Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (soundtrack)

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hopesoundtrack
Attribution information
Author(s)	John Williams
Editor(s)	Michael Mattessino
General information
Genre(s)	Film score
Timeline	0 BBY/0 ABY

"John Williams has a score of unstinting dimension, soaring string sections and thundering basses and brilliant horns, which performed by the London Symphony Orchestra for the superlative sound system, lifts you out of your seat."

―Charles Champlin

The first score to Star Wars was composed and conducted by John Williams and orchestrated by Herbert Spencer (who orchestrated all three films of the Original Trilogy). Recorded over eight sessions at Anvil Studios in Denham, England by Eric Tomlinson from March 5, 8–12, 15 and 16, 1977, the score was performed by the 87-piece London Symphony Orchestra.

The film premiered on May 25, 1977 and by late summer a disco version of the Star Wars Theme by Meco became America's number one song. Williams received three Grammys in February 1978 and his third Academy Award (second for Best Original Score) in April.

A three-LP 40th anniversary box set was released on December 1, 2017. Remastered editions of the soundtracks for Episodes I-VI were released on May 4, 2018.

Track listing for the first release on LP

• First release on LP by 20th Century of the original soundtrack. John Williams selected 74 minutes of music out of the 88 minutes score.

Side One

1. Main Title – 5:20
2. Imperial Attack – 6:10
3. Princess Leia's Theme – 4:18
4. The Desert and the Robot Auction – 2:51

Side Two

1. Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack – 3:46
2. The Little People Work – 4:02
3. Rescue of the Princess – 4:46
4. Inner City – 4:12
5. Cantina Band – 2:44

Side Three

1. The Land of the Sandpeople – 2:50
2. Mouse Robot and Blasting Off – 4:01
3. The Return Home – 2:46
4. The Walls Converge – 4:31
5. The Princess Appears – 4:04

Side Four

1. The Last Battle – 12:05
2. The Throne Room and End Title – 5:28

Total Time: 74:58

Track listing for the first release on CD

• First release on CD by Polydor.

1. Main Theme – 5:20
2. Imperial Attack – 6:10
3. Princess Leia's Theme – 4:18
4. The Desert and the Robot Auction – 2:51
5. Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack – 3:46
6. The Little People Work – 4:02
7. Rescue of the Princess – 4:46
8. Inner City – 4:12
9. Cantina Band – 2:44
10. The Land of the Sandpeople – 2:50
11. Mouse Robot and Blasting Off – 4:01
12. The Return Home – 2:46
13. The Walls Converge – 4:31
14. The Princess Appears – 4:04
15. The Last Battle – 12:05
16. The Throne Room and End Title – 5:28

Total Time: 74:58

Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology

In 1993, Twentieth Century Fox Film Scores released a four CD box set containing music from the original Star Wars Trilogy. This release marked the first time that the complete contents of the original double-LP releases of the scores from the first two movies became available on CD. Disc one in the set was devoted to Star Wars, with further tracks on disc four. For this set, John Williams selected 84 minutes of the 88 minute score.

Track listing for the complete score

Available on RCA Victor (1997) and Sony Classical (2004) presenting the complete score in chronological order.

These two releases are essentially the same; one of the few differences is that the 1997 release included a booklet with detailed notes on the soundtrack, while the 2004 release did not.

Digitally remastered and re-edited from the original master tapes, this set is meant to be the definitive collection of the original Star Wars score.

Disc One

1. 20th Century Fox Fanfare (Alfred Newman, 1954) – 0:23
2. Main Title/Rebel Blockade Runner – 2:14
3. Imperial Attack – 6:43
4. The Dune Sea of Tatooine/Jawa Sandcrawler – 5:01
5. The Moisture Farm** – 2:25
6. The Hologram/Binary Sunset – 4:10
7. Landspeeder Search/Attack of the Sandpeople – 3:20 !(00:00-00:21)
8. Tales of a Jedi Knight/Learn About the Force* – 4:29
9. Burning Homestead – 2:50
10. Mos Eisley Spaceport – 2:16
11. Cantina Band – 2:47
12. Cantina Band #2* – 3:56
13. Archival Bonus Track: Binary Sunset* (Alternate) – 2:19

• contains the hidden track "Star Wars Main Title (Complete recording session version)" 11:56

Total Time: 57:35

*previously unreleased

**contains previously unreleased material

Disc Two

1. Princess Leia's Theme – 4:27
2. The Millennium Falcon/Imperial Cruiser Pursuit – 3:51
3. Destruction of Alderaan* – 1:32
4. The Death Star/The Stormtroopers* – 3:35
5. Wookiee Prisoner/Detention Block Ambush – 4:01
6. Shootout in the Cell Bay/Dianoga – 3:48
7. The Trash Compactor – 3:07
8. The Tractor Beam/Chasm Crossfire – 5:18
9. Ben Kenobi's Death/Tie Fighter Attack – 3:51
10. The Battle of Yavin – 9:07
    1. Launch from the Fourth Moon* – 1:12
    2. X-Wings Draw Fire – 5:38
    3. Use The Force – 2:17
11. The Throne Room/End Title – 5:38

Total Time: 48:16

• Although most likely a typographical mistake, the word "Battle" in track ten is spelled with only one "t" on both the CD inlet and back cover.

*previously unreleased

Recording Information

Orchestra

Woodwind: 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons

Brass: 8 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 tubas

Percussion: Timpani, 3 percussion

Keyboards: Piano, Celeste

Strings: 2 harps, 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 10 cellos, 6 double basses

Cantina Band: 3 saxophones, 1 trumpet, 1 clarinet, Fender Rhodes piano, steel drum, Arp synthesizer, drum kit, and percussion

Cue List

• R1P2 Main Title
• R1P3 Imperial Attack - Pt. II [The War]
• R1P4-R2P1 Imperial Attack [The Escape Hatch]
• R1P5-R2P1 The Desert [Desert Song]
• R2P2 The Little People
• R2P3 The Little People
• R2P3 NEW The Little People
• R2P3 REV More Little People
• R2P5 REV More Little People
• R2P4 [R2P6] R-2
• R3P1 The Princess Appears
• R3P1 REV The Princes[s] Appears
• R3P1 REV Princess Leia's Theme [The Princess Appears]
• R3P2 NEW
• R3P2 Lost R2
• R3P2 REV Lost R-2
• R3P3 The Sand Speeder
• R3P3 REV The Sand Speeder
• R3P3 REV The Land of the Sand People [The Sand Speeder]
• R3P4-R4P1 REV Land of the Sand People Pt II [The Sandman Attacks]
• R3P4-R4P1 The Sand Man Attacks
• R3P4-R4P1 REV The Sand Man Attacks
• R4P2 Obi-Wan Kenobi
• R4P2 Land of the Sand People Pt III [Obi-Wan Kenobi]
• R4P2A The Force
• R4P3 The Princess Reappears
• R4P4 REV The Return Home [A Home Destroyed]
• R4P4 A Home Destroyed
• R4P4 REV A Home Destroyed
• R5P1 A Hive of Villany
• R5P6 The Inner City
• R5P6 REV The Inner City
• R6P1 Blasting Away
• R6P5 NEW The Destruction of Alderon
• R7P1 NEW Is It A Bird?
• R7P2 The Hatch Opens
• R7P2 The Mouse Robot
• R8P2 NEW More Rescue
• R8P2 REV New Introduction to The Rescue
• R8P2 The Rescue
• R8P3 The Water Snake
• R8P3 REV The Water Snake
• R8P4 The Walls Converge
• R9P1 Ben Creeps Around
• R9P2 The Swashbucklers
• R9P3-R10P1 Ben's Death
• R10P2 The Fighters Attack [Here They Come]
• R10P3-R11P1 Standing By [Stand By]
• R11P2 REV The Last Battle Pt II [Approaching the Target]
• R11P2 Approaching the Target
• R12P2X
• R12P2 The Throne Room and End Title [End Titles]
• The Princess Theme

Original Recording Log

The score for Star Wars was recorded over the span of 8 days in the month of March 1977. The 1997 Special Edition soundtrack release by RCA Victor included a detailed look at the recording log for all the cues in the film.

Recording Date: March 5, 1977 - Day 1

Recorded Take	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Take	Film Order
1-7	Chasm Crossfire	R9P2 The Swashbucklers	5, 7	31
8-10	The Death Star	R7P1 Is It A Bird?	10	23
11-15	Ben Kenobi's Death	R9P3-R10P1 Ben's Death	13, 15	32
16-20	Main Title	R1P2 Main Title	18, 19, 20	1
21-23	The Hologram	R3P1 The Princess Appears	22	8

Recording Date: March 8, 1977 - Day 2

Recording Take	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Take	Film Order
24-27	Shootout In The Cell Bay	R8P2 REV New Introduction to The Rescue R8P2 The Rescue	26, 27	27
28-40	Princess Leia's Theme	The Princess Theme	33, 40	N/A
41-50	Imperial Attack (Part 1)	R1P3 Imperial Attack - Pt. II [The War]	44, 50	2
51-53	The Tractor Beam	R9P1 Ben Creeps Around	53	30
54-55	Binary Sunset (Alternate)	R3P2 REV Lost R-2	N/A	N/A

Recording Date: March 9, 1977 - Day 3

Recorded Takes	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
56-58	Learn About The Force (Part 2)	R4P4 A Home Destroyed	58	15
59-63	Burning Homestead	R4P4 REV A Home Destroyed	62, 63	16
64-67	Wookiee Prisoner	R7P2 The Mouse Robot	67	25
68-72	Learn About The Force (Part 1)	R4P3 The Princess Reappears	72	14

Recording Date: March 10, 1977 - Day 4

Recorded Takes	Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
73-80	Cantina Band	76	18
81-82	Cantina Band #2	81	19

Recording Date: March 11, 1977 - Day 5

Recorded Takes	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
83-85	X-Wings Draw Fire	R11P2 REV The Last Battle Pt II [Approaching the Target]	85, 86	35
87-92	Landspeeder Search	R3P3 REV The Land of the Sand People [The Sand Speeder]	92	10
93-94	Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 2)		N/A	N/A
95-97	Tie Fighter Attack	R10P2 The Fighters Attack [Here They Come]	95, 97	33
98-105	The Trash Compactor	R8P4 The Walls Converge	101, 102	29
106-109	Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 2)	R4P2A The Force	109	13
110-114	The Stormtrooopers	R7P2 The Hatch Opens	114	24
115-116	Dianoga	R8P3 REV The Water Snake	116	28
117-122	Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 1)	R4P2 Obi-Wan Kenobi R4P2 Land of the Sand People Pt III [Obi-Wan Kenobi]	122	12
123-126	The Moisture Farm (Part 2)	R2P4 [R2P6] R-2	126	7

Recording Date: March 12, 1977 - Day 6

Recorded Takes	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
127-133	The Throne Room	R12P2 The Throne Room and End Title [End Titles]	132, 133	37
134-143	End Title	R12P2 The Throne Room and End Title [End Titles]	136, 137, 142, 143	38
144-149	Dune Sea Of Tatooine	R1P5-R2P1 The Desert [Desert Song]	149	4
150-154	Detention Block Ambush	R8P2 NEW More Rescue	153, 154	26
155-162	Launch From The Fourth Moon	R10P3-R11P1 Standing By [Stand By]	162	34
163-167	Imperial Attack (Part 2)	R1P4-R2P1 Imperial Attack [The Escape Hatch]	165, 167	3
168-172	Destruction Of Alderaan	R6P5 NEW The Destruction of Alderon	172	22
173-175	The Millennium Falcon	R5P6 The Inner City	175	20

Recording Date: March 15, 1977 - Day 7

Recorded Takes	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
176-180	Use The Force	R11P2 Approaching the Target	178, 180	36
181-185	Mos Eisley Spaceport	R5P1 A Hive of Villany	184, 185	17
186-188	Jawa Sandcrawler	R2P3 The Little People	186, 187, 188	5
189-197	The Moisture Farm (Part 1)	R2P5 REV More Little People	194, 197	6
198-202	Binary Sunset (Revised)	R3P2 Lost R2	202	9

Recording Date: March 16, 1977 - Day 8

Recorded Takes	Cue Title (Album)	Original Cue Title	Selected Takes	Film Order
203-209	Imperial Cruiser Pursuit	R6P1 Blasting Away	205, 206, 209	21
210-214	Attack Of The Sand People	R3P4-R4P1 REV Land of the Sand People Pt II [The Sandman Attacks]	213, 214	11
215-219	End Title (Crossover)	R12P2 The Throne Room and End Title [End Titles]	219	38

Sources

• The Jedi Master's Quizbook

Notes and references

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