Daniel Schwartz, Economics, 2021

In the latest Star Wars film, Princess Leia is blasted off her ship and gathers the strength to pull herself towards safety. This scene reminds me a lot of Palestrina, Missa Papae Marcelli, “Gloria” for a few reasons. Firstly, when listening to the song, it maintains a relaxed feel, even though the melody is full of climaxes aiming to reach the heavens. So too, in this scene, when the audience thinks Leia’s life will soon end, she calmly collects herself and connects to the force. She is able to propel herself in the most delicate manner towards safety. In the song Gloria, the songs climactic melody tells a tale of reaching a heavenly place all while being very soothing and relaxing. In addition, the airy feel, and heavenly lyrics of Gloria, remind me of outer space, which is where the Star Wars scene takes place. Lastly, the song expresses a unified cohesion of different singers working seamlessly towards the same goal. So too, in perfect form, Leia’s every body part and soul are united, and you and see it when she closes her eyes, her fingers unite, (signifying her body’s connection to the force) and she propels her forward in perfect alignment.

Ultimately, no matter how many explanations I give, if you mute the Star Wars Film, and play Gloria in the background, and hit play, you will feel an indescribable connection that makes these different art works come together.