REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005) – Recording Sessions & Complete Cue List

 

Recording Sessions Summaries, by John Crichton (Days 1-5)


DAY ONE – 2/3/05

– “Padme’s Visit”- Unnumbered but report implies it’s from the latter part of the film. Dark and moody for a “tense encounter” between Anakin and Padme. Love Theme and Imperial March appear.

– Untitled and unnumbered- Scores the Dooku/Anakin duel at the start of the film. Non-thematic, heavily percussive. Possibly reminicent of “Duel with Dooku” from Ep. II. A tipani roll signals the end, followed by quiet “tentative” strings.

– “Palpatine’s Seduction”- Unnumbered. Anakin and Palpatine talk in the Chancellor’s Office. Very low. Perhaps a statement of Shmi’s Theme, and an instrumental statement of the Emperor’s Theme. Ends with a cymbal roll for a scene transition.

– “Heroes Collide”- Unnumbered. Scores the start of the Big Duel. “Sweeping strokes and fast punctuation”, with heavy percussion again. The cue plays through transitions between this and another fight happening elsewhere. The new theme appears in this cue. Has a quote of the cue in ESB where Vader Force-throws various things at Luke. Also features a strained statement of the Force Theme. No DotF, yet.

– “Another Happy Landing”- Unnumbered, takes place immediately after the film-opening Battle of Coruscant. Peaceful and reminicent of Arrival at Coruscant from TPM.

– “Yoda’s Fall”- Unnumbered. Less than a minute long and underscores “a specific action”. Presumably from late in the film.

– “Revisiting Padme”- Unnumbered, but seems to be from the first part of the film. Statement of the Love Theme, with “an undercurrent of dark uncertainty”. Ends in a woodwind crecendo for a transition.

– Unnamed, 7M1. Under heavy secrecy. “True to the film’s end, it’s tragic and emotional.”


DAY TWO – 2/4/05

– Concert piece of new theme, tentatively called “Revenge of the Sith”. A nine-note theme, and apparently very whistleable like all great Williams themes.

– “Revenge of the Sith”- 6M9- Underscores at least part of the Big Duel, the new theme is heavily featured. More heavy percussion, and will have a choral element to be recorded later. Statements of the Force Theme, and a crecendo of drums that suddenly cut out for a “shocking event”.

– “Good-bye Old Friend”- Unnumbered. Obi-Wan leaves his assault ship and departs in his fighter. Heavy and militaristic, and reminicent of the start of “Belly of the Steel Beast” from Last Crusade. A huge statement of the Force Theme as Obi-Wan docks his fighter o­nto a hyperspace ring and departs. There’s also a section that’s “dark and surreal” with dangerous percussion that scores another Anakin/Padme conversation.

– Unnamed. Something from Reel 7, including something that horn player David has been waiting 25 years to play. Possibly includes a statement of Leia’s Theme (the article is unclear as to if that’s here or in another cue).

 

DAY THREE – 2/7/05 (1st Day with the London Voices)

All major spoilers from the report have been invisotexed. 

Choral Session

-“Lament”- 5M3. “The most intense expression of feeling…Thickly textured, and wildly passionate…it was beautiful.” The cue accompanies a tragic montage of worlds, and the choral passage is similar to those from Return of the Jedi.

-“The Birth of the Twins”- 7M3. The o­nly music mentioned was (big spoilers, highlight to read): “As babies are handed to people, in another location ‘the helmet’ descends o­nto Anakin’s broken face, to just o­ne chord (minor of course) which builds from p to a deafening fff and back down again.” There is a soft statement of Luke’s Theme when he is born, followed by the Force Theme. Tears reportedly flowed when this cue was played.

– (mega spoilers) “The Death of Padme”- 7M4. Includes a reprise of a choral track from a previous score. This is probably the reprise of Qui-Gon’s funeral music, and includes a soft Imperal March statement.

“Padme’s Funeral”- 7M6. No other info.

– “Palpatine’s TV Set”- 3M2A. No other info.

Orchestra o­nly session

– At least part the Battle of Coruscant, actual number of cues unknown.- Unnumbered, but this is the start of the film. The cue heard is described as a cross between The Battle of Hoth and The Battle of Yavin and gets a “Cool!” from Lucas. Includes statements of the Battle Droid March and the Rebel Fanfare. Described as “pure fun” in the Hyperspace report.

– Title unknown, a conversation between Palpatine and Anakin- Unnumbered. Contains a solo for three cellos.

 

DAY FOUR – 2/8/05

– Title unknown, 6M7. The heart of the Big Duel. Music focuses totally o­n the characters rather than the active location around them. There is a “dramatic upswell” as loose lava heads their way. Not much more info o­n the music. According to Williams’ comment from Day o­ne it might be safe to assume that this is where Duel of the Fates appears, although the report doesn’t mention it.

– Untitled in the report, but probably “Fighting with Grievous”, which is 4M4A according to the cue sheet pic from Day o­ne. Very energetic, so much so Williams got lost during the run-through! At least part is like a more up-tempo version of the Imperial Walker piano music from The Battle of Hoth.

– Title unknown. Underscores “Darth Sidious’ o­nly moment of compassion ever” with chimes that sound like “church bells gone wrong.”

– No report of the afternoon session.

 

DAY FIVE – 2/9/05

– “End Credits”, 7M8. A full new End Credits suite, featuring the classic Luke’s Theme/Rebel Fanfare start, then a gliding harp starts off Leia’s Theme. This segues into the new “Revenge of the Sith” theme, followed by a concert presentation of the Throne Room motif from ANH, and a reprise of Leia’s Theme as the now-traditional prequel soft fadeout. Described as highly emotional with some tears flowing during recording.

– “Scenes and Dreams”. Over six minutes long. Starts off sweet with Anakin and Padme sharing a rare moment of peace and bliss. There’s a statement of the Love Theme, with no undercurrent of darkness or tension this time. A sudden change to shrill strings as Anakin has a nightmare. There is a statement of Anakin’s Theme from Ep. I, with “a fragile tinkle of bells,” as we see that Padme wears the japor snippet as a necklace. The cue takes a “moody” tone as Anakin describes his fears. The “somber tones” continue as Anakin and Yoda discuss the vision, including a Force theme statement. A brass transition ends the cue.

– “Moving Things Along”. Also over six minutes. Mostly non-thematic with transition and establishment flourishes. Mustafar, the lava planet, is seen for the first time, introduced with “a bellicose, percussive passage with blasts of hard brass.” The music turns atmospheric as we see Darth Sidious conferring via hologram, including statements of the Imperial March and Emperor’s Theme as Palpatine formally declares a New Order.

COMPLETE CUE LIST

Slate Title Recording Date
1M1 Fox Fanfare (old recording)
1M2 Star Wars Main Theme (old recording)
1M3 Boys Into Battle February 12th 2005
1M4 They’re Coming Around February 14th 2005
1M4a “Get ’em, R-2!” February 7th 2005
1M5 The Elevator Scene February 17th 2005
1M6 Count Dooku’s Entrance February 14th 2005
1M7 The Death of Dooku February 2nd 2005
2M1 [untitled] February 9th 2005
2M3 Another Happy Landing February 3rd 2005
2M4 Revisiting Padme Not assigned
2M5 Grievous Travels to Palpatine February 3rd 2005
2M6 Scenes and Dreams February 12th 2005
2M7 Be Careful of Your Friend February 13th 2005
3M1 Council Meeting February 14th 2005
3M2 Hold Me February 13th 2005
3M2a Palpatine’s TV Set February 7th 2005
3M3 Palpatine’s Big Pitch February 9th 2005
3M5 Goodbye Old Friend February 3rd 2005
3M6 Going to Utapau February 13th 2005
3M7 Riding the Lizard February 12th 2005
3M8 Obi-Wan Fares [sic] Droids February 12th 2005
4M1a Good Guys Arrive February 8th 2005
4M1x Drawing Swords February 3rd 2005
4M3 Palpatine’s Seduction February 2nd 2005
4M4 Rolling with Grievous February 13th 2005
4M4a Fighting with Grievous February 8th 2005
4M5 Dialogue with Mace February 17th 2005
4M5a Padme’s Ruminations February 8th 2005
4M6 I Am the Senate February 14th 2005
5M1 Palpatine Instructs Anakin February 3rd 2005
5M3 Lament February 7th 2005
5M3a Bail’s Escape February 14th 2005
5M4 “Swimming, Droids and Yoda Farewell” February 9th 2005
5M5 News of the Attack February 12th 2005
5M6 Moving Things Along February 9th 2005
5M7 Anakin’s Dark Deeds February 3rd 2005
6M1 It Can’t Be February 17th 2005
6M2 A Moody Trip February 12th 2005
6M3 Padme’s Visit February 2nd 2005
6M4 Heroes Collide February 2nd 2005
6M5 **Choir o­nly** Not assigned
6M6 Yoda Falls February 3rd 2005
6M7 The Boys Continue February 8th 2005
6M8 Rev. Yoda to Exile February 12th 2005
6M9 Revenge of the Sith February 3rd 2005
7M1 The Immolation Scene February 8th 2005
7M2 Anakin Crawling February 8th 2005
7M3 The Birth of the Twins February 7th 2005
7M4 The Death of Padme February 7th 2005 (heavy spoiler; highlight to read)
7M5 Plans for the Twins February 8th 2005
7M6 Padme’s Funeral February 7th 2005 (heavy spoiler; highlight to read)
7M7 A Home for the Twins February 7th 2005
7M8 End Credits February 17th 2005

Also recorded o­n February 3rd, Revenge of the Sith DVD Version (Battle of the Heroes, presumably)