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HomeNewsFilm, Music & TVStar Wars: Music by John Williams shows the maestro at work
NewsFilm, Music & TV

Star Wars: Music by John Williams shows the maestro at work

Mark Newbold
By Mark Newbold

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The process of creating the incredible music of the Star Wars saga may seem daunting, and that’s because it is. After writing the Oscar-winning score to A New Hope, composer John Williams was tasked to not only match but strive to surpass one of the most iconic movie scores of all time with The Empire Strikes Back, and the BBC were on hand to follow that process in this documentary screened just once, back on Sunday 18th May 1980 (the day of the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption).

In this rare TV documentary originally aired only once by BBC on May 18, 1980, witness John Williams composing the legendary score for The Empire Strikes Back and conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.

Sale
Star Wars: Temptation of the Force (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
Star Wars: Temptation of the Force (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
  • Hardcover Book
  • Gratton, Tessa (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 448 Pages - 06/11/2024 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
$18.20
Buy on Amazon This is a paid link. Learn More. Price incl. tax, excl. shipping.  Details correct as at: 2025-08-24
SourceBBC Archive
Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in 1981 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He's contributed to Star Wars Insider (since '06) and Starburst Magazine (since '16) as well as ILM.com, SkywalkerSound.com, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia, Model and Collectors Mart, Star Trek magazine and StarTrek.com. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host, the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since the stage began in 2015, the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
- Fundraiser -
NewsFilm, Music & TV

Star Wars: Music by John Williams shows the maestro at work

Mark Newbold
By Mark Newbold

-

- Advertisement -

The process of creating the incredible music of the Star Wars saga may seem daunting, and that’s because it is. After writing the Oscar-winning score to A New Hope, composer John Williams was tasked to not only match but strive to surpass one of the most iconic movie scores of all time with The Empire Strikes Back, and the BBC were on hand to follow that process in this documentary screened just once, back on Sunday 18th May 1980 (the day of the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption).

In this rare TV documentary originally aired only once by BBC on May 18, 1980, witness John Williams composing the legendary score for The Empire Strikes Back and conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.

Sale
Star Wars: Temptation of the Force (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
Star Wars: Temptation of the Force (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
  • Hardcover Book
  • Gratton, Tessa (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 448 Pages - 06/11/2024 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
$18.20
Buy on Amazon This is a paid link. Learn More. Price incl. tax, excl. shipping.  Details correct as at: 2025-08-24
SourceBBC Archive
Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in 1981 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He's contributed to Star Wars Insider (since '06) and Starburst Magazine (since '16) as well as ILM.com, SkywalkerSound.com, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia, Model and Collectors Mart, Star Trek magazine and StarTrek.com. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host, the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since the stage began in 2015, the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
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