Let's get into that "Train Heist" cue with Dr. Frank Lehman! In this episode, we discuss the sheer density of the Solo score, modulation as an effective tool to generate intensity (Frank counted 21 key changes in 5 minutes), Powell's dramatic usage of driving percussion, and the orchestration details that feel like "Williams's unique fingerprints but with a Powell filter." Then, we dig into what is arguably the most surprising part of this entire score: the music for Enfys Nest, which features Bulgarian singing. Needless to say, there are tons of musical happenings in minutes 31-35 of Solo: A Star Story!

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things to Check Out:

• "Ergen deda, cherven deda" - performed by the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir - https://youtu.be/kuTbM0R0ADQ

Musical Themes:

• The Gang

Where Are We in the Soundtrack?

• "Train Heist"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Previous answers:

• Dissonant pedal notes.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• Previous answers:

• What we're musically in store for as Star Wars moves onto the next chapters of its development.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Previous answer: Star Trek: The Motion Picture  (1979) (composed by Jerry Goldsmith)

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Guest: Frank Lehman

• Website: https://franklehman.com/

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If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

Justin Scheid and James Waterman join Xanthe (Band Batch reunion!) in a discussion about A NEW HOPE minutes 116-120, during which Luke Skywalker blows up the Death Star, the Rebels have an awkwardly formal medal ceremony, and Artoo recovers from being zapped.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• "Symphonie Fantastique" by Hector Berlioz - https://youtu.be/5HgqPpjIH5c

Themes:

• 18) Descending Heroic Tetrachords

Where are we in the soundtrack?

• "The Battle Of Yavin (Launch From The Fourth Moon/X-Wings Draw Fire/Use The Force")

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Justin: pew pew pew

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• James: The idea that John Williams composes with pencil and paper. What is his writing process like? James wants to know all the little factoids.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Justin: The village (composed by James Newton Howard)

----

THE BAND BATCH = Xanthe, James, and Justin. Join us for music commentary livestreams on YouTube whenever new Star Wars shows come out!

• Check out our coverage of The Bad Batch season 1: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE4n8ygyS0MI9s-a1nJOMYqpE8G_tlxLW

James Waterman

• Bandcamp: https://jerichojericho.bandcamp.com/

Justin Scheid

• https://www.instagram.com/jcscheid/

------------------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guests! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

Ralph Apel from Live Action Star Wars joins me in a conversation about the music and sound in Solo minutes 26-30. We discuss flying/soaring music, the musical foreshadowing of Enfys Nest, Rio's voice mixing, and engage in some "educated speculation" about what the valachord might sound like (based on concept art).

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

References:

• "Soarin' (from "Soarin' Over California")" by Jerry Goldsmith - https://youtu.be/zh8_Yu_TkWE

Musical Themes:

• 6. Han & Chewie

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

• End of "Flying with Chewie" AKA "Chewie Untamed (2M13)"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Old, lived in.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• After this episode, Ralph wants to know what the valachord sounds like. But most of all, he is intrigued about the future of Star Wars music.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Evolution (composed by John Powell)

---------------

Guest: Ralph Apel

• Live Action Star Wars: https://liveactionstarwars.com

------------------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

Samantha Tripp returns to the show to discuss part 2 of The Battle of Yavin (A New Hope minutes 111-115).

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• Galactic Empire - "The Battle of Yavin/Launch from the Fourth Moon" - https://youtu.be/Eu0P7GydVRw

Soundtrack: "The Battle Of Yavin (Launch From The Fourth Moon/X-Wings Draw Fire/Use The Force")

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE (this is Samantha's second time answering it):

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Powerful, evocative, grandiose

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• Solo season answer: Musician stories from recording the sequel films, particularly The Rise of Skywalker. What is it like sitting in the orchestra, hearing those themes, and trying to make connections in the film ahead of time?

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Solo season answer: The Shape of Water (composed by Alexandre Desplat)

---------

Samantha Tripp:

• YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3hiwYy5oTsb50N-kxRhonA 

--------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

Camila (BoricuaWookiee) is back on the show to discuss minutes 21-25 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Today, we're talking about inter-species communication, the hierarchy of sentience, and sound design as an unreliable narrator. Toward the end, we touch upon the psychology of flying, the different flavors of flying music in film, and of course, that god-forsaken rain showerhead.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things to Check Out:

• "Superman" theme (by John Williams) - https://youtu.be/78N2SP6JFaI

Musical Themes:

• 5. The Gang

Where are we in the soundtracks?:

• "The Beast (2M12)"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Majesty. Hope. Tragedy.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• The difference between sound editing and sound mixing.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• The Batman (composed by Michael Giacchino)

Bonus Question: What's something you'd encourage listeners to pay more attention to on their next viewing/listen of this film?

• Pay attention to the way Chewbacca sounds as the movie goes on, whether it's different when he's with other people besides Han, etc.

---------------

Follow Camila!

• TikTok (BoricuaWookiee): https://www.tiktok.com/@boricuawookiee?

------------------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

We're getting into the Battle of Yavin today with Alex and Mollie Damon (Star Wars Explained)! We talk John Williams's frenetic score, wet and squishy X-wing sounds, comms chatter, and other soundscape details from Star Wars minutes 106-110. Don't worry -- Biggs is still alive in at this time.

Note: My mic has an intermittent crackly sound for the first 10 minutes. Sorry about that! Skip to about 10:50 if you want to avoid the robot voice.

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Disclaimer

Themes:

• 5. Death Star

Soundtrack: "The Battle Of Yavin (Launch From The Fourth Moon/X-Wings Draw Fire/Use The Force")

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Mollie: Hope, bravery, curiosity.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• Mollie: The psychology behind how different chords of music make someone feel. How does sound evoke different emotions?

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Mollie: Lord of the Rings. (composed by Howard Shore). Also: Tarantino soundtracks, Moulin Rouge, and the new West Side Story.

--------------

Star Wars Explained:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/starwarsexplained

Star Wars Music Minute:

• Buy Me A Sweet Potato (Coffee): https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

Darth Choco returns to the show! This time, we're talking about the music and sound in minutes 16-20 of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which starts with Han meeting Beckett and ends with Han getting thrown into a cell with a hungry beast...

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things to Check Out:

• Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/.

Musical Themes:

• 5. The Gang

Where Are We in the Soundtrack?

• "Mimban Battle (1M10A-B)"

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Star Wars Music Minute Questionnaire

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Hope. Redemption. Spirituality.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• The creation/engineering of new sounds.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Pirates of the Caribbean (composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer)

Bonus Question: What would you encourage listeners to pay extra attention to on their second viewing of this film?

• Pay attention to the way that the music ducks, adapts, and pivots to make room for the comedic bits, conversation, and heroic moments.

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Darth Choco:

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@darthchoco

------------------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

Guest: Alex Cunningham

In minutes 101-105 of A New hope, our rebel friends attend a briefing, rev up their engines backstage, and get ready for showtime on the Death Star. Today's guest is Alex Cunningham, who raises interesting questions about the diegesis of Obi-Wan's voice, the timing of the PA voices, and General Dodonna's accent. 

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• Thomas Tallis madrigal "Verily, verily I say unto you" https://youtu.be/KaQ_DRvHqr8

Where Are We in the Soundtrack?

• Very beginning of "The Battle Of Yavin (Launch From The Fourth Moon/X-Wings Draw Fire/Use The Force")

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• John. Ben. James. (Shoutout to Nani from Triad of the Force for saying this answer first.)

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• Alex would love to ask Ben Burtt what other sound designers he admires.

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Akira (composed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi)

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Alex Cunningham:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muay_tie_fighter/

------------------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

What happens to the narrative when an iconic theme like the "Imperial March" becomes diegetic? What does that do to the audience? Samantha Tripp is here to help us explore this fascinating topic today. We discuss Solo, Rebels, the British Empire, the efficacy of propaganda music, and other bits and pieces from minutes 11-15 of Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• Star Wars Rebels Season 1 - "Glory of the Empire" - https://youtu.be/TouCl6yp13A

Themes:

• 4. Han & Q'ira

Soundtrack:

• "Spaceport" / "Spaceport (1M6-7)"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Powerful, evocative, grandiose.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• Musician stories from recording the sequel films, particularly The Rise of Skywalker. What is it like sitting in the orchestra, hearing those themes, and trying to make connections in the film ahead of time?

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• The Shape of Water (composed by Alexandre Desplat)

Bonus Question: What would you encourage listeners to pay extra attention to on their next viewing of Solo: A Star Wars Story?

• The juxtaposition between the Imperial March in the advertisement versus the battle. Also, the way that John Powell's score creates and plays with tension as Han and Qi'ra are trying to make their way through the barrier, then later on, as Han is hiding. Listen for the string ostinati, etc.

---------

Samantha Tripp:

• YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3hiwYy5oTsb50N-kxRhonA 

--------

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show extra appreciation, feel free to buy me a coffee and shout out the guest! https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify

For those curious, here is the full abstract for the talk Samantha is preparing. The abstract was co-written by Samantha Tripp and her advisor Frank Lehman.

The Suns Never Set on the Galactic Empire: Recursive References and In-Universe Instances of “The Imperial March” 

Allowing a non-diegetic theme to slip into the realm of source music is nothing new: ever since Siegfried tooted his own horn(motif), composers of narrative multimedia have found ways for underscore to peek into the diegetic world. But while such moments of diegeticization provide yet another example of the eminently-permeable “fantastical gap,” their ramifications often run deeper than a blurring of narrational levels (Stilwell 2004, Heldt 2013). Because when fictional characters hear their own music, it can provoke a rehearing for the audience. Indeed, the recontextualized “source” of such underscore-as-source-music may turn out to reside as much in nonfictional reality as some fictional diegesis.

This presentation explores the implications of rehearing an iconic theme—John Williams’ “Imperial March”—through two in-universe instances: David Glen Russell’s “Empire Day” from Rebels (2014), and John Powell’s “Empire Recruitment” from Solo (2018). These cues both reimagine the minor-mode leitmotif as major-mode musical propaganda. Through close analysis, we demonstrate two contrasting approaches to diegeticization: parodic hyper-chromaticization of the theme’s non-functional tonality in Rebels’ ceremonial parade; and nostalgic diatonic hyper-correction for Solo’s military-recruitment ad. By cannily channeling the nobilmente style of Elgar/Walton, these cues resurface a subtextual “source” of Williams’s theme—Edwardian Pax-Britannica style nationalism—and with it the complex relation of imperial-versus-revolutionary politics in Star Wars generally (Buhler 2002, Lerner 2004). We conclude by situating the “Imperial March” at one further level of remove: out of the meticulously controlled diegetic canon of Disney-era Star Wars and into the real world of contemporary protest music.

A NEW HOPE minutes 96-100 take us from the TIE fighter attack to the Rebel base on Yavin. Composer and music/sound editor Nick Norton joins Xanthe for a discussion about jungle soundscapes, downtime in the cockpit, and the 5 categories of sound in film.

Discussion points:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (documentary) - https://youtu.be/xsckp8r1-8c

Themes:

• 2. Rebel Fanfare

Soundtrack stuff:

• Last minute of "Ben Kenobi's Death/TIE Fighter Attack"

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SWMM Questionnaire:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• Original space opera.

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• More about Ludwig Göransson's process. How is/was the work divided (between Göransson and Joseph Shirley) in The Book of Boba Fett? How do electronics and sound design feed into the sound of The Mandalorian?

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• Blade Runner 2049 (composed by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch)

-------------

Nick Norton:

• Website: https://nickwritesmusic.com/

------------------

If you want to support the show, consider becoming a patron!  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:

• Spotify: https://smarturl.it/swmm-spotify