Great post! I often wondered why Return of the Jedi was not released as a 2 disc set. There was a lot of “Dark Side” music that I wanted such as The Emperor Arrives, The Emperor’s Throne Room and Darth Vader’s Death. I remember buying “John Williams: The Star Wars Trilogy” by Varujan Kojian / Utah Symphony Orchestra and being so excited to get Vader’s Death. It’s always bothered me someone evidently lost the music to The Max Rebo Band Sail Barge performance. Although it is not the classic that Cantina Band is, it would have been great fun to have this track. I think if they had released a 2 disc set, this would have been included and now sadly, it may be lost forever.
I’m curious if anyone here happens to know the story of why The Emperor Arrives track on the later albums does not match the film? It took me years to realize it, but the film version drops the opening trumpet heralds and also drops the reprise of Vader’s theme at the end. Instead, it drum rolls out to Yoda on Dagobah. I’m wondering if this scene was changed at the last minute or perhaps what is on album is a “concert” version of the track?
I think it's mentioned in the liner notes of the Arista box set that it's simply an alternate, early version, it was decided to drop that vaulting trumpet solo.
