The title of this article is conjectural. Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is pure conjecture.

"Shmi's Theme" appears on the The Phantom Menace soundtrack.
"Shmi's theme"
General information
Composer	John Williams[1]
Written	October 1998-February 1999[2]
Recorded	February[2] 1999,[1] England[2]
Released	November 14, 2000 (Ultimate Edition)[3]
Represents	Shmi Skywalker[4]
Performed by	London Symphony Orchestra[1]
Genre	Film score[1]
Musical details
Length	About 30 seconds[1]
Texture	Homophonic[1]
Meter	Non-metrical[1]
Mode	Minor[1]
Use
Soundtracks	The Phantom Menace[1]
Movies	The Phantom Menace[4]
Samples
Versions	"Anakin Is Free" (help·info)

[Source]

The theme in "Anakin Is Free" (File info) · (Audio help)
—London Symphony Orchestra

"Shmi's theme" is a short theatrical theme used to represent Shmi Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It was written by John Williams and recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra in February 1999. It made only two appearances in the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Ultimate Edition soundtrack, one two minutes and twelve seconds into the track "Anakin Is Free" and the other three minutes into the same track. The motif is mainly composed of a single flute solo in the first occurrence and a French horn and clarinet duet during the second. It is homophonic, non-metrical, and is in a minor mode.

Conception and developmentEdit

Composer John Williams was chosen to write the score for the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,^[5] as had been the case for all three of the original trilogy films.^[6] He wrote "Shmi's theme" specifically to represent the character of Shmi Skywalker, mother of young Anakin Skywalker and slave to Watto on Tatooine. Williams used the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Voices to perform the score, which was written between October 1998 and February 1999 and recorded durign the month of February 1999 in England.^[2] However, only the orchestra was used in "Shmi's theme."^[1] The theme was released on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Ultimate Edition soundtrack CD by Sony Classical on November 14, 2000.^[3]

SummaryEdit

The entire theme mainly comprises a single flute solo during its first appearance. The flute utilizes vibrato throughout the entire solo. The slow tempo and minor mode accent the melancholy scene. The solo is backed by quiet violins, and the harp plays small phrases throughout the piece. The motif is homophonic and non-metrical. During the theme's second and final appearance shortly thereafter, it is played as a French horn and clarinet duet.^[1]

UseEdit

The piece makes only two short appearances, one two minutes and twelve seconds into the track "Anakin Is Free" and the other three minutes into the same track on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Ultimate Edition soundtrack. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the theme appears exclusively in the scene when Anakin Skywalker makes his last farewell to his mother, Shmi Skywalker, before leaving a life of slavery on Tatooine.^[4]

BibliographyEdit

• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack

Notes and referencesEdit

Further readingEdit

• Star Wars music on Wikipedia
• The Official Star Wars Music Site