Differences between the Star Wars Main Theme in the films?

I have the soundtrack anthology from 1993 (the 4 disc OT music set) and also the TPM and AOTC soundtracks. I recently got new speakers which are a lot better than my laptop's built-in speakers. I was testing them out and I noticed that the Star Wars Main Title from ANH sounds a lot different from the Star Wars Main Title from TPM. When the main theme comes on, in the ANH score, there's a sound in the high frequency range that resembles a buzzing where as the same part in the TPM score doesn't have it. I think the buzzing sound comes from the trumpet fanfare (?)... In the ANH one the trumpets (I think it's the trumpets) sound so tight that it becomes a buzzing-type noise.

I've never noticed this before... At first, I thought it was a defect with the speakers, but after listening to the TPM one, I am convinced it's a difference in the recording. The TPM one has a sound resembling that buzzing, but sounds more like a regular trumpet. I'm going to see if the ESB, ROTJ and AOTC scores sound like that.

 

The Main Title was recorded anew for ESB and ROTJ, though they are very similar arrangements, with fairly subtle differences.

It appears we may only have a single new recording for the PT.

 

I just listened to the AOTC and ROTJ main themes... The ROTJ one also has the weird trumpet buzzing sound. I wonder if it is my speakers (it sounds like something is loose and is vibrating in resonance). The AOTC and TPM main themes sound a lot different than the ones from the OT. Maybe a difference in recording.

 

The opening note in the main theme from the ANH (original) soundtrack has a much more defined SURPRISE!!! element to it than the others and especially TPM and AOTC. Anyone else notice that?

God, I love it when I get technical.

 

Yes Uruk-hai I completely agree. I love the opening note of the ANH version of the Main Titles...

 

The ROTJ main title is more floating than the others. There is a very high-pitched, ringing sound in the beginning of it that causes this.
The ANH main title, on the other hand, is more jumpy, sort of. More like it´s being played on a drumset, if you catch my meaning.

BTW: I don´t understand why GL edited out the AOTC main title from AOTC and used the TPM one instead. Does anyone understand this?

 

Uruk: I know exactly what you mean! To me, it sounds like that because there are more instruments playing that first single note. In all following versions, it seems more trumpet-oriented, where as it appears very "fleshed out" with a lot of instruments playing it in ANH's version.


That's just what it sounds like to me, at least.

 

Also, in the prequel films, the main theme sounds more percussive. The drums are more up front and militaristic in nature. It's a little harsher, and less rounded and warm sounding.

 

I was looking for a thread like this. My favorite opening track is from Empire. Very in your face, solid , hard , timed very well peice of music. Just that opening note in Empire still get me going, all the other films sounds weak. No Umph. i understand Empire was darker and had to do with the Empire. The music had a marching tone to it.
With Ep3, and knowing that it is a dark movie, will we get a version of umph or a quieter boring sad version of the openig track. Still my favorite is Empire!!!! Hands down!

 

I was listening to a friend's SE set with all the different takes of the main theme from ANH - there are so many versions... and if you aren't attentive you may think they all sound the same.

 

There are a ton of subtle differences...in some recordings, phrasings are handled a little different, breaths are taken at different places.... in some cases notes are held longer or shorter. My roommate and I once played a game in the car...he would put on one of the opening themes, and I would have to guess which movie it was.... good fun had by all!

and yes, we know that we are sad....
but we are both engaged, so there is hope out there for SW fans who are equally as sad...

 

Yeah I used to be able to name which SW film it was by the opening note. We played stump Tim the Youth Sponsor when I was a leader in my church's High School Youth Group. They got a real kick out of it.

 

stump the tim....sounds like a mix between two monty python sketches in the same movie...

 

In the ANH one the trumpets (I think it's the trumpets) sound so tight that it becomes a buzzing-type noise.

That would be the muted trumpet- a trumpet with a baffle mounted on it. That gives it a very low-key, very nasal sound, and if your speakers aren't good, it will sound like an annoying buzz.

The New Hope title crawl is actually composed of pieces from different takes of the music. A New Hope's title crawl is very brassy, whereas Empire's has more emphasis on the string section. Jedi's is by far the best: it has a resounding, epic feel to it.

The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones actually use exactly the same recording for the Main Title, which is a bit disappointing, but I guess they really don't need to re-do it all the time, because only 10% of the audience would even notice and fewer would even care. I don't really mind myself too much.

-JDR.

 

stump the tim....sounds like a mix between two monty python sketches in the same movie...

Yeah they had all kinds of funning trying to tax my knowledge of useless trivia...

Personally I would not have a problem with them recording one super take of the main title and using the same one for all six finished films. I never cared enough.

 

I like the subtle differences among the main titles, especially ESB. I wish JW would have recorded a new version for each of the PT.

But It's not a huge issue. Consistency would be nice, though. Either all the same or all different performances.

 

But It's not a huge issue. Consistency would be nice, though. Either all the same or all different performances.

I completely agree.