The Empire Strikes Back (Single)

“The Perilous Ice Planet, Hoth”

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Release Date: 07/15/2016

Track Compiled and Edited 11/14/2015 – 06/26/2016

(A total of 8 edits have been made)

All music composed by John Williams

Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra

01 – The Perilous Ice Planet, Hoth	07:13
02 – Han Solo and the Princess (Bonus)	03:33



Total Runtime	10:46

Original recording sources are:

STAR WARS – The Empire Strikes Back(Special Edition Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Music of JOHN WILLIAMS – 40 Years of Film Music (City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra)

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Personal Track Interpretation

“The Perilous Ice Planet, Hoth”

Instead of opening with the famed "Imperial March," I always wanted to begin the suite for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK with themes from Hoth. Even in the original Symphony, I struggled to keep the fifth suite under time, and I had to cut that movement. When I began working on this new version, I knew I had to include it. This is why the single turned out to be "The Perilous Ice Planet, Hoth."

The cold and barren planet, Hoth, is a stark contrast to the searing heat of the Tatooine desert sands. Here, the Rebels have made their new base after fleeing the Battle of Yavin, but the inhospitable planet is more dangerous than they realize. The sudden introduction to this piece immediately communicates danger on this perilous ice planet. We are reminded of Luke's attack and how heroically Han runs to the rescue of his lost friend.

Hoth is also where Luke receives his direction from the Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, noted by the appearance of the "Force" theme. But in this wasteland, can the Rebels survive the elements, let alone the impending Imperial threat?

This single has been greatly expanded beyond what will appear in the final "The Empire Strikes Back Suite," including music cut from the final film!

“Han Solo and the Princess (Bonus)”

"Han Solo and the Princess" is another beautiful Williams composition. When I learned the City of Prague Philharmonic had performed and recorded the lauded and elusive concert suite from this theme, I immediately began tracking it down. When I heard it, I fell in love. The London Symphony Orchestra has also recorded this concert theme, but I have never heard it myself.

In the original Symphony the movement for this theme was all too brief, and I ached to expound upon it in this version. However, "Han Solo and the Princess" turned out to be the most challenging edit of this suite. It took me months before I had to concede defeat in trying to recreate the concert theme from cues in the film's score.

I was determined to insert the Prague performance into the suite, and extensively mixed the track in order to blend it as best I could with original recordings from the London Symphony Orchestra. While I could not use pieces to fill holes in the theme, I was so pleased with the sound mix, this track was placed right in the middle of the suite.

When it came to the finale for "The Empire Strikes Back Suite," a series of decisions lead me to reprise the theme using the closing scene and end credits cue. The initial cut for the EMPIRE’s suite clocked well over time, but it was wonderful and mirrored how "Across the Stars" was reprised in the Symphony’s "Attack of the Clones Suite."

I tried to preserve this track as best I could, but ultimately, having this theme reprised took up too much precious time. I opted to preserve the theme as edited in the finale to maintain a continuity of sound within the suite, as well as the rest of the Symphony.

While only the end of this performance is truncated compared to the original recording, the mastering work that went into this track is reason alone to share it.

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