A New Hope Score Discussion: Track 3 - Imperial Attack

Thanks everyone for making this successful. Much like the Chapter by Chapter discussion of all the Star Wars films, this is thread for the Track by Track discussion of the film's CDs.

Track 3 - Imperial Attack
Encompassing DVD Chapters 3, 4 and 5

This, for me, is a delightful cue that shows all of John Williams' strengths. It creates two new themes, alters another and has terrific action music that has no thematic material. This starts off with a variation of the Rebel's Theme heard last in the previous track. The theme is clearly in distress and never forms the beauty that it is capable off (which is a great thing in terms of the how the story is presented). The heavy brass that enters here and there is perfectly reflecting the Imperial attitude. It always overwhelms whatever was playing before it in a grand gesture. Just like the Empire devours Tantive IV, the Rebel spaceship. The opening portion of this cue also creates a sense of inevitably, something the John Williams is great at in all six films. He raises the tension with the rhythmic pulses of the rebel theme.

Next comes a fantastic action section. Here the string/woodwind/xylophone seem to be battling the brass and drums in a stupendous way. The rebels are fighting the empire and it's perfectly captured in musical terms. We also get the first music for Darth Vader. Now, say what you will about Darth Vader's Theme (The Imperial March), but I absolutely love his entrance music here. Although the theme, played here, would make the most sense, it wasn't there when I first watched this movie and this will always be how I remember Darth Vader. It humbles me every time I hear it and I was so happy George Lucas didn't insert Vader's theme here even though it would make a lot more sense.

But who needs Vader's theme when we get our first dose of The Force theme. The positive side of the Force is given the best theme in the whole saga and it is introduced as Leia sticks a disc of the imperial plans in R2. I think the theme is showing how important this information is and the shot of just Leai's hand putting the disc in R2 compiled with the music shows that the information is as big and important as the galaxy. Right away we then hear Leia's theme. A beautiful number that I'll discuss more on the concert track.

I really love the marching music that plays after Leia's theme. I just love how that goes. Next comes some droid music, which is echoed throughout the rest of the film. It's odd music that is supposed to make you wonder what these things called droids are. Instruments are used in a completely original way. I love it. More operatic space music as the escape pod is released. John Williams really captured the wonder of space perfectly. Then some foreboding music as the Stormtroopers search the rest of the ship.

There's a lot of material here so I know I missed some things. Would someone please point out the use of every theme in this track. This baby goes everywhere, which is why it's so fun. I must say, however, that the Special Edition really uses Sound Effects more then Music in too many spots for this track. It's quite sad really.

 

The previous track discussions can be found here:

Track 1 and 2

 

The way the Rebel fanfare is played by the horn (I think) is great. Not too brassy. Then the strings repeat it and, Oh Wow! Even better! The strings in this piece really get the mood of the scene. The action passage afterward is fairly typical of ANH, with some great trumpet work again for the Rebel Fanfare. I love how this piece keeps the pace nice and fast. Darth Vader's entrance is also great, followed by a very ominous fanfare, and then Leia's theme. Not the best statement, but neverless the first. Next is more terrific string work. Later on, we hear the imperial motif, which now doesn't seem nearly as bad as I first thought. With proper instrumentation it sounds very nice indeed. The lovely passage that accompanies R2 and 3PO sounds like something right out of ET. It is magical. The piece rounds out like one of "The Planets" by Holst. Not the first or last time, John...

What a great piece. It really does encompass everything that ANH is about.

Imperial Attack - 89%

 

I think here we see how the Force Theme was orginally Ben's Theme....as it's played when Leia is recording her message for General Kenobi

 

I love how the main fanfare is turned into a military march. Then the strings kick in showing the plight of the heroes. Then there's the entrance of Vader which I still think could easily get a dose of Imperial March someday. Though it's not needed. I love the part at 2:58 when it gets all serious with the horns as they're marching the rebels away.

Leia and Ben's theme are gold. But I'll reserve my critique on them later.

The best part I believe is the ANH Imperial Theme at 4:15 followed by the the dramatic escape of C-3PO and R2-D2. I noticed Williams later used this on the ROTS credits in the soundtrack. Great choice.

 

I absolutely love the trombone harmonies that are layered under Artoo and Threepio's escape. They're just so bittersweet, so achingly beautiful. I enjoy how the attack on the first of these chords coincides precisely with the firing of the escape pod's boosters. Additionally, the romanticism of the strings is in full swing here - 1st violins soar an octave above the melody. Y'know, I've heard more than one violinist grumble "Man, does John Williams write some high violin parts!" But in the end, it sounds so good...

I've also mentioned before how much I love the tortured little section underscoring captured Rebels (and droids!) being marched down the hallway. There's this amusingly manic energy to it - especially in the horns' marcato.

It's little things like these that make for an incredibly enjoyable listen.

 

We have moved on to the next track. Feel free to continue discussing here.

Track 4 can found here