Star Wars: A New Hope by John Williams [Audio CD]

Description

Tracks: Main Title (London Symphony Orchestra) Imperial Attack (London Symphony Orchestra) Princess Leia's Theme (London Symphony Orchestra) The Desert and the Robot Auction (London Symphony Orchestra) Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack (London Symphony Orchestra) The Little People Work (London Symphony Orchestra) Rescue of the Princess (London Symphony Orchestra) Inner City (London Symphony Orchestra) Cantina Band (London Symphony Orchestra) The Land of the Sand People (London Symphony Orchestra) Mouse Robot and Blasting Off (London Symphony Orchestra) The Return Home (London Symphony Orchestra) The Walls Converge (London Symphony Orchestra) The Princess Appears (London Symphony Orchestra) The Last Battle (London Symphony Orchestra) The Throne Room and End Title (London Symphony Orchestra) Imperial Attack Princess Leia's Theme The Desert and the Robot Auction Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack The Little People Work Rescue of the Princess Inner City Cantina Band The Land of the Sand People Mouse Robot and Blasting Off The Return Home The Walls Converge The Princess Appears The Last Battle The Throne Room and End Title Performer Notes : This Special Edition 1997 reissue of STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE is a remastered and edited version of the original STAR WARS film soundtrack. It includes a 31 page booklet and newly-discovered outtakes and alternate versions of the main title. Original score written and conducted by John Williams. Recorded at Anvil Studios, Denham, England on March 5-16, 1977. Includes liner notes by Michael Matessino. All tracks have been digitally remastered. STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE includes a full color 24-page storybook. Personnel: Anthony Daniels (C-3PO); Roy Dotrice (Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi); Joshua Fardon (Luke Skywalker); Charles Howerton (Uncle Owen); Perry King (Han Solo); Pat Parris (Princess Leia); Brock Peters (Darth Vader); Chuck Riley (narrator). Music composed by John Williams. This Special Edition 1997 reissue of STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE is a remastered and edited version of the original STAR WARS film soundtrack. It includes a 31 page booklet and newly-discovered outtakes and alternate versions of the main title. Original score written and conducted by John Williams. Recorded at Anvil Studios, Denham, England on March 5-16, 1977. Includes liner notes by Michael Matessino. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Composer: John Williams . Composer: John Williams . Audio Mixer: Eric Tomlinson. Editors: Mark Willsher; Timeri Duplat. Today, this double-LP set seems a quaint anachronism from a generally silly decade, though much of the music -- including the opening fanfare, the music associated with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Ben Kenobi, and the Death Star motif -- still resonates 30 years later, so iconic has it become. In 1977, however, the Star Wars soundtrack fairly revolutionized the field of contemporary movie music, as well as energizing it like a lightning strike. There had been a few notable original orchestral scores during the '60s and '70s -- Maurice Jarre's soundtrack for Doctor Zhivago sold in the millions, and John Williams' Oscar-winning score for Jaws was also a landmark of sorts, but in the main, the music for movies was getting simpler and the soundtrack albums cheaper and shoddier in design and more disposable by the year. Additionally, the old guard among Hollywood's top orchestral composers was virtually gone by 1976 -- Bernard Herrmann had passed away at the start of the year, Alfred Newman was long gone, as were Max Steiner and Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and Dimitri Tiomkin was in retirement; only Mikls Rzsa remained active on an intermittent basis, and when his new soundtrack work was issued on LP, it was usually by specialty labels catering to a small audience. Then came Star Wars and its soundtrack by John Williams, two whole LPs of it played by the London Symphony Orchestra, handsomely designed and looking expensive and important, which matched the sound of the music. In one fell swoop, Williams' defiantly retro, late-19th century-style score, written in a mode and idiom that directly recalled Korngold (not to mention Gustav Holst and Richard Wagner, among many other composers from the concert hall), restored the old-fashioned, '40s-style full orchestral score to full vitality. And suddenly, a new generation of fans for such music, some as young as high school age, were seeking out the old soundtracks by Korngold, Steiner, Newman, Herrmann, Rzsa, et al., either in new pressings or new recordings where available or, just as often, in original releases at flea markets, garage sales, and thrift shops. Some of the music hasn't aged as well as one would have hoped, but most of it remains a breath of fresh air, and the best parts of the score still hold up. ~ Bruce Eder Professional Reviews : Rolling Stone (3/6/97, p.72) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...Williams not only enhanced the film but embodied its spirit. The music for STAR WARS moved beyond the film....what Williams does best is make the big melody, and with STAR WARS, an entire generation learned it..." Rolling Stone (3/6/97, p.72) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...Williams not only enhanced the film but embodied its spirit. The music for STAR WARS moved beyond the film....what Williams does best is make the big melody, and with STAR WARS, an entire generation learned it..." Entertainment Weekly (10/12/01, p.32) - Ranked #26 in EW's "100 Best Movie Soundtracks" - "...Only the best-known film music of the last 25 years..." Producer : George Lucas Format : CD (1 Disc); Stereo Studio/Live : Studio Release Date : 4 May, 2018 Label : Walt Disney Dimensions : 12.5 x 1.1 x 14.2 centimeters (0.08 kg)