Arrival of the Sith

By: Randall Larson
Date: Thursday, May 05, 2005

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDATIONS

It's here! Sony Classical has released John Williams' soundtrack to the highly-anticipated final STAR WARS film, EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH (SK94220) in a sparkling 2-disc package that includes 70+ minutes of score on CD and also a 70-minute DVD containing a documentary of the STAR WARS film music entitled STAR WARS: A Musical Journey in pure Dolby 5.1 surround sound. For many film music aficionados whose inclination toward motion picture scores had its birth with the musical sensibilities of STAR WARS, John Williams' iconographic film scores for George Lucas' epic space opera is the grail of film music tapestries. With 1977's STAR WARS, John Williams revolutionized film scoring and revitalized the legitimacy of the symphonic score in a day when pop, rock, and electronic scores were becoming the norm. STAR WARS made orchestras popular again, by returning film music to its roots, by recapturing the potency of 1930s' era symphonic film scoring. Now, 28 years later, STAR WARS continues to exemplify the best in symphonic film scoring while simultaneously embracing the inclusion of electronics within (rather than replacing) the orchestral resonance of film music.

With REVENGE OF THE SITH, Williams comes full circle, migrating back to where he began with the story that ends where the first STAR WARS (and its musical design) started out. Because the film has to delineate the tragedy of the failed rebellion, the evolution of Anakin Skywalker into the insidious Darth Vader and the associated corruption of the Jedi, and the apparent death of Padme, many fans of the films and the musical scores were nervously anticipating how director Lucas and composer Williams would pull off a film and a score that was anything but dismally tragic. How it works in film remains to be seen for another two weeks; but the effect of the score can now be examined and it's to Williams credit that he is able to achieve a encouraging sense of hope (perhaps in its association with "The New Hope" that is/was described in the first film) and craft a powerful, compelling score even in the midst of a storyline that can only end in tragedy.

The score opens, of course, with the now-traditional STAR WARS theme (eschewing, however, the 20th Century Fox fanfare, this time around) before morphing into the REVENGE OF THE SITH theme, which provides a somber tonality in contrast to the martial jubilance of the STAR WARS motif. The Sith's music is savage, relentless; where even Darth Vader's theme captures a dark eloquence, the music of the Sith is grotesquely malicious, scattering shards of rough-edged tonality from side to side as it maneuvers unevenly across the orchestral playing field.

The score's biggest new theme (reportedly to be released separately by Sony as a single, in fact) is "Battle of the Heroes," a tremendously energetic composition heavy in epic brass writing embellished by a powerful chorus. Surging orchestration and chorale counterpoints against piping brasses and fastly-struck percussion. Like EPISODE I's imposing "Duel of the Fates," SITH's "Battle of the Heroes" is a grandly majestic overture for heroism, a kind of "Imperial March" in reverse, emphasizing the resolute integrity of our heroes rather than the steadfast, mechanical purpose of EPISODE V's Imperial Stormtroopers.

That cue is followed by the eloquent "Anakin's Betrayal," a richly orchestrated and very emotive cue for strings and heavy chorus, capturing the corruptible soul of Anakin Skywalker and revealing its susceptibility.

As with all STAR WARS scores, Williams proves a master of thematic development and interplay. With two previous theme-rich scores in this trilogy from which to develop this score from, and the original trilogy's scores with which to harken ahead to, Williams' has a huge catalog of thematic material to weave together into an evocative and associative film score. Like the others, the SITH score is a carefully cultivated composition, with themes or quotations of themes interacting with one another as the storyline develops. Williams scores the overt action as much as he does the hidden subtexts, and the score, even when supporting the storyline's inevitable downward siphoning, harkens ahead to what we know will ultimately become a triumph. Action themes like "Anakin's Dark Deeds" merge the chorus of "Battle of the Heroes" with the unyielding chorale darkness of "Duel of the Fates." "General Grievous" is a massive action cue, the London Symphony permitted a few moments of breathtakingly unrestrained energy.

This score is darker than its predecessors, by plot necessity, of course; yet even in these darker tonalities Williams reprises musical sonorities that disclose an optimistic serenity. The solo female vocal that echoes off of the sustained synth tonality and organ ponderings that entwine throughout "Padme's Ruminations" become more than introspective sensations, but articulations of subtexts that run far beyond the present moment in the film.

"Palpatine's Teachings" includes an eloquent statement of Luke's Theme from the original STAR WARS, a powerful reflection of a victory yet to come, yet vivid in the minds of viewers familiar with the second, final trilogy. Because of the musical references to EPISODES IV-VI, the events of EPISODE III are less disheartening because we know that this isn't really the end of the story. The music allows us to have that peace of mind even in the midst of the evident victory of the Dark Side.

The score concludes with the 13-minute musical denouement, called (of course) "A New Hope/End Credits," wherein Williams reprises virtually every single STAR WARS thematic chestnut in a rousing symphonic suite.

In the final analysis, what Williams has done with REVENGE OF THE SITH is turn much of what we have heard before on its head, and in so doing set the stage for the musical magnificence of the second trilogy. By calculated design, "Anakin's Theme" morphs into "The Imperial March," the vigorous youthful innocence of Anakin totally corrupted by the malevolence of the Empire ("Enter Lord Vader"). "The Force Theme" of the first trilogy becomes the Main Theme of the second trilogy, exemplifying how the benevolence of the Force has patterned an ultimate victory not presently visible during the events of EPISODE III. The omniscience of the composer becomes The Force itself, in terms of the saga's musical sensitivity and sensibility.

All this is splendidly captured on Sony's single disc soundtrack CD, and exemplified further in the musical documentary captured on the accompanying DVD. www.sonyclassical.com

REMEMBERING ROBERT FARNON

Composer, trumpeter and arranger Robert Farnon has died at the age of 87. The Canadian-born star, regarded as one of the greatest composers of light orchestral music, died at a hospice near to his home in Guernsey, England, on Friday April 23rd. Former manager Derek Boulton, said the world has lost "a musical genius."

Farnon wrote the music for more than 40 films including SPRING IN PARK LANE, SHALAKO, MAYTIME IN MAYFAIR and CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER RN. He won four Ivor Novello awards including one for Outstanding Services to British Music in 1991 and a Grammy award in 1995.

As conductor of the Canadian Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Farnon came to England in 1944 and made it is home at the end of the war. For the past 40 years has lived in Guernsey. He leaves his wife Pat and four children.

FILM MUSIC NEWS

Composer Wendy Carlos has prepared two CDs of her previously unreleased film music, due from the East Side Digital label. Rediscovering Lost Scores Vol. 1, due in May, will feature 21 tracks composed for Stanley Kubrick's film of THE SHINING (the final film only featured a few minutes of Carlos' music, composed with Rachel Elkind) as well as three pieces from A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and seven pieces composed for UNICEF films. Rediscovering Lost Scores Vol. 2, due in June, features more SHINING music, six pieces written for TRON, two pieces from her aborted score to the Rutger Hauer sci-fi thriller SPLIT SECOND, and ten pieces from the 1998 futuristic drama WOUNDINGS (aka BRAVE NEW WORLD). http://www.wendycarlos.com/

Just in time for EPISODE III, Silva Screen has released Music from the STAR WARS Saga (FILMCD 727), which features newly recorded excerpts from all five STAR WARS films prior to EPISODE III. All the music has been available on Silva releases before; it's too bad the label couldn't have waited another month to be able to include music from EPISODE III and make it a definitive compilation (that will certainly come soon enough). On May 10th, the label will release their latest redundant 4-CD boxed set. The one's called The Incredible Film Music Box (SIL-CD-1181) and will feature music from the greatest box office hits of the past 60 years, not unlike their last two 4-CD sets have done. www.silvascreen.co.uk

La-La Land Records announces they will release Pino Donaggio's score from SEED

OF CHUCKY on CD. A specific release date has not yet been announced yet, but it will follow their expanded release of Donaggio's classic THE HOWLING score on cd and probably be set to coincide with the DVD release of SEED OF CHUCKY (now slated to be June 7th). www.lalalandrecords.com

Commotion Records has launched its new Film Music series with Filmmusik, a retrospective collection of over 20 tracks of film music composed by Nathan Larson (no relation, unless royalties are involved...) for films such as PROZAC NATION, BOYS' DON'T CRY, PHONE BOOTH, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, and others. Larson has scored more than a dozen honored films since 1998, and his music for 2004's THE WOODSMAN (starring Kevin Bacon) earned him the prestigious Gras Savoye Award at the Cannes Film Festival. The record label plans to release at least two more CDs in its Film Music series before the end of this year, including a retrospective collection of the music of Mark Mothersbaugh (THE LIFE AQUATIC, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, RUSHMORE) slated for release this summer. http://www.arecordcommotion.com/

According to Music from the Movies, Michael (THE INCREDIBLES) Giacchino will score MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III. The new film is directed by J.J. Abrams, for whom Giacchino created the scores for the TV series ALIAS and LOST. The film is set for release in the summer of 2006. Future projects include scores for Disney's SKY HIGH, THE FAMILY STONE and THE MUPPETS WIZARD OF OZ. www.musicfromthemovies.com

SoundtrackNet has learned that composer Hans Zimmer is set to reunite with director Ron Howard (BACKDRAFT) for his new film, THE DA VINCI CODE, based on the hit novel by Dan Brown. The film is expected to be released in May 2006. http://www.filmmusic.com/

Just in time for the long-awaited series revival, Geffen has released, a Broadwaylike show featuring all of Seth MacFarlane's characters from FAMILY GUY singing a variety of titillating and Parental-Advisory-Warned-Against songs, with music by Walter

Murphy, who co-scores the Fox series with Ron Jones. The songs are frequently hilarious, extremely edgy (way moreso than the show), and their showtune sensibility makes the often explicit lyrics of Peter, Lois, Brian, Stewie, Chris, Meg, Quagmire, and the rest. The show also includes an innocuous recitation of 1970s era TV theme songs by Brian and Stewie in their own inimitable fashion. So much like EPISODE III they could be virtual cousins, the package includes a DVD with the intensely hilarious and highly provocative Stewie's Sexy Party, an exclusive music video mix of live-action R&B/hip-hop with an animated Stewie threatening to destroy the world in the midst of a gaggle of long legs and barely-covered breasts. The DVD also contains "FAMILY GUY: LIVE IN VEGAS" and "The Making of Stewie's Sexy Party", the latter an especially thorough behind the scenes documentary (and lets you see lots more of the dancing girls). Seth MacFarlane also describes the music from the TV series and his intensions there as well as what was put together for the VEGAS show; Walter Murphy also describes his experiences on the show.

Along similar lines is Monty Python's SPAMALOT the original broadway cast

recording, released on Decca B0004265-02. The show, based on the signature song, "Knights of the Round Table," from MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, also incorporates such other noted Python songs as "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" and others. The music is Broadway show tune style, composed by John Du Prez (he scored The Python's MEANING OF LIFE, as well as A FISH CALLED WANDA, et al) and Eric Idle, performed by David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry, and THE SIMPSONS' Hank Azaria, with typical Pythonesque touches.

Recommended Soundtrack sources:
www.buysoundtrax.com  
www.intrada.com  
www.screenarchives.com  
www.footlight.com  
www.arksquare.com/index_main.html  (Japan)
www.intermezzomedia.com/  (Italy)
www.moviegrooves.com

For questions or comments, contact the author at Soundtrax@cinescape.com