Track Listing

1. Prologue/Main Title
2. Battlestar Galactica Theme
3. Destruction of Peace
4. Fighter Launch/Mysterious Derelict/Zac in Trouble
5. Adama's Theme/The Residue of War
6. Sex at Last/Cassiopea & Starbuck
7. Cylon Freighter/The Trap
8. Cylon Attack/The End of Atlantia
9. Symptoms/Boxey's Problems/Serena's Illness
10. Suffering
11. Red Nova
12. More Than a Father/And the People Rejoiced
13. Ready Room/Scramble to Safety/Imperious Leader
14. Escape from the Ovion Mines
15. Dash to the Elevator
16. Red & Blue/Destruction of Carillon
17. Exodus One/End Credits

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #242916 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Great Performance shows limititations of the original
If you saw the show, you know the music and you'll automatically buy this CD as memorabilia. Stu Phillips tries to elevate his TV music to the level of a John Williams movie score by using the Scottish National Orchestra. It almost works, but not quite. These are epic-scale, grandiose performances, but they reveal the limitations of the original score, which is really meant for the small screen. Most of the memorable themes are short motifs, such as "Red and Blue," a jaunty short scale representing speeding Colonial Vipers crossing their paths in space, or the crushing "Imperious Leader" theme which rips off John Williams' Death Star motif with pounding timpanis. "Sex at Last" is a great title for the love music for Starbuck and Cassiopea, but the music is anything but torrid--it's gentle, restrained, and fairy-tale like. Of course, the main theme and end credits are glorious and benefit from the mighty horns of the SNO, but it makes me want to hear a more developed theme, because Phillips had the makings of a great symphonic concert piece. The "Theme to Battlestar Galatica" is structured in classical 3-part sonata-form: opening horn fanfare, middle formal statement with horn and strings, and resolution. It has the potential to outdo Star Wars. Maybe something to shoot for if and when the new movie comes out.

An epic score in a grand tradition
The merits of the 70's TV series "Battlestar Galactica" have been debated by science fiction fans for over 20 years. But one issue that is beyond debate is the excellence of Stu Phillips' stirring score for the series' movie-length premiere episode. This is music in the great tradition of the space saga and its cinematic precursors.

The score has been newly recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Stu Phillips himself. This new recording pulses with energy and emotion. The mysterious prologue, the powerful main theme, the tender love theme for Cassiopea and Starbuck--each track is wonderfully realized.

Whatever flaws it had, "Battlestar Galactica" was a saga with both an epic vision and a tender heart. Stu Phillips' score expertly captures these twin aspects of the saga. This disc is an essential addition to any good collection of science fiction and fantasy film music.

Pretty good -- but a bit different
I have mixed feelings about this re-performed version of the original theme music from Battlestar Galactica. I consider myself a diehard fan of both the original shows and also a fan of Stu Phillips in general. Here's my thoughts on this CD.

I guess I was most dissapointed by the title track (the main theme). I found it to be a slightly higher tempo than the original performance and a bit 'tinny' sounding. The rushed feeling bugged me right from the start. The missing bottom end also got me down. Well this was a rough start since I'm at the beginning of the CD. However, it gets better. I found myself really enjoying the fidelity and instrument range on the 4th track (fighter launch/zac in trouble). Definitely liked the expanded orchestra.

The overall sound quality is pretty good, so people who are in to hi-fi will not be dissapointed. Personally I found many of the tracks on the treble-ish side of things. I felt like it was lacking in the bottom end, but tweaking the settings on my stereo helped. And the increased instrument range was definitely cool.

My big gripe was I didn't like the re-performance of the Galactica theme. To me it was the most important part and while it was pretty decent, I felt it lacking the feeling of the original. For that, I am giving the CD three stars. my recommendation? I if you can, buy the orignal 4 cd release as well. Maybe Stu will have another opportunity to re-perform it again.