Duel of the Fates
| "Duel of the Fates" | |
|---|---|
The cover of the one-track promotional release of "Duel of the Fates" | |
| Single by John Williams | |
| from the album Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (soundtrack) | |
| Released | 1999 |
| Recorded | February 1999 Abbey Road Studio 1, London |
| Genre | Film soundtrack |
| Length | 4:14 |
| Label | Sony Classical |
| Songwriter(s) | John Williams |
"Duel of the Fates" is a musical theme recurring in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the Expanded Universe. It was composed by John Williams and recorded for the film soundtrack of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and the London Voices. This symphonic piece is played with both a full orchestra and a choir. The lyrics are based on a fragment of an archaic Welsh poem, Cad Goddeu (Battle of the Trees), and are sung in Sanskrit. The piece debuts during the final lightsaber duel in The Phantom Menace. With the music video for this theme, the LSO became the only classical group ever to have a video debut on MTV’s Total Request Live. "Duel of the Fates" lasted 11 days on the countdown.