The Non-Episode SW Pieces Poll

[Tom 4,639]

I like all three.  I think the Adventures of Han has an extremely clever and sophisticated use of an ostinato--plus the energy level is superb.  Obi-Wan has a slow-burn epic dramatic arc not found in many other SW suites.  However, my vote goes to Galaxy's Edge, which has a strong (though not superb) theme that Williams strongly varies and plays off of a B and C theme. Plus it has a mini-fugue, B-flat blast, and even a Beethovenesque conclusion.  

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

1. Han 

2. Ben 

3. Edge

 

 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

The newest theme is always the best one.

 

Live your life like a Jedi!

[Edmilson 7,393]

I voted for Adventures of Han, but I actually like all three of them. I think it's wonderful we still got John Williams Star Wars themes not connected to the main movies.

[artguy360 1,843]

Galaxy's Edge is the most interesting piece from beginning to end. I found it interesting to hear JW's theme for a location and a theme park and all the wonderful variations he takes the theme through. It also has a bright recording and a real fresh sound. It's one of my favorite new SW compositions by JW.

[King Mark 3,625]

1-Galaxy's Edge .One of my favorite JW compositions not just SW

2-Obi Wan .Sweeping and epic. Sounds fantastic

3-Adventures of Han . Still very good but more middle of the road SW piece

[Tom 4,639]

I forgot to mention the opening of Galaxy's Edge--damn! 

[Fabulin 3,510]

1. The new Obi-Wan piece is 4 minutes of pathos with a bit of hope in the ostinato and otherwise no interruption by any other emotions, including (thank god) sentimentality. It might be small, but it sounds very sincere to me. It could well be a track in some great JW war drama.

2. Galaxy's Edge has a very good structure and other old classical virtues, but it also sounds like dispassionate craftsmanship at the service of something purely commercial. A strange combination of charisma and kitch sticking out.

3. The Adventures of Han, much as some of TROS, sounds a bit off to me, especially the theme. On the day of its release I was very confused by it. In hindsight, it seems to belong to a small, recent, unusual category of 'Haabesque Williams music'. There can't have been many cases in history where a composer hired on the basis of his ability to imitate another composer ended up influencing the latter's later work. Overall, it is a fruit of skill, its thematic material is quite good, and it does carry some very refreshing energy, but ultimately I think I am not the target audience of the kind of naive adventurism it is about.

[ragoz350 450]

Honestly, it's hard for me to compare the Galaxy's Edge to the Han's and Obi's themes. The Edge is a separate suite with several thematic constructions at once. I don't know what Ross brings to it, but it's an interesting "free Star Wars music fantasy" of JW on a non-specific theme (not a saga character).

 
I like the Han's and Obi's suites, too. I find Han's theme itself a bit odd, but the concert version is very solid - and it's clear that JW appreciated this material, since he moved many of the bits to the Battle of the Crait in TLJ. 
Obi-Wan is a nice melancholic theme. Many good things have already been said about it, but I especially like one progression (0:58-1:06 in the single, and on the picture from Falstaft's analysis) - I wouldn't have thought I'd hear something like that in Star Wars music 

 

[Fabulin 3,510]

2 hours ago, ragoz350 said:

I especially like one progression (0:58-1:06 in the single, and on the picture from Falstaft's analysis) - I wouldn't have thought I'd hear something like that in Star Wars music 

 

why is this progression so unthinkable for Star Wars? What makes it special?