A New Hope

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Your second set work for Music for Stage & Screen is J Williams: Main title/rebel blockade runner (from the soundtrack to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope).

A New Hope

Episode IV was released in 1977 and sees the Rebel Alliance trying to destroy the Galactic Empires Space Station, the Death Star.

John Williams

John Williams is one of the most famous film composers and has written other well known works for films such as ET, Home Alone, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.

Dynamics

The introductory fanfare is marked ff which is very loud.
The dynamics increase after the middle section and returns to f (Forte/loud) in bar 39.
The piece ends with the dynamics dropping to pp (very quiet/Pianissimo) which sets up for the next scene in the film.

Rhythm

There are triplets within the opening fanfare and throughout the piece.
These are one of the main features of the iconic melody.
The metre changes at bar 44 to 3/4.
There is a rit/ritardando (gradually slowing down) in bar 20 and bar 47.

Other Famous Film Scores by John Williams

John Williams is one of the most famous film composers and has written other well known works for films, such as:

ET

Home Alone

Indiana Jones

Jurassic Park

1Musical Elements

1.1Organisation of Pitch

1.1.1Melodic Pitch

1.1.2Melodic Devices

1.1.3Harmonic Pitch

1.1.4Harmonic Devices

1.1.5Harmonic Progressions

1.2Tonality

1.2.1Major & Minor Tonality

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Musical Elements

2Instrumental Music 1700–1820

2.1Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.1Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.2Structure & Melody

2.1.3Instrumentation & Texture

2.1.4Harmony

2.1.5Wider Listening

2.2Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’

2.2.1Piano Sonata No. 8

2.2.2Structure & Melody

2.2.3Other Features

2.2.4Wider Listening

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820

3Vocal Music

3.1Purcell: Music for a While

3.1.1Music for a While

3.1.2Other Features

3.1.3Wider Listening

3.2Queen: Killer Queen

3.2.1Killer Queen

3.2.2Other Features

3.2.3Wider Listening

3.2.4End of Topic Test - Vocal Music

4Music for Stage & Screen

4.1Schwartz: Defying Gravity

4.1.1Defying Gravity

4.1.2Other Features

4.1.3Wider Listening

4.2Williams: Star Wars Episode IV

4.2.1A New Hope

4.2.2Structure & Melody

4.2.3Other Features

4.2.4Wider Listening

4.2.5End of Topic Test - Music for Stage & Screen

5Fusions

5.1Afro Celt Sound System: Release

5.1.1Release

5.1.2Other Features

5.1.3Wider Listening

5.2Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

5.2.1Samba Em Preludio

5.2.2Structure & Melody

5.2.3Other Features

5.2.4Wider Listening

5.2.5End of Topic Test - Fusions

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