R.I.P. LSO Timpanist Kurt-Hans Goedicke

[BrotherSound 2,650]

Kurt-Hans Goedicke, Principal Timpanist of the LSO from 1964–2000, has passed away. Goedicke worked with John Williams on several notable scores, including Star Wars, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, and The Phantom Menace.

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12LM9CEwm86/?

From his student Jean-Etiennne Ottenhof:

Quote

It is with infinite sadness that I inform you all that legendary timpanist Kurt-Hans Goedicke, who inspired so many people worldwide throughout so many years, has passed away due to severe injuries after a bad fall. He will never be forgotten. — feeling sad.

 

[The Score Cleaner 9,516]

One half of the boom-tss in Blasting Off? 

[QuartalHarmony 963]

And, presumably, the poor guy who had to try and pedal that near-impossible descending scale in the 1977 ANH Main Title.

 

Go and listen to it, at 1:04, right now, and marvel.

[Marian Schedenig 11,315]

7 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said:

And, presumably, the poor guy who had to try and pedal that near-impossible descending scale in the 1977 ANH Main Title.

 

Go and listen to it, at 1:04, right now, and marvel.

 

Exactly my first thought when I saw this thread. RIP.

[Andy 7,138]

I was very little when Star Wars hit. I had never heard timpani like that before and it blew my brain.  I have never heard timpani like that since.  When the script literally called for “War Drums”, this man stepped up and delivered the goods. 
 

That solo at the end of the Death Star Battle is heaven. 
 

Rest in Peace and thank you. 

[Datameister 2,560]

Beautifully said, @Andy. RIP.

[Jay 45,144]

14 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said:

And, presumably, the poor guy who had to try and pedal that near-impossible descending scale in the 1977 ANH Main Title.

 

Go and listen to it, at 1:04, right now, and marvel.

 

This is the part that was changed for the published concert version and therefore every subsequent movie recording right?

[Marian Schedenig 11,315]

23 minutes ago, Jay said:

This is the part that was changed for the published concert version and therefore every subsequent movie recording right?

 

Correct.

[The Score Cleaner 9,516]

7 hours ago, Andy said:

I was very little when Star Wars hit. I had never heard timpani like that before and it blew my brain.  I have never heard timpani like that since.  When the script literally called for “War Drums”, this man stepped up and delivered the goods. 
 

That solo at the end of the Death Star Battle is heaven. 
 

Rest in Peace and thank you. 

 

15 hours ago, QuartalHarmony said:

And, presumably, the poor guy who had to try and pedal that near-impossible descending scale in the 1977 ANH Main Title.

 

Go and listen to it, at 1:04, right now, and marvel.

 

 

[Maurizio 6,744]

Really sad news.

 

Together with Maurice Murphy (trumpet) and David Cripps (french horn), Goedicke was probably the LSO members who brought the most his own unique personality into the score of Star Wars and elevated what was great music on paper into something extraordinary. Not to take anything away from all the rest of the orchestra who played on the first score as they were all marvelous, but Goedicke truly brought something unique of his own and upped the ante for the magnificent LSO sound we learned to love over the years. He has many solo passages in the first score, which he brought alive with his incredibly deep, powerful,yet extremely elegant timpani sound. I guess JW was also struck by Kurt's playing because he then kept on putting "golden" timpani moments for him in all subsequent scores which he recorded with the LSO. My own personal favorite is the thunderous breaks in "Into The Trap" from ROTJ:

 

 

But there are so many more moments one could highlight. Another great one is his take of Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia for the Williams-conducted album The Hollywood Sound:

 

 

When JW recorded Episode I with the LSO in 1999, Kurt was one of the dozen players who played on the original 1977 film that were still in the band. Kurt was again highlighted in several cues and it was a magnificent capper to an astonishing run, as he would've retired as the LSO Principal Timpani right after that.

 

Despite being also a generous teacher, he was a private man. When I asked him to join the panel of his fellow LSO colleagues for the video special we made in 2021 for The Legacy of JW, he sent me a very kind reply, reminiscing his great time with John Williams, but then said he wouldn't be comfortable in talking about it publicly.

 

Ten years ago, he sat down for a short video talking about his experience on Star Wars and working with JW for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he was Professor of Timpani and Percussion. I love that he refers to JW as "an iron fist with a velvet glove" when speaking about his demeanor on the podium:

 

 

[QuartalHarmony 963]

17 hours ago, Jay said:

 

This is the part that was changed for the published concert version and therefore every subsequent movie recording right?

@Marian Schedenig has already given a perfectly concise and correct answer, but here’s the detail. HL score, bar 51:

Upper stave is the tuba part, which the bassoons, cellos and basses double. In 1977, the timpani double this also, but the revised version given here (lower stave) is clearly much simplified.

 

An interesting question is whether JW changed this as a result of a request from K-HG or made his own decision.

 

[The Score Cleaner 9,516]

Inspired By @Maurizio: three examples from Jedi:

 

Sarlacc Sentence

Father and Son

Superstructure Chase/The Death of Darth Vader

[Marian Schedenig 11,315]

Speaking of notable timpani bits in Star Wars, let's not forget this:

 

[The Score Cleaner 9,516]

And sneaking around the Death Star!

[Andy 7,138]

There’s so much.  It’s woven into the whole score.  I always quipped to whoever should listen that the tympanist in the Star Wars recording sessions was the player having the most fun, and the job I would want if musically able. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 11,812]

On 22/08/2025 at 11:36 PM, Little Ghost said:

 

 

 

What is this? The seperate mike of the percussion? Or ia generated?

[The Score Cleaner 9,516]

4 minutes ago, #SnowyVernalSpringsEternal said:

 

What is this? The seperate mike of the percussion? Or ia generated?

AI seperated.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 11,812]

The devils work!

[Jay 45,144]

Mike Matessino, @Maurizio, and @mahler3 give a lovely tribute to Kurt-Hans Goedicke at the end of the latest episode of The Legacy of John Williams podcast

 

https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2025/09/16/soundtrack-spotlight-jaws50-black-sunday-jw-anthology/

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 11,812]

I listened to that podcast this morning. Highly recommended.