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