The Star Wars Trilogy celebrates the music of John Williams selected from his scores from Star Wars, Return of the Jedi, and The Empire Strikes Back. Donald Hunsberger arranged five movements to display the excitement, beauty, and contrast of William's writing.
John Williams's musical score for Star Wars was selected in 2005 by the American Film Institute as the greatest film score of all time. Experience the power and glory of this music in this live performance by the Salem Symphonic Winds.
The movements include The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme), Princess Leia's Theme, Battle in the Forest (Ewoks and Storm Troopers frolicking in the woods), Yoda's Theme, and the main theme from Star Wars. The music takes us to a fantasy galaxy thousands of light years from Earth.
Through her Symphony No. 6 The Blue Marble and its associated film, composer Julie Giroux brings us back to Earth. In three movements she celebrates our planet and implores us to preserve it. "I hope The Blue Marble fills hearts & minds with a renewed love for our planet, our one and only home. Earth is the one thing we all have in common. It does not belong to us. We belong to it. It is our only home and we should always treat it as such with every generation leaving it healthier & happier than the way they found it."
In the first movement, The Blue Marble, we are brought home from space. In the second, "Voices in Green", we are transported to an exotic view of a rainforest. In the final movement, "Let there be Life", she depicts all aspects of life on earth. "The miracle of Earth is life. It is the fragile, silken thread that holds existence together. As with the famous Blue Marble photograph, I hope this symphony reminds people just how frail and beautiful Earth is." Both the film and the music are stunningly beautiful. We are thrilled to present these in anticipation of Earth Day celebrations.
We will complete our performance with Symphonies of Gaia by Northwest-born composer, Jayce Ogren. He said of the work, "Growing up in the Pacific Northwest shaped my life in a number of important ways. I have always felt more comfortable in the rainforest, ocean, or mountains than in the concrete walls of city life. My deep love of nature and close proximity to intense environmental conflict in my hometown were my greatest influences in writing Symphonies of Gaia. The work depicts the mystical beauty of the earth, as well as the disrespect and abuse it has endured throughout time.
Gaia is the Titan goddess of the earth in Greek mythology and has since become a universal symbol for ecological stewardship and wisdom. My most sincere hope is that Symphonies of Gaia will, in some form, inspirit others to understand and take action against the environmental crises we now so desperately face."