Hollywood’s Golden Age to a Galaxy Far, Far Away: John Williams and the Musical Heritage of Star Wars

This is perhaps my favorite presentation to share. I spend much of my time immersed in sewing and costume creation these days, but music still resounds in my soul and the scores of the original Star Wars trilogy flowed into the love I developed for this galaxy early in life. With all confidence I can state that this website would not exist except for the brilliant musical themes that brought these worlds to life.

Star Wars reshaped the course of cinematic history. John Williams reshaped the world of cinematic scores. Their partnership contributed to the mark they bear on film history. How did the course of film history and film music shape John Williams into the composer that we hear in film after beloved film? What contributed to the impact of the Star Wars scores? Come take a tour through clips of Hollywood classics that influenced and shaped John Williams’ sound and choices, discuss the culture that birthed film scores, and explore the trends in the decade prior to Star Wars that helped make its music match the scope of a galaxy far, far away.