Star Wars

Handling of Forces

  • (Bars 1-6) Tremolo on strings.
  • Avoiding use of electronic sounds and solo sections.
  • Full symphony orchestra.
  • (Bars 4-6) Doubling of parts.
  • (Bar 29) Harp Glissando (slide).
  • (Bar 33) Pizzicato
Introduction (1-3)
  • Fanfare like figures played in the brass
  • Staccato triplet figures
  • Free imitation between trombone and tuba
  • Quadruple time
  • Fortissimo
  • Inverted tonic pedal and tremolando - violins
Main theme A (4-7)
  • High trumpets play heroic leitmotif
  • Syncopation in lower range instruments (bassoon, low strings) emphasises by snare drum
  • Woodwind and upper strings continue inverted tonic pedal and tremolando
  • Fortissimo
Main theme repeated (8-11)
  • Melody repeated on trumpet
  • Descending bass on accompaniment
  • Semi quaver lower auxiliary figure on alternate beats
Contrasting section B (11-20)
  • Melody played in strings in octaves
  • Glockenspiel plays important parts of melody
  • Horns, piano, oboe play accompanying block chords
  • Harmony reinforced by triplet figures on piano/flute/harp/clarinet
  • dominant pedal
  • mezzo forte
Main theme A played twice (21-9)
  • Melody doubles across 3 octaves
  • Ascending scale like passages in woodwind
  • Syncopated chords
  • Glissando in harp links to next section
  • fortissimo
Link (30-32)
  • fanfare-like material
  • Rapid ascending sequences in bassoon/flutes/strings
  • chord is built using repeated triplet/semiquaver rhythms
Transition (33-35)
  • Brass and woodwind sustain strange/unstable harmonies
  • Rapid arpeggio phrases

\