What are your Top 3 favorite tracks from these JW scores?

[Josh500 1,615]

What are your Top 3 favorite tracks (from the OS or an expanded album) from these 3 John Williams scores?

 

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark

2. Jurassic Park

3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

 

Also tell us why you picked these tracks!

 

 

Jurassic Park:

1. Journey to the Island

2. High-Wire Stunts 

3. T-Rex Rescue & Finale 

 

Harry Potter:

1. Harry's Wondrous World

2. Hedwig's Theme 

3. The Quidditch Match 

 

Raiders:

1. The Desert Chase 

2. Raiders March 

3. To Nepal

 

[Thor 7,490]

That's a lot of work!

[Josh500 1,615]

Well, just 3 scores then...

[Thor 7,490]

I'll give it a shot with ONE favourite track per score (although I'm usually terrible at remembering individual tracks; I'm more of a 'whole album all at once' person).

 

JURASSIC PARK: Journey to the Island -- one of the most religious-majestetic cues in all of history

 

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Map Room: Dawn -- not quite religioso, but definitely tinged in mystery and power

 

HARRY POTTER: I don't know. Maybe Harry's Wondrous World. Or Hedwig's Theme. I was never that big a fan of this score. Something that sums up the score in a self-sufficient, suite-like manner would do, I guess.

[Romão 2,274]

Raiders of the Lost Ark

1 - The Well of Souls

2 - Miracle of the Ark

3 - The Map Room: Dawn

 

Jurassic Park

1 - T-Rex Rescue and Finale

2 - Hatching Baby Raptor

3 - The Raptor Attack

 

Harry Potter

1 - Hedwig's Theme

2 - Ollivander's Shop

3 - Mr. Longbottom Flies

 

 

 

 

 

[Loert 2,511]

Jurassic Park:

1. T. Rex Rescue and Finale - it's fun
2. Stalling Around - it's funny
3. Dennis Steals the Embryo - this one has its own charm; if Williams ever wrote a soundtrack to one of those late-90s 3D-platforming video games, this is what it would probably sound like

Raiders of the Lost Ark:

1. The Miracle of the Ark - very good build-up and twist, one of Williams' best score-to-scene efforts IMHO
2. The Map Room: Dawn - this one is virtually on par with #1, the only real reason I put it a place lower is because it's shorter! Both employ the same motifs but in quite different ways (#1 is more terrifying whereas #2 is more religioso)
3. The Well of the Souls/Uncovering the Ark - these two tracks appear (more or less) as a single track in the DCC Vinyl edition, which is why I'm putting them together here. I love the dark, "grungy" textures Williams employs here, particularly near the beginning, but the music in the "uncovering the Ark" scene is spectacular as well. It is a kind of musical foreboding of the final Ark opening

Harry Potter:

1. The Quidditch Match - this, Chase through Coruscant, and T. Rex Rescue & Finale are epitomes of Williams' late action style IMO (not to mention all the action music from KOTCS...)
2. The Face of Voldemort - there's some terrifically terrifying textural writing here. But there's also something sweet and magical about the celeste at the end, when the camera pans towards the stone
3. In the Devil's Snare and The Flying Keys - the first part is terrifying, but The Flying Keys theme is brilliant in how it manages to capture that "wizardly" feeling through its colourful orchestration

3 hours ago, Thor said:

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Map Room: Dawn -- not quite religioso, but definitely tinged in mystery and power

 

Williams actually gave the specific musical direction of "Religioso" for the performers of that cue.

[Thor 7,490]

40 minutes ago, loert said:

 

Williams actually gave the specific musical direction of "Religioso" for the performers of that cue.

 

I should specify: it does not quite capture MY idea of the sound, as much as certain other tracks in his resume (see playlist in the other thread). But it's still a great cue -- I prefer it over most of the action cues on the DCC album (which is the one I have).

[Josh500 1,615]

It's religioso for me too. 

 

Apropos religioso, I find "Hatching Baby Raptor" a bit religioso as well... It perfectly captures the "mystery and wonder that is life," I think. 

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Lately I've been thinking about how great this music is, particularly from 7:32 to the end.  Shows off to powerful effect a few of my favorite Williams moods.

 

 

[Bellosh 3,403]

Raiders of the Lost Ark

1.)  The German Sub / To the Nazi Hideout  - I'm still such a sucker for the fantastic and bombastic statement of the Raiders March when Indy is shown on the sub.  Always pumps me up.  I also love the fantastic little bit right before the statement where it sounds pirate-y and ocean-y (yes terrible description, but you know what I mean)

 

2.) Flight From Peru - First time we get to hear Indy's theme in full on action.  Love the comical statement of it as well.  Not to mention the college cue.

 

3.) Desert Chase - Because it's the Desert Chase.

 

Honorable Mention - Indy Rides the Statue

 

Jurassic Park

1.) Journey to the Island

2.) T-Rex Rescue and Finale

3.) Dennis Steals the Embryo

[Loert 2,511]

19 minutes ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

Lately I've been thinking about how great this music is, particularly from 7:32 to the end.  Shows off to powerful effect a few of my favorite Williams moods.

 

 

 

That statement of the "Leaving Hogwarts" theme from 9:55 is my favourite from the score. You really feel like you're lifting off into the air and flying above the countryside.

[Jay 37,336]

Jurassic Park:
 

T-Rex Rescue and Finale, Journey To The Island, The Coming Storm (The track that combines 3 cues, not just that one cue)

 

Raiders:

 

The Map Room: Dawn, The Desert Chase, In The Idol's Temple

 

Harry Potter 1

 

2M5 Harry Gets His Wand, 5M2 Fighting the Troll, 7M2 The Blue Forest

[mrbellamy 6,275]

3 hours ago, TheGreyPilgrim said:

Lately I've been thinking about how great this music is, particularly from 7:32 to the end.  Shows off to powerful effect a few of my favorite Williams moods.

 

 

 

Those oscillating strings at 8:12 are to die for. And I feel like the Invisibility Cloak texture is kinda underrated. It's so on point that you forget what an unusual color it is in a score like this.