Star Wars Music Minute

Latest Episodes:

TROS 11: Where's Babu? (Minutes 51-55 with Brandon Wainerdi) Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 51-55 of The Rise of Skywalker, Babu Frik does the procedure, C-3PO performs the Sith translation, and Rey senses that Chewie is still alive. Returning guest Brandon Wainerdi (Talking Bay 94) joins me to discuss the usage of the Main Theme, Shirley Henderson's voice work on Babu Frik, MacGuffin mechanics, and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
6:07 - Significance of droids dying.
11:04 - Steven Spielberg's concern over Babu Frik.
14:25 - How do you feel about this use of the Main Theme?
21:45 - Octatonic moment.
22:55 - Babu Frik's puppet work, voice work.
27:06 - Mystery music a la Attack of the Clones.
32:37 - J.J. Abrams as D-O; are you distracted by celebrity voice cameos?
36:37 - "I think Star Wars, as a property, excels when..."
42:28 - Sly use of the Emperor's theme mixed with Imperial March; Is John Williams an omniscient narrator?
47:59 - Figuring out the mechanism of the MacGuffin.
51:03 - Brandon's weird way of consuming Star Wars.
59:47 - Shirley Henderson recorded Babu's "droid is ready" line in multiple languages.
1:07:51 - Levity in Star Wars, high expections.
1:12:24 - Rhythmically/metrically interesting action transition.
1:18:52 - Keri Russell as Zorii Bliss.
1:22:58 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Palpatine=Sidious Force dot net discussion: https://boards.theforce.net/threads/palpatine-sidious-its-so-obvious.245896/
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

1a. Main Theme (A Section)
59) Mystery (Form 2)
17. Emperor
41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

OST 8. "Fleeing from Kijimi"
FYC 7. "Fleeing from Kijimi"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Williams. Göransson. Giacchino.
Previous: Ben. John. James.

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

New: John Williams's relationship with Star Wars (both the media itself and the people who make it).
Previous: More behind the scenes stuff about the music and sound design in the Disney-era.

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

New: Lord of the Rings (composed by Howard Shore) and Rings of Power (composed by Bear McCreary) and the animated RotK
Previous: Halloween (composed by John Carpenter)

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

Guest: Brandon Wainerdi

Talking Bay 94 (one-on-one interviews with the cast and crew of Star Wars) - https://www.talkingbay94.com/
Brandon's StarWars.com contributor page: https://www.starwars.com/news/contributor/bwainerdi
Greg Grunberg: Playing Snap Wexley and Watching Star Wars for the First Time with Best Friend, JJ Abrams (Talking Bay 94) - https://www.talkingbay94.com/2020/07/17/greg-grunberg-star-wars-interview-podcast/
James Clyne: Designing Lando's Millennium Falcon, Kylo's TIE Silencer, and the Look of the Sequel Trilogy (Talking Bay 94) - https://www.talkingbay94.com/2021/05/26/james-clyne-designing-landos-millenium-falcon-kylos-tie-silencer-and-the-look-of-the-sequel-trilogy/
Jedi at 40 | Ben Burtt and Randy Thom on Crafting Ewokese, Jabba's Voice, and the Rancor's Roar - https://www.starwars.com/news/jedi-at-40-ben-burtt-randy-thom

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 10: Dialogue Is the Melody (Minutes 46-50 with Camila Quiñones) Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

John Williams has a cameo in this set of minutes! Also in minutes 46-50 of The Rise of Skywalker, the gang lands on Kijimi, we meet Zorii Bliss and Babu Frik, and we learn more about the droid hacking thing that'll get C-3PO to translate the Sith inscription. Camila Quiñones returns to the show to talk about the sound-forward worldbuilding of Kijimi, musicality in Star Wars dialogue, anchoring and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
9:06 - Friendship theme into Rey's theme. Compassion and selflessness.
16:56 - Lack of music and emphasis on sound does a lot of world-building for Kijimi. Sanitizing effect of music.
22:40 - Music wants to be anchored to what (and who) is important in the story.
27:26 - Fast banter, musicality in the dialogue.
33:50 - Different dialects and speaking trends/styles in different decades of Star Wars. Polystylism.
42:41 - Thoughts on Poe as a character. Musical punctuation.
50:20 - Heroines of Star Wars (Rey, Padme, Leia) and their relationship to hope/idealism.
56:03 - Diegetic music in Oma Tres's bar. Cantina music in Star Wars.
1:02:26 - John Williams's cameo, behind-the-scenes, set decoration.
1:09:12 - C-3PO drives Camila nuts every single movie.
1:19:30 - Camila's final thoughts on TROS.
1:23:52 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

John Williams Cameo - Behind the Scenes - The Rise of Skywalker: https://youtu.be/vGc47-ncN70?si=YMsD6z0i09R0y3GU
Alfred Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No. 1 (example of polystylism) - https://youtu.be/4RrLWema4tU?si=zbtTtQDUhVEhfgI-
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

57. Friendship
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
52a. Tension (Basic Motif)
59a. Psalm of the Sith (A Section)

Diegetic Music:

Kijimi Bar ("Oma's Place")

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

FYC 6. "To Kijimi"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Resilience. Youth. Legacy.
Previous:
- Tragedy. Adventure. Wisdom.
- Majesty. Hope. Tragedy.

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

New: How do composers choose the instruments they use for their scores?
Previous:
- How do the sound design and score elements come together?
- The difference between sound editing and sound mixing.

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

New: Pride and Prejudice (composed by Dario Marianelli)
Previous:
- Succession (composed by Nicholas Britell)
- The Batman (composed by Michael Giacchino)

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

Guest: Camila Quiñones

Beings of the Galaxy podcast: https://beingsofthegalaxypod.buzzsprout.com/

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 9: Symmetrical Design (Minutes 41-45 with Dominic Sewell) Sep 02, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 41-45 of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey shoots lightning from her fingers and destroys the First Order transport that she believes Chewie is on. Dominic Sewell returns to the show to discuss symmetry in the Friendship theme, the shroud over John Williams's writing process, mus-emes (musical memes), and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
8:47 - Listening to the beginning of these minutes.
9:41 - Big B buildup reminds Dom of a part from Wozzeck (Alban Berg).
22:02 - Assigning meaning to pitches depending on the context.
27:53 - Music climbing by semitonal increments. Failed climb in the brass.
31:53 - Do you think this score has more in common with Revenge of the Sith and/or Return of the Jedi than any other particular film?
39:22 - John Williams thinking visually (speculation).
45:15 - The shroud over John Williams's process. Broad strokes and modalities. German/Austro-Hungarian versus Russian/French sound worlds.
52:00 - Williams will go down as one of the greatest orchestrators.
59:37 - Octatonic goodness.
1:05:15 - Descant.
1:09:08 - The recording of this film is incredible (close, clear, dry, not swathed in reverb)
1:12:34 - Symmetry in the Friendship Theme.
1:22:14 - Threepio.
1:26:12 - Interesting voicing (clarinet is buried in the brass texture).
1:33:35 - Juxtaposition of two completely different themes. Intrusive thoughts.
1:38:53 - Kamino Kaper tangent.
1:44:43 - Does John Williams explicitly engage with duality in his theme-writing?
1:49:12 - Zimmerfication of Williams?
1:55:39 - Our favorite Rise of Skywalker musical themes.
1:58:50 - A very bold statement about minor 7ths.
2:04:32 - Stuttering, half-step-heavy villain themes.
2:09:41 - Speculating on Williams's revision process. Mythology of Williams.
2:19:35 - SWMM Questionnaire
2:29:47 - Shoutout to Michael Abels (Acolyte good).

Things to Check Out:

On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring (book by Fred Karlin and Rayburn Wright) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2097046.On_the_Track
Wozzeck, Act III Scene 2 (Alban Berg) - https://youtu.be/702knK1mop0?si=gYcasnwRVZnQV5F5
WOZZECK - The Operatic Equivalent of GUINNESS (David Bruce Composer) https://youtu.be/e8V-x9CSPlA?si=cwcViqXYVzkx7iFJ
John Williams on the SmartLess podcast: https://youtu.be/xi-axVKJ3Tc
John Williams discussing Alex North, part 1: https://youtu.be/iKq1c-wpVe4?si=R7wcddyIXMcCmvnD
John Williams discussing Alex North, part 2: https://youtu.be/rYSmemYleEE?si=vx3qdV6BIuTipBGQ
Chrysanthe's review of the Century of Film Music concert (curated by John Williams): https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/la-phil-classic-film-music-leads-john-williams
Shawn Murphy recorded and mixed the scores for The Rise of Skywalker and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
"Dance of the Montagues and Capulets" (from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet) - https://youtu.be/8VY-A7GVLyQ?si=KGxAlZrc97xph2XO
Die Walküre: Magic Fire Music (Wagner) - https://youtu.be/bG6p8bLdaQU?si=TztdijWshAO4vdQb
Anakin’s Theme and the Musical Aftermath of The Phantom Menace (article by Frank Lehman): https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/30/anakins-theme-essay/
Main Title from King's Row (Erich Wolfgang Korngold) - https://youtu.be/tysCiL1-24w?si=_dc2_oIANP9ZMim2
Harold in Italy (symphony with viola obbligato by Hector Berlioz) - https://youtu.be/Q4NC4E5RXik?si=E3DajNGVjgKgKIuK
Thematic Transformation and the Limits of Leitmotivic Analysis (Frank Lehman talk) - https://youtu.be/4ZBCNK0PYrk?si=UFbRSzm_-KYONTzj
Dominic's analysis of "The Lighting of the Beacons" from The Return of the King - https://youtu.be/tVW249k5uuQ?si=8lc2W3azRxGuCppL
Near Miss (film that Dominic scored) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29193907/
Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music (book by Andy Hill) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31386128-scoring-the-screen
La Belle Noiseuse by Dominic Sewell; performed by harpist Amy Turk - https://youtu.be/nEqgmi4RJ4s?si=6o3OJHCdUHaWIkNC
"The Brahms" chord (coined by Dominic): C-Ab-C spanning one octave
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
42. Kylo Ren B (Hesitant)
57. Friendship
109) Friendship (Variant)
61b. Knights of Ren (Slow Form)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

FYC 5. "A Prisoner"
FYC 6. "To Kijimi"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Symphonic. Complex. Multilayered.
Previous: Transporting. Transforming. Transcendental.

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

New: How the orchestrators of Star Wars voice John Williams's woodwind and brass parts.
Previous: Dom would like to talk to John Williams about what his teachers taught him.

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

New:
- Lord of the Rings (again) - Howard Shore
- Rings of Power - Bear McCreary
- Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransson
Previous:
- Lord of the Rings - Howard Shore
- Doctor Who (TV series) - Murray Gold
- The Orville (TV series) - Bruce Broughton (main theme), Joel McNeely, Andrew Cottee, John Debney, and Kevin Kaska
- Death of Stalin - Christopher Willis

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

Guest: Dominic Sewell

ESB 6: Battle of Hoth Set Theory (Minutes 26-30 with Dominic Sewell) - https://youtu.be/oOvHkaciOVk
Website: https://dominicsewell.co.uk
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DominicSewellMusic
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DominicSewellMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominicsewell/

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

⭐️ Join the SWMM Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 8: Bad Boys for Life (Minutes 36-40 with Patrick Cotnoir) Aug 26, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 36-40 of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey heals the vexis, the Knights of Ren arrive on Pasaana, Rey confronts Kylo Ren in the desert, and Chewie is captured. Today, Patrick Cotnoir (The George Lucas Talk Show, The Naboo Movie, The Great Kamino Kaper) joins me to discuss over-the-top evil music, the sound design of Kylo/Rey's desert showdown, and an ominous M7 interval.

Clarification: The "Speeder Chase" track that we talk about toward the end of this episode pertains to a scene from earlier in the movie (check out previous episode, TROS 6: Speeder Chase Shenanigans with Conor Power, for more detail about that).

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
3:08 - Rey heals the serpent, Force theme, cool sound design.
5:06 - Favorite Star Wars noises.
13:11 - Sound conveying scale.
16:15 - Over-the-top evil music for the Knights of Ren (funny).
21:29 - Patrick's Boolio story.
24:13 - Ominous descending major 7th interval. (Everything is not okay!) (Foreshadowing?)
31:30 - March of the Resistance in Ochi's ship. Insistent repeated figure (Viennese trichord).
38:42 - Patrick swears he hears Darth Vader breathing here.
41:33 - Crafting the sound world for the Kylo/Rey confrontation in the desert.
45:49 - Psalm of the Sith (Anthem of Evil)
51:33 - Kylo's TIE whisper getting closer. How are the strings making that noise?
54:26 - Sound design for the part where Rey flips and slices Kylo's wing in slo-mo.
55:55 - Music for the speeder chase (in minutes 26-30) was cut.
59:49 - The musicality of Kylo's ship spinning out of control.
1:02:57 - Return of the ominous M7 interval from before. Chewie is captured.
1:05:34 - Playing a bit of the "Speeder Chase" track that didn't make it in the film. To clarify, this track was supposed to be in an earlier part of the film ("they fly now?")--not these minutes.
1:11:51 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

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

Musical Themes:

3. Force
61b. Knights of Ren (Slow Form)
52a. Tension (Basic Motif)
47a. March of the Resistance (A Section)
59a. Psalm of the Sith (A Section)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

FYC 4. "In the Desert"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

Loud, proud, in-charge.

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

What sounds were combined in order to make various noises in Star Wars.

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

10 Cloverfield Lane (composed by Bear McCreary)

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

Guest: Patrick Cotnoir

The George Lucas Talk Show: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeorgeLucasTalkShow
I'm 'George Lucas': A Connor Ratliff Story (documentary) - https://imgeorgelucas.com/
THE NABOO MOVIE: A 25th Anniversary All Star Live Reading of Star Wars Ep 1: The Phantom Menace - https://naboomovie.com
THE GREAT KAMINO KAPER: A Live Reading of Attack of the Clones - https://kaminokaper.com
Website: https://www.patrickcotnoir.com/
Twitter: https://x.com/patrickcotnoir
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cotnoir/

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 7: Silent Animals (Minutes 31-35 with Sawyer Markham) Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 31-35 of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey and the gang fall through the sinking fields, find Ochi's dagger, and encounter a snarling serpent. Sawyer Markham joins me today to talk about ambient loops, snake sounds, musical exit points, and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
3:06 - Sawyer's overall thoughts about the music in this film.
7:30 - Ambient loops at Disneyland.
15:04 - Why does this sound familiar? (music when they sink into the quicksand and land in the vexus's cave)
20:00 - Lightsabers in the cave.
25:55 - Unmetered music that doesn't feel strictly tied to beats.
27:49 - "Magic Tree" (from Empire Strikes Back)
35:28 - Dagger motif / How to identify musical themes.
39:23 - Is there a singer in the background here?
42:28 - Snake sound design; Sawyer's job catching snakes.
49:15 - Does Rey's theme sound strange here? When themes have an "exit point."
56:14 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

"The Magic Tree" (from The Empire Strikes Back by John Williams): https://youtu.be/RW5Fpv7X-4Q?si=_WdrGNz0RyXhcSmm
"The Cave" (from The Last Jedi by John Williams): https://youtu.be/nFzuvgyqyCE?si=Pj4-6pIVOb2RSnlV
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

60b. Sith Artifacts (Dagger)
52a. Tension (Basic Motif)
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)

Where Are We in the Soundtrack?

nowhere

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

Heartbreak. Whimsy. Romance.

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

The process of making musical motifs that go with different planets and species--what are the (real-world) cultural influences?

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

Blade Runner (composed by Vangelis)

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

Guest: Sawyer Markham

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sawyeurism
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sawyeurism
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/svmarkham/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sawyeurism

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

⭐️ Join the SWMM Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 6: Speeder Chase Shenanigans (Minutes 26-30 with Conor Power) Aug 12, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 26-30 of The Rise of Skywalker, Lando tells Rey, Finn, Poe, and the gang about Ochi of Bestoon, and our heroes encounter flying stormtroopers. Film music researcher Conor Power returns to the show to discuss "style topics," the Heroics themes, and John Williams' original cue for the speeder chase.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
3:09 - Musical scorekeeping, motifs.
5:49 - Style topics (style topos).
9:07 - Lacking the terminology to explain musical interpretations.
10:42 - Listening to the start of these minutes.
14:24 - Octatonic flute filigree.
21:01 - Optimistic suspensions, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head?
24:43 - Lando's voice through the mask.
27:21 - March Onboard Spacecraft incidental motif.
33:32 - Best line in the scene.
39:01 - Heroics (Broad) theme.
49:29 - Sinister underscore while Lando talks about Ochi.
58:21 - Strings with an anguished symphony quality.
1:03:13 - The use of Leia's theme when Lando mentions her.
1:10:27 - This part reminds Xanthe of "The Adventures of Han" from Solo: A Star Wars Story.
1:12:33 - Elephant in the room: John Williams' "Speeder Chase" cue, which didn't make it into the film.
1:24:49 - Are the beats of this action sequence hard to follow? Would the scene have been more cohesive with Williams's original cue?
1:29:53 - How to get the best work out of John Williams (speculation).
1:38:58 - Heroics theme after "they fly now."
1:47:02 - Augmented Rey's theme.
1:52:00 - Timpani sticking out.
2:04:09 - Playing John Williams's original "Speeder Chase" cue.
2:10:43 - JW "adventure-action" music; this action cue sounds like more of a lighthearted diversion than a pivotal melodrama.
2:13:59 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Truck Chase (1981) - https://youtu.be/yqQD8sVtfA4?si=n40NskdT0wO_vWT0
Finn and Poe Escape the First Order - Star Wars Eposode VII: The Force Awakens - https://youtu.be/k3C83hzkg7o?si=iq6y7mT5hqMPaQLd
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive) - hinted through ostinato
47a. March of the Resistance (A Section) - or something similar
88) March Onboard Spacecraft
62a. Heroics (Broad)
4. Leia
45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
62b. Heroics (Brisk)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

nowhere, but OST 5. "The Speeder Chase" was supposed to be here.

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: "Excellent job, sir." ("Terrible job, sir.")
Previous: Vivid symphonic storytelling.

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

New: What conversations does Williams have with the mixers and editors? Were there even conversations?
Previous: Interviews with the orchestrators.

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

New: Minari (by Emile Mosseri), Dracula (by John Williams), The Fury (by John Williams)
Previous: If Beale Street Could Talk (by Nicholas Britell)

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

Guest: Conor Power

ESB 7: Musical Referee (Minutes 31-35 with Conor Power) - https://youtu.be/_FtXZNRWZIA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cpower1997
Conor is on BlueSky.
(Article) Swashbucklers and Femme Fatales: Gender Coding in John Williams’s Score to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - https://revista.uclm.es/index.php/cuadernosdeinvestigacionmusical/article/view/2830

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 5: StabbyBoi Kylo (Minutes 21-25 with Alex Cunningham) Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

In minutes 21-25 of The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren debuts his newly repaired mask, our heroes make it to Pasaana in time for the Aki Aki Festival of the Ancestors, and we get our first piece of source music in the film. Alex Cunningham returns to the show to discuss Kylo's helmet voice, First Order dialects, stabby punctuation, and the use of diegetic music on Pasaana.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
2:58 - Stabby punctuation of Kylo Ren entrance.
7:12 - Kylo's theme vs. Knights of Ren theme.
18:22 - "I sense unease about my appearance, General Hux."
19:05 - Is Kylo's helmet voice a little clearer than it was in TFA?
27:49 - Fanboy Pryde.
32:19 - Question about the RP-accented First Order officers and if the English dialect distinctions are recreated in other language dubs.
42:31 - More stabby Kylo Ren punctuation. "I'm gonna go hunting."
44:23 - Musical sting during the transition to Pasaana. Reminiscent of Emperor and Planetary Descent.
47:50 - Thoughts on there being yet another desert planet.
59:58 - Diegetic music for the Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors.
1:18:44 - Source music is taken over by score, illustrating Rey's change of focus. Lydian moment!
1:30:54 - Awkward "family name" conversation.
1:38:14 - Thoughts on Leia's Jedi journey.
1:50:49 - Soundscape of Kylo and Rey's Force Skype.
2:05:54 - Kylo Ren's A Theme (Aggressive) vs. B Theme (Hesitant).
2:10:45 - TRON vibes.
2:15:42 - Final thoughts about these minutes.
2:20:29 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

"Lido Hey" by Shag F. Kava - https://youtu.be/Ca2SlCjDxUA
Jedi Junior High (now called "Makin' Wookiee") - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3530344/
AIR scene with Matt Damon and Chris Messina's phone call - https://youtu.be/MuNcDlt6oVs
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
Emperor
Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
Kylo Ren B (Hesitant)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

None of this music is on either soundtrack (I think?)
Shag F. Kava - "Lido Hey" (on YouTube)

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Subtle, except not.
Previous: John. Ben. James.

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

New: Which accent/dialect choices are being made in other language dubs of Star Wars?
Previous: What other sound designers does Ben Burtt admire? Who is on the foley team, and how do they think and talk about foley? Do they see themselves as sound designers, how do they approach their creative work?

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

New: Spring Breakers (composed by Skrillex and Cliff Martinez), Spawn: The Album (the US Edition) (produced by Happy Walters)
Previous: Akira (composed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi), The Harder They Come (primarily featuring Jimmy Cliff), Station Eleven (composed by Dan Romer)

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

Guest: Alex Cunningham

BrickSteelhead on the Friends of Xanthe Discord server.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muay_tie_fighter/
ANH 21: Backstage Jitters (Minutes 101-105 with Alex Cunningham) - https://youtu.be/95tApsOGqP8
Solo 21: Shades of Revelation (Minutes 101-105 with Alex Cunningham) - https://youtu.be/h3W2eub9B7A

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 4: Handful of Ostinato (Minutes 16-20 with Katharine Coldiron) Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

Palpatine has returned, and author Katharine Coldiron joins me to discuss minutes 16-20 of The Rise of Skywalker. We talk about the logic of leitmotifs, songs vs. performances, Bugs, the storytelling matrix, conveying information through image vs. sound, and more.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
4:51 - Microphone speculation.
13:55 - "Somehow, Palpatine returned."
21:34 - The logic of leitmotifs. Number of leitmotif statements in TLJ vs TROS.
29:09 - It's not just about leitmotifs.
33:30 - Song vs. performance.
35:42 - Do the generations of film composers after John Williams still listen to Tchaikovsky, Wagner, etc?
41:11 - Ostinato not on the soundtrack (was it added in a later cut of the film?). Bugs Bunny flourish.
47:14 - Force theme moment (1st time in these minutes) that Katharine isn't a fan of.
55:19 - Rey's theme and the storytelling matrix.
1:07:40 - Concert suites.
1:12:48 - Is this reminiscent of a Berlioz opera?
1:18:52 - "We Go Together" and the Friendship motif.
1:31:47 - Funny choir moment.
1:36:09 - Force theme moment that Katharine is a fan of.
1:40:14 - "70% of information is conveyed through image, whereas 30% is conveyed through sound. 70% of emotion is conveyed through sound and 30% through image."
1:46:39 - When leitmotifs do heavy information-lifting.
1:54:36 - Distributing the music, dialogue, and sound effects across the frequency spectrum.
1:55:52 - Knights of Ren theme (and why we like it).
2:06:51 - The grammar of Star Wars landing shots.
2:10:30 - J.J. Abrams, old-school film directing, camerawork trends, composer parallels.
2:26:15 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Sideways video: https://youtu.be/L_8-dWSLDWI?si=hA80Yu-67aI23AZ8
Les Troyens (opera by Hector Berlioz): https://youtu.be/JVuj-b0zXVE?si=tU7YPcEZpz8GEO7h
Another Happy Landing: https://youtu.be/RAWYMxygeBk?si=roWNQk3qjjTGylf5
Star Wars Holiday Special (opening music): https://youtu.be/6hH8rxarVG8?si=uFXqoEg7EYnvEcg7&t=201
Hollywood Harmony (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/hollywood-harmony/
ESB 11: Free-Floating Motivic Particles (with Frank Lehman): https://youtu.be/N_jXuEWiaLY?si=d-JV7XH2e2X0-Gm5
My review of Pauline García Viardot's chamber opera: https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/last-sorcerer-enchanting-fairy-tale-opera-resurrected
Bizarre Albums Lapti Nek episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/bizarre-singles-lapti-nek-from-return-of-the-jedi/id1471679636?i=1000473552119
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

Sith Seduction
Emperor
Force
Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
Friendship
Knights of Ren (Slow Form)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

FYC 3. "We Go Together"
OST 9. "We Go Together"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

Adventure. Heart. Saga.

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

Is John Williams more of a genius or a craftsman?

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

Gone Girl composed (by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor). The Truman Show soundtrack. Fight Club (by the Dust Brothers).

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

Guest: Katharine Coldiron

Landing shots video: https://youtu.be/nbAcX60dSNs
Website: https://kcoldiron.com/
Twitter: https://x.com/ferrifrigida
Look at all the books she's written! https://kcoldiron.com/books-chapbooks/

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 3: Independent Jedi Study (Minutes 11-15 with Riley Silverman) Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

In minutes 11-15 of The Rise of Skywalker, we see Rey training in the jungle of Ajan Kloss under the light guidance of General Leia Organa; Kylo and Rey have their first Force chat of the film; and Rey reunites with Poe and Finn. Star Wars author and Rey aficionado Riley Silverman is here with me to discuss Rey's epic "training suite" theme, Leia's as a "lowercase j" jedi, shortcuts in music and filmmaking, and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
1:43 - Leia as a lowercase "j" jedi
6:40 - End of the lightspeed skipping scene.
8:51 - Shortcuts. Re-using the Martial Chords/Holst Chords from the Death Star blow-up scene in ANH.
17:56 - Peaceful soundscape of Rey training on Ajan Kloss.
20:58 - "Leia Trains Rey" – new incidental motif – a tender string line.
26:31 - Mishearing the Rey/Leia conversation in theaters.
32:46 - Rey's pump-up training suite is reminiscent of Luke's lifestyle montage on Ahch-To (in TLJ minutes 21-25).
39:33 - Imperial March and Kylo Ren's Aggressive theme with one note out of place.
44:10 - Music raising the stakes during Rey's training. Duelistic Strings (incidental motif). Kylo's intrusion.
49:46 - Awesome sound design in Rey/Kylo's concurrent flashbacks.
1:00:14 - Rey studies ancient texts. Independent Jedi Study. Continuity from TLJ to TROS.
1:10:57 - Poe and Rey bicker like divorced (but still good) co-parents.
1:22:47 - Final thoughts about these minutes and TROS as a whole.
1:34:53 - SWMM Questionnaire
1:45:09 - Where to find Riley's books.

Things to Check Out:

Holst: Mars (from The Planets) - https://youtu.be/UJbEgyhx1ng
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

Martial Chords
Force
Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)
Leia Trains Rey
Rey B (Chimes)
Imperial March (Theme)
Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
Duelistic Strings

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

End of FYC 2. "Falcon Flight"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Wondrous space magic.
Previous: Epic space magic.

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

New: How many different people are involved in the process of putting music in the film? Who has the final say?
Previous: How many different screams are there? How do people go about designing music for a scene or character in the first place? Writers start with a blank page and somehow use words to convey scenes; what is the musical/sound version of that process like?

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

New: Across the Spider-Verse (composed by Daniel Pemberton)
Previous: Gentlemen Jack (composed by Murray Gold), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (composed by Danny Elfman). Doctor Who.

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

Guest: Riley Silverman

Check out all of Riley's Star Wars books: https://www.rileysilverman.com/books
- Star Wars: Exploring Tatooine: An Illustrated Guide
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Treasures from Batuu
- Star Wars: The Life Day Pop-Up Book and Advent Calendar
The She Series Book (Riley wrote essays for Lucille Ball and Marsha P. Johnson): https://www.etsy.com/listing/1448145344/the-she-series-book
Riley is on BlueSky, Threads, and Twitter as rileysilverman or rileyjsilverman

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

⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! 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:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763
YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?
Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

TROS 2: Audiovisual Acid Trip (Minutes 6-10 with Klaudia Amenábar) Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

In minutes 6-10 of The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine has a chat with Kylo Ren, Poe and Finn lose a game of Dejarik to Chewie, a spy gives the Resistance information, and the Falcon lightspeed skips to evade TIE fighters. Klaudia Amenábar of RuPalp's Podrace returns to the show to discuss the Resistance polycule, octatonic brass, Exegol sound design, and more!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Hello there!
3:43 - Listening to the beginning of these minutes.
8:21 - The "Palpatine" in Rey's theme.
24:49 - Trio of characters interacting for the first time.
28:31 - David Acord and Matthew Wood explaining the sound design of Exegol.
40:11 - Exegol lightning compared to Force lightning.
49:44 - Quibble about the physical descriptions of characters in Star Wars books.
53:52 - The Rise of Skywalker polycule.
1:01:07 - Octatonic planing horns.
1:09:51 - Why do we hear the Emperor's theme when we see TIE fighters?
1:17:54 - Rebel Fanfare (planing triads), March of the Resistance, lightspeed skipping.
1:24:40 - John Williams loves/hates us (violinists).
1:32:54 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Klaudia's blog post/newsletter about Trigun: https://buttondown.email/klaudiascorner/archive/trigun-is-better-than-cowboy-bebop-not-clickbait/
Interview about the Trigun Stampede soundtrack: https://www.japanaradio.com/node/98
The album for season 1 is in two parts:
- https://open.spotify.com/album/0tNFMwQRWZkDuxxhbrBZti
- https://open.spotify.com/album/6csNXzQg2Eq9qRexsVT2s8
Solo 8: Dolby Atmos Train Heist (Minutes 36-40 with Klaudia Amenábar) - https://youtu.be/ofMbtzYWYD0
Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Musical Themes:

Imperial March (Theme)
Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
Emperor
March of the Resistance (A Section)
Rebel Fanfare

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

OST 2. "Journey to Exegol"
FYC 2. "Falcon Flight"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

New: Poetic. Epic. Hopeful.
Previous: Poetic. Epic. Inspiring.

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

New: How are certain sound design choices made? Which decisions come from the producers vs. sound designers, etc? How is the sound design process different across the various types of Star Wars media?
Previous: The stories behind how various bits of music ended up in the films/shows. "How did that get there?"

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