47: Star Wars Scores: The Original Trilogy

Glenn and Scott kick off Star Wars Month on PTBN Pop by examining John Williams’ scores for the original Star Wars trilogy the only way they know how: at great length. They take in three of the most widely beloved and influential scores of the past 40 years, and find more to say about them than they expected. Topics include the semiotics of thematic usage, temp-tracking, which themes lived beyond their introductions and which ones didn’t, and which themes introduced in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi belong in A New Hope. Also, strap in for some Hot Takes!

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Section 1: Musical selections from Star Wars by John Williams unless otherwise noted:

• “Main Title”
• “Learn About the Force”
• “Wobani Imperial Labor Camp” from Rogue One by Michael Giacchino
• “Burning Homestead”
• “The Moisture Farm”
• “Wookiee Prisoner”
• “Detention Block Ambush”
• “The Death Star”
• “Imperial Attack”
• “The Battle of Yavin: Use the Force”
• “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky
• “The Dune Sea of Tatooine”
• “The New World Symphony” by Antonin Dvorak
• “The Throne Room”
• “Prologue” from The Vikings by Mario Nascimbene, 2018 recording by Nic Raine and The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus
• “Imperial Attack”
• “Main Title” from King’s Row by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
• “End Title”
• “Chasm Crossfire”

Section 2: Musical selections from The Empire Strikes Back by John Williams unless otherwise noted:

• “The Imperial March”
• “The Death Star” from Star Wars
• “The Trash Compactor” from Star Wars
• “The Battle of Hoth: Ion Cannon”
• “Carbon Freeze”
• “The Battle of Hoth: Imperial Walkers”
• “Betrayal at Bespin”
• “Imperial Starfleet Deployed”
• “The Ice Planet Hoth”
• “Rescue from Cloud City”
• “Han Solo and the Princess”
• “Han Solo and the Princess” (concert suite)
• “End Title”
• “Luke’s Nocturnal Visitor”
• “Yoda and the Force”
• “Darth Vader’s Trap”
• “The Asteroid Field”
• “Mynock Cave”
• “The Wampa’s Lair/Vision of Obi-Wan”
• “The Ice Planet Hoth”
• “Deal with the Dark Lord”
• “Rescue from Cloud City”
• “Hyperspace”
• “The Clash of Lightsabers”

Section 3: Musical selections from Return of the Jedi by John Williams unless otherwise noted:

• “Jabba’s Baroque Recital”
• “Lapti Nek” (film version)
• “Jedi Rocks” by Jerry Hey
• “Den of the Rancor”
• “Sail Barge Assault”
• “Han Solo Returns”
• “Bounty for a Wookiee”
• “Parade of the Ewoks”
• “The Forest Battle” (concert suite)
• “Ewok Celebration”
• “Victory Celebration”
• “The Emperor Arrives”
• “The Emperor’s Death”
• “Luke and Leia”
• “Into the Trap”
• “Final Duel”
• “Alliance Assembly”
• “The Fleet Goes Into Hyperspace”
• “Light of the Force/Funeral Pyre for a Jedi (Alternate)”
• “Darth Vader’s Death”
• “Approaching the Death Star”
• “Ewok Celebration”

Buy the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Wars original score by John Williams
  • 2-Disc Special Edition CD version
  • 1-Disc version on CD or MP3
• The Empire Strikes Back original score by John Williams
  • 2-Disc Special Edition CD version
  • 1-Disc version on CD or MP3
• Return of the Jedi original score by John Williams
  • 2-Disc Special Edition CD version
  • 1-Disc version on CD or MP3
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story original score by Michael Giacchino
• The Vikings original score by Mario Nascimbene
• King's Row original score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold