Sneaky JW Moment in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Cue 8m4 The Mirror Scene

[Jofi_ 44]

I never noticed this before, but in the Sorcerer's Stone cue 8m4 The Mirror Scene, the trombones are playing Hedwig's Theme underneath all the rest of the orchestra playing Voldemort's Theme/general harmonization. I never would have noticed this without the score - its something that you don't really pay attention to, since it adds to the harmony perfectly! Such a classic JW moment. I stand by my opinion that the Harry Potter soundtracks are some of his best works.

 

(timestamped moment)

[The Train Station 8,578]

Wow

[Smeltington 1,555]

Great find! That cue is pretty dense, with a lot going on. It probably deserves a closer look than I've given it.

 

2 hours ago, Jofi_ said:

I stand by my opinion that the Harry Potter soundtracks are some of his best works.

 

A thousand times yes!

[Chen G. 4,484]

It does happen in these kinds of works that there's a thematic reference buried so deep in the texture that its really just there for the composer's satisfaction than to communicate anything aesthetically to the listener: its the equivalent of how set designers put more detail into a set than can be seen on the screen (e.g. Stanley Kubrick putting things into drawers that would never be opened on-camera).

 

When Isolde finds the dying Tristan, its very, very rare that the recall of Brangane's watch can be at all heard under the brass blaring the "Todgeweihtes Haupt." Heck, the final cadence of the piece: who in the world could tell that the cor anglais - alone of all the instruments - isn't playing, to symbolise the end of the longing? I think there's a recording of Karajan complaining about this very thing ("if you can't hear it, its bad!"). But its definitely a thing in compositions.

[Smeltington 1,555]

I love when stuff like this is hiding in plain sight, for us to find years later! There's a lot to reward repeated listens.

 

Williams may indeed have amused himself with this, and it also reminds me of this Jim Steinman quote:

Quote

Every record I do I figure you should put in one thing for the kid, the teenager in Wisconsin who's in bed listening on headphones 'cause his parents don't want to hear the music and he's got, he's smoked a little dope and he's got the covers over his head and he's listening in the dark.

 

I always think of the kid in Wisconsin. There's gotta be something for him and basically I always think the kid in Wisconsin still exists in the widower in Miami, the nurse in Kansas, the 50 year old business woman in Texas.

 

Plus I would suggest that our subconscious might have already heard it!  

[Chen G. 4,484]

2 minutes ago, Smeltington said:

Plus I would suggest that our subconscious might have already heard it!  

 

That's the premise of writing densly-thematic music, yeah: that we're subconsciously aware of the recalls that are going on, even without being able to articulate it all. But there are cases where the motivic ideas are just not at all audible, and its REALLY just there for excrements and chortles. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,729]

JW sprinkling in Hedwigs like they're hidden mickeys

[Jurassic Shark 12,890]

Probably just an orchestrator having a good time.

[JWScores 36]

10 hours ago, Jofi_ said:

I never noticed this before, but in the Sorcerer's Stone cue 8m4 The Mirror Scene, the trombones are playing Hedwig's Theme underneath all the rest of the orchestra playing Voldemort's Theme/general harmonization. I never would have noticed this without the score - its something that you don't really pay attention to, since it adds to the harmony perfectly! Such a classic JW moment. I stand by my opinion that the Harry Potter soundtracks are some of his best works.

 

(timestamped moment)

 

It has always been one of my very favourite cues from Harry Potter. The build-up and that explosion of intensity, the way they are realized, are phenomenal. It's not easy at all to come up with those harmonic ideas, compositionally speaking. Inspired and inspiring.   

[Datameister 2,241]

Wow, I never noticed that before. Awesome find! Like Jabba's theme in TPM, it's impossible to miss once you hear it. But I've been listening to that cue for 23 years (Jesus Christ...) and never picked up on it before.

[Edmilson 8,708]

This has made me want to listen to Philosopher's Stone again. Such a magnificent, marvelous score!

[QuartalHarmony 648]

23 hours ago, Jofi_ said:

I never would have noticed this without the score

Is the score available, beyond the HL suite movements?

[bollemanneke 3,568]

Huh! Great find indeed!

[Jay 39,176]

Cool find, I love JWFan