John Williams' score for Star Wars (decades after the soundtrack's release, the film was re-titled for promotional purposes, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) was recorded over eight sessions at Anvil Studios in Denham, England on March 5, 812, 15 and 16, 1977. The score was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with Williams himself conducting. The score was orchestrated (transcribed for orchestra from Williams' original piano sketches) by frequent Williams collaborator Herbert W. Spencer, who also orchestrated The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The score was recorded by engineer Eric Tomlinson and edited by Kenneth Wannberg, and the scoring sessions were produced by Star Wars creator George Lucas himself and supervised by Lionel Newman, head of the music department at Twentieth Century Fox.

The film premiered on May 25, 1977 and by late summer a disco version of the Star Wars Theme by Meco became America's number one song. Williams received three Grammys in February 1978 and his third Academy Award (second for Best Original Score) in April.

Princess Leia's Theme 4:18 (less info)