You’re A Wizard Harry!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – OST

Film Facts:

‘You’re A Wizard Harry.. A Thumping good one at that, once you train up a little’ (Hagrid, The Philosophers Stone, 2001). Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone was written by J.K Rowling in 1997 and directed by filmmaker Chris Columbus, the first of the EIGHT FILM Harry Potter saga. The screenplay was written by Steve Kloves and the film was released in 2001. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone was nominated for a number of Academy Awards followed up by many other award nominations. The film follows the protagonist Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his two companions Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) in their first year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry which marks the beginning of Harry’s rivalry with archenemy Voldermort. The OST was written by the legendary John Williams and was nominated for one of the Academy Awards as well as receiving a Grammy Award nomination in 2003.

Track Facts:

Composer: John Williams

Label: Warner Tower Music/Nonesuch Record/Atlantic Records

Award Nominations:

Academy Awards – Best Music, Original Score

ACCA – Best Original Score

BMI Film & TV Awards – Film Music Award (Won)

Critics Choice Award – Best Composer

GoldSpirit Awards

• Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Soundtrack
• Rest Recording Edition
• Best Theme

Grammy Awards – Best Score Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

PFCS Awards – Best Original Score

Stinker Awards – Most Intrusive Musical Score

Release: October 30, 2001

The Jam

John Williams is a prolific composer for the film industry, composing for some of the most notable films of the 20th century. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was not the first time Chris Columbus and John Williams met which was in 1990 right before Columbus was to release ‘Home Alone’. While it was being shown in preliminary screenings before it’s release, Williams’ agent contacted Columbus and expressed John’s interest to write the score for this film. Nine years later Williams was Columbus’ first choice as he has talked about the admiration he had for John Williams and the feeling he had the first time he heard the hauntingly beautiful theme which launches the entire Harry Potter series into a world phenomenon and remains the centre of the film’s music for the entire series.

The film begins with ‘Prologue’ or later known officially as ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ with a steady ascension of instrumentation and intervallic relationships designed to transport us into the mysterious and magical world of Harry and his friends. This Polyphonic theme is the basis for the entire Harry Potter film series as it is transitioned into and out of various other tracks throughout the film. ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ presents a softness with various tuned percussion instruments and carefully selected use of strings to bring about this magical feeling which Williams does so well.

‘Harry’s Wondrous World’ develops on this and brings in the entire orchestra, lifting the emotion and energy to a level where we could almost imagine flying through Hogwarts on a broomstick of our own. The harmonic movement throughout this piece moves with such grace, incorporating various countermelodies, call and responses and secondary themes. This track forever moves and develops new sub-themes which are used throughout the film at various points and it is within these two tracks we really get a sense of the direction Williams is taking.

‘The Arrival Of Baby Harry’ set the scene perfectly for Dumbledore to go walking the quiet streets of Surry at night in order to drop Harry off at his Aunt and Uncle’s doorstep as Williams turns to his consistent use of various tuned percussion instruments, coming back into the original theme for the film.

Williams focuses on a number of themes in this soundtrack in creating mystery, mischief, inspiration, battle and of course magic in ‘Visit To The Zoo and Letters from Hogwarts’, ‘Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters’ and The Journey To Hogwarts’, ‘Mr. Longbottom Flies’ and ‘The Norwegian Ridgeback and a Change of Season’. The recurring themes discussed are present in each of these tracks and between the use of these themes we are presented with a very true relationship to what we experience visually as we can hear each cue as the scene shifts in direction. These tracks are what I call cinema reliant compositions (CRC for short), which rely heavily on the visual aid for sustainability, of course serving its purpose as Film Music.

‘Diagon Alley and Gringotts Vault’, ‘Entry into the Great Hall and the Banquet’ and ‘Hogwarts Forever! And the Moving Stairs’ present us with an array of thematic development presenting us with a track which truly moves at such a fast pace throughout this scene, similar to the CRC tracks above. The way in which John Williams paces the harmonic movement throughout a number of tracks such as this is a testament to the way Williams engages the entire orchestra and his development of energy and musical journey. ‘The Quidditch Match’ truly encapsulates this technique beginning with the marching snare drums leading to the pitch, moving into the overwhelming sense of excitement and joy as Harry moves up into the action of the game and then into tension caused by Harry’s cursed broomstick; there are also hints into what will become the theme for Voldermort every time ‘He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’ is mentioned.

‘Christmas at Hogwarts’ brings in the same excitement, using the entire Orchestra to symbolise Christmas and festivities, however this track along with the track ‘Invisibility Cloak and the Library Scene’ stand out as unique sounds to this soundtrack. Williams really explores the idea of a mediaeval sounding ‘Gregorian Chant’ styled composition, centred around an eerie drone and quite chanting by a vocal ensemble, quite similar to choral music which really shows the extent of Williams knowledge and talent.

‘Fluffy’s Harp’ and ‘In The Devil’s Snare and Flying Keys’ compliment the panic, mayhem and energy of the scenes from the film during these sequences, however musically they are quite fast-moving and are designed to aid the visual, a prime example of CRC. I find these tracks hard to associate with musical independence due to this chaotic movement and at times lack of energy or intuition. ‘The Chess Game’ is a real highlight for me; The track begins with the power of the low registered horns along with the repetitive snare drum pattern before Williams brings the entire orchestra to life as the brutal chess game takes place between the three kids and the army of stone chess pieces. This piece reaches a climactic height which I believe is the musical high point of the movie; Ron realising that he must sacrifice his Knight to win the Chess match, leading into the suspenseful scene watching the Queen make it’s way over to Ron to take him off the board.

Finally, we get an appearance from Voldemort in the flesh as Harry and Voldemort face off in front of the ‘Mirror Of Erised’. ‘The Face Of Voldemort’ is a well-constructed villain styled theme which brings both a mysteriousness and danger to the score and aids this final scene well. Small trills, instrumentation changes, tempo changes, dynamic changes and the development of the Voldemort theme make this one of the most dramatic and carefully written pieces of music in this film and rightly so, this is the climax! This ‘Voldemort Theme’ again becomes pivotal to the Harry Potter series as it hints at the darkness which this series slowly spirals into, Williams really sets the aural tone here for the future of the film franchise.

‘Leaving Hogwarts’ is an emotional theme, one we hear throughout the film in small parts when Harry is looking at photos of his parents or spending time with Hedwig, but here it is most prominent. Hagrid is the consistently light-hearted, lovable support person for all three kids, especially Harry, and as he gives Hagrid a big hug and waves goodbye to Hagrid through a window of the Hogwarts Express, Williams pushes those emotions through to us and emphasises the relationship between all four of these characters generating a sad yet hopeful feeling in our heart as we watch Hogwarts disappear into the background. Williams’ ability to create such a variety of themes and emotions has always been a strength of his and in this track for me, really helps us relate to Harry’s Parents and in turn the importance of relationship and family.

Soundtrack Send-Off:

John Williams’ ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ is a soundtrack that defined the entire Harry Potter film series, which captured the imagination of audiences both young and old and has stood the test of time. Williams’ soundtrack compliments Columbus’ directing with precision, bringing to life many characters and scenes and in the process developing various themes which occurred throughout the film in a consistent approach. There are times where we are brought back to Hedwig’s theme more often than I think necessary, and at times the soundtrack is so in tune with the film that it is difficult to listen to this soundtrack as a self-sustaining entity, alas, the music served its purpose, not all tracks can be self-sustaining. John Williams has once again provided life for the characters on screen and into the minds of the audience remaining consistent with his approach to many of his works on other films.

TFMJ Pick Of The Lot: Track #16 – ‘The Chess Game’

TFMJ Rating: ★★★★