movies/tv

Behind the Music of Harry Potter

Musicnotes

Sep 25, 2018 • 8 min read

Four composers. One magical story. Not only have we latched on to the whimsical spells, treats, and fashion from the Harry Potter films, but the music has also found its way into our memories. And who is behind these legendary scores? Not one, but four imaginative composers, each contributing their unique characteristics to these iconic films. We’re going to dive into the styles of each composer, but before we do, it’s important to know which composer scored which movie(s).

We should also mention that if you have somehow miraculously not seen these movies yet, you will run into quite a few

spoilers

below!

John Williams

John Williams needs no introduction. Composer of Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Superman, and so much more, Williams is the initial creator of the music in Harry Potter, and the man behind “Hedwig’s Theme,” which is easily the most recognizable song from the entire Harry Potter series.

Williams scored the first three films of the Harry Potter series, (The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, and the Prisoner of Azkaban) laying a foundation for all of the beautiful music to come. Williams takes his inspiration from classical music. He scores for a large traditional symphony orchestra which gives him access to a wide range of timbres and colors. One component uniquely intertwined into the instrumentation is the sound of tinkling bells. The main component of Hedwig’s Theme, these bell sounds are found in all eight films within the theme itself and in many other pieces.

If you are familiar with the Harry Potter films, you will know that they progressively move to a darker and more serious mood as Harry and his friends grow, and the plot thickens. The first three films live in happier, more playful spirits, and you will be able to hear that reflected in the music. Many of the themes Williams dreamed up in the very first film, The Sorcerer’s Stone, are heard throughout the entire series, notably “Harry’s Wondrous World,” “Nimbus 2000,” and “Leaving Hogwarts.” To tug at the heartstrings a little, “Leaving Hogwarts” is only heard at the very end of the first film and the last film.

John Williams had the massive responsibility of introducing us to all of the main characters in Harry Potter and setting the stage for their development throughout the series. In a way, his music indicates how you should feel about the different components inside the Wizarding World. Williams’ score in The Chamber of Secrets reveals the smugness of “Gilderoy Lockhart,” the majesty of “Fawkes the Phoenix,” and the quirkiness of “Dobby the House Elf.” The Prisoner of Azkaban then catapults you into the clouds with “Buckbeaks Flight,” places you in a strange frog choir with “Double Trouble,” and stuffs you into a small and stuffy home with “Hagrid the Professor.” By the time you’ve reached the end of the third film, you could write your own book on all of the opinions you’ve already formed!

Patrick Doyle

Well-trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, Patrick Doyle had the skillset to take Williams’ themes and musical ideas and transform them for the next stage of the Harry Potter movies. This included adding darker colors from the orchestra and incorporating more minor motivic material. There is more drama, too. Doyle was kept busy composing suspense cues for the pivotal scenes of this movie.

One of our favorite pieces from this movie is “The Quidditch World Cup,” a wonderfully fun piece introduced at the beginning of the movie, in which Harry attends his first ever Quidditch World Cup.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire also introduced new themes, such as teenage romance, and new characters, such as Beauxbatons Girls and Durmstrang Boys, and of course, Cedric Diggory. Doyle was quick to capture the essence of these themes and characters with pieces like “Potter Waltz” and (spoiler) “Death of Cedric.” He stayed true to Williams’ traditional orchestration style; however, he made an effort to emphasize the style of British classical music. “Hogwarts’ Hymn” is a great example of highlighting British culture in this film. Though Doyle composed many lighthearted tunes for this movie, he set in motion the idea that the next film would be taking a much darker turn.

Nicholas Hooper

Prior to working on Harry Potter, Nicholas Hooper was primarily known as a composer for British television. He was asked to join the Harry Potter team by director David Yates who was an old friend. Hooper successfully navigated the wizarding world with musical themes that perfectly capture the feelings of foreboding and tension.

The storyline continues moving to a darker place, especially with characters like Dolores Umbridge, Severus Snape, and Draco Malfoy. Hooper manages to find a way to incorporate these dark moods into the Potter world of whimsy, creating themes that pique your interest involuntarily! In particular, the bouncy theme for Dolores Umbridge, “Professor Umbridge,” is introduced early in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and is heard throughout the rest of the film.

Other pieces worth noting in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are “Fireworks,” “Dumbledores Army,” “The Room of Requirements,” and “The Ministry of Magic.” These tunes still have a playfulness about them, and you can’t help but smile and bob your head as you listen. And, if you ever visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, you are guaranteed to hear each of these pieces pumping through speakers overhead. You will also pick up on Hooper’s specific style by listening through these pieces, with many uses of bouncy tempos, horns, bells, and exciting strings. This style differs from the heavy orchestration in previous films. Though Hooper still incorporates moments of dense orchestration, you will hear moments with far less instrumentation and more focus on rhythm and interesting melodies. “Fireworks” even makes use of some epic electric guitar!

For the first time in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince begins with a very dark musical introduction. Hooper’s “Opening” sets the stage for what is about to be an emotionally heavy ride. We’re also introduced to an eerie choral piece at the top of the film, “In Noctem.” However, it’s not all dark and spooky (though a lot of it is). Hooper still finds moments for his classic bouncy and fun style in tunes like “Living Death,” as well as highlighting pieces like “When Ginny Kissed Harry” as an interesting acoustic guitar tune and “Wizard Wheezes” as a fun jazz number. Still, Hooper gives us a fair warning with his music that there is officially no going back to the goofy, playful times we began with. It all begins to sink in by the time “Dumbledore’s Farewell” rolls around.

Alexandre Desplat

Alexandre Desplat was an excellent choice for taking over the music helm for the last two Harry Potter films. His training at the Conservatoire de Paris taught him to use the full power of the symphony orchestra for expressive purposes. He brings all his skills to the task here by creating an overwhelming amount of emotion with his music. Taking on the task of the much anticipated final films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2, Desplat takes every opportunity to make you feel all of the feelings. The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is especially emotional, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione finally leave a corrupted Hogwarts to embark on a journey they don’t even understand. With the world on their shoulders, the heaviness is reflected in pieces like “Obliviate,” “Harry and Ginny,” “Godric Hollow’s Graveyard,” and “Farewell to Dobby.”

As if you couldn’t get any more emotional in this series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 begins with “Lily’s Theme,” a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece by Desplat. This theme is also found later in the film, particularly during “The Resurrection Stone,” when Harry comes face to face with his family once more.

Alexandre Desplat makes a lot of use of stringed instruments in The Deathly Hallows movies, as well as vocal lines and instrumentation that almost leave you in a trance. But although many pieces tug on your heart in a way that only music can, there are also fierce songs backing battle sequences that make you want to hop on a broomstick and jump right in! “Battlefield,” “Broomsticks and Fire,” “Courtyard Apocalypse,” and “Neville the Hero” are just a few. Desplat takes you from gloomy emotions to an ultimate victory, and as a composer, he’s the icing on the cake in a fantastic series of film scores.

That’s a Wrap!

If you listen to music in the first film and compare it to the music in the last film, of course, you will hear a significantly stark contrast. But the beauty about these film scores is their gradual transformation. It’s pretty incredible how four different composers, each with their own unique style and contributions, can build off of each other, each complimenting their predecessor. The result is a magnificent story told through music that truly leaves listeners lost in a world of magic.

Harry Potter Music FAQ

What is the Most Popular Theme in Harry Potter? Most people would agree, one of the most popular songs is “Hedwig’s Theme.” This haunting melody was used in all the first trailers and thereby became associated with Harry Potter from the very beginning. When people ask, “What is the theme song to Harry Potter?” it is most likely “Hedwig’s Theme” they are thinking of.

Did John Williams Compose the Music for All the Harry Potter Movies? No. John Williams scored the first three: Sorcerer’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban. The remaining films were scored by Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat. All the films use the musical themes first composed by Williams as motivic material. Therefore Williams still gets a credit in the later films.

Which Songs Played at the Yule Ball? The Yule Ball in the movie Goblet of Fire features three songs, “Do the Hippogriff,” “This is the Night,” and “Magic Works.”

Which Orchestra Recorded Harry Potter? The first four movies, Sorcerer’s Stone through Goblet of Fire, were recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. The Order of the Phoenix and the Half-Blood Prince were recorded by the Chamber Orchestra of London. The last two films, Deathly Hallows Parts One and Two were recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra again.
Where Can I Hear the Harry Potter Soundtrack? All of the soundtracks are widely available on CDs or streaming services. In addition, this music is played by symphony orchestras in live concerts around the world. A fairly recent fun event is a concert in which one of the movies is projected on a large screen while an orchestra plays the score live. You can watch the movie and hear the soundtrack as you’ve never heard it before. These concerts are becoming increasingly popular and are regular summer events near larger cities.