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Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #1: Exploring the Music Will Be Rewarding
Do you love the Star Wars soundtrack and want to understand it better? Are you a budding composer and want to understand leitmotifs and how to write them? It doesn’t matter if you’re a composer or just a fan, exploring the music themes and leitmotifs of Star Wars will be a rewarding experience. Read more to understand themes and leitmotifs, and to get indexed lists of each melody and where it occurs within the film.
This post uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.
Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #2: From Wagner to Williams – the Leitmotif Connection
What is a motif, leitmotif, and theme?
- A motif is a short melodic idea.
- The theme (or subject) is a longer musical statement and is built with one or more motifs.
- However, a leitmotif (invented by the opera composer Richard Wagner) is a musical label for a character.
Marie Stobla states:
In manipulating Leitmotifs Wagner used the contrapuntal technique of Bach and the motivic development of Beethoven.
There are Leitmotifs of association, presentiment, reminiscence, and presence. They represent characters, places, things, thoughts, premonitions, and have other associations. (The Development of Western Music: A History 690)
What does this have to do with John Williams, the Star Wars composer?
Nicholas Meyer makes the connection:
Like Wagner, Williams proved adept at minting signature tunes for all the major characters and emotions…
Williams’ tunes, in their variety of manifestations, come to be automatically associated in the audience’s mind with their subjects, even as Wagner, and like Wagner, Williams’ orchestra is huge. (Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology 14-15)
Richard Wanger
Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #3: What Are the Main Leitmotifs from Star Wars?
The following are the main themes in Star War: A New Hope.
- I limited myself to the movie A New Hope to keep the post from becoming too huge.
- The video timestamps show the length of each subject.
- The “Leitmotif Notes” shows the motif’s notes from which a theme has been built.
For an example of how musical phrases are built from a motif:
To access a virtual keyboard:
Star War Main Theme/Luke’s Theme and Leitmotif:
At the 0:07 – 0:26 timestamp in the video, you’ll find the Star Wars main theme. This subject also doubles as Luke’s theme.
Leitmotif Notes: Bb F Eb D C Bb F
Video: Star War Main Theme/Luke’s Theme
Rebel Spaceship Fanfare Leitmotif:
The rebel spaceship fanfare (0:00 – 0:36) is usually used to add excitement and intensity to action scenes.
Leitmotif Notes: B B Gb B B Gb D D C# D C# B Gb
Video: Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
Force/Ben’s Theme and Leitmotif:
The force theme (0:18 – 0:48) doubles as Ben’s theme, because Ben is the embodiment of the force in the first film.
Leitmotif Notes: A D E F G F A
Video: Force/Ben’s Theme
Leia’s Theme and Leitmotif:
Princess Leia’s theme starts with an interval of a major sixth.
- This is the same interval used at the beginning of the love theme for Han and Leia in The Empire Strikes Back.
- Why do both start with a major sixth?
- The major sixth is considered by many to be a very romantic sounding interval.
Leitmotif Notes: G G E E E F F E D
Video: Princess Leia’s Theme
Imperial Theme and Leitmotif:
The Imperial theme (4:51 – 5:51) is the only major subject to be abandoned after Episode IV. It is replaced by Darth Vader’s theme in episodes V and VI.
Leitmotif Notes: F F F F Ab Ab F Ab Ab Gb Ab Gb F
Video: Imperial Theme
Jawa Theme and Leitmotif :
The Jawa theme (0:46 – 1:07) is the least used of the recurring subjects, showing up in only two musical cues.
Leitmotif Notes: B C# D C# B C# B B C# D C# B C# B
Video: Jawa Theme
Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #4: The Leitmotif Listening Guide for Each Section of the Star Wars Score
This section of the post lists the main themes used in each scene and has links to the score soundtrack.
- Main Theme/Luke
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Force/Ben
- Leia
- Imperial
- Jawa
- Luke
- Jawa
- Imperial
- Leia
- Luke
- Force/Ben
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Force/Ben
- Imperial
- Leia
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Force/Ben
- Luke
- Force/Ben
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Luke
- Imperial
- Leia
- Williams said of Luke and Leia swinging across the air shaft, “… is a kind of a swashbuckling version of princess Leia’s theme” (25).
Ben’s Death/Tie Fighter Attack:
- Force/Ben
- Leia
- Williams notes, “I used part of the Princess theme… I felt it had the most sweeping melody of all the themes in the score. This wildly romantic music in this tragic setting represents Luke’s and the Princess’ reaction to leaving Ben behind” (26).
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
Princess Leia’s Theme – Concert Version:
- Leia
- Leia
- Luke
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Force/Ben
- Imperial
- Force/Ben
- Luke
- Rebel Spaceship Fanfare
- Leia
On the Throne Room scene, Williams said:
A big fanfare begins the throne room scene. I used Ben’s theme as a triumphant parade fanfare as the group walks down the aisle. It represents the re-establishment of the values Ben believed in over the tyranny of the Galactic Empire.
I used a theme I am very fond of over the presentation of the medals. It has a kind of “land of hope and glory” feeling in it… (Star War Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology 27)
Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #5: Where Does Each Leitmotif Show Up?
This guide isn’t comprehensive:
- For instance, I didn’t include the sand people music, nor the “land of hope and glory” theme, because they’re not recurrent themes.
- This section of the post just lists the locations of the foremost themes on the New Hope soundtrack.
- You’ll find, in the previous section, the links to the different sections of the score soundtrack.
Star War/Luke’s Leitmotif:
- Episode IV Main Title
- Desert/Robot Auction
- The Princess Appears
- Mouse Robot/Blasting Off
- Rescue the Princess
- Last Battle
Rebel Spaceship Fanfare Leitmotif:
- Episode IV Main Title
- Imperial Attack
- The Princess Appears
- Inner City
- Rescue the Princess
- Ben’s Death/Tie Fighter Attack
- Last Battle
Force/Ben’s Leitmotif:
- Imperial Attack
- The Princess Appears
- Return Home
- Inner City
- Mouse Robot/Blasting Off
- Ben’s Death/Tie Fighter Attack
- Last Battle
- Throne Room/End Credits
Leia’s Leitmotif:
- Imperial Attack
- The Princess Appears
- Return Home
- Ben’s Death/Tie Fighter Attack
- Princess Leia’s Theme – Concert Version
- Rescue the Princess
- Last Battle
Imperial Leitmotif:
- Imperial Attack
- Little People at Work
- Return Home
- Rescue the Princess
- Last Battle
Jawa Theme Leitmotif:
- Little People Work
- Desert/Robot Auction
Exploring the Music Themes and Leitmotifs of Star Wars #6: Final Thoughts
- The leitmotifs in Star Wars help to enhance and unify the film by providing a symbolic emotional sub context.
- The use of leitmotifs has now become so standard in films that it would be unusual if composers didn’t use them.
- Paying attention to the leitmotifs can help you understand the deeper meaning in a film. Listen to the themes in the context of the score. Then, you can go watch the films to see the themes in action.
Related Posts
- How Can I Write a Song Without an Instrument?
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
- What is Required of Me to Write a Good Song if I Have No Experience with Songwriting?
© 2024 Geoffrey Keith
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