ANH 5: Hologram Opera (Minutes 21-25‪)‬ Star Wars Music Minute

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." In minutes 21-25 of Star Wars, we see and hear Princess Leia's hologram, Lovesick Luke™, and the glorious ambience that is the Lars Homestead. Joining me for this episode is opera singer/librettist/robot dad Aiden Feltkamp!
This episode is also available on YouTube in video format. 
Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Hello there.
0:02:31 - Layers of sound in Luke's garage.
0:06:59 - Luke's interactions with the droids and what that indicates about his character.
0:12:20 - Threepio introduces himself to Luke. Does he make a dirty joke?
0:17:06 - Threepio sounds so self-deprecating.
0:18:00 - Zap! Bloop! Cello. "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope."
0:19:18 - Hologram message looping but artfully mixed in and out.
0:20:30 - We discuss the "bigness"/drama of the cello entrance (sound clip example). This is "The Princess Appears" on the soundtrack.
0:21:34 - Leia's theme (and the difficulty thereof).
0:25:36 - Context matters when it comes to evaluating the impact/drama of musical cues.
0:27:54 - Parallel to Luke in his hut on Ahch-To in The Last Jedi.
0:29:00 - Cat bomb.
0:29:46 - Orchestration of Leia's theme while the hologram plays. Lots of beautiful space for the dialogue to lay on top. Orchestration as "pre-mixing."
0:35:26 - Recitative (the sung-style of dialogue in opera).
0:38:29 - Artoo is the smartest in the room.
0:39:09 - "Where'd she go? Bring her back! Play back the entire message!"
0:40:41 - The quirkiness of old robots (like R2) running on the same hardware and software. Aiden has a robot.
0:42:45 - Aiden talks about showing his robot Star Wars and how the robot tries to mimic Artoo and the soundtrack...
0:47:57 - Moving on to the Lars kitchen, comparing the ambient hums in the kitchen and garage.
0:55:00 - Our different relationships with scores/soundtracks, consumption habits, etc.
1:01:11 - Threepio name drops Obi-Wan Kenobi and Captain Antilles. Worldbuilding.
1:03:21 - Dialogue between Uncle Owen and Luke (while Aunt Beru watches and gives looks).
1:06:55 - Luke's personality, adventure-seeking, quick buy-in to the Force. Do gullible people take to the Force the most?
1:12:33 - Star Wars Minute podcast references.
1:15:54 - Shazam test.
1:17:18 - SWMM Questionnaire.
1:23:15 - Cat bomb.
Musical Themes:
4. Leia
Note: For consistency, I use the theme names and numbers established in Frank Lehman's Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars. You can download it free at his website: https://franklehman.com/starwars/.
Where we are in the soundtrack album:
"The Princess Appears"
"Hologram/Binary Sunset"
Shazam test:
"Sector 12" by Marsfinder
"Who Am I" by Marsfinder
"Daft Fader (Original Mix)" by DJ Phully
"Alot More" by Jett I Masstyr
"Tron, Clu, & R2D2" by DJ Digital Josh
"Luke Skywalker" by MISTER
References:
Aiden's robots are Sony aibo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIBO
10 hours of the Lars family kitchen hum: https://youtu.be/ZJXEoG66LUY
Switched-On Bach by Wendy Carlos: http://www.wendycarlos.com/+sob.html
----------
STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:
1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?
Expansive. Dramatic. Romantic.
2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?
R2-D2.
3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?
TRON (composed by Wendy Carlos)
----------
Follow Aiden Feltkamp!
Website: https://www.aidenkimfeltkamp.com/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TransCherubino
Instagram: https://instagram.com/TransCherubino
Star Wars Music Minute:
YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute
Twitter: @StarWarsMusMin
Instagram: @starwarsmusicminute
TikTok: @StarWarsMusicMinute
Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com
Xanthe:
Twitter: @chrysanthetan
Instagram: @chrysanthetan
Spotify Artist Page: Chrysanthe Tan
Website: chrysanthetan.com
Patreon: patreon.com/chrysanthetan