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Question for Historians
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Author:  AgentPendergast [ April 2nd 2005 9:57 am ]
Post subject:  Question for Historians
Lucas originally wanted to illustrate the first film, before it even had the final title, with classical pieces and selections from scores for famous epics scored by Rozsa, Korngold and Steiner. A temporary soundtrack for the pre-ANH film had been assembled before Williams was signed. It contained selections from Holst, Wagner, Dvorak, as well as Rozsa, Goldsmith and others. I know that this list of the music that GL chose and that made it into the temporary track still exists, but there doesn't seem to be any way short of teleporting into the US and the LFL archive vault... or is there? Would anyone here perhaps know what tracks these were? Some semi-confirmations I have so far are:

- Holst: "Mars" (unknown - battles?)
- Wagner: "Die Walkure" (unknown - flights?)
- Goldsmith: "Blue Max" (unknown - X-Wing's attacks?)
- Walton (supposedly an unknown composition of his was originally planned to be the Emperor's theme in the "Starkiller" era?)
Author:  Bandersnatch [ April 2nd 2005 10:00 am ]
Post subject: 
As far as I know, it was really just meant as temp music in the first place, which is not an uncommon practice.

The Walton piece could have been anything really, from Henry V to Richard III.
Author:  jobafett [ April 2nd 2005 4:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
I don't know anything as absolute fact, but I do know that when Threepio wanders the desert after splitting with Artoo the soundtrack sounds almost identical to the second movement of Igor Stravinski's The Rite of Spring. I would bet money that was one. Also, the main theme sounds very influenced by Aaron Copeland.
Author:  jobafett [ April 2nd 2005 5:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
The Holst (Mars) would definitely be when the Falcon is sucked into the Death Star. It couldn't be anything else...again, practically identical.
Author:  relayer [ April 5th 2005 12:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
I agree jobafett. I've always compared the opening of part 2 (and some other moments later) of the Rite of Spring with some of the droids in the desert sequences - it's so close if you haven't heard either for a while it's hard to tell which is which. There is a LOT of the Rite in SW, especially ANH, including some of the more rhythmic parts of the first half.

Leia's theme, which gets a variant in Han and Leia's love theme (and is also similar harmonically to Marion's love theme in Raiders of the Lost Ark) sounds directly lifted from the love theme Miklos Rosza wrote for Hitchcock's Spellbound.

I also remember seeing an Errol Flynn film scored by Korngold (King's Road or something?) and the opening theme was extremely similar in its start to the main SW theme (Luke's theme.)
Author:  Bandersnatch [ April 6th 2005 6:04 am ]
Post subject: 
relayer wrote:

I also remember seeing an Errol Flynn film scored by Korngold (King's Road or something?) and the opening theme was extremely similar in its start to the main SW theme...


Yeah, it's definately "King's Row." Every time I hear it, my brain thinks it's hearing the first few notes of the SW theme.
Author:  relayer [ April 6th 2005 10:49 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Bandersnatch. It's been a long time since I've heard the film mentioned anywhere and I forgot the correct title.

On that note, Korngold's score for Adventures of Robin Hood (also with Errol Flynn) is like a template for Williams' thematic approach to Star Wars (though probably one of many.) The music is not terribly similar but the concept is the same, in that there are specific themes for characters and ideas.
Author:  Bandersnatch [ April 6th 2005 10:58 am ]
Post subject: 
Right on there, concerning Robin Hood.

One of the main themes in that movie is sort of a jaunty yet triumphant march/fanfare tune, which to me sounds a little like the Ewoks march in ROTJ.
Author:  philmcknight [ August 27th 2005 4:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for SW historians
AgentPendergast wrote:
GL originally wanted to illustrate the first film, before it even had the final title, with classical pieces and selections from scores for famous epics scored by Rozsa, Korngold and Steiner. A temporary soundtrack for the pre-ANH film had been assembled before Williams was signed. It contained selections from Holst, Wagner, Dvorak, as well as Rozsa, Goldsmith and others. I know that this list of the music that GL chose and that made it into the temporary track still exists, but there doesn't seem to be any way short of teleporting into the US and the LFL archive vault... or is there? Would anyone here perhaps know what tracks these were? Some semi-confirmations I have so far are:

- Holst: "Mars" (unknown - battles?)
- Wagner: "Die Walkure" (unknown - flights?)
- Goldsmith: "Blue Max" (unknown - X-Wing's attacks?)
- Walton (supposedly an unknown composition of his was originally planned to be the Emperor's theme in the "Starkiller" era?)



I might be wrong but I think this was talked about in that Annoted Screenplays book for Ep.4,5,6. If I remember, he had an idea of what pieces he wanted to play but once John Williams came aboard he let him do his magic. Nothing was ever set in stone music wise until John Williams recorded the soundtrack.
Author:  Jada [ August 28th 2005 7:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm glad Lucas was able to have Williams write an original score. Truly it is now a classic piece that stands on its own.

However, I sadly am now picturing the fight scene between Kenobi and Vader on the Death Star to "Blue Danube" :|
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