ESB 17: Pomp Without Circumstance

Musicologist Alex Ludwig (Dies Irae guru) returns to the show to discuss minutes 81-85 of The Empire Strikes Back! We talk about the form, orchestration, and rhythm of the Lando's Palace cue, the stern parenting of Yoda and Obi-Wan, and how the music paints the text.

Video version of this episode is here: https://youtu.be/tdJUdPsUQBQ 

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Intro.

  • 10:30 - Meeting Lando with some exhaust, a ship, and a clarinet glissando reminiscent of Rhapsody in Blue or Salome.

  • 16:02 - So many pedals!

  • 19:36 - Old-fashioned but unbalanced ABA-ish form.

  • 24:14 - Jocular cello pizz for Han's laugh.

  • 29:06 - Dotted rhythms are hard.

  • 36:50 - Echuta.

  • 43:08 - Transition from Cloud City to Dagobah.

  • 51:00 - Woodwinds on a bed of strings.

  • 56:04 - Bad cop, bad cop.

  • 1:03:43 - Solo horn, perfect text painting.

  • 1:06:54 - Do you ever fudge the minutes?

  • 1:14:53 - Does Obi-Wan's voice sound unusually deep here?

  • 1:21:15 - Last-minute pep talk.

  • 1:23:49 - Thrawn tangent, Wayland, Joruus C'baoth

  • 1:28:34 - Two very distinct atmospheres in the same cue.

  • 1:32:27 - Dies Irae.

  • 1:39:34 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 8M3 "Lando's Palace"

Musical Themes:

  • 15a. Cloud City 1 (Lando's Palace)

  • 1a. Main Theme (A Section)

  • 3. Force

  • 10a. Imperial March (Theme)

  • 12a. Yoda (A Section)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "Lando's Palace"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New answer: Stories in sound.

  • Solo season answer: Soaring searching strings.

  • ANH season answers: Triumphant brass fanfares. Ominous contrapuntal warblings.

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

  • New answer: What were the spotting sessions like for this film in particular?

  • Solo season answer: Who's gonna write the next paradigm-shifting Star Wars score?

  • ANH season answer: What it's like for new composers (Michael Giacchino, John Powell, Ludwig Göransson, etc) to play in the playground of Star Wars music -- to have all these themes at their fingertips, get to use them and take them to new places. "What is it like to get the keys to this kingdom as a composer?"

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

  • New answer: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (composed by Disasterpeace AKA Rich Vreeland)

  • Solo season answer: The Matrix trilogy (composed by Don Davis)

  • ANH season answer: The Social Network (composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) and Sunset Boulevard (composed by Franz Waxman)

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Guest: Alex Ludwig

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ESB 18: Glory of the Cloud Car

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ESB 16: Attack of the Envelope