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 and events.
Character themes[edit]
Six theme[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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.
Adama theme[edit]
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), or the two parting before the Battle of New Caprica (Exodus, Part I)". 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[edit]
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".
Helo theme[edit]
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.
Baltar theme[edit]
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".
Religious ceremony theme[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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".
- Note: The sole of of acoustic fiddle in the show. Usually electric violins are used.
Tyrol theme[edit]
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[edit]
This theme runs throughout "Unfinished Business". Mainly carried by violins, set against violas and cellos, it also features the duduk, bansuri and Irish whistle.
Orchestral themes[edit]
Passacaglia[edit]
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 ("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[edit]
Combining aggressive string orchestra with taiko drumms, this theme appears in "Pegasus", "Resurrection Ship, Part I" and "Resurrection Ship, Part I".
- Note: The title "prelude" also refers to the so-called musical element.
Worthy of Survival[edit]
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 "Galactica" theme[edit]
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".