Kevin Kiner's Music Is One Of The Best Parts Of 'Star Wars Rebels' And Here's Why
Even though the first episode of Star Wars Rebels aired back in 2014, I did not have a chance to watch it until recently. While its main theme of good vs. evil and the coming of age story are nothing new, I was instantly hooked. Not many television series nowadays have orchestral soundtracks, let alone one of the same grandeur as John Williams.
Writing Star Wars music is nothing new to Kevin Kiner. He previously composed the soundtrack for Star Wars: The Clone Wars. However, Star Wars Rebels definitely had a different sound from The Clones Wars. The full orchestra narrating the story in the background makes it feel like you are watching a movie as opposed to a 20-minute episode of a television series. With the entirety of Star Wars Rebels available for streaming on Disney+, this facilitates “the binging.” The next thing you know, you have spent a few hours watching a story arc. Furthermore, Kiner’s music draws you into the galaxy far, far away and makes it feel like you are running alongside Ezra Bridger and the rest of the Ghost crew.
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“I don’t ever want to be mini-me John Williams...I have to put my own voice to it.”
As Kevin Kiner has said, the Star Wars theme is one of the most recognizable musical pieces. Even more so for someone like myself who has CDs of John Williams’ Star Wars soundtracks and frequently listen to them. I can almost see the twin suns of Tatooine every time I hear the Force theme from A New Hope. Kiner brings familiarity to Star Wars Rebels by building on the foundations laid by Williams. In using Williams’ famous leimotifs, he pays homage to the previous generation of Star Wars. By adding his own elements to those familiar themes, he essentially updates it for the new generation. This is especially evident in “Rebels Theme.” First, Kiner introduces this new melody with a repeated motif. As the music swells, the familiar Force theme comes in, intertwining with Kiner’s original melody. Close that out with the Rebel Fanfare leimotif and Kiner has successfully reminded us that even though we are in the same time period as the Star Wars trilogy, we are seeing an original story in Star Wars Rebels.
“And we have a new generation of Star Wars.”
The story of Star Wars Rebels is set a few years before the events of A New Hope. The Empire's rule is firmly established. Its iron grip on the galaxy is solid. However, even though the Empire is at the height of its power, pockets of the Rebellion are forming, culminating in the destruction of the Death Star in A New Hope. Much of Kiner’s music for Rebels helps to paint that picture.
Take “Glory of the Empire,” for example. Kiner creates a fanfare. One can imagine a celebration parade, scores of stormtroopers passing by as the marching band plays. Fans and non-fans will recognize “The Imperial March.” However, it is now just the Empire theme played in the major key. Kiner hastens its tempo just a tad, bringing the celebratory music closer to the tempo of Sousa’s march. The prominent snare drums and cymbals complete the image of the Imperial troops marching along. The trumpets round out the fanfare. Even though the Empire does not apologize for nor hide its ruthlessness and brutality, that does not mean that it cannot create an image of prosperity and joy with its victory parade.
The subtlety of Kiner’s soundtrack even helps with character development in the series. This can be heard in “Imperial Inquisition.” Season 1 of Star Wars Rebels introduces the new antagonists in the form of the Imperial Inquisition, dark side users who stop at nothing to hunt down the Jedi. The purge still continues nearly twenty years after Order 66 was given. The opening timpani notes are reminiscent of the first few beats of “The Imperial March.” However, the melody never develops fully into the actual “Imperial March.” Instead, the timpani continues to beat out its rhythms as the choir enters with their somber notes. Where else have we heard a choir? “Duel of the Fates” in The Phantom Menace. Like the Sith in The Phantom Menace, the Inquisitors are a new enemy that our heroes have not encountered before, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Kevin Kiner’s music is part of what makes Star Wars Rebels so great. He successfully builds around John Williams’ music to complete the canvas of a whole new Star Wars story. Even though we are in the galaxy far, far away and we may see familiar faces throughout, this is a whole new chronicle. As Williams’ orchestral score draws you into the world created by the films, Kiner’s soundtrack keeps you invested in the world created by these twenty-minute episodes.
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