Star Wars Music Minute

By Chrysanthe TanTV & Film Music Music Commentary

Star Wars Music Minute episodes

June 09, 2025Hearing Death at the Movies: Dies Irae Deep Dive (with Alex Ludwig)
This episode is a deep dive into the Dies Irae musical motif and its evolution through film music. Here to talk about it is Dies Irae guru Alex Ludwig, who has just written a book about it! Hearing Death at the Movies: Film Music and the Long History of the Dies Irae will be out on June 11th, 2025.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
1:52 - The seeds of Alex's Dies Irae scholarship.
4:40 - Hector Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, transforming a sacred melody into a secular one.
12:09 - Wendy Carlos and The Shining.
29:05 - Silent films, Dimitri Tiomkin, vampire films.
30:31 - Metropolis.
34:59 - How was the music for silent films done?
39:55 - Dies Irae Typology and the "master list"
40:32 - Dies Irae Type 1: Prelude to Evil
43:55 - The Screaming Skull.
46:35 - Dies Irae Type 2: Ominous Echo
47:39 - "The Burning Homestead" from Star Wars: A New Hope.
51:58 - Jyn's theme (Rogue One) and subtypes.
1:00:12 - Columbia Pictures logo.
1:03:51 - Dies Irae Type 3: Tension Engine
1:04:54 - Mars Attacks (Type - "ostinato")
1:06:04 - Jurassic Park examples (Type 3 - "fortspinnung")
1:10:07 - Predator example.
1:13:01 - Morricone examples: Escalation, Fists in the Pocket, Le Trio infernal
1:22:10 - "The Master Switch" from Rogue One.
1:27:02 - Dies Irae as musical trope, meme.
1:34:48 - Are certain types of Dies Irae more prevalent in certain genres or eras?
1:41:00 - Vampire movies.
1:42:42 - If a composer uses Dies Irae accidentally, do you still count it?
1:44:52 - How to use this book.
---------------
Alex Ludwig:
Website: https://alex-ludwig.net
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/celexo.bsky.social
Film Music Tropes (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@celexo22
Hearing Death at the Movies: Film Music and the Long History of the Dies Irae - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-78795-9
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsmusmin.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
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Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
1 hr 52 min
February 03, 2025TROS 29: Rise of Skywalker Music and Sound Crew (Minutes 141-142)
We've reached the end of the The Rise of Skywalker (minutes 141-142)! In this season finale, Xanthe goes through the music and sound credits and explains how each role contributed to the production. We also compare the "transition to end credits" music across all 9 Skywalker Saga films and discuss how The Rise of Skywalker's version fits into a larger trend.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
1:20 - Question about season/film order
3:06 - Going through every music and sound credit
3:54 - Supervising Music Editor
6:50 - Supervising Sound Editors, Re-Recording Mixers
10:53 - ADR
13:20 - Production Sound Mixer, Sound Assistants
20:56 - Post Production Sound Services by Skywalker Sound
25:22 - Music Conductor, Music Preparation, Music Librarian
30:31 - Orchestrations
47:34 - Scoring Engineer
48:30 - Music Contractor
52:45 - Score Recorded at Streisand Scoring Stage
55:30 - Why aren't the individual musicians credited?
1:01:10 - Second Unit sound
1:03:05 - Source music credits
1:04:18 - Comparing "transition to End Credits" music across the Skywalker Saga films.
1:21:01 - Podcast intro/outro theme (Anthem of Evil cover)
1:27:26 - What does Star Wars sound like according to this season's guests?
1:33:47 - Tips for using the SWMM website
1:41:57 - Acknowledgements
Things to Check Out:
The Sound of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | 2020 Oscars® | Dolby Institute Podcast - https://youtu.be/_ENrGVzr0bs?si=bbKZCO6u6diK9hLQ
May the Fourth Spotlight on Joann Kane Music - https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/may-the-fourth-spotlight-on-joann-kane-music/
Sandy DeCrescent’s Impact on the Motion Pictures Industry - https://www.impactmania.com/im/sandy-decrescents-impact-on-the-motion-pictures-industry/
Legacy Conversations: Sandy DeCrescent - https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2019/12/17/sandy-decrescent-podcast/
‘The Rise of Skywalker’ Editor Maryann Brandon Talks Production Challenges, Carrie Fisher’s Death, and ‘The Last Jedi’ - https://www.awardsdaily.com/2019/12/13/maryann-brandon-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-editor-interview/
Sony Pictures Dedicates Music Building to John Williams on Historic Lot - https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/john-williams-dedicated-music-building-sony-pictures-lot-1235877118/
Hollywood Exec Sounds the Alarm on State of Screen Music in L.A.: “I See the Infrastructure of the Recording Industry About to Fail” - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/save-screen-music-los-angeles-executive-call-to-action-1236112859/
Star Wars Live Table Reads: https://swliveread.com
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
1b. Main Theme (B Section)
2. Rebel Fanfare
18) Descending Heroic Tetrachords
9. Throne Room
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
OST 19. "Finale"
---------------
STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
TROS answer: Genius and craftsmanship.
ESB answer: Filigree, fanfares, flow.
SOLO answer: Intricate orchestral storytelling.
ANH answer: The Cosmic Force.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
TROS answer: I want to see (or hear) what John Williams's very first drafts and seeds of ideas sound like, and then I want to see how he refines the music until he's satisfied with it.
ESB answer: Is there an internal "sonic style guide" at Lucasfilm or Skywalker Sound that's specific to Star Wars? I mean even things like relative loudness of music and dialogue, a specific protocol for mic'ing or looping in aliens, etc. Especially curious if there's anything in the Star Wars style guide that goes against current industry norms.
SOLO answer: The working relationship between the composer and music editor.
ANH answer: I'm curious about how other people experience and engage with the music of Star Wars, on both a macro and micro level. I want to know how other people are making sense of it or analyzing it with frameworks different than mine. Basically, I'm interested in doing what this podcast already gives me the excuse to do -- talk to people about Star Wars music.
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
TROS answer: Babygirl (Cristobal Tapia De Veer)
ESB answer: E.T. (John Williams)
SOLO answer: Moonrise Kingdom
ANH answer: There Will Be Blood (Jonny Greenwood)
---------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsmusmin.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
1 hr 46 min
January 27, 2025 TROS 28: Harmonic Secret Sauce (Minutes 136-140 with Dennis Hamm)
2 hr
January 06, 2025TROS 27: The Poetic Ending (Minutes 131-135 with Frank Lehman)
Music theorist and film musicologist Dr. Frank Lehman returns to the show to discuss the final scene of the film (minutes 131-135)--which includes his favorite cue from The Rise of Skywalker score! We cover a ton of ground in this episode--including the growing-up of Rey's theme, the final cue as a strategic open text, the encoding of Darth Vader's theme throughout the Skywalker saga, mythic unity, dark religious imagery, and the semantic vs. emotional meanings of leitmotifs. Frank also reads us an exclusive preview of his upcoming book, The Skywalker Symphonies: Musical Storytelling in Star Wars!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
1:48 - How Frank's opinion of the movie has evolved since 2019.
11:32 - This music sustains and rewards independent listening.
15:35 - Listening to "A New Home" (a remarkably austere little cue)
17:39 - Strategic open text, sparse but not devoid of motivic connections.
23:30 - A cynical read and a charitable read.
26:44 - Darth Vader's melodic contour encoded in the arpeggio.
29:16 - Mythic unity, wholeness, unendingness. Poetic ending vs. narrative ending.
37:41 - Rey's theme grown-up.
45:26 - Chills (frisson) moment.
56:53 - Motivic echoes with Shmi's Funeral.
1:13:45 - Disappointing reuse of the Force theme leading into the credits.
1:23:29 - Friendship theme as in the concert arrangement.
1:29:34 - Anthem of Evil: The A-theme is a "bargain-basement Imperial March," but the B-theme is a gothic, Dracula-esque banger that got cut from the film.
1:41:45 - Wishing for more overt dark religious imagery in the film.
1:50:57 - Why is the Imperial March here?
2:07:29 - What used to be called the "Rebel Fanfare" is now called the "Millennium Falcon" theme on the cue sheets.
1:59:41 - What does Frank think of the use of Luke & Leia + Yoda's themes during the Celebration scene? Exclusive preview from his upcoming "Skywalker Symphonies" book.
2:18:01 - In what way is the Skywalker Saga "symphonically-scored?"
2:31:04 - SWMM Questionnaire
Things to Check Out:
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Suite for Orchestra) - John Williams Signature Edition Orchestra Score - https://www.halleonard.com/product/4492547/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-suite-for-orchestra
"Rey's Theme" performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter - https://youtu.be/bmBE6_gCTww?si=Y1gcUtRyoSLb6SpU
Star Wars – The Rise of Skywalker - Piano Solo Songbook Softcover - https://www.halleonard.com/product/329240/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker
Ludlow's Demise (From "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" Soundtrack) - https://youtu.be/iYeEIWhI7SU?si=WOJ3bf-REtwFn1Ie
Anakin’s Theme and the Musical Aftermath of The Phantom Menace (article by Frank Lehman)- https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/30/anakins-theme-essay/
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
45b. Rey A (Theme B-Phrase)
46a. Rey B (Chimes)
3. Force
1a. Main Theme (A Section)
2. Rebel Fanfare
18) Descending Heroic Tetrachords
17) Heroic Determination
57. Friendship
59a. Psalm of the Sith (A Section)
10a. Imperial March (Theme)
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
FYC 23. "A New Home"
OST 18. "A New Home"
OST 19. "Finale"
---------------
STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
TROS season: Never Ending Endings.
ESB season: My lifelong obsession.
Solo season: Vaguely remembered music.
ANH season: Dissonant pedal notes. Minor planing triads.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
TROS season: The future of the mainline films.
ESB season: What was going on in the scoring of Obi-Wan Kenobi?
Solo season: Who will be main composer for the Kenobi series?
ANH season: What are we musically in store for as Star Wars moves onto the next chapters of its development? What was the actual score to Episode IX supposed to be (before changes)?
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
TROS season: The Rings of Power, Seasons 1 and 2 (composed by Bear McCreary)
ESB season: White Lotus (series) (composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer)
Solo season: Severance (series) (composed by Theodore Shapiro)
ANH season: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) (composed by Jerry Goldsmith)
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Guest: Frank Lehman
Website: https://franklehman.com/
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars: https://franklehman.com/starwars/
A Guide to the Musical Themes of Indiana Jones: https://franklehman.com/indiana-jones-themes/
Book: Hollywood Harmony: Musical Wonder and the Sound of Cinema - https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Harmony-Musical-Wonder-Cinema/dp/0190606401
Book: Music Analysis and Film: Studying the Score (edited by Frank Lehman) - https://www.amazon.com/Film-Music-Analysis-Studying-Routledge/dp/0367430762
Look out for his upcoming book The Skywalker Symphonies: Musical Storytelling in Star Wars
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/franklehman.bsky.social
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsmusmin.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
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YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
2 hr 42 min
December 30, 2024 TROS 26: Nine-Part Symphony (Minutes 126-130 with Nathan Fontyn)
In minutes 126-130 of The Rise of Skywalker, Ben and Leia become one with the Force and beings across the galaxy celebrate their victory against the Sith Eternal. Joining me today is Nathan Fontyn (from the ["Music By John Williams"](https://x.com/JWilliams_Fan) Twitter). We discuss John Williams's sentimental themes, his use of choir, and the "greatest hits" of Star Wars themes present in the "Reunion" cue.
1 hr 37 min
December 23, 2024TROS 25: Inverse Immolation Scene (Minutes 121-125 with Ender Smith)
The good guys win! Reylo kiss! Ben Solo dies! Minutes 121-125 of The Rise of Skywalker are packed with action, romance, and melty 'splody faces. Joining me today is Ender Smith (AKA AurekFonts), who talks with me about subjective sound design, chiastic structure, how character deaths are scored in Star Wars, and more!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
8:38 - "Avengers" moment slotted into the Force theme.
14:15 - Victory theme.
23:40 - Mallets as an orchestration tool.
27:30 - What even is the Rebel Fanfare anymore?
38:22 - Finn feeling the Force.
39:11 - Subjective sound design choices.
45:58 - Thud + timpani hit when Ben grabs the ledge. Ben's ascent.
50:44 - Kylo Ren "aggressive-lite" theme.
1:00:30 - "Inverse" Immolation Scene.
1:05:08 - Uber-romantic Rey's theme, tumbling down and climbing up.
1:12:27 - The music before Rey/Ben kiss is reused in an earlier part of the film.
1:22:53 - Ben Solo's Redemption (incidental motif) and brass chorales in Star Wars.
1:25:54 - The music accompanying various character deaths in Star Wars.
1:36:07 - Chiastic structure.
1:39:58 - Ben Solo vs. Anakin Skywalker.
1:45:44 - Thoughts about The Kiss and Ben Solo's death.
2:01:48 - Two-pronged approaches to victory in Star Wars (military strategy and Force strategy).
2:10:48 - Thoughts on the Citizen's Fleet showing up.
2:17:49 - SWMM Questionnaire.
Things to Check Out:
Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 - https://youtu.be/ajaMdRv0IK0?si=jBvX7-Q3-2coOfuR
Pavane for a Dead Princess (Maurice Ravel): https://youtu.be/GKkeDqJBlK8?si=HmHnJjzKyCF9T8C4
Qui-Gon Death Scene: https://youtu.be/3Yaug3Xh7oQ?t=155
Chiastic structure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiastic_structure
Tchaikovsky: 'Romeo and Juliet' Fantasy Overture https://youtu.be/f6qZUCi7ToQ?si=aRIdulRl6YVWgTbU
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
3. Force
58. Victory
2. Rebel Fanfare
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
45b. Rey A (Theme B-Phrase)
41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
116) Bittersweetness
113) Ben Solo's Redemption
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
OST 15. "The Force Is with You"
FYC 21. "Rescue"
FYC 22. "Farewell"
OST 16. "Farewell"
---------------
STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
New answer: Mature score; improv.
ESB season: Colorful, rollercoaster, crosstalk.
Solo season: Actually close enough. (to John Williams)
ANH season: California radio voiceovers
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
New answer: How the scoring process was done for the sequel trilogy. John Williams reportedly wrote a lot more music for this film than was actually used. Why?
ESB season: The various vocal effects used for aliens and glissando lizards. He'd like to create a plug-in for a DAW.
Solo season: How musical notation works in Star Wars. What does Bith notation look like for the Cantina Band? How about Max Rebo's charts? Does he read sheet music or play by ear?
ANH season: The making of one musical cue from start to finish
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
New answer: Lord of the Rings (composed by Howard Shore), The Muppet Christmas Carol (composed by Miles Goodman with songs written by Paul Williams)
ESB season: Looper (composed by Nathan Johnson)
Solo season: The Village (composed by James Newton Howard)
ANH season: Knives Out (composed by Nathan Johnson)
---------------
Guest: Ender Smith (AurekFonts)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AurekFonts
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aurekfonts.bsky.social
Github: https://aurekfonts.github.io/
More fonts: https://crowntype.com/
Womprat (Star Wars font): https://womprat.xyz
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsmusmin.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
2 hr 33 min
December 16, 2024TROS 24: Dubstep Lightning (Minutes 116-120 with James Waterman and Justin Scheid)
In minutes 116-120 of The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine unleashes Force lightning on the Resistance fleet, Rey gets a boost from the voices of Jedi past, Sidious declares that he is all the Sith, and Rey retorts that she is all the Jedi. Oh, and Palpatine has a really bad time as he disintegrates from his own Force lightning. 😬 Joining me today are Justin Scheid and James Waterman from The Band Batch! We discuss Palpatine's seismic energy bolt, blowing out speakers, how to make risers, and more!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
8:31 - Really Bad Feeling/Final Countdown
18:34 - Palpatheme into Sith Whispers (Darth Maul throwback).
23:34 - Which Kylo Ren theme is this?
30:43 - Do film composers pre-write functional transitional music?
34:22 - Breaking down the elements that can contribute to a musical "riser."
43:54 - Analyzing Palpatine's big lightning bolt/seismic energy sound thingy
48:47 - Sonic visualizer demonstration, spectral frequency.
1:00:46 - J.J. Abrams, Dave Acord, and Matt Wood on the Force lightning sound.
1:02:43 - Soulja Boy, car bass, blowing out your speakers.
1:17:11 - Tragic, Star Wars-y, 4-3 suspensions.
1:21:31 - Inverted pedal point, Rey's Chimes theme, voices of the past Jedi.
1:35:13 - Hearing the lightsabers before we see them. Seamless orchestration/sound design.
1:40:56 - Chord goes sour.
1:47:13 - Palpatine's vocal fry.
1:56:42 - Demonstrating power through psychological warfare vs. brute force.
2:08:59 - They shot this Sith auditorium sequence at Bad Robot in LA.
2:19:47 - SWMM Questionnaire.
2:29:46 - Justin's top 3 droids.
Things to Check Out:
Sonic Visualiser (free app): https://www.sonicvisualiser.org/
Aphex Twin spectogram song: Spectrogram] Aphex Twin / ΔMi−1 = −∂Σn=1NDi[n][Σj∈C{i}Fji[n − 1] + Fexti[[n−1] - https://youtu.be/wSYAZnQmffg?si=T8RsEABxwFbSiZG_
Soulja Boy’s music is too loud - https://youtu.be/aAEAf60_iX8?si=wjdAj1pEGRSsoJ_c
Sound clash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_clash
Zaireeka (Flaming Lips album): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaireeka
Return of the Jedi before Ben appears on Dagobah
Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 - https://youtu.be/ajaMdRv0IK0?si=jBvX7-Q3-2coOfuR
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
110) Really Bad Feeling
1b. Main Theme (B Section)
1a. Main Theme (A Section)
17. Emperor
45) Sith Whispers
41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
41b. Kylo Ren 1.5 (Redeemed)
46a. Rey B (Chimes)
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
3. Force
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
OST 15. "The Force Is with You"
FYC 20. "Seeing Sights"
---------------
STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
Justin:
New answer: Epic, sweeping, grandiose.
ESB season: Nar. Ra. Tive.
SOLO season: Grandiose, sweeping, futuristic.
ANH season: Pew pew pew.
James:
New answer: Peace and promise.
ESB season: Pew. Vrooppf. Rrrrrr.
SOLO season: Bum bum bum.
ANH season: The Band Batch.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
Justin:
New answer: I'd love to see the sound library of Star Wars--every Star Wars-approved sound that the artists get to pick from, the tree of folders, etc. Also, how many sounds are created and not used? Also, what's the process of thinking about droid sounds?
ESB season: Who makes the decision to replace dialogue?
SOLO/ANH season: How is all the foley done?
James:
New answer: How does the timing at scoring sessions work out (especially knowing that John Williams didn't tend to use a click track)?
ESB season: When original voice actors are replaced by new people, what are those industry conversations like? Is there something in the actors' contracts about the possibility of being replaced? What about SAG, legal specifics, etc?
SOLO season: What is on-set sound like?
ANH season: What is John Williams's writing process like?
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
Justin:
New answer: Hook (John Williams), War of the Worlds (John Williams), It Follows (DisasterPeace), Smile (Cristobal Tapia de Veer), I Saw the TV Glow.
ESB season: It Follows (DisasterPeace).
SOLO season: Stranger Things (Kyle Dixon/Michael Stein), War of the Worlds (John William)
ANH season: The Village (James Newton Howard).
James:
New answer: The Darjeeling Limited soundtrack, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou soundtrack.
ESB answer: The Shining (Wendy Carlos).
SOLO answer: Untitled (David Lang)
ANH answer: Hereditary (Colin Stetson).
---------------
Guests: Justin Scheid and James Waterman
Justin Scheid
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcscheid/
Bandcamp: https://raingoatmusic.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/rain-goat-music
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrlciBsEZTCnF7uK3S1NBXw
James Waterman:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameswatermanmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesWaterman
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jameswaterman
Bandcamp: https://jerichojericho.bandcamp.com/
Website: https://www.jameswatermanmusic.com/
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsmusmin.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
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2 hr 38 min
December 09, 2024TROS 23: Mufasa Is Dead (Minutes 111-115 with Christina Ward)
In minutes 111-115 of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey Force-transfers her lightsaber to Ben, Palpatine sucks the life out of the Dyad, and Lando shows up with a massive Citizens' Fleet ready to join the fight. Christina Ward (from The Band Batch) returns to the show to analyze Palpatine's vocal delivery from an operatic speak-singing perspective. We also discuss Disney villains, Verdi's Macbeth, purposely-ugly music, and more!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
11:42 - Orchestration during Sith Whispers.
24:53 - Palpatine's misogyny.
33:35 - Magical, childlike twinklies.
35:15 - Breathing of Rey and Ben.
38:10 - Additional details from the novelization. Do they make a difference?
46:51 - First Thrawn reference.
53:35 - "Really Bad Feeling" motif.
59:05 - Coordinated "stab" from the orchestra.
1:00:13 - Rey's Chimes theme and types of motion in music.
1:09:33 - Emphasized sound of the lightsabers being dragged.
1:22:24 - Mystery Motif, ascending minor arpeggios with a flat 6. Bernard Herrmann's influence.
1:31:58 - Analyzing Palpatine's vocal delivery: rhythmic structure, pitch, speak-singing (sprechstimme).
1:37:59 - Verdi, recitative, characterful singing, Disney songs.
1:41:06 - Sprechstimme in the work of Schoenberg, Berg, Schreker, and other early 20th century composers.
1:48:46 - Palpatine's line ("The Jedi are dead") almost sounds like singing.
1:51:20 - Comparing this scene to Jeremy Irons's performance as Scar in The Lion King.
2:01:07 - Notation of "Sith Whispers" according to Frank Lehman.
2:05:21 - Verdi's Macbeth and purposely ugly-sounding music (witches chorus).
2:19:21 - Critiquing Poe's leadership.
2:29:33 - Giving us a victory so we can have a tragedy.
2:37:41 - SWMM Questionnaire
Things to Check Out:
Sprechgesang: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprechgesang
Types of motion: https://musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/TypesOfMotion.html
Verdi "Macbeth" - Che faceste? Dite su! (Witches) - https://youtu.be/PMbxBDIWOFs?si=mAzWmo8OIcv_D1oC
Scar Becomes King (begin at 0:50): https://youtu.be/f9nAcuRioTc?si=svWk96lTzuFs5LjS
Lion King Stampede (first 9 seconds): https://youtu.be/x__EVvWUT3A?feature=shared
Football Crowd Chants 'Defence' into Medium Cheer Take 3 (0:02-0:08 'crowd shouting defense'): https://youtu.be/ASDL034oxS0
TROS 10: Dialogue Is the Melody (Minutes 46-50 with Camila Quiñones) - https://www.starwarsmusicminute.com/podcast/tros-10-dialogue-is-the-melody
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
41b. Kylo Ren 1.5 (Redeemed)
45) Sith Whispers
61b. Knights of Ren (Slow Form)
3. Force
110) Really Bad Feeling
52a. Tension (Basic Motif) (arguably, perhaps)
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
46a. Rey B (Chimes)
34b. Mystery (Form 2)
18) Descending Heroic Tetrachords
1a. Main Theme (A Section)
1b. Main Theme (B Section)
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
FYC 19. "Coming Together"
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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
New answer: Growing bacteria culture.
ESB answer: Heartfelt. Direct. Dramatic.
Solo answer: Droids. Hopeful. Dramatic.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
New answer: Will there continue to be pop collaborations in Star Wars, like with "Twin Flame" (Victoria Monét) in The Acolyte.
ESB answer: What the aural representation of Chiss brainwaves, particularly Sky-walkers, would be.
Solo answer: What are the thematic relationships that tie the dark side with Imperialism, musically speaking? Similarly, what musical relationships tie the light side with rebellion and goodness?
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
New answer: Bleach (anime series composed by Shirō Sagisu)
ESB answer: Ms. Marvel (composed by Laura Karpman) and Moon Knight (composed by Hesham Nazih)
Solo answer: Dune (music composed by Hans Zimmer, sound team led by Mark Mangini and Theo Green)
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Guest: Christina Ward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtverse.studio/
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⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
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Email: [email protected]
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2 hr 45 min
December 02, 2024TROS 22: Good Boy Ben Theme (Minutes 106-110 with Samantha Tripp)
In minutes 106-110 of The Rise of Skywalker, Ben Solo arrives on the scene, bringing with him a new, redeemed musical theme! As J.J. Abrams puts it, we "make the trip from Ren to Ben." I'm pleased to be joined by Samantha Tripp for an in-depth discussion about this huge moment in the score.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
6:59 - "Approaching the Throne"
14:23 - Sith Wayfinder motif with and without Kylo Ren's Hesitant theme in the background.
18:22 - Two main set pieces happening at once. Battle sounds from ground and space.
25:30 - Quintessential Williams action scoring. "Finn and Jannah at War" set piece theme.
36:29 - Why John Williams loves concert arrangements.
43:25 - March of the Resistance sounds less "march-y" here; it's melodically and rhythmically stretched out.
51:11 - Don Williams (JW's timpanist brother).
57:15 - LA Master Chorale in the Sith Auditorium.
1:08:08 - Is Palpatine's voice more echoey here? Rey's?
1:11:07 - Is Psalm of the Sith subtly woven into this part?
1:21:17 - This part reminds us of "The Immolation Scene" (Revenge of the Sith) and Barber's Adagio for Strings.
1:34:19 - Kylo Ren Redeemed theme!
1:40:37 - J.J. Abrams asking John Williams to "make the trip from Ren to Ben."
1:51:29 - Visualizing Kylo Ren/Ben Solo themes with a cool intervals + emotions tool (Sentisonics).
1:59:57 - Ben's good boy theme getting faster, more hopeful.
2:08:49 - Emperor's Theme (extremely hard to hear in the film, but it's on the FYC soundtrack).
2:16:32 - SWMM Questionnaire
Things to Check Out:
Don Williams interview dropping hints for TROS... Unfortunately, the video seems to have been taken down! If anyone has an alternate link for it, please send it along!
"Adagio for Strings" (Samuel Barber) - https://youtu.be/izQsgE0L450?si=r1oP8AM2tQpYBYEH
"The Immolation Scene" (from Revenge of the Sith by John Williams) - https://youtu.be/HUpipZMNGhA?si=PqGT3KWhXi83EBlt
Cellist Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick on "The Kiss" - https://youtu.be/nHrblao5iWk?si=zJQB-x8gI32lJ8Ih&t=2193
Interval test from Dennis Hamm's ESB episode - https://youtu.be/J13zvJCEyyg?si=j2DS_V1cDE_SjgY6&t=5677
Sentisonics: https://sentisonics.com/
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
Approaching The Throne
Sith Artifacts (Wayfinder)
March of the Resistance (A Section)
Kylo Ren 1.5 (Redeemed)
Sith Whispers
Emperor
Psalm of the Sith (A Section)
SPM - Finn and Jannah At War
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
OST 14. "Approaching the Throne"
FYC 17. "Approaching the Throne"
FYC 18. "Parents"
FYC 19. "Coming Together"
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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
New answer: Dramatic. Colorful. Home.
ESB season: Texture. Motion. Thematic.
SOLO season: Powerful, evocative, grandiose
ANH season: Powerful, evocative, grandiose
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
New answer: Would love more of the personal stories behind the music teams of Star Wars. Relatedly, Sam is working on a database of Star Wars music personnel.
ESB season: More about the behind-the-scenes people: recording engineers, music editors, orchestra librarians, contractors, etc.
SOLO season: Musician stories from recording the sequel films, particularly The Rise of Skywalker.
ANH season: What was it like for the musicians recording the original trilogy, particularly the first film? Did they realize that they were playing something so iconic?
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
New answer: Outlander (TV series composed by Bear McCreary). Indiana Jones 5 (composed by John Williams)
ESB season: The Shape of Water (Alexandre Desplat)
SOLO season: The Shape of Water (composed by Alexandre Desplat)
ANH season: Spider-Man: No Way Home (composed by Michael Giacchino)
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Guest: Samantha Tripp
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@samanthatripp8622
John Williams conference videos: https://mediaserveur.univ-evry.fr/channels/#john-williams
Recursive References and In-Universe Instances of the Imperial March (presentation with Frank Lehman at MaMI conference) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYV7O3uSZn0
"Marion's Theme" (Flute and Piano Arrangement performed by Samantha Tripp and Frank Lehman) - https://youtu.be/If8YWYJPb28?si=FztVp_gFl4yBmXe9
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
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Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
2 hr 33 min
November 25, 2024TROS 21: Palpatine's Home Turf (Minutes 101-105 with John Hoey)
In minutes 101-105 of The Rise of Skywalker, Finn has a Force feeling, Finn and Jannah ride obraks toward the Steadfast's navigation tower, and Rey approaches her grandfather on the Sith throne. John Hoey from The Resistance Broadcast returns to the show to discuss trumpet cascades, Sith geiger counters, Finn's Force sensitivity, Palpatine's home field advantage, and more!
Timestamps:
0:00 - Hello there!
4:55 - The sound in TROS "goes bigger."
12:37 - Approaching the Throne motif (thumping bass).
23:42 - Heavy metal riff, a la Metallica.
25:13 - "Trumpet Cascade" examples from TROS, ESB, and ROTJ.
30:40 - Thoughts on the Force theme for Finn's moment.
40:15 - Weird Force theme; versatility of the Force theme.
49:30 - Bass notes quicken as Rey gets closer to the throne.
52:29 - Glissando demonstration.
55:34 - Sith Whispers.
59:50 - Ominous Rey's theme.
1:06:41 - "Palpatine's Instructions" motif used here as Palpatine instructs Rey and in ROTS when Palpatine instructs Anakin.
1:09:51 - Monophonic line tries to ascend while collapsing in on itself.
1:16:55 - Matt Wood and Dave Acord on creating Exegol sound design, looping in Ian McDiarmid.
1:26:52 - SWMM Questionnaire
Things to Check Out:
"Disposable Heroes" (Metallica): https://youtu.be/dzssbzIsmqU?si=0WE34kPiygxaXzUm
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
Musical Themes:
115) Approaching The Throne
17. Emperor
35) Trumpet Cascade
1a. Main Theme (A Section)
3. Force
61a. Knights of Ren (Fast Form)
45) Sith Whispers
59a. Psalm of the Sith (A Section)
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
77) Palpatine's Instructions
Where are we in the soundtrack?:
FYC 16. "Battle of the Resistance"
OST 13. "Battle of the Resistance"
OST 14. "Approaching the Throne"
FYC 17. "Approaching the Throne"
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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
New answer: One of one.
Solo answer: Endlessly imaginative adventure.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
New answer: I'd love to understand how John Williams calls back to things. Does he have a bag of tricks to pull from? How does he come to those things?
Solo answer: The future of Star Wars music. Will there be one main composer that takes over for John Williams, or will it continue being more of a per project thing like it is with Natalie Holt, Ludwig Göransson, etc?
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
New answer: Batman (1989) (composed by Danny Elfman)
Solo answer: Catch Me If You Can (composed by John Williams), Psycho (composed by Bernard Herrmann), The Batman (composed by Michael Giacchino), Man of the Steel (composed by Hans Zimmer)
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Guest: John Hoey
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/johnnyhoey.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnnyHoey
Resistance Broadcast: https://linktr.ee/trbpodcasts
Nerdy and Nice (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nerdy-nice-a-pop-culture-podcast/id1744938750
Just Like the Movies (podcast): https://anchor.fm/justlikethemovies
------------------
⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan
Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink
Where else to find SWMM:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrysanthetan.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: [email protected]
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
1 hr 43 min