The score for the video game
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
represents the first authorized music from
George Lucas
' interstellar franchise written by a composer other than
John Williams
.
Joel McNeely
, who succeeded
Williams
for the television series
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
, was the logical choice here as well. Employing signature themes and motifs from
' original
Star Wars
score -- arguably the most beloved and influential movie music of the late 20th century --
McNeely
vividly captures the power and majesty one expects from the series, thanks in large part to the epic performance of the
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
. To
's credit, he also deviates sharply from
' template, contributing dissonant, intensely rhythmic passages (most notably
"Xizor's Theme"
) without precedent in the
canon. Purists may blanch, but more adventurous listeners will appreciate the divergences from formula. ~ Jason Ankeny