The Prisoner of Azkaban score is currently kicking my...

...brassy jazz piece in Harry Potter? Didn't expect that, but it works for its accompanying sequence I suppose.

Click me if you like John, so click!

Seriously, I just started listening to it a few minutes ago and it's absolutely incredible so far. To me, this is already better than the Chamber of Secrets score and it's only on the fourth track. I like the new rendition of the opening theme because it's more subtle and atmospheric. Right now (sorry, I don't know the track names) it's very dark and menacing. Wow. I'm loving this. Listen and post your impressions.

The soundtrack comes out MAY 25th.

edit: just got to the SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (I think called DOUBLE TROUBLE on the soundtrack listing) track... this is fantastic.

Okay. This is the best score I've heard since Return of the King. Maybe better. There's a bit more texture and variety to this so far.

Final edit:
Just listened to all of it from beginning to end. I like it a lot more than the first two scores - and that's saying quite a lot considering the first two scores I hold in place next to Star Wars Episode I and II's scores. This has more variety than the others and I find it to be a bit more thematic as well. Another masterpiece from the man.

 

Did John Williams score the new HP too?

 

Yes, even moreso than #2.

 

It's definitely a huge step away from the style of the other HP films. I liked it, although I think it will need quite a few more plays before I could develop a taste for it. "Buckbeak's Flight" and "Aunt Marge's Waltz" are the highlights IMHO.

 

Having listened to it once all the way through, I am disappointed in the lack of existing HP themes being used in the text of the score. I do love the sound and feel of the score. I think it will fit the film extremely well. I am sure I just need it to settle in a bit more.

 

I am liking the score a lot. I've picked out a few new themes that are quite nice. I really love the Aunt Marge's Waltz, Buckbeak's Flight is AMAZING, Forward to Time Past is really amazing too. I am hoping that some of the existing theme usage is not on the CD but in the film cuz... he barely uses any of the existing themes...

Also, explain Mischief Managed to me. It sounds like a hodge podge cut and paste mixing of all the themes of the film. Is this the credits? Are the credits really 12 minutes long?? So much of it is the same exact things from earlier on the CD... the drum thing from Buckbeak, Double Trouble, the ending from Aunt Marge, the Knight Bus music and then the Hedwig/Lumos thing at the very end. It's like Wannberg just created an end credits using bits from the score. It feels all stuck together with no flow. Oh well... we'll see it in the film I guess.

 

I don't know the individual track names, although I was able to guess at a few based on the sound and where they were in the score, but since it was all one track at that link above, I don't know the individual track names.

That said, and I've only listened to it once, this score fails to impress me. There's nothing wrong with it, but I don't find it terribly good, either. Particularly the Something Wicked This Way Comes bit. Where does that fit into the movie?

 

JWfan.net's link to the tracks, with the total time so that you can tell which track you are on:

JWFan.net

GK edit: I tried to make that a clicky link, but no dice.

http://www.jwfan.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=478&mode=thread&order=0%20&thold=0linkto

I haven't had this much fun listening to a score in a long time. I agree with the popular opinion so far--Aunt Marge's Waltz and Buckbeak's Flight are the two standouts, absolutely wonderful. A Window to the Past is another wonderful new theme.

I too slightly missed Harry's and Hogwart's themes, but I'm assuming they'll be in the movie. We can just burn our own CDs to mix the previous two scores into some of the crazily fun stuff of this score. Might be my favorite of the three so far.

 

New Japanese Trailer. Lots of cool footage.

Does anyone know what track the last bit of music in the trailer is? It starts from where the wolf growls to the end of the trailer.

 

Linkety-link?

To the japanese trailer, that is.

 

I'm listening to it...

and I'm liking it...

 

Yah I saw some sort of TV trailer and it showed some really WOW stuff! The dementors look AWESOME!!!!

 

oops. sorry it was late I thought I put the link in.

Here's the link for the new japanese trailer.

http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=17576

 

Okay, for me the jury is now in on this one. After giving it a few more listens, it is actually far better than I thought it would be, and I was expecting it to be good in the first place. My single complaint is that at times the music can sound just a touch too medieval (such as in "Hagrid the Professor") and it just ends up sounding silly and overdone. Other than that minor gripe, this gets a ***** from me.

 

Oh man. I just can't stop listening to the Knight Bus or Forward To Time Past. What a unique, jazzy, and chaotic blend for TKB. I like the inclusion of the ticking in FTTP as well as the rhythm and reverse-strings at the beginning. Very trippy. I can't wait to see how this integrates with the film.

 

Yah Forward to Time Past is one of my favorites on the score right now. Really amazing work there.

"I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crude words with a witless worm." - Gandalf the White

It's actually crooked words... bandy crooked words with a witless worm.

 

Noted! Thanks for the heads up.

 

Here is the breakdown of the Soundtrack:

Track-by-track analysis by King Mark

01 - Lumos! (Hedwig's Theme) (1:37)
Hedwig's Theme played out straight o­n celesta, horn and strings like in the previous concert versions. At least it's not the full version and o­nly wastes 1 1/2 minute of the CD.

02 - Aunt Marge's Waltz (2:14)
A mock classical sounding waltz. Starts off quietly o­n the oboe, then joined by other woodwinds, and as usual for Williams progresses to full orchestra as the action gets more elaborate o­n screen. It has a lofty quality to it and is reminescent of "The Weightless Waltz" from his Lost in Space pilot score. This is new thematic material, but I guess it will serve the purpose of this o­ne scene o­nly. o­n the album it may qualify as a 'concert version', maybe it will be edited differently o­n screen.

03 - The Knight Bus (2:52)
Again this is new thematic material and o­ne of the more unusual Williams cues in a while. This is a frantic jazzy piece that was surely inspired from the saxophone passages in Catch Me if you Can. In terms of pace it is more similar to the unused "Arrival in New York" from Home Alone 2, and also mixed in are unusual orchestrations (bells, a whistle) that are similar to "The Cantina Band" in Star Wars. These fast passages, without doubt underscoring the Knight Bus racing throught the streets of London, are mixed with slower athmospheric scary passages through out the cue. Overall enjoyable and should work great in the film.

04 - Apparition o­n the Train (2:14)
Ominous chords mixed with shrieking woodwinds and creepy violins opens this cue. It is very slow and deliberate and gets louder and louder as the cue progresses, scoring the sequence when a Dementor is slowly approaching Harry in the train and he remains frozen in his seat.

05 - Double Trouble (1:37)
Sung version of "Double Trouble" (a.k.a. "Something Wicked this Ways Comes") in medieval instruments, as heard o­n the Teaser Trailer, with a few extra sections

06 - Buckbeak's Flight (2:08)
Starts off with loud percussions, then into a soaring new uplifting theme for full orchestra. The sound quality of this broadcast does not permit full appreciation of the orchertrations. So, cues like this is the main drawback of listening to scores in advance previews in streaming audio. This for me would be The Theme o­n the soundtrack, it's beautiful, but less immediately hummable than let's say "Fawke's theme".

07 - A Window to the Past (3:54)
The second loveliest theme of this score, this cue starts out o­n a solo flute with another new thematic idea and is very medieval sounding, then more period instruments come in like a harpsichord I think. Overall the feeling is sadness. Along the way the cue soars to full strings, sounding like the theme Jane Eyre, in the middle of the cue "Hedwig`s Theme" is quoted, then all ends quietly with more sad woodwinds.

08 - The Whomping Willow and The Snowball Fight (2:21)
Frantic brass and woodwind action cue (of ..."Hedwig's Theme"), followed by a typical Williams jaunty scherzo, which is always very enjoyable.

09 - Secrets of the Castle (2:32)
Starts off with a slow variation of "Double Trouble" played o­n the celesta, followed my a middle age sounding oboe quote and then women's chorus. Then the cue veers in another direction, with another odd quirky and fast woodwind theme (maybe for Trelawney)

10 - The Portrait Gallery (2.05)
Bouncy rendition "Double Trouble" mixed with dark underscore similar to Indiana Jones.

11 - Hagrid the Professor (1:59)
Middle age sounding cue with period instruments (Dufay Collective maybe?). Starts off with a new theme then into "Double Trouble"

12 - Monster Books and Boggarts! (2:26)
Begins fast, then some dark music, scary shrieking woodwinds, then a sort of violin fiddle and clarinet theme.

13 - Quidditch, Third Year (3:47).
All out Williams brass and woodwind action cue with wordless choir mixed in. Again this is new thematic material through

 

Scott! Funny I'd run into you on my first day back on the boards in almost a year!

On topic, I got ahold of this score over the weekend. It always takes me at least a few listens to get a good overall impression. While I was initially a bit bummed at the lack of thematic materical from the previous two scores, once I got past that I really enjoy the HP3 score. "Double Trouble" is destined to be one of those pieces that will get stuck in your head whether you want it there or not. I've already waked up humming it first thing in the morning.

Bring on June 4th!

 

Welcome back stranger! Hope all is going well in the Lone DEATH Star State

I had almost the same impression. I really liked HP SS & COS soundtracks & was disappointed that there wasn't more thematic music in POA. It seemed like a lot of it was sound effect type music & not melodious like the other two, but once I got past that & listened to it a couple of times, it grew on me. The finale is Awesome! I will definitely be picking this one up come Tuesday.

 

I indulged myself with the first five tracks. The last three should be excellent to listen to; I love finales.

 

Let's keep movie plot spoilers hidden or highlighted until after the film has been out.

Thanks.

 

I'm currently listening to the soundtrack and am on track nine. It's very good. I already prefer it to the first two soundtracks.

John Williams is still the man

 

Sorry. I didn't realize that this was the no spoilers allowed Harry Potter boards. or I mean, its not like the book hasn't been out for a few years.

 

Joker! Haven't seen you in ages man!

As for the soundtrack, I listened to a little bit of it and liked what I heard. Double Trouble is definetly stuck in my head. I loved the first Harry Potter Soundtrack and the second was okay. The third is certainly unique.