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I have discovered much internet forum discussion over whether or not "Across the Stars", the love theme from Attack of the Clones, is an inversion of the Star Wars main theme. Rather similar to my 2014.04.22 blog re: the Star Wars main theme being an inversion of "Born Free", this blog will be a side-by-side study and comparison of the two themes to see if there really is any truth to the notion. Here's the main theme inits original form. Click here to listen. 
Here's the main theme chromatically inverted. Click here to listen. 
Here's the main theme diatonically inverted. Click here to listen. 
Now compare those with "Across the Stars". Here's "Across the Stars" in its original form. Click here to listen. 
Here's "Across the Stars" chromatically inverted. Click here to listen. 
And here's "Across the Stars" in diatonically inverted. Click here to listen. 
Comparing all of these side-by-side, I sense no pitch relationship between either the chromatic or diatonic inversions of the Star Wars main theme and "Across the Stars". Nor do I sense any pitch relationship between either the chromatic or diatonic inversions of "Across the Stars" and the main theme. I do, however, hear rhythmic similarities, particularly in both themes' use of prominent triplets. To visually illustrate, here's an example with solid red lines showing exact rhythmic similarities and dotted red lines showing comparable similarities. 
All but two notes of "Across the Stars" correspond to similar or exact rhythmic values in the main theme.
Thus, while "Across the Stars" has significant rhythmic similarities to the Star Wars main theme, it is clearly NOT an inversion of the main theme.
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A popular subject of debate in various Star Wars internet chatrooms is the degree of similarity between "Across the Stars", the love theme of Attack of the Clones... ... and the initial melody of the theme from Hook. Both films being scored by John Williams, it is no surprise to find similarities. As I have pointed out in previous blogs, Williams often borrows heavily from other sources, and in this case he borrows from himself. To illustrate, here is a visual score examle. 
Of the 16 notes used in "Across the Stars", all but three correspond with Hook. That's not to say that the two are identical - the register (soprano vs. alto), instrumentation (oboe vs. horns), tempo (slow vs. fast), and character (love theme vs. fantasy/adventure theme) are all completely different - but intervallically they are very similar indeed.
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The Music of Star WarsThese posts will help focus and develop my analyses of John Williams' film scores. Archives
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