1. Star Wars: Episode IV – Main Title/Rebel Blockade
GCSE Set Works
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4. Who is the Composer John Williams?
John Williams composed some of the most popular and recognizable film scores ever:

5. John Williams Film Music
John Williams (born 1932) – American composer; his film scores have won many Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Grammy Awards for his music.
He writes films directed by Steven Spielberg including ‘Jaws’, Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind’, ‘Indiana Jones’, ‘ET’, ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’.
He wrote the music for all the ‘Star Wars’ films, ‘Superman’ and the first 3 ‘Harry Potter’ films.
He can write for dramatic action films, tense thrillers, sci-fi films and war films.
His music is frequently written for a large orchestra – which instruments
is ‘Star Wars’ written for? Which sections of the orchestra are used?

6. Star Wars: Episode IV was Released in 1977.
‘Episode IV’ was actually the 1st ‘Star Wars’ film to be made.
Episodes IV-VI were released between 1977 and 1983, followed by a prequel trilogy (episodes I-III) from
There’s a third trilogy being made – Episode VII was released at the end of 2015.
The epic saga is a combination of sci-fi and fantasy.
The films tell the story of the Rebel Alliance’s battle against the evil Galactic Empire.
In Episode IV, you meet Luke Skywalker and follow his journey as he learns about ‘the Force’ and becomes part of the Rebel Alliance.

7. Star Wars: Episode IV was Released in 1977.
The set work is played over the opening credits of the film.
The music accompanies scrolling text that sets the scene and explains what’s happening.
The rebel blockade runner is Princess Leia’s spaceship, which you see after the credits have finished.

8. Film Themes by John Williams – Leitmotifs
The ‘Indiana Jones’ Leitmotif
The ‘Harry Potter’ Leitmotif
The ‘Star Wars’ Leitmotif
The ‘Star Wars Imperial Death March’ Leitmotif
The ‘Jurassic Park’ Leitmotif

9. Use of Leitmotifs
A leitmotif is a phrase of music that represents a particular character or place.
Leitmotifs were used a lot in the in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Romantic period ( ).
A strong leitmotif for a character is important so that the listener can recognise it straight away.
‘Star Wars’ uses many different leitmotifs throughout the soundtrack.
Darth Vader, ‘the Force’ and Princess Leia have their own leitmotifs.

10. Rebel Blockade starts with a Fanfare – bars 1-3
The piece starts in a steady 4/4
Tempo marking is ‘maestoso’ which means ‘majestically’.
It starts with a fanfare played by the brass and percussion – this grabs the audience’s attention and establishes an optimistic feel and builds excitement.
The fanfare is loud – the first note is marked ‘sfz’ (sforzando – strongly accented) and the rest of the fanfare is ‘marcato’ (accented).
The rhythm of the fanfare is mainly triplets - they make the music sound energetic.
The melody of the fanfare moves in 4ths and 5ths which sounds heroic.
The trombones and trumpets play in canon in the fanfare – the trombones start, then the trumpets echo them one beat later.
The fanfare is in a polyphonic texture.

11. The Rebel Blockade Main Theme is a March – bars 4-29
There is a regular pulse, the accents are on the 1st beat of the bar,
the music is in a major key, the mood is bright and optimistic and full
of ‘hope’ – these are all musical features of a March.
This section (bars 4-29) is in ternary form – ABA:
Section A – Bars Main theme is dominated by brass instruments
Section B – Bars – gentle string section
Section A – Bars Main theme is dominated by brass instruments
Section A (bars 4-11 & bars 21-29):
Trumpets play the main tune, which moves by leap (disjunct motion)
Driving triplets in low brass, strings and percussion
Woodwind and violins play soaring high notes – like ‘flying through space’

12. The Rebel Blockade Main Theme is a March – bars 4-29
Section B (bars 12-20):
Strings play the main melody in unison
Driving triplets in low woodwind parts
Strings melody moves by step in conjunct motion
The overall texture is homophonic – the main trumpet/string melody is accompanied by the rest of the orchestra.
The size of the orchestra means that the texture is very thick
and the music is loud.
This section of the music (bars 4-29) accompanies the scrolling text.

13. There’s a Slower Quieter Section – bars 30-41
As the scrolling disappears, the music slows down and diminuendos as the screen goes blank.
This moment of peace only lasts a few seconds (bars 30-38)
As a pair of moons come into view, the music builds up again with a
dramatic crescendo and booming percussion (bars 39-41)

14. Final Climax – bars 42-end
Two spaceships come on screen, locked in battle – low, minor chords
with a driving triplet rhythm.
The music is tense – it slows down and builds to an intensity as the huge Imperial spaceship fills the screen.
You then hear the leitmotif that represents the Empire in pursuit
(from bar 51).
As the piece finishes there are long, low ominous sounding notes –
a sign of things to come.