rebekahnoelleparker

Well, I must say I'm just very disappointed.  As someone who is not only a Harry Potter fanatic, but also a John Williams fanatic, this final movie was going be epic for me.  I know that it will still be fine, but even if you look at the flaws of the first 3 films, the music still makes them fantastic.

I wanted the ending of the series to feel more or less "full-circle" and had a lot of hope after JW's comments about his interest in the final HP film.

Oh well.

A track-by-track brief analysis of the DH samples

I've pasted below my thoughts on the tracks that were released today and the link to the original Facebook note is above.

Overall, I'm optimistic about this soundtrack although I have some legitimate worries.  This soundtrack will not tie in to or sound like any of the previous 6, although I wish it could have.  HOPEFULLY, if JW does the final installment, we'll have a great sense of nostalgia and wholeness as the series comes to an end.

Below are my initial thoughts on the samples that came out today.  Keep in mind that I have only heard 30 seconds of each track, so my impressions may not be permanent.  This just makes me even MORE excited for the movie to come out!

Enjoy!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00494M52O/


1. Obliviate- Classic traveling music: a repeated, minor string ostinato moving with purpose below a soaring, rather foreboding french horn line

2. Snape to Malfoy Manor- think original Batman opening score from Elfman.  This is sure to be a frightening scene in the movie and this music fits.  We hear a brass sforzando crescendo in a minor chord and then strings rumbling along with  and a haunting melody soaring over it all in the violins and choir.

3. Polyjuice Potion- a cantabile, kind of lonely sounding clarinet solo over some light strings for a scene where Harry has said goodbye to the Dursleys for the last time and is heading out into the world where danger is waiting for him every step of the way

4. Sky Battle- Oh, hey John Williams!  Here we go!  A scary cluster of low brass and string instruments that immediately rise  with a harp gliss to what is close to a classic JW battle scene.  We hear some big, 'Mars-esque" wind/percussion hits with high trumpet notes, FAST woodwind/string runs and flourishes, HIGH trilling piccolos, muted trumpets playing random 16th triplets, crescendoing low brass.

5. At The Burrow- A modulatory and rather emotional sounding part.  Lush strings and interesting pivot chords just when we think we're going to get a V-I.

6. Harry and Ginny- Beautiful, simple, solo piano in D minor (the saddest of all keys).  A sad but beautiful accompaniment for what surely is a love scene.  The sample is SO close to sounding like a loose form of melody inversion and retrograde with Hedwig's Theme.  But, if that's what Desplat was going for, he failed.  I hope there's a better, more obvious variation somewhere else on the soundtrack on the theme that made these movies so great.

7. The Will- Basically one minor chord on synthesizer and strings for 30 seconds...

8. Death Eaters- We're back in D minor.  A scary violin smear (gliss? slide?  what's it called on a violin?) from the unexpected major 3rd down back to the minor third.  Pedal tone D in the low basses and halfway through a high violin D pedal joins the low while.  I like this one.

9. Dobby- a mischievous, playful, quick 3/4 complete with steel drums, strings, acoustic guitar minor 2nd grace notes...I guess this is before Dobby is dead, although I don't recall any happy memories of Dobby in the 7th book because his 1st appearance comes jarringly close to his death.

10. Ministry of Magic- A great reflection of how the government has been overthrown but is still in power; scary.  Timpani.  Bassoon run, very machine-sounding clicking along alla marcia.  Think Isengard from LOTR, just in 4/4 instead of 5/4.  I like this.

11. Detonators- This must be referring to the trio trying to do everything at the MoM...definitely an action scene.  Small but fitting bass clarinet feature, very Danny Elfman, a bright tempo, still in a minor key of course.  In fact, everything has been in a minor key so far.  Some John Williams strings at the end of this sample.

12. The Locket- Sounds Schindler's Listy.  Very sad.  Very foreboding strings.  Perhaps remembering Sirius?  I'm not sure why this needs to be so sad.  Maybe this is AFTER they've left the MoM, and someone has been carrying the locket for a while.  Nope, Fireplaces Escape is after this one...I don't have an answer to why this is on here.

13. Fireplaces Escape- Another sad sounding, pretty legato string section.  Not sure why.

14. Ron Leaves- An appropriately sad, heartwarming bit.  Soaring french horn, lush strings.  We all remember Hermione doing a lot of crying, and Harry doing a lot of soul-searching during the time when Ron was gone in the book.  This track has potential.

15. The Exodus- I'm not sure what anyone is Exodusing from at this point in the plot but it sounds kind of on-the-edge-of-your seat.  You can feel the theme of time tick-tocking in this mysterious underscoring.  I might go as far to say that this might be the heart of Voldemort's soul in the locket beating away but I think that's reading too much into 30 seconds of steady quarter notes.

16. Godric's Hollow Graveyard- Very, very, similar to 'Ron Leaves'.  WHY OH WHY COULDN'T HE HAVE BROUGHT IN THE "FAMILY PORTRAIT" THEME OR EVEN THE "HARRY'S WONDROUS WORLD" THEME FOR THIS SCENE?!!?!!?!?  Either of those (with some variation and color changes) would have been PERFECT for this scene.

17. Bathilda Bagshot- creepy flute, suspenseful sustained chords.  Sounds great for what is sure to be a very creepy scene.

18. Hermione's Parents- This clip makes me feel like we are mourning the death of Hermione's parents.  I don't like this, because they don't die.  I also would frown upon David Yates adding ANY additional acting scenes for Emma Watson...especially one that has emotions involved. We shouldn't be crying over the fact that Hermione's parents are safe and on vacation in Australia until the Wizarding War is over.

19. Destroying the Locket- This has a sound of hopeful excitement mixed with anticipation; all with an ethereal melody over top.  Perhaps the fast, alternating minor 3rd string parts are the horcrux's heart beating faster...

20. Ron's Speech- Some kind of reprise of 'Ron Leaves' I'm sure.  He's back now and ready to reconcile with H&H!

21. Lovegood- An appropriately fanciful Danny Elfman track.  Hopefully there are some more interesting colors and timbres to this track since the music is representing Xenophilius Lovegood, I'm sure.

22. The Deathly Hallows- TITLE OF THE MOVIE!  I don't know what to make of this one...the clip isn't long enough, really.  

23. Captured and Tortured- Appropriately suspenseful and frightening music.  Lots of fast rhythms, minor 2nd trills, and some loud drum accents.

24. Rescuing Hermione- A whirlwind of music with some brass punches, and sneaky string tremolos.  Good.

25. Farewell to Dobby- A beautiful lush clip with some sorrowful sounds.  I hope it makes me cry in context!

26. The Elder Wand- a great ending for the 1st installment of the 7th film.  Very foreboding.  I can picture Voldemort opening Dumbledore's tomb and stealing the wand and Harry's scar burning.