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

I'm listening to it right now. Just picked it up today. I'm on track 7. So far, I'm very impressed with it. I think it's one of JW's most diverse scores of the past decade.

 

The 7th track - A Window to the Past is so beautiful so melancholy I love this soundtrack!

 

I agree with an earlier post about this being one of John Williams most diverse scores. I also think it's one of his best. There is a shortage of previous themes but I like that because after all this is a new film. There are some great individual themes in this soundtrack as well with "Aunt Marge's Waltz" and "Buckbeak's Flight" being my favorites. I hope JW can channel this much energy and creativity into the EP3 score!

 

Random thoughts:

Lovin' it much, oh yes.

I find that once I have some visuals to apply to what my ears are savoring it just enriches the experience all that much more. The beauty of JW's work is that you can almost visualize what's happening on-screen even without having seen anything yet.

Buckbeak's Theme is beautiful both in its own right as and a counterpoint to Harry's motif. It's similar to what he did with The Love Theme from AOTC - he took the opening theme that everyone on the planet knows and turned it (almost literally) upside down. Point/counterpoint, melody/countermelody. Brilliant.

Of course, that's why he makes the big bucks.

And it occurs to me that many people mistake a long-developed thematic style of composing to musical self-plagiarism.

 

I finally got my hands on it today. Been listening to it since, then. I must say I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the normal themes that I'm used to in Chamber and Stone, weren't really present in Prisoner, but once after that I must say it's one of my favorite soundtracks that I own.

My favorite tunes on that CD would have to be Window to the Past, Forward to Time Past, Double Trouble, Buckebeak's Flight, and Dementors Converge.

I'll have to agree about Mischief Managed at times it seems that it was a new track starting, not the same track continuing. If I remember on Chamber and Stone, both the tracks that had almost all the themes present in their CD respectfully were all flowing and mixing together, like it was one track not two-three tracks together.

~*~ LJS ~*~

 

I love this soundtrack. Man, really great stuff. And once you think about it, the lack of thematic material from the first two films, especially Chamber of Secrets, makes sense. Fawkes, Lockhart, Moaning Myrtle, etc. aren't in Prisoner of Azkaban, so their themes shouldn't be there either.

Oh, yeah, and Double Trouble is, like, the coolest thing ever.

 

Well also, according to two friends who have seen the film, a lot of the score using existing themes was left off the CD.

 

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday to get a few things and was dissapointed when I discovered there were no copies of The Prisoner of Azkaban available

 

Well also, according to two friends who have seen the film, a lot of the score using existing themes was left off the CD.

As to be expected, but good news nonetheless.

 

Well also, according to two friends who have seen the film, a lot of the score using existing themes was left off the CD.

Come to think of it. The beginning of Mischief Managed sounds like the beginning of the Quidditch scene in Chambers...

~*~ LJS ~*~

 

It's the same theme. I think it's the Nimbus 2000 theme but don't quote me on that.

 

And once you think about it, the lack of thematic material from the first two films, especially Chamber of Secrets, makes sense. Fawkes, Lockhart, Moaning Myrtle, etc. aren't in Prisoner of Azkaban, so their themes shouldn't be there either.

But what about Harry, Ron and Hermione, Gryffindor House, and (things related to) Voldemort? Yeah, I think they're in the film.

 

But what about Harry, Ron and Hermione, Gryffindor House, and (things related to) Voldemort? Yeah, I think they're in the film.

We'll find out if the themes relating to these people are in the film. Also remember that PoA is much darker than the first two stories. Lighthearted themes like the ones you mention might feel out of place in this film.

 

Yes, I see what you mean. But what of Voldemort's theme (and/or the Sorceror's Stone motif)? Not exactly light-hearted. I can't see any reason not to keep it running through the veins of the series.

 

Simple. Voldemort is not in PoA and neither is the Stone.

 

But you can clearly tell by its use in The Chamber of Secrets that the Sorceror's Stone motif is now simply an "evil" motif, making it perfect for Trelawney's prediction.

 

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday to get a few things and was dissapointed when I discovered there were no copies of The Prisoner of Azkaban available

They are all over my Wal-Mart,and Best Buy man Hope you find one. Might see POA this weekend. Hoping its darker,and scarier,and It was my favorite Potter novel

 

It's amazing. Best movie this year, bar none.

 

Yeah, PoA has always been my favorite but now it's a tie between it and Order of the Pheonix :S I need to pick up the soundtrack, sounds awesome (maybe I can put some of it in my fanfilm ). I'm going to see the movie Monday probably...Man I hope they didn't leave much out, I had a dream that it was horrible. Course I had an identicle dream about Episode II right before I saw it

 

It's amazing. Best movie this year, bar none.

Not by a long shot, my friend.

 

An excellent score for a very good movie. I really like the medieval sound a lot of it has, most evident in "Double Trouble" but also showing up in other places. The new themes in "Buckbeak's Flight" and "A Window to the Past" are simply stunning.

 

Question:

Is the chorus version of the "double double toil trouble" from the beginning of the movie on the soundtrack? I really liked that bit.

 

I went to see the film yesterday, and I must say I was most impressed by JW's score for this one. It far outstrips its predecessors...I loved the "Something Wicked This Way Comes" part, that was what attracted me the most when watching the trailer for the first time. It has this lovely ominous tone, yet is also very magical... I've been whistling it ever since!LOL!
I think his score for this bodes very well indeed for Episode Three.

To answer your question...yes it is, I checked before I ordered the soundtrack.

 

I am very suprised that so few people who responded to this thread didn't mention "Foward to Time Past" as one of the greatest tracks on this excellent CD. Is there anyone else who ranks it on the top 5?

I just LOVE the way it starts out quietly with ticking and the builds in dissonance and volume. It perfectly accompanies the images that we see on the screen. In fact, it almost sounds like it was recorded one way and then played back in reverse...though that probably isn't true. On the whole, the entire track is very operatic.

But anyway, that's just the increadible composer that JW is.

 

This soundtrack completely rocks. Its just one of the best damn soundtracks of John Williams in recent months.

Now I have full confidence in his ability to score Episode III.

Go John, we need you