ST John Williams to Score the Sequel Trilogy

I'm not sophisticated enough to know for sure, but is there a slight nod to "Battle of the Heroes" at the end (around 6:30) of Main Title/Escape? (Sans choir)

 

While ain't no Star Wars Oxygen about this one yet, I suggest to listen to this podcast.
It has a nice analysis about the score and interesting thoughts about the movie: http://fullofsith.com/archives/2205

http://traffic.libsyn.com/fullofsith/TS-1229858.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/fullofsith/TS-1229860.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/fullofsith/TS-1229861.mp3

 

By the way, did you see that the whole score (and more complete than the album) it's free on Disney website right now?

http://www.waltdisneystudiosawards.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi/score

 

Wow. Thank you. Free aint bad...not bad at all.

 

LOVE that podcast!

I must say, I love “The Spark.” Most badass “battle entrance” music I’ve ever heard. Interesting that JW used a deconstructed “Imperial March” for it. Vader’s legacy still hangs heavy over that family...

 

That's a great listen. Bobby used to post here a lot. Shame he left.

 

I love "The Spark"

 

I'm not sure if it's intentional, but you're spot on with how similar it sounds. I've been hearing that since the first time I listened to the soundtrack. I remember texting my roommate Star Wars friend as soon as I listened to it and he thought the same thing. I think it's purely coincidental, but it definitely contributes to the tone of the TLJ sountrack sounding similar to that of ROTS.

Yes to all of this.

@Darth_Anxious Thank you! Been desperately searching for a podcast that discusses music ever since David W. Collins stopped working with RFR. Wish he would just make his own youtube channel or something , he is a very busy man though.

 

It has to be said that we are incredibly blessed to have John Williams still writing high quality music for Star Wars - not just because of his age, but because of the sheer number of scores that he has composed over the decades...how does he keep coming up with new ideas?

That said, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of new themes in the TLJ score...the music works well in the film but a lot of it is music for action scenes, rather than full themes (perhaps a bit like AOTC, which outside of Across the Stars, didn't have any other new themes from what I remember). I like the theme for Rose, but I can't understand why it doesn't get a full concert arrangement on the album, especially given the lack of other new themes. Also I think that the two other new motifs (or cues, or whatever you call them!) - the one related to Luke on Ach-to, and the one which appears in the battle scenes (not sure if it's for the First Order or the Resistance) could be more fully developed on the album. Instead they are all combined in one track, 'The Rebellion is Reborn', which is one of the best on the album - but it seems a bit of a waste to put them all in one place.

'The Spark' is superb though, and overall I think it will be one of those soundtracks where it just takes longer to explore and appreciate it, with the great moments buried within it rather than being presented really obviously as full themes. And like the film itself, I think it's important to enjoy what we did get, rather than complaining about what we didn't.

 

I would ask tho... what other character or element needs its own theme that does not already have one?

 

It's a fair point, the second film will always have less scope for new themes - but maybe the FO could get a theme, or Finn, or there could be a new piece in the vein of Tie Fighter attack from ANH or The Asteroid Field from ESB - action music, but really memorable. But I guess my main issue is that the soundtrack album doesn't make the most of the new themes / cues which have been written, and only uses them in short bursts rather than full pieces of music in their own right.

I'm not complaining though, it's still great music!

 

The droids.

(they've had several mini-themes thru the saga, but nothing has stuck)

 

One of my biggest disappointments - and it is a small one - is that the FO doesn't seem to have a theme of its own. Perhaps if in IX, they've established galactic power, they'll get one. Kylo Ren's theme is incredible, but it's so short

 

Ben’s theme works so well when he smashes his helmet, and later when he charges Luke’s hologram.

 

I completely agree. And that's some magic Williams has made - it doesn't NEED to be a long or even average length piece like Imperial March. In just a few notes, it gets across a lot and puts in just the right emotion that the scene needs

 

the first order has a prominent motif but it doesn't have a proper concert arrangement. I think we'll get one in IX, when the First Order should be at the peak of its influence over the galaxy.
Gordy Haab actually did this in Battlefront II, though it's not JW official, so it doesnt count.



the motif from TFA, 2:09


you also get it here at :23


It's all over the place when the First Order is on screen in TLJ.

here, for example, before Holdo's theme :17-:25

 

A couple of points on this.

There was an unused theme for TFA that would have occurred during Hux's Space-Nazi speech that they got rid of, understandably, as they probably wanted to highlight Gleeson's fantastic performance. I've linked the piece before, but I'll post it again below for the sake of this discussion.



This, combined with the piece of music that was heard in the Verizon ad (we're not completely sure if that was Williams or not) leads me to believe that there are some themes out there that have been played around with for the FO. But for whatever reason, we haven't gotten a distinct one in the films.

It's interesting though - it almost seems like a storytelling choice in terms of TLJ. When the movie opens, and the FO arrives above D'Qar, we don't get any FO or Imperial fanfare, we get Kylo Ren's theme. It's as if John Williams, and probably Rian, were foreshadowing that by the end of the movie, the First Order belongs to Kylo Ren, so we get his theme representing the FO as a whole. Not completely sure how accurate that is, but I think it's an interesting thing to consider - at least for TLJ.

 

Hm, good point. Imperial March represented Vader as much as it represented the Empire itself - in fact, the Empire had a theme in ANH that was never used again (or RO might've used it a couple times, can't recall). Guess that brings up the question then of if the FO really needs one/has one already in the form of Kylo's motif

 

You're correct. It's used in RO at least once, when Vader is in the bacta tank. Don't get me wrong, I would love to hear a new First Order theme for the ST. And you're right, the Imperial March had basically turned into the Empire's theme by the time RotJ rolled around, so maybe JW had planned something similar with Kylo's theme. I just thought it was interesting how the music foreshadowed Kylo's eventual control over the FO.

 

Is there anywhere else to find the Soundtrack Disney has on their site at a higher bit rate?

 

Kylo’s theme plays when the First Order ships arrive during the evacuation (Kylo isn’t featured in this scene). It gives credence to the idea that his theme also applies to the First Order as a whole.

 

The FO have Kylo Ren’s theme, which as others have pointed out is used for both, just like Imperial March/Vader’s theme, etc. Finn? Maybe, but without a theme in TFA where he had way more to do, I don’t see it debuting in Ep 8. As for the new themes from TFA I think they are used brilliantly and extensively. I love how Williams masterfully weaves all the thematic material together.

The droids don’t need a theme. And I kind of meant what new to Ep 8 or the ST needed a theme.

 

Saw it again last night and I quite like what he did with the the score, I need to buy it now to give it plenty more listens. Maybe its just me, but one thing I noticed is when Luke is walking up the steps with Rey to the stone altar thing is that it reminded me a lot of the Kamino themes in AOTC, which is one my favourites of the PT, did anyone else catch this?

 

I believe I know exactly what you're referencing (correct me if I'm wrong.) I think it happens at 3:26 of this track on the soundtrack right before turning into Luke's awesome new theme:



Off topic, but Luke's new theme is so amazing. It's perfect for TLJ, Ahch-To, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

 

You sell yourself short, @Garth Maul. You ooze sophistication!