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"The Force Awakens" Soundtrack Analysis: 6. Rey's Theme

12/19/2015

8 Comments

 
The biggest new musical contribution of Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens is "Rey's Theme", the sixth track of the soundtrack.

The theme consists of five intermingled snippets, listed here in order of appearance on the track:
Picture
This modal motive is repetitive and sneaky, so I've dubbed it the tip-toe motive. ​​

Picture
Less active than the tip-toe motive, this snippet is bell-like and thus dubbed the chime motive.

Picture



This is the main melody of Rey's Theme, and it's sweeping, ultra-romantic tune is classic John Williams.

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The extroverted and royal character of this passage contrasts with the more shy and introverted character of the tip-toe and chime motives. I've dubbed it the regal motive.

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And lastly, this tune is strongly related to the primary melody (same i-IV modal harmonies), but is heard just once in the track (as opposed to the melody, which is heard three times). Its secondary importance earns it the term counter melody.

With those five musical morsels in mind, here's a thematic analysis of the track:

Time      Music        Instrument(s)     Tonality
0:00      tip-toe       flute                        A minor
0:14       chime         celesta                   A minor
0:23       tip-toe       violins                   A minor
0:33       melody      horn, strings      A minor
1:00       chime         horns                    A minor
1:10        chime         flutes                    B-flat minor
1:15         chime         flutes                    B minor
1:21        counter      horns                   D minor
1:40       melody      strings                  D minor
1:56        regal           horns                   D minor
2:13       melody      strings                 E-flat minor
2:24      regal           strings, trumpets     E-flat minor
2:39      chimes       flutes                    E-flat minor
2:49      tip-toe       celesta                  E-flat minor
8 Comments
Ron
12/21/2015 10:26:14 am

The tiptoe motive sounds to me maddeningly like something out of Dvorak but I can't place it!

Reply
Zach
3/22/2016 03:13:03 pm

It's the first movement from Dvorak's New World Symhony. It's about 3 minutes in. I recognized that, too.

Reply
Nicolas
3/30/2016 02:21:01 am

Same feeling ! I found these page with a google research : "Dvorjak Rey's theme". I prefer seeing this as a tribute ... :)

cody
12/24/2015 09:10:28 am

coolio

Reply
Paul W
12/28/2015 05:40:32 pm

the second you hear it, you recognize Rey is the Hero of the story.

There's a perky, upbeat tempo to that "Tip-Toe" part you mention that sounds part "Harry Potter" part "E.T."

Reply
Nick
1/8/2016 05:12:03 am

An homage to Westerns, which is probably fitting.

Reply
Christian Parker
2/4/2016 07:40:01 am

Great! Thanks so much

Reply
Ceasar
1/4/2018 02:07:24 pm

nothing about the gnarly modulation from D min to Ab min?

Reply



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