“Disneyland isn’t Disneyland without the music,” writes Tim Greiving in Wednesday’s (6/12) Los Angeles Times. “And ‘Star Wars’ isn’t ‘Star Wars’ without the celestial, swashbuckling music of John Williams. So when it came to the 14-acre ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’ attraction at the edge of Walt Disney’s 63-year-old theme park, the land’s designers knew there was one phone call they had to make…. The composer’s first reaction: Isn’t there plenty of existing ‘Star Wars’ music to choose from? … But Williams … has always assigned themes and leitmotifs to new characters and planets, argued John Dennis, executive creative director of music at [Walt Disney] Imagineering…. Disney simply asked Williams for a new theme. He went off and composed, in [Walt Disney Imagineering head of music Matt] Walker’s words, ‘a five-minute symphonic tone poem’ filled with brand-new themes and motifs. Ross recorded that suite with the London Symphony Orchestra, the original interpreters of ‘Star Wars’ music, at Abbey Road Studios…. The classic Williams ‘Star Wars’ sound is primarily heard in … Savi’s Workshop, where parkgoers build their own lightsaber in a bit of interactive theater, and the land’s two rides.”
Posted June 13, 2019
