Underscore

With the exuberant Main Title still ringing in our ears, we turn our attention today to the many character themes that populate the underscore of John Williams' STAR WARS (1977). Examining this music uncovers a masterclass of melodic writing for film: from the short jingle-like motifs for the Rebel starships & Imperial soldiers to the lyrical, upward reaching anthems for Princess Leia and spiritual master Obi-wan Kenobi. We explore what each of these themes reveals of their characters, marveling at their ingenious & complementary expressions of rhythm, pitch, harmony and emotion. To help us in our discovery, we are joined by Dr. Jefferson Campbell, world-renowned Bassoonist and professor at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he continues to instruct on film music. Dr. Campbell is an authority on the music of the STAR WARS saga, frequently presenting his lecture "John Williams: The Other Star Wars Storyteller". With Dr. Campbell's help, we take a historical glance at the franchise, apprecia