Composing Greatness: #49. John Williams - "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019)

Scene from Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

Welcome to a very special edition of Composing Greatness. In this limited series, I will be looking at the five scores nominated for this year's Best Original Score category. To avoid favoritism, the list will be done in alphabetical order of composers and feature the same guidelines as the original series. This is meant to explore the music behind the great films of 2019, and provide insight into what makes each of them special and whether or not they deserved to be nominated at all. Join me all week as I listen to the music, leave some thoughts, and hopefully sway you to check out these wonderful, wonderful scores.

*Note: This entry is being written in conjunction with both the Oscars 2020 Edition series and the ongoing John Williams series. It will be republished when this entry comes up for the latter category with updated information.

Series Composer: John Williams

Entry: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score

Other Nominees:
-Joker (Hildur Guonadottir)
-Little Women (Alexandre Desplat)
-1917 (Thomas Newman)
-Marriage Story (Randy Newman)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 52

Oscar Wins: 5

Track Listing

1. "Fanfare and Prologue"

2. "Journey to Exegol"

3. "The Rise of Skywalker"

4. "The Old Death Star"

5. "The Speed Chase"

6. "Destiny of a Jedi"

7. "Anthem of Evil"

8. "Fleeing from Kijimi"

9. "We Go Together"

10. "Join Me"

11. "They Will Come"

12. "The Final Saber Duel"

13. "Battle of the Resistance"

14. "Approaching the Throne"

15. "The Force Is With You"

16. "Farewell"

17. "Reunion"

18. "A New Home"

19. "Finale"

Note: Listen to the score here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

What's So Great About It?

This is the culmination of themes from over the course of nine films. John Williams has proven himself to have one of the greatest ears for melody, and here he manages to place them all expertly in a way that captivates the listener and makes them buy into the adventure one last time. It's a beautiful achievement in the Star Wars saga that proves just how strong this book is with motifs old and new that have become commonplace at this place. After nine film scores for this franchise, he still has an excellent gift for giving it an excellent bravura. 

What's So Bad About It?

It's the ninth score that John Williams has done for this franchise and the sixth that he's been nominated for. What exactly makes this score original when you realize that the first minute of the score could be copy and pasted from what he did 40 years ago? It's still some of the finest work of establishing atmosphere and tone, but there's so much here that is immediately familiar and it doesn't bring much that's new to the game. Even in terms of the recent trilogy, it's not nearly as inspired as The Last Jedi and doesn't do enough to make it feel like the world of the music has grown in any significant way.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
No

Listen, what John Williams has done with Star Wars is a phenomenal achievement that could be used to teach music theory. Every new melody is so immediate that one can't help but commit it to memory. This is a testament to his craft. However, when great scores are disqualified for using obscure motifs that nobody knows, it seems offensive that Williams keeps getting nominated for these franchise scores where everyone in the world could hum and know the melody by heart. There is nothing wrong with the music, but in a world where There Will Be Blood and The Godfather miss out on nominations for doing less harm, it becomes frustrating to know how unfair of an advantage Williams has to this. He almost doesn't need to show up and he'll get nominated. It's totally unfair. 

Up Next: Thomas Newman - 1917 for Best Original Score

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by John Williams.

1. "Flying"- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
2. "Theme from Schindler's List" - Schindler's List (1993) 
3. "The Raiders March" - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
4. "Main Theme (Theme From 'Jaws')" - Jaws (1975)
5. "Theme From 'Superman'" - Superman (1978) 
6. "Prologue/Tradition" - Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
7. "Theme from JFK" - JFK (1991)
8. "Main Title and Mountain Visions" - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
9. "Prologue" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
10. "Sayuri's Theme" - Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
11. "Theme From Born on the Fourth of July" - Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
12. "Hymns of the Fallen" - Saving Private Ryan (1998)
13. "Cybertronics" - A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
14. "Munich, 1972" - Munich (2005)
15. "Sleepers at Wilkinson" - Sleepers (1996)
16. "Main Title and Escape" - Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
17. "The Dances of Witches" - The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
18. "The Adventures of Tintin" - The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
19. "Dry your Tears, Afrika" - Amistad (1997)
20. "Track 01" - The River (1984)
21. "Theme from Angela's Ashes" - Angela's Ashes (1999)
22. "Main Title/The Ice Planet/Hoth" - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
23. "Catch Me If You Can" - Catch Me If You Can (2002)
24. "Main Title" - The Towering Inferno (1974)
25. "The People's House" - Lincoln (2012)
26. "Main Title/Rebel Blockade/Runner Medley" - Star Wars (1977)
27. "Wednesday Special (Main Theme)" - Cinderella Liberty (1973)
28. "Lumos!" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2003)
29. "Main Title and The Attack of the Jakku Village" - Star Wars: The  Force Awakens (2015)
30. "Dartmoor 1912" - War Horse (2011)
31. "Suo Gan" - Empire of the Sun (1987)
32. "Fanfare and Prologue" - Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker (2019)
33. "Main Title/First Introduction/The Winton Flyer" - The Reivers (1969)
34. "Finale and End Credits"- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
35. "River Song"- Tom Sawyer (1973)
36. "The Patriot" - The Patriot (2000)
37. "Where Did My Childhood Go?" - Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
38. "Theme from 'Valley of the Dolls'"/"Theme from 'Valley of the Dolls' - Reprise" - Valley of the Dolls (1967)
39. "One Small Fact" - The Book Thief (2013)
40. "End Credits (Raiders March)" - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
41. "Home Alone Theme" - Home Alone (1990)
42. "Main Title (The Story Continues)" - Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi  (1983)
43. "Main Title... The White House Gate" - Nixon (1995)
44. "Opening Titles" - The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
45. "Main Theme" - The Accidental Tourist (1988)
46. "In Search of Unicorns" - Images (1972)

Best Song

A ranking of all Oscar-nominated songs composed by John Williams.

1. "Somewhere in My Memory" - Home Alone (1990)
2. "Nice to Be Around" - Cinderella Liberty (1973)
3. "When You're Alone" - Hook (1991)
4. "If We Were in Love" - Yes, Giorgio (1983)

Best Winner

A ranking of all winners composed by John Williams.

1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) for Best Music, Original Score
2. Schindler's List (1993) for Best Music, Original Score
3. Jaws (1975) for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
4. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) for Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score
5. Star Wars (1977) for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score

Rank the Nominees

1. Alexandre Desplat - Little Women
2. Randy Newman - Marriage Story
3. John Williams - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker