John Williams - Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - [2LP]

I am grateful for this release. The artwork and "mini poster" are nothing special (I'm surprised that's one of this remaster's selling points), but the sound is certainly an improvement overall. The most notable difference between this remaster and the original album can be found in "Augie's Great Municipal Band and End Credits." In the original, the children's choir usually seems to be in the foreground with instrumentals being shoved primarily into the background, but in the remaster it's much more dynamic. Overall, the music sound a bit clearer or more precise, which is enjoyable. Worth the money to me.

I am actually very disappointed in the quality of this remaster. The amount of background hiss included within all of the tracks is insane. This may not be noticeable on most speakers or headphones, but if you happen to have metal dome tweeters or electrostatic speakers, you’ll be very disappointed.I also have the non-remastered soundtracks on the way, I will see if they also have a significant amount of background hiss.Worst comes to worst, I might be able to remove the hiss in audacity.Edit: I reduced the background noise in audacity, the soundtracks sound very good now. They also sound much better than any streamable version I’ve come across on the internet. I need to do a second pass to make sure I didn’t take out details in the tracks themselves.

This music is a truly master crafted piece of art! The way it calms your mind and makes you feel vibrant and at peace. It’s such beautiful music to listen to when you’re feeling stressed.

I guess the point is whether customers and fans are willing to invest in yet another reissue of this fabulous music. To that effect, I wore my earphones and listened. My conclusion: if this whole series sounds like this, I am engaged. The sound is simply spectacular. Rich, powerful, marvelously played. And the investment is reasonable. I am in.

This has got to be one of the greatest movie soundtracks that I own. The music that was put together for this movie is superb with a very rich sound. I find listening to the scores that accompany many of the movie scenes provoke the same intrigue as watching the movie alone. But John Williams really out did himself with much of this work.I will not go into great detail on every song on the soundtrack. However, I say this because I think every Star Wars fan should have this CD in their collection and hear it for themselves! The first time I listened to this CD, I was impressed (and surprised that I missed it in the movie)with the foreshadowing that is present even in the music! Now, we all know that little Ani is the future Darth Vader, but how cool of Williams to throw in a bit of the Imperial March in the background of Anakin's Theme. And I would have bought this CD on Duel Of The Fates alone. I could listen to that all day!

This is it! The soundtrack that started it all. This was the soundtrack that made music an important aspect of Hollywood filmmaking. John Williams wrote very good themes for this movie and he used his themes better than any other film composer ever has. He plays the themes for the characters in many variations to suit what the characters are going through. As you listen to these themes in different variations, it doesn't even feel like it is basically the same melody that you are listening to -- this is clearly the work of a master. Great music for the action scenes. Excellent work overall. I love the entire CD. Can't complain about anything. This is great music superbly performed by the London Symphony Orchestra who went on to perform the other Star Wars scores as well as many other Williams scores.After so many years of not writing any Star Wars music John Williams returns to do his work, this time using choruses better than any other film composer ever has. This soundtrack alone makes all of the choral work of James Horner look like rubbish (and Horner does choral work in ALL of his albums!!). And I thought John Williams' age means that his work will start getting weak. God was I wrong! This is better than any of the music in the original trilogy. Each track has a lot of new music in it and shows that this man JOHN WILLIAMS is a genius. This is great.John Williams wrote A LOT of music for this album, enough music for five films. There are so many different melodies.Really great! JOHN WILLIAMS RULES!!

I happen to be a fan of Star Wars music, and was very excited when this came! John Williams has definitely done a splendid job in creating new music for this movie. "Duel of the Fates" is definitely an all-time hit.However, I was very disappointed to discover that the "May the Force be with You" track played when Anakin is saying good-bye to his mother somehow managed to not be in this album! Although the other music is great, I definitely miss this track.Also, the organization of the tracks is a bit chaotic, and doesn't make much sense to me.

I am hearing new music it seems like instruments have never heard before it is a fantastic remastering

I already have the 2-disc Ultimate Edition of the soundtrack, but it doesn't have the track 'Duel of the Fates' as it is presented on this first edition 1-disc soundtrack.In fact all the tracks on here are isolated and do not 'bleed into' the next track like the 2 disc version does. I am not being negative about the Ultimate Edition soundtrack by any means; it's just nice to have both versions of the CD soundtracks now.It came next day as promised by Amazon Prime - which I am severely tempted to keep; even though I already have other subscriptions like Netflix. Nevertheless, one can do more with Amazon Prime.The disc came sealed and brand new; it's a great addition to my collection. I have all 9 Skywalker Saga soundtracks and, as mentioned above, two versions of The Phantom Menace - which is very neat.John Williams best work on the prequels is arguably Duel of the Fates. The guy is a legend. Two thumbs way up!

Do Doooooooooo! Do do doo doo do do, do do do doooo doo doo doo, doooo doooo do do doo doo do!

If there is one thing about TPM that cannot be disputed, it is the quality of the music, with John Williams capturing the essence of the original Star Wars trilogy and much more besides, with an incredible score that will trigger fond recollections for anyone who saw the movie when it was first released or even for those who saw it afterwards. Some of Williams' best work on the Star Wars films can be found in this soundtrack.

I’m sure you know how good the music is

Fast delivery, excellent quality

SUPER!!!

I love John Williams's music and this first Episode in the Saga is just as great as all the others! Contains some real classics ... the only shame is it's not in any chronolgical order with the film and it's a bit harder to remember where your favourite tracks are at!

Really good CD. Although at the time i didn't realise there was a deluxe edition and had i knew i would have probably gone for that, but still this is awesome.

Great thanks

I failed to see what was 3D

Mag sein, dass manchen die Prequels und besonders Episode I nicht so gut gefallen. Dafür gibt es ja auch viele gute Gründe: Star Wars wurde zur Kinder-Unterhaltung, mit einem Jungen als Hauptfigur, einem sinnarmen Super-Seifenkisten-Rennen und Goofys tolpatischgem Bruder im Geiste, Jar Jar Binks.Aber es gab auch gute Elemente in Episode I, und der Soundtrack von John Williams gehört ohne Zweifel dazu. Nach dem serienüblichen Intro illustriert die Musik eine reichere, bessere Welt - vor dem Imperium. Die aber, wie wir wissen, dem Untergang geweiht ist. Ein bisschen wie das edwardianische Europa vor dem I. Weltkrieg. Fanfaren verkünden von Größe, aber noch nicht von Kampf. Anakin hat ein musikalisches Thema, das noch ganz von Unschuld erzählt, aber am Ende nicht ohne Anklänge an Darth Vader. Der Angriff der Handelsföderation wird durch einen Marsch begleitet, der Schwäche durchscheinen lässt, denn die Föderation ist nur Marionette von finsteren Kräften, denen sie in einem späteren Film dann erliegen wird.Das herausragende Stück des Soundtracks ist natürlich "Duel of the Fates", ein stimmgewaltiges symphonisches Opus, das zur Kennmelodie der Prequels werden wird und das alleine Existenzberechtigung für die ganze Trilogie ist. Mag George Lucas als Filmregisseur schwächeln, John Williams ist mit seinen bildgewaltigen Melodien in Topform zur Stelle und liefert den Hochgenuss, der dem Fan bei Star Wars immer wie ein Schauer über den Rücken fließt. Großartig!

La primera edición de esta banda sonora (existe una de 2000 con la música íntegra que aparece en la película), posee 17 temas para una duración de 74 minutos. Se recogen en él las ideas temáticas en sus versiones arregladas para concierto, con un sonido nítido de calidad perfecta. El cd se presenta con una bonita serigrafía, portada y contraportada, aunque limitada carpetilla -desplegable con los temas, unas pocas fotos y como reverso un póster.Liberadas de las necesidades diegéticas, cada pieza se percibe completa en su desarrollo, como los dos grandes temas de este compacto: Duel of the Fates y el solemne Anakin's Theme. Funcionan como dos leit-motivs clásicos, uno asociado a Darth Maul y a su duelo con los Jedis, rítmico, coral, furibundo, sobrecogedor; y otro que recoge la inocencia de Anakin, sin por ello evitar reconducir su lirismo hacia tonos sombríos, con los ligerísimos apuntes de la Marcha Imperial. Lo cierto es que toda la partitura está construida, por un lado, como un proceso de deconstrucción de la trilogía clásica; y, por otro, la descripción del universo ampliado que aparece en la película. La música, pues, recoge ambientes -Tatooine- civilizaciones -Naboo-, personajes y eventos -luchas, carreras, persecuciones...Así, junto a los temas principales, que se retomarán en su versión más mística en He is the Chosen One para Anakin y Qui-Gon's Noble End para Darth Maul, tenemos otros aparentemente menores, pero que a mi juicio aportan bastantes matices y riqueza a la escucha, como las dos marchas asociadas a los Droids y a la batalla de la gente de Naboo; el trepidante The Flag Parade, que anuncia la carrera de vainas, además de los casi diez minutos finales del End Credits, que cierra y cohesiona toda la escucha en un brillante final que recuerda a los mejores años 80, con preámbulo festivo incluido, tal cual ocurría en El retorno del Jedi. En definitiva, en el disco sencillo el aficionado encontrará todo lo meritorio y la escucha se percibirá completa y satisfactoria, si solo se desea tener los temas sin excesivas variaciones ni mezclas. Si el oyente las busca y prefiere una concepción más narrativa, mejor The ultimate edition.

Muy chula la musica. Y el precio muy accesible. Ha sido para un regalo y aunque no se entrego a tiempo mi hijo estubo muy feliz de regalarselo a su primo.

Mi segundo episodio favorito de la saga después de la venganza de los sith. Buen cd de música. Para los fans de Star Wars muy recomendable.

Genial el disco. Para mi gusto de las mejores b.s.o. de Star Wars y de John Williams. Para todo fan de la saga es más que recomendable.