Hi everyone. I am SO happy that I've finally managed to make this video. I really hope you enjoy this analysis. If you like my essays and want to support my writing, then please do consider pre-ordering my novel. I can't wait for people to read it. You can find all the links (UK/US/Europe) on my website: https://www.barnabymartin.com/the-quiet

I am 100 percent here for your upcoming musical analysis of Yub Nub.

5:06 "You would be forgiven for thinking it was written not for two star-crossed lovers but for a tragedy" It really is.. 😢

You could honestly just make a Star Wars video every week and I would watch them all. Delve into every theme, every motif, every variation.

John Williams doesn’t get enough credit for the prequels imo. He carries those movies - especially the “love story” - on his back with his iconic music.

I would pay any money to see your analysis of the revenge of the sith as a whole! This movie is like a long lost Wagner opera, rediscovered 120 years after his death. The third act in both the music and the visuals is matched in scale by only the likes of the last day of Pompeii by Karl Bryullov or Thomas Cole’s the course of Empire. Nearly every single piece used in the movie is either literally the best rendition of the underlying theme, or a completely unique theme among some of the best Williams has ever done, take Grievous’ theme, unique, militaristic, menacing and full of primordial fear, or battle of the heroes, dark, powerful and spiritual, mirroring of Anakin vs Obi Wan but darker, played after the no return point had been passed. Truly the magnum opus of JW!

Perfect analysis. Their love IS a tragedy. Hidden, subversive, ultimately destructive to itself and their lives. Painful to watch and hard to root for. Lucas deserves more credit for the deep understanding of human nature here. And Williams is perhaps the greatest composers of all time.

Across the Stars is really one of the most satisfying thematic ideas in the Prequels. Williams' three-sectioned theme is almost like a full musical portrait Anakin & Padme love story. The 1st section is the romance, lyrical, sweeping but tinged in hints of tragedy, the 2nd part is the bittersweet forbidden aspect of this love affair that can only end in tragedy and finally the 3rd section, which presages Anakin's fall to the dark side, which in part is caused by his love.

The composer actually derives a sort of "fall from grace" motif from the 3rd section's militaristic idea which is then used in the story to illustrate the beginning of Anakin's dark deeds in Episode II. Williams most clearly showcases this motif in the "confession scene", where Anakin confesses to Padme that he killed all of the sand people and the composer elaborates on the swirling dark string motif from the love theme. Williams also makes occasional subtle references to this secondary motif in Episode III, including in the "Execute Order 66" scene interwoven with the Lament theme.

And of course you cannot talk about this theme without mentioning the pitch perfect end credits from Episode II where the Maestro weaves Across the Stars so organically together with Anakin's theme and the Imperial March in the final moments of the piece, giving us a sort of miniature of Anakin of the past (Anakin's Theme), Anakin of the present (Across the Stars) and Anakin of the future (The Imperial March).

I was literally looking up a video essay on this song wondering why no one has made one yet. Thanks my guy

The Return of the Jedi (We missed you!!)

Across the Stars might genuinely be the best piece of Star Wars music, which is saying a lot

"You would be forgiven for thinking it was written, not for two star-crossed lovers, but for a tragedy." (around 05.10) - I can't work out if this is an intentional, if somewhat subtle, joke? Because tragedy is baked into the phrase of "star-crossed lovers" - as in "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life" (Prologue, Romeo and Juliet). Are you having fun with us? If so I applaud it :)

I firmly believe this is the single greatest theme written by John Williams for any project. The Attack of the Clones soundtrack is not his strongest score on the whole, I hear because he was very busy with many films that year, but this one track completely makes up for it and blows everything else he's done out of the water.

That final full chorus of the song is INCREDIBLE and SAD and completely tragic, he completely captures their entire romance and love story in one song, including the fading of padme at the very end, quiet, subdued, and distant, the way Anakin as vadar can no longer sense her. MASTERWORK.

This depth, beauty and lack of pretention is so rare these to find in scores and films these days. It has heart and emotion.

Williams is a genius. And Across the Stars is one of the greatest melodies of all time.

Not a big Starwars fan, but that piece is just so absolutely beautiful. Williams outdid himself. It embodies that whole story in just a few minutes. Conflicting emotions, love, fear, courage, despair .... Just brilliant.

To me, The Asteroid Field will still be the best John Williams music in Star Wars...but I fully agree that such beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I did smile at the knowledge that even my amateur music trained brain had recognized that Anakin / Padme first two note interval was between the Luke and Leia theme interval...

7:16 HOOOOOOLY MOTHER OF-

I'm so glad you came back to this specific song. It was one I wished you covered in the first video, but better late than never. It's one of my favorites.

I saw someone say once that the theme ends sounding almost like a lullaby because Anakin and Padme's love story ended with their children, Luke and Leia