Music Album Review: 'Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace'

I've been enthralled by John Williams' scores for the original 1977-83 Star Wars Trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) since I first owned the 2-LP original soundtrack album from the first installment of the saga.

For instance, I have bought the original 1977 recording in all available formats, from LP, eight-track, cassette, and compact disc. I also have the slightly expanded variation available in The Star Wars Trilogy Soundtrack Anthology four-disc box set and the even more complete Special Edition 2-CD set.

So it shouldn't be a jolting shock to you, the reader, that I bought Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace's 1-CD original soundtrack recording on the very day of its release (about a month prior to the premiere of Episode I).

Like many Star Wars fans, I'd waited for 16 years for a new movie -- the 1997 Special Edition really didn't count as new movies -- since Return of the Jedi's theatrical run in the summer of 1983. And like many John Williams fans, I wanted to hear his new themes for the prequels. How dark would they be? What would the music reveal about the characters and the storyline?

Because George Lucas has always treated the Star Wars Saga as one huge continuous story that takes place over a 36-year time span, there are certain visual and musical devices he insists on. Visually each movie begins with the "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." card, followed by a crawl setting up the story and a pan down (in Episode II it's a pan UP) to a planet or spaceship. John Williams follows suit with the Star Wars Main Title theme under the crawl, then he introduces a new musical idea underscoring the action on the screen.

As in all the non-Special Edition/Ultimate Edition "first release versions" except the Return of the Jedi soundtrack, album producer Williams splices the Star Wars theme to a cue that is not the one heard in the film or on the later, more expensive 2-CD editions.

So instead of hearing the music heard when the small Republic cruiser carrying Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi flies to the Trade Federation blockade's flagship in orbit around Naboo, we hear music that is played later in the film (when our heroes and Queen Amidala arrive on Coruscant). The music is wonderful, of course, and the average listener wouldn't notice the discrepancy, but this technique, while it might sound nice and still has musical coherence, is not an accurate representation of the chronology of the film score. (The track title, Star Wars Main Title and The Arrival at Naboo, is a dead giveaway that it's a cut-and-paste melding of tracks, though the second half should have been titled The Arrival at Coruscant.)

As he has done in most of his Star Wars scores, Williams introduces two major new themes in The Phantom Menace, Duel of the Fates and Anakin's Theme (tracks 2 and 3). These are the "concert hall" or "end title" arrangements, since Duel of the Fates is heard in a different and much shorter version in the movie, and Anakin's Theme is played in various variations but never in this long orchestral presentation.

Duel of the Fates, which is a ruthless and driving composition, features restless strings, brooding woodwinds, and choral presentations of an alien-sounding chant (it's in Sanskrit, one of India's many languages). As the name implies, it's not only indicative of a furious clash between the good Jedi and the evil Sith, but it also underscores changes in destiny and the choices a Force user must make in life.

It's also the best-known theme from Episode I, as it was played on classical music stations shortly before the CD was released in 1999.  It was also featured on the "Duel of the Fates" video that aired on MTV as part of the Lucasfilm media campaign.)

Anakin's Theme is one of Williams' best "character" themes, revealing both the gentle goodness of the nine-year-old who will someday be the father of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, and the seeds of the anger and fear that will help transform him into the evil Lord Darth Vader. His theme is reminiscent of Yoda's, with passages that evoke tenderness and a yearning for adventure, yet each iteration of the theme has hints of the Imperial March, subtle in the first rendition but more obvious at the end.

As in all the Star Wars scores, most of the characters and situations are presented musically. As befits the hapless and overly curious Gungan that became the focus of fans' disdain, Jar Jar Binks gets a playful and somewhat mischievous leitmotif (track 4), which is married to the very aquatic-sounding Swim to Otoh Gunga, the marvelous city under the Naboo swamps and lakes.

Dark music and martial themes are also much in evidence on this CD, including The Sith Spacecraft and The Droid Battle (track 5), The Droid Invasion and The Appearance of Darth Maul (track 14), and Qui-Gon's Noble End (track 15).

Although the music obviously avoids quoting the Star Wars theme -- which is associated with Luke, who hasn't even been conceived yet -- Williams does get to borrow from the other films' scores. The famous Force theme is heard in such destiny-changing scenes as He Is the Chosen One (track 8), Anakin Defeats Sebulba -- which also features quotes of Jabba's theme -- and Qui-Gon's Funeral (the second half of track 16). Both Yoda's and Darth Vader's Imperial March can be heard in The High Council Meeting (the first half of track 16).

Reflecting the future Emperor's first real victory in his campaign to subtly take over the Republic, the Emperor's theme from Return of the Jedi is heard as a joyous victory song performed by innocent-sounding children in Augie's Great Municipal Band, which then segues to the traditional Star Wars end credits medley of the main theme, the Rebel Fanfare, then Duel of the Fates and Anakin's Theme.

Williams, as always, gets a great performance out of the London Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble he and Lucas first teamed with in 1977 for A New Hope. The texture of the music is just as rich and enchanting as that from the Classic Trilogy, and for casual listeners who are not sticklers for exactitude, this is an enjoyable recording.

For serious soundtrack fans, this is a good introductory recording, but for the true version of Williams' amazing score for Episode I, I recommend the 2-CD Ultimate Edition.

Track Listing

1.      Star Wars Main Title and Arrival at Naboo

2.      Duel of the Fates

3.      Anakin’s Theme

4.      Jar Jar’s Introduction and The Swim to Otoh Gunga

5.      The Sith Spacecraft and The Droid Battle

6.      The Trip to the Naboo Temple and The Audience with Boss Nass

7.      The Arrival at Tatooine and The Flag Parade

8.      He Is the Chosen One

9.      Anakin Defeats Sebulba

10.  Passage Through the Planet Core

11.  Watto’s Deal and Kids at Play

12.  Panaka and the Queen’s Protectors

13.  Queen Amidala and The Naboo Palace

14.  The Droid Invasion and The Appearance of Darth Maul

15.  Qui-Gon’s Noble End

16.  The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon’s Funeral

17.  Augie’s Great Municipal Band and End Credits