~The ESB Gusher Society~

On this rainy day here in L.A. I'm listening to the ESB soundtrack(SE of course).

Why is it so damn good? Gush like there's no tomorrow.

 

The way in which JW manages to utilize everyone of his themes and fully develop them and intertwine them seemlessly.

Also, the love theme is brilliant and the end titles contains some of the greatest music ever composed.

 

I love track 3 on disc 2. Really gets me goin'. It screams adventure.

 

Best soundtrack of all time? I dare say yes.

 

I had the original double record album of ESB, and used to listen to it all the time when I was a kid. I can even remember where the scratches were!! The Asteroid Field gives me chills every time, even though I've listend to it more times than I can imagine. And I love the Cloud City themes. Yes, I'm official an ESB soundtrack gusher

 

I dare say I agree with you, LMM.

 

Right on. I've had this soundtrack since 1980 and I still have the records of course. The SE only cemented the fact that it's my favorite.

:Activate Gush Mode:

Ok the reason it's my fav is because it's just so bloody complex! High points, low points, and everything in between. I'm not sure what frame of mind Williams was in while he was composing, but he was able to create music that's unlike anything I've heard from him before or after ESB. It's an amazingly brilliant score.

Believe me, I'll continue with the gushing...

 

Please don't slap me around for this, but I don't find TESB soundtrack as the best one, for either Star Wars or John Williams.

I dunno, it's just that I wouldn't call Track 5, The Battle Of Hoth rivetting. Don't get me wrong, I like the music, just that I don't think it's the 'best' one. (Like I said, please, it's only my lowly opinion... please don't hate me!!!) I still like that track and all the others of TESB.

 

Look despite the fact that this thread is primarily for anyone who likes ESB's score, all opinions are tolerated here. I'm actually curious to find out who doesn't like the soundtrack and their reasons. So if you care to share more of your thoughts, please do!

 

Best... music... ever!

 

ESB is about as close as a movie can get to being perfect. The score, on the other hand, is perfect! Well, in my opinion, of course...

 

My favorite part is, oddly, when Luke is chasing after Boba on Bespin, just before he comes across Leia and Chewie. I love the rhythmic piano notes there as his shadow pursues its enemy across the wall.

 

I tend to like the mellow pieces of music the best, from all the movies ESB included. For example, I love the music for the part where Luke is standing on his hands and Yoda is perched on his feet. He "sees" into the future, and that etheral music playing in the background.....wow...love it. And that cues right into the arrival at Cloud City, which has always been one of my favorite pieces, from when I was a kid.

Quick funny story: When I was like 9, my mom heard me playing the ESB record album in my room. She came up and said, you know, that's great you listen to classical music. I said no mom, it's Star Wars music!

 

I love driving to "Asteroid Field" into or through New York City. It adds about 5-10 mph to my speed.

 

Ditto on the Asteroid field track; That's probably my fav underscore track on the album. (As opposed to the concert pieces)

 

I do find tracks like Hoth or Asteroid entertaining, but I can never understand how people would prefer them to the last tracks of the score. Clash of the Lightsabers, Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace, Carbon Freeze**/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett, The Rebel Fleet, now that is seriously in the OMG it's good category.

 

Right on, bright sith. In my mind, the second half of ESB:SE disc two is the most amazing sequence of music ever.

 

All I wanted to say about this score has already been said. Love, love it, love it. Definitely my favorite of John Williams' work, and that's saying a lot.

 

I get chills through the entire Bespin escape sequence, especially the finale.

Anyone have any thoughts as to why JW uses Yoda's theme during the escape? Could it represent Luke remembering his commitment to Yoda?

 

Has anyone noticed the amazing bass that resonates during the music for when Vader talks with the Emperor's hologram(disc 1 track 9)? It's a low steady ominous hum that's just plain creepy. After all these years I heard it for the first time thanks to some new headphones I got.

 

<gush> Yoda's theme! </end gush>

 

Okay, some of my favorite music by JW is in this movie. Especially the lifting of the X-wing. Favorite scene, favorite music!

 

I agree with all of these points and ESB is my favourite score, (and film) of all time, BUT....

Don't over do it. I took the soundtrack on holiday with me to Florida, and it was all I listened to. By the end of the 2 weeks, and to this day, its desensitized me as to the magic of the music, because I can hum along and know every single, tiny, little part, it is no longer as entertaining like it was. That really annoys me now because it is such a great score and I wish I could appreciate it like I used to.

 

Hmmm, for me, being able to know every little, tiny part of it is only part of the fun, just like all great music.

 

Yeah, I know, but what I mean is, it takes away that magic of when you hear it first time and it sounds brilliant. I suppose it still sounds brilliant if you analyse it, but in a different way.