I should probably start this by saying I am a few steps beyond Potter-maniac. I love the books, the movies have always been less than stellar. However, my favorite actor is in there so I can't complain because I get some awesome eye candy for what short amount of time he is on screen. I mean Alan Rickman. I digress.
I am starting off with this one because it is the best score of the series yet. I am not joking. The John Williams scores make me want to gag with the fluffy and in-your-face nature of it and the Patrick Doyle one just seems completely confused half the time.
For those who don't know, I have seen this film in theatres well over 60 times and all but 2 of them were in an IMAX Dome. There is a simple and logical explanation to this, I was an intern/console operator when this film was released. I also had the joy of putting this film together as my internship project.
So....back to the task at hand, on with the review.
"Fireworks" is out of place and I have no idea as to why this is the first piece in the score. That aside, this is brilliant. As a mallet percussionist, I soaked this score up. This proves that mallets can hold the melody in a major film score. The amazing changing meter in this is remarkable, it reminds me of my high school days when I was playing some James Sweringer pieces.
"Professor Umbridge" is a great theme on so many levels. It is overly fluffy (as it should be) it greats on your nerves (yet again, supposed to) and makes you picture Imelda Staunton. The piece quite literally bounces around. I feel like I should be bouncing up and down on a pogo stick when listening to this. It is fun with just the slightest undercut of creepy added in for good measure.
"Another Story" is the intro music into the film. It is that wonderful moment at midnight showings when 6 year olds that should have been sleeping nearly wet themselves from excitement. It also brings in the "Hedwig's Theme" that was presented in the first Potter film. I can clearly visualize this entire opening scene because of this piece and because of all the times that I have seen this film. It is very depressing but it works. I am greatly pleased that this piece didn't favor heavily on the original "Hedwig's Theme" because it simply doesn't need to.
"Dementors in the Underpass" is one of those classic pieces in a score that tell a story. It simply gives you everything that you need to know. It quite literally is the scene in this case. There is hardly any dialogue which brings this piece right up front and lets you know of the emotion going on. It does feel like a horror film score for a second but don't worry it is fleeting.
"Dumbledore's Army" starts off rather slow and sad because we are getting to the point in the series that Harry turns into an emo kid and starts being depressed. However, it does a complete 360 in the feel and presents a lively little theme. It has some niece little clarinet and brass melodic lines in it.
"Hall of Prophecies" is another completely out of place piece in order on the disc. I am not used to it. I guess I have been spoiled by John Williams and the like in that regard. This piece is rather mystical in feeling and suspicious. It also has a nice little muffled "Hedwig's Theme" in there. It also brings in some little electronic instruments in there, which work quite well. It has a very slow melodic line that keeps on building to an amazing rhythmic strings sectional. The pace goes from slow to blindingly fast in less than 2 beats.
"Possession" is actually in order with the previous piece. It is a very creepy piece, and rightfully so. It is at the part of the film where Harry's eyes turn green (I know they are supposed to be throughout the entire film series but I don't think the directors got that memo). This is another one of those pieces where I can see everything going on in the scene and can quote the dialogue, word for word. I simply can't listen to this piece without seeing the scene in my head.
"The Room of Requirements" is one of those golden pieces that I can listen to over and over and never get bored with it. It has double-sticking mallets, how can a mallet player not enjoy this? It also has mallet feature. I adore this piece. It brings out what makes mallet percussion amazing. I am terribly biased and I am sorry but in this it works. To hear the xylo that crisp is stunning and remarkable all at the same time. I am parroting on about this because most composers tend to shy away from mallet percussion in films for some odd reason. They hardly ever carry the entire piece. So I will make a plea that there be more of this in the future of cinema.
"The Kiss" is that moment on screen where you get a bunch of immature people hooting and hollering. There really isn't much to the piece and it greatly overshadowed by the previous one, but oh well.
"A Journey to Hogwarts" is another one that should have been at the beginning but isn't. It also harks back to theme that most people think of when they think of the Harry Potter films. However, it does turn that theme on its head. This piece also harks back to the opening film theme. Toward the end of this piece I can picture this scene in the film, which is a good thing in film scores.
"The Sirius Deception" starts off very dark and brooding. This is the start of the battle scene in the film, which I absolutely love this theme. It is the perfect theme in which to prep for something. That leads to the thestral flying scene which is very pretty as is the piece.
"The Death of Sirius" is the real battle theme. It has this awesome chanting in the background that fades into nothingness. Then it practically explodes with this amazing and powerful rhythmic sequence that gets tossed around from string instrument to string instrument. It also has a nice light choice part that opens up right at the perfect moment. Then everything fades into this absolute gut wrenching segment. No need to explain what is going on there.
"Umbridge Spoils a Beautiful Morning" is one of those humorous scenes in the film that give it its light and fluffy side. It brings back the great Umbridge theme, that still makes people shout "make it go away" like it should. This film has made several friends of mine never want to see kittens or pink ever again.
"Darkness Takes Over" is one of those pieces that confuses me as to where it goes. I honestly can't remember. It reminds me greatly of the tornado scene in "The Wizard of Oz" and I honestly don't know why.
"The Ministry of Magic" is one of the most quirky themes that I have heard in a long time and I love it. It has a rather amusing little oboe solo at the beginning which is shortly joined in by various woodwinds and bells. It makes a marvelous transition into a very chamber-like feel into a grandiose full orchestra theme.
"The Sacking of Trelawney" is bringing in all of the sadness that it possibly can and still relate it to the film. It has loads of strings and still some mallet percussion in the back. The tempo is very slow and deliberate.
"Flight of the Order of the Phoenix" is the IMAX moment in the film, without a doubt. The Order is flying through London. It is a remarkable theme. I love it, is gives a feeling of soaring but with power, with the use of some well placed snare and bass drum.
"Loved Ones and Leaving" used to hold the top slot on my most played list on iTunes for a long time until "Atonement" came along. There is just something about this piece that pulls me to it. I really and truly can't explain it. It is beautifully orchestrated. I know that there isn't much description behind it but it is one of those rare few ending pieces that wraps everything up in a little package and yet gives you something extra to cling on to. It is a very hopeful piece, if that makes any sense at all. As I am listening to this, I noticed something amazingly brilliant and that is it is the only perfect authentic cadence in the entire score. That says a lot, it is a definite end. To me that is stunning.
I know that some of you may feel that I should have done the other Potter films first but I refuse. Sorry if you were looking for sweet reviews about them. If I did, it wouldn't be worth my time and all I would end up saying is "it is played up crap" over and over and over again. So for those of you wondering which score to listen to with children while reading the Potter books for the 10 millionth time, it is this one.
Happy listening,
FilmScored
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