Music of Stars Wars

Star Wars in Concert.

You can understand why it’s so popular. It’s always there. The fanfare. It’s like falling in love again. Luke, Leia, Han, Obi-Wan, Chewy. How can you forget? I haven’t.

Which is probably why Star Wars in Concert is touring through the United States starting in Fort Myers, Fla. and now makes its way through the small corner of Green Bay on June 3. It was supposed to have taken place in one of the bigger cities such as Madison. Somehow it didn’t. It ended up in Green Bay of all places.

And it was shown for one night only in Green Bay at the Resch Center during the illuminative laser light show. Not fireworks. But close enough. And the indepedence of the Rebellion. Yeah, that's close enought too. It’s okay. We’re kids again. Don’t worry about it.

This is one way to say thanks to the fans: thank you for your years of devotion Thank you for being goofy, fun and crazy again. And thank you for all the time and love. This is their way of giving back to the fans. Star Wars in Concert is a salute to the best of us. It’s nice to see the Star Wars geeks dressing up again as their beloved characters.

The concert itself is a ninety person orchestra filled with violins, flutes and percussions using the best… the many scores written by John Williams. And it is used against the flowing landscaping of movie, music and memories. Many familiar pieces of music are used including themes for Princess Leia, Vader and Yoda along with the Imperial March. You’ve heard them before. But it continues to dazzle and amaze because of its variety… there is a greatness to Williams’ work as it has his own vision for the film, very sweeping, very original. Right from the very first drumbeat, you know damn well it’s Star Wars.

I have always thought the Theme of Yoda was one of the most beautiful pieces ever created by Williams, a very subtle, charming piece, whimsical yet sweeping in its charm. And I have always liked the powerful structure of the Duel of the Fates which can be very compelling.

Imagine how bad the films would have been if they went with the original idea of using disco music for the soundtrack. John Travolta in space? Ouch. It’s a good thing they went with the orchestra.

But here it is, the theater of music. It brings the wealth of musical ideas in which brings greatness to the films: it is the music that often breaths life to the films. Williams clearly knows what he is doing when he wrote the music for the six films. No one messes with him. It is his thumbprint of music. You can’t deny it.

And it is Anthony Daniels, best known for the performance of C-3PO, who narrates for the audience the most exceptional pieces of Star Wars history. Daniels is probably the most charismatic man in the universe. He kicks great enthusiasm into the audiences. He recounts the inner child in all of us and takes us through the imagination of Stars Wars by the hand. He gives you the best seat in the house. Thank you Anthony Daniels.

It wouldn’t be the same without him. The films have always been shot through the point of view of the droids who have been in all of films in one way or another. They are the hook of the films. They are so lovable. So the droids are in every way important as the Jedi, princesses, emperors, warriors or Wookies who change the course of the stories. Daniels elevates the films by bringing his own perception to the concert. He has a great voice which sits you right in the middle of the galaxy once again.

There are also the gallery of props which come with the concert. In a way, it is like getting a little piece of Star Wars history right here. These are many prop which populate the films. You can see several suits that were used for Kit Fisto, Plo Koon along with more familiar characters such as Yoda, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and one of the most recognizable film highlights with Han Solo in carbonation. Yep, I was right there with Chewbacca. Growl!

Yes, it’s milking the cash cow for George Lucas and his pals again. It’s just another way of forking over the whole cash crop. Doesn’t Lucas have enough money in his pocket? Isn’t he rich enough to get more money off the poor saps who continue to give in more money to the engineers of Star Wars?

That’s okay. I don’t mind. And it’s a nice way of getting together with old friends, family and bringing your kids along to see it.

At least, the music crew were very creative about it this time. They were very imaginative about bringing Stars Wars again by using a movie screen to relive the many high points of the film saga. How can you not feel the excitement again? How can you not feel going through asteroid field in the Milllenium Falcon, going to Cloud City to witness the confrontation between father and son, seeing the Death Star getting souped up in an explosion again? How can you not wonder at the powerful beauty of Leia or get caught up with the Ewoks or stormtroopers?

Sure, you a few years older, with more creaks in the bones. But you are once again zapped back to the magical world of Star Wars by becoming that kid who was hit by the hurricane of craziness once again. At least you’re with a few people you know when you’re running through the highlights of the orchestra steeped in the bombardment of powerful noise fixed together in a chorus of music. In a way, the orchestra can be much louder than the explosions that goes on in the Star Warms films.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the prequels which do figure into the six movie arc. But they’re in the legacy of film history. Whether you liked them or not. They’re part of the expansive lattice of the Star Wars myths. Thanks to Williams, Daniels, Lucas and the rest of the crew, they’re making it very much part of the culture again. Once again, they’re making it relevant to the scene in Green Bay.

It’s good fun way of going back to the memories of Star Wars history. By using the music to retell the story. There are so many ways of telling the story. Star Wars in Concert is one way.

And you can feel okay by having that that stupid grin on your face when you watch the story that took place a long time ago in a galaxy far away. In the theater of the mind you can call music.