In keeping with the eerie film title, the soundtrack favors the dark and mysterious, sharing more in common with ominous compositions like Mussorgsky's A Night on Bare Mountain than with, say, the playful, accessible side of Mozart. This is largely due to the fact that multiple Academy Award-winning composer (and longtime George Lucas sonic cohort) John Williams is once again at the helm, as is the London Symphony Orchestra — the same combination that recorded the original Star Wars score some 22 years ago.
Williams lures us into the Phantom Menace universe via the device of familiarity, starting off by delivering the famous "Star Wars (Main Title)." He then channels the London Symphony through a wide scope of lush orchestrations ranging from the eerie, floating choral arrangements of "Duel of the Fates" to the ominous, revved-up militaristic cadence and spiraling menace of "The Sith Spacecraft" and the calming serenity of "He Is the Chosen One." And those hankering for a zany musical foray in the tradition of the Cantina Band will relish "Augie's Great Municipal Band," which, while not quite as sprightly and whimsical as the former, still manages to create a sense of joyful playfulness.
Throughout the 17 movements of the score, recognizable bits and pieces of past Star Wars compositions float in and out, a constant reminder that while this may be a new story, The Phantom Menace is merely another small — yet integral — piece of the greater Star Wars saga.
— Spencer Abbott (Wall Of Sound)
or the most part, orchestral soundtracks are best suited to the theater, wordlessly setting the mood for the film they're accompanying. This is especially true of the Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace soundtrack, which will undoubtedly be a crucial part of the year's most anticipated film. Yet, surprisingly enough, the score to Phantom Menace holds its own outside of the theater. In fact, the casual listener — not just die-hard Star Wars freaks or avid fans of contemporary classical music — may actually enjoy the score on its own merits.