London Symphony Orchestra - The Empire Strikes Back: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Special Edition)
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Artist: London Symphony OrchestraComposer: John Williams
Edition: Music CD
Format: Limited Edition, Soundtrack
CD Release Date: 1997-01-28
Music Label: RCA
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- 20th Century Fox Fanfare [Alfred Newman, 1954]
- Main Title/The Ice Planet Hoth
- Wampa's Lair/Vision of Obi-Wan/SnowSpeeders Take Flight
- Imperial Probe/Aboard the Executor
- Battle of Hoth [Ion Cannon/Imperial Walkers/Beneath the At-At/Esca]
- Astroid Field
- Arrival on Dagobah
- Luke's Nocturnal Visitor
- Han Solo and the Princess
- Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave
- Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree
- Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
- Yoda's Theme
- Attacking a Star Destroyer
- Yoda and the Force
- Imperial Starfleet Depyoed/City in the Clouds
- Lando Palace
- Betrayal at Bespin
- Deal with the Dark Lord
- Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett
- Clash of Lightsabers
- Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace
- Rebel Fleet/End Title
Free Music Notes for The Empire Strikes Back: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Special Edition)
Free Music Review: My favorite John Williams soundtrack to my favorite Star Wars movie
Hit: 5 Stars
So how does John Williams follow-up his Oscar winning soundtrack to the then-highest grossing movie of all time? He creates a very memorable sequel that is both possibly his most complete work and also contains the most recognizable villain theme of all time. Not too shabby if you ask me!
The 2-CD Special Edition of this soundtrack contains 23 tracks, including the "20th Century Fox Fanfare" in track 1. I won't go through all of the tracks, but I'll hit some of my favorites. You'll definitely recognize the first 1:20 of the "Main Theme" from all of the other Star Wars movies. The first few tracks are solid, but in my mind are unspectacular and not particularly note-worthy. The soundtrack starts picking up steam with the nearly 15 minute long suite "The Battle of Hoth" in track 5. It reminds me of the "1812 Overture" in that you can pretty easily tell who is winning the battle during the movements of the track. One other part of this track that makes it one of my favorites is the featuring of the lower notes on the piano at around the 4 minute mark. It strikes me as a unique and distinctive way to indicate the march of the Empire weaponry. This track is followed up by another thrilling track, "The Asteroid Field". Track 8, "Luke's Nocturnal Visitor", gives a very playful introduction of "Yoda's Theme" (more on that later). Following that track up is the moving "Han Solo and the Princess", which builds on the "Princess Leia's Theme" from the first soundtrack.
Starting off the second disc is the theme that needs no introduction, "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)". The next track is not quite as well known but may be equally impressive, "Yoda's Theme". Williams is able to impart a aura of wisdom and gentleness with his theme for the endearing Yoda character. The fourth track, "Yoda and the Force", is another moving piece with "Yoda's Theme" embedded in it. Track 6 gives us an introduction to the cloud city in "Lando's Palace". One of the more darker pieces is "Deal with the Dark Lord", track 8. The tenth track, "The Clash of Lightsabers", may be more famous for being the backdrop to Darth Vader's shocking revelation. Track 11 gives the pulse-pounding "Rescue from Cloud City - Hyperspace". The final track "The Rebel Fleet - End Credits" concludes the soundtrack on an upbeat note as a musical cue indicating the fate of our heroes may not be as bad as we feared earlier in the movie.
For my money, this soundtrack is John Williams' finest for the shear depth of great and unique tracks. In all, it contains two iconic themes and many other original and memorable tracks. The Special Edition may not be the cheapest version of this soundtrack, but you'll get over two hours of listening pleasure with this version. And one thing's for certain: you'll pay less for this soundtrack that you would for buying my second favorite Williams soundtrack, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"!
The Empire Strikes Back: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Special Edition) Poster
By the end of the 1970s, John Williams was already a legend among filmmakers and film-scoring buffs. But the success of Star Wars elevated him to something he probably could have scarcely imagined--bona fide pop-culture icon. Williams's masterful score to the first Star Wars sequel (and the chapter many sci-fi fans cite as the series' most dark, emotionally complex, and satisfying) fleshes out his original character themes with some new ones while painting compelling musical portraits of alien worlds as disparate as the ice planet Hoth and the swampy Dagobah. Notable are the menacing, Prokofiev-inspired "Imperial Theme (Darth Vader's March)"; the noble "Yoda and the Force"; and Hoth's "Battle" cues, which are some of the most dramatic action cues ever. This expanded edition also fleshes out the already familiar themes with new tracks that restore the score to its status as a grand galactic symphony. A richly illustrated booklet is included as well, helping listeners place each piece of music in its proper cinematic context. Of his four attempts at coloring George Lucas's rich stellar saga, this remains Williams's most consistent and compelling. --Jerry McCulleyPop Music CDs
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