Originally posted by Obi-OneManShow
Is anyone else more excited for the DVD than the actual soundtrack?
(if that's even possible, because I was always really excited for the previous ones)And yes Discosmurf... I got a fever. And the only cure is more cowbell!!
I am. The DVD is what sold me on this deal. I don't have any of the other soundtracks, so I probably wouldn't have decided to get this one either if it hadn't been for that.
From Fatboy Roberts @ MF.com:
I could begin by doing the John Williams career re-cap, which even the most basic film fan has partially memorized, or I could wax poetic about the partnership between Lucas and Williams, which we're all probably sick to death of hearing about, or I could rail about the injustices done to the last two prequel soundtracks, which is just as overdone, although the ranting, in that case, is usually justified.
Or I could just talk about what will most likely be considered the best of the three prequel soundtracks by far.
The bombast? It's here. Williams can write stirring, bombastic, blow your eardrums action sequences in his sleep--and he's definitely been accused of doing that recently, but his action work here is inspired. The opening track, "The Revenge of the Sith" explodes as the main titles (the same rendition as in Episode I) start to peacefully wind down--and it never really lets up, all military march and horn blasts.
The classic themes? They're here in force. Most of the complaints leveled at the previous two soundtracks held the opinion that the thematic elements that made Star Wars scores so great were getting VERY short shrift. Not this time out. Recurring themes pop up and play out in a large number of cues, from the Force Theme in the opener, to Across the Stars stashed amongst dissonant strings and woodwinds fighting each other in "Anakin's Dream," "Qui-Gon's Funeral" shows up during "Padme's Destiny," even "Clash of Lightsabers" from Empire Strikes Back gets a quote or two in "Anakin vs Obi-Wan." And of course, the Imperial March and the Emperor's Theme get their licks in, although not as much as you'd think in a movie called "Revenge of the Sith." There's hardly any major theme that doesn't get it's time to shine in this soundtrack. Even themes that don't seem to have any place in the movie.
For instance--the End Titles, after "Battle of the Heroes" winds down, kicks into a regal recital of "The Throne Room" from the original Star Wars, and the rendition played is an arrangement that has only been recorded once--on the "Star Wars/Close Encounters" LP from 1978, conducted by Charles Gerhardt. And when the track closes out, it goes out not with a sad coda, as did the last two, but the huge, triumphant, drawn out crescendo from the original Star Wars. Even aside from the arrangement of the medley, and the heart the orchestra plays with, the sheer nostalgia of hearing those themes, and that ending fanfare, its' going to light up many a Star Wars fan.
And the new stuff? "Battle of the Heroes," is a brassy, almost mean sounding track, with choruses wailing over the top--it honestly sounds less like John Williams, and more like Don Davis' work on "Matrix Revolutions." Imagine, if you can, a mixture between those two, but with quotes from Obi-Wan's/The Force's theme cropping up and making their presence felt, and a series of orchestra hits destined to be the score for almost every Star Wars Fan Film trailer in the coming decade. And "The Immolation Scene" is a strings-laden, melancholy, dramatic piece that stands on it's own with no help from the Imperial March, or the Emperor's theme. It's an evocative piece that underlines the brutality of what will be playing along onscreen very well. But the track dedicated to Palpatine is best described as "unnerving" with low, guttural mumblings mixed in with atonal moaning as the track builds to the familiar Imperial March.
Almost all the new pieces, as a matter of fact, have a very emotional, unique feel to them, a feel that gives the overall soundtrack a tone that's not at all dissimilar to the score for the original Star Wars, even down to using that movie's end credit sequence in THIS movie's end credits. It just feels like something he'd have written in 77, to me. There isn't much in the way of him recycling his scores from recent movies, outside from a couple moments in "Grievous speaks to Lord Sidious" that apparently come straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Most of his new work in this movie is truly NEW WORK, especially "General Grievous" which seems to build off of where "The Conveyor Belt" wanted to go, but does it in a much smoother, almost jazzier way that still manages to fit perfectly into the soundscape he's crafted here.
Sure, there's little nitpicks here and there--the soundtrack almost sounds a little OVER-produced to me, at times. Too slick and shiny for it's own good, a complaint that's been leveled by many at the movies themselves. There's an odd little transitionary bump in the End Credits that doesn't seem all that well planned out, and I would prefer the soundtrack be in movie-order, but Williams has always preferred to set up his soundtracks more as concert suites than as straight scores.
And I can see complaints cropping up that his reference to earlier themes is more like simply re-treading old ground, as he doesn't really do much more than have a new orchestra play the old arrangements, something that actually started to nag at the back of my brain during a couple tracks--but I'd prefer Williams do his OWN cutting and pasting from his history rather than let his producer or Lucas track existing recordings into those spots. At least they sound seamless and complete this time out.
But this score, make no mistake, is the operatic finale that a lot of listeners have been hoping for. It's a full, emotional, evocative score, filled with some of Williams' best writing since his brilliant "Catch Me if You Can." Film Score fans, Williams fans, Star Wars fans..it's not like you need to be told, but this is definitely a piece of work you should add to your collection as soon as possible.
Guys if the track is called "Approaching the battle" you can be 100% sure it's NOT from ROTS, but from Shadows of the Empire!
Whoever created that file and put it on the internet: kudos to you! You fooled more people than I ever thought possible! Even to this day, inexperienced noobs still present the track here as if were leaked material.
From MF.com front page: Soundtrack spoilers ahead!
EPISODE III : Revenge of the Sith Soundtrack Report
8th April, 2005
The Revenge of the Sith Soundtrack enters new territory. It's a very operatic piece, more similar to The Phantom Menace than Attack of the Clones. Themes from the other five episodes are interwoven togeather to create the demise of Anakin Skywalker.
The battle scenes are adventurous with percussion beats that are very 'congo' sounding in their nature. There is also more choral work in this recording than any other episode. If I could break the main score up into smaller sections, it would be; Force Theme, Battle of the Heroes and Padme's tender motifs.
It does suffer from some repetition but that is about the only bad thing I can think of.
01 - Star Wars and The Revenge Of The Sith 7:31
The normal opening crawl is short-lived, unlike other episodes. Whereas normally the scroll fades into infinity, the last part is cut off by a very adventurous yet dangerous motif – the space battle over Coruscant. After this brief motif, we are first introduced into the one of the most constant Themes on the soundtrack - The Force Theme (which is under-scored with a militaristic beat similar to the Droid Invasion Theme from TPM) which continues for quite a while; no doubt following a long camera shot into battle. The rest of the track continues in this fashion.
02 - Anakin's Dream 4:46
A beautiful Viola solo accompanied by a harp opens Anakin’s Dream. Across the Stars soon can be heard underneath the solo before the darker string section hits, and uncertainity arises, only to once again fall into the Love Theme. After more dark cues, the Force Theme echoes things to come.
03 - Battle Of The Heroes 3:42
The new major Theme for Star Wars. The theme consists of a busy bass line with choral pieces intertwined.
04 - Anakin's Betrayal 4:04
Sections of the Love Theme again can be heard with strings and horns interwoven.
05 - General Grievous 4:07
A 'congo' sounding piece that no doubt will sound fantastic on screen.
06 - Palpatine's Teachings 5:25
This track reminds me of the soundtrack of the Dark Crystal. A deep male voice 'moans' with a metalic sound over the top. It then moves into the Love Theme which flows into Vader's Theme. Followed is a variation on the Force Theme - kinda interesting. After some more dark music, a brilliant Arrival at Coruscant theme from TPM ends the piece.
07 - Grievous and the Droids 3:28
Standard fight music here. Very TPM 'Droid Invasion' like, IMO.
08 - Padme's Ruminations 3:17
Deadly eerie. It doesn't sound like it should be in Star Wars. A long note held on a double bass glides as Amazonian like flutes and a synthesised women's solo flows over top. This is just ****en eerie.
It is soon followed by a movement in the lower strings section that reminds me of Palpatine's Chambers in RotJ. Horns pulse every now and then.
09 - Anakin vs. Obi-Wan 3:57
Battle of the Heroes starts off this piece before we quickly get into Vader's Theme. Back to Battle of the Heroes; first solo, then the string section picks it up. There is then another familiar theme (the one which was played during the teaser trailer as Vader rises). We then have a busy string section before more Vader's Theme - followed again by that 'familiar' theme. Enter the Chorus and another section of Battle of Heroes that crescendos into strings and soon the Force Theme with a pumping base raises its head, followed again by Battle of the Heroes.
10 - Anakin's Dark Deeds 4:05
A soft introduction leads to a wall of Chorus (very LotRish). After a 'fight' like music, it enters on a really soft section that echoes the way Padme is represented in this score. The ending is so sad to the track before before brass finishes it off. sad
11 - Enter Lord Vader 4:14
A soft introduction is soon met with variations of the Battle of the Heroes Theme. There is a small part of this that reminds of the music from the Rebels in the OT. A miliatristic section soon ends with Vader's Theme and another playing of the Force Theme which is followed by the Emperor's Theme.
12 - The Immolation Scene 2:42
A dark and omnious piece.
13 - Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious 2:49
Most have heard this on Star Wars.Com. The end of this piece is a variation on the Love Theme which is dark.
14 - The Birth Of The Twins and Padme's Destiny 3:37
A lilting bass line from Across the Stars is overscored by a harp and glockenspiel (sounding Wink ). It is then followed by a majestic version of Qui-Gon's Funeral Theme (which I feel has just become the Naboo Funeral Theme) which is played about three times in total.
15 - A New Hope and End Credits 13:06
This is the longest piece of music on the soundtrack. A beautiful segue into Leia's Theme is followed by the Force Theme. The Force Theme is repeated and grows (but don't expect a big finale) before we enter the End Credit sequence.
Leia's Theme follows the standard Star Wars End Credit Theme. Battle of the Heroes takes off where Leia's Theme finishes. The Throne Room Theme then hits in at the end of BotH. The middle section of the The Throne Room is extremely legato compared to the ending in ANH. After this part is finished its back into the main section.
It sounds like it is about to finish as in ANH when it suddenly enters a really delicate version of the Force Theme. The Theme then shifts up and plays again before entering the Throne Room Theme once more. This plays out until the finale Star Wars Theme.
I think this is the Episode 3 opening/approaching the battle
http://s47.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=081MLSAHOVF0N090DOVC9QE9SR
also another preview to Battle of the heroes
Originally posted by master sifadius
I think this is the Episode 3 opening/approaching the battlehttp://s47.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=081MLSAHOVF0N090DOVC9QE9SR
no its not.
I didn't listen to the one that was posted earlier but here is the REAL opening track:
http://s31.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=041AD0333GTJX2TIH2QU6JUKFF
it is real I swear... trust me 😄