ESB 7: Musical Referee

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Written By Chrysanthe Tan

Film music PhD researcher Conor Power joins me for a discussion about The Empire Strikes Back minutes 31-35. We're finishing up the Battle of Hoth along with some shrill piccolos, rollicking pianos, an "extra minor" Luke theme, and a brass line that we both fancy for reasons we try to figure out. As the episode title suggests, the music in this cue seems to act like a referee keeping score between the Rebels and Empire (find out who the musical "winner" of these minutes is at the end of the episode). We also discuss the "Feminine Romantic Cliche" (FRC) as it pertains to Leia's theme and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Timestamps:

  • 00:00 - Hello there!

  • 02:44 - Ben Burtt's AT-AT sound design.

  • 08:18 - The music acting as a referee.

  • 14:51 - Piercing shrill piccolo.

  • 22:55 - Foreshadowing the Asteroid Field.

  • 24:16 - Comm voices match visual cuts.

  • 25:51 - These pianos! ❤️

  • 34:27 - Luke's theme "extra minor."

  • 42:44 - Stark, despondent Han and Leia scene.

  • 45:12 - Why does this brass part stick out to us (in a good way)?

  • 51:30 - Why the Force theme here?

  • 1:03:08 - Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony + using spidey senses.

  • 1:09:07 - Rebels gaining the upper hand (musically).

  • 1:15:32 - Harry Potter comparison (joking chromatic string texture).

  • 1:21:48 - Leia's theme and Feminine Romantic Cliche (FRC).

  • 1:30:48 - Music + Millennium Falcon vroooom = perfection.

  • 1:33:55 - "Captain Solo! Captain Solo!" Is Threepio's line doubled?

  • 1:39:10 - Who actually wins the Battle of Hoth?

  • 1:43:59 - ESB's more subtle dynamic between Han and Leia.

  • 1:53:24 - Who wins the musical battle in these minutes?

  • 1:54:17 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 3M4/4M1 "Luke's First Crash"

  • 4M2 "The Rebels Escape Again"

Musical Themes:

  • 16b. Dark Side (Ostinato)

  • 10a. Imperial March (Theme)

  • 1a. Main Theme (A Section)

  • 3. Force

  • 2. Rebel Fanfare

  • 10b. Imperial March (Bridge)

  • 4. Leia

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "The Battle Of Hoth (Ion Cannon/Imperial Walkers/Beneath the"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • Vivid symphonic storytelling.

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

  • Interviews with the orchestrators.

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

  • If Beale Street Could Talk (by Nicholas Britell)

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Guest: Conor Power

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Chrysanthe Tan

Composer / Violinist

www.chrysanthetan.com
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ESB 8: Asteroid Feelings
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ESB 6: Battle of Hoth Set Theory