The music of Star Wars that we never heard again – part 2

John Williams conducting the score to Star Wars

Episode Nothing continues to look at the musical themes that played a major part in Star Wars but were never reprised in the sequels. Last week it was the motif for the Death Star. Today, the piece that was originally known as Darth Vader's Theme.

The Star Wars double LP is coming back: Sony Classical to release Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection

Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection, to be
released by Sony Classical in January

The Star Wars original soundtrack album sold four million copies and probably turned a lot of young people on to orchestral music as they sat listening in their rooms, replaying the film's action in their heads.

The music has never gone away, but now the original double LP set is about to come back. Sony has announced the January 8th 2016 release of Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 9

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 9, April 5 1978

Our look at Marvel's UK comic, Star Wars Weekly, reaches issue 9 – April 5 1978.

Star Wars on CD: Which soundtrack releases are the best? Part two.

Composer John Williams and C-3PO,
long before the CD release of Star Wars

This is part two of my look at the history of the Star Wars score on compact disc.  (My blog post on the original double-LP release of the score can be found here.)

Last time, I reviewed the 1986 CD release of the Star Wars Original Soundtrack double album and the four-CD set Star Wars: The Soundtrack Anthology from 1993.  

Today's post covers the 1997 release of the score and the versions that came afterwards.

Star Wars on CD: Which soundtrack releases are the best?

John Williams conducting the score to Star Wars: but which CD version is best?

The Star Wars Original Soundtrack double LP was one of the greatest pieces of film music ever committed to vinyl and certainly the most successful.  I discussed it here, in what remains the most popular post on Episode Nothing. (Its popularity is due mainly to a kind person sharing it on the message boards of Film Score Monthly, for which I'm very grateful.)

But it's been nearly three decades since the John Williams' score came to compact disc, and since then there have been several different releases.  Which is best?  Here's part one of a two-part guide to the various CD releases.  

The Star Wars Record Collection #3: Star Wars – Original Soundtrack double LP

The front cover of the Star Wars double LP

One of the greatest favours Steven Spielberg ever did for his friend George Lucas was to introduce him to the man who had written the music for Spielberg's first two films – John Williams. The young George Lucas knew little about music, apart from the kind of rock and roll 45s that had been so adeptly woven into the soundtrack of American Graffiti.  But he wisely put his trust in a fine composer.

The Star Wars Record Collection #2: The disco single Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band and the LP Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk by Meco

Among the hundreds who stood in line to see Star Wars in New York on Wednesday May 25 1977 was a 37-year-old trombone player and record producer named Meco Monardo.

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side Two Part 3

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side Two Part 2

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side Two Part 1

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side One Part 3

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side One Part 2

The Story of Star Wars LP, Side One Part I

My previous post was about the LP The Story of Star Wars. Several people have posted the album on YouTube, and this particular series of videos, from user Mittdawson, comes complete with the relevant pages from the accompanying booklet.

Why not retreat to your bedroom, put up a Darth Vader poster, leave some Star Wars comics lying around and sit back to listen to it the way we would have in the late 1970s?

The Star Wars Record Collection #1: The Story of Star Wars LP

The front and back covers of The Story of Star Wars LP

For millions of children who saw Star Wars on its first release, the chances of watching it again any time soon were pretty small.