Star Wars: Episode I Phantom Menace Songbook (Star Wars, 1) (Paperback)

by Warner Bros Publications (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From one of the most anticipated films in history comes the first new Star Wars music in 15 years. The folio to the Star Wars prequel Episode I: The Phantom Menace contains a special 8-page color section filled with photos from the film as well as a full color, pull-out poster. Titles are: Anakin's Theme Augie's Great Municipal Band Duel of the Fates The Flag Parade Jar Jar's Introduction Qui-Gon's Funeral Star Wars (Main Theme).

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.; Music Score and Poster edition (May 19, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0769281370
• ISBN-13: 978-0769281377
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,170,044 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another awesome John Williams score!, November 2, 1999

By A Customer

Mr. Williams has once again composed a rousing score entirely appropriate for the newest Star Wars film. As a pianist and an avid John Williams fan, I looked forward to this book of piano solos with great interest. The score itself has less discernable and memorable themes than in the original trilogy, but it is a masterpiece nonetheless. Anakin's Theme is beautiful, and igeniously utilizes the same chord structure and other elements of Darth Vader's Theme (the Imperial March) in a bit of musical foreshadowing. It makes for a beautiful piano solo as well. Duel of the Fates, while a great piece in its own right, doesn't translate as well (in my opinion) to the piano. With the absence of the driving choir and pounding brass, the theme loses some of its effectiveness. My main gripe is the absence of the Droid Invasion theme, which was one of my favorites on the soundtrack, and which I would have loved to be able to play on the piano (I'm not good enough to learn it by ear). Instead, the publisher includes the goofy and juvenile Augie's Great Municipal Band. I didn't care for the carnival-style celebratory march on the CD, and it sounds even worse on the piano. Also, the Main Title theme omits the first few bars of music heard on the soundtrack. But these gripes aside, this is all-in-all a satisfying compilation. Second or third-year piano students should be able to play most of the pieces.