Royal Scottish National Orchestra - Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire [Enhanced CD]
![Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire [Enhanced CD]](/images/Star-Wars-Shadows-Of-The-Empire-Enhanced-CD-B0000014YD-L.jpg)
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Free Music Notes for Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire [Enhanced CD]
Free Music Review: The galaxy revisisted...
Hit: 5 Stars
Shadows of the Empire is one of the best orchestral soundtracks I've ever heard, and it's every bit as memorable as John Williams' compositions for the movies. After listening to this, I think Williams may have stumbled into a kind of 'cookie-cutter mode' lately - the man is very talented, but his music doesn't have the primal fierceness that McNeely seemingly brings in from nowhere. Compare the choral work of 'Duel of the Fates' to Track 10, 'The Destruction of Xizor's Palace', and you'll see what I mean. (Btw, this CD contains some of the best choral work I've heard since Danny Elfman's 'Batman Returns')Part of what makes me want to gush about this soundtrack so much is that it had so many factors going against it, and McNeely overcame every one of them. First of all, scoring a book is a hard thing to do. Most composers have trouble scoring movies as it is. It's not enough to have one memorable theme, there needs to be a consistent quality to every track. Then there's the fact that McNeely had some big shoes to fill. Even if he does wander into other territory with his music (as he says himself), there are bound to be comparisons between him and Williams. Heck, I just made those comparisons a few lines ago! McNeely had to find a way to make the music fresh and memorable, keeping it distinctly Star Wars while not being over-dependent on Williams' previous work. Lastly, while hype for Shadows of the Empire was huge among Star Wars fans, I believe it recieved relatively little fanfare otherwise. It's hard for any artist to give their best effort, only for it to be passed over on the store shelves due to lack of publicity. Well I guess that's what these reviews are for then!
Here's an example of what makes this CD so exciting. Track two has a distinctly military intro, followed by a very patriotic fanfare as the X-Wing's take off from base to find Boba Fett. This is followed by a short passage of what can only be described as 'happy music', which is Luke chatting with his co-pilots over the comm. Note again that Shadows of the Empire was a book, and McNeely had no visual images to draw on while writing the music. What does this mean? It means that he directed the scene in his mind, then scored it so effectively that I can picture the scene as he directed it. Incredible, to say the least. Also check out Xizor's theme, which has an animalistic/jungle feel while being exotic and eloquent. The speeder chase has a frantic pace that matches Episode One's Podrace scene.
My only complaint is that McNeely didn't bother to end the score with the typical Star Wars theme and 'end credits' music. This would have provided the listener a chance to sample all his themes in one long piece. However, the CD contains an enhanced portion that details the people behind the Shadows of the Empire project and the Star Wars expanded universe, an excellent bonus. Overall, this soundtrack is a must-have for any Star Wars fans, and once you get it, be sure to rave to your friends about how good it is, so McNeely can get more exposure. The guy deserves it.
Free Music Review: Very, very pleasing!
Hit: 5 Stars
I always liked this soundtrack. But until I heard the Phantom Menace soundtrack I felt that the choral work seemed out of place in the Star Wars universe with the exception of the Emperor's theme from Jedi. Don't get me wrong, I loved the strong vocals, they just seemed not Star Warsish. Then Williams came out with the music for the Phantom Menace and chorals now had a happy and very welcome home in the SW universe! McNeely's work is actually almost like a predecessor to TPM in a way. The music seems similar. I especially like track 10 - Destruction of Xizor's Palace with it's powerful climax and SUPERB variation of Vader's theme! I have heard his theme used as a march, fanfare, intro, close, and even played sad and soft (see Darth Vader's death on the RotJ soundtrack), but until now I had never heard it as pure battle music. A treat to be sure. A new theme found it's way into Star Wars in this soundtrack: Xizor's theme. Although the actual Williams-like theme doesn't appear until the end of the track (with the first part being more of a trip inside Xizor's mind) when it hits it is truly remarkable. It is also used throught the score after it's intro. Although McNeely mainly stays clear from thematic material, he makes exceptional use of the Force theme in track 8. It takes us back to Binary Sunset (ANH)and Light of the Force [Alternate] (RotJ). Beggar's Canyon Chase is another enjoyable and fast-paced peice. It perfectly complements a fast paced chase through the infamous Tatooine canyon (think of the pod race scene in TPM)! The Seduction of Princess Leia introduces another idea entirely new to SW - a waltz. It is a very welcome addition :) The Battle of Gall is remenicient of the Battle of Endor from RotJ in that it covers multiple scenes in one track. Although the battle itself isn't scored, the events leading up to it are. The only thing I would change about this CD is that I would give the new character Dash Rendar a more prmoinent theme. It only makes a short cameo in Beggar's Canyon Chase. It's so small that until I read the liner notes I mistook it for a heroic cresendo. In all, an enjoyable CD. If you don't like the fact that it doesn't seem like SW enough, then just enjoy it as it's own thing because this really is enjoyable listening!Free Music Review: The Greatest Score for a Film You Will Never See
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard of Varese Sarabande Records' plans to have Joel McNeely compose an orchestral score based on the popular Star Wars spin-off novel, "Shadows of the Empire", I was very eager, if somewhat curious, for its release. Having someone other than John Williams compose a score for the Star Wars franchise - albeit for a book and not a film - seemed almost sacrilegious. The idea of composing a score for a book was itself quite intriguing. However, after listening to "Shadows of the Empire" for the first time, I found myself wishing Joel McNeely would compose the score for the first Star Wars prequel! Joel McNeely's style is distinctly different than John Williams. It often lacks the "kick" of Williams' music, but that in no way diminishes the quality. Having a new flavor in the burgeoning body of Star Wars music is actually a pleasant deviation. McNeely's score still does what made the original so effective - culling its style and color from the grandest orchestral works in the history of sound. Elements from composers like Gustav Holst, Richard Wagner, Gustav Mahler, and Igor Stravinsky are prominent throughout "Shadows of the Empire". But this is not a completely derivative piece; Joel McNeely infuses a great deal of his own rich style. No London Symphony Orchestra? No problem. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is every bit as good.
"Shadows of the Empire" opens with a stirring rendition of John Williams' immortal Star Wars theme, and only gets better. From the riveting brass passages of "The Battle of Gall", to the rhythmic, bombastic ethnic percussion of "Xizor's Theme", to the twisted, subterranean sounds of "Into the Sewers" (you can almost smell the rancid stench!), to the epic choral motifs of "The Destruction of Xizor's Palace", Joel McNeely's score electrifies its listener. And it does it with almost no use of synthesizer. "Beggars Canyon Chase" is a particularly rousing cue. After listening to "Shadows of the Empire", you will find yourself wishing Joel McNeely had scored more. This CD is not only for those who have read the novel. It is not only for Star Wars fans. It is for lovers of excellent music.
Free Music Review: Necessary for those who love film scores and Star Wars fans should pick this up too!
Hit: 5 Stars
A superb achievement in a brilliant marketing campaign that was an overall success. Few campaigns of this nature ever work on the level in which they are conceived, but this exceeded many expectations. Given the fact that many people weren't jaded with the Star Wars name prior to 1997 (when the Special Editions were released, and arguably fans began having their doubts about Lucas's creative choices) this soundtrack to Shadows of the Empire was a unique opportunity for Lucasfilm to try and expand the Star Wars universe with music, even though there was no film to accompany it.
As a piece of music it stands on its own. Its themes and orchestrations hold their own against John Williams original scores for the first trilogy and even comparing them to the latest trilogy, listeners will find many similarities to this particular score. (One almost wonders if Williams had some of these themes in mind when he scored the Prequel trilogy.)
But what is done best by Joel McNeely and the orchestra is that they weren't afraid to push things in different directions and wisely so, for as the composer himself notes in the liners of the album jacket, Williams scores are considered something of a hallowed tradition and to alleviate the pressure of having to live up to, or risk damaging a flawless score, he decided to venture elsewhere. And as listeners we have all benefitted from this choice. A great listen, with strong themes and orchestrations that only compliments John Williams official scores, and is worth the accolade of having the Star Wars title.
Free Music Review: Fantastic
Hit: 5 Stars
This is simply a fantastic CD. It is full of unique, memorable themes and songs, and definitely worth buying. At about an hour in length, it's also twice as long as most film soundtracks released these days. If you simply want a rehash of John Williams' music, don't look here. As Joel McNeely, the composer, says, "The significant contributions of John Williams' brilliant scores have affected nearly everyone who has experienced these films. For a composer of film music to enter into this domain is to tread on hallowed ground. Therefore, rather than tread lightly, I have wandered elsewhere." McNeely's style is unmistakeably his own, and is very good.From the subtle, ethereal Night Skies and Leia's Nightmare, to the bold Imperial City to the fast paced Beggar's Canyon Chase and wonderful Battle of Gall to the absolutely amazing, choiral, powerful Destruction of Xizor's Palace, these are ten unforgettable, extremely memorable tracks. I often find myself humming them to myself, even when I haven't listened to the CD for a while.
In addition to the great music, this is an "Enhanced CD," which can be explored on your computer. Of course, it is several years old and may not work or autoplay on all systems, but it's a good look at the world of the Star Wars Expanded Universe up through 1995.
This is definitely a CD worth getting. Highly Recommended.