What is this instrument?

[Josh500 1,615]

From 0:12 to 0:18, right after the timpanis, you can hear in the background a low, rhythmic woodwind accompaniment... sounds kinda mysterious and menacing! Am I right in assuming that's a bassoon? Or a bass clarinet?

This piece amazes me every time!!!

[ChuckM 1]

From 0:12 to 0:18, right after the timpanis, you can hear in the background a low, rhythmic woodwind accompaniment... sounds kinda mysterious and menacing! Am I right in assuming that's a bassoon? Or a bass clarinet?

I believe it is a bassoon.

This piece amazes me every time!!!

Amen. Easily one of Williams' best pieces, if not his best.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Let's not go nuts.

[KingPin 201]

Could be the combination of bassoon and bass clarinet too.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Amen. Easily one of Williams' best pieces, if not his best.

It's a good piece yes, but hardly THAT good.

[Damo 0]

This is an obvious one. It is a bassoon.

[Josh500 1,615]

COOOOOLLLLLL!!! Had no idea bassoon could sound so awesome. It's like the first few seconds of Minority Report...

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Easily one of Williams' best pieces, if not his best.

Well, I agree with the first statement.

Ray Barnsbury - who still remembers being very taken aback by the piece initially

[ChuckM 1]

Amen. Easily one of Williams' best pieces, if not his best.

It's a good piece yes, but hardly THAT good.

This is the only piece that, no matter how many times I've listened to it, always sends chills down my spine. It is so emotionally moving. I really just feel like I'm flying every time I listen to it.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I agree with Mr. Cosman.

Good? Yes.

Best ever? No way.

[King Mark 3,631]

It's the same motif that opens Sirius Escapes but played on the flute instead of bassoon...that's why I want that piece so much.

[Damo 0]

It's the same motif that opens Sirius Escapes but played on the flute instead of bassoon...that's why I want that piece so much.

Yes. It is the same motif and it is played on the flute. Spot on there King Mark. But John Williams made the motif go a lot longer as an ostinato for the flute as the piccolos plays a fast descending passage.

[John Crichton 4]

I agree with Mr. Cosman and Mr. Moderator. Just from PoA alone I'd take Quidditch Third Year, the first few minutes of Mischief Managed, and A Window to the Past over it.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

No way! Most of the score is fantastic, but for me this piece is pretty much the highlight of it all.

Ray Barnsbury - who didn't realize it had been so long without Potter musical discussion

[Red 75]

It would be near impossible (at least for me) to name a single best ever Williams piece. It just can't be done.

[Josh500 1,615]

This piece is undoubtedly one of his best, but it's not the best ever (no way!)... not even the best on the PoA album. I like Aunt Marge's Waltz, Double Trouble, and Mischief Managed (which is actually another version of Double Trouble) better... but on my list of TOP 100 tracks I made of JW (on my iPod, that is) it's no 13!!!

[Jediwashington 59]

It's doubled bassoon/bass clarinet. The Bassoon is on the right, cutting over the bass clarinet on the left. I can hear the bass clarinet pop out at 14 seconds if you listen closely.

This piece is fabulous in it's timing to film and reflecting what is going on screen. While it's not the best piece ever written by Williams, it was recognized as being one of the most effective uses of Williams taking over the screen. I don't think it's his single best moment, but one of many great moments where he has a whole scene to himself.

~JW

[King Mark 3,631]

It could have been mixed louder in the film

[Jediwashington 59]

It could have been mixed louder in the film

Definitely. That's my largest gripe about film now. Directors/sound editors don't realize that it's ok to not be able to hear what people are saying in a scene like that, where it's more visual than story telling. Music gets so drowned out, but if it's pop music, it's ok for it to define an entire scene almost. Sad orchestral music isn't given as much focus.

~JW

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Directors/sound editors don't realize that it's ok to not be able to hear what people are saying in a scene like that, where it's more visual than story telling.

I'm sorry, what?

Either loose the dialogue entirely, or make it clear to understand. You can't half-drown it under the score. It'll distract the audience.

[Josh500 1,615]

It's the same motif that opens Sirius Escapes but played on the flute instead of bassoon...that's why I want that piece so much.

Amen!

I don't think that's just flute, though... I detect clarinets and some other instrument(s) as well.

[Stohr1984 0]

im pretty sure theres a bass clarinet there too. it doesn't have the total bassoon sound. sound a little more airy

[Jediwashington 59]

Directors/sound editors don't realize that it's ok to not be able to hear what people are saying in a scene like that, where it's more visual than story telling.

I'm sorry, what?

Either loose the dialogue entirely, or make it clear to understand. You can't half-drown it under the score. It'll distract the audience.

Well, that's true. Typical for me to say something like that without elaborating. Dialog shouldn't be overshadowed, but like in Buckbeaks flight. It sounds like they're more focused on Harry's screaming for joy than they are the music in a sound aspect. While that's not dialog by any means, it's ok to not drown it out completely, but let it just sit on top of the music, not drown it out. This is a problem encountered in documentaries all the time where the audio mixer will constantly distractingly adjust the volume of the music to let the narrator be heard. While it is important to hear what the narrator says, let the vocal mix just sit on top of the music, keeping the music relatively consistent volume wise. This is what destroys Williams music at the mixing stage. Williams writes music with much more aural understanding than the audio mixers have. As such, it constantly gets mixed too low among sound effects and dialog. Buckbeaks flight is one situation where mixers totally hit the ball to the first baseman. Harry's short dialog there should have been cut or left to just the screams. I don't care that the wind is going by, or the water is splashing. The music reflects these things effectively enough.

So I agree with you. Sorry for being unclear!

~JW

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

But is Buckbeak's Flight a theme or is it a motif...or melody...?

btw , I think there are two bassoons playing that figure.

[King Mark 3,631]

Most JW scores have been mixed to low in the past decade except Memoirs of a Geisha.Watch any of the movies he scored in the 70's and 80's and it's perfectly possible to have the music at a satisfying level without drowning out the dialogue

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The music was pretty prominent in the first Harry Potter as well.

[Ollie 1,064]

I agree with Mr. Cosman, Mr. Moderator and Mr. Crichton.

[King Mark 3,631]

The music was pretty prominent in the first Harry Potter as well.

It was somewhat mixed louder but still not ToD or ESB loud.Key JW moments were still drowned out,like the The House Cup had children cheering louder than the music.

films that had JW music mixed right:

Jaws

Star Wars

Superman

ESB

Raiders

E.T.

RotJ

ToD

Last Crusade

Hook

Memoirs of a Geisha

Problems started in Jurassic Park,where I noticed the main theme when they gawked at the first brachiosaurus kept beeing turned down in volume for the unessasary ooh's and ahhh's from the actors

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

That's the soundtrack fan in you speaking.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Dialogue should always be the most important and audible thing in a film.

[Ollie 1,064]

Film music is meant to enhance to the film, not stand up waving it's hand and saying "look at me!!!"

[KingPin 201]

But is Buckbeak's Flight a theme or is it a motif...or melody...?

btw , I think there are two bassoons playing that figure.

The difference between a motif and a melody.

And there very well could be two bassoons playing, but to me it still sounds like either a bass clarinet or possibly even a contrabass clarinet is supporting the bassoon section, regardless of the number of players.