Return of the Jedi (Single)

“The Court of Jabba the Hutt”

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Release Date: 08/12/2016

Track Compiled and Edited 04/10/2016 – 06/19/2016

(A total of 13 edits have been made)

All music composed by John Williams

Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra

01 – The Court of Jabba the Hutt	06:27
02 – The Cunning of the Enemy (Bonus)	03:35



Total Runtime	10:02

Original recording sources are:

STAR WARS - RETURN OF THE JEDI (Special Edition Motion Picture Soundtrack)

STAR WARS - RETURN OF THE JEDI (The Ultimate Digital Collection)

STAR WARS - RETURN OF THE JEDI (The Star Wars Soundtrack Anthology)

JOHN WILLIAMS Conducts Music from the Star Wars Saga

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Personal Track Interpretation

"The Court of Jabba the Hutt"

With a sinister synthesizer begins "The Court of Jabba the Hutt," the sixth single in STAR WARS: Symphony for a Saga. This is an alternate version of the first movement from JEDI's suite. Here, we are introduced to the cunning and powerful, Jabba the Hutt...personified by the low, rolling, solo Tuba.

We return to Tatooine for the last time in the saga, as we walk toward Jabba's palace with our droid companions. To formalize the theme, I opted here to use a recording of John Williams conducting The Boston Pops. This clip of the theme is so wonderful because it offers us an extension of the theme with a brief bridge, not heard in the film.

While we may be tricked by the seemingly stately theme, the flute quickly brings a reintroduction to the Tuba, while strings remind us of Jabba's slimy nature. The final notes of the theme clearly serve as a warning of Jabba's temper and unpredictable nature.

"The Cunning of the Enemy" (Bonus)

Critical listening, specifically to edit this music into something new, has been an interesting experience. Some cues from the film which serve as simple underscoring suddenly rise to become a favorite. The sentencing scene when Jabba commits our heroes to the fate of the Sarlacc was one such cue. "The Cunning of the Enemy" captures the devious nature of the enemies in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

Originally placed late in JEDI's suite, this track communicates the hopelessness of fighting against a superior force. We vividly remember our heroes surrounded on Endor, Jabba's execution plans--and even more terrifying, the Emperor's trap and seduction of Luke Skywalker.

This track served as the reintroduction to Emperor Palpatine's theme, which also appeared in "The Phantom Menace Suite," if you recall. We close with a sad rendition of Vader's march, and an equally mournful voicing of the Force theme--for there is little hope once Skywalker reaches the throne of the Emperor.

This track was ultimately cut, along with some additional music, from the final Suite, as the first cut was way to long for the confinement of an 80 minute CD.

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