently he did eat some "Fantastic Beasts" sooner

3 hours ago, Bespin said:

James Newton Howard - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Eat Them OST

[Jay 38,812]

1 hour ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

The cue where Anakin's pod racer is fired up, the night before the race, is very "Biblical", if you take my meaning.

 

Oh man that's another favorite of mine - and another great bit that wasn't on the OST album

 

Here is is 

 

 

[0:00-0:23]

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,455]

There's also the whole opening scene of RotS which is absolutly stuning

 

And of course the It Can't Be was clearly missing the OST 2:49-end (with the best part at 4:12)

[Bespin 8,650]

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

Fore me it's this one : PAM PAM TA LA LA!

 

You didn't recognize the Droid March motif?

 

 

 

[Bespin 8,650]

Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars

 

Thanks to : https://franklehman.com/starwars/

 

[Edmilson 8,519]

I'm a big fan of the music for the climax of The Phantom Menace, even with all the edits:

 

 

[Falstaft 2,169]

Impossible it is to pick just one so I'll just randomly venture one of the tons & tons of underappreciated little moments from AOTC in particular: this haunted statement of Shmi's theme in "Zam's Dirty Trick."

 

 

[Sunshine Reger 3,572]

I've always loved this little melody. A surprisingly cute ballet of droid figures and characters in robes on all those stairs and passages

 

 

[Romão 2,311]

2 hours ago, Fabulin said:

I've always loved this little melody. A surprisingly cute ballet of droid figures and characters in robes on all those stairs and passages

 

 

 

That's immediatly the track that first sprang to my mind. But I would also highlight that wonderfully atmospheric horn melody starting at the 00:18 seconds mark.

 

TPM is such a treasure chest. What a score

[Naïve Old Fart 10,229]

@Fabulin, that's among my very favourite parts of the entire 9-score saga!

 

I also love the music that plays as Darth Maul lands on Tattooine.

[MikeH 768]

My favorite has always been this moment between Palapatine and Anakin. At 3:04 you can hear what (I believe) are the first four notes of Shmi’s theme on trumpet. For me, Shmi’s theme in the prequel trilogy has always been more of a tragic motif used to highlight Anakin’s attachment, loss, and regret rather that just a character theme. The fact that it’s used right as Palpatine is offering to save him from further loss is such a haunting moment. 
 

Now someone on here has said that that’s not even the music Williams originally wrote for the scene (?). I’m not sure if that’s true or not. But even if it’s just lucky tracking, I think it’s a perfect moment. 
 

 

[Luke Skywalker 1,929]

qui-gon's theme, every single rendition.

 

Shame Williams did not make a concert piece with it.

[Jay 38,812]

Or put it on the OST album!

[MikeH 768]

I must’ve listened to Departing Coruscant continuously on loop when the score first came out. The climax of that track is so soaring and magical. 
 

 

 

[Luke Skywalker 1,929]

24 minutes ago, Jay said:

Or put it on the OST album!

wasnt it in "Qui-gon's noble end" or "council meeting"?

 

Not the coolest renditions... but still.

[Jay 38,812]

No, it wasn't on the OST album

 

It only appears in these cues

 

1. [4M5] Anakin Is Free
2. [4M6] Darth and Qui-Gon
3. [6M11New] End of Darth Maul

 

And none of those were on the OST album.

 

The OST track "Qui-Gon's Noble End" is a brass version of the DOTF fanfare followed by some of "[2M3A] Take-Off" followed by "[6M8+9] Qui-Gon's Noble End"

 

The OST track "The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon's Funeral" is "[7M1N-N] After the Victory" followed by "[7M1A] Qui-Gon's Funeral"

 

[4M5] Anakin Is Free is the UE track "Anakin Is Free"
[4M6] Darth and Qui-Gon is in the UE track "Qui-Gon And Darth Maul Meet"
[6M11New] End of Darth Maul is in the UE track "The Tide Turns / The Death Of Darth Maul"

[CGCJ 458]

Isn't Qui-Gon's theme also in 1M8 The Bubble World, as he saves Jar Jar? Or am I just mishearing it to be his theme?

 

 

[Jay 38,812]

I think you're talking about the horn solo at 2:20 of "Passage Through The Planet Core" (which is [1M8] Bubble World followed by [1M9] Gone Fishin'), but to me it doesn't sound like his theme

 

 

I could be wrong!

[Bespin 8,650]

I love horny solos

[Bespin 8,650]

Damn autocorrect!

[Brando 2,049]

When TROS came out, me and a few friends went to the SW marathon at Disney Springs, and even though it’s not my top favorite one(it’s up there, but not #1), the one cue I was super excited to hear in the theater was Anakin Defeats Sebulba. The lack of music before hand builds up to it so, so perfectly, and when the race seems over for Anakin, the unseen Hero of the Saga steps in and the outcome of the race begins to change. I remember the goosebumps when that happened. Such a fun memory.

 

[Manakin Skywalker 5,165]

1 hour ago, Brando said:

When TROS came out, me and a few friends went to the SW marathon at Disney Springs, and even though it’s not my top favorite one(it’s up there, but not #1), the one cue I was super excited to hear in the theater was Anakin Defeats Sebulba. The lack of music before hand builds up to it so, so perfectly, and when the race seems over for Anakin, the unseen Hero of the Saga steps in and the outcome of the race begins to change. I remember the goosebumps when that happened. Such a fun memory.

 

 

Unfortunate that they cut like 85% the entirety of it though. 

[Brando 2,049]

6 minutes ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 

Unfortunate that they cut like 85% of it though. 

Are you talking about the album version or the film version?

[Manakin Skywalker 5,165]

10 minutes ago, Brando said:

Are you talking about the album version or the film version?

 

Film (the video you posted, which is the film mix). Most of it was replaced with the cue "Take Off", the rest was replaced with "The Race Begins".

 

Scratch the "85%" remark; I just remembered the entire original cue was cut from the film, although it was used later during the Naboo battle.

[Jay 38,812]

To be clear, the Ultimate Edition "album" version you posted a youtube video of is the film version (which is mostly Take Off and The Race Begins), while the original 1-disc OST album is where you can hear what JW actually recorded for the "Anakin Defeats Sebulba" cue.

[Manakin Skywalker 5,165]

For reference, here are all three of the individual cues in question, as they were recorded (note that "The Race Begins" and "The Service Ramp" are actually parts of the same cue):

 

 

 

 

 

[Brando 2,049]

2 hours ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

For reference, here are all three of the individual cues in question, as they were recorded (note that "The Race Begins" and "The Service Ramp" are actually parts of the same cue):

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, that’s what I thought you were referring to. A wise decision to save those for later

[Arpy 4,159]

The Senate in The Phantom Menace - a dark variation of the Emperor's theme, just so deliciously evil yet somewhat restrained. Palpatine was right to say he was the Senate in Revenge of the Sith.

 

Return to Tatooine in Attack of the Clones with that undulating mystery motif that features some really lovely orchestrations; it's music that makes you think.

 

Goodbye Old Friend/Arrival on Utapau in Revenge of the Sith - to me this is Williams' best and most dynamic version of the Force theme which shifts from taking flight to something more subtle, then takes off again with a brilliant fanfare. The Arrival on Utapau cue has this driving momentum that features the Force theme before being resolved as this travel/republic motif lusciously takes shape before descending into some subtle underscore that sets the tense atmosphere of the scene. As Obi-Wan's Stsrfighter takes off, the Republic motif rises once more this time less heroic, instead more wary.

 

It Can't Be/I'm Sorry - a contemplative cue develops as Obi-Wan and Yoda discover the true nature of Anakin's betrayal. It's another one of those cues that features some of my favourite darker moments of the score, whilst I'm Sorry is beautifully tragic. I don't think there's been a more potent film score cue since that's captured the same feeling of loss and betrayal, even moreso than 'Lament' which is another great piece.

 

 

A Moody Trip - I love the string writing in this cue that builds out of Across the Stars and then concludes with this beautiful sustained section that's both warm and melancholic at the same time.

 

There are more I'm forgetting but god damn, nearly all of my favourite moments are still officially unreleased!

 

 

 

 

 

[Sunshine Reger 3,572]

I like the little arc one can imagine going from this:

 

The Phantom Menace and the heroic introduction of the forces of good of the era: Obi-Wan, Anakin, Amidala, and their allies, with this 'Forces of Good' fanfare played at the arrival of the speeders:

 

 

To this:

 

Revenge of the Sith and what I imagine as the 'Forces of Good Terrified' fanfare, when the camera shows the suddenly evil clonetroopers, and then Obi-Wan hiding and fleeing:

Both begin with a rhythm, have a similar rhythmic figure as the centrepiece of the fanfare, are played twice, and feature prominent harp runs.

 

The latter seems like a shorter and disturbed version of the former, fitting for a part of the film where one good character after another are subject to the new terror.

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

On 4/21/2021 at 2:12 PM, Fabulin said:

I've always loved this little melody. A surprisingly cute ballet of droid figures and characters in robes on all those stairs and passages

 

 

 

This is definitely non-euclidean 

 

[Bayesian 1,422]

I posted this in another thread ages ago, but I'll never forget what this statement of the force theme did for me in the theater in 2005. It was like JW was telling me, "here we are, the last Star Wars movie you're ever gonna get, and you're in for a hell of a ride." Twenty-eight seconds of utter magnificence (followed by many, many more seconds of same). This is JW's "hold my beer" reply to anyone who thinks a wall of synth brass and synth choirs = epic.

 

[Falstaft 2,169]

2 hours ago, Bayesian said:

I posted this in another thread ages ago, but I'll never forget what this statement of the force theme did for me in the theater in 2005. It was like JW was telling me, "here we are, the last Star Wars movie you're ever gonna get, and you're in for a hell of a ride." Twenty-eight seconds of utter magnificence (followed by many, many more seconds of same). This is JW's "hold my beer" reply to anyone who thinks a wall of synth brass and synth choirs = epic.

 

Seriously -- is there anyone on this board for whom this isn't a top 5, maybe even top 3 best statement of the Force Theme of all time? Nothing since, excepting maybe "Goodbye Old Friend," really comes close for me.