ROTS Alternates

[Kevin McCallister 0]

Its come to my attention lately that several alternates exists for many of the cues in Revenge of the Sith. Some of which we've heard, others are unreleased, some we probably have never heard. I thought I might try a hand at identifying all teh ones we can and if I miss any, we can maybe work on figuring out any more. Let's see...

BOYS INTO BATTLE: The album version of this (1:16-3:15) is actually an alternate of the film version, as it is without the bass drum accompaniment that appears in the film.

THE ELEVATOR SCENE: Another version that contains more percussion in the beginning. Possibly more of an alternate take than a full-fledged alternate. Thoughts?

MOVING THINGS ALONG (ENTER LORD VADER): The alternate appears on the album. The film version contains heavier percussion, particularly for Anakin's arrival on Mustafar. Also of note is a timpani roll before the Imperial March statement.

THE BIRTH OF THE TWINS: Although it's never been really revealed or heard of, the description given in the score reports suggest that another version was recorded. To quote: "As babies are handed to people, in another location ‘the helmet’ descends o nto Anakin’s broken face, to just o ne chord (minor of course) which builds from p to a deafening fff and back down again." There is a soft statement of Luke's Theme when he is born, followed by the Force Theme. Tears reportedly flowed when this cue was played.

END TITLE: Like Birth of the Twins, unheard of, but reportedly recorded in the report: “End Credits”, 7M8. A full new End Credits suite, featuring the classic Luke’s Theme/Rebel Fanfare start, then a gliding harp starts off Leia’s Theme. This segues into the new “Revenge of the Sith” theme, followed by a concert presentation of the Throne Room motif from ANH, and a reprise of Leia’s Theme as the now-traditional prequel soft fadeout. Described as highly emotional with some tears flowing during recording.

Any I'm forgetting?

[Datameister 2,037]

In a sense, there are alternate cues used in the movie (or in the album, whichever you like). However, it's not that these were recorded separately; the heavy percussion you hear in a number of cues was mixed into the original recordings.

As I understand it, most of the percussion that was considered "optional" for ROTS was recorded separately. This includes the aforementioned bass drum hits, snare drum, some cymbal stuff, etc. This was mixed into the film quite prominently, but for whatever reason, it was toned way down for the album. Listen closely; you'll still hear that bass drum in some of those cues, but much softer than in the film.

Some people can't stand these overdubs. I personally like some of them--namely, the ones that seem to have been implemented by someone with musical background. An example of one I can't stand can be heard in "Heroes Collide" ("Anakin vs. Obi-Wan"). When the fast 3/4 section of Battle of the Heroes plays in F minor (as Yoda and Palpatine ascend into the senate arena), the bass drum hits continue happily in 2/2...which was the meter a moment before. This seems to have been done by one of the sound editors, and it sounds terrible. Since the meters don't match up, you end up with heavy hits on weird parts of the measures. Musically disorienting, and not in a good way.

As far as those descriptions in the score report go, I don't really know how correct they are. I've wondered myself. My guess is that there was some misunderstanding (or misinformation). This was written before the release of the movie, I believe. Anyone know why this discrepancy happened?

(By the way, if you decide you want to re-mix those bass drum hits into the soundtrack, there's an easy way to do it. Just rip the audio from the first few seconds after the main title on the DVD, when the war drums play "boom, boom...boom, boom...boom, boom..." You should be able to loop one or two of these through the parts of "Boys Into Battle" where you want drums, and with the help of a little cut-and-paste and some reverb, you can implement this bass drum into the other cues, too. I fixed the aforementioned 3/4 section and man, oh man, did it feel good. )

[King Mark 3,625]

Those score reports from Hyperspace were also written very badly,with a lot of incoherent sentenses

K.M.

[Incanus 5,713]

Those score reports from Hyperspace were also written very badly,with a lot of incoherent sentenses

K.M.

Indeed. I think some of the reporters from the scoring sessions did not know the scores inside out like we do and gave perhaps wrong information regarding the use of themes and such. I think we should have an official ambassador from JWFan.com attending all Williams scoring sessions to give people here and everywhere accurate information about the music.

[Ollie 1,059]

I would imagine given all the takes and adjustments requested by Lucas or made by Williams that you could probably fill 10+ cds with material from the scoring sessions.

[Datameister 2,037]

Now, if only all of that material were released to us...

[Ollie 1,059]

I don't think you would really want to sit thru all of that. I've been fortuante to hear some recording sessions and it can be pretty damn boring.

[Henry B 50]

The opening of [Goodbye Old Friend] is revisited later in the day, as Lucas has requested a change. He felt that a small moment of horns heard during the clone briefing was too light, too happy for the scene. Williams later recorded the pertinent measures sans that flourish.

This is the only alternative cue - Goodbye Old Friend with a "small moment of horns" - that I can actually prove.

THE BIRTH OF THE TWINS: Although it's never been really revealed or heard of, the description given in the score reports suggest that another version was recorded. To quote: "As babies are handed to people, in another location ‘the helmet’ descends o nto Anakin’s broken face, to just o ne chord (minor of course) which builds from p to a deafening fff and back down again." There is a soft statement of Luke's Theme when he is born, followed by the Force Theme. Tears reportedly flowed when this cue was played.

I think you are confusing this with "A Home for the Twins."

END TITLE: Like Birth of the Twins, unheard of, but reportedly recorded in the report: “End Credits”, 7M8. A full new End Credits suite, featuring the classic Luke’s Theme/Rebel Fanfare start, then a gliding harp starts off Leia’s Theme. This segues into the new “Revenge of the Sith” theme, followed by a concert presentation of the Throne Room motif from ANH, and a reprise of Leia’s Theme as the now-traditional prequel soft fadeout. Described as highly emotional with some tears flowing during recording.

The stately "Throne Room" from Episode IV, the music that accompanies the Yavin 4 awards ceremony, appears in the End Credits. It's the unedited version of the piece, that is different from what appears in A New Hope. It's been recorded as a concert piece this way: instead of the iris out to Episode IV's end credits, it goes into a reprise of Princess Leia's theme.

It goes into a soft reprise of the Force theme. The author of these reports, Pablo Hidalgo, actually seems pretty astute about his musical themes, but he could have made a typo.

[Datameister 2,037]

You're probably right about the aforementioned scoriing session material; most of it would be pretty dull. However, as a musician myself, I'd probably find some of it very interesting (and I'd be able to hear the cues in their unedited form!). I wouldn't pay too much money for something like this unless I knew it contained the final recordings of all the ROTS cues, in which case I would pay BIG MONEY.

[ridan 0]

I remember reading from the score reports that a version of the droid march was recorded for the beginning battle? Anybody remember this?

[King Mark 3,625]

The opening of [Goodbye Old Friend] is revisited later in the day, as Lucas has requested a change. He felt that a small moment of horns heard during the clone briefing was too light, too happy for the scene. Williams later recorded the pertinent measures sans that flourish.

This is the only alternative cue - Goodbye Old Friend with a "small moment of horns" - that I can actually prove.

.

There are a few horn notes that I can hear in the Hyperspace video "Endlessely Compelling" about the scoring sessions,where Lucas and Williams watch that scene.Those notes do not seem to be in the "complete" recording of Goodbye Old Friend we got from BF2(including that unused section).

K.M.

[nightscape94 965]

I remember reading from the score reports that a version of the droid march was recorded for the beginning battle? Anybody remember this?

I was curious about that myself. The version in the film is just the droid invasion tracked from TPM, right? I wonder if Williams scored this massive battle. It seems strange that Williams wouldn't write new music to this scene with a variation of his droid theme instead of using a tracked version (of course this isn't Williams decision, but I still wonder if he even wrote any music to begin with).

Again, this is with regards to the Wookie battle.

Tim

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

The Battle of coruscant force theme bit has similar 'The arena/confederacy march' mixed in. I think or it may be just after that.

[dvader518 0]

I've read that in the Battle of Coruscant music, John Williams references the SotE soundtrack.

Will anyone tell me what part of Boys Into Battle/They're Coming Around/Get 'Em R2 it is at and what section of what track in the SotE OST it references?

Thanks in advance.

[gkgyver 1,645]

I've been fortuante to hear some recording sessions and it can be pretty damn boring.

I've often wondered how John Scorelover can attend such a session. Can you let me in on your secret?

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

I've read that in the Battle of Coruscant music, John Williams references the SotE soundtrack.

Will anyone tell me what part of Boys Into Battle/They're Coming Around/Get 'Em R2 it is at and what section of what track in the SotE OST it references?

Thanks in advance.

I have never seen it written here, i think. Though i think in one of this year's works, there is something resembling SOTE. Probably in WotW.

Mmm, thinking about it... i think SOTE has a resemblance in one of the indiana jones scores (Raiders i think) that i may discovered this year. so im not so sure now...

[King Mark 3,625]

I don't think Williams would "referance" Shadows of the Empire.

K.M.

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

I dont either. I just found it to be that Mcneely may had some insight in williams style since both may have written similar music.