Varèse Sarabande Records has re-released what kind only be described as a beautiful-looking L.P. It's the epic The Empire Strikes Back - Symphonic Suite from the Original Motion Picture Score and this piece of treasure has been out of print since 1980. Just look at that cover! If that isn't enough you get special notes from Ray Bradbury, Christopher Palmer and of course the man himself, John Williams. Below is the full press release with details on how you can order yours:
Varèse Sarabande Records is re-issuing the long out-of-print LP The Empire Strikes Back – Symphonic Suite from the Original Motion Picture Score by Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams. Out of print since 1980, the record is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket featuring the original Star Wars paintings and notes. Available now from VarèseSarabande.com along with two limited exclusive versions: “Imperial Grey Marble” (Newbury Comics), and a Canadian exclusive on “Cloud City Orange” available only at Sunrise retail shops.
Originally released to supplement and not compete with the 2-LP Motion Picture Soundtrack, this 1-LP release skilfully combines a “Symphonic Suite” that John Williams created for concert performance with new arrangements of other cues from the film score. The Empire Strikes Back has become not only one of Williams’ most iconic scores, but one of the most iconic film scores of all time. The LP comes in a gatefold jacket with the original iconic Star Wars paintings by William Stout, images of John Williams, and notes from author Ray Bradbury, composer and critic Christopher Palmer, and from the maestro himself.
“The Suite, which I had specially written and adapted for concert performance […] had been skillfully augmented with other music from the film to form a unified whole. A great orchestra and Gerhardt’s opulent sound and dramatic phrasing combine to make a fine addition to a rapidly growing list of great recordings of film music.” – John Williams
TRACK LISTING
Side A
- 20th Century-Fox Fanfare (0:21)
- Main Title/The Imperial Probe (5:25)
- Luke’s First Crash (2:29)
- Han Solo And The Princess (4:26)
- The Asteroid Field (4:12)
- The Training Of A Jedi Knight and “May The Force Be With You” (1:56)
- The Battle In The Snow (3:06)
Side B
- The Imperial March (3:21)
- The Magic Tree (3:38)
- Yoda’s Theme (3:34)
- The Rebels Escape Again (3:01)
- Lando’s Palace, The Duel (Through The Window) (5:01)
- Finale (4:39)
ABOUT VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS
Varèse Sarabande is one of the leading and most prolific producers of film and television soundtracks. The label was formed as a merger between Varèse International Records (named for composer Edgar Varèse) and Sarabande Records (named after a musical dance form). The label’s iconic logo—a frequent curiosity of fans around the globe—is actually an inkblot created by blowing a straw on a piece of paper with India ink.
Initially a classical label, Varèse Sarabande released its first album of film music in June 1978. Since then, Varèse Sarabande has released thousands of soundtracks and new recordings of classic film scores conducted by celebrated composers with the world’s best-known orchestras.
The label upped the ante for fans by creating the Varèse Sarabande CD Club—releasing exclusive limited-edition deluxe soundtracks featuring rare and long-requested titles. The CD Club ran initially from 1989–92 and was restarted in 2001, and Varèse continues to create Deluxe Editions of cherished scores that might otherwise never see a release.
Since joining Concord in 2018, Varèse Sarabande continues to release new television and film scores, high-quality vinyl and Deluxe Edition soundtracks.
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