Funeral March from Star Wars: ANDOR 

Very true. The world building of this show was pristine.

Compare with the latest season of the Mandalorian, where Nevarro gets bombed and (presumably) a bunch of its inhabitants are killed. It's a moment of spectacle, but there's no real feeling attached because Nevarro, three seasons in, is still just a backdrop and its people are just extras in costume. It's hard to believe these two places can exist in the same fictional universe.

Excellently put.

Could very easily be my hometown, save for the funerary bricks.

i care more about ferrix after one season of television than i do about tatooine, despite decades of media taking place there

Haha. I thought the same thing. I’m glad B didn’t travel with Cassian at all though because then it would have been too much.

The droid just wants Maarva

yeah I love how they treat the droid like a person in andor, it's just another member of this community, the only other one we've really seen like them is the one from solo and that narrative mocks it for trying to fight for it's rights

3PO and D-O also speak and have strong personalities. We were meant to feel bad for D-O as well. It was just too forced for an unfamiliar character. Here, we had enough to get to know the droid.

Yeah, it was when the Prefect guy kicked Bee that powder keg exploded and the riot really kicked off.

I can’t either but I also haven’t met them. That sounds like SW Theory talk. lol. I do think we should appreciate that the movies that came before though really made this show possible.

Opfer

Andor makes the rest of Disney's, er, occupation of Star Wars worth it. There can be another dozen flops for all I care, flops always happen anyways, but for the production crew and cast of Andor, it's a privilege to have made something as phenomenal as this show, and it's a privilege that one way or another an audience could see it firsthand, or learn about it from the accolades of others, and love it in spite of what expectations preceded it. A great work of art is in the moment, not what's to come or what has been.

People who dislike Andor are the same who dislike Dune, and it's sad because it shows how the average audience is conditioned to appreciate cheap and fast action, flashy visuals, and epic fights. Character development, world building, quality writing and storytelling and incredible dialogues are secondary if not tertiary concerns in mainstream media entertainment. You can't reason with those people because to put it bluntly, they just lack the intellectual acuity to enjoy a series or a movie that is slow-paced and takes its time to tell a gripping, mature story. For me Andor is mind-blowingly awesome, on a level that i never expected to see in Star Wars, even before the Disney era. It is a brilliant show by all standards, not just by the ever-lowering Star Wars standards. That show was made for adults, by people who understand that the kids who grew up with Star Wars are now grown ups.

@@Mecceldorf Besides the new trilogy, all Disney series + Rogue One has been at least watchable.

I didn’t want it to stop. Haha

The essence of Maarva 🥰 It’s exactly what a reckoning sounds like

Yo! I don't see enough people drawing the parallel between Maarva's reckoning speech, and the reckoning that is her funeral. Nice shout!

“Why? What happens then?”

​@@TheNorthie*leans back in chair like the badass she is*

In some ways, yeah. But I don’t think Star Wars could survive just off of content like this. Andor couldn’t accomplish what it has without the content that came before it to open up these story lines.

No arguement. It is

By far, not even close... It's also I'd say the single greatest thing SW has ever done...

It's the best product ever made in any media with star wars in the name, easily.

Yeah. Gilroy’s entire approach is about direction and Britell aided that wonderfully.

Best thing since Empire!

Rogue One isn't the best at all.

It certainly has to be up there in the Disney era of content but what would you feel is the top choice?

Gonna be real. Andor blows the original trilogy out of the water. It resets the bar for what Star Wars can and should be.

It definitely had a bit of that feeling. Like anyone could be taken out at any moment. Everybody was ready to pull the trigger on someone in this episode.

The scene had the feel of the Troubles era of Northern Ireland.

Love and rememberance*

I can definitely hear and see that sense of family you describe.

That’s when things get serious. Such a great track.

It was inspired by Ennio Morricone's tema di Ali In the battle of algeirs movie

@@Wassim.H Wow, thanks! I did not know that! Went and checked it out, and, yeah, I hear it!

The moment a rebellion truly began

It really was. It was the perfect marriage of music and story telling like Star Wars was always meant to be.

Tbh I think Andor was good DESPITE Disney. It had next to no advertisement before it started getting popular, was a backburner project while Boba Fett and Kenobi were the big expected moneymakers, which means Disney wasn't doing much of imposing strict heavy deadlines or micromanagement. So the art was allowed room to just breathe. Just my 2 cents at least. A guess from an outsider's perspective.

I think you’re right on. I also think the other shows were rushed and sloppy because of being slowed up from quarantines. Apparently Gilroy was adamant that they do things his way or he wouldn’t do it though.

​@SwashHustler "how did Disney allow this to be made in their name?!" "You think they're listening? Nobody's listening!"

NOBODY’S LISTENING!

Are people really still upset about that? It was a great show. The universe has to feel larger than just Jedi to feel believable.

It was so well thought out and choreographed as well. Then entire scene takes up a lot of the episode, which just adds to how impressive it is.

I think having it be so immersed in the story goes a long way as well. This is completely different from any other music in the entire series.

I know those bands well. I absolutely love NOLA and visit MS often. It’s a little different here. I compare more to funeral marches of Hispanic Catholic Churches which are typically just a bit more dirge-like but it’s not that much different. Thank you for watching!

I can’t wait to see if/how they reference this moment in the next season. Will this be a pivotal moment in the growth of the rebellion?

Do it!

Thank you! I love putting the notation overtop the video for that reason. Easy enough for people to take from there and do with as they please. Thank you for watching!

My pleasure. I’m glad I could get it out before Britell drops the OST as well. Thank you for watching!

It was perfect for the scene and the story in every way.

I think Andor was something the fandom really needed to restore some faith.

It doesn’t even end after 14 years. I’m sure there’s a video out there, but I’d be very curious how many people died because of Palpatine’s plots and wars over the years.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis Not exactly sure when Andor was, but assumed around 7-9 years after the Empire rose. The empire lasted, as the controlling body of the government, for 23 years (19 BBY-4 ABY). It didn't vanish completely after Palpatine's death, but it was in disarray and would never raise again.

Sure. But even as late as RoS, he’s destroying entire planets. All the deaths throughout the 9 Skywalker saga films are on his hands. That’s an insane death total.

The show happens in 5 BBY

That makes sense then since that’s where it was inspired by. (Ireland) I think it’s a concept that nearly all Western cultures are able to identify in some way with which is why it worked so well.

This is the way. I mean… Stone and Sky!

@@starwarsmusicanalysis ONE WAY OUT!....erhm...may the force be with you

Maarva doesn’t mess around, even in death.

I don’t know. Maybe a good sunset?

Check out “If Beale Street Could Talk”

The empire is inevitable to planets. Andor maybe accelerated the for Ferrix, but they were never going to be safe.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis true, but Andor was almost as hated by the people than the Empire. He did what Lucien and Mon did on a local level.

Sorry. I never thought people would actually try playing it. Haha. Let me know if you’d want me to send you one.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis can you upload it to a sheet music site

It’s still there. Give it another go.

Thank you!

Mine too. Hopefully not for a long time though. Haha Thank you for watching.

Britell did a phenomenal job. Should “Love” be the emphasized word?

@@starwarsmusicanalysis hell yes!!

@@starwarsmusicanalysis the moment I started the episode and that music at that scene started playing , i wanted to join them lol

Haha. Maybe that will be a VR experience one day.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis haha hope so lol

I think it spoiled us a bit. Nobody could keep that high of a level for every show. I’m just glad someone showed that it can be done in the Star Wars Universe.

This is very true. I think it differs from stormtrooper to stormtrooper though.

I actually rewrote the music myself and exported the audio file. Then, I put it back with the muted video but edited it so that it’s only the clips of the funeral band. And then green screened the music notation over top. If you like the effect though, check out my other themes as well where I do the same thing.

I could see that. They both use modes that don’t have a leading tone/raised 7th scale degree. It’s make it feel more ancient.

Stone and Sky

Yeah. This is an arrangement I made. It’s computer generated sounds so the sense of an amateur ensemble is unfortunately lost.

That’s this is one. ANDOR Soundtrack ru-vid.com/group/PL8JZKq6W7IzDgUfxVmQjqGvrfieiNI_Ho

Stone and Sky

That’s my favorite part. Most creators and engineers would have just gone for the pristine studio sound which just always immediately feels disconnected.

It sounds like a funeral march by the Ferrix steelworkers union band, outsmarting the authorities by using the music as a cover for perfectly choreographed civil disobedience. It shows the hidden power of a cohesive community that authoritarianism just doesn't know how to deal with.

It makes you wonder how long they had been planning this parade march mutiny.

It turns into a battle march after that pause midway through.

I love the way that it communicates their anger and rebellion directly to the imperial troops in front of them. Then switches to a Major chord as they circle in towards each other.

Stone and Sky!

The child has grown up and still has a Star Wars show to watch when their kids go to bed.

I think it will for this series. Gilroy really knows what he’s doing and cares about the quality more than fan service. Go figure, it leads to an incredible result. As for the rest of the content, it will certainly be a step back in quality but I wouldn’t be surprised if Star Wars creators are taking some hard notes right now. Keep in mind that the majority of Mando season 3 and Ahsoka was finished though before Andor released so this will be a long term change.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis I moderately like Mandalorian S1 but it does not come close to how much I loved Andor. I hope they keep that spark. Mandalorian S2 was a letdown for me. Did not watch the third. My worry stems more from studio execs than the creatives. Either cutting funds because "it is a hit anyway" or messing with it for mass appeal. Just look at what AMC did to Walking Dead.

That’s fair. Mando season 3 isn’t out yet. The execs have proven to be clueless in the past but perhaps more directors will allow themselves to ask for what they want going forward. Ultimately, at least we have this show.

@@willnash7907 I come from the future to tell you Mandalorian Season 3 is also, so far, a let down :( I really can't wait for Andor to come back and fill our hearts with joy... at least one last time before Star Wars goes for good with its last breath.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis its fanservice is something different, its extremely faithful to the universe, and that was something i really enjoyed as to me, the universe is far more fascinating than any character in it

Gilroy was a master of timing and Britell’s music complements it well. Since this is where they began in planning the entire show, this music likely was an origin for many of the other pieces we hear throughout the series.

When I saw this scene… I just thought: This is no longer a Star Wars show. This is a story of war. A tale of loss…tears… cruelty… and defiant bravery. Nothing is sugar coated. These people have been through so much, but they all share a deep love for each other that not even a horrific system like the Empire can stamp out 🥹

It was a bold move to not do something more cinematic. But that rejection of the norm is what made it so special and powerful.

But they already got so much money in Solo.

Well said.

a rebellion is born.. in the funeral of a republic.

I hope we see that there other instances like this all over the galaxy in season 2. Maybe not just like this, but little micro-insurrections that people/survivors flee from to build the rebellion.

That’s an incredible take. I never thought of it that way.

I was thinking how cool it would be to see a high school marching band do this but then I realized it probably won’t happen since it’s not a show for kids. A DCI drum corps or the GG would do an incredible job with it though!

A tool of fascism playing an anti-fascist piece of music? What do you think Maarva means when she says "fight the empire"?

I don’t think the piece was intended to be anti-fascist. It’s likely a traditional Ferrix piece played at all funerals, regardless of allegiance.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis While it may not have initially started out as that in-universe, this song has a very explicit anti-fascist context. First of all, the imperials (=fascists) only allowed the people of Ferrix a funeral with 40 people. They came out playing this song, with a band and crowd of way more than 40 people, instantly turning the funeral, and by association this song, into an anti-fascist demonstration. Also, if we take an out of universe stance. This song was played on an explicitly anti-fascist show, at a pivotal moment that started a rebellion against a fascist recime. How can this song be anything less than anti-fascist? So yeah, this song being played by a military band would be weird (to put mildly).

@@punkandprovocation if all militaries are tools of fascism, who defeated the Nazis in WW2?

In the book “Heir to the Jedi” there’s a section about musicians being imprisoned if they performed certain music or songs. I could see this being part of the reason why.

Apparently that was a large part of the inspiration for this scene and the setting.

The emperor is Margaret Thatcher?😂

Raw is the perfect word. It feels so natural and real to us. I’m so thankful that they created this show.

They absolutely are. That’s one of the great things about having a franchise develop for 40 years. The number of places that stories can find themselves is astounding.

Yep. And now every other show will be held up to its standard for better and for worse.

Yeah. Just waiting for something to snap until it does.

I think it was the combination. Everything about that scene was so genuine in feeling.

I agree. I love how real they made this feel.

Apparently flute players make good human shields. But in seriousness, I’ve always been curious at the order of instruments for parades. There’s no set order and anywhere you go, you’ll see it change.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis haha I see how it could be taken that way but by "forward" I meant like "prominent in the arrangement" like it's not advancing drums or the modern Nolan/Mass Effect low BWOOAMP but flutes twirling high and and bright.

Maybe. It feels very traditional. That’s why Bix knew and could him the melody. Ferrix didn’t have a need for it before now. And the choreographed March/parade feels too scripted to be something they just came up with. I think this is something they do routinely. The difference was the intent and inner emotions that they had while doing it this time. They weren’t doing this with mourning; they were doing it with intent.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis Late finding this, but in my mind, the scene of Bix humming in that cell is meant to show the music is powerful enough to start her healing. It is literally lifting her up. She hears her cultural music, and it is the fact that it is the funeral march I think is important. Listen to what Marva said in her speech about the first time she was at a funeral. She wanted to be "lifted". The chant of "Stone and Sky". This is a people who celebrate who they are by celebrating those who have died by saying, "This person is special. They get to be remembered in the brick, the very thing that makes us who we are". The Empire tried to destroy Bix's mind, but her peoples' music cured her.

I think that’s definitely true but I still believe it’s coming from a sense of memory as well. This is similar to what occurs for Alzheimer’s patients. If they hear something from their childhood, it temporarily can restore portions of their brain. But they have to have the music in their memory first.

@Star Wars Music Analysis I agree entirely. Music has a way of reaching memory for everyone. It doesn't surprise me that it helps Alzheimers patients.

It’s so well paced. That’s what I keep coming back to. It takes a long time to develop, but you get so much from the scene because of that.

It was all about pacing. We bought into everything the characters did because the creators took the time to let us understand them. We were immersed in the funeral march because we understood Ferrix well enough to care.

If the modal nodes started an all out riot, they could be considered again though for sure.

That would be incredible. There definitely should be an orchestral suite made for Andor.

The writers did a perfect job a pacing this show and especially this episode. Nothing is rushed which lets us live in the details of the moment. Thank you for watching!

It’s hard to compare to the animated series but the pacing in this entire show was just so well paced.

It dropped this morning. Haven’t had a chance to listen yet but I’m sure it’s incredible.

And sometimes we never even know or get to see the results of our actions, like Maarva.

Thank you. I wasn’t initially intending for people to play along with these, but it seems to have evolved into that.

Thank you! The entire soundtrack has incredible symbolism but this moment was just so pure and acoustically raw. I sort of felt bad making an electronic version. So, I’m relieved that you really liked it! Thank you for watching!

It all comes back to pacing. For this episode to work, the entire series had to be paced correctly.

Thank you so much! I’m really excited for season 2 as well. It has such a high bar that season 1 set for it. But I’m super excited to see how they tie everything together. Should be epic!

Britell used simple harmonies, emulating a folk-style music. It was truly effective.

Flutes and Brass. You’re so right!

@@starwarsmusicanalysis You can make a pipe organ sound like bagpipes, there's a reason it's called the queen of instruments!

It’s such a massive part of the last episode which is awesome on its own but everything fed off of the drama of the scene as a whole and the pacing was incredible. They really showed us how well Star Wars shows can be done.

Agreed. It’s reflects the greater level of time and care put into the entire show over these little details.

I think there was something in there that she inherently recognized and it helped begin to remember who she was. Maybe it’s a melody that is a cornerstone of their culture.

I don’t think certain (and typically louder) elements of the fandom have acted in a way that best represents the fandom as a whole though. Plenty of times there have been complaints about diverse actors even before a show has been released. But yes, it has also been used as a scapegoat on the other side.

Compared to everything else in the show being synths, this really grabbed everyone’s attention.

Truly, master piece grabs everyone like Darth Vader grabs people with force choke and thank you for answering / uploading & happy christmas time & May the force bit with you & blessings@@starwarsmusicanalysis

Agreed. So masterfully done but I can’t imagine kids watching it.

@@starwarsmusicanalysis they’ll grow into it I’m sure. Xxx

To Nicholas Britell as well as the performers that pulled it off.

New Orleans vibes

I think the entire setup before the music had a strong impact as well.

Yeah. The pacing and world building was beautifully in this show. It told so much without rushing through stories.

Haha. There’s a bunch of people typing up there final wishes right now.

I love the way it slowly comes together at the beginning. From uncoordinated individuals to a massive coordinated ensemble.

Great connection. I hadn’t considered this at all! Both incredible musical scenes as well!

I see it as they’re ignoring that the empire is there. “You’re not going to stop our traditions”.

New meaning to the term “military band”

I loved that movie and it definitely had an underrated score.

Ask for “The Ferrix Package” at the Funeral home.

It’s a solid choice!

Nothing says “we mean business” like some good old compound meter. Haha. Andor was crazy good. No franchise can keep up that level of quality. But it will certainly continue to be a compass for where other creators imagine they can take a galaxy far far away.

Honorable life goals

More character development than world building.

This made me openly laugh. Haha

A perfect place to put this. RIP, James Earl Jones

I think the most important thing this show does is demonstrate that Star Wars can expand beyond its prototypical stories and character types and still be successful.

I think you need a few more. Haha I almost added my voice in chanting it but ultimately decided not to.

I think that was part of it but the creators pulled from a lot of inspirations for this from what they’ve said.

Agreed, Cyril hunting Andor is literally Javert hunting Jean Valjean. A man of the law obsessed on hunting a criminal.

Or someone willing to stand up to them

It is. And the more the Empire forces its will, the more the rebellion will grow.