Which Star Wars soundtrack set to purchase?
 

So apparently there are a bunch of different editions of the original Star Wars scores? I plan on purchasing the whole trilogy soon, but I want to make sure I'm getting 2 CD sets with liner notes. The reviews on Amazon are confusing, since they complain about absent liner notes and missing cues, etc. Is there a definitive version of these scores?

(original trilogy)

I'd honestly say buy none of them. I'm sorry I can't help you out with this.

Maybe some other Trekkie can.

Hmm, I think you should get the original versions. i.e. 'The Rite of Spring' and 'The Firebird' by Igor Stravinsky as well as 'The Planets' by Gustav Holst. I know you are a film composer and studying these scores should help you out far more than John Williams' heavily plagiarized works.

Regards,

-Rat.

Come on.

You left out Korngold's scores and Strauss's tone poems.

This one.

It's basically a reissue of the 1997 release which actually had the complete score in film order. 6 discs, including some unused cuts.

Man, I must be getting slow in my old age:/

Also, damn that Williams for looting all the great art of the 19th and early 20th century and calling it his own. >=[

Thank you.

And damn the whole nature of film music. Oh and those directors who demand a sound that evokes the spirit of such 19th and 20th century art music.

Not a whole lot he can do when Lucas temps the whole movie with the Planets and Rite of Spring and says "Re-write this for my space movie." I can only hope your responses have been tongue-in-cheek; I'd considered you among the few musicians here who doesn't let his own elitist tastes color his judgment.

-Stravinsky

He has himself to blame! :D

As for a definitive Star Wars score, I am not sure what would be the most comprehensive. I eagerly await the findings of this thread!

It just arrived for me in the mail today. Pretty pleased with it mostly, except there's no liner notes whatsoever. Oh well. The jewelcases are nice, and the case is great. Can't complain about six CDs for $40.

I've got the first two of those in their original release form. If you want, I can try typing up the liner notes for New Hope and Empire.

Are you serious? How long would that take?

prolly a couple of hours. I don't remember exactly how much there was to them.

The reissues of the Star Wars scores that are currently available in the box set and as 2-CD individual sets have the same music as the 1997 releases, but none of the comprehensive liner notes. If anyone really wants a breakdown of the different purchasing options for the Star Wars scores, try these links, which list most of the available options with tracklistings:

A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi

I love my Star Wars Anthology set because of the large booklet with great pictures and notes. It goes over the history of the music and there are commentaries for every single track. I also have the 2004 double CD albums for Empire and Jedi, however, which I had picked up beforehand. Going by Orion's link, it seems that the 1997 RCA versions are definitive as the most well-rounded releases, but I'm happy with my combination of sets.

Yeah, one of my friends had the 4-disc Anthology. I remember that huge book that came with it was awesome. I'm irritated that for the 2004 re-issue they decided not to include the liner notes. After reading some reviews of those, it looks like they were amazingly detailed. Any chance of finding those online somewhere?