ESB 16: Attack of the Envelope (Minutes 76-80 with Jeremy Sawruk)

Opulent violins and sci-fi vocals can only mean one thing: We're approaching Cloud City! Composer/music technologist Jeremy Sawruk returns to the show to discuss minutes 76-80 of The Empire Strikes Back.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Hello there!
• 5:49 - Voice removal.
• 12:38 - Background "Morse code" sound.
• 16:34 - Errant horn entrance or sound design?
• 19:08 - Envelopes! (ADSR.)
• 26:25 - Open chord sound.
• 33:54 - Tense Han & Leia theme.
• 39:25 - A sharp cut in the music (visible on a spectogram).
• 46:34 - Methodical, meditative Force climb.
• 57:58 - Shroud of artificial harmonics.
• 1:02:03 - List of magic-evoking instruments.
• 1:06:53 - Another abrupt transition/cut.
• 1:21:00 - The best part of these minutes! (Soaring violin soli approaching Cloud City.)
• 1:29:08 - Sci-fi vocals.
• 1:35:41 - Comparing the Cloud City melody to the Sibelius Violin Concerto.
• 1:48:41 - Spectogram view of a busy section and R2's chirping.
• 2:04:02 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

• envelope (music): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Envelope_(music)
• Sibelius Violin Concerto (Maxim Vengerov performance): https://youtu.be/YsbrRAgv1b4
• Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/.

Cues:

• 8M2 "City In The Clouds"

Musical Themes:

• 11a. Han & Leia (A Section)
• 14. Boba Fett
• 12a. Yoda (A Section)
• 3. Force
• something like 35) Cascading Trumpet Lines?
• 15b. Cloud City 2 (Trouble in Bespin)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

• "Imperial Starfleet Deployed/City in the Clouds"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

• New answer: Space. Brass. Droids.
• Solo season answer: Big octatonic brass
• ANH season answer: Opera without words

2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

• New answer: The creation of the sound effects/sound design. Can I recreate some of these sounds on my ARP 2600?
• Solo season answer: The score for Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• ANH season answer: Musical / orchestrational “filler” and sound effects/foley

3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

• New answer: The Matrix by Don Davis, Bob's Burgers (series) composed by Loren Bouchard
• New answer: Star Trek by Jerry Goldsmith, Wall-E by Thomas Newman
• Previous answers: North by Northwest by Bernard Herrmann, Loki by Natalie Holt, Catch Me If You Can by John Williams

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Guest: Jeremy Sawruk

• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jsawruk
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/composer314
• Solo 18: Powered By Thirds (Minutes 86-90 with Jeremy Sawruk) - https://youtu.be/LsNQj3D7DM0
• ANH 16: Orchestration Wars (Minutes 76-80 with Jeremy Sawruk) - https://youtu.be/1owmn96ALVY

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