Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Free Music Notes for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Free Music Review: A Multi-Themed Soundtrack
Hit: 5 Stars
I love listening to soundtracks-they're my favorite form of music, especially when they are from excellent movies like Harry Potter. The best soundtracks, IMHO, invoke the corresponding bits and scenes of the movie. So it is, at times, a bit irritating when tracks are out of order with the events of the movie, such as in this soundtrack. (ie. the Whomping Willow music occurs much later than track 8) John William's third installment in the HP movie series is dynamic and masterful-displaying the Hogwarts and story we know and love, but with more thematic variations and different melodies than the scores of the first two movies. I was disappointed that Lupin's phonograph music wasn't on the soundtrack, but I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be. Here are descriptions of some of my favorite tracks: Lumos! (Hedwig's Theme) is the theme we all know-a bit of nostalgia for the beginning of the soundtrack. The last track, Mischief Managed!, also starts with a recurring theme, and is a compilation of most of the other tracks, including Double Trouble, A Window to the Past, Buckbeak's Flight, and ends with Aunt Marge's Waltz.
Aunt Marge's Waltz is a little strange, but humorous. The Knight Bus is the craziest and most surprising track is you haven't listened to it before-it sounds like something straight out of a musical about a carnival. It is, though, very catchy and entertaining- one of my favorite tracks. Double Trouble, the most widely known theme, provides a solid base for theme of the other tracks, but it would've been nice if they included the lyrics with the pull out (but dedicated fans can find them rearranged in Act 4 of Macbeth).
I absolutely love Buckbeak's Flight (6) and A Window to the Past (7). They are easily the best "calm" tracks, being both melodic, soothing, and, most of the time, absent of loud bangs and accents. The Whomping Willow and the Snowball Fight is a combined track of two different themes-life-threatening action and then the comical "fight". It's definitely a very good track. Secrets of the Castle has an amusing woodwind solo near the end of the track. The Portrait Gallery and Hagrid the Professor are more upbeat than 6 and 7, very cute little tracks. The one that really steals the show is track 13, Quidditch, Third Year (interesting track number, no?). It's no longer the happy theme of the first movie's Quidditch match, but far more dark and menacing. It has great percussion and brass and lots of accented notes.
So overall, I definitely think this soundtrack is worth buying, especially if you liked the movie and like listening to soundtracks.
Free Music Review: A real treat to listen to!
Hit: 5 Stars
In all honesty, I actually didn't buy the first two soundtracks in fear of going nuts from the over-repetition of "Hedwig's Theme." This catchy little motive that hearkens back to Sorcerer's Stone is not completely missing in Prisoner of Azkaban; "Lumos" excluded, the great part about this soundtrack is the way in which Williams cleverly slips the theme into a few of the songs - as if to remind you that this film is actually part of a series. (If you don't believe the last part of what I said, listen to the last ten seconds of "Mischief Managed.") He didn't completely avoid the repetition of a theme in this movie (in this case, "Double Trouble"), but it's done tastefully.A few of the tracks that stuck out in my mind when listening:
Aunt Marge's Waltz - Anyone who knows anything about Viennese waltzes will be giggling through all 2 minutes and 15 seconds of this cute, mocking little tribute to everyone's favorite aunt. I actually laughed out loud during the final chords of this song.
The Knight Bus - The reason I really enjoy this piece is because just listening to it brings back vivid mental images from the movie. That, and a jazzy number was definitely a welcome break from some of the more mainstream soundtracks out there. That kind of applies to the whole album, really - it is outstanding because of its avoidance of the "normal soundtrack" music you hear a lot nowadays.
Buckbeak's Flight - "Jaaack, I'm flying!" Ahem. Anyway, the bliss in this piece is so well-portrayed that you can't help but smile listening to this.
The Patronus Light - Oh, it's so creepy and ethereal. And I absolutely love it. Thank you, John Williams, for not making the music in this part of the movie unbearably cheesy. Because that part in the book choked me up, and if you had made it cheesy in the movie I wouldn't have bought the soundtrack.
Bottom Line: If you're a fan of Harry Potter or John Williams, or you want to listen to a soundtrack that is actually unique in its own way, I definitely recommend buying this CD. And playing it. Over and over. Like I'm about to go do.
Free Music Review: Just About As Good As John Williams Has Ever Been
Hit: 5 Stars
...As a budding "musical kid" I worshipped Williams's scores to the original Star Wars movies, in particular The Empire Strikes Back. It is perhaps no surprise, given that context, that I had become concerned about Williams's recent work. I felt, bluntly, that he had begun to lose the sparkle that makes a "Williams Soundtrack" worth buying. Given Howard Shore's stunning Lord Of The Rings soundtracks -- the only "orchestral" soundtracks which exceed classic Star Wars, in my opinion -- plus Williams's uncreatively recycled and downright BORING music for Star Wars Episode II in 2002, I was frankly worried about Williams being able to handle the task of scoring such a complex story as Azkaban.
Thankfully my concerns were unfounded. The Azkaban soundtrack is a near-flawless execution of the Williams Style: state the main theme of a multifilm franchise boldly but tinker with it unpredictably, brood and be moody where necessary, be cute where appropriate, and always stay in step with the director's overall cinematographic vision. Furthermore, a good Williams soundtrack [as *any* good soundtrack] must stand on its own but it should simultaneously exist as a part of the film from whence it comes.
The Azkaban soundtrack fits this mold perfectly.
Williams has succeeded on a grand scale with Azkaban. This soundtrack does lack powerhouse moments such as found in Empire Strikes Back, and it offers essentially none of the haunting and emotionally wrenching moments found within Howard Shore's Lord Of The Rings music, but this is nevertheless a fantastic movie soundtrack and it will be rightly remembered as part of why Azkaban is the best of the first three Harry Potter films. As Dumbledore once said... "between you and me, that's saying something."
Finally, I must pay specific kudos to Mr Williams for prominent use of harpsichord-style instrumentation in Azkaban. The venerable harpsichord is sorely lacking in today's mainstream movie music, and it takes a rare talent to use it effectively. Keep up the good work!
Free Music Review: A Return to Form!
Hit: 5 Stars
You remember when you saw ET for the first time and the music rose to that unforgettable magical moment, just as that bicycle silhouette flew across the moon, and shivers ripped down your spine? And remember how the main titles for the Star Wars films always made you jump in your seat and got your pulse going? Those magical musical moments were John Williams at his best because he got your emotions involved. Well, with *this* score, John Williams does what John Williams does best: he gets to the emotions.There's "Lumos" to start things off with its signature mystical strains, and then it falls right into a upbeat waltz that puts a smile on the face- I haven't seen a frame of this movie yet, but William's score is telling the story. Something terrifically quirky and funny is happening, it's in the pep of the woodwinds and the belching horns.
Williams takes on fast and funky jazz to epitomize Harry's zany journey on the "Knight Bus", a terrific choice. There's the quirky, but strangely hum-able "Double Trouble" with a superb renaissance flavor. "Buckbeaks' Flight" is surprisingly powerful and (here's that word again) magical piece that is just ever so quintessentially John Williams. And then, he returns to the renaissance motif and expands upon it with the sublimely beautiful composition "A Window to the Past". It's perhaps the most beautiful piece Williams has done for the Potter films and when the listener realizes what looking into this window of the past means for Harry, the heartaches and injustices he's suffered, this haunting melody is wrenchingly appropriate. This piece in particular, I feel, makes the score shine and also makes it easier to forgive some of the less inspired pieces on the album.
It's not William's best film score, but I feel confident that it is certainly his best Harry Potter score. It's a return to form for Williams, because in its one hour and eight minutes of play time, he lets us feel the magic, sadness, joy and wonder of Harry's world. Which is something *only* Williams could do.
Free Music Review: The Best Original Score of the Year!
Hit: 5 Stars
I was completely blown away by this soundtrack. For the movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", John Williams wrote some new music that will be remembered for years to come. He truly deserves another Oscar for this one.
Here are my reviews for each track.
1. Lumos (*****/*****) Nothing new but still unforgettable.
2. Aunt Marge's Waltz (*****) Playful; doesn't sound like it was made to accompany a movie scene at all.
3. The Knight Bus (*****) Jazzy piece; perfect for the KB scene
4. Apparition on the Train (****) Dark and atmospheric
5. Double Trouble (*****)Perfect welcoming song for Hogwarts students.
6. Buckbeak's Fight beautiful as the Flying theme from E.T. This song is worth the price of the whole CD. A classic
7. A Window to the Past (*****) The second most moving piece in the CD. Another classic
8. a.The Whomping Willow (*****) Timpani,timpani,timpani
b.The Snowball fight (****) Listenable but not as great as the old Christmas theme.
9.Secrets of the Castle (*****) Soft but powerful.
10.The Portrait Gallery (***) Worst song in the soundtrack.
11.Hagrid the Professor (*****)Medieval music; instrumental version of Double Trouble.
12. Monster Books and Boggarts (****) Similar to The Knight Bus theme but faster.
13. Quidditch, Third year (*****) The best action cue in the soundtrack
14. a.Lupin's Transformation (****) Listenable.
b. Chasing Scabbers (***) Forgettable
15. The Patronous Light(*****) Beautiful music; very peaceful.
16. Werewolf Scene (*****) Almost the same as Track 14.a only better
17. Saving Buckbeak (*****) The second longest track; one of the best.
18. Forward to time Past (*****) Ingenious
19. The Dementors Converge (****) Dark but sometimes heroic
20. Finale (*****) Emotional, perfect
21. Mischief Managed! (*****) Basically a medley of the most beautiful tracks.