"The Flag Parade" is a recurring motif for the stage, penned by John Williams. It was featured in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace and its associated soundtrack. The composition took place between October 1998 and February 1999, with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) recording it in February. This piece is characterized by its majestic character, presented at a tempo of 92 bpm. It begins with a time signature of 4/4, shifting to 2/4 for the primary melody. The entire piece spans one minute and fourteen seconds and is composed in the key of C major. This theme is heard during the flag ceremony scene preceding the Boonta Eve Classic podrace near the Mos Espa settlement on Tatooine. Moreover, the composition appears in the Mos Eisley "heroes versus villains" Assault Mode of the Star Wars: Battlefront II video game, and again in the initial cut scene of "Chapter 5: Mos Espa Podrace" from "Episode I" in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game.
As with the previous three Star Wars movies from the original trilogy, John Williams composed the score for the 1999 prequel trilogy movie, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, and its accompanying soundtrack. "The Flag Parade" was specifically created for the flag ceremony scene that occurs right before the Boonta Eve Classic podrace outside of Mos Espa on Tatooine. The piece, along with the complete score, was composed between October 1998 and February 1999, and subsequently recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra in February. Sony Classical initially released the original soundtrack on May 4, 1999, followed by the Ultimate Edition on November 14, 2000. To coincide with the 3-D theatrical release of The Phantom Menace, the original soundtrack was re-released on February 6, 2012. In 2013, "IAmShark" also released the album on vinyl. On September 25, 2015, Sony Classical announced the release of the Phantom Menace soundtrack, alongside soundtracks from the other five films, in three distinct sets: Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection, Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Edition, and Star Wars: The Ultimate Digital Collection, all scheduled for release on January 8, 2016.
"The Flag Parade" is characterized by its majestic style, performed at a tempo of 92 bpm. It features a time signature that begins at 4/4 and transitions to 2/4 during the main melody. The composition lasts for one minute and fourteen seconds and is written in the key of C major. It commences with a resounding cymbal crash and a brass fanfare, featuring trumpets followed by a descending phrase highlighting French horns. The fanfare then includes a trumpet segment comprising two sets of nine triplets, each concluding with a quarter note. The fanfare continues with an interplay between the trumpets and low brass. Subsequently, the French horns introduce the primary melody, which includes two pickup sixteenth notes followed by four quarter notes, nine triplets, and two additional quarter notes. They then proceed with an eighth note, two sixteenth notes, another pair of eighth notes, and two more quarter notes.
This pattern is repeated, omitting the final quarter note. The entire melody is supported by a percussion and low brass beat, largely composed of quarter notes and occasional eighth note/two sixteenth notes rhythms. This is followed by another trumpet fanfare, which then leads into a repetition of the main melody, again played by the French horns. A string phrase follows, succeeded by another trumpet fanfare-like segment. Ultimately, the horns play the main melody for a third time, with the trumpets occasionally interjecting with brief phrases. The conclusion of the melody is performed by the low brass and trumpets, alternating on each phrase. The theme then diminishes to silence, ending with a snare drum rhythm.
This composition is exclusively featured on the soundtrack of The Phantom Menace. In its initial release, the theme is part of the seventh track, named "The Arrival at Tatooine and The Flag Parade." However, in the Ultimate Edition, the theme is given its own separate track, the thirty-first track, entitled "The Flag Parade."
The composition also appears in the "heroes vs. villains" Assault Mode in Mos Eisley, and as General Grievous's theme in the Star Wars: Battlefront II video game. The piece is heard again in the opening cut scene of "Chapter 5: Mos Espa Podrace" from "Episode I" in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game.
The sheet music for this piece was included in the music book for The Phantom Menace, published by Bantha Music for various instruments and editions: trumpet, piano, easy piano, clarinet, tenor sax, and alto sax. The theme was also played over the loudspeakers at the "Tomorrowland Terrace" restaurant within Disneyland Park, between performances of the Jedi Training Academy.
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack
- Music from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- Sony Classical to Release Ultimate Editions of Original Star Wars Soundtracks on StarWars.com (backup link)