EW’s exclusive preview of two songs from the new ‘Star Wars’ film.
Star Warsfans, listen up …
Above, we present an exclusive first listen of the music Giacchino created for the movie.
Lucasfilm; Barry King/Getty Images
Youll seeRogue Onedirector Gareth Edwards speaking to the orchestra with Giacchino by his side.
Just three months before its release, this was a major upheaval.
Plucky pizzicato strings would underscore the absurd one-month deadline the new composer faced.
Lucasfilm; Barry King/Getty Images
Next up for him: the music toSpider-Man: Homecoming.
In betweenDoctor StrangeandSpidey, Giacchino was supposed to have a brief break.
But instead, he found himself rushing into another galaxy.
He just finished recording music for theStar Warsmovie two weeks ago.
In between sessions,he spoke to EWabout the breakneck project.
At the time, it left me withliterallyfour and a half weeks to write.
He goes, Oh, come on.
Youve been writing this score since you were 10!
it’s possible for you to do this.
Four weeks doesnt seem like enough time.
But you work with the time you have.
But Im pretty good at focusing and getting down to business.
The only worry the whole time for me was just the schedule.
Can you explain why there was a hand-off from Alexandre?
Ill tell you, I actually dont know an awful lot about that.
[The filmmakers] were like, Do you want to know what happened?
Id love to hear the story.
And they were like, Fair enough, fair enough.
Wouldnt it have been useful to figure out what was working or wasnt a good fit?
Thats why I was saying I want to be left out of this, everybody.
Mommy, Daddy, stop fighting and let me just do the work!, you know.
[Laughs]
Did you listen to any of what he had already written?
I was like, No, I dont want to.
I want nothing, nothing.
Lets just do it.
… Ive been excited to see this movie very much for the past year or so.
And I thought, Oh wow, Alexandre will probably do a really cool score for that.
And I was honestly looking forward to just seeing that and [hearing] whatever he did.
I had never not even an idea that I would ever be involved in it.
It all happened so fast.
How did it happen?
I got a call one day.
I was on a plane next day because I had two days left ofDoctor Strangescoring to do in London.
So I went out to Pinewood Studios and I met with everyone.
They showed me the movie.
And literally I came home with the movie.
Was it just nonstop from there?
I spent the weekend with my kids and said, You know what?
The next four and a half weeks are going to be brutal.
But Monday Im going to start it, and Monday I sat down and started it.
And there it was: four and a half weeks later, we were scoring.
I know what a hardcore geek you are.
Does it stay fun when youre working under such pressure?
Aside from all that it was really fun to do.
And I thought, This is pretty cool actually… Part of me was stressing out about the timeline.
But the other part of me was just like, This is the greatest thing ever!
This is so much fun!
[Laughs] But, you know, always at least to try and shoot for it.
What are the conversations like?
What you actually end up talking about is just the emotions.
And we were all on the same page about those things.
Without giving away plot, what were your impressions of it?
That was what really pulled me in.
And what emotions did it make you feel?
What I liked about this movie is it didnt feel false to me.
That was important to both Gareth, and Tony, and Kathy as well.
Earlier in your career, you wrote intense military music as the score forMedal of HonorandCall of Duty videogames.
Are there similarities to those scores and what you wrote forRogue One?
Its fair to say there is a bit of that feeling in there, for sure.
Sometimes everything can just be blown over by bravado, and I was trying really hardnotto do that.
To use it when you need it, but to also remember that bravado is a dangerous thing.
What inspirations will we hear in the music?
There is a wonderful musical language that John put together for the original films.
Sounds like that applies to the music as well?
Kathy said that to me, too No one is asking you to do what was done before.
I feel its important to be me, but in this universe, were working within.
That was sort of the challenge.
It was never sort of, Oh, you have to do this, this, and this.
It was always just: Here are the emotions that we need to cover.
Did you have a favorite theme?
And its sort of a very emotional sweeping thing, which was really nice to do.
A teaser before we hear it?
I remember writing to Don Williams, my timpani player, who happens to be Johns brother, actually.
And Don has played on everything Ive ever done.
Weve worked together for years, and hes just an amazing timpani player.
So, heavy on the kettledrums and percussion … And its complicated and its hard.
And he was just like, Let me at it.
I dont know that Ive written more timpani for a film than I have for this.
But it also helps in the more chaotic moments as well.
Are there any other instruments that also take a lead role?
I think that there is perhaps slightly more ethereal things at work in this film too.
Did you incorporate many elements of John Williams score?
I would want to see that if I were watching aStar Warsmovie.
Did you get to do your take on the Imperial March?
[Laughs] Maaaaaaybe.
You dont want to say?
Well, whats the fun in knowing whats there?
You want to be surprised, right?
Can you describe the opening title theme?
Do you use elements of his work there?
So its going to be a slightly different way to get things kicked off.
What do you want people to feel when that music starts?
I think youll feel at home.
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