The Music of Star Trek – Part One

Some music becomes iconic, so much so that the first few bars take a person to a familiar place. Star Trek, for me, is one of those iconic scores. However, there is much more to a score than the opening or closing theme. 

Television Years

The original series introduced us to a very iconic theme which became famous but also had many more pieces which for me had equal delight. A couple of episodes stand out for me. The first is The Doomsday Machine which has some notable pieces.  Alexander Courage is credited as the composer of the main theme. However, he did not compose all the music. There were several very talented composers including Sol Kaplan, George Dunning and Fred Steiner. Between them they helped create many memorable moments adding just that right musical moment. It can be difficult to watch an episode without hearing the incidental music. 

In real life, there is no incidental music you don’t carry an orchestra around with you. But take away that music from a scene in a show and it can become very dull almost lifeless. There is a scene towards the end of the Doomsday Machine where Kirk has triggered the USS Constellation to explode. The ship is heading into the mouth of the machine and Kirk is in trouble. The transporter is down and there are only 30 seconds to go. Now, imagine that scene with no music. There would be no build-up of tension, no enhancement of the scene just no magic. 

Music can make a scene come even more alive or swamp it to the point of silliness. Too many times, some scenes either need less music or the tone and style changed. It was clear that the series created many music moments. There were some odd songs that did appear on the show. The Way to Eden is an interesting story of space hippies wishing to find the planet Eden. In the episode several songs are played, as a disguise of the characters true intensions. Some work, some maybe not so but it shows how music can be used to tell the story.

Some musical pieces were naturally reused at the beginning, little time to compose new pieces given the way television worked. But the scenes did become memorable. 

Film compositions did have a little more time and often than not needed to be unique. Music had been at the beginning of films in the silent days. It was quickly seen as a way to convey drama, romance and just enhanced the movie. It did not stop when the talking pictures became popular, it was still seen as an important part of the movie experience. 

Film Years

Star Trek ended three years into its five-year mission, much to many fan’s disappointment. However, a rise in sci-fi movies gave Star Trek another chance. This also gave music composures an opportunity to create grand masterpieces. The first was Jerry Goldsmith who composed the music for Star Trek The Motion Picture. It also gave Star Trek a new theme, which was a very bold dynamic theme. 

There was of course more to the score. It introduced major characters like the Klingons, Spock, and the cloud. It brought Star Trek back into the spotlight to the degree that the score was nominated for an Oscar. Jerry Goldsmith added an edge to film that became influential to the movies and television series that followed. The main theme was to be used again in other movies and Star Trek The Next Generation. It was both a classic fanfare as well as modern adventure. Although the first movie was considered slow to some, the score was paced just right.

Take for example the point at which the refitted Enterprise leaves space-dock. The score starts very low-key, quietly then builds boldly as Enterprise heads out. It fits the scene very well. The movie was successful just enough but felt by many critics to be too cumbersome. The retelling of an old episode but 3 hours long.

It was a gamble to do another movie but whoever it was that gave the call made the right choice. Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan was based again on an old episode from the original series but there was a twist. It was based on a line at the end. Sort of.

The music this time was composed by James Horner and it again was bold, edgy, and loud. The opening theme was changed, starting very low and drawing you in, then blast with brass. Again, there is a track where Enterprise leaves space-dock. The two scores could not be further apart. Yet, some of the scenes from The Motion Picture are used in Wrath of Khan when the Enterprise launches.

The music of course, fits for both, but, for me it is Wrath of Khan I prefer. Elements of Wrath of Khan does appear in Search for Spock. In the musical cue Steeling the Enterprise, another launch scene if different, you can hear parts of the Genesis countdown. Although Horner reused some of his music in different films, there was no Star Trek theme like Goldsmith’s. We only really found that out later. Leonard Rosenman made his mark for the next movie, Star Trek IV The Voyage Home which had a very different feel including some quirky moments. It also included the original theme by Alexander Courage.

The Next Generation

As the movies grew in success, so did the music and the composers. That iconic fanfare by Courage did weave itself into the movies and along with Goldsmith’s introducing more fans to brave new worlds. This ends the first part of this review. In part two I will continue with the movies including more of Jerry Goldsmith and the influences music had within the franchise on television.