Varèse Sarabande Records has re-issued the long out-of-print LP The Empire Strikes Back – Symphonic Suite from the Original Motion Picture Score by Academy Award-winning composer John Williams.
Out of print since 1980, the record is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket featuring the original Star Wars paintings and notes. It is available now from VarèseSarabande.com, along with two limited exclusive versions: “Imperial Grey Marble” (Newbury Comics), and a Canadian exclusive on “Cloud City Orange,” available only at Sunrise retail shops.
Originally released to supplement and not compete with the 2-LP Motion Picture Soundtrack, this 1-LP release combines a “Symphonic Suite” that John Williams created for concert performance with new arrangements of other cues from the film score. The Empire Strikes Back has become one of Williams’ most iconic scores and one of the most iconic film scores of all time.
The LP comes in a gatefold jacket with the original iconic Star Wars paintings by William Stout, images of John Williams, and notes from author Ray Bradbury, composer and critic Christopher Palmer, and from the maestro himself.
“The Suite, which I had specially written and adapted for concert performance […] had been skillfully augmented with other music from the film to form a unified whole. A great orchestra and Gerhardt’s opulent sound and dramatic phrasing combine to make a fine addition to a rapidly growing list of great recordings of film music.” – John Williams.
TRACK LISTING
Side A
- 20th Century-Fox Fanfare (0:21)
- Main Title/The Imperial Probe (5:25)
- Luke’s First Crash (2:29)
- Han Solo And The Princess (4:26)
- The Asteroid Field (4:12)
- The Training Of A Jedi Knight and “May The Force Be With You” (1:56)
- The Battle In The Snow (3:06)
Side B
- The Imperial March (3:21)
- The Magic Tree (3:38)
- Yoda’s Theme (3:34)
- The Rebels Escape Again (3:01)
- Lando’s Palace, The Duel (Through The Window) (5:01)
- Finale (4:39)
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