The Imperial March

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The Imperial March or Darth Vader's theme (also Imperial March ) is a musical theme from the soundtracks to the Star Wars films . The composition was written by John Williams for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and is considered one of the most well-known symphonic themes in the field of film and subsequently also a popular example of leitmotif technique ( Darth Vader's theme ). The work premiered on April 29, 1980, five days before the film was released, by the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Musical structure

The hard, muffled quarter-beats in the basses (cellos, double basses and tuba) and the sudden harmonic shifts are characteristic of the piece. These sounds create a gloomy, ominous mood. The piece fluctuates from measure to measure between classical tonality and atonal sound sequences; in the first measure the distant keys of G minor and E flat minor are heard one after the other, followed in measure 6 by a sudden shift to the distant C sharp minor.

The catchy rhythm with its dotted eighth notes and the resting point on half a note is initially repeated every two bars and then pushed forward with sixteenth notes. At the same time the upper voices make octave leaps.

Occurrence in Star Wars

In the Star Wars films, the march is mostly used as a motif for Darth Vader. He can be heard in all episodes, with the exception of Episode IV: A New Hope (but had an inconspicuous, motivic precursor there). The piece is called Imperial March , Darth Vader's theme or theme of the dark side .

It is included on CD on the soundtrack for The Empire Strikes Back , played by the London Symphony Orchestra .

Episodes I to III

Short passages of the march can occasionally be found embedded in other tracks, mostly to musically indicate the fate of Anakin Skywalker in scenes , who changes in the course of the first three episodes from the hopeful boy to the dark and merciless evil.

For the first time he can be found in the theme of the young Anakin in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace , in which a clear reference can be heard towards the end. A similar passage can be heard towards the end of the film, during a dialogue between Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi about Anakin's training as a Jedi. But the Anakin theme itself is also a theme related to the imperial march, which has some hidden references and has broken down the march style in favor of a more flowing melody.

In Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones , the Imperial March can also be found in various places, this time mostly in scenes in which Anakin is actively involved to foretell the future Jedi's path . For example, when he avenged his mother's death by slaughtering a Tusken tribe, or reinforced it when he told Padmé Amidala what he did. He appears most clearly in the final scene when the assembled clone army leaves Coruscant . Parts of the topic can also be heard in the final seconds of the credits.

The Imperial March is most commonly heard in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith . He can be heard, is not applicable as Anakin the Jedi Council in the rank of Master, Anakin Mace Windu about Palpatine clears true identity, changes Darth Sidious Anakin's name to Darth Vader and his orders to kill all the Jedi Temple who remained, the Clones search for Yoda after the first attempt at Order 66 fails, and Vader prepares to assassinate the Separatist leaders. The theme is also used when Padmé turns down Anakin's offer to rule the galaxy, during the duel between Yoda and Sidious, and after Vader's operation has been completed with the mask on. The march can also be heard briefly when Sidious and Vader talk about the construction of the Death Star.

Episodes V and VI

The Imperial March is first heard in The Empire Strikes Back while the Empire sends search droids out into the galaxy to find Luke Skywalker . The march is played here by piccolo flutes . You can hear it in its original form when Darth Vader's flagship appears. It can also be heard during the Battle of Hoth and in the asteroid field.

In Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi Knights , the march is occasionally used as a motif for Vader. The motif can also be heard when the Emperor arrives at the second Death Star. When Anakin dies in Luke's arms, we hear an alternative ending for the march on the harp .

Episode VII

Two bars of the theme can be heard in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Kylo Ren looks at the charred remains of Darth Vader's helmet.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Composer Michael Giacchino uses the theme in two places: when Orson Krennic meets Darth Vader in his refuge and in the final scene when Tantive IV escapes into hyperspace.

Use outside of Star Wars movies

Outside of the Star Wars films, the topic is sometimes associated with totalitarian or dictatorial people. Corresponding reactions were, for example, when reporting on Channel 4's +1 channel suggested that the piece had been played by the Queen's Guard Band on October 30, 2007 , when the Saudi King Abdullah arrived in London. In fact, the Saudi national anthem had been played at that moment , while the march - among other motifs from well-known films - had sounded before Abdullah's arrival and Channel 4 had cut the scenes together. But the slightly misleading, ironic reporting gave rise to corresponding comments in the Times and on numerous blogs .

In addition, the march was used repeatedly at sporting events, such as the 2003 Super Bowl (final of the American football league). Before home games for the New York Yankees , the play is played when the opposing team enters the field. Ever since the Yankees adopted the nickname Evil Empire from the Boston Red Sox , it has become a permanent fixture. The Canadian Darts - World Champion John Part used the march as run music in tournaments.

Volkswagen used the Imperial March 2011 for an advertising film at the Super Bowl in which a little boy disguised as Darth Vader “switches on” a VW Passat with the help of power . The video was then viewed over 60 million times on YouTube . A later VW commercial in which dogs bark the Imperial March was not nearly as successful.

There are also many allusions to be found in pop culture . In some episodes of The Simpsons, the theme is used for the malicious manager Mr. Burns . In the series The Big Bang Theory , the play is alluded to several times by the main actors, all of whom are also Star Wars nerds .

The march is often used when technicians are making music with unorthodox instruments. The Imperial March is available as a floppy disk drive , hard disk , Tesla coil , CNC machine and scanner version . Volkswagen set the march to music as a publicity stunt with dogs.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Michael Matessino, booklet for original soundtrack recording for Empire Strikes Back , Special Edition, page 17. RCA. "The Imperial March ( Darth Vader's Theme ) is the now famous signature theme for Darth Vader."
  2. ^ Irena Paulus, " Williams versus Wagner or an Attempt at Linking Musical Epics " International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music, 31, 2 (2000): 153. "John Williams used leitmotifs in the genuine sense of the word. He has come very close to the practice of Wagner in the various procedures in which he varies and transforms his themes, and in using the idea of ​​the thematic image (the arch-theme that is the unifying element of the musical material). However, the similarity of Williams's and Wagner's leitmotifs is greatest in the area of ​​kinship of themes (a series of new themes or motifs derive from a single motif or theme) on the basis of which both of them create a web of mutually related leitmotifs. The closeness of the procedures of the two can also be found in the area of ​​melody, rhythm, form, harmony, instrumentation, and even in the domain of the ratio of the old and the new in their music. The ultimate objective of Richard Wagner was to create the music drama, music for the stage based on the old roots of opera, in which all the musical elements were subordinated to the drama. The ultimate aim of John Williams was to take part in the creation of a film in which his music would serve to define the film's substance and help all the other elements of it to function property. "
  3. ↑ Michael Matessino, booklet for original soundtrack recording for Empire Strikes Back , Special Edition, page 6. RCA.
  4. ↑ a b The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) , filmmusicnotes.com, accessed June 25, 2017
  5. ^ Scott N. Miller, A Theater for Interaction , Master of Architecture thesis at U. of Cincinnati, May 20, 2004, p. 52. “Examples of this run rampant in modern cinema. Music is used to manipulate audience reactions. Consider the Emporrial Death March played in Star Wars, which enhances and accompanies the strength and power of Darth Vader and his control. The sound of a certain instrument may even be used to represent specific characters or characteristics, such as the innocent yet inquisitive sound of a clarinet, or the sensual vibrations of a saxophone. Sound may even be removed from a picture so that viewers focus on the visual occurrences or seriousness of a situation. "
  6. ↑ misleading reporting and response:
    • Channel 4 coverage was at least temporarily available on the relevant video websites.
    • Short comment on this: Hugo Rifkind (November 2, 2007). A Darth song to play for the King. (Home News p. 22) The Times (accessed on LexisNexis on March 31, 2009)
    to the actual process:
  7. ↑ Dartsdatabase.co.uk: John Part Player Profile (accessed March 19, 2013)
  8. ↑ Spiegel Online: Super Bowl Commercials: An Exploding Mosquito and the Dark Side of Force , February 3, 2012.
  9. ↑ Auto Bild: Car manufacturers advertise with humor , from February 7, 2011.
  10. ↑ Handelsblatt: At the Super Bowl, power is with VW - and Darth Vader , February 7, 2011.
  11. ^ The Force , The Video from Volkswagen USA.
  12. ↑ Spiegel Online: “Star Wars” spot for the superbowl: VW got down to it , from January 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ Floppy disk drive plays the Imperial March on YouTube (accessed March 24, 2010)
  14. ↑ Hard drive plays the Imperial March on YouTube (accessed March 24, 2010)
  15. ↑ Tesla Coil plays the Imperial March on YouTube (accessed March 24, 2010)
  16. ↑ CNC machine plays the Imperial March on YouTube (accessed March 28, 2013)
  17. ↑ Scanner plays the Imperial March on YouTube (accessed March 23, 2010)
  18. ↑ Dogs bark the Imperial March (accessed December 21, 2013)