Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Composer(s):
Stu Phillips

Released in:
1978

Reviews

AIMING FOR THE STARS
by Branko LaRusso (November 25, 2003)
Battlestar Galactica is a soundtrack that I have been longing to have in my soundtrack collection for many moons and until just recently my longing for a copy has finally been fulfilled. I was intentionally searching for a vinyl copy rather than a CD for numerous reasons and my patience has been duely rewarded with a mint copy.

I remember watching the "Battlestar Galactica" TV series as a child way back in the early 1980's and almost immediately fell in love with it (the series) and the beautifully written music of Stu Phillips.

The "Main Title: Theme from "Battlestar Galactica" is a superbly written theme. It has a feel of grandeur or magnificence deriving from it, almost as if it was written for a Hollywood Biblical Epic such as "Ben-Hur" or the "The Ten Commandment's". Other tracks that are worth mentioning , are "standouts" and are some of my favourites is the furiously paced "Track 3"-"Fighter Launch" in which it eloquently illustrates a sense of urgency in it's style and pace.

My ultimate favourite track from the whole album without a doubt is "Track 5"-"Exploration/Theme from Battlestar Galactica" from it's first thundering opening notes, it possesses an eerie sense of "mystique" and the "unknown" leading the listener to worlds that only our imagination can or could lead us to.

"Track 6"-"The Cylon Base Ship"(Imperious Leader) is another authoritative piece which with it's ominous pounding drums and weary sounding notes leads us to believe that something vexatious is about to transpire.

"Track 7"-"Cassiopia and Starbuck" also is worthy of a mention in that it is a beautifully written romantic theme-short in duration but effective nonetheless in it's intended purpose.

"Track 10"-"Boxey's Problem-Serena's Illness" also struck a chord with me.

All in all, a good soundtrack that I've enjoyed listening to and will continue to enjoy listening to - and the great album cover artwork also is stunning.

Powerful opening themes, otherwise undistinguished.
by Bret Wheadon (January 26, 2002)
I was all hot and bothered to hunt down the soundtrack to Battlestar Galactica a few years ago. I remembered it's stunning opening fanfare from when I watched the show as a teenager, and finally picked up the re-recording done by Stu Phillips and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on Varese Sarabande. I was again very impressed by the opening theme -- part Star Wars, part . . . ok, ALL Star Wars, but still an impressive, powerful opening, well deserving of the continuing attention it receives. I also enjoy the Middle-Eastern influence found in the "Prologue," with it's sinewy lines and intriguing harmonics.
Other than that, I found the score undistinguished, with routine action cues that would have benefitted from the reintroduction of the Main Title theme, but instead serve up the requisite sturm and drang, but pale in comparison to the promise of the Prologue and Main Titles. I still recommend the CD for the first two cues, some of the finest, most heroic music ever written for television, but I can't help wishing that the rest of the score was as memorable.

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