John Williams/London Symphony Orchestra - Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace Original Soundtrack (1-CD Edition) Review

Although I tend to like almost every component of all the Star Wars films - the story, the screenplay, the cast, the special effects, and even the deliberately cheesy dialogue - I have to admit that I have an unabashed passion for the six incredible scores written by John Williams, the five-time Academy Award-winning composer who's considered to be among the finest film-music creators ever.

With only two exceptions (the 1977 two-LP record album from Star Wars and the 1983 single LP from Return of the Jedi), I've bought the original soundtracks from the very popular space fantasy series set "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away" before the films premiered in theaters. This "tradition" started in April of 1980 when I purchased the two-LP album featuring the score for The Empire Strikes Back, so it was no fluke when, in late April of 1999, I bought the first version of Sony Classical's soundtrack album from the still unreleased Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

To be honest, I had been expecting that Sony Classical and Williams, who in addition to his "hats" as composer and conductor was also the album producer, would give the first new Star Wars film soundtrack the same lavish treatment that RCA Victor/BMG had given the Classic Trilogy's Special Edition re-issues two years earlier...two CDs' worth of chronologically correct and complete score, liner notes, and nice packaging.

Instead, Sony Classical, maybe thinking that consumers would balk at paying $29.99 for a comprehensive (and perhaps more expensive to produce and market), opted instead for a "Soundtrack Lite" approach using the "traditional" cut-and-paste approach used in most of the non-Special Edition Star Wars albums produced before 1997.

(The cut-and-paste method, by the way, involves skillful splicing of two "cues" or tracks of musical material that are heard in very different sequences of a film - often from different acts, if you will - but sound aesthetically pleasing together. Williams has done this ever since he and George Lucas worked on the 1977 two-record album, so this is nothing really surprising.)

As in all the non-Special Edition/Ultimate Edition recordings except the Return of the Jedi soundtrack, album producer Williams splices the Star Wars theme in track 1 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 clear clue that it's a cut-and-paste mix of tracks, though the second half should have been titled The Arrival at Coruscant.)

As in most 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 heard on-screen in various variations but not in this leisurely presentation.

Duel of the Fates is a ruthless and driving composition which features nervous strings, brooding woodwinds, and choral presentations by the London Voices of an alien-sounding chant (it's actually 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, and was 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 Classic Trilogy's Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme), 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 "water-bubble" city under the Naboo swamps and lakes.

Dark and martial themes are also heard often 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 has to avoid overuse of the Star Wars theme -- which is associated with Luke, who hasn't even been conceived -- Williams does 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 Theme 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 a 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 Star Wars, now known as Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope, and the London Voices choir. The texture of the music, even in this abridged edition is just as rich and enchanting as that from the Classic Trilogy, and for casual listeners who are not sticklers for completeness, this is an enjoyable recording.

Track Listing