Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace instal the new

Just as George Lucas intended his movie to reflect an earlier time in the life of his universe, Williams' music follows suit, with choral passages that bring to mind both Prokofiev and Carl Orff (insofar as the choral material brings to mind Orff's interpretation of the Carmina Burana).

Of course, 'new' is a relative term when it comes to film music Williams' use of dramatic dissonance and discordance is somewhat innovative for the Star Wars series, as are the bravura choral passages, the score deliberately references the great film composers of the '30s and '40s. The multi-themed 'Duel of the Fates', in particular, uses the complete dynamic range of the digital studio for an effective punch. Composer John Williams continues to use his Boston Pops experience to good advantage, turning in a score that echoes the music and themes for the original trilogy of films (particularly the brooding theme for Darth Vader) while charting a direction for the new film. What's open to question is whether or not long-term fans will be as overjoyed with the remainder of the score.

This may be an artifact of the digital age, however - that fabled, oft-mentioned 'transparency.' Regardless, Star Wars fans will thrill at the sound of it. The familiar fanfare is there, in all of its swaggering-brass glory, though it seems a little less expansive in the actual depth of its instrumentation.

Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace instal the new