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.

Character and event themes

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.

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

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.

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 (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.

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".

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

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 visiting his shot father in "Valley of Darkness", Lee being promoted to Pegasus's CO (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".

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

Apollo theme

Apollo also has his own theme theme first appearing when he destroys the Olympic Carrier in "33". Then in the flashback in "Act of Contrition" at Zak'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".

Baltar theme

This is a very short and simple theme first appearing in "Six Degrees of Separation". In the albums it's 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".

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's death in "Valley of Darkness" (originally only a temp track, it was retained) and Admiral Cain's funeral in "Resurrection Ship, Part II".

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 ("ll of this has happened before, all of this will happen again. So say we all").

Since then it appears in many scenes featuring Roslin like her in the brig in "Fragged", dying in "Epiphanies", "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" and "Exodus, Part I". It's most prominent used though, is in the opening montage of "Occupation", where it's set to new lyrics sung in Armenian, thus making it the only theme in the show to have two sets of lyrics.

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.

• 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.

Starbuck and Anders theme

This is the piece played by a string quarter at the end of "The Farm", and 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.

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 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 (Hero).

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

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 sometimes appeared in gentle scenes between the two, like when Roslin confesses to rigging the election in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" and later in "Unfinished Business" and "A Day in the Life".

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

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.

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.

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's death in "Hero".

It was first conceived as theme for the military aspects of the Fleet and appears as such when Apollo briefs the Viper pilots in "33". Played on a bansuri at first, it evolved over time.

Leoben and Starbuck 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.

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 Novack arrives and again when he departs.

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" and "The Eye of Jupiter".

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".

Sagittaron theme

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

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 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".

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

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).

• 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.

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

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.

Music not original to Battlestar Galactica

Catavina

Stanley Myers's well known guitar piece Cativina - 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 Thrace 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's 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.

See Also

• Bear McCreary
• Soundtrack (Miniseries)
• Soundtrack (Season 1)
• Soundtrack (Season 2)
• Soundtrack (Season 3)

External Links

• Bear McCreary website
• Bear Mcreary's blog

Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another

Re-imagined Series definition: Commanding Officer; e.g. William Adama