Danny Graydon

 One of John Williams’ great strengths as a composer is his unerring ability to craft stirring and memorable character themes (or leitmotifs, as they’re known technically). For his score for The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, he created one of his finest efforts in The Imperial March, the dominant theme for the villainous Empire, but ultimately it’s the musical calling card of the franchise’s memorable arch-villian, Darth Vader.

Although typically performed with a full orchestra, it can be clearly performed with suitable drama and verve with as little as two grand pianos, as eminently proven below. Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe are a Julliard-trained piano duo known for their classical reworkings of pop culture works. Among them is their interpretation of  an array of themes from Williams’ illustrious Star Wars scores, including  the jaunty Cantina Band, the soaring  Force Theme, and the whimsical March of the Ewoks. They’re all hugely enjoyable, but it’s the pair’s version of The Imperial March that really packs a punch. Check this out…

Superb, eh…? You can see a lot more at the duo’s website…! [Thanks to Asylum.com for the tip!]