Star Wars IV “A New Hope” Soundtrack

“I have listened to John Williams score for this film from start to finish more times than I’ve watched the film!

This music captures the essence of the story extremely well – maybe even better than the film itself. While the first disc moves extremely slowly, the music begins to pick up speed as things actually begin to happen in the film (“Tales of a Jedi Knight”, track 8, is the start of the really engaging music). At the end of the first disc, you get the special treat of hearing the different takes of the original Star Wars scores (16-20). The first two takes were discarded, and the one we hear on disc and in the movies is a blend of takes 18, 19, and 20. Very nice touch, and interesting in terms of knowing the evolution of the music.

Disc two starts with a concert suite of Princess Leia’s theme which is extremely touching, lots of strings/French horn. Then the rest of the disc, after “The Destruction of Alderaan” and “The Death Star/The Stormtroopers”, is mostly action music, besides the music for Ben Kenobi’s sneaking around.

The last several tracks are what many consider the crown jewel here, beginning with “Ben Kenobi’s Death/TIE Fighter Attack” – a great piece of bombastic action music, accelerating into “The Battle of Yavin IV” (the pronouncement of the ‘Force Theme’ when Ben tells Luke to use the Force is still the most touching moment)and finishing with one of Williams’s crowning achievements – that of course being the “Throne Room/End Credits” sequence, five and a half minutes of pure magic, and probably my most played track from this set. A reprise of this music could actually be heard in the 13-minute long end credits to Revenge of the Sith – it’s a pity that Williams’s didn’t reference themes from other movies there, but the fact that he chose this one should tell you something…)

This soundtrack – with its myriad themes, cues, variations and all – this introduced me to film score music, and I honestly would not have had it any other way. It is dear to my heart. “