Holst's The Planets, especially the last part (Neptune - The Mystic?) is VERY obvious inspiration for parts of Wiliam's score. I have five Star Wars music CDs and I think that music is a VERY big factor in having that movie as one of the major influences on my life. I'll never forget watching The Empire Strikes Back and hearing Imperial March for the first time (what was I, 9 then?).
I am however sucker for melodies and mostly pay attention to the obvious things like main theme, Imperial march and other easily recognizable parts (especially, very especially the "Force" theme, if that's what it's called). I can't say I've heard those melodies anywhere else before. But I can easily notice that William's orchestration style is really based on classical masters. While melodic parts are probably more based in Romanticism, it's quite possible that more "modern" sounding stuff is based on Bartok, Stravinsky and so on (and Holst). That's the part of "classical" music (I prefer term "artistic") that I personally have never gotten into. I can listen to some of it but Bartok and Stravinsky tend to be too avantgarde even for people like me who have classical music as a big part of their lives. I never found an accessible piece from Stravinsky, and I dislike him after reading a thin book written by him that gave his thoughts about music through years, first when he was young, and later when he admitted his earlier opinions were somewhat wrong). You all know there was a big riot upon premiere of the Rites of Spring... guess who'd be one of people throwing tomatoes if I happend to be in audience
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William's music does have, overall, its own style though. Even if his techniques are not original for the most part, his music in the end does have a signature sound which is considered a mark of a great composer. There are different levels of greatness though. I would agree with DanG, I have no problem even if he's lifting his idea from others. I certainly enjoy his music for my part. I have only problem when I read advertising on the back of the disk touting that more people have heard William's music than Beethoven's, implying that means something about relative quality of those two composers. That is really pushing it too far.
This latest CD does sound the weakest so far. Previous one had several memorable tunes (I loved the flag parade) while this one has only the love theme which does sound good but is overused and not all that original. I do love small touches like using some of those piano-precursor instruments from Renneisance or Baroque, evoking images of castles, chivalry and damsel-knight love (which is probably more middle-age, but my mind works in weird ways) which is very appropriate to character of the movie.
