The Mandalorian The Music of The Mandalorian

I just noticed that the first few seconds of The Asset is a simplified version of the beginning of Duel Of The Fates.

 

I knew Ludwig would knock it out of the park, but even I wasn't ready for some of the gems we've heard so far. The dude just knows how to get weeeird and I love it. The title music is so bizarre but somehow perfect.

 

I'm in the "highly in favor" category on the score.

The visuals and pacing are so on point for SW that they support something really different in the music department, and I'm really happy that's what we're getting.

 

FWIW, Ludwig Göransson also composed the music to the "Rocky" franchise sequel, "Creed."

 

The music in episode 2 somehow managed to be even better. Without spoiling, there’s a shot of two characters cresting a ridge which is accompanied by some great music that gives it the feeling of a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey. For me, it was the best union of image and music since the Disney era began.

 

For me, its one of the best things about the Mandalorian. I felt the same with Solo, and RO - I love John Williams, and all the 'saga' music, but I want fresh and new, and different, and the Mandalorian is bringing that in spades.

 

It's a little SW, a little Trek Klingon Attack theme, and a whole lot of Good Bad Ugly. It works to accompany the show, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to purchase the soundtrack.

 

Utini! Jawa action music.

 

I like the tribal drums, but the rest of it isn't gelling with me.

 

I actually liked the main theme for The Mandalorian and I do like the tribal "aesthetic" to it rather than the typical Star Wars music we've come to expect. Took a while to get used to it, but it's growing on me. I think that the music was better in the second episode than it was in the first episode and it went well with the scenes involved, though that last part might be due to the direction more than anything.

Regardless, like I said, it's growing on me and I enjoy it.

 

The score is really lacking the Williams themes, which really hurts an otherwise really really solid composition.

 

You really can't have Williams' themes with none of the Saga's characters and factions. Those Jawas are different Jawas. Same with the Imperials.

 

I really like main theme (its way more interesting and catchy than everything from Disney SW movies), but i agree that lack of JW or JW-alike music is one missing puzzle to make the whole mosaic complete.

 

Force theme at the very least should have been used.

But it’s not a deal breaker as to whether or not I enjoy the show.

 

The music elevates the series beyond its roots, and I think is absolutely central to the show. Gives it an almost dream-like quality. Like we’re seeing visions of these events communicated by some space-faring shaman.

A Williams-type score would, in my view, feel like the show was trying to be something it was not. It’s not operatic. It’s a lot more intimate. The music should reflect that. A bold choice, but one that pays off hugely for me.

 

Spoiler: Episode 2 spoiler

I love the motif that plays when Yoda uses the Force to save the Mandalorian. It's not bombastic or epic; it's intimate and unfamiliar, as if we ourselves are the Mandalorian, reacting to this strange feat of power.

 

Shouldn't they all be very aware of what the Force is though?

 

Spoiler

I think the Mando knows that this display of force power is connected to the Jedi, somehow, who he’s aware of, but keeps that to himself. I don’t think it’s odd at all for a hermit ugnaught to have no experience or knowledge of such a display of power. He may be aware of the force as a spiritual matter, as we are all aware of such notions, but not be aware of it being physically real or manipulated. Especially not by a baby.

 

I really, really like the transition to the B melody with the brass from the second episode ending track. It cuts down on the 'Rocky-ness" and it sounds just like the end of a classic serial short film.

 

What instrument is that played around 2:00?

I think that's the baby's theme.

 

I don’t know, but Goransson confirmed that the main Mando theme instrument is a recorder. To me, it’s just awesome that a little flute that’s commonly associated with kid’s toys is at the heart of the Mando theme.

Three other interrelated reasons I think the musical departure from the norm is perfect, and even essential, to the success of a series about a “man with no face.”

1. Liberated from the classical in order to get personal. George has said that he (very smartly) went with a very classical, traditional score because that would make it easier for the audience to accept all the alien wackiness happening on screen. Now that audiences are perfectly comfortable with that alien wackiness, we can be freed from that restriction. This is the first time that’s happened in live action and it indeed feels liberating. Take the scene where the Yodaling uses the force, for example. If the classic force theme came in at that point, it wouldn’t feel strange at all. It would feel comfortable and familiar. But the drama of the scene revolved around this being a strange and unexpected occurrence to the Mando, not a familiar one. And so we get this musical cue that’s strange and mysterious and trippy, and decidedly NOT the classical force theme. That puts us squarely in the head of the Mando, who’s thinking “woooooooah.” Using the classical force theme, on the other hand, would’ve worked against that feeling of strangeness and wonder being felt by the Mando. And that’s at the heart of why untethering from the classical score liberating.

2. Operatic doesn’t seem right. It’s a smaller, more intimate story. Forcing an operatic score onto it would make it feel a lot more artificial, in my view, and hurt the simple drama of the scenes.

3. Getting into the Mando’s helmeted head. According to Favreau and Görannsson, the latter didn’t simply hand over a score that could be applied across the whole series uniformly, with minor variations. Rather, the music is highly tailored to each and every episode. And so, not being tied to the limitations of the classical score allows Görransson to do a much better job of underlining the personal drama of these scenes. Which is especially important because the protagonist is masked. A classical operatic score blaring constantly to the image of a masked man wouldn’t get us into his head at all. The composer needs the freedom to penetrate his helmet, and get into the Mando’s head.

 

that's his leitmotif. It follows him throughout the show. We'll hear all sort of variations on it by the end of the season. Kind of like Rebels and TCW, there's a title theme in addition to the leitmotifs.

 

I like the music so fsr. The flute that plays whenever the Mandalorian appears puts me in a mindset of seeing someone who is cool and calm and unpredictable. He's not a hero. He's not a Villian. He's just a guy making his way through the universe. I like this guy.

 

I love the baby’s theme.