Music of Battlestar Galactica (RDM)

While Battlestar Galactica uses a wide variety of ethnic instruments and styles to create a soundscape that is not usually found in television science fiction, it nonetheless makes use of various leitmotifes for characters, events and places.

Main Title Music

The main titles have been set to two distinct pieces of music. For the first season, a different cue was used in North America than for broadcasts taking place in other regions. The North American cue was a modification of the track "Two Funerals" from "Act of Contrition," followed by a segment played on taiko drums that played over a montage of scenes from the upcoming episode. The "worldwide" cue followed the same structure, but with the funeral cue replaced by a rendition of the Gayatri mantra:

Lyrics (Sanskrit, IAST transliteration):	English translation (one version)):
Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ Tat savitur vareṇyaṃ Bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt	O earth, atmosphere, heaven: May we attain that excellent glory of Savitr the God: So may he stimulate our prayers.

Since the second season, all broadcasts of the show use the "worldwide" version of the main title cue.

Character Themes

William Adama

Adama Family theme

Initially composed for "The Hand of God" it appears twice in this episode. Once as a quiet background piece when Lee talks with his father before the battle ("A Good Lighter") and as a rousing song at the end after the Cylons are defeated ("Wander my Friends").

After that it can be heard in many scenes involving a friendly moment between the two Adamas like Lee Adama visiting his injured father in "Valley of Darkness," Lee being promoted to Pegasus's CO ^{(TRS: "The Captain's Hand")}, the two parting before the Battle of New Caprica ("Exodus, Part I"), and Lee receiving his grandfather's law books in "A Day in the Life". It even appears as a general theme for family when Adama decides to "Reunite the Fleet" in "Home, Part I".

An arrangement very similar to the original one at the end of "The Hand of God," but without the vocals, is played during Lee Adama's official send-off into retirement in "Six of One". Instead of Uilleann pipes, Scottish pipes are used to create a more foreign and intimate sound.

Connection to Caprica

The theme reappears in the spin-off series Caprica representing the Adama Family and Joseph Adama specifically. It appears in the pilot episode when Joseph tells young Willy of his true last name and Tauron heritage, featuring a subtle statement of "Wander My Friends." McCreary was given no creative direction from the producers whether to reference themes from Battlestar, but felt this moment was "too perfect to resist" since he first used this theme when Adama and Lee discuss Joseph's lighter in "The Hand of God."

This scene gave McCreary chills when he finally saw it completed, and he hoped that hearing this melody would subconsciously make an audience that had seen Galactica remember Lee, Kara, Roslin and all the emotional experiences that "this little boy doesn't yet know he will see one day." The theme also appears in the Tauron funeral scene in "There is Another Sky" and in a fragmented statement in "The Dirteaters," making the Adama family the only outright thematic link between Battlestar Galactica and Caprica.

In "Daybreak, Part II," "Wander My Friends" plays multiple times during the finale's emotional farewell scenes. Eric Rigler's Irish whistle states the theme as Adama prepares to fly the last Viper off Galactica, and later the Uilleann bagpipes and Irish whistle perform the B-Theme as he hugs Lee goodbye. The theme has evolved to represent not just the Adama family, but Galactica's crew and the ship itself as Adama's extended family.

• Note: The Gaelic lyrics are printed in the Season 1 soundtrack.

Adama and Tigh theme

A military theme to underscore the friendship between William Adama and Saul Tigh, usually accompanied by snare drums. It can be heard in many scenes with the two: Adama relieving Tigh of duty in "You Can't Go Home Again," Adama thanking Tigh for saving his life in "Litmus," Adama watching marines restraining Boomer to abort her child in "Epiphanies," and Adama and Tigh talking about Ellen Tigh's death in "Hero".

It was first conceived as theme for the military aspects of the Colonial Fleet and appears as such when Apollo briefs the Viper pilots in "33". Played on a bansuri at first, it evolved over time. It plays a large role throughout "Sine Qua Non" in Season 4, where it is used for all scenes between Adama and Tigh and when Adama boards the Raptor at the end.

In the "Daybreak" episodes, this theme appears prominently in several key moments: during Adama's flashback when he decides he doesn't want to give up military life, when he makes his final speech to the crew before the Colony battle, and when he promotes Hoshi to Admiral. The theme represents the noble and honorable relationship between Adama, Tigh and their military responsibilities.

Lee Adama

Apollo theme

Apollo also has his own theme first appearing when he destroys the Olympic Carrier in "33". Then in the flashback in "Act of Contrition" at Zak Adama's coffin, and in "The Hand of God" when he improvises his attack plan.

It is seldom heard, because it's not as dynamic as other character themes, but serves as the main theme for all the flashbacks in "Black Market".

Another distinct occurrence of this theme is in the episode "Six of One," when he visits Kara Thrace in the brig and tells her about his future. It further appears during his confrontation with Romo Lampkin in "Sine Qua Non" when he makes his last argument.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the Lee Adama Theme appears when Apollo commands the Marines to repel down into the Colony, marking the only place McCreary found for it in the finale episodes.

Kara Thrace

Starbuck theme, triumph theme

This theme first appears in a track called "Starbuck on the Red Moon" in "You Can't Go Home Again," in the scene where she leaves the planet in the captured Raider, and in the same episode in "Forgiven" when Adama forgives her for the death of Zak. After that it makes many appearances in scenes with Starbuck, sometimes used a simple fanfare ^{(TRS: "Home, Part I")}, or in the background of other tracks, like "Flesh and Bone" or more subtle in the pounding "Prelude to War" in "Resurrection Ship, Part II".

It wasn't initially intended as a theme solely for Starbuck, but since she is the center of many of the show's heroic and triumphant moments, it became associated with her. However, it sometimes appears in scenes involving other characters, most notably Galactica's daring jump into New Caprica's atmosphere in "Exodus, Part II".

It has been performed by all major instruments of the show, but usually heard in duduk, vocals and strings.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the theme makes two final simultaneous statements as Lee says goodbye to Kara after she vanishes. The lower strings play the theme in a relatively fast phrase while the first violins play an elongated version above them, creating a complex farewell to the character who embodied the series' heroic spirit.

Leoben and Starbuck theme, Destiny theme

While their first meeting is in "Flesh and Bone," this theme was composed for their changing relationship in "Occupation" and beyond. It's a small fragment always performed on a Chinese erhu - which is similar to a violin - or zhonghu. It is a representation for Starbuck's anger at being imprisoned, Leoben's love towards her, her self-doubt, fears and the uncertainty about her destiny.

After the New Caprica storyline it is featured throughout "Maelstrom," where it is combined with Starbuck's own theme.

After her mysterious return in "Crossroads, Part II," the theme reappears in the following episode in many of Thrace's scene to represent her confusion about her situation and her higher purpose.

In "Daybreak, Part II," Martin St. Pierre's solo erhu plays one final statement of the Kara Thrace Destiny Theme when she vanishes after completing her destiny, providing perfect closure to her spiritual journey that began with this very theme.

Laura Roslin

Roslin theme

Another mystical theme that replaced the original religious theme. It first appears in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I," during the discovery of the planet; a discovery which is directly linked to Roslin's path. Musically, it is a boy soprano singing in Latin ("All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again. So say we all.").

After that it appears in many scenes featuring Roslin like her in the brig in "Fragged," dying in "Epiphanies," as well as "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" and "Exodus, Part I". Its most prominent use though, is in the opening montage of "Occupation" ("A Distant Sadness"), where it is set to new lyrics sung in Armenian, thus making it the only theme in the show to have two sets of lyrics.

Roslin Religious Theme

A distinct theme from Roslin's main theme, the Religious Theme appears prominently in the finale during her traumatic fountain scene on Caprica. Elongated and muted contrapuntal string lines build intensity as she packs up presents after learning of her family's death. When she steps into the waterfall, the full orchestra erupts into a huge statement of her theme, with cascading violin and viola phrases representing the falling water.

In "Daybreak, Part II," this theme appears multiple times: as an ethereal voice singing in Latin as Hera runs through the battle-stricken hallways, and during Roslin's visions of the Opera House. Raya Yarbrough creates a "Raya Choir" by overdubbing her voice fifteen times, marking Cavil and his forces as the horsemen of the apocalypse on a biblical scale.

Roslin Flashback Theme

A variation of the Roslin Religious Theme originally written for Season Two's "Epiphanies," this motive underscores her memories of President Adar in the Caprica flashbacks. The theme consists of an oscillating open fifth in the gamelan and harps and connects the flashback scenes to her eventual decision to join Mayor Adar's national campaign.

Gaius Baltar

Baltar theme

This started as a very short and simple theme first appearing in "Six Degrees of Separation". In the albums it is included in "Baltar Speaks with Adama" (Season 1) and "Dark Unions" (Season 2). It is quoted in the piano basestar theme from "Torn" and appears in more complex arrangements in "Taking a Break from All Your Worries".

With Baltar's rise to a messianic figure and cult leader ^{(TRS: "He That Believeth in Me")} a new theme is used for him. While evolved from and intertwined with the original theme, it is nearly entirely new, in order to reflect his change and growth. While the old theme represents his dark and sinister side, the new theme stands for his serenity and spirituality. However, the two versions interact and are used as counterpoints in various scenes. The supposedly dark theme used to score spiritual moments and the spiritual theme to score dark moments. Bear notes that his the two sides of Baltar's personality cannot be easily separated.

This new theme has lyrics sung by Raya Yarbrough. They represent a prayer to Baltar and are heard throughout the episode:

Translated Anglo-Saxon lyrics by Alison Walker:	Original English lyrics by Bear McCreary:
We gadriaþ in nihtscuan Neoðan þin gledstede, þin liċfæst in blode ond lieġe. Nu þin ġebann, æþreddaþ us To þæm anliċum æltæwan gastcyninge Gaius Baltar, ure dryhtweorþ nergend Nu ond æfre to alder. Swa we ġehwilc ġehalsiaþ.	We gather in shadow, Beneath your altar, Your image in blood and flame. By your command, deliver us Unto the One True God. Gaius Baltar, our divine savior Now and for eternity. So say we all.

Another version of this theme can be heard in "Six of One" when Baltar sees and talks to a virtual version of himself. This arrangement is a musical palindrome; a cue that reverses itself in the middle and sounds exactly the same being played forward or backward.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the Baltar Religious Theme receives its most lyrical and beautiful setting when he talks the two warring civilizations away from the brink of destruction. The theme represents the better side of his personality and his ultimate redemption.

Head Baltar Theme

This theme features reversed bells and gamelans and represents Baltar's conversations with his virtual self. It was most recently featured in "Six of One" and appears in "Daybreak, Part II" when Head Six and Head Baltar reveal themselves to Caprica-Six and Gaius during the Colony battle, paired with Richard Gibbs' iconic Number Six theme from the Miniseries.

Saul Tigh

Tigh theme

A military-sounding brass and choir theme scored for the scene where Tigh declares martial law in "Fragged" and appearing as "Martial Law" on the Season 2 soundtrack. It can also be heard when Sesha Abinell threatens to kill Ellen Tigh in "Sacrifice". The theme appears again in Season 3 on New Caprica ("Occupation," "Precipice"), and when Tigh needs to pull himself together again after the escape from the planet ^{(TRS: "Hero")}.

In "Escape Velocity," the theme is reworked to a much more gentler, introspective version. Instead of a clearly western military piece, a duduk and and electric violin are scored in an atonal, middle eastern style.

• Note: Virtually the only brass theme in the show, as such conventional instruments are usually not used.

Sharon Valerii / Athena

Boomer theme

Another very common theme, that plays in many scenes with Boomer, especially in Season 2. Initially created as a Helo/Boomer theme for "33" it quickly turned into Boomer's theme. Sometimes played with woodwinds of string orchestra, it is usually performed by gamalans and bells.

• Note: Bear McCreary also composed a percussion theme for "Water" (heard in the teaser), intended to give Galactica-Sharon and Caprica-Sharon different themes, but abandoned that idea.

Boomer / Athena / Hera Theme

This theme was originally written for the Sharon model who would become Athena, but the melody has since evolved to represent all three characters: Boomer, Athena, and Hera. The theme appears prominently when Hera draws her dots on the Colony, during Adama's decision-making moment in the memorial hallway, and in key scenes involving the Sharon models throughout the series.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the theme receives its final statement as Helo, Athena, and Hera settle on the African savannah. This warm and joyful arrangement celebrates their survival against all odds, featuring strings and gamelan. According to McCreary, the last time he would ever write this theme was for such beautiful and uplifting imagery.

Karl Agathon

Helo theme

Starting in "33" it can be heard several times in Season 1, but then disappeared for a long time once Helo returned to Galactica. It appears again in "A Measure of Salvation" and "The Woman King". On the Season 1 soundtrack it is included in the form of "Helo Chase".

In "Daybreak, Part II," the theme appears in an ominous and dark statement when Helo is shot and tells Athena to leave him behind. The chord progression, introduced in "33," has been used whenever Helo is in serious trouble, making it perfect for this dramatic moment.

• Note: The last two notes are the starting point of Baltar's theme.

Galen Tyrol

Tyrol theme

Originally written as a Tyrol/Boomer love theme for "Litmus" it was played on an alto flute there. However McCreary didn't know that it was one of their last scenes together that needed to be scored in that way, and it disappeared afterwards.

It resurfaces as a Tyrol/Cally theme when he visits her in sickbay after having beaten her in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II" and is afterwards heard throughout Season 3.

In the series finale "Daybreak, Part II," the theme makes its final appearance when Tyrol tells the Tighs that he's going to live alone in the northern highlands. The theme is played on Irish whistle rather than its usual alto flute, with gentle Uilleann bagpipes droning in the background, adding a layer of heartbreak and beauty to the scene and providing a nod to his destination in what is implied to be Scotland.

Cally Tyrol

Cally Theme

Always played by Paul Cartwright's electric violin and Chris Bleth's bansuri, this theme was written for "The Ties That Bind." Though it was featured prominently in that episode, McCreary was disappointed that he had to essentially throw it away after Cally was killed, as there were never chances to bring it back until the finale.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the Cally Theme returns during the flashback memories that flood in when the Final Five share resurrection technology. The theme is mysterious and ambiguous, but the arrangement grows more and more tense leading up to Tyrol snapping and grabbing Tory by the throat, triggering the revelation of Cally's murder.

Number Six

Six theme

A simple 9-note motif composed by Richard Gibbs for the Miniseries, it is perhaps the most recognizable theme of the series, playing in nearly all scenes with Number Six and used as the "Prologue" of each episode. It is nearly always performed on a Balinese instrument called a gamelan.

Connection to Caprica

The Six theme makes a subtle appearance in the prequel series Caprica in the episode "Things We Lock Away," where Zoe Graystone's chord progression is heard mixed with repeating gamelan notes similar to the Six Theme. This musical connection references Messenger Zoe's connection to "Head Six" from Battlestar Galactica.

• Note: It is used as the theme for Caprica-Six's virtual Baltar's in "Downloaded," but digitally reversed to signify the reversal of roles.

Final Five

Final Four theme

According to McCreary, this is an important theme of Season 4 used for the four known Cylons of the Final Five. First appearing in the Season 3 finale for McCreary's arrangement of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," it surfaces fully in "He That Believeth in Me," and can be heard when Tigh pulls the gun on Adama, during the scene with Samuel Anders facing off against the Cylon Raider and later during the secret meetings of the four Cylons.

On the Season 3 soundtrack, it is also featured in the beginning of the track "A Distant Sadness" from the episode "Occupation," even though the theme does not appear in the actual episode.

In the series finale "Daybreak, Part II," this theme plays a crucial role as the source of the jump coordinates that lead the Colonial Fleet to Earth. According to McCreary, the Final Four Theme was derived from the only new melodic idea he wrote for "Daybreak" (the Flashback/Earth Theme), making it both a fundamental theme of the series and the key to humanity's salvation. The theme appears prominently when Kara derives the coordinates using diatonic scale numbering, converting each note to a number that ultimately guides Galactica to its new home. When Sam infiltrates the Colony's hybrid systems, a huge orchestral statement of the Final Four Theme highlights the moment when he takes control.

Relationship Themes

Roslin and Adama theme

A lyrical and romantic theme, almost a "love theme," that first appears in "Resurrection Ship, Part II" when Adama visits a terminally ill Roslin, and in the second part in the same context. Since then it has appeared in many gentle scenes between the two; sometimes in longer arrangements, but often only as a small introduction. For example when Roslin confesses to rigging the election in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" and later in "Unfinished Business," "A Day in the Life" and "Crossroads, Part II".

It takes in a more thematic role in "Sine Qua Non" to underscore the moment when Adama realizes that he can't live without Roslin, and when he explains his decision to search for her alone to his son.

In "Daybreak, Part II," this theme receives its ultimate statement during Roslin's death scene in the Raptor. The arrangement features Paul Cartwright's acoustic fiddle, piano, strings, guitars, bass and percussion in both the A and B themes. McCreary described this as the most emotionally powerful version of the theme in the entire series, one he had been saving for this exact moment. The theme also weaves together with "Wander My Friends" earlier in the episode, as both represent the loves of Adama's life.

Lee and Kara love theme

This theme runs throughout "Unfinished Business". Mainly carried by violins, set against violas and cellos, it also features the duduk, bansuri and Irish whistle.

The theme is again completely heard during their kiss in "Six of One".

In "Daybreak, Part I" and "Daybreak, Part II," the theme takes on new significance as it accompanies the symbolic pigeon in Lee's apartment flashbacks, representing Kara's spirit and his love for her. The more he tries to capture it, the further away it flies, until finally he must let it go. The theme appears multiple times in the finale: when Kara hugs Adama goodbye, during their final conversation on Earth, and when she vanishes, having completed her destiny.

Kara and Anders Love Theme

This theme originates from the string quartet piece "A Promise to Return" from "The Farm," where it underscored Kara Thrace and Samuel Anders' farewell on Caprica. Throughout the series, fragments of this theme underscore key moments in their complex and passionate relationship.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the theme receives its most complete and authentic arrangement since "The Farm" when Kara visits Anders in his hybrid tank for their final goodbye. This touching, virtually dialogue-less scene is scored with a full orchestral re-arrangement that summarizes their entire relationship arc, from their first meeting to their final parting.

To kiss or not to kiss

This theme is played at the end of the Miniseries when Dualla and Billy Keikeya, as well as Sharon Valerii and Chief Tyrol are reunited and embrace. In the regular series it appears in "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down" during Billy and Dualla's date on the observation deck, at the beginning of "The Farm" in the scene with Anders and Starbuck, and in "Sacrifice" when Keikeya proposes to Dualla. It can be thus seen as a love theme.

The title is from the Miniseries soundtrack.

Location and Cosmic Themes

Flashback Theme / Earth Theme

This theme first appears in the flashback sequences on Caprica at the beginning of "Daybreak, Part I" and "Daybreak, Part II". Initially called the "Flashback Theme" by composer Bear McCreary, it serves as a musical bridge connecting the various character flashback stories. Harmonically elegant and lyrical, it represents the calmer, brighter time in everyone's lives before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.

The theme later reveals its true identity as the "Earth Theme" when it is used in epic orchestral arrangements to underscore the Colonial Fleet's arrival at their new home. According to McCreary, this theme was the only new melodic idea he wrote for the "Daybreak" episodes, with the rest of the score comprised of variations and developments of familiar themes. The Earth Theme functions as a thread connecting the Caprica flashbacks to the sequences on Earth, becoming bookends for the entire episode.

• Note: The sole appearance of acoustic fiddle in the show. Usually electric violins are used.

Temple of Five theme

Introduced in "The Eye of Jupiter" when Tyrol walks, like in a trance, over the algae planet and discovers the Temple of Five. It is played by an ensemble of bells, chimes, glass harmonica, glass marimba, tibetian temple bowls and tines.

When Tyrol is inside the temple for the first time, the already established religious theme serves as a starting point for a wordless vocal piece sung by Raya Yarbrough; a melody that previously appeared in "Pegasus" and "Occupation". Added instruments are yialli tanbur, zhong hu and guzheng.

When the star goes nova in "Rapture" it appears with vocals sung in Latin: "All of this has happened before. And all of this will happen again" (from Roslin's theme). When Number Three has her vision more Latin vocals are heard: "Intelligence. A mind that burns like a fire. The hand that lies in the shadows of the light, in the eye of the husband of the eye of the cow". These were previously spoken by the Hybrid in "The Passage".

In "Daybreak, Part II," this theme appears in gamelan ensemble when Kara Thrace vanishes after completing her destiny, serving as a final connection to the cosmic forces at work throughout the series.

Religious ceremony theme

This haunting piece is first in "Act of Contrition" during the funeral scene. When Laura Roslin's religious role became more prominent towards the end of Season 1, it became associated with her (for example in "The Hand of God"), but ultimately a different melody is used for that.

It can also be associated more closely with death as it is also used for Socinus' death in "Valley of Darkness" (originally only a temp track, it was retained) and Admiral Cain's funeral in "Resurrection Ship, Part II". It appears again as both a religious and funeral theme during Cally Tyrol's service for the dead in "Escape Velocity". McCreary says that the track, titled "Lament for Callandra," is his favorite version.

He also notes, while the theme has been used for several occasions due to the producers liking it as a temp track, he always thought of it as the theme for Zak Adama. As such it appears in "He That Believeth in Me" at the end of the discussion between William and Lee Adama about Zak.

In "Daybreak, Part I," the Religious Ceremony Theme appears when Laura transitions from the Caprica flashbacks to her deathbed aboard Galactica, serving as a reminder that her end is near.

Sagittaron theme

Similar to other religious themes, it appears in "The Woman King" and is played on a lone electric fiddle.

Cylon Themes

Cylon theme

Not so much as a theme as a rhythm created by taiko drums. At first only used for Centurions, it is prominently used for the ace Raider Scar in the episode of the same name, where it is underscored with a Brazilian berimbau.

Connection to Caprica

The Cylon percussion elements from Battlestar Galactica appear in Caprica during sequences featuring the U-87 (the Cylon prototype). McCreary brought in the full ethnic percussion ensemble he used for practically every cue in Galactica, including M.B. Gordy's taikos, frame drums, dumbeks, chang changs, tsuzumis and other instruments that give Galactica its unique percussive identity.

However, McCreary intentionally kept these cues relatively small and used big taiko drums sparingly. He wanted the score to sound like prototype Battlestar music—more raw, edgy and unpolished, since they were watching a prototype Cylon. For all the action cues in Caprica, he avoided the bagpipes, erhu, zhong hu, duduk, bansuri, shamisen, biwa, orchestra, vocals and rock band that combined into mega-action-cues for Galactica.

• Note: In a twist of irony, the theme was performed on pots, pans and toasters for "You Can't Go Home Again," before McCreary even saw the episode. In the episode, Helo and Boomer are attacked by Centurions in a restaurant and Helo is betrayed by a literal toaster and showered with pots and pans.

Basestar theme

Also called "Battlestar Sonatica," it was Ron Moore's idea to underscore the scenes on Cylon basestars with a solo piano piece similar to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. McCreary developed an original theme from that point, that serves to bridge the at once familiar, yet alien interior of the basestars, and also represents Baltar's fear.

It premieres in "Torn" and is heard in subsequent basestar scenes in "A Measure of Salvation," "The Passage," "The Eye of Jupiter," "Six of One," and "The Ties That Bind".

Guest Character Themes

Phelan theme

Usually, guest stars don't receive themes, because they rarely reappear again. For Phelan in "Black Market" however, McCreary created a piano theme. On the soundtrack it appears as "Standing in the Mud". Some of the pianos are played in unusual ways, like striking or plucking the wires directly.

• Note: The drum-like pulse effect was created by striking a satellite dish with timpani mallets.

Novacek theme

Daniel Novacek from "Hero" is another guest character with an own theme. The theme itself is a melody carried by duduk, electric sitar and other ethnic strings. Added to that is a relatively complicated string piece, that can be heard throughout the episode. When Novacek arrives on Galactica, when he tells Adama what happened to him, when Starbuck finds out the truth about Novacek and talks with Tigh, and finally his fight with Admiral Adama. Another element to this theme is a short four-chord passage that can be heard when Novacek arrives and again when he departs ("Wayward Soldier").

Orchestral Themes

The soundscape of Battlestar Galactica was originally conceived to eschew the traditional brass orchestra, that it usually associated with science fiction. Thus, one season passed before a string orchestra was used. But since then string orchestras appeared a few times in the series, to great effect. However, they are still used sparingly and reserved for special occasions, to retain their impact.

Passacaglia

Named after an italian music form, it makes its first appearances in both parts of "Kobol's Last Gleaming" - in the opening of Part I and as a grander orchestral piece as the end of Part II - and plays during further visits to the Opera House, with which it is usually associated ("Scattered," "Hero").

Another prominent occurrence is the beginning of the "Home, Part II" (on the soundtrack as "Allegro"), accompanying Roslin's team struggling on Kobol, where it ends the whole Kobol story arc that it began. And lastly in the flashback during the climax of "Unfinished Business" (as "Violence and Variations") where it is played in a different tone.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the Passacaglia returns for a final, emotionally powerful statement as "The Shape of Things to Come." The theme appears when Baltar and Caprica Six carry Hera into the CIC, fulfilling the Opera House vision, and reaches its climactic conclusion as Adama sits beside Roslin's grave. This final arrangement combines the familiar Passacaglia bass line with counter-melodies, cascading violins, multiple bagpipe tracks, and the full orchestral and ethnic ensemble, creating what McCreary described as a "glorious, bombastic, curtain-dropping finale" to the Adama and Roslin storyline.

• Note: Played in a different meter in every version: Passacaglia (3/4), The Shape of Things to Come (6/8) and Allegro (4/4).

A Promise to Return

This is a Starbuck/Anders theme whose most prominent use is at the end of "The Farm," where it is performed by the Supernova String Quartet. It also plays when Thrace thinks about Anders in "Scar" and when they meet again in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I". After that it appears in several Season 3 episodes.

Prelude to War

Combining aggressive string orchestra with taiko drums, this theme appears at the end of "Pegasus," and before and during the Battle of the Resurrection Ship (Resurrection Ship, Part I & Part II).

In "Daybreak, Part II," elements of "Prelude to War" return during Adama's final rallying speech to the crew. The harmonic progression from the B-Section of "Prelude to War" (Gm-Eb-Abm-Eb) underscores the volunteers lining up for what is essentially a suicide mission, subconsciously reminding audiences of Lee floating in space while his air leaked out in "Resurrection Ship, Part II."

• Note: The title "prelude" also refers to the so-called musical element.

Worthy of Survival

This is one of the major non-musical themes in the show. The track was developed out of "Prelude to War" for when Starbuck prepares to assassinate Cain. Then it appears in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II," and most prominently when Tigh poisons his wife in "Exodus, Part II," this time in an re-orchestrated version ("Gentle Execution").

It is is played with a sole duduk, violins and violas.

In "Daybreak, Part II," this theme returns when the fates of the Cylons and Centurions are discussed on New Earth, providing thematic continuity to questions of survival and worth throughout the series.

Classic Battlestar Galactica theme

This is of course the main theme of the Original Series, and serves as the Colonial anthem in the Re-imagined Series. It can be heard briefly during the Viper flyby during the decommissioning ceremony in the Miniseries and as the conclusion to D'anna Biers's documentary in "Final Cut".

McCreary worked with Original Series composer Stu Phillips to recreate the theme as closely as possible, but also offers a variation of it played with ethnic instruments at the beginning of the track.

In "Daybreak, Part II," the classic theme receives its most grand and emotionally resonant treatment when Adama's Viper makes a final flyby of Galactica before the ship and fleet head into the sun. McCreary arranged Stu Phillips' theme for duduk and strings, then built to a full orchestral statement with percussion and ethnic soloists. This arrangement was intended as the perfect send-off for Galactica, combining the nostalgia of the original series with the musical sensibilities of the re-imagined series. The sequence even recreates the fleet stock shot from the original series, making McCreary's tribute to the classic theme even more appropriate.

One Year Later

This theme was originally composed for the time jump at the end of Season Two, featuring a memorable groove in piano, harps and gamelan. In "Daybreak, Part II," McCreary reprises this theme with a new and improved arrangement for the 150,000 year time jump to modern-day New York. The theme is mysterious, ambiguous, yet has inherent forward momentum and energy, making it perfect for the transition to the epilogue sequence.

Diaspora Oratorio

This epic choral work concluded "Revelations" and represents humanity's discovery of Earth. In "Daybreak, Part II," the theme returns in a stripped-down version featuring solo ethnic instruments instead of choir and brass as the survivors spread across the African savannah. McCreary deliberately set this version in Ab major, the furthest key from the original D major, to underscore that this Earth is completely different from the one discovered in "Revelations." The arrangement is intimate and restrained, featuring solo duduk, erhu, and other ethnic instruments.

Music not original to Battlestar Galactica

Cavatina

Stanley Myers' well known guitar piece Cavatina - probably best known as the theme for the movie The Deer Hunter - is used at the end of the episode "Scar".

Metamorphosis Five

This piano piece by Philip Glass plays in Kara "Starbuck" Thrace's Delphi apartment in "Valley of Darkness". She says it was played by her father. It is heard again briefly with Tigh at Adama's beside. In reality, it is Bear McCreary at the piano.

All Along the Watchtower

Main article: The Music

This is a newly arranged version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," used in the Season 3 finale "Crossroads, Part II" and hinted at earlier in "Part I". It is sung by Brendan McCreary (aka Bt4) and features Oingo Boingo's Steve Bartek playing guitar. Bear McCreary changed some of the instruments using an electric sitar and an Indian harmonium.

In "Daybreak, Part II," McCreary's arrangement of "Watchtower" receives its most epic and rock-influenced treatment during the sequence where Kara derives the jump coordinates from the Final Four Theme. The arrangement combines the ethereal Starbuck Destiny Theme with a building rock backdrop featuring electric bass, guitars, drums, orchestral strings, ethnic soloists, and taiko drums. This is the first time McCreary's "Watchtower" arrangement sounds this big and expansive, culminating the musical journey that began in the Season 3 finale.

The series concludes with Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" playing on a modern-day radio, intended to underscore the concept that the song itself is an ethereal presence that becomes known to selected individuals across the universe and over the eons, bigger than any single person or group.

Songs from Daybreak

Several additional songs appear in the "Daybreak" episodes, each with hidden meaning and significance:

"When Will the Work Be Done?"

Written and performed by Brendan McCreary (Bear's brother), this rock song plays in the Caprica City strip club during the flashback scenes. Originally written for "Escape Velocity" but deemed too energetic, it finally found its place in "Daybreak." The lyrics contain references to the attack on the colonies and the fleet's journey, making Brendan's voice cosmically significant to the "Battlestar" universe as the singer of both this song and "All Along the Watchtower."

"The Signal" Remix

A techno remix by Jonathan Snipes and his band Captain Ahab of McCreary's cue "The Signal" from "Revelations" plays in the strip club during the Tigh flashback scenes. This creates a musical connection between the frantic events of "Revelations" and the calmer flashback moments.

"Ain't We Famous"

Another song by Brendan's Band that plays on the radio in the modern-day epilogue, preceding Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower." This provides a perfect introduction to Hendrix while featuring Brendan's voice one final time in the series.

Connection to Caprica

The musical universe established in Battlestar Galactica expanded into the prequel series Caprica, where composer Bear McCreary took a radically different approach designed to be "the polar opposite" of his BSG work.

Musical Philosophy

McCreary's approach for Caprica stripped away the "urgent, tribal, primitive and mystical elements" that characterized the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack, replacing them with an intimate, contemporary chamber orchestra recorded at the Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage. This shift reflected the different environment of Caprica City as "a familiar society at its most decadent and opulent peak" rather than a rag-tag fleet of refugees struggling for resources.

McCreary's harmonic language for Caprica is "far more lyrical and rich than the simple drones and dissonant clusters that permeate the majority of Galactica." The tight post-production schedule forced McCreary to begin writing music for the Battlestar Galactica finale "Daybreak" within days of finishing Caprica, and he acknowledged that Caprica had "an undeniable influence" on his Battlestar finale score.

Thematic Connections

While most of Caprica's themes were entirely new, several musical elements created bridges between the two series:

• The Adama Family Theme from BSG appears in key moments in Caprica, most notably when Joseph tells young Willy about his Tauron heritage

• Cylon percussion elements appear during U-87 sequences, but McCreary kept these deliberately small and raw, calling it "prototype Battlestar music"

• The Six Theme gamelan pattern appears subtly in "Things We Lock Away" mixed with Zoe Graystone's chord progression, referencing the connection between Messenger Zoe and "Head Six"

Long-term Vision

McCreary developed an ambitious plan for the musical evolution of Caprica. Had the series lasted multiple seasons, he intended for the score to "slowly devolve from the crisp, classical chamber orchestra" back to "the tribal percussion and ethnic soloists of Battlestar" over time, so that "the last episode of Caprica may have had a soundtrack that sounds like the first episode of Galactica."

Connection to Blood & Chrome

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome saw Bear McCreary's musical evolution, introducing electronic synthesizers and heavy electric guitars to the established BSG sound palette. As McCreary described it, the score for Blood and Chrome was "the angry, rebellious teenage son of my 'Battlestar Galactica' music."

Returning Themes in Blood & Chrome

Several established themes from the main series carried over into Blood and Chrome:

Military Theme

The Military Theme, originally composed for the BSG episode "33," was adapted to represent Adama's character development and his bonds with fellow soldiers in Blood and Chrome, particularly his relationship with Coker Fasjovik. McCreary chose this theme over the Adama Family Theme because "Adama's relationships in 'Blood and Chrome' are not familial. We are seeing a totally different side of his character."

Classic BSG Theme

One of Blood and Chrome's most significant musical moments occurs when young Adama first sees Galactica, for which McCreary quoted Stu Phillips' classic "Theme from Battlestar Galactica" from the 1970s series. McCreary described this as "the most rousing rendition yet" of the classic theme, augmented with "heavy synths and soaring electric guitars."

As Adama enters the hangar bay, McCreary wrote an elegant vocal line for singer Raya Yarbrough, sung in Latin: "Domini ducem dederunt agmen qui ducat caelorum," which translates to "And the Lords appointed a leader to guide the Caravan of the Heavens." McCreary felt this was "perfectly appropriate text to use as Bill Adama first sets foot inside the Battlestar Galactica."

Apocalypse: Blood & Chrome

The film's end credits feature "Apocalypse: Blood & Chrome," an adaptation of music McCreary originally composed for The Plan. This marked a significant departure for the BSG musical universe as the first composition to feature **English lyrics**, written by Raya Yarbrough and performed by Brendan McCreary. The song represents a collaborative effort between the two most important vocalists in the BSG universe: Yarbrough sang both the traditional Gayatri Mantra (the same chant from the Main Title) and provided the English lyrics, while Brendan McCreary's powerful voice blended with Mike Keneally's distorted guitars. Yarbrough's ethereal vocal layers floated above the arrangement, creating what McCreary described as "one of my favorite cues I've ever composed for the BSG universe" and "no better way to end this film on a high note than to watch Husker jet away in his Viper to this piece of music."

New Themes in Blood & Chrome

Blood and Chrome introduced new musical compositions:

Becca Theme

Created for Dr. Becca Kelly, this theme features piano, gamelan, vibraphone and rhodes to produce "a shimmering, vibrating quality" with harmonies that evolve from mysterious and dissonant to increasingly emotional as her chemistry with Adama develops.

Coker Theme

A simple six-note melody played by bansuri and supported by duduks, this theme was reserved exclusively for Coker Fasjovik's emotional moments, highlighting the tender side of his wise-cracking character.

Destruction Theme

An unnamed melodic motif that McCreary composed for scenes of devastation and loss, particularly when the characters encounter the destroyed battlestar Archeron. The theme features a mournful synthesizer melody set against deep orchestral drones, directly inspired by Vangelis' Blade Runner score. To maintain the organic sound of the BSG universe, McCreary doubled the synth melody with a solo duduk performed by Chris Bleth, mixed so the duduk becomes "nearly inaudible" but provides human expression through subtle breath sounds and vibrato that gives the electronic lead "unmistakable humanity."

Coker's Interlude

On Djerba, Coker Fasjovik plays a classical piano piece while at an abandoned ski lodge. The composition is presented as a well-known piece of Colonial classical music, presumably by renowned composer Stu Nomion, that Coker learned as a child. Bear McCreary composed the complete piece specifically for this scene, taking great care to make the on-camera performance feel natural despite recreating the music in post-production to match actor Ben Cotton's performance.

McCreary approached the composition as if he were "sitting right there at the piano, tinkling around a classical melody while having a conversation with Adama at the same time." He intentionally left some mistakes and allowed the music to start and stop at natural points based on Coker's body language. The piece was performed by pianist Joohyun Park for the soundtrack recording, and the complete composition appears on the Blood & Chrome soundtrack album.

The Last Battle of the Osiris

"The Last Battle of the Osiris" serves as the largest action cue in Blood & Chrome, running 8 minutes and 39 seconds and showcasing the full integration of McCreary's innovative electronic and organic elements. The entire piece is built around a complex pulsing 5/8 rhythm that creates asymmetrical momentum for the space battle sequence. McCreary described this rhythmic pattern as "deceptively tricky for the string players" because while it maintains consistent 5/8 meter, the turnaround in the fourth bar changes subdivision from 3+2 to 2+3, requiring constant mental counting to avoid mistakes.

The composition begins with strings building energy through the challenging rhythmic ostinato, gradually layering percussion and bass synthesizers. When intense dogfights break out, McCreary adds heavy distorted synthesizers and Mike Keneally's electric guitars that merge into a pounding, rock-influenced riff while maintaining the complex time signature. During recording sessions, the unusual rhythm proved so challenging that McCreary had to conduct while counting each beat to maintain the driving energy that propels the space battle forward.

See Also

• Bear McCreary
• Music of Caprica
• Soundtrack (Miniseries)
• Soundtrack (Season 1)
• Soundtrack (Season 2)
• Soundtrack (Season 3)
• Soundtrack (Season 4)
• Soundtrack (The Plan/Razor)
• Soundtrack (Blood and Chrome)

External Links

• Bear McCreary's website
• Bear McCreary's blog
• "The Themes of Caprica" - Bear McCreary's detailed analysis of the Caprica pilot's musical themes

References