Premiering in 1977, Star Wars has captivated hearts and minds through numerous film, television and literary outings. To mark May the Fourth, and the celebration of the galaxy that George Lucas created, we’ve looked closer at the incredible music of the films and the career of composer John Williams.
There are few openings to film as instantly recognisable as Star Wars. As the title reading ‘A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…’ fades to black, we are greeted by the triumphant blast of horns as the orchestra begin the Main Theme. The yellow text crawls up the screen over a background of stars and we are introduced to the heroes and villains of the story as one of the most recognisable pieces of film music plays.
For his work on the soundtrack, John Williams won an Academy Award for Best Original Score, and it remains the highest grossing non-popular music recording of all time. Williams took inspiration from Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite, and for those familiar with the classic celestial suite, it’s easy to spot the homage paid to Mars, the Bringer of War, at 1 minute and 45 seconds into the Main Title.
Star Wars, however, wasn’t John Williams’ first foray into science fiction. He had previously worked with long-time collaborator Steven Spielberg on the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the five-note tonal phrase that the extra-terrestrials use to communicate has lived on beyond the film’s reach. Iconic moments of the film have been parodied and referenced in film and television, including Happy Feet, Phineas and Ferb and The Simpsons. Reuniting with Spielberg after the success of Star Wars, Williams delivered the emotional score for ET: The Extra-Terrestrial. Telling the tale of an abandoned alien stuck on Earth and helped by a group of young friends on his quest to get home, Williams won his fourth Academy Award for his score.
After a considerably successful career throughout the 80s and 90s, Lucas approached Williams again and asked him to score the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In this, Williams added to the musical history of Star Wars, changing the style of music away from what he had previously written. Inspired by Verdi’s Requiem, Williams introduced an aggressive choral composition in the wildly popular ‘Duel of the Fates’. As a result of the prequel trilogy featuring younger versions of characters from the original trilogy, Williams was able to foreshadow the story within his score. A notable example is Anakin’s Theme, which begins childlike and carefree, but ends with the sinister notes of The Imperial March, a nod to the fate that awaits the young chosen one.
If today’s celebration of Star Wars and science fiction has left you eager for more space-related musical moments, watch out for the latest Play Opera LIVE: Space Spectacularshow, which opens in Cardiff on Saturday 30 September before embarking on a tour to Llandudno, Bristol, Plymouth, Birmingham and Southampton. But until then, May the Fourth be with you.
