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18 August 2015
SOUNDTRACK
REVIEW
Hedwigs Theme
Quidditch, three-headed dogs, giants and witches; the story of boy wizard Harry Potter dominated
move screens from 2001 until 2011. Adapted from the book series by JK Rowling, the storyline
follows Harry Potter and his two friends Ron and Hermione as they learn
magic at British wizards school, Hogwarts. The fantasy novels were a
Did you know? As of
great success, lending themselves perfectly to a film adaptation, and
2008, Harry Potter
hence, the Harry Potter brand is now worth in excess of $15billion1.
books have sold over
Throughout the 8 films, four composers were gifted the opportunity to write
the score for the franchise. John Williams, Patrick Doyle,Nicholas Hooper
and Alexandre Desplat all brought a unique style to their respective films.
However when analysing the success of the film soundtracks as a whole,
it is clearly evident that the music composed by John Williams in the first
three films have endured and been the most successful. Film Score
Junkie agrees, stating on an online blog that In retrospect, the first score
for the series has been increased in status through the years as
subsequent composers have failed to uphold, despite considerable quality
in parts of their own endeavours, the integrity established by Williams.
18 August 2015
Born in 1932 New York, John Williams is a well known pianist, composer and conductor, having
produced themes for the likes of Spielbergs Jaws and Indiana Jones, Lucas Star Wars, and of
course, Columbus Harry Potter. It is perhaps this last mention that is the milestone of his legacy
as a film composer. The soundtrack to the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone,
was nominated for Best Original Score at the 74th Academy Awards, and introduces the audience
to several key leitmotifs, including Hedwigs Theme.
The most well-known and prominent song of the series is Hedwigs
Theme. The piece, named after Harrys snowy-white pet owl Hedwig,
lends itself magnificently to the world of Harry Potter. Featuring
interesting intervals such as augmented 4ths, and chromaticism, the
theme portrays a magical, mysterious quality which is associated heavily
Ah, music, a magic
with the style and mood of the film. The song is also incorporated as
beyond all we do here both diegetic and non-diegetic; this enhances the effectiveness of the
music in the film by creating a mood.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
3 Bb Trumpets
English Horn
2 Trombones
2 Bb Clarinets
Tuba
Bb Bass Clarinet
Timpani
2
Bassons
2 Percussion
Harp
Piano
Celesta
Violin 1 and 2
Viola
Violoncello
Contrabass
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rhythmically vibrant score enhances the forward momentum of the piece, and the overall mood of
the film.
JOHN WILLIAMS
(Musical Example 2)
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the piece.
The piece concludes with the inevitable culmination of the full orchestra. The final moments of the
piece are inclusive of a fake ending preceding a large finale in which dynamics play a large role.
The unusual but effective ending on the tonic chord suitably conveys a feeling of finality, whilst
still convincing the audience to remain listening for more magic.
Williams Theme clearly has influenced the success of the film series, with serval different
versions of the adapted to suit the style of the later, more mature and darker films. Hedwigs
Theme is the quintessential piece of Harry Potter music. Williams certainly does not hold back,
and has produced one of the best fantasy movie themes to date.
Despite the music being so successful the placement of the theme in the film is questionable.
During Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, the theme is sparingly used, and only once
during the entirety of the first film do we see the owl Hedwig when her theme is playing. The only
time we hear the piece in its entirety is during the second half of the credits; the film implicitly
disguises the theme and uses it minimally. It is clear that Hedwigs theme was ineffectively
implemented in this film series,and it can be considered unusual that such a rejected theme
receives such cultural recognition.
It is clear that the Harry Potter series is a true cinematic masterpiece. The lack of implementation
of Williams theme however undermines the effectiveness of the soundtrack as a whole. Despite
this, Hedwigs Theme is one of the more flexible themes in Williams oeuvre as it does not
represent a single specific character or thing the way, say, the Imperial March represents Darth
Vader. Instead, Hedwigs Theme seems to represent the world of wizards and magic, and
convincingly conveys the emotions and mood of the entire book and film series.
See the following three pages for a detailed analysis of each section of the piece.
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Section
Bars
Instruments
Texture
Articulation
0-90
Solo Celesta Bar 0-17. 1st Violins join softly at Bar 17 until 27
(barely audible). Violas join with sustained noted at Bar 31. Cellos
join with pizzicato crochets at Bar 33. Harp, Celesta, 1st and 2nd
Violins united in scalic /harmonic passage at Bar 35.
- Bar 43-small deviation in Bar 51, then changes dramatically in
bar 59 to triplets with 1/2 trills, finally a small chromatic passage
from the 1st Violins and Celesta leads to a change in bar 75.
This sequence continues underneath the Harp, Vibraphone,
Bassoon, English Horn and Alto Flute who now carry the melody
originally proclaimed by the Celesta from Bar 43 -75. Muted
Trumpet, Horns and C Bassoon join at Bar 59. Violas handle the
accompaniment whilst the melody is controlled by the English Horn
and 2 sets of Horns. 1st and 2nd Violins join on the upbeat to Bar
83. Cellos join upbeat to Bar 89.
Mainly
homophonic,
with some
polyphonic
sections.
Ringing
Celesta/
Theme,
pizzicato adds
to colour
91-127
Homophonic
Short and
articulate.
B1
128-136
Thick, very
polyphonic.
Generally
articulated.
137-153
Polyphonic,
with several
counter
melodies.
Legato
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Section
Bars
Instruments
Texture
Articulation
B2
154-163
Homophonic,
sometimes
polyphonic
Articulated and
accented.
C1
164-175
1st and 2nd Violins, Violas and Trumpets play the melody in Bars
164- 170. The Celesta and 2 Clarinets play a complex counter
melody underneath this. During Bars 166 and 170, the Piccolo, 2
Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn, 2 Clarinets and the Bs Clarinet join
the melody. Bars 171-175 encompasses a small interlude:
Upbeat to Bar 172- 4 Horns and the Glock
Upbeat to Bar 173- 2 Trombones and Violas
Upbeat to Bar 174- English Horn, 4 Horns and 2nd Violins
Upbeat to Bar 175- 2 Bassoon and 2 Trombone
Homophonic.
Legato
B3
176-183
Homophonic
Accented.
184-207
Polyphonic
Legato but
accented.
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Section
Bars
Instruments
Texture
Articulation
Coda
208-212
As part of the fake ending in Bar 207, the first beat of Bar 208
consists of the finishing chord. However, the Clarinet, Eb Clarinet,
Celesta, 1st and 2nd Violins quickly start a triplet pattern previous
played during the piece- this is in Bars 208-209( the strings continue
to 210)- signalling that that was not the end of the piece. The
instruments playing are playing the same notes, creating
unison.The Flute joins this pattern at Bar 209.Instruments such as
the 1 Trombones, the Tuba and the Timpani carry sustained notes
underneath this triplet pattern as an accompaniment in Bar
208-211.4 Horns and the Violas interrupt this pattern in Bar 210.The
Cellos now also hold a sustained note in Bar 210.In Bar 211 the
Piccolo, Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Eb Clarinet, Celesta, 1st and 2nd
Violins play the same rhythmic pattern, quite like what happened in
the fake ending in Bar 207. The Bassoons, C Bassoon, Horns,
Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Harp, Violas, Cellos and Cb
play a sustained note. There is a great swell of dynamics in this bar,
leading up to the end of the piece. The final bar (Bar 212) consists
of a single chord, played on all instruments. The dynamics in this
bar are sffz, making the final note short and punctual, however it
does ring (evident in recordings).
Think,
polyphonic
texture
Articulated at
start, however
quickly
becomes
legato, then a
short last note.
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Images:
Film Poster- Internet Movie Data Base, 2001
Williams, John- Conducting the London Symphony Orchestra, 2006
Ron, Harry and Hermione, red background- Gallery shot, n.d.
Ron, Harry and Hermione, grey background- Gallery Shot, 2002
Text References:
1(https://login.thetimes.co.uk/?gotoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.co.uk%2Ftto%2Fbusiness
%2Fmoversshakers%2F) Thompson, Susan (2 April 2008). "Business big shot: Harry Potter author JK Rowling". The
Times (London). Retrieved 14 July 2009.