The Force Awakens Score to be Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra?

John Williams

The John Williams fan site JWFan.com has an interesting report about The Force Awakens score. According to concert producer Tommy Pearson, recording sessions for the movie will take place this summer in London.

 

 

Williams used the London Symphony Orchestra for all six previous Star Wars scores, so this shouldn’t be surprising at all. Still for the last 10 years Williams hasn’t left the US and he also did the score for the teaser trailer in LA. This made some people speculate that probably the whole score will be recorded there. Now it appears that this is not the case.

 

From JWFan.com:

 

I was at Birmingham Symphony Hall on Friday night watching the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra do a film music program (Some Williams).

 

Just after Battle of the Heroes was performed the presenter, Tommy Pearson (think he works at Classic FM) said “John Williams will be returning to London to record the new Star Wars score this summer”.

 

Additionally, composer Mark Griskey (of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 1 & 2 and The Old Republic video games), mentioned in a recent interview that Williams had already written the themes for the movie before Christmas.

 

 

It’s good to see another old tradition being fulfilled. This movie has all the right ingredients so far. Star Wars Celebration can’t come quick enough!

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

63 thoughts on “The Force Awakens Score to be Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra?

  • March 9, 2015 at 12:40 am
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    This summer. So to all those who had hoped VII would be ready for May, I guess your bubble has been burst.

    • March 9, 2015 at 12:49 am
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      Never once did I ever think an early release was going to happen. Not after such a big deal of the delay was made. It was a big decision to push it to December and it wasn’t made lightly. Personally I’m glad post production has all this time to get it right.

    • March 9, 2015 at 12:59 am
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      Don’t be silly, the December 18, 2015 release date has been officially set in stone for years now.

    • March 9, 2015 at 1:46 am
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      I always assumed that was a running joke. I never thought anyone would actually believe it. How… special.

      • March 9, 2015 at 1:53 pm
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        Dude, the film was planned to come out at Christmas. There was no delay. Disney isn’t stupid, they’re not going to release their biggest cash cow of the year during the summer right when it will compete with their other big blockbuster film The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

        Besides these days the highest grossing films are being released at the end of the year and The Force Awakens will have no competition at Christmas time in a year that is chuck full of huge blockbuster films and sequel galore.

        This release was very very planned.

        • March 9, 2015 at 2:27 pm
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          yuup… well one competition there could be… old school Star Wars fans vs. mass of teens that goes watching the hunger games. SWVII could win in USA, but im afraid for here, in italy. being the only Star Wars fan in a class of 20, with 15 hunger games fans… stupidity is everywhere

    • March 9, 2015 at 4:32 am
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      I don’t think anyone ever said it’d be released in May. I thought the rumor was late summer at the earliest. That said, I don’t trust that rumor.

    • March 9, 2015 at 9:45 am
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      What are you smoking son?

      That train left ages ago. They announced Dec 18th ages ago. I have not heard of any expectations of it coming out earlier since.

    • March 10, 2015 at 3:19 am
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      Just to be perfectly clear, I never once believed those who thought it would be released in May/Summer, and there have been quite a few people on these posts who seemed so certain that it would be released earlier.

  • March 9, 2015 at 12:51 am
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    I know someone, my Mum’s second husbands younger sisters husband, who is in the LSO..

    He is going to be playing on the score..

    • March 9, 2015 at 1:00 am
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      Maybe not if you can’t keep your mouth shut.

      • March 9, 2015 at 1:28 am
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        I’ve not said anything else.. so no need to get nasty..

        I’m really looking forward to hearing the score..

    • March 9, 2015 at 1:22 am
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      Score for Spaceballs 2 I assume?

    • March 9, 2015 at 2:28 am
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      My uncle’s cousin’s best friend’s son’s lover’s father’s gardener’s niece’s boyfriend’s grandfather’s barber’s son’s sponsor’s husband’s dealer’s mother’s parole officer’s daughter’s friend’s sister says your lying.

      • March 9, 2015 at 8:32 am
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        Gee that was harder to follow than a Gundark’s mating dance!

  • March 9, 2015 at 12:59 am
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    Brilliant man, but at 83, I wonder how much more Star Wars he’ll be doing if Disney plans on making movie after movie…

    • March 9, 2015 at 1:01 am
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      I’ll wager JW does 7,8,9 and that’s it forever.

      • March 9, 2015 at 1:49 am
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        Yeah. If he’s up for them when the time comes. Even if not, we’ll be lucky to have him set up the new trilogy properly.

        1 or 3 films will surely be taxing. I’m sure the spinoffs are getting someone(s) else.

      • March 9, 2015 at 6:33 am
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        They have said that they wanted him to write all the motifs and set the tones for the new trilogy so that if he does ever decline to return then at least those can carry on. I think he will at least do 8 and possibly 9 before passing the torch. They will probably get whoever is scoring the spin-off films to take his place. Still to me its just not star wars without a new iconic peice of music by williams. Even in episodes 1 and 2 which I felt were the weakest of the saga, his music still made it feel truly epic.

        • March 9, 2015 at 10:17 am
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          I was listening Shadows of the Empire score in youtube. It doesn’t sound Star Wars at all, but sounds pretty Williams though (more like Indiana Jones). The day h won’t play the soundtrack of the films will be a big deal for any new composer replacing him… He’s half of each Star Wars film.

        • March 9, 2015 at 1:13 pm
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          when did they say that, and were you there when it was said?

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:30 am
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      I read a rumor, I forget where, that said Micahel Giacchino has been working with Williams on VII in sort of a “master/apprentice” type role and will be taking over for VIII and IX. Don’t have any idea how true it is but I could live with it if that’s the case.

      • March 9, 2015 at 8:48 am
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        The Rule of Two always one Master and one Apprentice….

      • March 9, 2015 at 2:18 pm
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        Giacchino is not working with Williams in any capacity.

        • March 10, 2015 at 3:09 pm
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          Giacchino is/was a protege of Williams. They aren’t *as far as we know* working on anything together, but depending on how Giacchino does with Jurassic World, then I think we can better judge if he’d be good. Although I expect he’d do a great job, especially if JJ is still a producer on the later ones and JJ and Giacchino collaborate so much

  • March 9, 2015 at 2:08 am
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    Doubt he’ll be recording over summer, more likely in October.

    • March 9, 2015 at 3:42 am
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      I’m surprised they let his personal assistant comment on these sites. Get back to work.

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:19 am
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      October recording? Don’t be silly. The movie comes out on Dec 15. They need time to finalize all versions, do the soundtrack album etc. I’ll guess it’s all in the can by August latest.

      • March 9, 2015 at 6:42 am
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        2 months is probably pushing it a LITTLE but is not unheard of. TPM was recorded in early February of 99.

  • March 9, 2015 at 2:13 am
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    Its not been confirmed the orchestra has denied this.

    • March 9, 2015 at 9:53 am
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      It’s not denied. They said it’s not announced.

  • March 9, 2015 at 2:28 am
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    I’m thinking Ennio Morricone for the spin offs if it’s Bobba then it should have that Western feel about it bounty hunters dead or alive you know go with me on this !

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:28 am
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      I’m hoping for Enrico Pallazzo.

    • March 9, 2015 at 9:15 am
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      Ennui Morricone is 86.

    • March 10, 2015 at 3:11 pm
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      John Powell would do amazingly well for the spinoffs

  • March 9, 2015 at 2:31 am
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    I have already submitted my application to produce the music for the Star Wars films after Williams has finished. It will be an all kazoo orchestra.

    Fingers crossed

    • March 9, 2015 at 9:18 am
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      What no slide whistles? What happens when a character slips on a banana peel?

      • March 9, 2015 at 10:16 pm
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        POODOO!

  • March 9, 2015 at 2:33 am
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    Lucas himself said something along the lines of seeing star wars as silent films, (or they could be), meaning the John Williams music conveys the emotions of all the scenes on its own.

    I am really happy the london orchestra are involved, it will really add the feeling and gravitas necessary for Star Wars.

    Imagine the films in your head with only the music (it works). Perhaps an exercise for the prequels – Try judging the films on everything else apart from the words, just let the scenes and the music carry the film (This would be an excellent DVD option)!!

    • March 9, 2015 at 3:43 am
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      Just watch them in a language you don’t understand and as if they are really well made Flash Gordon-like episodes.

      • March 9, 2015 at 1:16 pm
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        You mean it sounds like Queen’s Greatest Hits Vol 2? Now I’m confused.

        • March 13, 2015 at 12:52 am
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          Not that Flash Gordon movie, the series from the 30s.

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:20 am
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      If only you could turn down just the dialogue and hear the music only for the prequels.

      • March 9, 2015 at 8:39 pm
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        Dialogues are not any better in OT.

        • March 9, 2015 at 10:17 pm
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          That’s a ridiculous notion.

  • March 9, 2015 at 4:57 am
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    Will most likely be recorded at Abbey Road Studios. 4 out of 6 of the films have been recorded there and it’s the current hot spot for film scores. Can’t wait to hear!

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:20 am
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      oh the ‘current hot spot’, like it hasn’t been a venerable institution since the early 60s.

      • March 9, 2015 at 6:45 pm
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        By stating that it’s the current hot spot doesn’t mean i’ve ignored the fact that it is historically and culturally significant. Geoff Emerick, George Martin, Glyn Johns and Alan Parson are some of the likes that have come out of there. The point I was making was that yes, it is such a respected institution in the recording industry that it seems natural it would be recorded there.

    • March 9, 2015 at 11:12 am
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      Kind of a no brainer, there’s not many studios left than can accomodate a full symphony orchestra now.

  • March 9, 2015 at 6:18 am
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    I still think it will be released at the end of May, the only catch is that the music will be added live as the movie premieres.

    • March 9, 2015 at 6:21 am
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      Also live unicorns instead of lightsabers.

  • March 9, 2015 at 12:39 pm
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    Will you guys do an article about the first canon Star Wars LGBT character that was recently announced?

      • March 10, 2015 at 9:24 am
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        This character named Moff Mors, a female Imperial in Paul S. Kemp’s upcoming Star Wars: Lords of the Sith novel.

        She’ll be Star Wars’ first officially canon LGBT character. A number of other sites have been talking about it the last few days.

  • March 9, 2015 at 12:59 pm
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    I know this is pointless, but man, I want John Williams to live forever. At least his music will for sure. I’m so glad and excited that the world will get a new Williams Star Wars score. I wonder: Will he use the original version of the Imperial March, i.e. the Darth Vader’s Theme version? Or will (has) he compose(d) a variation, since the main power structure of the empire collapsed at the end of ep6? (As a composer I’d go for the latter.)

    • March 9, 2015 at 2:29 pm
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      I aggree want john williams to be cloned or somehow kept in life. will be happy when theyll have made near 12 new movies with his score

    • March 9, 2015 at 4:05 pm
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      Agree 100% – for me John Williams’ music was as much a part of growing up in the 70s/80s as films by the likes of Spielberg, Lucas, Zemeckis et al. So many of the greatest films of all time are scored by him – Star Wars, Indy, Superman, E.T., Close Encounters, Jurassic Park, Jaws etc,… I will be gutted when he pops his clogs.

      • March 10, 2015 at 9:27 am
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        It’s amazing how the spoiled life was just growing up in the 70s-80s. So many great movies…

  • March 9, 2015 at 6:59 pm
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    As long as they crank it up at right moments and don’t let Ben Burt drown it out with his sound FX too much like before, I’m sure it will be great.

  • March 11, 2015 at 2:48 am
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    Really, this is news? Of course it will be with the LSO. Silly to even speculate on

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