Shmi's motif

"Shmi's Theme" is a minor theatrical theme used to represent Shmi Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It was written by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra in 1999. It made only one appearance in the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack two minutes and twelve seconds into the track "Anakin Is Free." The motif is mainly composed of a single flute solo. It is homophonic, non-metrical, and is in a minor mode.

Conception and development
John Williams was chosen to write the score for the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as had been the case for all three of the Original trilogy films. He wrote "Shmi's Theme" specifically to represent the character of Shmi Skywalker, mother of Anakin Skywalker and slave to Watto on Tatooine. Williams used the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Voices to perform the score. However, only the orchestra was used in "Shmi's Theme." The theme was released on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack CD by Sony Classical on May 4, 1999, and the Ultimate Edition was released on November 14, 2000.

Summary
The entire theme is mainly comprised of a single flute solo. A slow, emotional piece, the flute utilizes vibrato throughout the entire solo. The solo is backed by quiet violins, and the harp plays small phrases throughout the piece. The motif is homophonic, non-metrical, and is in a minor mode.

In the soundtracks
The piece makes only one short appearance two minutes and twelve seconds into the track "Anakin Is Free" on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack.

In the movies
The theme appears exclusively in the scene in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace where Anakin Skywalker makes his last farewell to his mother, Shmi Skywalker, before leaving Tatooine, freed from slavery.