The score from The Empire Strikes Back, 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...

, was recorded in 18 sessions at Anvil Studios over three days in December 1979 and a further six days in January 1980 with Williams conducting 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:...

. Between Star Wars

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...

and The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...

, Williams had also worked with the London Symphony Orchestra for the film's score of The Fury, Superman

Superman music

The various film and television appearances of the Superman character have been accompanied by musical scores.-Radio, cartoons, early films:*The radio shows of the early 1940s already had the famous phrases, "Faster than a speeding bullet... It's a bird... it's a plane... it's Superman!" uttered by...

and Dracula. The score won another Oscar nomination for Williams. Again, the score was orchestrated by Herbert W. Spencer

Herbert W. Spencer

Herbert Winfield Spencer was a film and television composer and orchestrator.Spencer gained industry fame when he teamed up with fellow 20th Century Fox orchestrator Earle Hagen in 1953 to create the Spencer-Hagen Orchestra...

, recorded by engineer Eric Tomlinson and edited by Kenneth Wannberg with supervision by Lionel Newman

Lionel Newman

Lionel Newman was an American conductor, pianist, and film and television composer. He was the brother of Alfred Newman and Emil Newman, uncle of Randy Newman, David Newman and Thomas Newman, and grandfather of Joey Newman....

. John Williams himself took over duties as record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 from Star Wars creator George Lucas

George Lucas

George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...

.

The soundtrack was first released in the US as a 75-minute double LP five days before the premiere of the film but the first compact disc release ran only half the length of the 2 LP set. Re-recordings of the score even included music that was not on the original CD soundtrack.

Overview

In 1980, the disco label RSO Records released the film's original soundtrack in a double-album, with two long-playing (LP) records. Combined, the two records featured 75 minutes of film music. This double LP package also included a booklet presentation with pictures of the main characters and action sequences from the film. Featured at the end of the booklet was an interview with John Williams about the music and the new themes, such as the "Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" and "Yoda's Theme". It also included a brief explanation of each track. The front cover artwork featured the mask of Darth Vader against the backdrop of outer space; and the back cover featured the famous "Gone with the Wind" version of the poster art. As a side note, this package marked the final time a double LP soundtrack set was ever issued (Episode VI, the final movie to have an LP soundtrack released, had only a single disc, also released by RSO Records). A double-cassette edition was also released.

In the UK, a single vinyl album and cassette were released in 1980 by RSO Records. This comprised only 10 tracks, which were also re-arranged differently. For instance, the first track on the UK release is the "Imperial March" instead of the "Star Wars/Main Theme". This track listing would be used for the first international CD release of the album in 1985. Also unlike the US version, this release did not have a booklet but the information (and some photographs) were replicated on the inner sleeve.

In 1985, the first Compact Disc (CD) release of the soundtrack was issued by Polydor Records, which had by that time absorbed RSO Records and its entire music catalog. As with the original UK vinyl and cassette release of the album, this CD release reduced the music content from the 75 minutes featured in the 1980 US double-album down to 42 minutes.

In 1993, 20th Century Fox Film Scores released a special four-Compact Disc box set: Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology. This anthology included the soundtracks to all three of the original Star Wars films in separate discs. The disc dedicated to The Empire Strikes Back restored almost all of the original 75 minutes from the 1980 LP version and included new music cues never released before for a total of nineteen tracks. On the fourth bonus disc, five additional tracks from Empire were included in a compilation of additional cues from the other two films. This CD release also marked the first time that the famous "20th Century Fox Fanfare" composed by Alfred Newman in 1954 was added to the track listing, preceding the Star Wars Main Theme.

In 1997, RCA Victor released a definitive two-disc set coinciding with the Special Edition releases of the three movies of the original trilogy. This original limited-edition set featured a 32-page black booklet that was encased inside a protective outer slipcase. The covers of the booklet and the slipcase had the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition poster art. This booklet was very detailed, providing extensive notes on each music cue and pictures of the main characters and action sequences from the movie. The two discs were placed in sleeves that were on the inside front and inside back covers of the booklet. Each disc had a glittery laser-etched holographic logo of the Empire. The musical content featured the complete film score for the first time. It had all of the previously released tracks (restoring the Mynock Cave music which was left off the 1993 release), included extended versions of five of those tracks with previously unreleased material, and six brand new tracks of never before released music for a total of 124 minutes. All the tracks were digitally remastered for superior clarity of sound. They were also re-arranged and re-titled from the previous releases to follow the story of the film in chronological order. RCA Victor re-packaged the Special Edition set later in 1997, offering it in slimline jewel case packaging as an unlimited edition, but without the stunning presentation and packaging that the original "black booklet" version offered.

In 2004, Sony Classical acquired the rights to the classic trilogy scores since it already had the rights to release the second trilogy soundtracks (The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones). And so, in 2004, Sony Classical re-pressed the 1997 RCA Victor release of the Special Edition Star Wars trilogy, including The Empire Strikes Back. The set was released in a less-than-spectacular package with the new art work mirroring the first DVD release of the film. Despite the Sony digital remastering, which minimally improved the sound heard only on high-end stereos, this 2004 release is essentially the 1997 RCA Victor release.

Track listing for the first US release on LP

• First release on LP by RSO.

Side one

1. Star Wars (Main Theme) – 5:49
2. Yoda's Theme – 3:24
3. The Training of a Jedi Knight – 3:17
4. The Heroics of Luke and Han – 6:18

Side two

1. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) – 2:59
2. Departure of Boba Fett – 3:30
3. Han Solo and the Princess – 3:25
4. Hyperspace – 4:02
5. The Battle in the Snow – 3:48

Side three

1. The Asteroid Field – 4:10
2. The City in the Clouds – 6:29
3. Rebels at Bay – 5:23
4. Yoda and the Force – 4:01

Side four

1. The Duel – 4:07
2. The Magic Tree – 3:32
3. Lando's Palace – 3:52
4. Finale – 6:28

Total Time: 74:34

Track listing for the original UK release and first international release on CD

• First release on CD by Polydor.

1. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) – 3:00
2. Yoda's Theme – 3:27
3. The Asteroid Field – 4:10
4. Han Solo and the Princess – 3:26
5. Finale – 6:25
6. Star Wars (Main Theme) – 5:48
7. The Training of a Jedi Knight – 3:05
8. Yoda and the Force – 4:02
9. The Duel – 4:03
10. The Battle in the Snow – 3:48

Total Time: 41:23

Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology

In 1993, 20th Century Fox Film Scores released a four CD box set containing music from the original Star Wars Trilogy. Disc two in the set was devoted to The Empire Strikes Back, with further tracks on disc four.

1. 20th Century Fox Fanfare with CinemaScope Extension (Alfred Newman, 1954) – 0:22
2. Main Title/The Imperial Probe (Extended version) – 7:58
3. Luke's Escape – 3:34
4. Luke's Rescue – 1:45
5. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) – 2:59
6. The Battle in the Snow – 3:45
7. Luke's First Crash – 4:12
8. The Rebels Escape Again – 2:59
9. The Asteroid Field – 4:14
10. Yoda's Theme – 3:26
11. Han Solo and the Princess – 3:26
12. The Training of a Jedi Knight – 3:13
13. The Magic Tree – 3:32
14. Yoda and the Force – 4:02
15. City in the Clouds – 6:50
16. Lando's Palace – 3:52
17. The Duel – 4:14
18. Hyperspace – 4:03
19. Finale/End Credits – 6:18

"Bonus Tracks" (disc four of the same set):
(Note: Parts of tracks 6 and 17 on this particular set have their left & right channels reversed).

6. Drawing the Battle Lines/Leia's Instructions - 4:02

8. Attack Position - 3:04

9. Crash Landing - 3:34

17. Carbon Freeze/Luke Pursues the Captives/Departure of Boba Fett - 11:08

18. Losing a Hand - 1:14

21. Ewok Celebration (Film Version)/End Credits (Film Version)

The first part of track 21, "Ewok Celebration (Film Version)", is from Return of the Jedi

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (soundtrack)

The Return of the Jedi score was recorded at the Abbey Road studios in January and February 1983. Again, John Williams conducted the London Symphony Orchestra and served as producer. Orchestrator Herbert W. Spencer, engineer Eric Tomlinson, music editor Kenneth Wannberg, and record supervisor...

.

Track listing for the complete score

In preparation for the 20th anniversary releases of the Special Editions of the original trilogy of films, 20th Century Fox spent four months, from April to July 1996, transferring, cleaning and preparing the original soundtracks for special two disc releases. The original release, by RCA Victor in 1997, consisted of limited edition books with laser etched CDs inside the front and back covers with each book. In the case of The Empire Strikes Back, the discs are etched with the logo for the Empire. The discs were given an unlimited release in a two disc jewel case, also by RCA Victor later that year. They were again re-released in 2004 by Sony Music, with new artwork paralleling the first DVD release of the original trilogy.

Disc one

1. 20th Century Fox Fanfare (Alfred Newman, 1954) – 0:22
2. Main Title/The Ice Planet Hoth – 8:09
3. The Wampa's Lair/Vision of Obi-Wan/Snowspeeders Take Flight – 8:44
4. The Imperial Probe/Aboard the Executor – 4:24
5. The Battle of Hoth – 14:48
   1. The Ion Cannon – 4:01
   2. Imperial Walkers – 3:38
   3. Beneath the AT-AT – 4:01
   4. Escape in the Millennium Falcon – 3:08
6. The Asteroid Field – 4:15
7. Arrival on Dagobah – 4:54
8. Luke's Nocturnal Visitor – 2:35
9. Han Solo and the Princess – 3:26
10. Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave – 5:44
11. The Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree – 5:16

Total Time: 62:41

Disc two

1. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) – 3:02
2. Yoda's Theme – 3:30
3. Attacking a Star Destroyer – 3:04
4. Yoda and the Force – 4:02
5. Imperial Starfleet Deployed/City in the Clouds – 6:04
6. Lando's Palace – 3:53
7. Betrayal at Bespin – 3:46
8. Deal with the Dark Lord – 2:37
9. Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett – 11:50
10. The Clash of Lightsabers – 4:18
11. Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace – 9:10
12. The Rebel Fleet/End Title – 6:28

Total Time: 61:42

Problems with the Anthology and Special Edition Release

The Anthology release restored all of the music featured on the double LP of Empire, with the exception of "This is No Cave". However, there are several sound quality issues with the release. The beginning of "Luke's Escape" (a harp introduction) is slightly abbreviated. The stereo channels in "Leia's Instruction" and "Departure of Boba Fett" are reversed. "The Rebels Escape Again" is missing a single bar of music.

For the Special Edition release of Empire, most of the previously released cues were remixed by Bruce Risner. While these remixes offer greater clarity, their quality is severely lacking in several respects. First, the stereo field is very narrow and the left/right separation is minimal. Second, several instrument channels, including the horns and harp have been relocated in such a way that the stereo setup is inaccurate. Third, the sound has a harsh quality, which is particularly evident in the brass. Fourth, the instruments sound closely miced and the ambience of the recording chamber is minimal. Fifth, the cue "Leia's Instruction" is significantly out of tune, and other cues have slight tuning problems. The cues not remixed by Risner still suffer from a harsher sound compared to their Anthology counterparts. "Luke's Escape" ("The Wampa's Lair") contains several artifacts.

The Special Edition release does not feature the film version of "Finale/End Title". The film version of "Luke's Nocturnal Visitor," which features an alternate ending, has never been released.