6 Mystical Harry Potter Songs To Learn
Who doesn’t want to incorporate a bit of magic into their everyday lives? Learning how to play Harry Potter on piano immediately adds a bit of wizarding joy to your life and, if you’re a performer, can bring your audience together in exuberant memories of magical delight. From the brassy fanfare of John Williams to the Irish energy of Patrick Doyle, and from the classical guitar inspirations of Nicholas Hooper, to the emotional and lush styles of Alexandre Desplat, pianists of all levels can use sheet music and revisit a world where magic is real, and so is the peril.
How To Play Harry Potter Theme Music: 8 Magical Pieces
Seven books and eight movies: The story of the struggle between “The Boy Who Lived” and “He Who Must Not Be Named” captured the imagination of a generation of young readers, not to mention the many adults who joined in the adventure along the way. Adapting the books to film versions proved an enormous success partly due to the vibrant and compelling scores. Four different composers produced music for the films:
- John Williams: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Patrick Doyle: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Nicholas Hooper: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
- Alexandre Desplat: Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Each composer brought their composing personality to the films, yet the scores comprise a unified musical sensibility that makes learning how to play Harry Potter on piano a less arduous task. These six selections embody the magic and delight we feel when we watch our favorite wizards and witches save the world from Voldemort.
1. Hedwig’s Theme
“Hedwig’s Theme” could, in some ways, stand in as the theme for all of the films. Originally appearing in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the motif appears in all subsequent films. A lilting, airy piece evincing the swift and smooth, if eerie, flight of an owl at dusk. A popular choice for beginning pianists who also love Harry Potter movies, the theme works perfectly as a solo performance. Arrangements by the composers for the later films made slight adjustments to the key to enhance the mysterious qualities of the motif, which adds to the challenge for more experienced performers.
2. Fawkes the Phoenix
Contrasting with the shadowy sensibility of “Hedwig’s Theme”, the lyrical “Fawkes the Phoenix” from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets sweeps into the score like a chanson of life and renewal. Learning how to play Harry Potter on piano is learning to portray the tension between the reality of Voldemort’s lurking evil and the optimism of youth and love. Fawkes the Phoenix, who combusts into ash and smoke, always rises again on glimmering rainbow wings, weeping tears of healing and hope. His motif rings out like a song of victory over darkness.
3. Double Trouble
We think even Shakespeare would have applauded along with all of the Hogwarts students after the performance of “Double Trouble” in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Impress your English literature teacher by reciting the lyrics of this piece, which are taken from those chanted by the hags in Macbeth. Then, have fun performing this lively tune to set the stage for a croaking good holiday time. Beginning musicians can get into the spirit with the catchy melody, while intermediate and advanced players can add depth and team up for an ensemble performance.
4. Harry in Winter/Harry Potter’s Love
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire marks a significant turning point in the storyline, as Harry witnesses, for the first time, a friend’s death at Voldemort’s hands. At the same time, Harry is falling in love with the beautiful Cho Chang, while the wintry setting for this piece emphasizes his ultimate isolation through the hardships of the Triwizard Cup competition. The piece titled “Harry in Winter”, most effectively performed on a single instrument, offers an excellent chance to learn how to play Harry Potter theme music on piano. Focus on the dynamics and the potential for expressive playing to fully capture the loneliness Harry feels throughout this film.
5. Lovegood
Luna “Loony” Lovegood becomes one of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s closest friends throughout the series. The moment when the trio sees Luna’s bedroom decorated with the tokens and phrases about their friendship in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 stands out as one of the most heartfelt and tender of the series. The musical theme for Luna and her father titled “Lovegood” is at times quirky, sweet and complex, like the character herself. Beginning and intermediate pianists can have some fun with this lighthearted and pleasant piece.
6. Lily’s Theme
Harry Potter’s mother, Lily Potter, appears as an idealized figure of love for Harry throughout the series. We see her in the Mirror of Erised, in photographs, in echoes from Voldemort’s wand and in brief flashbacks. The theme that Desplat composed for her, “Lily’s Theme,” entwines motifs from both Harry and Severus Snape so that our understanding of her character becomes a blending of the two perspectives. This piece, from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, is a marvelous way to learn how to play Harry Potter theme music, as the complexity of the dynamics and the mix of darkness and light demonstrate the range of emotions inherent in the narrative.
Why and How To Play Harry Potter on Piano
You love the story of Harry Potter and his friends. You secretly wish you’d received your letter of admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When you listen to the music from the Harry Potter movies, you can almost feel the wind rush as you fly your Nimbus 2000, and you sometimes whisper “Lumos!” when you walk into a dark room. You’re a Harry Potter fan, and the film scores teleport you closer to the Wizarding World with every note. Don’t wait until the envelopes start shooting out of the fireplace! Learn how to play Harry Potter themes on piano and other instruments using the incredible variety of Harry Potter sheet music available at Musicnotes.