Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Every few days I will post a thread on a random score from my collection that we can discuss and rate. I made a playlist on my computer with one track of each score I've got, so by using the random play option, I'll be able to post a truly random score each time. Hopefully this will allow us to discuss some scores that would otherwise never be discussed. Also we can record the rating so that we can create a full list of the ratings given to scores by JWFan.com.Today's score is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by John Williams. Are you familiar with it? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? How do do you think it works in the film? What are your favourite tracks?So far JWFan has rated:See Soundtrack Ratings by JWFan.com.This web page contains the ratings from all my previous polls as well as those of Blumenkohl's.Final ratings are converted to a 1-10 rating for both rating systems so that they can be compared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 6,294 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Honestly? It's a great theme, great album. Not so great the rest of the music. Strong, coherent and serviceable. But it sounds like many other things (Hook, Home Alone, even a touch of Jurassic Park in the second track). Williams wasn't really impressed by this film, obviously.3,5 stars.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,284 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 very good 5 star music, but half of it is a pastiche. Therefore 4 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,765 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 **** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 5 stars. Great themes and lots of stand-out tracks. It captures the spirit of the book brilliantly.Now all we need is an expanded/complete release; there's a lot of greatness available only as DVD rear speaker rip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrScratch 292 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Honestly? It's a great theme, great album. Not so great the rest of the music. Strong, coherent and serviceable. But it sounds like many other things (Hook, Home Alone, even a touch of Jurassic Park in the second track). Williams wasn't really impressed by this film, obviously.I agree, except I voted a more generous 4 stars. Just like Last Crusade, there are moments of brilliance here and there, strong themes and lots of filler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Up there with the best of Williams' scores, and thematically one of the most interesting (both the protagonist and antagonist get two distinct themes) and complex this side of LOTR. 5 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 85 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 5 stars but deserves more! Finally a film that really inspired Williams to write up to his old standards. A legendary, classic Williams score and an example for orchestrators, in the same league as Jurassic Park and Hook.A Change of Season, Letters from Hogwarts and Journey to Hogwarts are among the best Williams has ever written.It's shameful he lost the Oscar to LotR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,082 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Somewhere between 4 and 4.5 stars.A little bit of filler here and there, but I think it has some truly outstanding pieces and the themes are amongst his best IMO.This one needs an expanded release, especially as I have big issues with the CD. Although the CoS CD did a nice job of featuring a few passages that were tracked from this score and not on the CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 1,394 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 An easy 5. The complete score suffers from overuse of Hedwig's theme, but all the individual statements are good and I hear very little "filler" overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incanus 5,519 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 5 stars. The complete score would do the music better justice than the album though. The complexity and some simply magical music is missing from the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datameister 1,394 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Right you are. Luckily, a lot of it was presented in some form on the COS soundtrack, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,095 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 3.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,391 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 3.5. A franchise worthy main theme but not much else of interest, to this listener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 73 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Probably 4.5. It is brilliant, but I happen to prefer Prisoner of Azkaban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,391 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I happen to prefer Prisoner of Azkaban.I'm no Harry Potter connoisseur, but of all the movies, PoA caught my ear most. I don't actually have the complete score release, but what I do have of it is top drawer JW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,602 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Some JW scores are so good, it can only be given a 5 (I think so, at least).This is clearly one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,391 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Would you give any JW scores 10 out of 5, if you could? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,284 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far.Dont get too confident, that has still to be aproved by Henry Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,602 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Would you give any JW scores 10 out of 5, if you could? That's a stupid question.Then it'd simply be 10/10 instead of 5/5.My point is, some scores (like E.T., Jaws., Harry Potter 1-3, every Star Wars score, Jurassic Park, etc.) all deserve top marks.But some other JW scores don't, although they are few and far between (like Stepmom, Nixon, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 152 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 5 stars. Not as good as PoA, but just barely worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far.Dont get too confident, that has still to be aproved by Henry Buck.Joe's wrong! Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is clearly not the best Williams score of the 21st century. Anybody who thinks that is a Harry Potter fanboy, a lover of orchestral fluff and a buffoon. You may be entitled to your opinion, Joe, but it's incorrect. If only you were more intelligent you would be able to have the correct opinion, as I do. Please learn some respect for Williams's truly great scores; don't call any random score a masterpiece.You have NOT earned my approval! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh500 1,602 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far.Dont get too confident, that has still to be aproved by Henry Buck.Joe's wrong! Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is clearly not the best Williams score of the 21st century. Anybody who thinks that is a Harry Potter fanboy, a lover of orchestral fluff and a buffoon. You may be entitled to your opinion, Joe, but it's incorrect. If only you were more intelligent you would be able to have the correct opinion, as I do. Please learn some respect for Williams's truly great scores; don't call any random score a masterpiece.You have NOT earned my approval! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieter Boelen 633 Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 LOL! That really is laugh-out-loud funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 152 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Especially that last sentence in the first paragraph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,284 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far.Dont get too confident, that has still to be aproved by Henry Buck.Joe's wrong! Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is clearly not the best Williams score of the 21st century. Anybody who thinks that is a Harry Potter fanboy, a lover of orchestral fluff and a buffoon. You may be entitled to your opinion, Joe, but it's incorrect. If only you were more intelligent you would be able to have the correct opinion, as I do. Please learn some respect for Williams's truly great scores; don't call any random score a masterpiece.You have NOT earned my approval!God. Joe hijacked Henry's account! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 John's best score of the 21st century by far.Dont get too confident, that has still to be aproved by Henry Buck.Joe's wrong! Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is clearly not the best Williams score of the 21st century. Anybody who thinks that is a Harry Potter fanboy, a lover of orchestral fluff and a buffoon. You may be entitled to your opinion, Joe, but it's incorrect. If only you were more intelligent you would be able to have the correct opinion, as I do. Please learn some respect for Williams's truly great scores; don't call any random score a masterpiece.You have NOT earned my approval!you are a idiot, I borrowed that from your reply post to Koray.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the best score of the 21st century, and if it wasn't then it would be POA, so shut your pie hole please. I am not one of the many people that uses masterpiece for everything.this post doesnt give a s*h*i*t if Benry Huck approves it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,017 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I am unfamiliar, unfortunately.And who is "Little Ricky", Joey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? Joey, you're acting rather childish. I recommend that you admit your opinion about Philosopher's Stone is wrong, stop espousing your foolish views and get educated. In time you'll see that I'm right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 152 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 And who is "Little Ricky", Joey?Lucy and Ricky's kid in I Love Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant 1,093 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 3 stars.A good start for the brilliance of the third, Azkaban.Same formula as with the SW , good start and the sequels will lift the music to the mastery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego 21 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 4 stars, very good although a bit derivate, his second best score of the 21st century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 859 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I don't remember if I gave this score a 4 or 4.5 in previous discussions.I'm in a good mood this morning so I'll give it a 4.5.It does contain a bit of been there, heard it before but a well done effort by Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,082 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 :spiny: you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? Joey, you're acting rather childish. I recommend that you admit your opinion about Philosopher's Stone is wrong, stop espousing your foolish views and get educated. In time you'll see that I'm right.BTW, E.T. sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? Joey, you're acting rather childish. I recommend that you admit your opinion about Philosopher's Stone is wrong, stop espousing your foolish views and get educated. In time you'll see that I'm right.you should commit ritual hari-kari as atonement for your stupidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,095 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 This thread just got interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you should commit ritual hari-kari as atonement for your stupidity.With a broken coke bottle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 no, something worse, Henry must listen to Zimmer played backwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? Joey, you're acting rather childish. I recommend that you admit your opinion about Philosopher's Stone is wrong, stop espousing your foolish views and get educated. In time you'll see that I'm right.you should commit ritual hari-kari as atonement for your stupidity.But Joey, I don't understand how I'm being stupid! After all, how can I be stupid for having the right opinion? Your love of Philosopher's Stone must be messing with your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you're stupidity is messing with your head. Oh wait, no its not, its just you being you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,095 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you're stupidity is messing with your head. Oh wait, no its not, its just you being you.Why so pugilistic? You brought this upon yourself when you stated an incorrect opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 85 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? To end the discussion: Philosopher's Stone is a masterpiece, if it were only for orchestration. Everyone who is a little into orchestration would agree. Also there are loads of original and very versatile themes that cannot be found often in a similar density even in JW scores. There are more masterpieces by JW for sure, but this is certainly one of them. You, Henry Buck, of all people should agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 152 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Orchestration isn't enough to deem something a masterpiece, at least for me.Having said that, SS is a masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 2,082 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Wow, so many different opinions in this thread. I really can't decide whether this is a good score or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crichton 4 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 5. The best Potter score, and a great throwback to Williams' more thematically driven scores of yesteryear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 49 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 you were dropped on your head as a child weren't you? To end the discussion: Philosopher's Stone is a masterpiece, if it were only for orchestration. Everyone who is a little into orchestration would agree. Also there are loads of original and very versatile themes that cannot be found often in a similar density even in JW scores. There are more masterpieces by JW for sure, but this is certainly one of them. You, Henry Buck, of all people should agree.My goodness, another person with a different opinion! When will people learn to always agree with me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now