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John Williams "didn't collaborate" with Holt for Obi-Wan show, wrote the theme and a suite in 2 weeks


Not Mr. Big

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A theme AND a suite. Nice!

 

She reacts to his autograph precisely how I would.  Nice to hear. 

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[Backs away as usual, realizing his contributions to another thread have been duplicated and superseded by a more relevant thread.]

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1 hour ago, Andy said:

A theme AND a suite. Nice!

 

She reacts to his autograph precisely how I would.  Nice to hear. 

Yes, as the board has speculated, this will be analogous to Adventures of Han as a standalone concert piece.  Now whether they actually release the suite, one would think so. 

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2 hours ago, Jay said:

Since that article is largely about Holt's score, here's the relevant parts about John Williams:

 

 

 

 

 

Now on her second major Disney project, the British composer, classically trained violinist and “huge fan of John Williams” will share space in the canon of one of Hollywood’s most enduring franchises. And she’ll do it alongside the man who is “basically the reason why I noticed music in film as a child.”

 

“John signed the Obi theme for me. I’ve got a printed Obi theme that he recorded and I’ve had it framed,” she told THR, excitedly. “It’s my pride and joy. I’m super happy to have his signature because he’s literally my hero.”

 

The two didn’t directly collaborate for the show, but Holt says his work on the series’ main character theme helped give her the foundation she needed to musically access one of TV’s most anticipated 2022 series. 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you have a chance to work directly with Williams for this? 

 

We didn’t collaborate, but I did get to use his theme. He didn’t have very long and it was quite last minute whether he’d have time or not. But he really wanted to write that theme because he was the one character that he didn’t write the theme for in the original movie. So I think he had this feeling that he wanted to complete the challenge. I think he had two weeks and he came on board and wrote the Obi theme and a suite, which is the main title, and then a few variations of how the Obi theme can work. That was what he had time to give the project, and it was just a gift. It’s so perfect and in a way, once I had that Obi theme, it set the tentpoles up for the project.


This is going to be awesome!

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I'm sure the suite will be released someday, probably with the show's premiere. Disney didn't spend a ton of money with JW, hiring the orchestra, etc., just to have the music recorded collecting dust in some vault.

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1 hour ago, Ricard said:

Never read or heard anyone call this character 'Obi' before.

 

1 hour ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 

Jar Jar calls him Obi in Episode 2.

This is comedy gold.  

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1 hour ago, Edmilson said:

I'm sure the suite will be released someday, probably with the show's premiere. Disney didn't spend a ton of money with JW, hiring the orchestra, etc., just to have the music recorded collecting dust in some vault.


I don’t know. Didn’t JW record some full orchestral “demos” for SOLO that were adapted by Powell into cues but can’t be released on their own for contract/legal reasons? 

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These are interesting new details. I wonder how many variations JW wrote that aren't in the suite, stuff we'll probably never hear.

 

So many interesting details! A JW rush job theme. I wonder if it will show in the music itself. Odd that JW's involvement was so rushed. I figured Disney would have gotten him involved earlier on.

 

Edit: am I misunderstanding? Holt says the suite is the main title so we'll definitely get an official release of that.

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14 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

These are interesting new details. I wonder how many variations JW wrote that aren't in the suite, stuff we'll probably never hear.

 

So many interesting details! A JW rush job theme. I wonder if it will show in the music itself. Odd that JW's involvement was so rushed. I figured Disney would have gotten him involved earlier on.

 

Edit: am I misunderstanding? Holt says the suite is the main title so we'll definitely get an official release of that.

It is not really a rush job.  Two weeks is what he would spend on theme for a movie (he has mentioned he spends a couple weeks working all the main themes out first--in this case, one main theme).  

 

I think the variations are part of the full suite.  Meaning, I would bet that he wrote a one minute intro and maybe outro, and a 3-4 minute suite that will become the concert piece (if he ever chooses to play such things).  

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20 minutes ago, Tom said:

It is not really a rush job.  Two weeks is what he would spend on theme for a movie (he has mentioned he spends a couple weeks working all the main themes out first--in this case, one main theme).  

 

I think the variations are part of the full suite.  Meaning, I would bet that he wrote a one minute intro and maybe outro, and a 3-4 minute suite that will become the concert piece (if he ever chooses to play such things).  

To me it reads that the main title is the suite. So, I wonder how long the main titles are...like 1:30 or 4:30? Maybe the suite was later edited down to fit the main title? Maybe main title is more of a naming convention rather than an actual TV show intro?

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But he really wanted to write that theme because he was the one character that he didn’t write the theme for in the original movie.

 

He did write a theme for him in the original movie, it was kind of forgettable though.

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9 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

To me it reads that the main title is the suite. So, I wonder how long the main titles are...like 1:30 or 4:30? Maybe the suite was later edited down to fit the main title? Maybe main title is more of a naming convention rather than an actual TV show intro?

I’d say our best chance of hearing most of the suite (at this point) is when they run the end credits for the episodes.  I’d expect them to do an abridged intro like with their Mandoverse shows. This is The Way (they do it lately). 

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1 minute ago, Andy said:

This is The Way (they do it lately). 


Hahaha, well-played. I’m beginning to wonder if Holt might be using the term “suite” more cavalierly than most of us would be inclined to. Maybe all we’ll get is a minute or so of pure JW. Still, if that’s the case, it will be a joy to hear his theme expanded on by Holt and speculate about when and whether her musical gestures were inspired by whatever other variations he wrote. That bit fascinates me; it’s like Michael Jordan teaching dribbling tricks to newly signed prospects. 

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Williams spent about two weeks re-scoring the entirety of THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, and that turned out great. Of course, he was only 41 at the time. But I'm sure it's enough time for him to compose a decent theme even at 90.

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6 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Disney didn't spend a ton of money with JW, hiring the orchestra, etc., just to have the music recorded collecting dust in some vault.

Well they do keep the SW expansions collecting dust in some vault...

 

Anyway this is great news. Can't wait to hear this theme and suite

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3 minutes ago, Stu said:

When I see "obi" on its own I just think of the Japanese sash traditionally worn with kimonos.

 

Isn't it also the name of those paper sleeves that Japanese soundtracks and albums used to have; perhaps still do?

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11 hours ago, King Mark said:

My prediction. The "Main Title" will be released on the album but we'll never hear the " suite".

 

There's ALWAYS something that goes wrong when something JW is released

She said main title is the suite in the interview, didn't she?

 

Karol

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11 hours ago, King Mark said:

My prediction. The "Main Title" will be released on the album but we'll never hear the " suite".

 

There's ALWAYS something that goes wrong when something JW is released

 

I think the same but maybe the suite is not a full suite but a collection of variations on the theme. I simply hope that we can get this music (maybe the end credits in some episode will be a portion of that suite?)

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How long do you think it took you to get your head around it musically? 

That felt like it took — I would say it was like episode four, where I felt like, “Oh, it’s just flowing now.” I was getting it and it was just flowing out, and Deborah was like, “Yep, great!” and hardly any notes back. Before that, she was like you’ve gone too old-fashioned or no, this isn’t for us. Luckily Deborah was very clear on what wasn’t appropriate in this area.

Ain't got no time for old-fashioned music! :pfft:

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49 minutes ago, crocodile said:

It's funny how modern audiences and filmmakers misunderstand the very concept of music in Star Wars. It's not meant to keep up with modern trends, it's supposed to offer counterpoint to all the technical advancements. It was old fashioned 45 years ago!

 

Karol

The problem is that every filmmaker wants to be the special star that "breaks the mold" musically.

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I guess, the theme, Holt mentioned, are the usual eight or twelve bars of the basic theme and the suite is the three or four minute elaborated exposition of the theme with variations and such.

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16 hours ago, Edmilson said:

I'm sure the suite will be released someday, probably with the show's premiere. Disney didn't spend a ton of money with JW, hiring the orchestra, etc., just to have the music recorded collecting dust in some vault.

 

They spent a ton of money on working out what music they need for the show.

 

At some point I'd imagine someone will have a ponder about what to put on a digital album.

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2 hours ago, crocodile said:

It's funny how modern audiences and filmmakers misunderstand the very concept of music in Star Wars. It's not meant to keep up with modern trends, it's supposed to offer counterpoint to all the technical advancements. It was old fashioned 45 years ago!

 

Yes.

 

Although I'd add that of course, some of these "TV"/streaming series are intentionally going for a different POV (some more, some less), so naturally a different approach to the music may be warranted as well depending on the overall setting and aesthetics.

 

(I don't know to what extent that might apply to the new series)

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3 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

The problem is that every filmmaker wants to be the special star that "breaks the mold" musically.

Not only musically.

 

Rian *cough* Johnson

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1 hour ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

We'll probably hear it in the premiere episode for the first time. Then have to wait 6 weeks for an album release containing ~10 tracks. :P

Don't tempt them...

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