Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

by John Williams

Overview

The familiar fanfare is there, in all of its swaggering-brass glory, though it seems a little less expansive in the actual depth of its instrumentation. This may be an artifact of the digital age, however -- that fabled, oft-mentioned "transparency." Regardless, Star Wars fans will thrill at the sound of it. What's open to question is whether or not long-term fans will be as overjoyed with the remainder of the score. Composer John Williams continues to use his Boston Pops experience to good advantage, turning in a score that echoes the music and themes for the original trilogy of films (particularly the brooding theme for Darth Vader) while charting a direction for the new film. The multi-themed "Duel of the Fates", in particular, uses the complete dynamic range of the digital studio for an effective punch. Of course, "new" is a relative term when it comes to film music; Williams' use of dramatic dissonance and discordance is somewhat innovative for the Star Wars series, as are the bravura choral passages, the score deliberately references the great film composers of the '30s and '40s. Just as George Lucas intended his movie to reflect an earlier time in the life of his universe, Williams' music follows suit, with choral passages that bring to mind both Prokofiev and Carl Orff (insofar as the choral material brings to mind Orff's interpretation of the Carmina Burana). The Episode I score bears more consideration than the trio of earlier scores, and it is a small regret that more material was not included (thus making this a two-CD set that would fit nicely with the special edition releases of the originally trilogy scores.) The overall development of Williams' musical palette bodes well for the greater emotional requirements of Episode II. ~ Steven McDonald

Product Details

Release Date:	05/04/2018
Label:	Walt Disney
UPC:	0050087364274

Tracks

1. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Star Wars Main Title and the Arrival at Naboo
2. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Duel of the Fates
3. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Anakin's Theme
4. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Jar Jar's Introduction and the Swim to Otoh Gunga
5. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~The Sith Spacecraft and the Droid Battle
6. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~The Trip to the Naboo Temple and the Audience with Boss Nass
7. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~The Arrival at Tatooine and the Flag Parade
8. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~He Is the Chosen One
9. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Anakin Defeats Sebulba
10. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Passage Through the Planet Core
11. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Watto's Deal and Kids at Play
12. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Panaka and the Queen's Protectors
13. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Queen Amidala and the Naboo Palace
14. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~The Droid Invasion and the Appearance of Darth Maul
15. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Qui-Gon's Noble End
16. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon's Funeral
17. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace~Augie's Great Municipal Band and End Credits

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Williams   Primary Artist,Conductor
New London Children's Choir   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
London Voices   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Terry Edwards   Director,Choir Director,Orchestra Director
Ronald Corp   Director,Conductor,Choir Director

Technical Credits

John Williams   Producer,Composer,Liner Notes
Shawn Murphy   Engineer,Mixing,Recording
George Lucas   Producer,Liner Notes
Andrew Dudman   Assistant Engineer
New London Children's Choir   Performer
Lisa Stevens   Product Manager
Patricia Sullivan Fourstar   Mastering
Roxanne Slimak   Design,Art Direction
Dave Forty   Assistant Engineer
Jonathan Allen   Assistant Engineer
Ken Wannberg   Music Editor
London Symphony Orchestra   Performer