If there is one score that permeates cinema history unlike
any other, it is the soundtrack to ‘Star Wars’. Composed by John Williams, it
is a masterful symphony of enduring brilliance and performed on an epic scale. Williams’
score is truly the one of the most widely recognised pieces in modern music.
When George Lucas wanted to introduce an element of grandeur
to his project that was even more reminiscent of the science fiction serials of
his youth, he sought to replicate a soundtrack of their magnificence. Initially
Lucas feared that no composer would understand his requirements for the score
and considered simply featuring existing scores of classic Hollywood as the
soundtrack. His friend and fellow director Steven Spielberg recommended his
composer for ‘Jaws’ (and virtually every subsequent Spielberg movie since) to
create the music for ‘Star Wars’ in between writing the score for Spielberg’s
next film, ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. Lucas was surprised to find
that Williams shared many of his views on what the soundtrack for ‘Star Wars’
should be, with a push towards a grand orchestral sound.
The choice to use an orchestra was a rarity in cinema by
that point, especially for a science fiction film as many relied on electronic
sound mixing for their scores as it was considered to match the tonal nature of
the film more so than any earth based sound music would. The Silver Age of
Music had awarded pop music in film had swayed even the most stoic composers
for using it, let alone in a film with as much riding on it as ‘Star Wars’.
But Williams possessed this ability to take one of most
notable aspects of ‘Star Wars’, its ability to feel foreign yet strangely
familiar, and reflect that in its music. The fact that the soundtrack was
orchestral gave it a feeling of acquaintance yet the fact that the particular
assembly of notes that the orchestra was playing was so staggering and
fantastic meant that the entire symphony had a wonderful and majestic sense to
ii, filled with emotion, character and awe.
Another remarkable thing about the soundtrack to ‘Star Wars’
is just how iconic it is. With most films, even the most successful ones,
general audiences will recognise their signature theme or their main theme, but
little else. How many themes can you remember from Indiana Jones or ‘Back to
the Future’ (not to say their scores are mediocre, they are in fact brilliant)
but most will remember just the main theme. But the music of ‘Star Wars’ is so
universally known and admired that nearly everyone can recognise a part of it,
whether it be the opening theme, the Imperial March, the Force Theme or even
Han and Leia’s theme. They can all be instantly associated with the film
without any hesitation.
The theme also conveys so many key elements of each unique
and intricate detail, from the fast paced action of its central theme, the
sheer scale of its opening crawl theme as we are introduced to this galaxy far,
far away and given a barrage of information to introduce us to this universe.
Then there is that domineering and repressive form of the Imperial March theme,
without losing any weight to emphasise the power and magnitude of the force in
question. It exudes a sense of dread and fear, just listen to that theme, it is
evil. If a President or Prime Minister ever chooses that as their inauguration
music, the free world should be very worried indeed. But of course it’s not
just these sweeping grand themes that inspire brilliance, just look at the more
intimate themes in question such as Han and Leia’s theme, highlighting all of
the romance and tragedy of their relationship, yet still retaining a sense of
hope, which is so suitable as it is used once again right at the end of ‘Empire
Strikes Back’, when tragedy and hope are two of the key elements of that ending.
But consider also how compliant the theme is to the context of the scene, as by
the end of ‘Return of the Jedi’ it is used again as a source of happiness and
joy.
When it was announced that so many original cast members
would be returning, few seemed as excited that John Williams was returning to
compose the theme again. Now at 83, Williams may not be able to continue
working much longer (although I dearly hope he will continue forever) but the
fact that his music still holds such relevance is remarkable and astonishing.
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