Page 13 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2020)

JOHN WILLIAMS

05

06

Nevertheless, Williams makes the
relationship between the two
motifs clear: both melodies begin
with a major-sixth interval.
Like Leia’s theme in A New
Hope, the love theme makes its

first appearance in Empire’s
opening minutes, as Han tells
Luke via comlink that he’s
returning to Echo Base. The
melody continues to accompany
Leia and Han throughout their
subsequent journey, surging
04 “Han Solo and appear in The Empire Strikes assessment. “‘Han Solo and the to great heights in celebration
the Princess”

perfectly Back, but its place in the film is Princess’ is filled with much of Han’s derring-do at the
captures the largely replaced by a new theme, more caution than Leia’s theme,” conclusion of the chase through
loving-but- referred to alternately as “Han he says. “It has a push-pull, the asteroid field, and swelling

acerbic tone of
the relationship Solo and the Princess” and, which you hear through the in tragedy as Han is pulled away
between Leia more simply, “Love Theme.” entire movie. It’s what [Empire from Leia and onto the carbon-
and her favorite The cue accompanies both director] Irvin Kershner called freezing platform.
scoundrel (left).
Leia and Han as their shared a ‘game,’ because the subtext of In his analysis for the Star
05 The theme adventure draws out their true their harsh words is that they’re Wars Trilogy Original Soundtrack

takes on a
melancholy tone feelings for one another. falling for each other. That’s Anthology box set from 1993,

for The Empire As Matessino observes on the reflected in the theme.” Film Score Monthly founder
Strike’s Back’s piece, “This melody perfectly That “push-pull” structure is Lukas Kendall writes that “Han
bittersweet final
moments. complements the earlier theme, there as the main melody is Solo and the Princess” is heard
but trades in its pure innocence presented and then immediately “in its entirety in the movie,
06 Han and Leia for a more mature love theme repeated in a lower register. Leia’s beginning with the scene when

share a tender
moment before infused with an appropriate theme, on the other hand, builds Han and Leia are working inside
they are torn hesitancy and a sweeping upward on itself, pushing the the Falcon, their relationship
apart by the 19th-century Romanticism.” melody into higher registers in growing closer despite Leia’s
forces of the
Empire. Collins agrees with this a way that sounds aspirational. uncertainty. The moment is

STAR WARS INSIDER / 13