Classical music composer John Williams - Classical music The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)

John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932) is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning six decades, Williams has composed many of the most recognizable film scores in history, including those for Jaws, the Star Wars films, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Hook, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Home Alone, and three Harry Potter films; he has composed the music for all but one of Steven Spielberg's theatrical features.

Other notable works by Williams include theme music for four Olympic Games, NBC Nightly News, the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, the DreamWorks Pictures production logo, and the television series Lost in Space. Williams also composed numerous classical concerti, and served as the principal conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980 to 1993. He is now the orchestra's laureate conductor.

Williams has won five Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, seven BAFTA Awards and 21 Grammy Awards. With 45 Academy Award nominations, Williams is, together with composer Alfred Newman, the second most nominated person after Walt Disney. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000, and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.

Early life and family

John Williams was born on February 8, 1932, in Flushing Queens, New York. the son of Esther and John Williams, Sr. His father was a jazz drummer who played with the Raymond Scott Quintet.

In 1948, Williams moved to Los Angeles with his family. Williams attended North Hollywood High School and graduated in 1950. He later attended the University of California, Los Angeles and studied privately with composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. In 1952, Williams was drafted into the United States Air Force, where he conducted and arranged music for the Air Force Band as part of his duties.

After his service ended in 1955, Williams moved to New York City and entered Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne. During this time he worked as a jazz pianist at New York's many studios and clubs. He also played for composer Henry Mancini: The session musicians were John Williams on piano, Rolly Bundock on bass, Jack Sperling on drums, and Bob Bain on guitar—the same lineup featured on the "Mr. Lucky" television series. Williams recorded with Henry Mancini on the film soundtracks of Peter Gunn (1959), Charade (1963), and Days of Wine and Roses (1962). He was known as "Little Johnny Love" Williams in the early 1960s, and served as arranger and bandleader on a series of popular albums with singer Frankie Laine.

Williams was married to actress Barbara Ruick from 1956 until her death on March 3, 1974. They had three children together: Jennifer (born 1956), Mark (born 1958), and Joseph (born 1960). His youngest son, Joseph Williams, is one of the various lead singers the band Toto have had over time. His daughter, Jennifer (Jenny) Williams, is a singer. He married his second wife, Samantha Winslow, on July 21, 1980. Williams is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary fraternity for college band members.

Classical music composer John Williams - Classical music The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)

"The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Together with Yoda's Theme, the Imperial March was premiered on April 29, 1980, "five days before the opening of the film, on the occasion of John Williams' first concert as official conductor-in-residence of the Boston Pops Orchestra." One of the best known symphonic movie themes, it is a classic example of a leitmotif, a recurrent theme associated with characters or events in a drama.

Use in Star Wars

"The Imperial March" is sometimes referred to simply as "Darth Vader's Theme." In the movies (except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope), the march is often played when Darth Vader appears. It is also played for the arrival of Emperor Palpatine on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, though it does segue into the Emperor's own theme as he appears.

Original Trilogy


"The Imperial March" is first heard in The Empire Strikes Back in low piccolos as the Galactic Empire sends probe droids across the galaxy in search of Luke Skywalker. Its major opening occurs as Star Destroyers amass and Darth Vader is first presented in the film. The theme and related motifs are also incorporated into tracks such as "The Battle of Hoth" and "The Asteroid Field". Return of the Jedi makes similar use of the theme, though its final statement is significantly different, making quiet use of a harp as a redeemed Anakin Skywalker dies in his son's arms.

Prequel Trilogy


"The Imperial March" appears on a few occasions in the prequel trilogy, most often used to hint at Anakin Skywalker's future as Darth Vader. An innocent theme for the nine-year-old Anakin in The Phantom Menace, is thematically based on "The Imperial March". "The Imperial March" is also heard towards the end, as Yoda acknowledges Anakin as Obi Wan's apprentice in saying "The chosen One, the boy may be. Nevertheless, grave danger I fear in his training". In the second prequel, Attack of the Clones, "The Imperial March" is sometimes played subtly when an event foreshadows Anakin's future: It is first played when Yoda senses Anakin slaughtering a tribe of Tusken Raiders to avenge his mother's death and later with more force when Anakin tells Padmé Amidala what he did. It is played most prominently during the final sequence when clone troopers assemble and depart Coruscant, foreshadowing that they are the predecessors of Imperial stormtroopers. Although "Across the Stars" is featured most prominently in the film's end credits, several notes from "The Imperial March" are heard beneath it near the end.

Uses outside Star Wars

Outside of the Star Wars films, the march is often used as a musical illustration for various totalitarian or authoritarian political and religious figures. In one example, "The Imperial March" was played as a form of protest against Scientology during the Project Chanology protests by Anonymous.

The music was used by radio show host Rush Limbaugh as the theme for his Gorbasm updates concerning the activities of then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, both while he was President and after.

The music has been used as emblematic of sporting rivalries. Numerous high school and college marching bands have taken to playing the march during football games, particularly when a home team's defense is on the field or has made a big play. The first regular use of "The Imperial March" was in the 1980s, when John Thompson led the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team onto the floor with "The Imperial March" being played by the Georgetown band, perpetuating the sullen, intimidating persona of the Hoyas.

In January 2003, during Super Bowl XXXVII, ABC Sports took to using "The Imperial March" as a leitmotif for the Oakland Raiders. Three-time and current World Professional Darts Champion John Part uses the theme as entrance for his matches. The Miami Hurricanes football program uses the Imperial March during games as part of its "evil empire" persona.

The Imperial Death March was used as thematic background music for the announcement of the "Creep of the Week" on Dave Dameshek's Jerk Report during the 2006 season of the Adam Carolla Show.


In 2007 US Open tournament final, "The Imperial March" was played as Roger Federer entered the stadium. This was done presumably because of the black outfit Federer wore at that tournament. Its use was repeated for his entrance in the 2009 final, when Federer again wore all black.

An elevator music version appears in the Family Guy episode "Blue Harvest", when Peter Griffin (as Han Solo) and Chris Griffin (as Luke Skywalker) escort Brian Griffin (as Chewbacca) dressed as Imperial stormtroopers. It acts as the Death Star's elevator's background song. The episode is a spoof of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which "The Imperial March" is not used.

In The Simpsons episode "Gump Roast", Montgomery Burns steps toward a lectern and "The Imperial March" plays. Other episodes also use "The Imperial March" as Mr. Burns appears (for example, "A Star Is Burns").

On the soundtrack of the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire saga, "Night Skies" features a slow, melodic sample of "The Imperial March", designed to reflect the thoughts of Darth Vader, who believes that his son, Luke Skywalker is on Coruscant and attempts telepathic contact with him. The main theme plays twice in the track.

During New York Yankees games at Yankee Stadium, when the visiting team's lineup is announced, "The Imperial March" plays in the background. Ever since the Yankees obtained the "Evil Empire" nickname from Boston Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, this practice has taken on a certain irony to both Yankee fans and their detractors.

Jon Stewart, on The Daily Show in January 2009 began associating "The Imperial March" with former Vice President Dick Cheney after his appearance at President Barack Obama's inauguration in a wheelchair. This theme was carried across several episodes in the week following the Inauguration.

Fans and stadium staff of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders coined the phrase "Evil Empire" to describe the rival Edmonton Eskimos, playing on their double E logo. The Eskimos staff and fans have embraced the image and play the theme on a regular basis during games.

Ska punk group No Doubt did a live cover of the song for their Live in the Tragic Kingdom DVD

The progressive metal band Bigelf use it in introduction of their concerts. In addition, their singer, Damon Fox, has a Yoda decal on his keyboard.

UFC fighter Ryan Bader uses Imperial March (Rage Mix) for his entrance music.