Duel of the Fates
Encyclopedia
"Duel of the Fates" is a musical theme
recurring in the Star Wars
prequel trilogy and the Expanded Universe
. It was composed by John Williams
and recorded for the film soundtrack by the London Symphony Orchestra
(LSO) and the London Voices
. This symphonic piece is played with both a full orchestra
and a choir
. With the music video for this theme, the LSO became the only classical group to ever have a video debut on Total Request Live
. "Duel of the Fates" lasted 11 days on the countdown. The lyrics are based on a fragment of an archaic Welsh
poem Cad Goddeu
(Battle of the Trees), and sung in Sanskrit
.
duel between Qui-Gon Jinn
, Obi-Wan Kenobi
, and Darth Maul
in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
(although Williams conducted "Duel of the Fates" to appear as a concert suite in the end credits, rather than the film, Williams did record similar cues using the ostinato motif, and in one instance, a 'cut down' version, labelled the "Great Duel"). John Willliams stated the chorus was introduced to give a religious, temple-like feel to the epic lightsaber duel. Williams compared the setting of the battle to a pagan altar, and that the duel itself "seems like a dance or a ballet, a religious ceremony of some kind, probably ending in the death of one of the combatants" For Episode I, John Williams recorded a choirless version of "Duel of the Fates", then recorded the choir performing on its own, then layered the vocals over the choirless recordings.
An abridged version is played during Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
during Anakin's speederbike search for his mother.
The piece "Battle of the Heroes
" that was played in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
, during the battle sequence between the Jedi Master
Yoda
, and Emperor Palpatine, the Dark Lord of the Sith
, in the senate chamber on Coruscant
, and the simultaneous battle between Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader
) and Obi-Wan Kenobi
on Mustafar
, was inspired by Duel of the Fates but rewritten in a tragic mode
. Lucas had expressed in a documentary of The Phantom Menace that he wanted to use Duel of the Fates in his Part III liking how it portrayed the feeling of the doom of the dark side. But he decided not to use it mainly because it did not match the tragic mood of the duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Duel of the Fates does make an appearance during the Yoda/Darth Sidious fight scene. For this instance, John Williams re-recorded the choir and layered it over the vocal-less recording from Episode I.
"Duel of the Fates" can be heard in a number of Star Wars video games, including Star Wars Episode I: Racer, The Clone Wars, Lego Star Wars
, Revenge of the Sith video game
, Star Wars: Empire at War
, Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
. The theme also plays during Soulcalibur IV
whenever The Apprentice fights within either of the game's two Star Wars-themed stages, as well as during his extended ending.
-stick battle between Bart Simpson
and Seymour Skinner
.
The song was also used as the theme for the 2003 Broadcast of the Drum Corps International
World Championships on PBS.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
uses "Duel of the Fates" to announce the appearance of the players from the tunnel.
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
recurring in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
prequel trilogy and the Expanded Universe
Expanded Universe
The term Expanded Universe is generally used to denote the 'extension' of a media franchise with other media...
. It was composed by John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
and recorded for the film soundtrack by the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
(LSO) and the London Voices
London Voices
London Voices is a London-based choral ensemble led by Terry Edwards, who founded the ensemble in 1973...
. This symphonic piece is played with both a full orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. With the music video for this theme, the LSO became the only classical group to ever have a video debut on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. "Duel of the Fates" lasted 11 days on the countdown. The lyrics are based on a fragment of an archaic Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
poem Cad Goddeu
Cad Goddeu
Cad Goddeu is a medieval Welsh poem preserved in the 14th-century manuscript known as the Book of Taliesin. The poem refers to a traditional story in which the legendary enchanter Gwydion animates the trees of the forest to fight as his army...
(Battle of the Trees), and sung in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
.
Appearances in Star Wars films and Expanded Universe
The music had its debut during the final lightsaberLightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
duel between Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, and a main protagonist of the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Liam Neeson. He also appears in the Star Wars Expanded Universe of comic books, video games, and novels...
, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
, and Darth Maul
Darth Maul
Darth Maul is a fictional character in the science fiction saga Star Wars. He is one of the main antagonists of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
(although Williams conducted "Duel of the Fates" to appear as a concert suite in the end credits, rather than the film, Williams did record similar cues using the ostinato motif, and in one instance, a 'cut down' version, labelled the "Great Duel"). John Willliams stated the chorus was introduced to give a religious, temple-like feel to the epic lightsaber duel. Williams compared the setting of the battle to a pagan altar, and that the duel itself "seems like a dance or a ballet, a religious ceremony of some kind, probably ending in the death of one of the combatants" For Episode I, John Williams recorded a choirless version of "Duel of the Fates", then recorded the choir performing on its own, then layered the vocals over the choirless recordings.
An abridged version is played during Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
during Anakin's speederbike search for his mother.
The piece "Battle of the Heroes
Battle of the Heroes
"Battle of the Heroes" is a musical theme from the movie Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It was written by John Williams for the duel between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet Mustafar...
" that was played in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
, during the battle sequence between the Jedi Master
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
Yoda
Yoda
Yoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in the second and third original films, as well as all three prequel trilogy films. A renowned Jedi master, Yoda made his first on-screen appearance in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back where he is responsible for...
, and Emperor Palpatine, the Dark Lord of the Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
, in the senate chamber on Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
, and the simultaneous battle between Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
) and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
on Mustafar
Mustafar
Mustafar is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe. It is depicted in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.The planet is covered by hundreds of volcanic caldera, most of which are in a state of constant eruption...
, was inspired by Duel of the Fates but rewritten in a tragic mode
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
. Lucas had expressed in a documentary of The Phantom Menace that he wanted to use Duel of the Fates in his Part III liking how it portrayed the feeling of the doom of the dark side. But he decided not to use it mainly because it did not match the tragic mood of the duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Duel of the Fates does make an appearance during the Yoda/Darth Sidious fight scene. For this instance, John Williams re-recorded the choir and layered it over the vocal-less recording from Episode I.
"Duel of the Fates" can be heard in a number of Star Wars video games, including Star Wars Episode I: Racer, The Clone Wars, Lego Star Wars
Lego Star Wars
Lego Star Wars is a Lego theme that incorporates the Star Wars saga. The first Lego Star Wars, released in 1999, included model 7140, the first Lego X-Wing. Star Wars was the first intellectual property to be licensed in Lego Group history . The first few sets based on the original trilogy were...
, Revenge of the Sith video game
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (video game)
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith is the official LucasArts 2005 video game based on the movie of the same name. It centers around Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as the Clone Wars come to an end. It was released on May 5, 2005, for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance and...
, Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War is a 2006 real-time strategy game developed by Petroglyph Games and published by LucasArts. Set between Episode III and Episode IV, it focuses on the fledgling struggle between the Empire and the Rebels. It uses Petroglyph's game engine Alamo. The most recent patch was...
, Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a multimedia project developed by LucasArts along with Dark Horse Comics, Lego, Hasbro, and Del Rey Books...
. The theme also plays during Soulcalibur IV
Soulcalibur IV
is the fourth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008, in North America, on July 31, 2008, in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on August 1, 2008, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.The game is notable for...
whenever The Apprentice fights within either of the game's two Star Wars-themed stages, as well as during his extended ending.
Use outside of Star Wars
"Duel of the Fates" has also been used to reference and satirize Star Wars. For instance, in The Simpsons episode "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em", the song plays in a sequence parodying Star Wars, during an allergenAllergen
An allergen is any substance that can cause an allergy. In technical terms, an allergen is a non-parasitic antigen capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals....
-stick battle between Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Seymour Skinner
Seymour Skinner
Principal W. Seymour Skinner is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer. Born in Capitol City, he is the principal of Springfield Elementary School...
.
The song was also used as the theme for the 2003 Broadcast of the Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
World Championships on PBS.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
uses "Duel of the Fates" to announce the appearance of the players from the tunnel.
See also
- Star Wars musicStar Wars musicThe music of Star Wars consists of the scores written for all six Star Wars films by composer John Williams from 1977 to 1983 for the Original Trilogy, and 1999 to 2005 for the Prequel Trilogy. It includes the Star Wars: The Clone Wars music written by Kevin Kiner...
- "The Imperial MarchThe Imperial March"The Imperial March " is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
" - "Battle of the HeroesBattle of the Heroes"Battle of the Heroes" is a musical theme from the movie Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It was written by John Williams for the duel between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet Mustafar...
" - Immediate MusicImmediate MusicImmediate Music is a music composition company based in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, that is notable for providing a specialized library of high-end trailer music for commercial motion pictures. Since 1992, Immediate Music has licensed music from its library to hundreds of theatrical trailers and...
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (soundtrack)Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (soundtrack)Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released two weeks before the film of the same name in May 1999, and was composed by John Williams...