Most of my friends know that I am a total Star Wars freak. I'm not the kind who lives my life dressed as a Jedi or walks around with a toy lightsaber hanging from my belt but you could say that I am obsessed with it at slightly unhealthy levels. When I heard that Lucas was finally coming out with Episode I I went nuts. As my dear brother put it, I was acting as if I heard that God was coming to Earth and I would be allowed to meet him. For months I waited, picking up bits and pieces of information where I could. I grabbed the soundtrack the first day it came out and listened to it repeatedly. It had found a home in my CD player for over two months.
Is the score that great? Yes and no. I believe that Empire Strikes Back is one of the best Star Wars scores, but this one is about on par with Star Wars. With little old material to use, Williams had to go out and create new music for characters who existed a full generation before Luke and his pals came around. That's not to say that there is no old music to be heard. What Star Wars would be complete with out the main theme? In a slightly faster version, the main theme leads us right into the first new music to be heard. Arrival at Naboo. A strong theme accompanying the arrival of our heroes not to Naboo as it is titled but to Coruscant. I'm sure it must have been a typo. Following this is Duel of the Fates.
This one track is worth the price of the CD. I fell in love with this piece the moment I heard it. With it's trememdous choral and orchestral power, it is close to the Imperial March in terms of character. The version presented here is the concert version and is not like the version ultimately used in the film. This track is nothing like the next one, Anakin's Theme. While it is true that Anakin Skywalker eventually becomes Darth Vader, he is at present a small boy. To convey that innocence, Williams has written a soft piece for the young boy that still hints at the evil to come. By subtlely working in the Imperial March, there are dark reminders of the dark days ahead.
Jar Jar Binks is a character that you either love or you hate. I thought he was rather funny and I enjoyed him. While many may not agree with me, I choose to ignore any hints at racial stereotyping or any other nit pickers details. Jar Jar is a major character that is slated to return in Episode II so it's only right that he get his own theme. Jar Jar's Introduction and Swim to Otoh Gunga is the first time we hear his theme which is quite comical. This theme is reprised throughout the score and is one of the few recurring themes in the soundtrack.
Track 5 is where the real action begins. Portions of this track were heard in some of the trailers and in other Episode I promotions. Duel of the Fates is reprised here as well. From there the tracks are more or less setting the mood of the scene they're written for. Anakin Defeats Sebulba finally brings the Force theme into play. Although the Force theme is used more in the film, this is one of the only times it is heard on the CD. The track itself accompanies the nail-biting pod race on Tatooine. Panaka and the Queen's Protectors is a return to the heroic music heard in the first Star Wars. This track reprises several of the main pieces throughout. Most prominent in these is the brief reprise of the main theme. It is an awesome track which is comparable only to The Droid Invasion and the Appearance of Darth Maul.
From this point on, the music covers the remainder of the film. All those pieces are exceptional in their composition and form. The final track, Augie's Municipal Band and End Credits presents us with a celebration theme similar to the theme heard at the end of Return of the Jedi. While some people didn't like that piece or this one, I rather enjoyed it. I liked how it was loosely based on the Emperor's theme from Return of the Jedi. The track finally builds to its cresendo and leads directly into the end titles in the same way all the other Star Wars films did. Following a brief version of the Rebel Fanfare we are once again presented with versions of Duel of the Fates and Anakin's Theme. Unlike all three of the original films, this one ends the end title music on an ominous note by concluding with the version of the Imperial March heard in Anakin's Theme.
Needless to say, I loved the score and the film. I was disappointed with the score only after seeing the film and realizing that some of the best music was left out. I am hoping that the score receives the special edition treatment and is released again or that a second CD is released. In the meantime, I highly recommend this score to one and all. This music will definitely live on well into the next millenium and is worthy of the praise which I have given it.
Total time: 74:15
1. Star Wars Main Title and the Arrival at Naboo (2:55)
2. Duel of the Fates (4:14)
3. Anakin's Theme (3:09)
4. Jar Jar's Introduction and the Swim to Otoh Gunga (5:07)
5. The Sith Spacecraft and the Droid Battle (2:37)
6. The Trip to the Naboo Temple and the Audience with Boss Nass (4:07)
7. The Arrival at Tatooine and the Flag Parade (4:04)
8. He is the Chosen One (3:53)
9. Anakin Defeats Sebulba (4:24)
10. Passage Through the Planet Core (4:48)
11. Watto's Deal and Kids at Play (4:57)
12. Panaka and the Queen's Protectors (3:24)
13. Queen Amidala and the Naboo Palace (4:51)
14. The Droid Invasion and the Appearance of Darth Maul (5:14)
15. Qui-Gon's Noble End (3:48)
16. The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon's Funeral (3:09)
17. Augie's Municipal Band and End Credits (9:37)
