THE MUSIC OF HARRY POTTER: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE FIRST
FIVE FILMS
by
JAMIE LYNN WEBSTER
A DISSERTATION
Presented to the School of Music and Dance
and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
December 2009
11
University of Oregon Graduate School
Confirmation of Approval and Acceptance of Dissertation prepared by:
Jamie Webster
Title:
"The Music of Harry Potter: Continuity and Change in the First Five Films"
This dissertation has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Department of Music by:
Marian Smith, Chairperson, Music
Anne McLucas, Member, Music
Mark Levy, Member, Music
Carl Bybee, Outside Member, Journalism and Communication
and Richard Linton, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies/Dean of the Graduate
School for the University of Oregon.
December 12, 2009
Original approval signatures are on file with the Graduate School and the University of Oregon
Libraries.
© 2009 Jamie Lynn Webster
III
An Abstract of the Dissertation of
Jamie Lynn Webster for the degree of
in the School of Music and Dance to be taken
IV
Doctor of Philosophy
December 2009
Title: THE MUSIC OF HARRY POTTER: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE
FIRST FIVE FILMS
Approved: _
Marian Smith
Despite the immense popular and critical response given to the Harry Potter
narrative and phenomenon, little has been written about the music for the Harry Potter
films. I establish that the aesthetic differences that viewers perceive between the different
Harry Potter films are largely due to the musical approaches ofcomposers John Williams,
Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper over the course of four director/composer
collaborations for the first five films. This study provides a rare opportunity to examine the
work ofdifferent composers for a continuing narrative. Moreover, when we explore how
music is used in varied ways within the films, we see how each musical approach shapes
film visuals into the narrative that the filmmakers sought to convey; when the music
changes, the story changes. Music creates the geographic, cultural, and temporal
landscapes that draw us in to Harry's 'muggle' and magical worlds. Music defines the way
we perceive Harry's emotional experiences oflove, joy, loss, and death, and also defines
vthe philosophical perspectives on the nature of evil and its conquest. Sometimes, the music
provides clues to the mystery long before visuals and dialogue address them, and musical
relationships (with visuals and within the music itself) allow us to perceive the properties
and powers ofmagic and humanity that may otherwise transpire unseen. Music also plays
a role in the types of humor that are represented in the films-from socially-sanctioned
transgressions, to macabre, to bawdy, deadpan, and caricature. However, while the core
narrative themes in the films are closely related to the main themes in Rowling's original
novels, an examination of how Rowling' s descriptions ofmusical events compare with
representations ofthese events in the films reveals that Rowling created a more nuanced
social landscape (especially with regard to gender) than is re-contextualized with music in
the films.
CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: Jamie Lynn Webster
PLACE OF BIRTH: Oroville, California
DATE OF BIRTH: July 7,1974
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University of Oregon, Eugene
California State University, Chico
DEGREES AWARDED:
Doctor ofPhilosophy, Musicology, 2009, University of Oregon
Secondary area in Ethnomusicology
Master of Arts, Folklore Interdisciplinary, 2003, University of Oregon
Folklore, Anthropology, and Music
Bachelor of Arts, Vocal Performance, 1998, California State University, Chico
Bachelor of Arts, Music Education, 1998, California State University, Chico
Minor in French
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Music of the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries
Music for Drama in Stage and Film
Vocal and Dance Music of the Balkans and Eastern Europe
Music and Gender
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Artistic Director, Svila Women's Balkan Ensemble, 2009
Vocal Coach, East European Folk Ensemble, University of Oregon, 2007-2008
VI
Vll
Instructor, University of Oregon, 2006-2007
Music in World Cultures
Music in International Film
Graduate Teaching Fellow, School of Music, University of Oregon, 2003-2007
Music in World Cultures
Music of the Americas
Understanding Music
Graduate Teaching Fellow, Folklore, University of Oregon, 2001-2003
Introduction to Folklore
Randall Mills Archive
PUBLICATIONS:
Webster, Jamie Lynn. "Creating Magic with Music: The Changing Dramatic
Relationship between Music and Magic in Harry Potter Films," In Fantasy, Cinema,
Sound and Music, edited by Janet K. Halfyard, London: Equinox, forthcoming, June
2010.
Webster, Jamie Lynn. "Hai lajoc! Periodicity at Play in Romanian Dance
Music," In Balkan Dance: Essays on Characteristics, Performance and Teaching, edited
by Anthony Shay, 213-238. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2008.
Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Budapest Ensemble's 'Csardas! The Tango of the
East': Representational Mirrors of Traditional Music and Dance in a Post-socialist, Post-
modem Landscape." In Congress on Research in Dance: 2007 Conference Proceedings,
edited by Tresa Randall, 219-224. N.p.: Congress on Research in Dance, 2007.
Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Politics of Passion and Purity: Cultural Idealism and
the Choreography of Crypt Scenes from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet." In Society of
Dance History Scholars: Proceedings 2006, compiled by Allana Lindgren, 151-156.
N.p.: Society ofDance History Scholars, 2006.
Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Mysterious Voice!: American Women Singing
Bulgarian Songs." In "Dance and Music in Eastern Europe," ed. Lynn Maners. Special
issue, The Anthropology ofEast Europe Review 22, no. 1 (2004): 155-169.
Vlll
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to express sincere appreciation to Professors Anne Dhu McLucas, Marian
Smith, Mark Levy, and Carl Bybee for their assistance in the preparation of this
manuscript. In addition, special thanks are due to Professors Steve Larson and Jack Boss
whose assistance with different music analysis methods was helpful during the early
research stage of this undertaking. I also wish to acknowledge Susan Peck for the
engraving of my musical transcriptions used as examples throughout this document.
For John, the cats, and my family; especially for my mother-who sent me
on my musical path-and for Jacques and Musette-who accompanied me on
much of the journey-but who could not be here today.
IX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
Introduction to the Topic................................................................................... 1
Research Goal 11
Relevance of the Topic 18
Important Publications in the Field.................................................................... 23
Sources.............................................................................................................. 52
Scope of the Project........................................................................................... 55
Methodology 58
Chapter Outline................................................................................................. 60
II. TRANSFERRING AND TRANSFORMING VISIONS FROM PAGE TO
SCREEN: A HISTORY OF PRODUCTION, AESTHETICS, AND RECEPTION
IN THE HARRY POTTER FILMS. 65
Introduction....................................................................................................... 65
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 79
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets 95
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban 104
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire....... 119
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix 150
Summary and Conclusions................................................................................ 179
x
Chapter
Xl
Page
III. APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY
POTTER FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUISC IN FILM, PART ONE: CREATING
CINEMATIC SPACE 186
Introduction............................................................................................................ 186
Gorbman's First Principle: Invisibility.................................................................. 196
Gorbman's Second Principle: Inaudibility 222
Gorbman's Third Principle: Music as a Signifier of Emotion: the
Representation of the Irrational, Romantic, or Intuitive Dimension 259
Summary and Conclusions 282
IV. APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY
POTTER FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUSIC IN FILM, PART TWO: FROM
BEGINNING TO END 289
Introduction 289
Gorbman's Fourth Principle: Narrative Cueing 292
Gorbman's Fifth Principle: Formal and Rhythmic Continuity 317
Gorbman's Sixth Principle: Unity 338
Gorbman's Seventh Principle: Breaking the Rules 347
Summary and Conclusions 350
V. HARRY'S EMOTIONAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL WORLD: MUSICAL
APPROACHES TO NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART ONE ...... 354
Introduction 354
Harry's Emotional World: Love and Friendship 369
Harry's Emotional World: Loss and Death 398
Chapter
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Page
Harry's Philosophical World: Mystery and the Rise of Evil 420
Harry's Philosophical World: Victory, Solidarity, and the Conquest of Evil...... 457
Conclusions....................................................................................................... 483
VI. HARRY'S MAGICAL AND HUMOROUS WORLD: MUSICAL
APPROACHES TO NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART TWO..... 492
Harry's Magical World: Magic and Fantasy 492
Harry's Humorous World: Styles of Humor, including Spectacle and
Set-pieces 528
Summary and Conclusions 587
VII. FOLKLORE AND VERJ'JACULAR TRADITIONS AT THE NEXUS OF
MUSIC AND GENDER: A COMPARISON BETWEEN MUSICAL EVENTS
IN HARRY POTTER NOVELS AND FILMS 591
Introduction....................................................................................................... 591
Gender and Poetic Text: the Sorting Hat's Songs 612
Gender and Musical Participation: the Hogwarts Alma Mater, Choir, and
School Band...................................................................................................... 626
Gender and Musical Authority: Command and Seduction in the Magic of
Orpheus and the Weird Sisters 633
Gender and Choreo-musical Performance: Dancing Veela, the Lovely Ladies
from Beauxbatons, and the Proud Sons from Durmstrang 661
Music and Gendering of the "Other": the Merpeople's Message and
Moaning Myrtle's Habanera 697
Summary and Conclusions................................................................................ 718
VIII. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS 722
Chapter
X111
Page
APPE1\TDICES 745
A. COMPOSER AND DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHIES 745
B. BUCKBEAK'S FLIGHT: A NEO-RIEMANNIAN ANALYSIS 774
BIBLIOGRAPHy 779
XIV
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
3.1 Nearly Headless Nick's Renaissance tune 203
3.2 "Quidditch Fanfare". 229
3.3 "Hogwarts Forever!" 230
3.4 "Hedwig's Theme": third section....................................................................... 233
3.5 "Victory" 234
3.6 "Friendship" 234
3.7 The main motif for the Quidditch match in The Prisoner ofAzkaban 236
3.8 Two variations of the "Evil/Vo1demort" motif................................................... 274
5.1 "Love/Reflection" 371
5.2 "Friendship" 371
5.3 "Love/ReflectionILonging" 376
5.4 "Inner Emotions" 380
5.5 "Inner Emotions": Harry and Cho at the ow1ry 382
5.6 "Inner Emotions": Harry sees Cho at the Yule Ball............................................ 382
5.7 "Inner Emotions": Harry sees Hermione at the Yule Ball 382
5.8 Three statements of "Cho" 389
5.9 "Loved Ones" 391
5.1 0 "Betrayal"........................................................................................................ 403
Figure
xv
Page
5.11 "Lupin Resigns". 404
5.12 "Cedric's Death" 409
5.13 "Grieving the Past" 413
5.14 "Loss of Dignity" 416
5.15 "Sirius's Death" 418
5.16 "Something's Odd".......................................................................................... 423
5.17 "Evil Rising" 426
5.18 "Voldemort" 427
5.19 "Chamber of Secrets" 430
5.20 Three examples of the "Warning Sign" motif.. 433
5.21 "Peter Pettigrew" 436
5.22 "Danger, Danger!" 437
5.23 A similar "Danger, Danger!" motif.................................................................. 437
5.24 Two musical elements in the "Dementors" motif 439
5.25 "Here's a clue?" 443
5.26 "Evil is On-the-Move" 444
5.27 "EviIlVoldemort" 446
5.28 "Possession" 454
5.29 "Quidditch Fanfare" 459
Figure
XVI
Page
5.30 "Victory" 461
5.31 "Fawkes the Phoenix" 463
5.32 "Fawkes's Tears"............................................................................................. 464
5.33 "Tournament Fanfare". 469
5.34 "Harry Victorious" 471
5.35 "Righteousness" 472
5.36 "The Flight of the Order" 476
5.37 "The Room of Requirement" 477
5.38 "Patronus" 478
6.1 "Hedwig's Theme," section I............................................................................. 514
6.2 "Hedwig's Theme," section 11.. 514
6.3 "Hedwig's Theme," section III 515
6.4 "Hedwig's Theme," section II, with a more ominous-sounding bass line 517
6.5 "Double Trouble," first phrase 519
6.6 "Hedwig's Theme," the opening title in The Goblet ofFire 521
6.7 "Hedwig's Theme," the journey to Hogwarts in The Goblet ofFire 521
6.8 "Hedwig's Theme," the opening title in The Order ofthe Phoenix 524
6.9 "Hedwig's Theme," the journey to Hogwarts in The Order ofthe Phoenix......... 525
6.10 Two statements of "Errol the Owl" 543
6.11 "Gilderoy Lockhart" 545
7.1 "Hogwarts Forever!" 629
Figure
XVll
Page
7.2 "Hogwarts March" 632
7.3 The A phrases of the "Beauxbatons" theme....................................................... 673
7.4 The B phrases of the "Beauxbatons" theme........................................................ 673
7.5 The C phrase of the "Beauxbatons" theme 673
7.6 The A phrases of the "Durmstrang" theme......................................................... 684
7.7 The B phrases of the "Durmstrang" theme 685
7.8 "Moaning Myrtle's Habanera" 709
7.9 "Mer Song" 716
XV111
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1.1 The alternation of background music and silence as a representation of
magical and non-magical events. 5
2.1 Director and composer collaborations for the first five Harry Potter films.......... 65
2.2 Adjectives used by reviewers to describe thematic music material and overall
music content in the first five Harry Potter soundtracks 67
2.3 Timeline of Harry Potter book releases, filming, and film releases 73
2.4 A summary comparison of production and reception statistics from the first
five Harry Potter films....................................................................................... 77
3.1 The inclusion of source music and source-scoring in Harry Potter films as an
indicator of adherence to Gorbman's principle of invisibility, including the
relevance to each film's plot and effects on the musical landscape 219
3.2 The alternation of leitmotifs with extensile music for the Quidditch match
scene in The Sorcerer's Stone as an example of music following form 232
3.3 The alternation ofleitmotifs for the rescue-from-the-Dursley house scene in
The Chamber ofSecrets as an example of music following form 235
3.4 Buckbeak's Flight: traditional Roman numeral analysis 241
3.5 The sequence of atmospheric music and sound for the court appearance
scene in The Order ofthe Phoenix as an example of music following form........ 251
3.6 The alternation ofnon-diegetic orchestral music and diegetic swing music in
Professor Lupin's classroom scene as a representation of subjectivity 270
3.7 The alternation of silence and background music in the graveyard scene as a
representation of regular (i.e., benevolent) and malevolent magical
circumstances.................................................................................................... 277
Table
XIX
Page
3.8 The application of music as an emotional signifier for the irrational
dimension in Harry Potter films 283
4.1 Musical themes and leitmotifs used during beginning and ending events in
Harry Potter films 316
4.2 Four temporal transitions using bird and tree motifs with musical
accompaniment in The Prisoner ofAzkaban 325
5.1 Visuals aligning with statements of the musical theme "Something's Odd"
in The Sorcerer's Stone and resulting conceptual resonances 425
5.2 Visuals aligning with statements of the musical theme "Voldemort" in The
Sorcerer's Stone and the resulting conceptual resonances 427
5.3 Visuals aligning with the musical motif "Warning Signs" and the resulting
conceptual resonances: examples of music indicating character perception,
but not narrative truth............................................................................................. 434
5.4 The alignment of the "Possession" and "Harry's Internal Stuggle" themes
with film visuals and dialogue, and the musical relationship between the two
themes in Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix 480
6.1 Film visuals suggesting magic that are reinforced by the three sections of
"Hedwig's Theme" in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 516
6.2 Alignment of aggressive actions with the "The Snowball Fight" theme in The
Prisoner ofAzkaban as an example of rhythmic timing for the purpose of
humor 549
6.3 The alignment of visuals with the "Practice Waltz" theme in The Goblet of
Fire as an example of overlapping periodicity resulting in continuity, but not
humor 564
6.4 Occurrences ofpeekaboo and relief humor accompanied by abrupt orchestral
crescendi in Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix 576
7.1 Commonalities in the formal choreo-musical elements of the Beauxbatons
and Durmstrang performances in The Goblet ofFire 670
Table
xx
Page
7.2 Musical phrases and phrase lengths in music for the Beauxbatons
choreography 672
7.3 Musical measures, spoken text, camera angles and choreography in the
Beauxbatons Academy performance.................. 675
7.4 A comparison of musical form and choreographic form in the Beauxbatons
performance...................................................................................................... 680
7.5 The experience ofmusical form and choreographic form in the Beauxbatons
performance...................................................................................................... 680
7.6 Phrases and phrase lengths in the music for the Durmstrang choreography 684
7.7 A comparison of musical form and choreographic form in the Durmstrang
performance 686
7.8 The alignment of musical measures, spoken text, camera angles, and
choreography in the Durmstrang performance 688
7.9 The alignment of spoken text with measure numbers in the two parts of the
Durmstrang performance................................................................................... 692
7.10 The alignment of staff hits and strike sounds with measures of music in the
two parts of the Durmstrang performance.......................................................... 693
7.11 The alignment of musical phrases and camera angle (visual) phrases with
measures of music in the Durmstrang performance............................................ 694
1CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Topic
Film is important, and film music plays a significant role in creating the stories
we imagine in film. According to folklorist Bruce Jackson, "Film is the dominant
narrative mode of our time." He continues,
Film and television provide much of the sense of community in a mobile
and electronic world: the verbal and imaginative referents we utilize in
ordinary face-to-face encounters are as likely to come from our separate-
but-shared media experience as anywhere else. Film and television are far
too important to be left to the media studies and literature scholars. 1
Moreover, the Harry Potter films encompass one ofthe most popular narratives of our
time.
The Harry Potter phenomenon, inclusive of the Harry Potter films, is wide-
reaching and culturally significant. Following the magical journey of an unassuming boy
who discovers his wizarding heritage, enters the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and
Wizardry in a magical parallel world, and matures throughout his seven years as a student
there into a hero in the fight against dark magic, the Harry Potter story has captured the
1 Bruce Jackson, "A Film Note," Journal ofAmerican Folklore 102 (1989): 389.
2hearts, minds, and imaginations of adult and youthful readers alike. The seven-novel
series has influenced an entire generation of readers worldwide and the Harry Potter films
have been seen by millions of viewers. From a musical perspective, people of our time
hum "Hedwig's Theme" in public spheres much as people of the nineteenth-century
hummed the latest opera arias and choruses in the streets of Europe.2 A central question
is: how has the Harry Potter film music guided the interpretation of the films that have
significantly inf1uenced so many?
As the tagline for the first Harry Potter film suggests, the story begins with magic.
However, it is the film's music that facilitates both the general magic of the cinema
experience and the fantasy landscape of the Harry Potter story itself. Before we delve
into the details of methodology and research, let us see just how inextricably linked are
the elements of music and the notion of magic. Indeed, the explanation below constitutes
an important starting point for much that is discussed in the course of this introduction
and the following chapters.
"Let the magic begin!"3
Harry Potter and Music
At the beginning of the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone, the presence of music signifies the presence of magic while the absence of music
signifies an absence of magic. Music is heard from the start of the viewing experience,
2 Informal conversations with others about this research have impressed upon me the wide-reaching appeal
of the Harry Potter film music. Even those who have not followed the Harry Potter books or movies have
exclaimed, "That's the one with 'Hedwig's Theme' isn't it?" or "Didn't John Williams compose the theme
music for those films?"
3 This is one of the promotional taglines for the fIrst Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone.
3that is to say from the fanfare when the Warner Brothers emblem appears (itself a
signifier of the magic of movies) through the first scenes of an orphaned infant, Harry
Potter, arriving at his Aunt and Uncle Dursley's doorway-delivered there by faculty and
staff from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. These opening visuals of a
witch (Professor McGonagall), wizard (Headmaster Dumbledore), and motorcycle-riding
giant (Rubeus Hagrid) discussing the future of baby Harry Potter on the Dursley's
doorstep are musically supported by John Williams's famously haunting "Hedwig's
Theme" (a minor-key waltz with unexpected chromatic turns in the melody and
sometimes quirky harmonies) as well as many other shorter musical events and phrases
played on harp, celeste, and other orchestral instruments. In other words, not only is
background music supporting magical characters who are attending to magic-related
business, it is also performed on instruments (i.e. harp and celeste) that have magical
associations in historical music and drama.4 Several ways that "Hedwig's theme" itself
taps into traditional musical metaphors for magic will be discussed in Chapter V in
greater detail.
To make a transition for the viewer from the infant Harry to the same character
ten years later, the camera closes in to focus on baby Harry's lightning-shaped scar
(another visual signifier of his inherent magical qualities) as a molten glow emerges from
it then explodes to the far reaches of the screen before ebbing away from the scar on the
(now) ten-year old Harry's forehead. Harry opens his eyes as an almost-eleven-year-old
in his cramped, dusty bedroom-a small cupboard under the stairs in the home of his
emotionally stingy Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley and their atrociously ill-
4 For instance, Tchaikovsky used the harp in his ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker to
support supernatural characters, places, and events. Similarly, he used celeste to accompany the dance of
the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Therese Hurley, "Opening the door to a fairy-tale world:
Tchaikovsky's ballet music," in The Cambridge Companion to Ballet, ed. Marion Kant (Cambridge:
Cambridge University, 2007), 164-174.
4behaved eleven-year-old son, Dudley. From this moment of Harry's awakening in the
muggle (that is to say the non-magical) world, all music is silenced. There is no magic in
the Dursley home, and, in fact, the Dursleys are categorically anti-magie-with Uncle
Dursley railing against the mere mention of the word "magic." Because there is no
magic, there is also no music.
Music does not return to the soundtrack until Harry undergoes a different kind of
awakening in which he begins to experience his own magical ability. While at the zoo on
the occasion of his cousin Dudley's birthday, Harry apologizes to a boa constrictor
housed behind glass who has been rudely disturbed by Dudley's incessant tapping and
shouting (SS DVD 6: 19). The snake looks up at Harry, acknowledging him with a wink,
and music reenters the score. Although Harry does not realize it at first, he has the
magical power to communicate with snakes. The viewer learns of this magic before
Harry learns it himself, because his supernatural ability is accompanied by music that
alerts the viewing audience to the magic of this event.
From this narrative point, the film alternates between background silence and the
musical accompaniment of "Hedwig's Theme" until Harry's eleventh birthday arrives.
When Harry receives a mysterious letter in the mail, music enters the liminal space
during which Harry holds the envelope in his hands but has not yet opened it. Although
Uncle Vernon ultimately confiscates the letter (still unopened), we know that the contents
are magical because the background music enters to tell us so. Magical owls
aggressively bring more letters for Harry, though Uncle Vernon Dursley tries to fend
them off, and "Hedwig's Theme" accompanies each delivery.
As the inevitability of Harry receiving his magical letter becomes clearer, the
music of "Hedwig's Theme" returns louder and with fewer interruptions until it
completely fills the aural space. In other words, the soundtrack persists in gaining the
5attention of the listener (thus subverting the silence of realism) just as the magical letters
persist in subverting the Dursley's denial of magic.
Table 1.1. The alternation of background music and silence as a representation of magical
and non-magical events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Opening Scenes with Music
Arrival of Hogwarts professors
Harry's conversation with snake
The arrival of owls with Hogwarts letters
The arrival of more owls
etc.
Opening Scenes without Music
Harry's awakening inside the Dursley house
At the Dursley house
At the Dursley house
At the Dursley house
Horizontally, this chart shows how background music is applied to scenes in which magical events occur,
while scenes without magical events do not include background music. Vertically, this chart shows how
scenes that include magical events are alternated with scenes that do not include magical events, and
likewise, how scenes with background music are alternated with scenes without background music.
At last, the giant-sized character Hagrid breaks down a door to deliver the letter to Harry
on his eleventh birthday, and Harry is finally able to receive, open, and read it. The
promise of magic that was guaranteed by the organized alternation of music and silence
comes to fruition. Harry, in reading the letter with Hagrid, learns that he is a wizard, and
that he has been invited to attend the greatest wizarding school that ever was: Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Merits of Analysis
By analyzing the way music contributes to a work of narrative cinema, one can
gather more meaningful interpretations of the film as a whole than one finds without
consideration of the soundtrack. For instance, the scenes described above might not have
6conveyed the narrative with as much cinematic magic were it not for the consistent
messages conveyed by the musical metaphors of John Williams's score in parallel with
the goals of the visuals. That is to say, because a precedent is set early on in this film that
music accompanies magical events and characters (while non-magical characters are not
supported by music), music in general becomes a signifier for the supernatural.
Additionally, instruments such as harp and celeste, which have a history of
accompanying magical beings and events in classical examples of music for drama, are
emphasized above other instruments in these opening scenes, thus deepening metaphors
of magic within the musical texture. Furthermore, melodic themes with novel twists
and harmonies with unexpected turns, such as those used in "Hedwig's Theme," seem to
defy both gravity (as described by Steve Larson's theories of musical forces to be
discussed later in greater detail) and normative ideological expectation (as described by
Susan McClary's theories of musical codes for gendering also to be discussed later in
greater detail), thus confirming through metaphor the unearthly and Otherworldly powers
represented in the narrative.
Though film music often works through metaphor (i.e., symbolism, or theatrical
codes, as they are sometimes called), not all composers use metaphor in the same way.
In the fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, proclaimed a
"thriller" by director Mike Newell, composer Patrick Doyle does not distinguish the
presence of magic with the presence of music. Consequently, the boundaries defining the
ordinary from the supernatural are blurred and the filmgoer perceives both the threat of
dark magic in the muggle world, and the real-world issues played-out in the magical
world. Furthermore, Doyle's music tends to symbolically suggest what we do not see,
rather than reinforcing what we do see. If the presence of magic is evident from visuals
alone, then the music may provide information about the emotional atmosphere. For
7instance, when visuals show an enormous, heavy dragon chasing after Harry through the
air, the accompanying melodic gestures are nevertheless high-pitched and frenzied,
perhaps to indicate Harry's panic. This mismatching of surface-level metaphors (i.e.
enormous and heavy to high-pitched and frenzied) adds tension to the thriller.
In contrast, Nicholas Hooper's music for the fifth film, Harry Potter and the
Order ofthe Phoenix, often creates metaphorical musical tension with harmonic
progressions rather than melodies, and is able to suggest that which is unseen by using
broad (rather than close) parallels with what is seen. For instance, the alternation of two
seemingly magnetic harmonies accompanies Harry's first kiss. Similarly, a rhythmically
exuberant theme sets the stage for the Weasley twins' Fireworks prank without imitating
each physical gesture in the scene with a parallel gesture in the melody.
Music used to metaphorically represent the narrative can also suggest deeper and
wider meanings than what surface-level dialogue or actions dictate. For instance, the
way music is organized sometimes relates to historical codes of gender and social
hierarchy. When Hogwarts characters perform music in equal numbers of males and
females, such as when the Hogwarts choir rehearses in Harry Potter and the Order ofthe
Phoenix, it suggests gender equality. In contrast, when most performers are males, such
as when the pep band performs in Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, it suggests male
dominance.
Within the music itself, martial-sounding duple meters, fanfare-like melodies,
and tonic-heavy harmonies may relate to historic dramatic codes for masculinity and for
the rational world, while lilting triple meters, blithe or haunting melodies, and subversive
harmonies that deviate from standard cadences may relate to historic dramatic codes for
the irrational world. When music in triple meter dominates the scores of the first two
Harry Potter films, it reinforces the child-like realm ofthe irrational. When duple-
8metered themes assume the fore in the fourth film, it symbolically marks a shift toward
an emphasis on realism and Harry's maturity toward manhood.
As we will see in Chapter V, the metaphors we use to talk about music give us
insight into how different musical themes over the course of the first five films represent
different aspects of Harry's emotional world. Most notably, these themes tell us about
Harry's experiences with love, loss, good, and evil. Sometimes the themes representing
love tell us about Harry's community of friends and loved ones, while at other times, the
music representing love tells us about Harry's loneliness. Similarly, some themes for
good and evil tell us that these forces are opposites, while other themes for good and evil
tell us that these forces stem from the same source.
Harry Potter in Popular Culture
It would be surprising if any contemporary readers of this research were not at
least peripherally aware of the epic Harry Potter narrative discussed above. The Harry
Potter franchise, as it has come to be known, has burgeoned into a phenomenal
enterprise. The story of the phenomenon itself is also famous-how author Joanne
Rowling began writing the story in the 1990s as a single mother trying to develop a way
of supporting herself; how she outlined parts of the saga on napkins while riding a train,
and later worked on the novels at a cafe table; how she received rejections from
prominent UK publishers before striking profitable deals with Bloomsbury, and later, the
U.S. publisher Scholastic. Her first novel in the seven-novel saga, Harry Potter and the
Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S., and
hereby referred to by that title) was published in 1997, followed by Harry Potter and the
Chamber ofSecrets in 1998, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban in 1999, Harry
9Potter and the Goblet ofFire in 2000, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix in
2003, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005, and Harry Potter and the
DeathZv Hallows, which completed the saga, in 2007. Each of the seven novels sold
increasing numbers of copies, breaking first-run printing records along the way. In
addition to public success, Rowling's work received numerous awards, and has often
been heralded as producing an element of social change regarding children's increased
reading habits.
Warner Brothers Pictures sealed a deal with Rowling in 1998 (making her one of
the richest women in Britain) to begin work on a series of movies which would follow the
titles and order of her seven novels. The first Harry Potter film, The Sorcerer's Stone,
debuted in 2001 with three newcomers in the lead roles (Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter,
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger) and a host of
UK screen veterans filling other main roles. The Chamber ofSecrets followed in 2002,
then The Prisoner ofAzkaban in 2004, The Goblet ofFire in 2005 and The Order ofthe
Phoenix in 2007. Other well-known UK actors joined these subsequent cast lists. The
sixth installment, The Half-Blood Prince, was released in the summer of2009, and the
last chapter, The DeathZv Hallows, will be split into two movies to be released in 2010
and 2011. While all of the movies have received favorable reviews, some speculate that
it is the franchise's immense fan base ofthe book readers that has propelled record box
office numbers, surpassing even blockbuster hits such as Star Wars and the James Bond
series.5
The role of fans in the phenomenon is significant. At local levels, bookstores
across the country organized social parties for Harry Potter fans to mark Harry Potter
book releases. These parties included games and prizes, and many people-old and
5 Monetary figures that support this claim are based on unadjusted gross income.
10
young-attended in costume, dressed as characters from the story. Similarly, some fans
attend the Harry Potter midnight movie premieres in costume, with some waiting hours in
line to be first in the door. Communities of fans are connected globally through fansites
such as Muggle Net and The Leaky Cauldron, which offer news, trivia, and opinions on
the Harry Potter books and films. Some fan sites, such as the Harry Potter Alliance, have
become forums for social activism, following the moral principles that many interpret in
the original novels. Fans have likely played a role in music reception and commercial
production as well.
The musical scores from Harry Potter films have developed award-winning
reputations alongside and separate from the Harry Potter movies. In addition to official
recognition, such as that given by awards associations, Harry Potter film scores have
been listed in recent public opinion polls of favorite classical music, and have sold
generously in the form of CDs and sheet music. In my own experience as a music
teacher of children, music from Harry Potter (especially "Hedwig's Theme") has become
the trend in popular "must-play" repertoire. Many students have spent spare time picking
out "Hedwig's Theme" by ear-which is no small feat for novice musicians-before
convincing their parents to purchase available piano scores.
The combination of popularity and substance makes research on music from
Harry Potter films a compelling topic. So far, I have given examples of some ways that
the Harry Potter film music plays prominent roles in reflecting both surface-level action
and narrative subtext, as well as signifying broader philosophical issues. Additionally, I
have suggested that the three different Harry Potter composers have used musical
metaphors and codes differently to support the narrative in the ways listed above.
Furthermore, I have discussed some ways that the Harry Potter novels, films, and
soundtracks have experienced phenomenal levels of success in formal and informal
11
spheres. Perhaps this is the most significant underlying issue regarding this topic: the
Harry Potter narrative (through novels, then films) has influenced an entire generation of
people (both children and adults), and the soundtracks to Harry Potter films have
influenced filmgoers' s interpretations of that narrative.
Research Goal
In spite of rapid and immense attention given to the Harry Potter novels, movies,
and music, very little serious work outside of critical reviews exists examining the Harry
Potter film scores as works of music for drama. The goal of this document is to examine
the music from the Harry Potter films in comparison with visuals and dialogue in order to
discover how each score supports the narratives on screen. As part of this effort, I
emphasize metaphorical connections and disconnections between (l) music and visuals,
(2) music and dialogue, (3) various aspects of the music itself. Additionally, I compare
and contrast the styles of each score, showing how each reflects the drama differently,
while also showing how the comprehensive narrative is affected by the cumulative aural
experience of the five scores.
By uncovering the ways that music functions within the Harry Potter movies, we
can better understand how the musical scores shape the effectiveness of storytelling and
emotional impact of the films, and thus how music contributes to the popular success of
the Harry Potter movies. When we know how music contributes to the success of the
Harry Potter films, we may better understand the narrative messages that are influencing
so many. Furthermore, we may better understand the larger question of how
contemporary practices in film music facilitate the effective storytelling, emotional
impact, and ultimate success of contemporary films.
12
An analysis of music for Harry Potter films provides a unique opportunity to
compare the musical approaches of different composers and directors to the same
(continuing) narrative. At the time of writing this document, there are five Harry Potter
films that have been released to DVD which employ the talents of three different film
composers (John Williams, Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper) and four different
directors (Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates). Four
different collaborations will be considered in this research. American composer John
Williams wrote music for the first three Harry Potter films. These include The Sorcerer's
Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets with American director Chris Columbus, and The
Prisoner ofAzkaban with Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron. Scottish composer Patrick
Doyle followed Williams in writing for the fourth film, The Goblet ofFire, directed by
his English colleague, director Mike Newell. English composer Nicholas Hooper
succeeded Doyle to write for the fifth ±lIm (The Order ofthe Phoenix) with English
colleague, director David Yates. The Yates/Hooper team was retained to work on the
sixth film (The Half-Blood Prince), though this film will only have a peripheral role in
this study, as it has not yet been released to DVD. It is believed that John Williams will
return to the project, joining David Yates, for the final Harry Potter film chapter (which
will be released in two parts).
Although the most popular melodies stem from John Williams's scores for these
movies, compact disks and instrumental arrangements for Doyle's and Hooper's scores
have also been widely marketed. Unlike other well-known episodic movie adventures
such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones that retained John Williams as composer,
maintaining his themes throughout, the different composers for subsequent Harry Potter
films have made significant changes to the musical themes and, indeed, the dramatic
approaches to music for film as a whole. For instance, Williams created several
13
leitmotifs for the first three films that were abandoned by subsequent composers.
Similarly, while Williams's music metaphorically aligns closely with visual movement
(e.g., ascending melodies with ascending visuals), Doyle's music frequently acts in
counterpoint to visual movement, and Hooper's music only loosely parallels visual
gestures. While both Williams's and Doyle's musical themes emphasize melodic
lyricism, Hooper's themes, in contrast, rely on harmonic progressions and cadences over
rhythmic ostinatos. In fact, even John Williams's own approach to the movies changed
noticeably between his theatrical-sounding melodies for the first two movies (directed by
Chris Columbus) and his folk-like melodies for the third movie (directed by Alfonso
Cuar6n).6 Although beyond the scope of this document (which concludes analysis with
the fifth film), it will be interesting to hear how John Williams chooses to summarize his
own Harry Potter music along with the music of Doyle and Hooper when he returns to
the project in collaboration with director David Yates.
The task proposed above (i.e. analyzing how different composer and director
teams bring different interpretations to the Harry Potter narrative) fits within
contemporary film music studies. When music is composed to support a visual narrative
such as film, the score often describes to the audience what is being portrayed, and
prescribes how the viewer should feel about the portrayal. When we examine how the
different Harry Potter scores support the narrative of each film, we find four main
approaches that correspond with the four different collaborations over the course of the
first five £lms: (l) John Williams and Chris Columbus, (2) John Williams and Alfonso
Cuar6n, (3) Patrick Doyle and Mike Newell, and (4) Nicholas Hooper and David Yates.
Let us consider some key patterns that we will see over the course of this research.
6
Rather than using music from the folk tradition, Williams composes new music using modal melodies,
historic British-Irish dance rhythms, and conventional folk musical forms in order to evoke British-Irish
folk music.
14
In an endeavor to provide a simple, yet meaningful way of identifying and
remembering key patterns, I propose the following analogies to describe what we will
learn about the music from the four different collaborations. In the first two Harry Potter
films, The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets (with director Chris Columbus),
John Williams's music functions as an omniscient set of eyes, defining and clarifying
what we see. The music sets a landscape that appears both British and magical, infuses
characters with three-dimensional qualities (or in some cases, one-dimensional, as
appropriate), prompts audience expectations through recurring ominous motifs, and
facilites compassion for characters within the narrative by punctuating dialogue with
mimetic music and suggesting inner emotion through orchestral texture and emotionally
moving themes. Film director Chris Columbus's notes for Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone support these intended goals.
John's music for "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" ... works on
several levels. It's a brilliantly constructed companion piece to the film,
integrating seamlessly with every image and emotion. But most
importantly, it captures the soul of the Harry Potter world.7
In fact the role of Williams's music is so strong within the first two films that it creates
the visual narrative as much if not more than it merely reflects it. In other words,
Williams's music not only supports, it also adds-and adds in an effective manner.
Likewise, in the third Harry Potter film, The Prisoner ofAzkaban (with director
Alfonso Cuar6n), John Williams's music functions as a beating heart, expanding and
amplifying our experience of the story. The music expands the dimensions of the
landscape to include the past and the present and the familiar with the unfamiliar, infuses
Harry's experiences with feeling, blurs viewer perceptions of time and reality, and
7 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
15
amplifies the limits of Harry's emotional world. Moreover, the relationship of the music
to itself over the course of the film establishes dramatic subtexts that enrich viewer
experience and perception. While Alfonso Cuar6n praises Williams's music for
"breathing life into what has become a much better film,"8 I suggest further that
Williams's music is the life-blood that flows through the film, weaving emotion into the
story much as arteries weave through the body.
In contrast, Patrick Doyle's music for the fourth film, The Goblet ofFire (with
director Mike Newell), functions as a philosophical mind that reflects, deconstructs, and
provides commentary. The music reduces the landscape to the here and now, setting
emotional atmospheres accordingly, allows viewers to playa greater role in the
interpretation of characters' dialogue and actions, raises the level of immediacy and
tension through less direct cueing, and punctuates the dimension of realism with several
on-screen musical performances. Perhaps because this film and its darker narrative speak
to an older, more savvy audience who have more likely read the Harry Potter books
and/or seen the preceding Harry Potter movies, Doyle's music does not (and perhaps
need not) spell out each and every narrative element for the observer. There is very little
so-called "Mickey-Mousing" between sound and visual elements (save for two
choreographed scenes to be discussed later) in favor of expressionistic tone colors and
rhythms that function in tandem with the visuals and texts.9 This is different from the
ways that Williams's Harry Potter leitmotifs are frequently and poignantly inserted into
8 Ibid.
9 The term "Mickey-Mousing" comes from film music studies (though it is also used in dance research),
and alludes to the ways that cartoon visuals and accompanying music tend to function in parallel with each
other, with no significant independence from each other. The term is used (oftenjudgmentally) to describe
any visual-aural collaboration in which sound closely mimics movement, making explicit either the rhythm
or the direction of movement. For instance, a walking bass might illustrate the rhythm ofa character's
walk, or a glissando might imitate the movement of a character who falls. Claudia Gorbman, Unheard
Melodies: Narrative Film Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987),88.
16
the aural foreground. Doyle's score exhibits an absence of motif, an absence of character
enhancement, and an absence of musical metaphors for thematic emphasis, and in this
way deconstructs the clarity that Williams's music had established for Harry's world. As
well, we will examine in Chapter V how the musical qualities of some specific themes
deconstruct the paradigms that Williams's music had put forth. Just as director Mike
Newell praised Doyle for his "terrific instinct for strong story structure," I suggest Doyle
emphasized the most stable and important aspects of the story, but allowed the details of
the story to be represented more flexibly.
Nicholas Hooper's music for the fifth Harry Potter film, The Order ofthe Phoenix
(with director David Yates), functions as skin and nerve-endings that allow viewers to
experience the sensations of the narrative as Harry might experience it. The music
delicately saturates scenes with potent emotional backdrops, energizes action with
pulsing, syncopated rhythms, prompts goose flesh with expressionistic motifs and
gestures, and manipulates dramatic circumstances with seductive themes. In general
Hooper's work on the fifth Potter film seems to combine stylistic elements from
Williams's dramatically evocative melodic motifs with Doyle's growing Sturm und
Drang atmosphere, while simultaneously adding his own signature by integrating
brighter orchestral timbres, global and modem idioms, grounded tonalities, and playful
polyrhythms. While director David Yates claims that Hooper's work has elevated all that
he has directed, 10 I suggest that Hooper's music brings the narrative to the surface such
that it seems we can feel it with our own fingertips.
In each ofthese cases, music not only supports the visual and textual narrative, it
also adds-in varying degrees of effectiveness, depending on the presumed goals of each
10 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack.
17
method. While Williams's Harry Potter music often alerts observers to specific
visualized narrative events, Doyle's score is more reserved, often leaving interpretations
ofvisual events open to the listener. Hooper's score favors event specificity only during
certain scenes while generally favoring timbral and textural unity as a strategy for
continuity.
While the purpose ofmusic in films is to "help realize the meaning ofa film,"11
this study serves also to explore alternative interpretations of a preexisting narrative-a
research thread that has come to be known as ideological studies in film. These films are
based on previously published written texts that have gained popularity both separate
from and in conjunction with the films. Unlike the Lord ofthe Rings trilogy (i.e. a
similarly magical epic tale), which was published long before recent films were
produced, filming for Harry Potter commenced before the completion of the written
series. In other words, Harry Potter film directors and composers (like Harry Potter fans)
did not know how the saga would end until 2007, when the final book was published.
Without the benefit of hindsight, the first five films and their accompanying soundtracks
represented specific chapters in the story without knowing for sure how certain narrative
elements would play out in the end. As such, the production of the films is directly
intertwined with the history of the books, and the interpretations presented by film
directors and composers are directly linked with the information available at the time.
Even so, each collaboration developed a unique narrative perspective, thus
simultaneously guiding the story in its own terms while waiting for Rowling to finish the
series in her terms.
11 David Raksin, "Talking Back: A Hollywood Composer States Case for His Craft," New York Times,
February 20, 1949.
18
Relevance of the Topic
The music in Harry Potter films is representative of many contemporary topics of
discussion in the field of musicology including, but not limited to, (1) the role of music as
both accomplice to and interpreter of narratives in contemporary film, (2) connections
between contemporary film music and popular culture, (3) representation (through music)
of gendered, national, historical, and cosmopolitan identities in film, (4) and the ways
contemporary trends in film music composition and structure reflect traditional, time-
tested musical languages connecting music and dramatic presentation. Furthermore (as
previously stated), an analysis of music for Harry Potter films provides a rare opportunity
to compare the musical approaches of different composers and directors to a continuing
narrative with the same characters.
In addition to exploring each composer's individual musical contributions to the
narrative, this study also shows how composers have incorporated some cumulative
musical resources from the work of their predecessors and their collaborations with
different film directors, and rejected other musical resources from the work of their
predecessors. Furthermore, the cumulative work of these composers for the Harry Potter
films creates a whole which is different from the work of the individual composer. This
cumulative whole is important to consider because, as I have learned through
conversations with others, most casual observers of the Harry Potter phenomenon are not
aware of who the film composers have been, much less that there have been different
composers for different Harry Potter films. In other words, for many, the Harry Potter
soundtrack begins with The Sorcerer's Stone and continues through The Order ofthe
Phoenix without boundaries or interruption-the music is all part of the same story.
19
Although this research clearly falls within film music studies, the Harry Potter
film scores can also be examined through the lens of broader musicological studies in
dramatic music. Music, drama, and movement have been combined throughout Western
music history in various ways. Large scale works, such as examples of early opera
emerged in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries in Italy. Later examples
followed in France, Germany, and England. Prior to the twentieth century, ballet was an
integral part of opera house performance. Early operas included sections to be performed
by the corps de ballet, while by the nineteenth century, opera and ballet companies
shared performance spaces, often using the same narratives, costumes, and sets. While
contemporary research on historical opera often highlights the role of music in supporting
plot and text, contemporary research on historical ballet has also shown the role of music
in supporting narratives that use movement. The combination of the two strains of
research are beneficial for film in which dialogue and visuals are equally significant. In
addition to the relevance of comparing music with general film movement, some of the
Harry Potter films (such as Harry Potter and the Goblet a/Fire) include scenes with
choreographed dance performed to music.
Many extant historic examples of incidental music for spoken-drama over the last
four centuries are also recognized within the classical music canon (e.g., Purcell's music
for King Arthur, Mendelssohn's music for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream,
and Grieg's music for Ibsen's Peer Gynt). Although not always included in the
musicological canon, nineteenth-century melodramas often included music that related to
both the performance's texts and subtexts. During the twentieth century, composers from
these realms of classical and popular music developed methods for accompanying film
visuals and expressing film narratives with music based on strategies used for opera,
ballet, and theater during the previous century. As we will see in Chapters V-VII, the
20
varied approaches encompassed in the first five Harry Potter films come out of these
historic models
Although I compare the Harry Potter film music with methods from art and
commercial music, the cumulative compositional approaches (i.e. incorporating and
discarding ideas) of the different composers is similar to processes of musical change in
studies of folklore and cosmopolitan popular cultures. In fact, ideas of continuity and
variation can be ascribed to nearly every aspect of the Harry Potter process. Author
Joanne Rowling herself carried through a one-school-year timeline for each of her seven
novels, varying each "year's" events to further the progress of the overall narrative.
Within the overall narrative, she uses the continuity of well-known folklore and
mythology to ground her storytelling while simultaneously varying traditional folklore to
make her own statement. Each of the film directors has similarly maintained most
elements of Rowling' s work while making individual choices to figuratively stamp each
film with his own mark. While it is beyond the scope of this paper to identify and
analyze each of these points of continuity and variation, I place this work within a larger
context of collaborative work that not only takes place among those working together at a
given time, but also in dialogue with collaborations already completed.
While I argue that the Harry Potter soundtracks change stylistically with each
collaboration and exhibit evolving philosophies with the maturing subject matter of each
film, it is also true that all five of the film scores follow mainstream film music trends.
Like other film music case studies, this project considers the work of three prominent,
established composers who have been acknowledged in formal ways through industry
awards and informal ways through positive audience reception. While all have received
acclaim for their classical-sounding scores, they each exhibit some versatility. Generally
speaking, Williams, Doyle, and Hooper all employ neo-romantic principles in their
21
orchestral compositions for the Harry Potter films. Additionally, Williams wrote mid-
century popular style music for The Prisoner ofAzkaban, while current-day popular
musicians contributed three songs for The Goblet ofFire. Likewise, all three composers
wrote music in Britsh-Irish folk styles for specific scenes in the Harry Potter films.
Importantly, all three composers apply dramatic music for Harry Potter films in
traditional, measurable ways.
This analysis is different from a standard comparison of musical approaches
because all three composers discussed (i.e. Williams, Doyle, and Hooper) worked on the
same episodic project at different times. Thus, each responded musically to the same
continuing narrative, the same characters, and in most cases, the same actors playing the
characters. Additionally, Doyle and Hooper had to respond to inherited Harry Potter
music and musical approaches. While beyond the scope of this project, it is also possible
that dialectic exchanges occurred with actors' approaches to their characters and
Rowling's approach to her narrative after viewing finished films complete with musical
scores. 12 This analysis is also different from those that take as a topic multiple scores
for one film (e.g. the many available scores for the silent film Metropolis) because each
of the three composers worked individually on different Harry Potter films within the five
considered here. Thus, each worked with different directors, with different immediate
story-lines, and within the time-restrictions for production of each film (i.e. without the
benefit of hindsight for a film already produced, or the relative leisure of writing an
alternate score for a film already scored).
12 Because J. K. Rowling had not finished writing the Harry Potter series when filming began, directors
and actors for the first five films did not know how Harry's story concluded. It is likely that directors and
actors modified their work as the project continued to reflect their increased knowledge of the long-term
narrative goals. It is also possible that J. K. Rowling's writing of the final novels was affected by seeing
specific actors in the roles of her characters, and seeing her narrative translated into the film medium.
22
Academic interest in the role of music as an accomplice to drama on stage and
screen has increased over recent decades. The study of film music has developed within
the larger issues of dramatic music, and alongside interest in music for opera, spoken
drama, and dance. Scholars from the first half of the century sought to define the roles of
music within the film medium-that is to say, to address the question of what music can
and does do for a film. Following closely, other analysts developed methods of
questioning in order to categorize how the music for individual films fulfilled possible
roles. Along the way, scholars paid special attention to notable composers and notable
works. Claudia Gorbman's Unheard Melodies from the 1980s codified methods for
understanding not only the roles of music, but also the emotional power that music can
hold over the observer. Since the 1980s, various case studies, as will be outlined in the
section on important publications in the field, have addressed how music adds layers of
meaning and emotional response to art film and popular cinema. As previously
mentioned, I integrate research methodologies from both film music studies and scholarly
work on music for live drama in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
In addition to using methodologies from classical musicology and film music
research (as is appropriate for Williams's, Doyle's, and Hooper's compositional style and
general approach to drama) I integrate methodologies from music theory, music folklore,
and the anthropology of music to explore film scores and Rowling's written descriptions
of music, respectively. Methods from music theory offer many of the tools needed to
explore how film music functions musically (rather than how music helps visuals to
function). The latter approaches from folklore and anthropology are also pertinent to this
study because of the wide use of folkloric references both in J. K. Rowling's original
novels and the diegetic music in movie representations (inclusive of text, visuals, and
music). The other disciplines that have produced analysis of the Harry Potter narrative
23
and phenomenon are literary theory, sociology, philosophy, and gender studies. My
areas for research will be presented in the following section as they relate to publications
in the field.
Important Publications in the Field
Readings from many disciplines proved useful in this musical analysis. These
readings come from authors in musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, film theory,
anthropology, literary theory, and generalized philosophy and critical thinking as it
applies to the former disciplines. In order to address the most specific questions of how
music shapes understanding of Harry Potter films, I draw on newer musicology methods
that are interested in the cultural sphere, as well as methodologies from music theory and
film theory. I have organized my discussion of these readings around areas of research.
Music and Drama
Ideas ofmetaphorical representation in music for dramatic performance can be
traced to historical practices. Research that reflects romantic and neo-romantic musical
aesthetics (as is used by the composers for Harry Potter movies) for drama include Gilles
de Van's Verdi's Theater: Creating Drama through Music, 13 and Mary Ann Smart's
Mimomania. 14 These books discuss the musical languages and historical meanings on
which the contemporary Harry Potter music is based. In Verdi's Theater, De Van argues
13 Gilles De Van, Verdi's Theater: Creating Drama Through Music (Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1998).
14 Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania: Music and Gesture in Nineteenth-century Opera (Berkeley: University
of Califomia Press, 2004).
24
that Guiseppe Verdi was a dramatist composer who considered theatrical components in
most if not all of his operatic writing. This is in contrast to previous claims that Verdi
simply wrote beautiful melodies to please audiences. Both De Van's claim and the
evidence he uses to support it are relevant to the discussion of Harry Potter film music
because many film composers, including and especially John Williams, are perceived in
the same way (i.e. as writers of beautiful melodies, certainly, but not always perceived as
dramatists).
Similarly, Smart's Mimomania explores how several nineteenth-century dramatic
composers represented theatrical movement, narrative, and ideology through music. She
outlines three particularly useful ways that music provides narrative elements that other
theatrical media cannot supply. First, music can expand the physical space beyond the
boundaries of what is seen. This is experienced in several scenes in the Harry Potter
films when hearing precedes seeing, and when sounds are heard from off screen. Second,
music can emphasize movement through synchronization. This strategy is often used in
the Harry Potter films to punctuate humorous actions. Third, music can represent the
internal thoughts of characters. Music is useful in this endeavor when mournful-
sounding melodies alert viewers that Harry is remembering his late parents, and when
more cheerful-sounding music supports Harry's new friendships. The way music
represents Harry's emotional world is the topic of Chapter V. Similarly, Pierluigi
Petrobelli's Music in the Theater argues that the function of dramatic music is to
characterize dramatic discourse in its own terms and establish dramatic temporal
dimensions. 15 Like research from Smart and de Van, Petrobelli shows how nineteenth-
15 Pierluigi Petrobelli, Music in the Theater, trans. Roger Parker (Princenton: Princeton University Press,
1994).
25
century musical dramatists such as Verdi were able to include both what is seen and what
is not seen in their musical representations.
Some information from Roland John Wiley's Tchaikovsky's Ballets is particularly
useful for showing how magic characters, events and places were represented musically
in nineteenth-century ballets. 16 For instance, Tchaikovsky represents the odd, and
possibly magical character of Herr Drosselmeyer with the unusual texture of viola,
trombones, and tuba in The Nutcracker. In the same ballet, Tchaikovsky musically
represents the delicate tremble of snowflakes in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy with a
celesta mustel (which was specially ordered for the first performances).17 These
examples are similar to the ways that John Williams represents the arrival of the
magically odd Knight Bus with a bass clarinet solo, and frosts the music accompanying
the wizarding world with celeste. Similarly, composer Nicholas Hooper uses clarinet to
depict humorous scenerios, and celeste to represent elements of magic.
By using the dramatic precedents set in codified works of the nineteenth century
as comparative examples, I will be better able to show how the work ofthe three
composers functions dramatically. As described above, these dramatic precedents
include the relationships between music and visual drama, and the elements of the music
itself. These elements of music include theatrical ways of establishing mood, emotion,
and dimension. When we examine what the music is telling us through these dramatic
codes and relationships, we can better understand how music shapes the understanding of
the narrative.
16 Roland John Wiley, Tchaikovsky's Ballets (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985).
17 The Parisian builder Auguste Mustel invented the celeste in 1880. The instrument followed in the
footsteps of the dulcitone, invented by Auguste's father Victor Mustel in 1860.
26
Music and Meaning
In asking the question, "how does music shape understanding of Harry Potter
films," I am guided by writings which interrogate the notion of meaning. Laura
Bohannan's "Shakespeare in the Bush" reminds readers and scholars that meaning is not
universal, and must be learned through enculturation. 18 She provides an example from
her experience explaining Shakespeare's Hamlet to indigenous Bushmen while on a
research trip to Africa. Although she originally believed that the underlying messages
would be obvious to anyone hearing the story, the Bushmen interpreted the story
differently than she at every tum of the plot. In other words, she believed her
interpretation was obvious because of her cultural viewpoint had taught her to understand
certain narrative codes, while the Bushman championed their interpretation based on the
narrative codes specific to their culture. Specifically, this is relevant to consideration of
the globalized phenomenon ofHarry Potter-a British story envisioned by a woman
living in Scotland and re-envisioned for film by male directors from the United States,
Mexico, and Great Britain, with reflecting musical commentary by male composers from
the United States and Great Britain, received by audiences around the world. Although
some believe that music is theoretically absolute, musicologists' and ethnomusicologists'
theories argue that cultural learning teaches listeners to respond to and/or interpret music
in certain ways based on patterns of experience. That is to say, even though many
viewers have been subconciously taught what different musical codes mean by way of a
lifetime exposure to Hollywood films and television (e.g., we know what a love theme
ought to sound like, and likewise, how a danger theme moves us to the edge of our seat),
different people will continue to find new ways of interpreting the sounds they hear. I
18 Laura Bohannan, "Shakespeare in the Bush," Natural History (August-September, 1966), 28-33.
27
recognize the difficulty in putting forth a single interpretation of the Harry Potter film
music, and as such, affirm that my findings-though grounded in objective
methodologies as much as they can be-are still subjective (as the interpretation of music
tends to be) and may only constitute one way of perceiving.
Similarly, Herbert Butterfield's The Whig Interpretation ofHistory warns against
isogesic interpretations, and especially cautions against accepting history carte-blanche
through the eyes of the so-called "victors."19 Such interpretations, he argues, are always
skewed. That is to say, I do not claim that the enormous popularity of Harry Potter film
music is an indicator that the soundtracks represent the best of what modem film music
has to offer. Likewise, I do not dismiss the Harry Potter film music because none of the
soundtracks have won an academy award (as Howard Shore's score for The Lord ofthe
Rings has, for instance). I consider the research of those who have addressed the Harry
Potter narrative in the context of other disciplines, but also recognize that a musical
analysis of Harry Potter film music offers a different perspective than is provided through
the lens of other disciplines.
Likewise, Lydia Goehr's The Imaginary Museum ofMusical Works: An Essay in
the Philosophy ofMusic reminds researchers that music is never abstract when
considered within the context of its cultural genesis.20 Whether consciously or not,
composers reflect certain cultural aesthetics and ideologies in the way they compose
music, and music is received during the era of composition and after based on the cultural
ideologies of the listeners. These ideas contribute to methodologies of general analysis of
musical meaning, and also to feminist approaches, such as those of Ruth Solie and Susan
19 Herbert Butterfield, The Whig Interpretation ofHistory (New York: W. W. Norton, 1965).
20 Lydia Goehr, The Imaginary Museum ofMusical Works: An .essay in the Philosophy ofMusic (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1992).
28
McClary (to be addressed in a following section on gender), of questioning patriarchal
narratives, and reconsidering equality and difference with regard to gendered issues.
Although some claim that seeking meaning is the "death certificate of art," Sophia
Preston argues that the search for meaning also allows us a way "inside" a work.21
However, rather than seeing meaning as a singular goal of content, like a kernel inside a
piece of fruit, one must instead accept that meaning is extracted much as
an onion, a construction of layers ... whose body contains, finally, no
heart, no kernel, no secret, no irreducible principle, nothing except the
infinity of its own envelopes-which envelop nothing other than the unity
of its own surfaces.22
Furthermore, Preston argues that the objectivity required of post-structuralist approaches
requires that writers admit subjectivity by identifying the reasons for their analysis. As
such, I sometimes provide more than one possible interpretation based on findings. For
instance, when I argue that particular approaches are less effective than others, I accept
that this is an act of favoring my own interpretation as a viewer over the intentions of the
composer, and note this in the research as applicable.
Film Music
Approaches to analyzing and writing about music and film are included in
Jonathon Bellman's A Short Guide to Writing About Music, and Timothy Corrigan's A
21 Sophia Preston, "Iconography and Intertextuality: The Discreet Charm of Meaning," (Sophia Preston,
1998).
22 Roland Barthes, "Style and Its Image," in Literary Style: A Symposium, ed. Seymour Chatman (London:
Oxford 1971), 10.
29
Short Guide to Writing About Film. 23 Furthermore, Edward T. Cone's essay "Three
ways of Reading a Detective Story-Or a Brahms Intermezzo," from his book Music: A
View from Delft, posits that it takes three different types of readings to truly appreciate
either a story with a surprise ending or an unfamiliar piece of music.24 The relevance of
his approach is twofold, as this research concerns the film music for a story in which the
element of mystery is especially important. While the first reading (or listening) allows
enjoyment and the second reading provides opportunity for analysis, only the third and
later readings allow for the synthesis of enjoyment with appreciation for the writer's
craft-taking in both the style and the structure of the composition.
It is also necessary to inquire how the music in Harry Potter movies fits within the
film music geme of the recent century. Corrigan's A Short Guide to Writing About Film,
already mentioned, defines some basic ways of looking at, understanding, and
categorizing film, mainly in visual and textual terms, with some examples of the
relationship of film with other arts. The appendix from Royal S. Brown's Overtones and
Undertones: Reading Film Music provides a useful framework of questions for analyzing
film. 25 These questions focus on addressing objective aural experiences (i.e. defining
the geme of ensembles used, and taking note of when music is present and not), and are
similar in approach to questions used in musicology and ethnomusicology to describe
roles and functions of music within a given context. The answers to these questions can
then be analyzed to better understand how a film's soundtrack fulfills the functions of
film music as discussed by Aaron Copland in his article, "Tip to Moviegoers: Take off
23 Jonathon Bellman, A Short Guide to Writing about Music (New York: Longman, 1999). Timothy
Corrigan, A Short Guide to Writing about Film 2nd ed. (New York: Longman, 1998).
24 Edward T. Cone, Music: A View from Deijt(Chicago: University of Chicago, 1989).
25 Royal S. Brown, Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music (Berkeley: University of California
Press, 1957).
30
Those Ear-Muffs," as well as in the chapter on film music in his book What to listen for
in music. 26 These functions include setting time and place, facilitating narrative and
scene transitions, supporting characters, suggesting emotional responses and
interpretations of the plot, and providing continuity. These functions are described and
discussed by many of the following authors in the course of their work as well, however
Copland's article addresses them most succinctly.
Richard Amell and Peter Day's The Technique ofFilm Music summarizes the
history of music use in film, beginning with music for drama, silent film, and later, music
for a variety of film types including animation, drama, documentary, ballet, opera, and
filmed musicals.27 Chapters include some notation, some technical explanations of
synchronicity between image and sound, and several interviews with notable film
composers. Though music and information about the Harry Potter composers are not
included, music and information about their contemporaries provide insight about
contemporary practices. The chapters in Amell and Day's book regarding functions of
music in sound film help structure my argument regarding what composers Williams,
Doyle, and Hooper do well in the Harry Potter films. Similar to the previous book, Roy
Prendergast's Film Music summarizes the history of music used in film beginning with
the silent film era.28 It has a larger section on film music from the 1950s to the present,
using many case study examples, although it (too) does not include anything on the
composers who have worked on the Harry Potter films. Although both Prendergast's and
Amell's books discuss film music approaches from earlier times, some information is
26 Aaron Copland, "Tip to Moviegoers: Take off those Ear-Muffs," The New York Times, November 6,
1949. Aaron Copland, What to listenfor in music, intro. William Schuman (New York: Signet Classic,
2002).
27 Richard Arnell and Peter Day, The Technique ofFilm Music (New York: Hastings House, 1975).
28 Roy M. Prendergast, Film Music: A NeglectedArt (New York: Norton, 1992).
31
relevant to this study because John Williams models his approach after the precedents set
by earlier film composers from the era of Max Steiner. Furthermore, Prendergast posits a
direct link between nineteenth-century opera and twentieth-century film music, making
the claim that recitative is to dialogue as aria is to soundtrack.
However, other scholars such as Anne Dhu Shapiro challenge Prendergast's claim
by showing how film music extends directly from nineteenth century melodrama
practices. In her article, "Action Music in American Pantomime and Melodrama, 1730-
1913," Shapiro shows how theater music (like film music) was "generally wordless and
often woven organically into the dramatic continuum." Furthermore, the genre was
practiced by generations of musicians who maintained stylistic continuity in contrast to
more formal styles of music (such as opera and ballet) that were "often intentionally
innovative."29 Similarly, Martin Marks's Music and the Silent Film shows how scores
for early film developed, and provides case studies to explore how these scores
effectively supported on-screen drama.30
Laurence MacDonald's The Invisible Art ofFilm Music gives very short case
studies for notable films for each year and/or era beginning with 1920.31 There are
several examples given of John Williams's film music, as well as one for Patrick Doyle.
Case studies are made in written description without notation. Scott D. Paulin's article,
"Richard Wagner and the Fantasy of Cinematic Unity: The Idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk
in the History and Theory of Film Music" from the book Music and Cinema explores
29 Anne Dhu Shapiro (now McLucas), "Action Music in American Pantomime and Melodrama, 1730-
1913," American Music, (Winter 1984),49.
30 Martin Marks, Music and the Silent Film: Contexts and Case Studies, 1895-1924 (New York: Oxford,
1997).
31 Brian McFarlane, "Reading Film and Literature" in The Cambridge Companion to Literature on
Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007), 15-
28.
32
how Wagnerian principles oftotal art (e.g. when collaborative arts are unified in their
presentation goals) shaped twentieth-century film scoring practices.32 He identifies the
seemingly paradoxical matter of integrating music in the effort to create verisimilitude,
and explores differing points of view regarding the level of freedom with which music
should be integrated into film (i.e. level of frequency and level of synchronicity). This
case study is especially useful in the chapter concerning magic and fantasy, and in
showing the varied ways that Harry Potter composers negotiated elements of fantasy with
elements of realism over the arc of the films. 33
The work of Darby and Du Bois on American Film Music: Major Composers,
Techniques, Trends, 1915-1990, provides more specific case studies of John Williams's
music and the work of his contemporaries.34 The chapter concerning John Williams
discusses biographical information as it relates to his career as a film composer, and
examines significant themes from notable soundtracks, showing how each supports either
specific characters or larger narrative ideas. In examining Williams's themes that have
experienced popular success, they also show how Williams has been type-cast as a
composer for epic action narratives.
Case studies from Music and Cinema, edited by James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and
David Neumeyer, are also useful for defining the specific ways that music functions in
32 Scott D. Paulin, "Richard Wagner and the Fantasy of Cinematic Unity: The Idea of the
Gesamtkunstwerk in the History and Theory of Film Music," in Music and Cinema, ed. James Buhler,
Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 58-84.
33
I often use the terms "are" or "contour" to describe the stylistic progression of the four collaborations
over the course of the five Harry Potter films. As we will see, there is a Kantian relationship (i.e., thesis,
antithesis, and synthesis) over the course of the four collaborations that may likewise be described as
having a sonata-like form (i.e, exposition, development, contrast, and recapitulation).
34 William Darby and Jack Du Bois, American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques, Trends, 1915-
1990 (Jefferson: MacFarland, 1990).
33
contemporary films. 35 For instance, Buhler's case study titled, "Star Wars, Music, and
Myth" explores how Williams's use of leitmotifs in the Star Wars soundtrack helps
create an aura of myth within the epic tale akin to Wagner's use of leitmotifs in the Ring
cycle.36 This chapter is useful for examining how Williams's leitmotifs function
similarly in the Harry Potter saga (i.e. an epic narrative of similar fantastical subject
matter to Star Wars). Justin London's "Leitmotifs and Musical Reference in the
Classical Film Score" from the same book (Music and Cinema) discusses the parallel
between leitmotifs and proper pronouns in helping to define who's who in film
narratives.37 He uses the example of Mildred Pearce (with soundtrack composed by
Max Steiner) to show how a non-diegetic film score can identify a character correctly (in
this case by using Mildred's leitmotif) even when the dialogue gets it wrong (in this case
because she is addressed by another name with connotations of a different role in life). In
following chapters I will show how this relates to John Williams's use of leitmotifs,
especially in the second Harry Potter movie (The Chamber ofSecrets) in which
Williams's soundtrack identifies clues to the mystery correctly even when the dialogue
might otherwise lead observers astray.
Although over twenty years old, Claudia Gorbman's Unheard Melodies is
perhaps still the most influential book on the roles of film music.38 In addition to
explaining the history of music in film, she addresses the need for music in film based on
35 James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer, Music and Cinema (Hanover: Wesleyan University
Press, 2000).
36 James Buhler, "Star Wars, Music, and Myth," in Music and Cinema, ed. James Buhler, Cmyl Flinn, and
David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 33-57.
37 Justin London, "Leitmotifs and Musical Reference in the Classical Film Score," in Music and Cinema,
ed. James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 85-98.
38 Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1987).
34
cultural aesthetics and ideologies present during the early years of film. Like other
authors (see de Van and Smart) who discuss how music metaphorically reflects live
drama, she explores how music reflects cinematic drama. She uses the term code (rather
than the word metaphor) to describe how music represents ideas. She explains that, "we
may see music as 'meaning,' or organizing discourse, on three different levels in any
film."39 If we listen to a piece of music independently of other activities, we listen to the
structure of the music as it functions within the codes of musical discourse. If we listen
to the same piece of music functioning in a social setting (that is representative of a
cultural context) such as at a restaurant or public park, we observe cultural musical
codes.
Third, music in a film refers to the film-that is, it bears specific formal
relationships to coexistent elements in the film. the various ways in which
it does so shall be called cinematic musical codes. ...40
She also explores how the use of these codes was emphasized in Max Steiner's approach
to film composition. This style developed by Steiner and his contemporaries has come to
be known as the Classical cinematic approach, and is followed with variations by the
three composers for the Harry Potter films. Furthermore, she argues that film music
lowers the threshold for accepting the unbelievable, thus freeing the observer from the
limitations of reality in order to experience film at an emotional level. This is especially
important in fantasy films such as the Harry Potter series in which reality is always in
question.
39 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 12.
40 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 13.
35
Similar to Gorbman's book, Kathyn Kalinak's Settling the Score: Music in the
Classical Hollywood Film provides descriptions of the main musical elements of
Classical Hollywood style film scores.41 However, while Gorbman presents the
information as a theory of prescription, probing the dramatic rules that composers follow,
Kalinak presents the information as description, showing the effects that composers
sought to achieve. In other words, when we examine the principles that Gorbman sets
forth, we find out how film composer met and meet the varied dramatic ends that Kalinak
describes.
Annahid Kassabian's Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary
Hollywood Film Music continues Gorbman's discussion by further distinguishing
personal codes from cultural codes.42 She posits that the composition and reception of
film scores is based on the relationship between filmgoers' knowledge and awareness of
a wide range of musics. Furthermore, she argues that popular music in soundtracks
allows for more individual interpretations of the cinematic experience, while original
scores encourage filmgoers to assume a subjective position that might be unfamiliar.
This theory is particularly relevant to the fourth Harry Potter film soundtrack (The Goblet
ofFire), which includes music by contemporary popular musicians in addition to original
orchestrations by Patrick Doyle.
Additionally, Kassabian provides alternative terms and models when Gorbman's
seem problematic in modem times. For instance, Gorbman differentiates source music
(i.e., diegetic music) from background music (i.e., non-diegetic music), while Kassabian
offers a third term, source-scoring, which describes the music that may be perceived as
41 Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film (Madison: University of
Wisconsin, 1992).
42 Annahid Kassabian, Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary Hollywood Film Music
(London: Routledge, 2001).
36
both source and background music from different perspectives. This term is particularly
useful for describing music-to-visual relationships in the third and fifth Harry Potter
films, which blur the boundaries between source music and background music.
I also reference the theories put forth by Michel Chion in Audio-vision: Sound on
Screen, in which Chion discusses how music and visuals act in a dialectic fashion-that
is to say, in which the one influences perceptions of the other, and vice-versa.43 In
contrast to Gorbman and Kalinak, who argue music's worth as the accomplice to film
drama, Chion proposes that the addition of music in film creates (rather than reinforces)
the visual narrative. While Chion's theories are applicable to the Classical Hollywood
style of film composition (i.e., the style that the Harry Potter composers generally
follow), his discussion is not limited to this genre. As such, his discussion theorizes how
the alchemy of music and film creates perception, rather than either prescribing or
describing a singular method for conveying interpretation.
Music, Metaphor, and Motion
In order to describe more specifically how codes (i.e., metaphors or conventions)
work to create perception from the perspective of music theory research, I am informed
by Larson's unpublished manuscript Musical Forces as well as Johnson and Larson's"
"Something in the Way She Moves"-Metaphors of Musical Motion," and Larson and
VanHandel's "Measuring Musical Forces."44 Larson's research (individually, and with
43 Michel Chion, Audio-Vision: Sound On Screen, ed. and trans. Claudia Gorbman, fwd. Walter Murch
(New York: Columbia University, 1994).
44 Steve Larson, Musical Forces: Motion, Metaphor and Meaning (Unpublished manuscript). Mark L.
Johnson and Steve Larson, " 'Something in the Way She Moves'-Metaphors of Musical Motion,"
Metaphor and Symbol, 18, no. 2 (2003): 63-84. Steve Larson and Leigh VanHandel, "Measuring Musical
Forces" Music Perception 23, no. 2 (Berkeley: University of Califomia, 2005): 119-136.
37
Johnson and VanHandel) provides useful explanations and terminology for how listeners
experience music, and explains metaphors that are often connected with experience of
listening to music. These metaphors are directly connected with many of the ways that
film composers connect visual elements with metaphorical musical equivalents. Simply
put, Larson's theories explore how metaphors of gravity, magnetism, and inertia can help
explain movement (itself a metaphor) in melody, harmony, and rhythm. By using
metaphors of motion to describe music, one can help explain how music affects the
listener emotionally. For instance, while John Williams' music tends to use musical
metaphors (such as up, down, fast, slow, etc.) to align with actions and emotions on
screen, Patrick Doyle's music can be analyzed as metaphorically working against actions
and emotions portrayed visually. Furthermore, Larson and Johnson explain two different
temporal metaphors for music (e.g. a "moving times" metaphor and a "moving observer"
metaphor) and three spatial metaphors for music (e.g. a moving music metaphor, a
musical landscape metaphor, and the metaphor of music as a moving force) that are also
useful for describe the experiences suggested by the film soundtracks.
In special cases, I combine neo-Riemannian methods from Richard Cohn's
"Maximally Smooth Cycles, Hexatonic Systems, and the Analysis of Late-Romantic
Triadic Progressions," Brian Hyer's "Reimag(in)ing Riemann," and David Lewin's
"Generalized Musical Intervals and Transformations" to provide an alternative analysis
for some of the Harry Potter themes.45 These methods include plotting harmonic
progressions on grids of triangles, each representing a triadic harmony. This alternative
to traditional Ramellian analysis is equally appropriate to the neo-romantic approaches
45 Richard Cohn, "Maximally Smooth Cycles, Hexatonic Systems, and the Analysis of Late-Romantic
Triadic Progressions," Music Analysis 15, no. I (I 996): 9-40. Brian Hyer, "Reimag(in)ing Riemann,"
Journal ofMusic Theory 39 (I 995): 101-38. David Lewin, Generalized Musical Intervals and
Transformations (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987).
38
used by the three composers, and also provides visual representations of harmonic
movement that contribute to a layered understanding of musical metaphors for
movement.
Additionally, methodologies from music and dance research, such as those by
Rachel Duerdon and Inger Damsholt provide ways of organizing metaphorical
alignments between music and cinema visuals and between music and cinema narrative.
Duerden's exploration of the relationships between Arnold Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht
(1899), Richard Dehmel's poem of the same title from 1896, and re-conceptions as a
choreographed work by Antony Tudor in 1942, and Jiri Kylian in 1975 provides a model
for comparing music, narrative, and movement in order to reveal different layers of
meaning through musical and visual interpretations of text.46 Likewise, Inger
Damsholfs unpublished dissertation Choreomusical Discourse: The Relationship
between Dance and Music shows how the relationship between music and gesture is
informed by issues of gender and social ideology.47 She argues that just as the
man/woman relationship is integral to historical notions of (classical) dance so is the
dominant/submissive relationship perceived between music and dance. Thus
contemporary choreographic discourse has eschewed the practice of following music too
closely (or at all, in some cases) in order to exert independence from music. This
argument relates to both the ways that choreography is used with music in the Harry
Potter movies, and also to the levels of synchronicity between music and visuals in
general. Also note how this discussion of hierarchical roles between music and
46 Rachel Chamberlain Duerden, "Transfigurations: Changing Sensibilities in Schoenberg's Verklarte
Nacht" (Rachel S. C. Duerden, 2000).
47 Inger Damsholt, "Choreomusical Discourse: The Relationship between Dance and Music" (PhD diss.,
University of Copenhagen, 1999).
39
movement is similar to discourse concerning hierarchies between music and text to be
discussed in a following section.
Gender Studies
During the course of my analysis, I explore whether either narrative musical
events or the film score music as a whole are represented in a gendered way. Several
scholarly articles on the topic of Harry Potter, as well as academic work in gender theory
guide my approach to this exploration. Research on Harry Potter from academic
literature spheres focuses on issues of gender in culture and folklore. Mimi R.
Gladstein's "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts"
argues that Rowling's tale philosophically exemplifies a tradition of equality.48 Terri
Doughty's "Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boys Book' Market," addresses issues of
gender in Harry Potter as an expression of popular culture and commercial phenomena.49
Eliza T. Dresang's "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender" addresses gender
issues in popular culture past and present,50 She explores historical and mythological
associations with the name Hermione, and theoretical questions about the role of
Hermione within Rowling's narrative. Jann Lacoss's analysis of gender within Harry
Potter novels in her article "Of Magicals and Muggles: Reversals and Revulsions at
Hogwarts" argues that wizarding culture can be conceived as a cultural parallel to real-
48 Mimi R. Gladstein, "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts," in
Harry Potter and Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Baggett and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago:
Open Court, 2004), 49-60.
49 Terri Doughty, "Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boys Book' Market," in The Ivory Tower and Harry
Potter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 243-260.
50 Eliza T. Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage ofGender," in The Ivory Tower and Harry
Potter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 211-242.
40
world cultures.51 Therefore, gender, as it is written in Rowling's text, can be compared
to gender topics in real-world cultures. David Steege's article "Harry Potter, Tom
Brown, and the British School Story" compares Rowling's wizarding school culture to
real-world school cultures in other significant works of literature, and in British cultural
history.52 Because Rowling's story reflects real culture as often as imagined, it offers
many layers of interpretation for film directors to emphasize. These articles are found in
The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter, itself a representation of the trend of academic
interest in the greater Harry Potter phenomenon.53
Judith Butler's Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion ofIdentity argues
that concepts of gender have been molded by societies, and Butler deconstructs notions of
fixed identities in favor of constructivist theories.54 However, in Butler's Bodies That
Matter, she further explains that the performance of gender (i.e. performativity) is not
theatricaP5 Unlike an "act" that happens within limited parameters, performance of
gender is acted out over time. This scholarship is useful for decoding Rowling's
narrative (written and on screen) with regard to gender construction as it pertains to
music and musical identities. Specifically, I show in Chapter VII how some of Rowling's
orginal descriptions ofperforming musicians reflect Butler's claim of non-fixed
identities, while cinematic depictions of the same musicians represent them in culturally
51 Jann Lacoss, "Of Magicals and Muggles: Reversals and Revulsions at Hogwarts," in The Ivory Tower
and Harry Potter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri 2002), 67-88.
52 David K. Steege, "Harry Potter, Tom Brown, and the British School Story," in The Ivory Tower and
Harry Potter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 140-158.
53 Lana A. Whited, "Introduction," in The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter (Columbia: University of
Missouri, 2002),1-12.
54 Judith Butler, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion ofIdentity (New York: Routledge, 1990).
55 Judith Butler, Bodies that Matter (New York: Routledge, 1993).
41
fixed ways. Similarly, Susan Bordo's article "Feminism, Foucault and the Politics of the
Body" describes the domestication of the feminine body in order to meet cultural
requirements of feminine beauty.56 This reading contributes to my analysis of gender
construction for female characters in musically significant scenes from the fourth movie
(The Goblet ojFire).
Music and Gender
In the realm of feminist methods in musicology, Susan McClary's Feminine
Endings offers several explorations of how concepts of gender manifest in music, musical
characters, compositional techniques, and audience reception. She writes, "In most
dramatic music, there are both female and male characters, and usually (though not
always) the musical utterances of characters are inflected on the basis of gender."57 In
Chapter Two of her book, she describes how a musical vocabulary delineating dramatic
characters and actions developed during the seventeenth-century, and claims that a
culture shift regarding gender ideologies of the time shaped this vocabulary. In contrast
to the Renaissance, during which time males were expected to be more expressive (and
women less expressive), McClary argues that female characters became more expressive
during the early Baroque due to the emerging paradigm in which so-called rational males
used the rhetoric of logic, while so-called emotional females used the rhetoric of
seduction. Likewise, Mauro Calcagno's article, " 'Imitar col canto chi parla' :
Monteverdi and the Creation of a Language for Musical Theater" explains how
56 Susan Bordo, "Feminism, Foucault and the Politics of the Body," in Up Against Foucault, ed. Carole
Ramazanoglu (London: Routledge, 1993), 179-202.
57 Susan McClary, Feminine endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota, 1991).
42
Monteverdi's endeavors to imitate speech in his writing for early opera developed into a
system for expressing sentiment and meaning that is still reflected in contemporary
practices.58 Suzanne G. Cusick's "Gendering Modem Music: Thoughts on the
Monteverdi-Artusi Controversy" similarly addresses how seventeenth-century discourse
regarding compositional approaches sexualized and sensualized the process using the
metaphor of a disobedient body.59 This relates to arguments made in this analysis
regarding the gendering of music in its so-called subordinate role to other cinematic roles.
I am also infomed by these resources to examine how music represents the irrational
dimension, which has been historically associatated with dramatic femininity.
In Chapter Three of Feminine Endings, McClary contrasts the so-called proper
and improper constructions of female sexuality (i.e. between the virgin and the whore)
used in Bizet's Carmen. While Don Jose's virginal sweetheart Micaela is depicted
musically with diatonic melodies, nonphysical rhythms, and simple discourse, the
seductress Carmen is depicted musically with teasing, inflected melodies, physically-
charged rhythms, and seductive discourse. These theories not only apply to the musical
discourse used to seduce filmgoers into the Rowling's wizarding world, but also more
specifically to the ways that female characters are portrayed with musical themes.
Incidentally, the habanera rhythm that so many associate with Bizet's character Carmen
is used to represent a seduction in the fourth Harry Potter film.
Judith Tick's research in "Passed Away is the Piano Girl: Changes in American
Musical Life 1870-1990" provides generalized information about traditional roles and
spheres for Euro-American male and female music-makers-a topic that relates to the
58 Mauro Calcagno, " 'Imitar col canto chi parla': Monteverdi and the Creation ofa Language for Musical
Theater," Journal ofAmerican Musicological Society, 55 no. 3 (2002): 383-431.
59 Suzanne G. Cusick, "Gendering Modern Music: Thoughts on the Monteverdi-Artusi Controversy,"
Journal ofthe American Musicological Society, 46 no. 1 (1993): 1-25.
43
roles and spheres associated with music-making in Rowling's wizarding world.6o
Additionally, she defines some of the dichotomies between so-called masculine and
feminine elements in music with regard to performing forces, genres, and musical
qualities. Historical information such as this provides a foundation for the comparison
between gender roles in music-making as presented in Rowling's novels and represented
in the films.
John Shepherd's arguments in "Difference and Power in Music" and "Music and
male hegemony" attest that most classical and popular music reinforces social male
hegemonic codes.61 He claims that in society, men dominate women out of fear of
subversive female power, and in classical music, male composers create systems for
dominating music (through pitch and rhythm control) out of fear of the threatening
reminders of encroaching, integrated, relatedness that music signifies. Furthermore, he
argues that voices in classical music are represented in so-called safe ways, withholding
symbolic "fertility of relatively unfettered male/female gender relationships."62 Voices
used in popular music, though they might suggest an alternative to the dominant male
model, further reflect and reinforce male hegemonic principles through imitation with or
rebellion against classical music principles. This theory is relevant to the discussion of
gender as a larger issue within the Harry Potter film series, particularly with regard to
60
Judith Tick, "Passed Away is the Piano Girl: Changes in American Musical Life 1870-1990," in
Women Making Music: the Western Art Tradition, 1150-1950, ed. Jane Bowers and Judith Tick (Urbana:
University of Illinois Press, 1986),325-348.
61 John Shepherd, "Difference and Power in Music," in Musicology and Difference: Gender and Sexuality
in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth A. Solie (Berkeley: University of Califomia, 1993). John Shepherd, "Music
and male hegemony," in Music and Society: The Politics ofComposition, Performance and Reception, ed.
Richard Leppert and Susan McClary (Cambridge: Cabridge University Press, 1987), 151-172.
62 John Shepherd, "Music and male hegemony," in Music and Society: The Politics ofComposition,
Performance and Reception, ed. Richard Leppert and Susan McClary (Cambridge: Cabridge University
Press, 1987), 168.
44
reception of the different soundtracks, and the gendered implications of maturing themes
in the continuing narrative. Similarly, Judith Tick's article on "Charles Ives and Gender
Ideology" describes how Ives recognized the feminization of classical music, especially
during the nineteenth century, and defines ways that he sought to compose music in more
masculine and thoughtful (rather than emotional) ways.63 This research is also relevant
to the choices that the different composers made while writing for the Harry Potter saga.
In later chapters, I argue that some soundtracks include signifiers of both masculinity
and femininity in their orchestral themes, while others include only signifiers of
masculinity.
Representation of the Other
Related to feminist study at the more general level is the question of othering in a
narrative that makes distinct separations between worlds and types of beings. Although
Susan McClary (mentioned above) discusses some ways in which othering is represented
in music, I am also informed by other scholars from outside of musicology. Edward W.
Said's Orientalism provides description and analysis of the ways that cultures are
Otheredthrough notions of East and West.64 Likewise, Stuart Hall's "The Work of
Representation" argues that "Representation means using language to say something
meaningful about, or to represent, the world meaningfully, to other people."65 For the
purposes of this research, we might consider the metaphor of music as language. Hall
63 Judith Tick, "Charles Ives and Gender Ideology," in Musicology and Difference: Gender and Sexuality
in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth Solie (Berkeley: University of Califomia Press, 1993),83-106.
64 Edward W. Said, Orientalism (New York: Random House, 1979).
65 Stuart Hall, "The Work of Representation," in Representation: Cultural Representations and SignifYing
Practices, ed. Stuart Hall (London: Sage Publications, 1997), 15-54.
45
reminds us that representations of and interpretations of race, ethnicity, and otherness are
learned through culture, and are not inherent. Just as language and meaning are leamed,
musical language and meaning is also learned. In other words, although music is a
universal phenomenon, it is not a universal language. These ideas are useful in this
project because two distinct cultures (magical and non-magical) are represented in the
Harry Potter narrative, and therefore also in the music. Similarly, there are in-group and
outsider characters that negotiate through Rowling's wizarding society and they are
represented with various levels of otherness in her text and in the films/film music.
Furthermore, wizards and witches from Eastern regions are represent as musically
"exotic" in the fourth film. Claudia Gorbman's article "Scoring the Indian: Music in the
Liberal Western" provides specific examples of historical stock music vocabulary for
ethnic others in American film music.66 Likewise, Marian Smith's and Lisa Arkin's
work on "National Dance in the Romantic Ballet" provides examples of gestural codes
that were used during the nineteenth-century to depict characters from different lands.67
This information is useful for the discussion of the choreographed performances by
visitors from foreign lands during the fourth film (Goblet ofFire).
Another topic of so-called Otherness in the Harry Potter narratives is the nature of
evil. Two philosophical articles discuss understandings of evil that help describe how
music can metaphorically represent evil. David and Catherine Deavel's "A Skewed
Reflection: The Nature of Evil" claims that the essence of evil is understood as a
66 Claudia Gorbman, "Scoring the Indian: Music in the Liberal Western," in Western Music and Its
Others: Difference, Representation, and Appropriation in Music, ed. Georgina Born and David
Hesmondhalgh (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000), 234-253.
67 Lisa C. Arkin and Marian Smith, "National Dance in the Romantic Ballet," in Rethinking the Sylph:
Perspectives on the Romantic Ballet, ed. Lynn Garafolo (Middletown: Wesleyan University, 1997).
46
privation in relation to that which is whole.68 Specifically, their article considers the
privations at work in the case of three types of Rowling's characters: Boggarts,
Dementors, and Voldemort. All three of these evils are represented musically in the film
soundtracks by the Harry Potter composers. In "Voldemort, Boethius, and the
Destructive Effects of Evil," Jennifer Hart Weed discusses philosophical implications of
evil on both the recipient and perpetrator.69 This reading provides some background
information that is not readily available in readings about drama and music that typically
only deal with non-threatening forms of magic.
Arjun Appadurai's Modernity at Large speaks: Cultural Dimensions of
Globalization speaks to the ways that culture is experienced, understood, and represented
at a global level.70 Similarly, Dorinne Kondo's About Face: Performing Race in
Fashion and Theater speaks to the ways that culture is represented on the global stage.?l
Similarly, Diamond's "Introduction" to the book Performance and Cultural Politics
discusses how issues of theatrical performance are interrelated with matters of political
and cultural power.72 These readings are useful in addressing issues of representing
musical Britishness for a global audience-especially when composers and directors are
68 David Deave1 and Catherine Deavel, "A Skewed Reflection: The Nature of Evil," in Harry Potter and
Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Bagget and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago: Open Court,
2004),137-147.
69 Jennifer Hart Weed, "Voldemort, Boethius, and the Destructive Effects of Evil," in Harry Potter and
Philosophy: ffAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Bagget and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago: Open Court,
2004),148 -157.
70 Arjun Appadurai, Modernity at Large: Culteral Dimensions ofGlobalization (Minneapolis: University
of Minnesota, 1996).
71 Dorinne Kondo, About Face: Performing Race in Fashion and Theater (New York: Routledge, 1997).
72 Elin Diamond, "Introduction," in Performance and Cultural Politics (London: Routledge, 1996).
47
from different nations and cultures themselves, and producers are working for
commercial gain.
Literature and Folklore
The Harry Potter films reference previous narratives at different levels. First, the
films are directly related to the preexisting novels written by J. K. Rowling. Second,
both the films and Rowling make regular reference to narratives in folklore and
mythology. Several readings from The Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen,
edited by Deborah Carmell and Imelda Whelehan explore issues that are relevant to the
study of Harry Potter as it is represented in film.73 Brian McFarlane's "Reading film
and literature" reviews historic misconceptions about cinematic adaptations of literature
and explores shared ground between film and literature.74 He argues against previous
conceptions that (l) fidelity to literature is a criterion for judgement, (2) film makes
fewer demands on imaginations than books, (3) some works of literature are more
adaptable than others, and explains that (4) adaptation is only one relationship between
film and literature. While I share McFarlane's conclusion that fidelity to preexisting
literature need not be a criterion for measuring film success, I explore in Chapter V how
significant changes between cinematic choices and preexisting literature can reflect
entirely different interpretations about what is represented in the narrative. Additionally,
throughout the following chapters, I examine how the approaches of the different
73 Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan, The Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007).
74 Brian McFarlane, "Reading Film and Literature," in The Cambridge Companion to Literature on
Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007), 15-
28.
48
composers make different kinds of demands on listeners' imaginations. McFarlane's
third point is also relevant to this discussion because different Harry Potter novels
presented different challenges for the different directors. Furthermore, I will discuss later
how mythology (i.e. a different kind of preexisting literature) is represented
cinematically. With regard to shared ground, McFarlane explores how written and
cinematic narratives address temporality, mobility, and revealing the fullness of
characters. While these matters issues are emphasized in both literature and cinema, they
are approached in different ways. I will examine these matters in the Harry Potter films
in Chapter III.
Linda V. Troost's "The nineteenth-century novel on film: Jane Austen," (from
The Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen, already mentioned) discusses three
cinematic styles for representing historic narratives,?5 Her work is relevant to this study
in two ways. First, Rowling's wizarding world exists within a temporal paradigm that
includes closer cultural proximity to historic practices harkening back even to the middle
ages. Second, Rowling has publicly stated her appreciation for Austen, and has modeled
aspects of her Harry Potter novels after Austen's works. Also worth mentioning is the
similar use of music as a social signifier in both Rowling's and Austen's work. This
issue, as it applies to Austen, is addressed in Annette Davison's "High fidelity? Music in
Screen Adaptations."76 Returning to discussion of the former article, Troost contrasts the
so-called "Hollywood" approach to adaptation using the so-called "heritage" approach.
While the Hollywood approach tends to (1) take liberties with plot and settings, (2)
75 Linda V. Troost, "The Nineteenth-century Novel on Film: Jane Austen," in The Cambridge Companion
to Literature on Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2007), 75-89.
76 Annette Davison, "High fidelity? Music in Screen Adaptations," in The Cambridge Companion to
Literature on Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2007), 212-225.
49
idealize time and place, and (3) emphasize impact over authenticity, the heritage
approach tends to (1) adhere to plots and characterizations, (2) emphasize objects and
landscapes of authenticity, and (3) use conservative filming. Although the Hollywood
approach lacks authenticity, the heritage approach lacks sparkle. Troost argues that a
third, more successful, fusion approach has recently emerged that often combines the
authenticity of heritage films-in costuming, location, and scenery-with the reworked
scripts, more sympathetic characterizations, and social commentary relevant to
contemporary times that are common in the Hollywood approach. This argument relates
to the ways that different Harry Potter directors have approached the task of adaptation,
and also how composers have followed suit in the endeavor.
Similarly, 1. Q. Hunter's article "Post-classical fantasy cinema: The Lord ofthe
Rings" argues that post-classical cinema that includes special effects, hyperreallocations,
hyperreal characters, and set-piece action sequences (as does the Harry Potter film series)
also often includes classical elements such as sequential narratives, character-driven
quests, subordination of special effects to the plot, and the achievement of closure in plot
resolutions.77 Unlike McFarlane who argues against the need for fidelity to original
literature, Hunter points out that fidelity is of greater importance in fantasy film that
derives from preexisting material because the fan-base of readers brings enormous
expectations.
Deborah Cartmell, in her article "Adapting children's literature" argues that while
adaptations of unknown books often exceed the popularity and long-term success of the
preexisting work, adaptations of classic and popular literature rarely usurp the popularity
77 I. Q. Hunter, "Post-classical fantasy cinema: The Lord o/the Rings," in The Cambridge Companion to
Literature on Screen, edited by Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2007), 154-166.
50
and success of the preexisting work,78 Specifically, she believes this is true of the Harry
Potter series, and posits two main reasons. First, she believes that initial Harry Potter
films were too cautious in their fidelity to the novels, and therefore lack the polish
possible in the film medium. Second, she posits a trend that contemporary books,
including the Harry Potter novels, are more filmic in their writing than films are in their
cinematic visuals. Arguments such as these that analyze the approaches of Harry Potter
film directors are useful when analyzing the approaches of composers in collaboration
with Harry Potter directors.
Another connection that can easily be made between Rowling's narrative music
and the film scores through the presence of or allusion to musical folklore ofthe British
Isles. One way that folklore is expressed in the text is through fictional ballads and
songs. Wilgus and Toelken's Approaches to Ballad Study helps clarify some of the ways
that lyrics in Rowling's books are representative of Euro-American performance
traditions.?9 Roger Abrahams's and George Foss's Anglo-American Folksong Style
explains traditional differences in ballad sub-genres (e.g. lyric, ballad, and dialogic) and
argues that many ballads use aspects from more than one category.80 This is relevant to
Rowling's fictional ballads which are not clearly in one subgenre. Alan Bold's The
Ballad similarly discusses structural patterns in ballads such as number of stresses per
line and accompanying rhyme schemes. 81 Likewise, Leslie Shepard's work on
broadside ballads analyzes textual and contextual meanings in ballad traditions.82
78 Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan, The Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007).
79 D. K. Wilgus and Barre Toelken, The Ballad and the Scholars: Approaches to Ballad Study (Los
Angeles: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1986).
80 Roger Abrahams and George Foss, Anglo-American Folksong Style (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall,
1968).
51
Whited's "McGonagall's Prophecy Fulfilled" addresses general folklore within
Rowling's novels, as well as popular culture surrounding the books and movies as a
phenomenon.83 John Pennington's critique, "From Elt1and to Hogwarts, or the
Aesthetic Trouble with Harry Potter," challenges Rowling's use of folklore, and
deconstructs issues surrounding the Harry Potter cultural phenomenon.84 Furthermore,
Philip Nel's critique of novel to film translation in "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bored:
Harry Potter, the Movie," further challenges connections between popular culture and
commodification.85 Because the Harry Potter books include references to European folk
music, Jan Ling's historical summary in A History ofEuropean Folk Music is useful for
the cultural allusions in Harry Potter books and films. 86
Humor
One major element in Rowling's novels that has carried through to film versions
is the element of humor. Michael Holquist's discussion of Rabelais in "Rabelais and His
World" addresses the dual nature of the body as both a site of the grotesque and a site of
81 Alan Bold, The Ballad, (London: Methuen, 1979).
82 Leslie Shepard, The Broadside Ballad: A Study in Origins and Meaning (Hatboro: Legacy, 1978).
83 Lana A. Whited, "McGonagall's Prophecy Fulfilled," The Lion and the Unicorn, 27, no. 3 (September
2003): 416-425.
84 John Pennington, "From Elfland to Hogwarts, or the Aesthetic Trouble with Harry Potter," The Lion and
the Unicorn 26 (2002), 78-97.
85 Philip Nel, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bored: Harry Potter, the Movie," Journal ofAdolescent and
Adult Literacy, ed. Lori Norton-Meier (Media Literacy, October 2002).
86 Jan Ling, A History ofEuropean Folk Music (Rochester: University of Rochester, 1997).
52
humor.87 As Rowling's narrative is full of bodily functions used for both shock and
humor, this reading sheds insight into the historical associations and greater meanings in
the ways that bodily humor is represented, and how it is reflected musically. Examples
of this include "Aunt Marge's Waltz" (the music used when Harry's obese Aunt Marge
expands to balloon size), and music that draws attention to other bodily functions such as
passing gas, belching, or the exposure of mucous (i.e. "troll bogies" [sic] in the second
film). 88 Likewise, Thomas Veatch provides formulas in "A Theory of Humor" for
distinguishing how humor is created in Western societies by breaching codes of
conduct.89 A second important element in Rowling's novels is mystery, an issue
addressed in John Granger's The Hidden Key to Harry Potter90 Similarly, Richard
Glover's analysis of narrative metaphoric "echoes" in Rowling's narrative in "Magic
Leaves Traces" relates directly to issues of narrative and musical themes.91
Sources
For this analysis, I use DVD and CD versions of the first five Harry Potter films
(currently released), published reductions and orchestral scores, and in some cases, my
87 Michael Holquist, "Rabelais and His World," in Mikhail Bakhtin, ed. K. Clark and M. Holquist
(Cambridge: Harvard University, 1984),295-320.
88 Although typically referred to as "boogers" in American slang, some British slang, such as "bogies," is
kept in the American publications of the novels, and in the English language versions of the films.
89 Thomas Veatch, "A Theory ofHurnor" Humor, the International Journal ofHumor Research, 11, no. 2
(1998): 161-215.
90 John Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter (Hadlock: Zossima, 2002).
91 Richard A. Glover, "Magic Leaves Traces: Echoes, Reflections, and the Fate of Harry Potter,"
MuggleNet.com, November 13, 2005. http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/editorials/edit-
richardgO l.shtml (accessed 11/22/2005).
53
own transcriptions. Most importantly, Harry Potter films, Harry Potter original
soundtrack recordings, Harry Potter music reductions, and Harry Potter orchestral scores
are used for clarity in analysis. Additionally, Rowling's novels include descriptions of
musical events, and texts for fictional songs that help contextualize her original concepts
for music in Harry Potter. Scores and recordings are used to analyze patterns of
connection between the composers' scores and the directors' films (with consideration of
Rowling's original narrative). Study of these connections reveals musical patterns such
as (1) use ofleitmotif, (2) use of varying instrumental textures, (3) symbolic
representation of folkloric and narrative musical events, (4) subversion of musical clues
that use metaphors to alert audiences to narrative resolutions, (5) use of musical jokes and
or puns independent (and/or only indirectly related to) of the narrative, and (6)
differences in the ways that the politics of the narrative is represented through music in
the film versus musical description in the books.
In each film, the performing forces for the scores most often includes full
orchestra, although some scenes and/or characters are accompanied by subsets of the
orchestra, sometimes joined by a mixed gender choir singing on words and/or vowels.
All three composers use classical cinematic approaches in writing for the Harry Potter
films. 92 As copies of full scores are not publicly available, a full score analysis is not
possible at this time.
Articles about Harry Potter fans and the Harry Potter phenomenon help with
analysis of public reception to Harry Potter books and films. These articles provide
statistics on book and box-office sales, and report on publicity events that reflect and
reinforce the phenomenon. Published interviews with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson,
92 In this case, the term classical refers to dramatic music approaches to cinema developed prior to the
second world war by film composers such as Max Steiner. It is does not refer to either the Classical era of
music (e.g. 1750-1820) nor necessarily to classical music in general. This will be discussed in greater
detail in the Chapter III.
54
Rupert Grint, and other actors in the Harry Potter films, such as those conducted by
Christy Lemire and Emily Listfield, shed insight into production choices and experiences.
For instance, interviews with Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint mention that all have read at
least some of Rowling's original novels, and reveal their experiences growing up in
parallel with the characters they play in the films (i.e. Harry,Hermione, and Ron,
respectively). This information relates to issues of continuity between Rowling's novels
and Warner Bros. movies, and also the ways those actors (who have the most direct
relationship to the story) perceive the evolving narrative. Similarly, interviews with
Harry Potter directors acknowledge production goals and interpretations of the Harry
Potter narrative. For instance, American director Chris Columbus, a self-proclaimed
"Anglophile," emphasizes elements of Britishness and magic when he writes or speaks
about the movies, while British director Mike Newell emphasizes elements of everyday
boarding-school culture and real-world analogies in the narrative. Furthermore,
interviews with composers, such as those for John Williams (although typically for
previous film music work) clarify compositional methods and approaches. Interviews
with J. K. Rowling only sometimes address issues of music, but often give insight into
her goals as a producer of media.
While ideally, analysis considers composers' original intentions, personal
interviews with Harry Potter composers and directors were not available at the time of
this study. However, published statements and interviews given by Harry Potter creators
(including the author, the film directors, the film composers, and actors) are used within
the course of this analysis. Also, I use J. K. Rowling's original books, which are full of
descriptions of musical events, and lyrics for fictional songs, as source material for
Rowling's intentions on how music might function within the narrative. Furthermore, I
55
use notes from personal conversations with Ken Wannberg, who worked as supervising
music editor with John Williams on two of the Harry Potter films.
Scope of the Project
For this project, consideration of music for the films must include consideration
of Rowling's original work with regard to described musical events. While I do not
claim that descriptions of musical events should be analyzed in the same manner as music
in manuscript form, scholars from various disciplines including musicology, performance
practice, ethnomusicology, and folklore agree that descriptions of music provide valuable
information. Music as it relates to the Harry Potter narrative (within the narrative itself)
provides information about performance and aesthetic choices as envisioned by Rowling,
as well as the role of music within her imagined wizarding world. In exploring
Rowling's work, rlimit my focus to examples of music and heightened sound that appear
in her text. I do not interrogate other narrative issues in Rowling's text, such as
interpretations of character development or sociological questions of good and evil, by
comparing them with the ways that these issues are represented by music in films.
Examples of musical events from the first five Harry Potter novels are compared with the
sound tracks from the first five films. Furthermore I use examples from all seven Harry
Potter novels (using examples from novels number six and seven when appropriate) to
support the hypothesis that Rowling's musical events include opportunities for equality
between genders and ages while movie representations of the same musical events often
revert to traditionally hierarchical and male hegemonic models.
Most clearly, analysis of the Harry Potter film music requires consideration of the
five Harry Potter films currently available. Additional resources in this area include
56
published audio recordings and scores. Because full scores of the film soundtracks are
only available for limited viewing in archives, I will only include analysis of full scores
when relevant. However, the focus of this project (i.e. on the dramatic experience created
by the soundtracks) can generally be addressed without full-score analysis. My research
does not consider the film music for the final installments of the Harry Potter saga yet to
be released. In addition to the necessity of this stopping point due to practical time
limitations, conclusion of research with the fifth Harry Potter film follows a natural
boundary within the production periodicity of the franchise. In other words, according to
Warner Bros. statements, there will be no other Harry Potter film composers other than
those who have already worked on the project. As previously stated, composer Nicholas
Hooper returned to the project with director David Yates for the sixth film which was
released in theaters in summer of2009, and composer John Williams is scheduled to
return to the project for the final, two-part movie to be released in 2010 and 2011.
Therefore this research considers Harry Potter film music by all the composers who will
have worked on the films at their conclusion, and considers all but one ofthe
composer/director teams that will have collaborated by the saga's conclusion.
The topical focus of this research is the comparative analysis of film music from
Harry Potter. It is not, however, a comparative analysis of the life work of the three
composers who have contributed to Harry Potter films. Although exploration of
compositional style is important to a comparative analysis of the composers'
contributions, I limit my analytical exploration to their work as presented in the Harry
Potter films, and give only peripheral consideration of the composers' other works as
needed. While existing examination and research on these three composers guides my
investigation, it is beyond the scope of this research to analytically compare each
composer's work on Harry Potter with work for their other projects.
57
Additionally, I investigate collaborative production decisions that affect and are
affected by the film music. Perhaps the most visible collaboration is that between the
composer and the director of each film. Several published interviews include statements
from Harry Potter film directors that outline dramatic goals for each film and articulate
working relationships between the composer and director (and thus between the film
visuals and audio). Again, I limit my investigation to the topic ofthe Harry Potter films,
which includes the contributions of four well-known directors, but does not extend into a
full comparison with other films involving these directors.
The decision to explore music in Harry Potter movies is certainly warranted by
the amazing success achieved by the Harry Potter franchise. However, there will be
many aspects of the Harry Potter franchise, even including music, that I will not address.
In the course of discussing the role of music in these films, it will be necessary to point
out some effective choices made by others in the production ofthese films. It is beyond
the scope of this paper, however, to provide a complete analysis for all roles in the
filmmaking process (e.g. casting, costuming, scenery, camera work, lighting, etc.). Many
popular Harry Potter fan websites provide useful information regarding film productions,
interviews, and public reception, however I will not be addressing the role of these
websites as part of the Harry Potter phenomenon. Likewise, several fan-based garage
bands have adopted wizarding names, and written songs alluding to Harry Potter's world.
Although related to Harry Potter music, I do not include discussion of these bands (or
other musical endeavors, such as the Very Potter Musical) in this paper. Simple video
games with accompanying music exist as extras on the Harry Potter DVDs, but are also
not considered in my analysis. Others tell me that there are more complex Harry Potter
video games available for those acquainted with playstation technology. However, in
58
limiting my focus to the musical scores for the five films, I do not include any music
contributing to the success of these games in my final analysis.
Methodology
Much as I will describe a contour of approaches and effects (i.e., how the styles
align on a spectrum ofpossibilities) between music and visuals in Harry Potter films, so
too will this research examine different methodologies within a contour of approaches in
order to achieve different kinds of results. In Chapter II, I use approaches from
musicology in order to compare the challenges filmmakers encountered, the major
decisions that the filmmakers made, and the responses that filmgoers gave to each of the
first five Harry Potter films. This approach gives us a detailed, foundational picture of
the production history and reception of each film. In Chapters III and IV, I use
methodologies from research on the Classical Hollywood film style to interrogate the
technical, inner-working relationship between music, visuals, and texts in each film.
When we examine the musical plumbing of each film, we are able to clearly see how
music plays an important role in the varied aesthetic styles exhibited in the films. In
Chapters V and VI, I use methodologies from and research on nineteenth and twentieth-
century music for drama in order to explore how the varied musical approaches achieve
and influence the cumulative effect of the drama. When we know how different pieces of
music symbolically create specific narrative motifs over the course of the films, we are
better able to understand the importance of the varied narrative messages that each film
conveys about Rowling's topics of love, loss and death, mystery and the rise of evil,
solidarity and the conquest of evil, and magic and humor. In Chapter VII, I use
epistemological approaches from performance practice, ethnomusicology and
59
anthropology in order to compare how source music examples in the films stack up with
source music descriptions in Rowling's original novels-that is to say, music description
without music notation. When we compare the "when, who, what, where, and how" of
Rowling's music event descriptions with the film representations, we see how some
narrative social messages are altered in the films from Rowling's original intentions in
the books. For instance, when we compare when musical events happen, who performs
music, who listens to music, what performing forces are used, what organization of
performers is used, what direct and indirect affects the music has on the event, we learn
about the social and/or magical powers associated with music-making in the story, and
about who benefits from the power.
Over the course of the chapters, I apply questions from musicology and general
music theory to the history of the Harry Potter film music and the music itself.
Applicable questions include those addressing biographical information about composers,
directors, and J. K. Rowling herself, timelines for major production events for the Harry
Potter franchise, historical and cultural influences on the franchise, and formal and
informal public reception to the Harry Potter novels and films. General music analysis
addresses melodic contour, harmony, rhythm, meter, dynamics, articulations, form and
periodicity, and performing forces in the Harry Potter scores. My theoretical analysis of
this film music is also informed by contemporary music theory methods including
Schenkerian and Neo-Riemannian analysis. 93
Additionally, I investigate the relationship between music, text, and cinema in
films I-V in the Harry Potter series using resources from film theory, philosophy, and
93
One goal of Schenkerian analysis is to reduce compositions to their core pitches. This method can be
useful for comparing leitmotifs that sound different but share many structural pitches. One form ofNeo-
Riemannian analysis shows relationships between parallel harmonies on grids ("Tonnetzen) that may not
otherwise be apparent through a traditional harmonic analysis. I use this method to explain the harmonic
progressions in one of John Williams's pieces for the third film.
60
dance. Questions summarized from the guiding literature on film music history and
analysis include addressing film score performing forces and genre, and contrasts
between silence and sound, and source music (diegetic) and background music (non-
diegetic). Additionally, these methods advocate addressing how music establishes time
and place, transitions scenes, supports actions, connects narrative threads, and facilitates
emotional response. My methods for analyzing musical metaphors in the films are
likewise informed by research in music and movement, such as Damsholt and Duerdon's
guidelines for choreo-musical analysis as it relates to on-screen movement and narrative,
and Larson's suggestions for metaphoric descriptions to explain how the music is
functioning. Using these methods, I will be able to show how the film scores either align
in parallel with cinematic elements or in counterpoint to them.
Although proving intention is not always necessary in music analysis, I follow
epistemological approaches from musicology and ethnomusicology by considering the
intentions of the Harry Potter author, directors, and composers in order to show how the
film music facilitates greater understanding of the films as a whole. Many of these
intentions are found through analysis of published statements. Personal correspondence
with individuals associated with the Harry Potter film music process is used whenever
possible.
Chapter Outline
Following this introduction, Chapter II provides a history of the Harry Potter
franchise as it pertains to film production, film scoring, and reception. I also include a
summarized history of Rowling's work, including a timeline of the books' genesis,
publication, and public reception. In my discussion of Harry Potter movie productions, I
61
examine major production decisions, beginning with production company decisions in
hiring the different directors and composers for the films, filmmaker intentions and
decisions pertaining to film location, set designs, color schema, soundscapes, and musical
approaches. I also include information about the timeline of production, and explore
public reception for each film. I show how filmmaker intentions changed for each film,
how production decisions reflected these changes, and how audiences acknowledged
these changes much as the filmmakers had intended them.
For instance, the first collaborators (director Chris Columbus and composer John
Williams) sought to make a faithful, classic family film with a theatrical score, and
viewers either liked or disliked the first two films based on appreciation of the faithful,
theatrical approach. The second collaborators (director Alfonso Cuar6n and composer
John Williams) sought to make a more independently artistic film that expanded the
dimensions of Harry's world with both visuals and music, and viewers either loved or
hated the third film based on appreciation for the new creative approach that broke
continuity with the first two installments. The third collaborators (director Mike Newell
and Patrick Doyle) sought to scale back the Hollywood-style excesses (in both visuals
and music) in order to emphasize the core human drama of a teenage thriller, and
likewise, viewers liked and disliked the film based on their preference for the new
realistic emphasis (though minus the flourish and panache Cuar6n and Williams had
brought). The fourth collaborators (director David Yates and Nicholas Hooper) sought to
make an emotional, psychological drama depicting Harry's emotional journey, and
viewers responded favorably or not based on appreciation of dramatic nuance (versus
thrilling action). Additionally, I show how viewers and listeners became more and less
receptive to later approaches based on expectations established by the first films.
62
Moreover, I discuss how viewer opinions sometimes changed over the course of the
films.
Chapters III and IV, will explore the roles of music in film as they function within
the Harry Potter films. The roles of music in relationship with film text include
convergence with dialogue, with diegetic sounds, and with narrative subtexts. The roles
ofmusic in relationship with film visuals include setting era and place, depicting the
passage of time, providing transitions between scenes, emphasizing action and
heightening dramatic points, as well as reflecting camera angle and tone color. There is
also a relationship between specific musical events and the soundtrack as a whole, as well
as a relationship between the soundtrack and the general musical knowledge that
audience members bring to their viewing experience. As such, some of the roles of
music with other music include volume level, contrasts between diegetic and non-diegetic
music, connections and disruptions between musical sections, allusions to previously
composed music, and leitmotifs. Tying these relationships together is the emotional
quality that music facilitates for the observer. As a model for finding how the Harry
Potter scores address the matters above, the two parts of Chapters III and IV will examine
how Claudia Gorbman's seven principles of Classical Hollywood style film music are
varied in the first five films.
In Chapter III, I show how music in the first five Harry Potter films establishes
geographical, social, and cultural landscapes, as well as the fantasy dimension.
Moreover, I show how the varied approaches in the first five films establish different
relationships between these landscapes and the viewer. While the music in each film
establishes some sort of landscape for each installment, these landscapes are not always
congruent with those established in previous and later films in the sequence. Moreover,
sometimes the musical approaches involve the audience in the landscapes as observers,
63
while at other times, the musical approaches involve viewers as virtual participants. In
Chapter IV, I show how the Harry Potter film scores carry us from the beginning to end
of each film, indicate the limits of film story in the opening and closing scenes, and
provide continuity, and unity, and showing us what each film is really about. Sometimes
musical markers at film beginnings, endings, and points of continuity are congruent and
symmetrical, while in some films the musical markers are complementary-like yin-yang
opposites.
The next chapters consider how the cumulative work of composers Williams,
Doyle, and Hooper supports important continued narrative themes. In Chapter V and VI,
I analyze how changing musical metaphors for important narrative elements in the scores
from Williams, Doyle, and Hooper overtly change the narrative interpretation of each
film. In part one, I address the series of leitmotifs and major thematic material depicting
Harry's emotional and philosophical world. The discussion of these leitmotifs is
categorized by those depicting love, loss and death, mystery and the rise of evil, and the
conquest of evil. By analyzing the musical metaphors in these leitmotifs, I show how
Harry's feelings of love and loss become more nuanced over the course of the films, how
the representation of death changes from the objective to the emotionally subjective, how
the nature of evil shifts-aligning with varied philosophies of good and evil, and how the
conquest of evil is represented with various qualities of emotional integrity rather than
with wit, skill, or strength.
In Chapter VI, I address motifs, larger themes, and set-pieces that reflect varied
approaches to the roles of magic and fantasy, and to the representation of humor. I show
how the contour of musical approaches over the course of the films directly relates to the
filmmakers' intended emphasis on the fantasy dimension. Furthermore, I show how the
changes to Williams's leitmotif "Hedwig's Theme" over the course of the series indicates
64
shifts in the nature of the fantasy dimension. Additionally, I show how the nature of
humor (i.e., another kind of violation of the rational dimension) changes over the course
of the films with the contour ofmusical approaches-from lighthearted, to bawdy, to
macabre, to satirical forms of humor.
Chapter VII considers how Rowling's descriptions ofmusical folklore and
vernacular music from the Harry Potter novels are represented in film visuals and in film
audio.94 Special attention is given to comparisons between the social messages
suggested by Rowling's descriptions of music and their subsequent representation on
screen. I argue that Rowling's descriptions of musical events suggest a less hierarchical,
more gender-equal environment than has historically existed even in the Western
countries in which her books are perhaps most popular. In contrast, movie
representations ofthe same musical events tend to revert to more hierarchical, male-
dominated models of traditional Western culture.
Because different narrative themes are emphasized with music for each film, the
cumulative experience ofthe films also changes. Over the course of the films, the music
becomes less representative ofmagic, and more representative of the rise of evil and its
conquest. Themes of friendship, mystery, and humor find homes in most ofthe films, but
are emphasized in only some. While all films deal with loss and death, early films
address loss in a more general, removed sense while later films include more specific
representations of death itself. Likewise, research from the second and third chapters
shows how the film music engages viewers at different levels, and engages with the
forms ofeach film to different degrees. A conclusion will synthesize the finished
research and analysis with a brief summary of findings for each film in turn.
94
The tenn "vernacular" is borrowed from the discipline of folklore, and is used to describe musical
practices that are part of everyday life, but fall in the crease between institutional practices (such as western
classical music) and folk traditions. Some examples ofvemacular music in the Harry Potter films include
hymns, marches, and alma mater tunes.
65
CHAPTER II
TRANSFERRING AND TRANSFORMING VISIONS FROM PAGE TO SCREEN: A
HISTORY OF PRODUCTION, AESTHETICS, AND RECEPTION IN THE HARRY
POTTER FILMS
Introduction
Although the films share many traits, the most significant of which is their direct
link to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novel series, the films are also very different from
one another. The differences are due in large part to the four different director/composer
collaborations over the course of the films, as represented in table 2.1.
Table 2.1. Director and composer collaborations for the first five Harry Potter films
Film Title Director Composer Year
l. The Sorcerer's Stone Chris Columbus John Williams 2001
The Chamber ofSecrets Chris Columbus John Williams 2002
2. The Prisoner ofAzkaban Alfonso Cuar6n John Williams 2004
3. The Goblet ofFire Mike Newell Patrick Doyle 2005
4. The Order ofthe Phoenix David Yates Nicholas Hooper 2007
66
Through published statements, I show how each of the four Harry Potter directors
brought a unique perspective to each film-which was then reflected by the three
composers (who also brought unique musical perspectives), and how each approach was
received by audiences, fans, and critics. Although some critics perceived differences in
quality between the films and accompanying film music, the most significant perceived
differences between the films concern the aesthetic styles of narrative visuals and
. .
accompanymg mUSIC.
Any perusal of Harry Potter internet fan site discussions (e.g. HPana, Mugglenet,
the Leaky Cauldron, and so on) reveals that fans, also, perceive strong aesthetic
differences between the different films. 95 On one hand, fans agree that all the films in
the series follow the main events of Rowling's original narrative, that they all belong to
the fantasy geme, and that they become increasingly darker in tone and subject matter
over the course of the series. On the other hand, fans acknowledge subgemes in the
series as well-the first two films are the faithful "classics," the third is the liberally
interpreted "art-film," the fourth is the action-packed "thriller," and the fifth is the
modern psychological, emotional "drama."
Similarly, while all the Harry Potter musical soundtracks use orchestral forces and
have all been described as "colorful," listeners perceive differences between the musical
approaches of each collaboration. As we will see, Williams's music for the first two
films (with Chris Columbus) is often described as theatrically "magical," Williams's
music for the third film (with Alfonso Cuar6n) is hauntingly beautiful and "enchanting,"
Doyle's music for the fourth film is brooding, exciting, and "regal," and Hooper's music
for the fifth film is an energetic and "delicious" stream of consciousness. Table 2.2
95 These perceived difference align with changes in director-that is to say that the frrst two films are
perceived with the same aesthetic and also have the same director. All the other films (i.e. with different
directors) are perceived differently.
67
shows how different reviewers from one website use a variety of adjectives to describe
the music from each of the films. The lists include adjectives used to characterize both
the overall musical content and specific musical themes. Although some words, like
"beautiful," "regal," "dark," and others are used for more than one film, the collection of
adjectives used for each soundtrack is distinct and speaks to some of the ways that
reviewers perceive differences between the musical soundtracks.
Table 2.2 Adjectives used by reviewers to describe thematic music material and overall
music content in the first five Harry Potter soundtracks
Stone Chamber Prisoner Goblet Order
comical beautiful beautiful beautiful celebratory
dramatic colorful classical darker classical
exciting delightful comedic dramatic delicious
glorious fantastical delightful gloomy elegant
grandiose glorious darkest yet grand emotive
magical heroic medieval- jaunty insistent
majestic quirky like less- jaunty
mysterious soarmg moody magical ommous
playful spooky powerful ommous original
poignant vibrant reflective more regal rhythmic
regal scary rich rousmg
robust tender sweepmg soarmg
romantic wacky theatrical
sweepmg wild
threatening
This chart lists adjectives (in alphabetical order) used in music reviews ofthefirstfive Harry Potter film
soundtracks posted on the website Music from the Movies (http://www.musicfromthemovies.com). While
some adjectives (such as "glorious," and "dramatic") are used to describe musicfrom more than one film,
the collection ofadjectives usedfor each musical soundtrack is distinct. This supports my claim that
viewers perceive differences between the different musical soundtracks.
Indeed, the individual tastes of fans tend to align with the aesthetics of one or two,
but not all of the films. Some prefer the fidelity and magic of the earlier films, and
dislike the looser interpretations in the later films. Other fans only tolerate the first, so-
68
called "by-the-numbers" films, but positively engage with the later, darker, more
creatively crafted films. Still others claim that the third (i.e. the middle) film is the only
one of the current five that gets it right, by balancing classicism with creativity. Opinions
about the musical soundtrack tend to align with opinions about each film as a whole. For
instance, one colleague recently claimed to me that the first two films (directed by Chris
Columbus with music by John Williams) are the only ones that interpret the narrative as
he had read it in the Rowling novels-a position I have heard from many others as well.
As such, he adamantly believes that the producers at Warner Brothers should have
retained the services of Columbus and Williams for the rest of the films, arguing that the
series should have been handled like all the other great epic series (e.g. Star Wars, The
Lord ofthe Rings, and so on) that use the same production team throughout. While my
research won't necessarily change his (or any other fan's) opinion, I argue that the
exploration of production changes and public reception in the Harry Potter films is
important exactly because this is the only series of its magnitude that has regularly
changed directors and composers.
Some salient points about the timeline of Rowling's original novels and the
mercurial rise of the Harry Potter phenomenon in general will assist our understanding of
the approaches to aesthetics in the films and the reception to these approaches. Within a
ten year span, Joanne Rowling went from unknown author to millionaire, and her
product, the Harry Potter series, became one of the UK's biggest cultural exports ever.96
Numbers in the millions-inclusive of first print runs of some of the books, subsequent
film budgets, and box office ticket receipts-provide some tangible evidence of the depth
and breadth of the Harry Potter phenomenon and its significant cultural influence on
96 BBC, "The Potter Phenomenon," BBC.com, February 18,2003.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainrnent/820885.stm (accessed March 16,2008).
69
people in contemporary times. I summarize the main events in the genesis and
publication timeline of the books, and the aspects of reception to the books that created a
worldwide stir in the following list of significant statistics and key events in the history
and timeline of Harry Potter (adapted from Susan Gunelius).97
• 1990, July: J. K. Rowling begins writing Harry Potter (in note form) while on a train
from Manchester to London
• 1995, December: J. K. Rowling completes the final manuscript for Harry Potter and
the Philosopher's Stone. Twelve publishers passed on Rowling's book, including
Penguin, Transworld, and HarperCollins
• 1996, February: J. K. Rowling signs a contract with Christopher Little Literary
Agency. Later that year, Bloomsbury pays Rowling a $6,500 advance in order to
publish the book.
• 1997, June: Harry Potter and the Philospher 's Stone is released in Britain.
Bloomsbury auctions off the rights to publish the book in the United States. Arthur
Levine (Scholastic) wins the bid for an unprecedented $105,000.
• 1997, November: Rowling's work wins the first of many prizes: the prestigious
Smarties Book Award.98
• 1998, July: Book two, Harry Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets, is released in
Britain. One month later, the renamed first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone, is released in the United States.
• 1998, October: J. K. Rowling agrees to sell the film and merchandising rights for the
Harry Potter franchise to Warner Brothers. The contract stipulates that Rowling
would maintain some decision-making authority.99
97 Susan Gunelius, Harry Potter: The Story ofa Global Business Phenomenon (New York: Palgrave
Macmillan, 2008), 9-10, 23-24.
98 BBe, "The Potter Phenomenon," BBe News, February 18,2003.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/820885.stm (accessed March 16, 2008).
991bid.
70
• 1999, June: Book two is released in the United States. Later in the summer, book
three, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban, is released first in Britain then in the
United States.
• 1999, October: A group of parents in the US accuse the books of depicting "sheer
evil." Select school and church authorities in both the United States and Britain make
moves to keep the books off of school library bookshelves and out of the
classroom. 100
• 2000, June: Queen Elizabeth II names Rowling an Officer of the Order of the British
Empire.
• 2000, July: Book four, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, is released
simultaneously in Britain and the United States at midnight on July 8.
• 2001, November: The first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is released
around the world.
• 2002, November: The second movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets,
opens in theaters.
• 2003, June: Book five, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix, is released
simultaneously in Britain and the United States at midnight on June 21.
• 2004, early: J. K. Rowling launches her website at www.jkrowling.com. Millions of
official and unofficial web pages are now related to the Harry Potter phenomenon,
from publisher and producer sites, to fan sites, fan fiction, role playing, and fan
bands, to conventions, and vacations and tours. 101
• 2004, June: The third movie, Harry Potter and the Pisoner ofAzkaban, opens in
theaters.
• 2005, July: Book six, Harry Potter and the Hal.fBlood Prince, is released
simultaneously in Britain and the United States at midnight on July 16. In the United
States, the book becomes the best-selling novel of2005. 102
100 Ibid.
101 Susan Gunelius, Harry Potter: The Story ofa Global Business Phenomenon, 103, 120.
102 BBC, "Potter is US best-seller of2005," BBe News, January 7, 2006.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4590140.stm (accessed January 11,2006).
71
• 2005, November: The fourth movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, opens in
theaters.
• 2006, April: An asteroid is named after Rowling. The following month, a newly
discovered pachycephalosaurid dinosaur is named Dracorex hogwartsia in reference
to Rowling's wizarding world.
• 2007, May: Warner Brothers and Rowling reach an agreement on plans for a Harry
Potter theme park.
• 2007, July: The fifth movie, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix, opens in
theaters. The seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is released
simultaneously in Britain and the United States at midnight on July 21.
• The first five Harry Potter films earned worldwide box office grosses of over $4
billion.
• Over 400 million copies of the seven books in the Harry Potter series have been sold
worlwide.
• The Harry Potter books have been translated into 64 languages.
• J. Rowling is estimated to be worth over $1 billion, more than Queen Elizabeth II.
• 2009, July: The sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, opens in
theaters.
• 2010: The seventh movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I, is
scheduled to open in theaters.
• 2011: The eighth movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, is scheduled
to open in theaters.
One intriguing element of the book and film timelines, as shown above, is that no
one aside from Rowling knew how the books would end at the time that the film series
began. This tension of the unknown created a dynamic relationship between the
publication of the books and films. As one blogger pointed out, there has been a great
synergy between the movie and publishing business,
72
The books therefore became more of a craze with the release of the
movies, which then amplified the desire for future movies.... [which]
themselves represent an interesting experiment. ..as the series has
experienced four very different directors, each surprisingly lending a
unique touch to the series.103
Producer David Barron confirmed the intention for the different feel of each Harry Potter
film when he spoke retrospectively about the five available films, saying,
I think they have to feel like different films.... It's very important to us
that they are very different films, and it would be to the audience. Jo
[Rowling], again in speaking to the way she approaches the books tonally,
always makes them different, which is why they're always exciting to
read. It's not that difficult to make the films different, because we start
with source material that is the same, but different. 104
Similarly, a Los Angeles Times article noted the synergy between the different movies
themselves.
Viewed as a whole, the Potter movies are shaping up to be a fascinating
experiment in big-budget filmmaking. Using the same J.K. Rowling
source material, the same screenwriter (the excellent Steve Kloves)105 ,
largely the same cast but a variety of directors, the Potter pictures have
ended up reflecting the sensibility of their filmmaker more than that of the
author. 106
103 Ted Pigeon, "Great Movies Can Come From Anywhere," The Ted Pigeon Blogspot, entry posted July
23, 2007, http://tedpigeon.blogspot.com/2007107Inot-every-movie-can-be-great-but-great.html (accessed
March 18, 2008).
104 Movie Magic, "Countdown to The Half-Blood Prince!" Life Story, October 6,2008, 15.
105 Steve Kloves wrote for the fIrst four fIlms, Michael Goldenburg wrote for the fIfth fIlm, and Kloves
retumeed to write for the fInal installments.
106 Kenneth Turan, '''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' movie review." Los Angeles Times, November
17, 2005. http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/turan/cl-et-harrypotterI8nov18,0,41 0738.story (accessed
March 10, 2008).
73
Table 2.3 gives us another perspective of the synergy between Harry Potter books
and films. As we can see from the timeline, books and films were released in tandem,
and new filming often began as previous films were released (and sometimes before). In
the endeavor to capitalize on the story's popularity, the first films were released before
the series had been completely finished.
Table 2.3. Timeline of Harry Potter book releases, filming, and film releases
Year
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Books released Filming begins Films released
The Philosopher's Stone (UK)
The Chamber ofSecrets (UK)
The Sorcerer's Stone (US)
The Chamber ofSecrets (US)
The Prisoner ofAzkaban
The Goblet ofFire The Sorcerer's Stone
The Chamber ofSecrets The Sorcerer's Stone
The Chamber ofSecrets
The Order ofthe Phoenix The Prisoner ofAzkaban
The Goblet ofFire The Prisoner ofAzkaban
The Half-Blood Prince The Goblet ofFire
The Order ofthe Phoenix
The Deathly Hallows The Half-Blood Prince The Order ofthe Phoenix
2009
2010
2011
The Deathly Hallows, Parts I-II The Half-Blood Prince
The Deathly Hallows, I
The Deathly Hallows, II
This table shows the timeline relationship between the release ofthe Harry Potter novels, the creation of
the Harry Potter films, and the release ofthe Harry Potter films. The information here supports others
claims ofa dialectic exchange between fan anticipation for both books andfilms. Additionally one can see,
filming began before the series ofnovels had been completed.. Moreover, filming began for some ofthe
films before the previous film had been released.
As others have pointed out, regardless of the staying power of the series, the
Harry Potter phenomenon-both as books and films-has been recorded as an experience
74
of this moment in time. Like a cultural fly in amber, no other generation will read the
books without knowing how the series ends. Likewise, we are, right now, in an 00-
reproducible, liminal time in which we do not know how the narrative will be represented
in the versions of the final films. One aspect of the media versions that deserves
consideration is the role of music as interpretive accomplice for the Harry Potter films
that have been seen by so many. In this chapter, I explore responses to the musical
soundtracks as they were released and compared later to the subsequent sooodtracks.
Like so many literary adaptations, it would have been impossible for any of the
Harry Potter films to capture all of the descriptive richness, the detailed complexity, and
the nuanced subtlety of Rowling's novels in a two-hour cinematic experience. As such,
each Harry Potter director had to make choices about what narrative elements to
emphasize and how these elements should be presented cinematically. Likewise, each
Harry Potter composer made choices about which kind of music to write and how it
would be applied to the narrative in order to support the director's goals. What were
these goals? How did they decide? What choices did they make to manifest these goals?
How did each director/composer team choose differently? How did audiences respond to
these choices? How do the different approaches resonate with different audience
members and critics?
In a statement that may be applied to all of the Potter films, screenwriter Michael
Goldenburg spoke about how the fifth film was created based on personal interpretations
that eventually appeared in public media.
You start with something that's intensely private, an image in your head
that then gets translated as best you can. There's always something lost in
translation. Then it gets passed on to your collaborators, and they add their
input and ideas and then it gets made real: turned into sets and costumes
and lights and then that gets put on film and then digitized and tweaked
and then that gets proj ected onto a screen and ends up as a memory in
75
somebody else's head. It goes from a very private place to the most public,
and then finally ends again in the privacy of someone else's head. And
then you meet one of those people and they have a look in their eye: They
were moved, and they connected, and you see that and realize just how
extraordinary a process this is and how fortunate we are to be able to do it.
It's quite surreal, and it's about connecting with people in the same way
that Harry connects at the end of this film. 107
In other words, the product of each film is comprised of an un-countable number of
personal choices made by a myriad of individuals involved with the project. Then, the
film is watched by millions of people who bring an un-countable number of personal
expectations and interpretations of the film. These countless choices and interpretations
form the patterns that are the basis for this chapter on history, general aesthetics, and
reception.
This chapter shows some of the ways that these personal interpretations of
Rowling's novels manifested in the completed five films, and explores how audiences
tended to respond. In this chapter, I focus on the major aesthetic choices for film visuals
and music made by the film directors and composers. I also include some information
about major choices regarding set design, costuming, special effects, and lighting because
these areas relate so directly to the visual experience of each film. When possible, I use
published statements of intent made by Harry Potter producers, directors, and composers.
I also consider audience reception-following the theory that effect is equally if not more
important than intent-and cite quantitative figures such as box-office ticket revenues
and critical scores, as well as qualitative statements made by film critics and fans.
Additionally, I show how trends in audience reception appear to influence major changes
in production aesthetics, and vice-versa.
107 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon. com, July 11, 2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/jeature/2007/07/ll/goldenberg_qa/indexl.html (accessed July 7, 2008).
76
My discussion of history, aesthetic choice, and reception follows the timeline of
filming, post-production, release, and reception of each film in tum, starting with The
Sorcerer's Stone (2001), then The Chamber ofSecrets (2002), The Prisoner ofAzkaban
(2004), The Goblet ofFire (2005), and The Order ofthe Phoenix (2007). Additionally, I
include relevant biographical information about each film's composer (John Williams for
movies I-III, Patrick Doyle for movie IV, and Nicholas Hooper for movie V). More
substantial biographical information on both the Harry Potter composers and directors is
found in the appendix.
The background information presented here on the topic ofHarry Potter books
and films serves as a supportive foundation for arguments made throughout this
dissertation-that the films look, sound, and feel different from one another, which is a
result of different production choices, subsequently resulting in different cinematic
messages. These choices began with producers who chose each director based on his
individual skills and reputation, continued with directors who made unique interpretive
choices regarding how to either transfer or transform the narrative from page to screen,
and continued further with composers (often chosen by directors, but approved by the
producers) who reflected and reinforced the intended interpretations with musical
accompaniment. As we will see, fan expectation and reception also played a role in the
way that filmmakers approached each of the films.
This chapter argues the following quantitative and qualititative points regarding
aesthetic continuity and change in the Harry Potter phenomenon. First, Warner Brothers
put a lot of faith in the Harry Potter film franchise, and this faith paid off in financially
tangible ways. Each of the films had a budget of 100 million dollars or more. Directors,
composers, and actors with name-recognition were chosen for the first films. Rowling's
contract stipulated that she would retain some control over the film product, and she
77
worked alongside the filmmakers in order to ensure that the films were in line with the
stories and messages that she put forth in her books. Although all of the films have
family-friendly ratings (e.g., PG and PG13), all of the films are also over two hours in
length, with some being closer to two and one-half hours in length-a length that is
longer than the standard youth-oriented blockbuster, and a length that requires a higher
budget than shorter films. In response, fans came to the films in droves (not only the first
film, but those that followed), each film brought in receipts in the hundreds of millions of
dollars (the lowest at just under $800,000,000, and the highest at just under one billion
dollars), and each production team received favorable critical reviews and accolades from
awards associations.
Table 2.4. A summary comparison of production and reception statistics from the first
five Harry Potter films
Film Number: I IT III IV Y
Director: C. Columbus C. Columbus A. Cuar6n M. Newell D. Yates
Composer: J. Williams J. Williams J. Williams P. Doyle N. Hooper
Budget: $125 million $100 million $130 million $150 million $150-200 million
Running Time: 146 minutes 156 minutes 136 minutes 150 minutes 132 minutes
Revenue: $976.5 million $879.0 million $795.5 million $896.0 million $938.0 million
Nominations: 62 39 43 38 39
Awards received: 13 9 10 9 10
Even so, we can see many differences in the details of these production choices
and reception ofthese choices. Film budgets ranged from 100 million to 200 million
dollars-all very large numbers, but some double the amount of others. The film
directors and composers each came from significantly different backgrounds and had
78
different working relationships with each other. Moreover, the different collaborators
interpreted Rowling's work and used her advice for different means and ends-some
sticking with her original work, some developing it, and some adding to it. Although the
lengths of the films range from 132-156 minutes, these ranges are not necessarily relative
to the length of the source novel. For instance, The Order ofthe Phoenix (at 132 minutes
in film) is a longer novel than The Goblet ofFire (at 150 minutes in film). Although all
of the films earned millions of dollars (i.e., all the films are significantly successful), the
difference between the highest and lowest grossing Harry Potter film is nearly $200
million (i.e., also a significant difference). 108 Additionally, while each of the films won
between nine and thirteen critical awards, some received nearly double the number of
nominations that others received (e.g., sixty-two nominations for the first film, versus
thirty-eight for the fourth film).
Second, Warner Brothers producers continued Rowling's titles and main themes
for each film (e.g., bringing continuity), while simultaneously their directors (and
likewise their composers) brought different skills, experiences, and ideals to the project,
which resulted in aesthetic choices unique to each collaboration (e.g., establishing change
within continuity). Practically speaking, each of the directors chose to focus on only
some of Rowling's narrative themes, but not all. Moreover, viewers (with a myriad of
interpretations of Rowling's original narrative) responded to the different film
adaptations either positively or negatively based on how closely the aesthetic choices met
personal needs for literary fidelity and narrative continuity. These positive and negative
responses influenced subsequent production choices. Furthermore, as we will discover,
these responses sometimes change either (positively or negatively) as fans compare
earlier approaches with later approaches.
108 Box Office Mojo, "All Time Box Office Worlwide Grosses," BoxOfficeMojo.com. http://boxoffice
mojo.com/alltime/world (accessed September 15,2009).
79
In the course of discussing each film in turn, I show how each production team
brought different experiences and differing aesthetic ideals to their work on the Harry
Potter films. Furthermore, I discuss formal and informal reception for each film, relating
to my claims that the Harry Potter phenomenon has reached and influenced a generation
of individuals and that viewers among those individuals have been sensitive to aesthetic
choices made in the films. A final summary and conclusion will follow at the end of the
chapter.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Production History and Aesthetic Choices
The movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) is based on Rowling's
novel of same name (published in 1997). In the late 1990s, producer David Heyman
brought the project to Warner Brothers after searching for a children's book to make into
a movie. The company sealed a deal with Rowling in 1998 and ultimately bought the
film rights to the book in 1999 for one-million pounds ($1,982,900). Production on the
film began in 2000, and the movie was released in 2001. The approximate film budget of
125 million (U.S. dollars) was nearly repaid with the enormously succesful opening-
weekend box-office seats alone. The following paragraphs describe the journey of the
narrative from page to screen.
Several directors were considered for the project, and had anyone of them been
chosen in lieu of Chris Columbus, the first film might have been presented quite
differently. Steven Spielberg (known for his direction of post-classical, special-effects
driven, fantasy adventures, and a frequent collaborator with John Williams) was
80
originally considered for the role of director, but his ideas for the film were not congruent
with Warner Brothers's long-term goals for the project nor with Rowling's interests in
cinematic fidelity to her British-grounded narrative, and he ultimately backed away from
the project in favor of other more immediate offers. Had Spielberg been hired as
director, the Harry Potter film(s) would have looked different. For instance, he
envisioned the first film as an animated cartoon, voiced by American actor Haley Joel
Osmont, and he preferred to condense the narrative using themes from other Potter
novels. I include this information as a reminder that directors and other collaborators
make choices about how to represent the narrative-lest it be easy to forget when
addressing a product retrospectively (i.e. when choices seem obvious, intuitive, or as
foregone conclusions). Though Rowling had no role in choosing the director, her own
preference from the short list was Terry Gilliam of "Monty Python" fame-a choice that
would also likely have produced an entirely different representation based on Gilliam's
previous topsy-turvy, avant-garde work in British comedy.
In the end, Warner Brothers producers chose American director Chris Columbus,
known for his work with Spielberg and for his own family-friendly pictures such as
Home Alone. 109 Rowling was named the film's Executive Producer, allowing her to
maintain significant creative control over her narrative (that was not yet finished as a
series in written form). I 10 Columbus welcomed Rowling's assistance and vowed to
represent her narrative faithfully. Although Columbus's work had not reached the level
of success or acclaim experienced by other directors under consideration (such as
Spielberg or Gilliam), his up-and-coming status may have motivated a greater willingness
109 See Appendix A for a more detailed account of Columbus's film biography.
110 Brian Linder, "Chris Columbus Talks Potter," IGN.com, March 30, 2000.
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/034/034099pl.html (accessed July 8, 2007).
81
to cooperate with the author's and the studio's ideals. Warner Brothers officials (such as
Lorenzo di Bonaventura) stood by their conservative choice:
Harry Potter is the kind of timeless literary achievement that comes
around once in a lifetime. Since the books have generated such a
passionate following across the world, it was important to us to find a
director that has an affinity for both children and magic. I can't think of
anyone more ideally suited for this job than Chris.111
In other words, the choice of Chris Columbus as director reflects both the desire of the
studio to produce a blockbuster family film, and the desire of Rowling to maintain some
creative control. From this perspective, it is clear that the producers themselves decided
what kind of film aesthetic the first Harry Potter movie would have.
Potter fans, who had by then developed feelings of ownership toward the Potter
narrative, expressed differing views on the selection of Chris Columbus. While some
rejoiced that the film would be given A-level attention, other's worried whether
Columbus's experience was up to the task of their expectations. Columbus's own
reassuring statements must have assuaged some when he explained his interests in Harry
Potter by saying, "From the first time I read Harry Potter with my children, I fell in love
with these characters and this world," and "I've been passionate about this material for so
long."112
Columbus's vision included a two-hour length film which clarified Harry's
experiences in the magical and non-magical world. Muggle scenes (i.e. non-magical)
were to be "bleak and dreary," while Wizard-world scenes would be "steeped in color,
III Ibid.
112 BBC, "The Potter Phenomenon," BBC.com, February 18,2003.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/820885.stm(accessedMarch16,2008).Brian Linder, "Chris
Columbus Talks Potter," IGN.com, March 30, 2000. http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/034/034099pl.html
(accessed July 8, 2007).
82
mood, and detail."113 This dichotomy matches Williams's music-to-magic paradigm
(described in the Introduction) in which Muggle scenes have no musical accompaniment
until magical elements are introduced into the narrative. American screenwriter Steve
Kloves adapted the narrative for film, producing a script that has been heralded as
"faithful" to the novel by critics, though there are some details and dialogue that are
changed in order to effectively represent the story in cinematic form. The running time
ofthe finished film is 146 minutes (i.e. nearly two and one-half hours).
Though the film is certainly in the standard Hollywood style, Columbus used
British-style films and specifically, British literary adaptations as models. He claimed
inspiration from 1940s British director David Lean who had adapted Great Expectations
and Oliver Twist (with scores by classically trained composers Walter Goehr and Arnold
Bax, respectively) and color designs used in Oliver! and The Godfather which expressed
"that sort ofdarkness, that sort of edge, that quality to the cinematography.11114 The color
palette observed in Columbus's work seems to follow suit. Outdoor scenes in the first
and second Potter films are filled with saturated, contrasting colors, while scenes inside
the parchment-colored walls of Hogwarts castle are often filtered with an amber glow.
Likewise, some of the costuming and set designs for the magical world reference
Dickensian era aesthetics.
Fans specifically inquired about Columbus's ability to represent the Wizard sport
Quidditch in his film-clearly requiring special visual effects to show characters playing
113 Jeff Jensen and Daniel Fierman. "Inside Harry Potter," Entertainment Weekly, September 14,2001.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..254808.00.html (accessed September 17,2007).
114 Brian Linder, "Chris Columbus Talks Potter," IGN.com, March 30, 2000.
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/034/034099pl.html (accessed July 8, 2007). David Lean also famously
directed epic films such as Lawrence ofArabia and Doctor Zhivago. Although the American director
Columbus followed British models, the British directors for the later Potter films brought different
approaches.
83
a potentially violent game (with elements of hockey, baseball, and basketball) while
flying on supercharged broomsticks. Columbus again reassured fans, "The Quidditch
match will be one of the visual highlights of the movie. We will take you places in that
match that you've never been before in a theater. "115 As we will see, the Quidditch scene
was well received by audiences and critics. Additionally, I analyze musical portions of
the Quidditch scene in the following chapter to show how music follows the form of the
scene in order to clarify and interpret narrative ideas-adding to the success of the scene
as a whole.
Along with Columbus's role as the first director on the project came the
responsibility of choosing the cast. It was Rowling's decision that the cast be entirely
British, with exceptions made for Irish actors such as Richard Harris, and actors from
other European countries as described in the later narrative The Goblet ofFire (which
includes characters from Bulgaria, France, and other nations). This decision directly
affected the soundscape of the dialogue in the film, as all actors use their original
accents. I 16
Columbus was completely compliant, stating, "It's essential to find a British boy
to play Harry. We really have to be incredibly faithful and true to the book. Rowling
wrote Harry as a British boy, and it's important we honor the original vision."117 As a
point of research, it is relevant to acknowledge that neither of Columbus's latter
statements are absolute. Literary film theorist Brian McFarlane reminds that narrative
ll5 Ibid.
116 There are two exceptions to this statement in later films, in which actors choose from among accents
that are comfortable for them. Michael Gambon assumes an Irish accent, though he often plays roles
without it, and Frances de la Tour assumes a French accent, though she also often plays roles with a
standard English accent.
117 Brian Linder, "Chris Columbus Talks Potter," IGN.com, March 30, 2000.
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/034/034099pl.html (accessed July 8, 2007).
84
fidelity to literary models need not be a criterion for measuring film success. While it is
reasonable that Columbus chose to follow Rowling's wishes for a British cast (inclusive
of British leads), and perhaps it was even stipulated in his contract for him to do so, it
was also a choice over which the studio had control. Moreover, Columbus made choices
regarding the level of name recognition among British actors with which he wanted to
load the cast list. I18
The child leads were chosen from an open casting-call of thousands, though only
British children were considered. Little-known Daniel Radcliffe and newcomers Rupert
Grint and Emma Watson were chosen to play Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley
and Hermione Granger respectively. Many in the adult cast are among the who's who of
British/Irish film-Richard Harris, Maggie Smith (who was Rowling's personal choice
for the part of Professor McGonagall),119 Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltraine, and (though
they were hired for later Potter films) Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs, Emma Thompson,
Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunten, Ralph Fiennes, and Gary Oldman, among
others. 120 All the above listed actors, with the exception of the late Richard Harris,
continued their roles in successive films as the narrative prescribed. By hiring such a
well-known adult cast, Columbus likely affected the quality of the film's drama, and
certainly affected the viewer expectation about the quality ofthe film's drama. Critic
Richard Corliss commented on Columbus's approach and casting decisions,
118
Furthermore, filmmakers made choices about the animals at Hogwarts. Hagrid's dog "Fang" is a
Boarhound in the books and a Neapolitan Mastiff in the films. Sirius Black's animagus form changes from
a black mutt (perhaps a German Shepard mix) in the third film to a Scottish Deerhound in the fifth film.
119IMDb, "Author's Favorites Cast For Harry Potter,", Internet Movie Database, August, 14,2000.
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0056246/ (accessed July, 9, 2007).
120 Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunten, Gary Oldman, and Ralph Fiennes were
chosen by subsequent directors ofHarry Potter films.
85
How to make a film out of such a cinematic experience that 100 million
readers have seen in their minds' eyes? Either by transferring it, like a
lavishly illustrated volume of Dickens, or transforming it with a new
vision. Columbus, along with screenwriter Steve Kloves and the Potter
production team, chose Column A and made a handsomely faithful
version, with actors smartly cast to type. 121
Likewise, Columbus chose to film the movie on location in the UK, using
Leavesdon Film Studios as well as several historic buildings which represented different
areas of the Hogwarts Castle: including Alnwick Castle, Gloucester Cathedral, Durham
Cathedral, Oxford Divinity School, and Duke Humfrey Library. Additionally, some
street scenes and King's Cross railway station scenes were shot on location. When we
later examine the close, detailed relationships between music and visuals, we may also
remember that there are broad relationships between visuals and music-that is to say, a
relationship affected by the visual landscape as a whole. As we will see in the next
chapter, composers created a musical landscape to reflect the visual landscape. When the
visual landscape includes authentic British scenery and monuments, it affects the way we
hear the accompanying music.
Indeed, even though Columbus is known for directing films in the Hollywood
style (which tends to value impact over authenticity for literary adaptations), he made
choices which align with what Linda Troost describes as the "heritage" approach by
adhering to plots and characterizations, and emphasizing the authenticity of objects and
landscapes. 122 By transferring (rather than transforming) the narrative to film, Columbus
121 Richard Corliss, "Wizardry without Magic," Time, November 19, 200l.
http://www.time.com/time/2001/harrypotter/review.html (accessed July 9,2007).
122 Linda V. Troost, "The nineteenth-century novel on film: Jane Austen," in The Cambridge Companion
to Literature on Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2007), 75-89.
86
recognized the important relationship between fidelity and fan expectation, and thus
created an opportunity for fan readers to experience a continuity and familiarity with the
published books. 123 By casting adult actors from the pantheon of British stage and
screen performances, Columbus also created an opportunity for film goers to similarly
experience a continuity and familiarity with other British filmed narratives.
However, there were also ways that Columbus followed the standard Hollywood
model of dazzling spectacle. Nearly six-hundred special effects shots were created by
several companies including Industrial Light & Magic, Rhythm & Hues, and Sony
Pictures Imageworks. Some notable special effects include the representation of
characters on flying brooms, transluscent ghosts, moving staircases, and computer-
generated images of a towering mountain troll and the parasitic face of Voldemort on the
back of Professor Quirrell's head. Though some of these special effects effectively occur
without notice-such as those helping the representation of broom flight and of
transluscent ghosts, others read less realistically or seem more contrived-such as the
representation of the moving staircases, the mountain troll and the parasitic face of
Voldemort. To be fair, however, the level of realism in the special effects is appropriate
to the intended younger target audience. 124
The music for the film also follows a standard Hollywood model, and was created
by the American master of Classic Hollywood style, John Williams himself. Director
Chris Columbus explained his motivation for choosing Williams in liner notes to The
Sorcerer's Stone soundtrack:
123 I. Q. Hunter argues that literary fidelity is of greater importance in fantasy film because readers bring
enonnous expectations. I. Q. Hunter, "Post-classical fantasy cinema: The Lord o/the Rings," in The
Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2007),154-166.
124 The character Harry Potter is eleven years old in this film, and thus it is reasonable that the target
audience is around the same age.
87
When I began the process ofturning "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's
Stone" into a film, my one goal was to remain true and faithful to the spirit
of the book. that meant shooting the entire picture in England, casting all
British actors and not straying far from the original text of the novel. It
also meant choosing a composer whose music could capture the richness
and texture of this complex, imaginative story. I felt there was only one
man who could accomplish this. John Williams.
Williams has famously written music for several epic endeavors in Hollywood, and
therefore his involvement with the Harry Potter saga is fitting. Furthermore, the pairing
of an established icon of Hollywood film music (namely Williams) with the less
established Hollywood director over twenty-five years his junior (namely Columbus) is
likely a commercially responsible decision. Furthermore, Williams had worked with
Columbus ten years prior to their collaboration on the Harry Potter project. However,
again I challenge Columbus's assertion that only one man, an American composer, could
accomplish the representation of a British story. That is to say that Columbus's decision
to work with Williams is another example of choice that helped to determine the overall
aesthetic of the first film.
Composer Background: John Towner Williams
Although Williams's work is well-known, a review of some key points will allow
us to compare the biographies, backgrounds, and compositional styles ofthe three
composers in consideration. As such, let us consider Williams's biography, musical
background, and work in film in the context of the Harry Potter series. Born in 1932 in
New York, John Williams is the oldest composer to work on the Harry Potter films, and
88
the only American. Both Doyle and Hooper are decades younger than Williams, and
were born in the United Kingdom.
Williams was surrounded by pop, jazz, and film music from an early age due to
his father's professional associations. When the family moved to California, his father
freelanced as a percussionist for Hollywood orchestras. The musical atmosphere of
Williams's childhood may account for his early interest in film composition as well as his
aptitude for attaining the Classical Hollywood style (i.e., the dramatic style of film music
composition during the golden age of cinema, to be discussed in the following chapter),
which came to the fore during Williams's formative years. As we will see, the
subsequent Harry Potter composers, Doyle and Hooper, came to film music composition
by much different routes.
As a child, Williams learned piano, then trumpet, trombone, and clarinet. Some
of his first compositions were for high school band. He continued to compose and
arrange music for military band during his service in the Air Force during the Korean
War. We hear Williams's experience with and affinity for brass, woodwinds, and
percussion in the fluid ways that he incorporates these instruments into the foreground of
his symphonic film scores, Harry Potter included. In contrast, Doyle and Hooper do not
have brass or American band backgrounds, and do not feature these instruments in their
background music for Harry Potter.
During his time at university, Williams studied composition and piano with
international musicians Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Rosina Lhevinne-which
broadened his horizons toward European styles-and performed as a jazz pianist in New
York night clubs-which broadened his experiences in American popular music.
Although Williams is best known for his lyric, classical-sounding film scores, the Harry
Potter film scores (especially for the third movie) allowed him to show off his comfort in
I
I
89
different musical idioms, especially jazz. 125 In contrast, while Doyle and Hooper also
incorporate other musical idioms beyond classical-sounding music, neither incorporates
h A . 'd' . 126t e mencan 1 10m Jazz.
Following his graduation from Juilliard, Williams worked for and with master
film composers in Hollywood in the Classical Hollywood style, Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard
Hermann, and Alfred Newman. These experiences paved the way for Williams's solo
career, and influenced his own style of composition following the models of his mentors.
His began his solo composition career in film in 1960, making him the longest-working
composer among the Potter composers, in addition to being the oldest.
Williams is also the most famous of the three Potter composers. Among the three,
Williams has worked on the most number of films and received the most number of
awards. In truth, Williams may be the most famous of all modem American film
composers-even those who do not follow the trends of film music know one name:
John Williams. As such, Williams's association with a film project brings both a
presumed predictability of style and the predictability of success. A fuller account of
Williams's biography as it pertains to his work on the Harry Potter films is included in
the appendix.
Although Williams tends not to read source literature prior to working on a film
score (preferring instead to replicate the immediate reaction that many viewers
experience) he did read Rowling's Harry Potter before production, explaining, "I have
grandchildren who read them [the Harry Potter books] and love them. I have children
125 Some compare the inclusion ofjazz in the Harry Potter scores to the inclusion of the "Cantina Theme"
in Star Wars.
126
Nicholas Hooper's music for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince does include two pieces that
evoke American jazz-"Wizard Wheezes" includes big-band and Latin jazz, and "The Slug Party" evokes
Latin jazz. However, "Wizard Wheezes" appears only on the CD, and was not included in the film.
90
who read them and love them. In my family, there are three generations of American
people enjoying Rowling." 127 In congruency with Columbus's vision, Williams reported
that music for The Sorcerer's Stone would naturally be "theatrical, magical and to capture
a child's sense of wonder in the world."128 While this complementary vision is logical, it
also reflects aesthetic choices. As we will see, composers for the later films did not
emphasize the naturally theatrical, magical, or child-hood wonder elements with their
music.
The musical score includes several leitmotifs in Williams's signature style, and
one overarching musical theme called "Hewig's Theme" that represents Harry's new and
wondrous experiences in the magical Wizarding world. In a theatrical, almost cartoonish
style, many musical events parallel visual events in the film, and narrative ideas (in
general) are musically represented with traditional theatrical codes-among the most
important of which is the representation of magic, with instrumental signifiers such as
celeste, harp, and disembodied choral voices. 129
Williams wrote the score at his homes in Los Angeles and Tanglewood, then
recorded the music (conducting it himself) in London in August 2001 with
instrumentalists from Abbey Road and AIR Lyndhurst Studios. 130 The soundtrack also
includes chorus work by the London Voices. Randy Kerber is given special mention as
celeste soloist.
127 William Darby and Jack Du Bois, American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques, Trends, 1915-
1990 (Jefferson: MacFarland, 1990),523. "John Williams (composer)," Angel Fire.
http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/cookarama/williams.html (accessed December 5, 2005).
128 "John Williams (composer)," Angel Fire. http://www.angelfrre.com/mi3/cookarama/williams.html
(accessed December 5,2005).
129 I continue the discussion of how Williams's music aligns with visuals in the following chapter, and
address the representation of magic in detail in Chapter VI.
130 "John Williams (composer)," Angel Fire. http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/cookarama/williams.html
(accessed December 5,2005).
91
The first teaser poster for the film was released on December 30,2000, and teaser
trailers became available during 2001. The PO-rated film opened in November of2001,
making a gross profit of nearly a billion dollars. The soundtrack was released 30
November 2001 in the United States and United Kingdom. In the U.S. it is on Atlantic
Records.
Reception
Although all of the Harry Potter films have been enormously successful in broad
terms, we will see that there are significant differences in the ways the different films
were received, as supported by box office receipts, critical reviews, fan response, and
awards. Box office receipts for the first film, breaking record after record, reflected the
narrative's tremendous popularity. The Sorcerer's Stone made $33.3 million on opening
day in the U.S., breaking the record previously held by Star Wars Episode I: The
Phantom Menace. The film broke the record again on the second day when receipts rose
to 33.5 million dollars. The first weekend in total made 90.3 million dollars in the U.S.,
becoming the top box office seller for an opening weekend (previously held by The Lost
World: Jurassic Park). The total for worldwide box office receipts added to 976.5
million dollars, making The Sorcerer's Stone the fifth highest (unadjusted) grossing film
of all-time.
Informal and formal reviews of the film were mixed, but generally favorable. The
website Rotten Tomatoes gave The Sorcerer's Stone a rating of "78% fresh," while
Metacritic gave a score of 64%, signifying general favorability. Roger Ebert confirmed
the film's success, calling it "a classic," mentioning the Quidditch game visual effects in
particular. Similarly, critic Alan Morrison praised the Quidditch game as having a
92
"stand-out sequence." (I will discuss music for the Quidditch game in the following
chapter.)
Critics' response, both positive and negative, hinged on the film's so-called
faithful adaption. While some, such as Jonathon Foreman, positively noted the fidelity of
the film to the book, others such as Richard Corliss criticized the movie for it's "by the
numbers adaptation."131 Terry Gilliam, who might have directed the film had Rowling
made the choice stated his virulent disapproval of the first film, "I was the perfect guy to
do Harry Potter. I remember leaving the meeting, getting in my car, and driving for about
two hours along Mulholland Drive just so angry. I mean, Chris Columbus' versions are
terrible. Just dull. Pedestrian."132 While Gilliam's statement may be colored by his
personal disappointment at not directing the film, it also reinforces the idea that different
directors would have transferred or transformed the film differently. As we will see, the
films led by the subsequent directors also received mixed reviews, yet for completely
different reasons.
Reception of the musical score was also mixed, but hinged on listener expectation
of Williams's signature style. While some were pleased that the score met expectations,
others were displeased that the score did no more than merely meet expectations.
Informal and formal critics noticed signature elements of Williams's approach in the first
Harry Potter soundtrack, such as Wagnerian-style leitmotifs, soaring, sweeping melodies,
his penchant for using French horns, and tunes reminiscent (some say "recycled") from
his previous work. For instance, critic John Mansell reported positively that,
131 Jonathan Foreman, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," New York Post.
http://www.nypost.com/movies/35119.htm (accessed September 22, 2007). Richard Corliss, "Wizardry
without Magic," Time, November 19,2001. hrtp://www.time.com/time/2001/harrypotter/review.html
(accessed July 9, 2007).
132 Beyond Hogwarts "Terry Gilliam bitter about Potter," Beyond Hogwarts (formerly Wizard News),
August 29,2005. http://www.wizardnews.com/story.20050829.html (accessed October 20, 2009).
93
Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone]33 contains one of John
Williams's strongest scores of late and is a fusing of styles and sounds that
can be easily identified as the work ofthe composer. Its the adventure of
Hook, its the foreboding of The Fury, its the naughtiness of The Witches of
Eastwick, its the playfulness of Home Alone, or is it just the genius of John
Williams! 134
Others used Mansell's same reasoning to argue that Williams's music for The Sorcerer's
Stone was stale and lacking in sparkle in comparison to his other works. Others still,
such as critic Kirk Honeycutt, took issue with Williams's overall aesthetic approach,
disparaging the score as "a great clanging, banging music box that simply will not shut
up."135 As we will see, the soundtracks by the other composers also received mixed
reviews-and for an entirely different set of reasons.
Award nominations poured in for The Sorcerer's Stone, totaling sixty-two in the
end, with thirteen of them wins. The film received three Academy Award nominations
(including "Best Original Score"), seven BAFTA Award nominations, and nine Saturn
Awards (including a win for costuming). The soundtrack received two Grammy
nominations, and won the BMI Film Award for Music. Additionally, the soundtrack
landed in the "top ten" in polls for favorite classical music albums. 136
133 This is the title used in the UK.
134 John Mansell, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, review." Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
135 Kirk Honeycutt, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," The Hollywood Reporter, November 9, 2001.
(accessed Sebtember 21, 2007). Restricted access news source cited in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone (film)" Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the]hilosopher%27s_Stone_(film)#cite_note-69 (accessed
September 21, 2007).
136 "Classical Music-Poll for the Greatest," Fanpop, October 20, 2008.
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/classical-music/articles/4424 (accessed October 19,2009).
94
Smnmary
Let us go over some of the key points about the production history, aesthetic
decisions, and reception of the first film. In the end, the final product of this film
endeavor and public reception to it was congruent with statements of intent made by
producers, the director and the composer during the process. It had been the producer
David Heyman's intent to create a family-friendly film with broad appeal, and thus he
signed a director to the project whose experience was in line with this agenda. The
resulting product was indeed geared toward younger audiences (e.g. its PG rating) and
did garner generally favorable acceptance (e.g. as supported by internet critic sites). It
had been director Chris Columbus's goal to remain faithful to Rowling's work, and
audiences responded accordingly-some appreciating his adherence to the narrative, and
others criticizing his straightforward transference. Furthermore, critics responded
favorably to Columbus's nod to classic British cinema by pronouncing The Sorcerer's
Stone to be "a classic," and also favorably noted Columbus's Hollywood-style vision for
special effects in magical scenes such as the Quidditch game. Likewise, as an
accomplice to Columbus's vision, Williams stated his intentions to provide a theatrical
style score (as is his trademark practice for fantasy films) that would support a child's
introduction to Rowling's magical world. As such, some fans and critics praised his
music for containing the best of all that is expected of a John Williams soundtrack, while
others criticized the score for the redundancy of its sounding like yet another John
Williams soundtrack.
95
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
Production History and Aesthetic Choices
The services of both composer John Williams and director Chris Columbus were
retained for the second Harry Potter film. However, because Williams had scheduling
conflicts with other projects, another composer and orchestrator, William Ross, adapted
Williams's themes for the new movie, applying them to scenes and narrative events with
instructions from Williams. 137
It is useful to acknowledge that Williams did not single-handedly orchestrate
either the preceding Potter film (The Sorcerer's Stone) nor the following one (The
Prisoner ofAzkaban). It is typical of Hollywood film composers to have a team of
arrangers writing out orchestrations based on the instructions of the composer, and
Williams has followed suit in order to keep up with the demand for his music. 13S For
both The Sorcerer's Stone and The Prisoner ofAzkaban, Williams's orchestrator was
Ken Wannberg (with whom I've had the opportunity to speak on the topic of the Harry
Potter film music). However, during the post-production of The Chamber ofSecrets,
Wannberg and Williams attended to the scores of other projects while William Ross
137 Born in 1948, William Ross is an American composer, orchestrator, arranger, and conductor. His
original work has included film scores for Tuck Everlasting and the eGI-film The Tale ofDesperaux.
138 Kathryn Kalinak describes how the matter of composition versus orchestration has historically been a
sore point among Hollyw6od composers who are capable of orchestration but that were hired for their
compositions alone. Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film
(Madison: University of Wisconsin, 1992), 73. In my discussion with Ken Wannberg, who worked as an
orchestrator for John Williams on the first and third Harry Potter film, he confmned that Williams most
often delegates orchestrations to a team, with his instructions for guidelines.
96
played a larger than normal role in the adaptation and implementation of Williams's
music. 139 According to Ross,
John communicated how important it was for him to establish musical
continuity between the first and second installments of the series.
Although he planned to write the new themes and new musical material
for Harry Potter and the Chamber o/Secrets, there would be areas of the
new film in which he intended to utilize and adapt themes from the first
Potter score.... John was very specific about what material and themes
would be played where. 140
Additionally, Williams and Ross viewed the rough cut film together with Columbus who
indicated his wishes for placement of the accompanying music.
There was significant continuity between the first and second Harry Potter films
in terms of production teams and production styles. Producer David Heyman and
Screenplay writer Steve Kloves returned to the project, as did all members of the main
cast. Columbus described the continuity between the first two films in the following
statement,
There are similar elements but it's a little darker, a little edgier and a lot
more exciting. One of the things we benefited from the second time
'round was that we'd set up the characters in the first film so we could
immediately get into the story. 141
139 Specifically, Williams's schedule with Catch Me IjYou Can conflicted with recording dates for The
Chamber o/Secrets.
140 Ford A. Thaxton and Randall D. Larson, "William Ross: Crafting the Music for Harry Potter," Mania,
November 28, 2002. http://www.mania.com/william-ross-crafting-music-for-harry-
potter_article_37027.html (accessed November 24,2009).
141 Lizo Mzimba, "Chris Columbus COS: full interview," Newsround, November 13,2002.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid.-2465000/2465225.stm (accessed July 7, 2005).
97
Production began on November 19,2001 (i.e. just after the release of the first
Harry Potter mm), and concluded in the summer of2002. That is to say, the time spent
filming and between installments of the first two films seems to accurately represent the
maturity of the child characters with the parallel of the maturing child actors. Some
adult actors were added to play key characters including Jason Isaacs in the role of
Lucius Malfoy and Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart. This film marked the last
appearance by Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, and Harris's last film in general (he
died 3 weeks before the release of the film).
Again, filming took place at Leavesdon Film Studios in London and at various
historic locations in the British Isles. The budget for the film, at approximately 100
million U.S. dollars, was slightly less than the budget for the previous film, yet the film
length, at 156 minutes, is the longest of all the Potter films so far. The production
maintained the layout of Hogwarts from the previous film, but added sites (e.g. the
whomping willow and the chamber of secrets) as the narrative required. Also similar was
Columbus's depictions with color---drab for the Dursley's muggle home, rich saturated
color for outdoor scenes in the magical world, and luminescent cobalts and ambers for
inside shots.
Although the second film is considered "faithful" to Rowling's work, some scenes
(such as the journey in the flying car) were reworked and extended in order to capitalize
on the spectacle of cinematic effects. Choices such as the latter may reflect either
Columbus's growing confidence for expressing the narrative flexibly, or a response to
previous critical perceptions of his by-the-numbers approach, or both. Critics such as
Lisa Schwarzbaum noted this idea when writing,
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets is an improvement on Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone not only because the director and his team
98
are more confident about what they can do, but also because they're less
uptight and defensive about what they can't. 142
Though John Williams wrote the film's musical soundtrack, he was not available
at the time of recording. In his absence, William Ross conducted the soundtrack with the
London Symphony and applied Williams's themes to the soundtrack in post-production.
The musical score includes many ofthe same leitmotifs used in the first film, and some
additional leitmotifs that represent new characters, locations, and ideas. The London
Voices returned to provide choral work, and Randy Kerber returned as celeste soloist.
Although the new score had a new overseer in William Ross, critics recognized
the consistency of Williams's work. For instance, Brendon Kelly of Soundtrack review
explained,
What we have here is no Ken Thome or Alexander Courage cut and paste
job (Superman II, III, IV-however fond of these scores we are!) and we
are not presented with an "Original Themes by... New Music by.... " score
a la Don Davis and Jurassic Park III.... This new Harry Potter score is a
fresh, vibrant and colourful score utilizing all the main thematic material
from the first film and placing it in a wealth of new material for the second
outing. 143
The second film was released in November 2002 (i.e. one year after the release of
the first film). Like the first film, the second was also rated PG. The soundtrack was
released a few days prior to the film release.
142 Lisa Schwarzbaum, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Entertainment Weekly, November
13, 2002. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..389817~1~0~harrypotterandchamber,OO (accessed March 12,
09).
143 Brendon Kelly, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com!review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008). .
99
Reception
As with the first film, box office receipts for the second film totaled to record-
breaking numbers. The film earned 88.4 million dollars on opening weekend in the U.S.
(thus ranking third all-time at the time), and broke all opening records in the UK held by
The Philosopher's Stone (a.k.a. The Sorcerer's Stone). The gross revenue worldwide
rose to nearly 879 million USD. The Chamber a/Secrets was the highest grossing film
of 2002 in the non-U.S. market, and the second highest grossing film of2002 in the U.S.
(following The Lord a/the Rings: The Two Towers). Though clearly a box office
success, the second film was less so than its predecessor. Overall, it is the second lowest-
grossing film among the five released Potter films.
Similar to the first film, informal and formal reviews of The Chamber 0/Secret
were mixed, but generally favorable. The film faired better than its predecessor on the
Rotten Tomatoes website, yet worse than its predecessor on the Metacritic website.
Rotten Tomatoes gave The Chamber a/Secrets a rating of"82% certified fresh"-four
percent higher than the rating for the first film, and the second highest rated Potter film
on the site overall. Metacritic gave a 63% rating, indicating general favorability, yet
making Chamber the lowest rated Potter film on the site.
As before, specific critical responses tended to hinge on the matter of fidelity.
Some applauded Columbus's innovations on the faithful foundations of the film, while
others believed that Columbus still had not innovated enough. Both Roger Ebert (who
called The Chamber a/Secrets a "phenomenal" film) and Richard Roeper commended
the film, praising the set design by Stuart Craig (who had also worked on the first film)
and Columbus's ability to stay faithful to Rowling's story while also transferring the
100
narrative into a cinematic medium. 144 Likewise, Entertainment Weekly praised the film
for reaching into the deeper, darker aspects of the narrative, stating, "... among the
things this Harry Potter does very well indeed is deepen the darker, more frightening
atmosphere for audiences. This is as it should be: Harry's story is supposed to get
darker". 145 Variety Magazine critics concurred and added that the second film seemed to
more confidently step away from the literary form and into a cinematic form of its
own. 146
However, some (such as critics from Variety Magazine and The New York Times)
felt that the film was too long, while others argued that the film did not stray far enough
from the literary model. For instance, Peter Travers from The Rolling Stone remarked,
"Once again, director Chris Columbus takes a hat-in-hand approach to Rowling that
stifles creativity and allows the film to drag on for nearly three hours."147 Similarly,
Kenneth Turan from The Los Angeles Times asserted, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets is deja vu all over again, it's likely that whatever you thought of the first
144 Roger Ebert, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Chicago Sun Times, November 15,2002.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20021115/REVIEWS/211150304 (accessed
March 12, 2009). Robert Roeper, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Ebert &Roeper,
November 15,2002.
http://apps.tvplex.go.com/ebertandthemovies/audioplayer.cgi?file=021111_harry_potter_chamber_secrets
(accessed March 12,2009).
145 Lisa Schwarzbaum, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Entertainment Weekly, November
13, 2002. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..389817~ 1~O~harrypotterandchamber,OO (accessed March 12,
09).
146 Todd McCarthy, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Variety, November 15,2002.
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VEII17919275&categoryid=31 &cs=1
(accessed March 12,2009).
147 Peter Travers, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Rolling Stone, November 15, 2002.
http://www.rolIingstone.com/reviews/movie/5948587/review/5948588/harry--potter_and_the_chamber_oC
secrets (accessed March 12,2009).
101
production-pro or con-you'll likely think of this one." 148 Turan implies that for his
tastes, the second film is just as cliched as the first one. 149
Informal and formal reception to John Williams's second Potter score was also
similar to that for his first. While some, such as the reviewer of Filmtracks criticized a
perceived lack oforiginality in the score (which contributed to a lack ofmagic in the
viewer's experience), and noted inconsistencies in William Ross's application of
Williams's themes, the same reviewer noted that John Williams is still among the best at
what he does:
While this continuation of style bothers some listeners, it's also important
to remember that John Williams, no matter what era since the 1970's in
which you place him, composes at a level that exceeds many of the best
works of his contemporary counterparts in the industry. In short, Williams'
rehashing of old ideas is still better than practically any other composer
today at his or her best, and it is this general sense of atmospheric
superiority that Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets has going in its
favor. 150
The second Potter film received thirty-nine award nominations in total, nine of
them wins (i.e., slightly fewer than the previous film on both accounts). Among these
were seven Saturn Award nominations (for fantasy and science fiction), three BAFTA
Award nominatinos, and a Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for "Best Live Action
Family Film. The soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy Award, and won the BMI
Award for Music and the Broadcast Film Critics Association's Critics Choice Award.
148 Kenneth Turan, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Los Angeles Times, November 15, 2002.
http://www.calendarlive.comlmovies/reviews/cl-et-turanI5novI5,0, 1767241.story (accessed March 12,
2009).
149 Ibid.
150 "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Filmtracks (November 7, 2002).
http://www.fi1mtracks.com/titles/chamber_secrets.html(accessed August 20, 2006).
102
Summary
Let us review some of the key points. Many viewers and critics perceived the
second Potter film as a continuation of ideas set out with the first film. In general, this
continuation was perceived favorably. For instance, critic Roger Ebert expressed well
that,
The first movie was the setup, and this one is the payoff.... What's
developing here, it's clear, is one ofthe most important franchises in
movie history, a series of films that consolidate all of the advances in
computer-aided animation, linked to the extraordinary creative work of
J. K. Rowling, who has created a mythological world as grand as Star
Wars, but filled with more wit and humanity. 151
Others perceived some differences between the films that reflected new production
choices-for instance, an increase in flexibility with Rowling's narrative, and some
variation in the William Ross's application of John Williams's music-though these
differences did not significantly alter viewer disposition toward the film. Although the
second film was both a box office and award-winning success, it trailed behind its
predecessor in receipts, nominations, and awards.
Praise and criticism surfaced on the matter of fidelity to the original novel, and
the use of Williams's signature style. Some, such as Roger Ebert (quoted above) found
value in the fidelity to Rowling's work (including the increasing darkness of the tone of
the drama), while others continued to find fault with Columbus's classic, straightforward,
literary transfer approach. Critics who responded unfavorably to the first Potter film
151 Roger Ebert, "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Chicago Sun Times, November 15,2002.
http://rogerebert.sulltimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articIe?AID=120021115/REVIEWS/211150304 (accessed
March 12, 2009).
103
recommenced their criticism for the second film with regard to its lack of independent
cinematic imagination. Others, such as Lisa Schwarzbaum, offered objective criticisms
about stylistic practices and also anticipated changes in the Potter film franchise:
The Chamber ofSecrets still doesn't quite trust itself as a freestanding
cinematic creation. But maybe it's not meant to, at least not on Columbus'
watch.... But if it doesn't fly, this "Chamber" at least hovers nicely a few
feet off the ground for good stretches of time. Which still leaves a lot of
airspace available for when A Little Princess director Alfonso Cuaron-a
real master ofjewel-like enchantment-takes over the magic in Harry
Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban. 152
Similarly, literary film scholar Deborah Cartmell predicted that the first Harry Potter
films will never usurp the popularity and success of the preexisting novels because they
are too cautious in their fidelity, and therefore lack the polish possible in the film
medium.1 53 Critics such as Peter Travers, who wrote, "For the next Potter film,
Columbus will be replaced by Alfonso Cuaron, the Mexican director of the lyrically sexy
Y Tu Mama Tambien. Brats and skittish parents may freak out, but I can't wait"154 were
less politic in their statements of anticipation.
152 Lisa Schwarzbaum, "Hany Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets," Entertainment Weekly, November
13, 2002. http://www.ew.comJew/artic1e/0,,389817~ 1~O~harrypotterandchamber,OO (accessed March 12,
09).
153 Deborah Cartmell, "Adapting Children's Literature," in The Cambridge Companion to Literature on
Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007), 167-
180.
154 Peter Travers, "Hany Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Rolling Stone, November 15,2002.
http://www.rollingstone.comJreviews/movie/5948587/review/5948588/hany--potter_and_the_chamber_oC
secrets (accessed March 12,2009).
104
Harry Potter and tlte Prisoner ofAzkaban
History of Production and Aesthetic Choices
While still in shooting for the second Potter film, Chris Columbus announced that
he would not direct the third installment, The Prisoner ofAzkaban, citing a desire to
spend more time with his young family in the U.S., with whom he hadn't shared supper
during the week "for about two and a halfyears."155 According to Gary Susman of
Entertainment Weekly, Warner Brothers came up with three candidates to fill his place:
(1) Callie Khouri, who directed the film adaptation of Divine Secrets ofthe Ya-Ya
Sisterhood, a feel-good comedy about family relations, (2) Kenneth Branagh, who had
played a supporting role in the second Harry Potter film, and who is known for several
Shakespearean adaptations, and (3) Alfonso Cuar6n, "best known for his current Spanish-
language indie hit, the brazenly sexual Y tu mama tambien."156
Branagh leant his official support for Cuar6n even before the announcement
became official by stating, "I don't know what 1can say, but 1think a candidate has been
chosen. It is a person who 1know and like and will make everyone happy," Branagh said.
"He is an exciting choice." 157 This positive affirmation is different from some peer
response to the announcement of Columbus as director for the previous films (e.g., the
negative response offered by Terry Gilliam). Rowling, who had "really, really loved
(Cuar6n's most recent film) YTu Mama Tambien" for its understanding of teenage boys,
155 Lizo Mzimba, "Chris Columbus COS: full interview," Newsround, November 13,2002.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnewslhi/tv_film/newsid_2465000/2465225.stm (accessed July 7, 2005).
156 Gary Susman, "Great Expectations," Entertainment Weekly, July 19,2002.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..322583.00.html (accessed January 11,2009).
157 Ibid.
105
and felt that Cuaron's adaption of A Little Princess was "very faithful to the emotional
truth of the story," was intrigued by the new interpretation Cuaron might bring. 158
Producer David Heyman championed the new appointment, stating that "tonally and
stylistically, [Cuaron] was the right fit."159
The choice to hire Cuaron for the third Potter film seems to respond to (and
correspond with) criticisms that the first films (directed by Chris Columbus) were not
imaginative enough as works of cinema. Both of Cuaron's previous high-profile films
about children (A Little Princess and Y tu Mama tambien) do not follow standard
Hollywood family film archetypes (as Columbus has often directed). Likewise, his
previous high-profile literary adaptions (e.g. A Little Princess and Great Expectations)
took significant liberties in retelling the narratives. This is different from Columbus's
approach to the first Potter films in which he endeavored to follow Rowling's vision
closely (i.e. what Troost argues is an aspect of the heritage approach). While I do not
argue that Cuaron adhered to the heritage approach (in either his previous works, or for
Harry Potter), neither do I claim that Cuaron closely follows the Hollywood model (i.e.
the model Troost claims is often the alternative to the heritage approach).
Instead, Cuaron brought a much more individualistic approach, which may be due
in part to his previous experiences. He is the first of the directors for Potter films to have
studied outside of the United States, and to have a citizenship outside of the United
States. He is the only Harry Potter director for which English is not a first language.
That is to say, Cuaron brought a different cultural perspective to the project in addition to
different technical approaches. Moreover, as an individual (i.e. regardless of ethnicity or
158 Claudia Puig, "New 'Potter' movie sneaks in spoilers for upcoming books," USA Today, May 27,2004.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-05-27-potter-movie-book_x.htm (accessed July 21,
2007).
159 "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)," Box Office Mojo.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=harrypotter3.htm (accessed July 7, 2009).
106
nationality), Cuar6n is referred to as an art-film director, and the Harry Potter film under
his watch, The Prisoner ofAzkaban, is often referred to as the art-film among the series
by fan viewers. In other words, his approach tends to favor cinematic artistry above the
demands of either literary fidelity or Hollywood dazzle. According to Troost, the artistic
approach is one hybrid alternative that has emerged in the decade preceding The Prisoner
ofAzkaban, and is typified by adhering to the spirit (though not letter) of a literary text,
while endeavoring to bring a greater awareness of to the author's narrative intentions
through contemporary cinematic techniques. 160 Some of these techniques that Cuar6n
used in The Prisoner ofAzkaban include longer, more technically difficult camera shots,
the use of visual motifs, and a new color palette to amplify a darker mood.
According to Cuar6n, who is known for independence in cinematic aesthetics, he
hesitated to take on the Hollywood-style Harry Potter film at first:
When I was approached I was a little hesitant! I didn't know the books, I
hadn't seen the films. I had all my prejudices like- "I'm ashamed to
squeeze the money out of parents and children." But then I read the
books! And I realized why these books are so well-received worldwide
and I fell victim of the charm of this book. 161
In light of the many changes that Cuar6n brought to the third film, it may be significant
that Cuar6n states that the books (though not the previous films) won over his resolve to
participate in the project. Steve Kloves stayed on as screenwriter, and Columbus spent
time in England in the role of producer. Set designer Stuart Craig also continued with the
160 Troost does not address the Potter films, but gives the example of Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility
(script adaption by Emma Thompson), which uses heritage-style costumes, architecture, and landscapes,
but liberally adds and subtracts dialogue and scenes in the service of conveying a coherent narrative. The
score for Sense and Sensibility was composed by Patrick Doyle.
161 Lizo Mzimba, "Alfonso Cuar6n: the man behind the magic," BBe Newsround, May 28,2004.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tvjilmlnewsid_3758000/3758101.stm (accessed October 20, 2009).
107
project. The budget for the third film was $130 million, the highest among the first three
films.
Cuar6n relayed an alternative mandate from Rowling to that which Columbus had
had regarding the role of fidelity to the books.
She said I should stay faithful to the spirit of the book not literal. That
was entrusting me a lot of freedom. But freedom and responsibility is the
same thing-I was like "oh gosh-am I being faithful to the spirit?" The
amazing thing with J. K. as a collaborator is she doesn't stop you doing
anything. The way she approaches it has nothing to do with "I like" or "I
dislike" [but rather] it's "this makes sense" or "it doesn't make sense in
this universe."162
As such, Cuar6n made several changes to the magical universe as Columbus had
envisioned it. While he continued to use indoor sets at Leavesdon Film Studios in
London, many outdoor scenes were moved to Glencoe, Scotland. Following suit, part of
Loch Ness was used to represent the Hogwarts Lake. The change oflocation resulted in
a wilder, more rugged landscape with a more subdued color palette than the richly
saturated one that Columbus had used for the magical world. Instead of verdant lawns
and a story-book forest as Columbus had used, the new landscape included lichen colored
rocky hillsides, an overgrown pumpkin patch filled with cawing ravens, old-growth
forests with chirping birds, and sun-drenched mountainous vistas. Cuar6n also moved
the relative position ofHogwarts architectural structures (such as Hagrid's hut), and
added a walking bridge and a sundial to the Hogwarts grounds, all of which contributed
to a greater awareness of the Hogwarts landscape and layout. As we will see in the next
162 Ibid. Rowling likely experienced more confidence as the narrative's originator by the time that Cuar6n
took the Potter helm. First, she had witnessed the successful faithful transferrence of her first two novels,
and second, she had published five of the seven novels by the time that production on the third film
commenced-that is to say that there was less of a chance that the films would usurp her ability to finish the
written series as she wished, nor to overtake her value to the franchise.
108
chapter, analysis of the film's music shows clear ways that this visual landscape is
reflected in the soundscape for the film.
Actor Michael Gambon, whom Cuaron chose to replace the late Richard Harris
(an Irish actor) in the role of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, played the
character based on his own idea (rather than strictly adhering to Harris's model), but
modeled his character's behaviors on the wardrobe-which changed from royal-looking,
merlot-colored velvet robes with puffy sleeves (akin to the dress of Dickens's ghost of
Christmas present) under Columbus's watch (with Judiana Makovsky as costume
designer), to more simply expressed, flowing, raw silk robes in shades of gray under
Cuaron (with Jany Temime as costume designer).
All I remember was that the costume was two layers of silk and quite
light. I think I'm a very physical, very visual sort of actor. My first task in
rehearsal is to discover what the person looks like, what he wears, how he
does his hair. And if you're thinking the way the character thinks, your
face and body will change. My Dumbledore is quite light so he capers
around, he has beads because he's a bit of a hippy, and he has an Irish
accent, because Richard was Irish. 163
The third film also marked the first occurrences of Hogwarts students wearing
contemporary street clothes outside of classes. 164 As we will see in the next chapter, the
music for the film (much as the new costuming) also reflects different eras of time and
manners of being.
163 Siobhan Synnot, "Olivier, Dumbledore and two broken ribs," The Scotsman, May 30, 2004.
http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=3&id=613682004 (accessed March 12,2009).
164 Even the choice for modem-day clothes is based on an aesthetic choice and interpretation. As web-
writer Holly Hartman points out, Rowling's descriptions of Harry's true birthday and his time at Hogwarts
are not reconcilable with the Julian calendar. Thus, based on different interpretations, Harry enters
Hogwarts in 1990, 1991, or 1997. However, the third, fourth, and fifth films show students wearing
clothing from the twenty-first century. Holly Hartman, "Happy Birthday, Harry!" July, 26, 200l.
http://www.infoplease.com/spotlharrybirthday.html(accessed December 17,2004).
109
It was also Cuar6n's responsibility to hire actors for three newly appearing
significant characters. He, like Columbus, chose British actors: Gary Oldman to play
Sirius Black, David Thewlis to play Remus Lupin, and Timothy Spall to play Peter
Pettigrew. However, Cuar6n took different approaches with the maturing young actors,
following his philosophy that children need not be treated with kid-gloves, 165 and
requesting that lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson each write
an essay explaining how they viewed their characters. 166 Watson explained that the
exercise was both to help the actors, and also "to help him to see the character through
our eyes. He gave us a lot of freedom with that as well, which was really good."167
Cuar6n added different special effects techniques as well. For instance, the scene
depicting Harry's ride on the magical Knight Bus uses a technique known as bullet time
in which some images travel quickly while others move in real time. As well, the
computer generated images of the malevolent soul-sucking Dementors are based on the
flowing movements of Dementor puppets underwater. Producer David Heyman
explained,
I knew we were getting a different kind of artist with Alfonso, but I don't
think I really knew how different until the day Alfonso hired an avant-
garde underwater puppeteer from San Francisco named Basil Twist just so
he could study different ways a Dementor might move. Just weird and
wild and wonderful. 168
165 "Biography for Alfonso Cuar6n," IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nmOI90859Ibio (accessed
October 20, 2009).
166 Lucinda Dickey, "The creators of Harry Potter break out of character to discuss The Prisoner of
Azkaban," Science Fiction Weekly. http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue372/interview.html(accessed October
15,2007).
167 Ibid.
168 Jeff Jenson, "A Look Back: Producer David Heyman recounts the highs and lows ofmaking the [lIst
three 'Potter' movies, from finding Harry to losing Richard Harris," Entertainment Weekly.
http://www.ew.com/ew/articIe/0..1123317.00.html(accessed October 20, 2009).
lID
Several long shots, such as those that ascend and descend through space, or those that
pass from outside to inside spaces (and vice-versa) also required special effects help. In
general, computer generated images were presented more realistically than in the
previous two films, and reflect the expectations of a maturing target audience. However,
it was not Cuaran's intent to emphasize special effects. He explained,
...we set out to do a character-driven film with cool visual effects, not a
visual-effects film with some characters around. It would be a disservice
to the Harry Potter books if you go the visual-effects route. I'm trying to
establish a universe around Harry that actually exists. It's not just a
backdrop for his adventures, but that universe. I'm talking about the
school and the muggle world-to have depth and layers. 169
As we will see in later chapters, Williams responded to Cuaran's innovative visuals with
innovative ideas for background music.
New questions, challenges, and controversy seemed to emerge with this film
production. While not all was directly attributed to directorial decisions, biographical
information reveals that Cuaran brought a history of success in spite of conflict to his
leadership for the Potter films. An article on the international movie data base site
(IMDB), "Harry Potter and the Challenge of the Next Sequel" pointed out the problems
of continuing the series smoothly-including maturing child actors (who might outgrow
the roles before the series was finished), production delays due to young actors's
academic needs, replacing the late Richard Harris, a new director with a history of
169 Lucinda Dickey, "The creators of Harry Potter break out of character to discuss The Prisoner of
Azkaban," Science Fiction Weekly. http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue372/interview.htmI(accessed October
15,2007).
111
production conflict,170 and the task of turning a 734-page novel into two-hour film.!71
A worker strike over wage increases at Leavesdon studios threatened to delay filming
indefinitely. Furthermore, production nearly halted after a fire broke out on the set, and
production leaders ruffled Scottish feathers by continuing filming as scheduled in spite of
acres of damage to the local landscape. 172 As part of a resolution to these pitfalls,
production changed from a twelve-month to an eighteen-month cycle. According to
producer David Heyman, this would give each new film the amount of time it
required. 173
Composer John Williams, who had expressed interest in continuing his
involvement with the series, was retained, and once again took full charge of music and
it's applications. However, he changed many of his musical themes to reflect Cuaron's
new vision. 174 He continued to use leitmotifs, but tended to apply them in longer
phrases (rather than alternating them in smaller segments) which seems to reflect
Cuaron's longer shot approach (in contrast to Columbus's highly edited, alternating shot
approach). Additionally, the new melodies that Williams wrote are less "theatrical" (as
170 IMDb "Harry Potter and the Challenge of the Next Sequel," IMDb, November 18, 2002.
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0090402/ (accessed March 12,2009). Producer Art Linson's
autobiographical account of Hollywood life, What Just Happened, reported Cuaron's frequent conflicts
with the screenwriter on the film set for Great Expectations (1998).
171 Ibid.
172 IMDb "Filming Continues Through Hogwarts Flames," IMDb, February 25, 2003.
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0060382/(accessed March 12,2009). IMDb n. d. '''Harry Potter 3' Faces
Strike Threat," IMDb, March 25,2003. http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0098353/ (accessed March 12,
2009).
173 "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)," Box Office Mojo.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=harrypotter3.htm (accessed March 12,2009).
174 In Chapter V, I will discuss how some narrative themes are retained, such as Harry's longing for and
reflection on his dead parents, but a new musical theme is used to support this idea-one that is different
from the musical theme used in the first two movies to support this idea.
112
he had written for the previous films) and more representative of the rugged Scottish
landscape and the magical universe that Cuaron had newly established. Unlike the
previous films (and traditional practices), in which music was added during post-
production, some music was written before filming in order for it to be included as source
music. For instance, Cuaron and Williams decided to include a Hogwarts choir song,
"Double Trouble" as a gesture of welcome at the beginning of the Hogwarts school year.
This new tune (though based on the previously used third section of Hedwig's Theme)
became the most prominent, most often-heard musical theme in the third film, perhaps
reflecting with music the other visual changes that Cuaron had made. 175
Indeed, the third film is the first to regularly use source music, and the first to use
other genres of music beyond the nineteenth century romantic orchestral tradition. The
new score was the first of the Potter scores to include a children's choir, and the first to
include an ensemble specializing in early music (though early music had been referenced
in earlier films using modem instruments). As well, conventional orchestra and band
instruments play twentieth-century jazz style pieces for some scenes.
Music for the soundtrack was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, and
included the London Voices for choral work, and Randy Kerber returned to play thematic
celeste solos. The London Oratory School Schola (a Catholic boy choir) provided voices
for the Hogwarts choir song, and The DuFay Collective provided early-music instrument
specialists.
The 136 minute film was released in the U.S. on June 4,2004. Although
following the longest of the first three novels, it was the shortest of the first three
175
Composer Nicholas Hooper also wrote a Hogwarts choir piece, called "In Noctem," for the sixth Harry
Potter film, The Half-Blood Prince. Although the piece itself was not ultimately used in the film, the
musical properties of the theme became the back-bone of the score, much as "Double Trouble" was a
defining piece for the third film.
113
films. 176 In other words, the length of each film is not directly proportionate to the
length of the original story. Like the two previous Potter films, it received a PG rating.
This serves as a reminder that the intentions to create a "darker" story are not always
indicative of an increase in violence or other story elements that would result in an
increased rating. Additionally, it was the first Potter film to experience a summertime
release.
Reception
Like the two Potter films before it, The Prisoner ofAzkaban broke box office
records-such as the record for biggest single day in U.K. box office history (on a
Monday, of all days). The film made $93.7 million during its first weekend in the U.S.,
becoming the third biggest opening weekend of all time. Similar to the second film, the
third Potter film was the highest grossing film in countries other than the U.S. However,
in spite of the film's apparent box office success, the receipt total of$795.6 million
worldwide is significantly lower than all other five Potter films, which have all exceeded
$875 million.
In contrast, critics reviews were the most favorable. Rotten Tomatoes and
Metacritic scores for The Prisoner ofAzkaban were the highest among the first three
Potter films. The film received an 89% "Certified Fresh" approval rating on Rotten
Tomatoes, and 81 out of 100 at Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim." However,
Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, who seemed to have been in positive agreement about
the first two films, were divided over the third film. Ebert, who had championed the first
176 Of the current five films, it is the second shortest. At 132 minutes, the fifth film has the shortest
running time.
114
two films as classics, stated that the third film was not as good. l77 In contrast, Roeper,
who had found nice enough things to say about the special effects and set designs for the
first two films, stated that the third film was a "creative triumph."I78 In general, praise
was given by those who valued creativity, while criticism was given by those who valued
continuity with the previous films.
Some reviewers, such as Eugene Novikov, praised the film at the time of release
(favoring it over the previous two installments), and also retrospectively praised the film
after the release of the fourth and fifth film. According to Novikov, Cuaron's Potter film
is the only one that he prefers over Rowling's original work, and this is because Cuaron
allows The Prisoner ofAzkaban to "breathe independently of the source material. It's not
the most faithful adaptation, or the most 'complete' one, but it's far and away the
best."179 Specifically, Novikov acknowledges the way Cuar6n "lets the characters-
especially Harry, Ron and Hermione-spread their wings and functions outside the
confines of Rowling's plot" to behave like "people, like teenagers, and like friends," and
also how Cuaron places characters within a landscape, establishing Hogwarts as an
entity-"an actual physical place, with a determinate geography....through his penchant
for lush, beautiful long takes, a technique that lets screen spaces retain their geographic
integrity much better than a barrage of cuts, and partly through simple paying
177 Roger Ebert, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban," Chicago Sun Times, June 3, 2004.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040603/REVIEWS/40603030 1 (accessed
March 12, 2009).
178 Richard Roeper, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Ebert & Roeper, June 2, 2004.
http://tvplex.go.comlbuenavista/ebertandroeper/mp3/040607_harry_potter_azkaban.mp3 (accessed March
12,2009).
179 Eugene Novikov, "From Page to Screen: 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban,'"
Cinematical. com, June 11, 2008. http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/11/from-page-to-screen-harry-
potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban/ (accessed March 12,2009).
115
attention."180 As we will see in later chapters, Williams's music plays a significant role
in establishing the landscape and character development that Novokov praises.
Though informal and formal reviews were often more strongly favorable for The
Prisoner ofAzkaban than for the first two films, criticisms were also more strongly
expressed. According to a report by the BBC, the third film "looks and feels a lot
different to the first two."181 The noticeable differences were more controversial for
some than any lack of spark or sparkle perceived in the earlier films. For instance, the
two following review titles clearly spell out the reviewers's opinions. Sean Smith's
review for Newsweek, titled "The 'Harry Potter' books have finally gotten the wondrous
movie they deserve-'The Prisoner of Azkaban' boasts a brand-new director and a bold
new vision."182 reveals Smith's extremely favorable view of the film, while Ann
Hornaday's review for the Washington Post, titled "Harry-Raising Adventure: Only Fans
Will Love 'Potter 3' Hogwarts and All" reveals Hornaday's strong dislike of the film.
Others disagreed with Hornaday's assessment, for better and for worse. For
instance, Peter Travers of Rolling Stone argued that the third Potter film was the only one
of the three that could stand alone without help from the books, thus suggesting that it
would be more satisfying for viewers not already familiar with the books. 183
180 Ibid.
181 Lizo Mzimba, "Alfonso Cuar6n: the man behind the magic," BBe Newsround, May 28,2004.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3758000/3758101.stm (accessed October 20,2009).
182 Sean Smith, "The 'Harry Potter' books have [mally gotten the wondrous movie they deserve. 'The
Prisoner ofAzkaban' boasts a brand-new director and a bold new vision," Newsweek, May 31, 2004.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/redirect.aspx?to=http%3a%2:f0102fwww.msnbc.msn.com%2fid%2f5040564%2
fsite%2fnewsweek%2f&from=http%3a%2:fO/o2fmsnbc.msn.com%2fid%2f5040564%2fsite%2fnewsweek%
2f (Article no longer available, 2009-3-12). Ann Hornaday, "Harry-Raising Adventure: Only Fans Will
Love 'Potter 3' Hogwarts and All," Washington Post, June 4,2004. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/articles/AI4361-2004Jun3.html (accessed October 20, 2009).
183 Peter Travers, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Rolling Stone, May 27, 2004.
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/6071754/review/6071752/harry-potter_and_the-prisoner_oC
azkaban (accessed August 20,2005).
116
Not only is this dazzler by far the best and most thrilling of the three Harry
Potter movies to date, it's a film that can stand on its own even if you
never heard of author J.K. Rowling and her young wizard hero. Director
Alfonso Cuar6n, taking the reins from Chris Columbus, who made a slog
of the first two films, scores a triumph by bringing lyricism, laughs and
dark magic to the party. 184
To the contrary, Ryan Parsons's article "Movie Rant" states that as a fan of the books, he
is disappointed with the number of details that are missing or altered in the film
version. 185 Another posting queried viewers with this hook question, '"Azkaban': Take a
side in the book-vs.movie debate. Some diehard Potterphiles are complaining that the
latest 'Harry Potter' is too loose an adaptation---do you agree?"186
Soundtrack reviewers also noted changes in the Potter music, responded
positively or negatively relative to their expectations of creativity vs. continuity.
Reviewer Kevin McGann from the online site Music from the Movies wrote, "The score
for the third entry in the series is the darkest yet. Although there are moments of comedy
and joy, the predominant atmosphere is moody and scary."187 Although response to the
music was generally favorable, fans and reviewers noticed that many of the familiar
leitmotifs from the first films were abandoned in the third film in favor of new musical
material. The editorial review on Filmtracks found some of the discontinuities in musical
184Ibid.
185 Ryan Parsons, "Novel and Film Differences in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azbakan," Movie Rant,
November 28,2004. http://www.canmag.com/news/3/3/248 (accessed September 14,2005).
186Entertainment Weekly "Harry Situation," Entertainment Weekly, June 17,2004.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..654023.00.html (accessed October 10, 2007).
187 Kevin McGann, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban," Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed October 10,
2007). This review, like most others, was based on listening to the CD soundtrack, and not based on
listening to the music while watching the movie.
117
themes and leitmotifs "frustrating," but conceded that Williams's music for The Prisoner
ofAzkaban is "majestic" and "exhilarating," and offers "beauty and intrigue around every
turn."188 In contrast, blogger Ted Pigeon positively noted how the new collaboration
had creatively combined music and visuals in ways that the previous collaboration had
not.
Part of what gives this movie such life in its brilliant compositions and
editing patterns is how the filmmakers allow the sound and images to
come together brilliantly to provide a real mood and life to this world
through its most minute details, like the "sound" that wands make when
they are used, or the birds chirping on the school grounds. These details of
sound-including John Williams' aforementioned subdued score; one of
his very best---eoupled with the unique visual style of sustained shots that
fill every comer of the composition with movement and detail, enable the
viewer to feel this wizarding world as an actual place with dense
characters inhabiting real space, not some phony magic world of color and
speed. 189
Although listeners perceived changes in Williams's music, there were still many
continuities with Williams's signature style with regard to the use ofleitmotifs, robust
themes, and full orchestrations. In this way, Williams's music provided some continuity
with the two previous films.
The film received a total of forty-three critical nominations, among which ten
resulted in wins. The most prominent nominations include two Oscar nominations
(including Best Achievement in Music), two Saturn nominations (for best music and best
director), a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack, and nominations for the
World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack and Soundtrack Composer of the
188 "Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban," Filmtracks, May, 24, 2004.
http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/prisoner_azkaban.html(accessed June 12, 2005).
189 Ted Pigeon, "Great Movies Can Come From Anywhere," The Ted Pigeon Blogspot, entry posted July
23, 2007, http://tedpigeon.blogspot.com/2007/07/not-every-movie-can-be-great-but-great.html (accessed
March 18, 2008).
118
Year. Additionally, the film won two BAFTA Awards (the Audience Award and the
Children's Award), and the music won the BMI Film Music Award and the World
Soundtrack's Public Choice Award.
Summary
As the story of production history, aesthetic decisions, and reception becomes
more complex, let us review some of the key points. Harry Potter producers chose to hire
a different kind of director for the third film with a more individualistic approach for
cinematic art, and viewers perceived this difference in the aesthetics of the final product.
By hiring Alfonso Cuaron (known for his individualism and artistry) to direct the film,
producers expressed their desire to make a change from the trends set by Columbus, who
had taken a traditional, classic approach to film adaptation. Cuaron himself stated his
interest in creating an adaptation that would be faithful to the spirit of Rowling' s
narrative, but not literally faithful in all details. Cuaron changed many of the details that
Columbus's crew had established (e.g. outdoor locations and costuming) in order that
every narrative element might amplify his interpretation (e.g. a more rugged landscape
and subdued colors and fabrics in costuming to reflect a tonally darker narrative).
Likewise, Williams adapted his musical themes and musical approach (e.g. adding longer
themes and music for early instruments) to reflect Cuaron's new vision. The resulting
product, deemed by some an art film, was more sophisticated and creatively complex
than the previous, more straightforward Potter films had been.
Although still rated PG, the film was not necessarily targeted toward children as
the previous films seem to have been. Reviewer critics received the film favorably, and
119
critic sites (such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic) gave top scores. However, box
office receipts were the lowest for any of the Potter films.
For those who had been disappointed with Columbus's faithful approach,
Cuaron's more liberal approach was perceived as refreshing. Likewise, Williams's music
was perceived as more subtle and beautiful, contributing more artistically to the overall
aesthetic-as opposed to some previous perceptions that his music was too garish when
reflecting Columbus's Potter films. However, for others who had valued Columbus's
classic approach, Cuaron's changes detracted from the well-known narrative by
disrupting film-goer expectation built on the experience of the first two Potter movies.
Likewise, Williams's more subtle and somber music was perceived as more moody and
less magical. For the purposes of this chapter, I am less interested in championing either
of the afore-mentioned perspectives, and more interested in showing that both those who
liked and disliked the film perceived similar qualities in it-namely that it felt different,
that Cuaron took a less literal and more creative approach, and that Williams's approach
to the music followed in kind.
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
History of Production and Aesthetic Choices
In order to produce the series more quickly (in spite of the new, longer, eighteen-
month production cycle), a new director was chosen to commence work on the fourth
film while the third was still in post-production. Mike Newell, who is perhaps best
known for romantic comedies (such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Mona Lisa
Smile) and edgy dramas (such as Donnie Braseo), became the third director to lead a
120
Harry Potter film. He is also the first British director to lead a Harry Potter film.
Producer David Heyman said in a statement,
When Alfonso made the decision to focus on completing 'Harry Potter and
The Prisoner of Azkaban,' we were faced with the daunting task of finding
a director to handle the complex challenges of 'Harry Potter and The
Goblet of Fire' and to follow in the footsteps of Chris Columbus and
Alfonso Cuar6n. Mike's rich and diverse body of work show him to be the
perfect choice. He has worked with children, made us laugh, and had us
sitting on the edge of our seats. He is great with actors and imbues all his
characters, all his films, with great humanity. I'm thrilled. 190
The attributes that Heyman lists for Newell directly relate to valued attributes that the
previous directors had brought. However, his list includes neither the attributes of
"faithful" or "artistic" in adaptation as had been significantly perceived between the two
predecessors by fans of the former films. Instead, as we will see, Newell focused on the
human, social drama of the story, and viewers perceived this shift.
When Cuar6n was asked if he might return to direct the later films, he responded,
"Now I need to de-Potterise myself. Do something completely different. But later on if I
am invited and if the same cast is in place I would love to come back to do another. It's
been the two sweetest years of my life."191 John Williams, likewise, decided to take a
break from the Potter films, passing up the opportunity to score music for The Goblet of
Fire in favor of Memoirs ofa Geisha. 192 Faced with hiring a new composer, Newell
chose to work with fellow British composer, Patrick Doyle, who is perhaps best known
190 Gary Susman, "Ready, Aim, 'Fire.'" Entertainment Weekly, September 11, 2003.
http://www.ew.comlew/article/0..474612.00.html(accessed March 18,2009).
191 Lizo Mzimba, "Alfonso Cuar6n: the man behind the magic," BBe Newsround, May 28, 2004.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_fiIm1newsid_3758000/375810 l.stm (accessed October 20,2009).
192 "Jolm Williams (biography)," IMDb. http://www.imdb.comlname/nm0002354/bio. He also scored
music for 2005' Star Wars Ill: Revenge o/the Sith, and Steven Spielberg's remake of War o/the Worlds.
121
for his work on British heritage hybrid productions (such as Branagh's Much Ado About
Nothing and Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility) and with whom Newell had worked on
previous projects.
Composer Background: Patrick Doyle
While Patrick Doyle's background information may be familiar for some, let us
review some key points as they relate the Harry Potter series. A more substantial
biography for Patrick Doyle can be found in the appendix. Born in 1953 in Uddingston,
South Lanarkshire, Scotland, Patrick Doyle is the second oldest composer to work on the
Harry Potter films and the first British composer to fill the role. He is the only Potter
composer from Scotland, where notably the Harry Potter story takes place.
In contrast to Williams's early musical career-which focused on jazz
performance, composition, and film, Doyle's early musical career revolved around
teaching piano, singing, and live theater. Like Williams, Doyle studied music at
university (the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow), but focused
on piano and singing (rather than piano and composition as Williams did). Just as we
hear Williams's fluency with wind instruments in the foreground of his symphonic
scores, so we also hear Doyle's ease in composing for voice in the foreground of his
symphonic scores. Of all the Harry Potter composers, Doyle is the most well known for
integrating his own art songs and choral works into film scores. Indeed, he includes a
vocal mermaid's song in his score for The Goblet ofFire, which is performed by his
daughter, soprano Abigail Doyle.
Doyle's composition career began in live theater in 1978, and his first score for
film was composed in 1989~that is to say, nearly thirty years after Williams entered the
122
Hollywood scene as a composer. Moreover, while Williams tends to write for standard
Hollywood productions, and is sometimes championed as the reviver of the Classical
Hollywood style (e.g., full orchestra timbres and textures), several of Doyle's early film
projects were heritage productions (e.g., Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean adaptations)
and tended to use smaller ensembles with some relation (either real or symbolic) to the
era of the film's drama. Indeed, many of Doyle's vocal works for film would pass for
codified classical art song (or choral work) outside of their film context. Furthermore,
while Williams's trademark style is easily recognizable, Doyle's style is more adaptable.
Doyle himself reports that "while others have been typecast into drama or comedy or
musicals, I have not [and] I never stop being grateful for it."193
Now let us return to the discussion of production history and aesthetic choices for
The Goblet ofFire. Although the most significant visual changes first occur in the third
Potter film under Cuaron's new vision, the most significant musical changes first occur in
the fourth Potter film under Patrick Doyle's pen-and this significantly influences viewer
perception of the film visuals. Although some perceive the third movie as the one that
sets a new course (such as my colleague who believes that the films "are all downhill
beginning with Cuaron") I argue that the most significant break with continuity occurs
with the fourth movie because both the director and the composer were new to the
production series. 194 In this way, there was very little visionary continuity between the
third and fourth films. In fact, matters of continuity were further challenged because
193 Anna Millar, "Never lose composure-Patrick Doyle interview," Scotland.com, October 5, 2008.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sos-reviewlNever-lose-composure--Patrick.4557869.jp (accessed
November 1, 2008).
194 Additionally, Cuar6n did not stay on as a producer of the fourth film as Columbus had done for the
third film in order to facilitate continuity.
123
production began on the fourth film before the third was finished-that is to say, without
the full benefit of hindsight or audience reception.
As the film's new director, Mike Newell brought a new set of goals for the
cinematic interpretation of the narrative. Because The Prisoner ofAzkaban was still in
post-production when Newell took on the assignment for The Goblet ofFire, he (like
Cuaron) may have formed first impressions (and thus his initial strategy) based as much
on the completed first two movies as on the third film still in process. 195 However, the
following statement suggests that he did not desire to continue in Cuaron's visually
appealing art-film vein.
Newell. .. worried he might get gobbled up by a visual-effects beast that
could choke the human drama... [and] fought hard to keep the extravagant
computer-generated imagery in its place, namely, in service ofthe story
and not just a collection of pretty pictures for their own sake. "I was
daunted, and I was also ill-tempered," Newell, 63, told The Associated
Press, "because I felt very strongly that the tail wagged the dog, and that
the special effects had on earlier films been the event."196
Paradoxically, the fourth narrative is one that requires perhaps the most special effects in
order to represent the several significant magical tournament events (including conflicts
with dragons, mermaids, and so on), and the darkly magical rise of the dark lord,
Voldemort. While it is true that far fewer special effects are used outside of specific
narrative events depicting magic, it is also true that these significant magical narrative
events drive the overall action-packed success of the film. Indeed, Newell's concern for
the film's drama is different from Columbus's concern for the faithful transferrence of
195 Newell certainly had the opportunity to view the finished third movie before finishing his work on the
fourth, but not before he began work on the fourth film.
196 The Associated Press "British director tackes 'Goblet of Fire,''' The Associated Press, Noveber 21,
2005. http://www.cnn.coml2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/l1l211mike.newell.ap/index.html (accessed November
22,2005).
124
Rowling's book and also different from Cuaron's concern for expanding the visual and
cultural landscape of the narrative.
Instead, Newell endeavored to solidify the film around a central dramatic drive,
which he described in the following statement, "Sexual jealousy is under the surface. It's
dark and mean and nasty and it's absolutely true to what I recall of early adolescence."197
In this Potter installment (in which "Harry is pitted against older student sorcerers in a
wizardry competition that turns out to have a darker purpose"), Newell believed that he
could uniquely bring his "intimate knowledge about the quirks of a British education" to
the human organization of film in a way that his non-British predecessors did not. 198
Speaking to the approaches of his predecessors, he stated,
It wasn't possible for them to get that right. They'd never been to such a
school. English schools are very, very eccentric. They're not like any
other. ... they were kind of dangerous and violent places, but they also
were very funny and anarchic places. 199
Furthermore, Newell states why he believes the boarding school element is so
important to the narrative.
197 Ian Nathon, "Sexual jealousy is under the surface. It's dark and mean and nasty and it's absolutely true
to what I recall of early adolescence'; Harry Potter director, Mike Newell, talks to Ian Nathan about the
Goblet of Fire," The Evening Standard, October 27,2005. http://www.highbeam.com/docIlGl-
138022255.html (accessed November 22,2005).
198 The Associated Press, "British director tackes 'Goblet ofFire,'" The Associated Press, Noveber 21,
2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZlMoviesll1/21/mike.newell.ap/index.html (accessed November
22,2005).
199 The Associated Press, "British director tackes 'Goblet ofFire,'" The Associated Press, November 21,
2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Moviesll1/21/mike.newell.ap/index.html (accessed November
22,2005).
125
The "Harry Potters" are first and foremost school stories. No matter how
many spells, potions and magical creatures you have, each takes place
from September to July-the school year.200
In other words, the Harry Potter narrative resonated with Newell at the level of the
familiar (i.e. his own experiences from adolescence and from boarding school), and thus
he wanted to realistically convey this youthful, human connection with British academic
institutions to his viewers. This is much different than Columbus's desire to convey with
clarity the magic of Rowling's first and second novels, and also different from Cuaron's
vision to artistically signify many subtle layers of magic with cinematic techniques,
following the spirit of Rowling's third novel.
However, the fourth film also includes a turning point in the narrative that Newell
recognized as the "spine" of the story. According to Newell, this spine is what drives the
music for the film.
What keeps this big juggernaut of a story moving is the thriller that lies
behind everything. There's a plot laid by Voldemort to use Harry to return
him to Power and everything that happens in the film revolves around that.
Pat [Doyle] saw at once that the thriller was the spine of the story-again
his theatre work gives him a terrific instinct for strong story structure-
and he seized on the opportunity.201
While Voldemort's physical regeneration is certainly a formidable turning point at the
mid-point of Rowling's series-and therefore a logical narrative core for the fourth film,
it is still an aesthetic choice to characterize the film as a "thriller" (i.e., when all of the
narratives have included mystery, suspense, and mortal danger), and to design the music
based around this characterization. Indeed, Doyle's choice to center his music around the
200 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
201 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
126
notion of a thriller is much different from Williams's choice to musically represent a
child's introduction to the world of magic of the first two films, and different from
Williams's choice to build a musical foundation around the mischievous, medieval
character of the third film.202
Like the previous directors, Newell worked with the established cast, and added
new actors to fulfill new character roles. Four British actors, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan
Gleeson, Katie Leung, and Robert Pattinson were hired to play Lord Voldemort,
Professor Alastor Moody, and students Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory, respectively.
European actors were also hired to play European characters: Predrag Bjelac to play Igor
Karkaroff, Frances de la Tour to play Olympe Maxime,203 Clemence Poesy to play Fleur
Delacour, and Stanislav Ianevski to play Viktor Krum. Filming began in early 2004 at
Leavesdon Film Studios, and continued in English and Scottish locations as it had for
previous Potter films. In other words, the fourth film continues the British language
soundscapes that viewers experienced in the first three films (with the addition of new
characters with European accents), and continues the British visual landscapes that
viewers experienced in the first three films (with the addition of new scenery for new
scene events). However, as we will see in the following chapter, the music for the fourth
film does not emphasize either the cultural, historical, or visual landscape in the way that
the music for the third film does. Moreover, because Patrick Doyle used his own style of
orchestration, and eschewed using Williams's leitmotifs (save for brief nods to
202 As we will see in the following chapters, Williams's "Hedwig's Theme" plays a substantial role in
conveying the world of magic. Likewise, Williams's "Double Trouble" plays a substantial role in
conveying the mischievous, medieval landscape.
203 De la Tour, a Tony award-winning English actress, was born in England, though with a French
heritage, and attended London's French school as a child.
127
"Hedwig's Theme"), the aural-scape of the background music is significantly different
from the films that came before.
Steve Kloves, who retumed as the screenwriter, had the daunting task of unifying
the narrative, the longest book yet, that included so many significant events. These
events include a longer than average prologue before the onset of the Hogwarts school
year (first in the novel, then in the film), and three critical toumament events (with new
locations designed, as before, by set designer Stuart Craig) before the main crisis of the
story, namely the rise of Voldemort in physically human form. At 734 pages, the original
novel The Goblet ofFire, is over twice as long as either of the first two novels, and
significantly longer than The Prisoner ofAzkaban (at 433 pages). Director Mike Newell
called the original novel "a brick of a book," and as such, believed large sections of
action and narrative threads had to be distilled or cut altogether due to the length and
complexity of the story, leaving only the bare bones of the story.204 While I agree that
this is a reasonable strategy, I also argue that there is more than one way to accomplish
the synthesis of literature into cinema. As we will see (and explore in detail in the
following chapters), Newell distilled the story's events to the "bare bones" of the
dramatic progress while the next director, David Yates distilled the following, longer
novel to emphasize the emotional core of character experience.
Although fans had all but demanded to see a Quidditch game play out in the first
film, one of the first narrative events to be cut in the fourth film was the game itself from
the Quidditch World Cup scene-an edit that fans and reviewers pointed out in post-
release commentary. However, some action sequences, such as Harry's conflict with a
dragon in the first school toumament event, were extended, resulting in a greater burden
on computer-generated special effects in the representation of Harry's dangerous
204 Keily Oakes, "Polished Pottter ups fright factor," BBe News entertainment, November 10,2005.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4386032.stm (accessed November 11,2009).
128
circumstances. As the form of film music follows the form of the drama, the types of
scenes (such as those mentioned above) that were shortened, lengthened, added, or
omitted directly influenced the music for the film. For instance, unlike the previous three
films, there is no visual sequence of the Quidditch games in this film (that fans required
of the earlier films), and thus there is no music to follow the Quidditch games.
In some cases, the edits between longer and shorter portions of narrative progress
left abrupt temporal jumps. This is different from the visual fluidity of the temporal and
spatial continuity in the preceding film, and also different from the regular, measured
editing of the first two films. Newell expressed contentment with the rhythmic continuity
of the film when he commented on Kloves's significant contribution after the completion
of the film:
It was the happiest collaboration I think I've ever had, certainly as an
adapter. He never gets in your way. I want stuff to be written and
rewritten and re-rewritten right the way through the film. He would never
ever complain, and he would always see why and he would always dig
down into his personal mine of stuff and come up with wonderful things.
I can't tell you haw happy I was with him.205
In other words, Newell felt able to express his vision of the story in his working
collaboration with Kloves, and may have contributed some of decisions which lead to
abrupt temporal jumps.
205 Daniel Fienberg, "Screenwriter will sit out one 'Potter," Zapt2it.com, November 16,2005.
http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=37I074 (accessed January 11,2009).
129
Music Composition Style and Process
Newell's relationship with composer Patrick Doyle was also reportedly very
good. Newell chose Doyle for his "sense of drama, his sense of magic, and his sense of
humor."206 Doyle later spoke about the collaboration in an interview, saying, "it was
extraordinary and it was great to work with Mike Newell again." However, Doyle further
suggested that the circumstances leading to his assignment to the job were unremarkable
when he stated, "Mike Newell, the director, and the producers, David Baron and David
Heymann, were very familiar with my work and they felt that I was up to the job."207
As we will see later, this is different from circumstances ofNicholas Hooper's
assignment to score the fifth film, in which the producers needed to be convinced of his
qualifications. Doyle discussed his stylistic appeal for films, explaining why he believes
his work is appreciated by producers and filmmakers.
I have a very strong liking for melody and it is one of the reasons
filmmakers like to use me, I gather. One is always keen to have one's
voice and I believe through other observers that the consensus is I do. I
don't particularly think about it as an objective to create my own sound.
Each picture makes new demands and I only write what I hear.208
206 Ashlee Davis, "Making Magic: Composer of 'Harry Potter and Goblet offrre' brings knowledge
experience to SU," Daily Oragne, February 11,2009.
http://media.www.dailyorange.com/mediaistorage/paper522/news/2009/02/11/Feature/Making.Magic.Com
poser.Of.harry.Potter.And.Goblet.Of.Fire.Brings.Knowledge.Exper-3623755.shtml (accessed March 29,
2009).
207 Mikael Carlsson, "Patrick Doyle: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
208 Ibid.
.130
While Williams's signature style is also highly dependent on melody (as is the case in the
preceding films), Hooper's music for the following fifth film is more dependent on
patterns of harmony and rhythm. This serves as a reminder that even the decision to
elevate melody (and, likewise, to hire a composer who is known for the elevation of
melody) constitutes an aesthetic decision that affects the film as a whole.
However, just like Newell was hesitant to follow a Hollywood-style special
effects model, Doyle was hesitant to follow a Hollywood-style music model. In the
following interview statement, he explained the circumstances in which he joined the
project.
John Williams wasn't available and initially the request was that I'd be
working with John's material so I was a little hesitant. In the end it was
just the Hedwig's Theme that I brought over. It was an honour to follow
in the footsteps of such a great composer. If it had been non-stop thematic
work it would have been a different story, but it was a very dark film,
much darker than the previous ones, and I was able to address elements
like Voldemort which kept things fresh. It was ultimately an opportunity
for me to make my own stamp on this particular storyline.209
In a separate interview, Doyle explained further,
I was given tremendous artistic freedom from both the filmmakers and the
studio to make the score for The Goblet ofFire my own because we all
realised that it was a darker story and many new characters appeard that
had to be addressed with fresh thematic material. 210
209 Joe Utichi, "Composer Patrick Doyle: The RT Interview," Rotten Tomatoes, December 19,2007).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry-potter_and_the_goblet_oCfrre/news/1698240/composer-patrick_
doyle_theJUnterview (accessed January 11,2008).
210 Mikael Carlsson, "Patrick Doyle: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
131
In other words, although Doyle was happy to follow in the footsteps of John Williams, he
saw the need to write different music than Williams had because Mike Newell was
making a different kind of movie with a different story. As we will see in the next
chapter, Doyle not only writes new music to replace Williams's themes, he also applies
his music in different ways that Williams's music is applied in the first three films.
In the following chapter, I show how both Doyle's and Williams's Harry Potter
music follows traditional Hollywood models, though each made strikingly different
choices within that tradition. Thus, like the third film, new musical themes were written
to represent continuing narrative themes, with the exception of John Williams's "Hedwig
Theme," which was retained, though Doyle altered a few of its melody notes. According
to Doyle, he wrote new thematic material for "Voldemort, the Beauxbatons, the
Durmstrang schools, Hagrid and Madame Maxime, Cho and Harry, and the School
Hymn;"211 however, not all of these themes are used as leitmotifs, as Williams had done
in the previous films. Moreover, in Chapter V, I will show how the contour of meaning
changes throughout the films when new themes are composed and applied differently to
represent continuing ideas in the narrative.212
Some fans who had appreciated Williams's musical approach to the previous
three films were skeptical that Doyle could fill Williams's role as effectively. Reviewer
Michael Beek notes that "the announcement that Patrick Doyle would take over ... was
211 Ibid.
212 In Chapter V, I discuss how the theme for Voldemort has many variations, and shares properties with
Harry's theme. I argue that the theme for Cho and Harry (called "Harry in Winter" on the CD) is indeed
representative of Harry's inner emotional experience, but is not representative of relationships with others
(including Cho). Further, the themes for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students, and for Hagrid and
Madame Maxime are only deployed in some circumstances, but not always to support the presence of these
characters.
132
welcomed with a little hesitation."213 In Newell's statements on behalf of Doyle's music
in the CD liner notes for The Goblet ofFire soundtrack, he indicates his role in choosing
Doyle, but is ambiguous about his role in collaborating on ideas about the music. Newell
writes,
I've worked with Patrick Doyle on several other films and know that he
has a wonderful ability to see the life in a story. When he looked at
"Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire," he immediately plugged into the
excitement and craziness that was in the story. He saw his job as bringing
out the fun, exotically-colored, noisy, and above everything else, anarchic
world of a school. ... Pat has made a kaleidoscope of colors, moods and
action which have given the movie more energy and variety than I could
ever have hoped for. 214
According to the statement above, it seems as if Newell fully gave Doyle the
responsibility of seeing the life in the fourth Harry Potter story and creating music that
would bring this life to audiences. According to a later interview, however, Doyle
described the collaboration as "unusual," because he "worked closely with the director as
well as the sound designer, editor and conductor to integrate the music and make it an
essential part of the film."215 He continued, "also, Mike's very strong and direct and I
love all that. He was open for all sorts of try-this, try-that. I was available on and off for
213 Michael Beek, "Music from the Harry Potter films," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
214 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Goblet a/Fire: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
215 Ashlee Davis, "Making Magic: Composer of 'Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire' brings knowledge
experience to SU," Daily Oragne, February 11,2009.
http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2009/02/lllFeature/Making.Magic.Com
poser.Of.harry.Potter.And.Goblet.Of.Fire.Brings.Knowledge.Exper-3623755.shtml (accessed March 29,
2009).
133
a year and so I was able to give him various options and really experiment and that really
helped."216
The standard Hollywood practice dictates that scoring begins after a film is in the
rough cut, and should be completed some weeks later when the film is ready for
distribution.217 Given Doyle's and Newell's statements above, their working
relationship allowed for more collaboration between music and visuals over the eighteen-
month course offilming. However, it is not clear from the statements above how exactly
Doyle and Newell used this extra time for the purposes of designing music for the film.
In the course ofmy research, I have attempted to contact Mr. Doyle through his agent a
number of times, sending written questions in the process, in order to clarify some of the
ambiguities of the working relationship such as those described above. Unfortunately,
Mr. Doyle has been unable to respond due to a heavy working schedule, according to his
manager.
Although both the collaborators on the third and fourth Potter films seem to have
used this integrated working process, the product of this integration is quite different
between the two films. In contrast to the editing practices in the third film, which often
seamlessly bring music and visuals together to amplify a narrative idea, source and non-
source music in the fourth movie is divided, and often edited with visuals in order to
accompany narrative progress (rather than ideas or emotions). One way that music is
clearly essential to the fourth Potter film, however, is in the number of narrative events
that include source music. This will be examined further in the next chapter.
216 Joe Utichi, "Composer Patrick Doyle: The RT Interview," Rotten Tomatoes, December 19,2007).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry."potter_and_the_goblet_ofJrre/news/1698240/composer"'patrick_
doyle_theJUnterview (accessed January 11,2008).
217 Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film (Madison: University of
Wisconsin, 1992), 75.
134
Like Williams's work on the third Potter film, Doyle composed some ofthe music
before filming. He explained, "... before Harry Potter started filming there was going to
be music on-camera and so [I] had to start before filming. I had to work with the
production team for Harry's Waltz, Neville's Dance, and the Durmstrang boys'
introduction."218 In a separate interview, Doyle states that he worked on the film on and
off for fourteen months. The entrance of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools into
the great hall and the brass band music for the maze sequence were Doyle's earliest
responses to the the characters and character of the fourth Potter film.219 Doyle's
description (given in the context of the previous interview) of the piece for the
Durmstrang boys' introduction relates to Newell's desire to portray adolescent sexuality
and sexual tension.
"The piece of music you see that accompanies the arrival of the
Durmstrang boys ... was the first music I wrote after Mike [Newell] had
described the scene. He showed me the costumes and he said, 'I want it to
be very machismo. I want it to be strong. '" According to the composer,
the suggestion for the use of staves in the scene came after Doyle saw a
show with the dance troupe "Stomp."220
Much of Doyle's music for the film is orchestral and generally follows dramatic
traditions similar to those used by Williams. Having said that, Doyle's orchestrations for
the Potter film are different from Williams's, and are also different from Doyle's
218 Joe Utichi, "Composer Patrick Doyle: The RT Interview," Rotten Tomatoes, December 19,2007).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry---.potter_and_the_goblet_oCfire/news/ I698240/composer---'patrick_
doyle_theJUnterview (accessed January 11,2008).
219 Mikael Carlsson, "Patrick Doyle: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
220 Michael Aaron Gallagher, '''Harry Potter's' Patrick Doyle visits Syracuse International Film Festival
Event," February 16, 2009. http://stayfamous.blogspot.com/2009/02/harry-potters-patrick-doyle-visits.html
(accessed March 31, 2009).
135
previous work-that is to say that Doyle seemed to mediate his own style with that of his
predecessor. For instance, the orchestrations included a larger number of performing
forces than Doyle's heritage scores had used in the past, and listeners responded that
"... never before has Doyle's music attained such a high level of grandeur, force, and
sheer volume."221
There are clear differences between Doyle's score and those of Williams's as
well. Instrumentation includes synthesizer and keyboard, but little celeste-a prominent
instrument in the first three Potter music soundtracks. Additionally, a vocal track by
Doyle's daughter Abigail Doyle was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, but no choral
voices were featured with the orchestra as they had been in the three previous films.
Both celeste and choral voices had been used by Williams in the service of signifying
magic with music, and thus, the absences of these sound-producers seems to serve
director Mike Newell's interest in representing familiar, human drama. The orchestral
music was also recorded by a different orchestra in a different studio-by the London
Symphony Orchestra at Air Lyndhurst Studios and Air Edel Recording Studios. It was
conducted by a new conductor, one of Doyle's orchestrators, James Shearman.
The music soundtrack also includes source music composed and performed by
contemporary rock musicians from the bands Pulp and Radiohead (among others). This
familiar, contemporary approach to music heard in the magical world is much different
from Williams's use of an early musical ensemble to represent exotic, medieval music in
the magical world. Three rock ensemble pieces included standard rock instrumentation,
and one of these pieces, "Do the Hippogriff," featured a bagpipe solo by Stuart Cassells.
The Goblet ofFire was the first of the Potter films to be rated PG-13 "for
sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images." Though it is not the first Potter
221 Jonathan Broxton, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Movie Music UK,2005.
www.moviemusicuk.us/harrypotter4cd.htm (accessed November 11,2009).
136
narrative to include death, it is the first to explicity include murder. Three human
characters are murdered over the course of the film-an old man at the beginning, a
middle-aged man in the middle, and a teenage boy at the end. The film was released in
the USA on November 18,2005. The running time is 157 minutes-that is, longer than
the previous film, but comparable in length to the first two films.
Reception
As before, fans came to see the film in droves on opening weekend. The first
weekend box office receipts in the USA totalled $40 million, and remain the highest
among the five released films. Like the other Potter films before, the film broke box
office records including highest sales for an opening weekend in the UK. Over its
twenty-week run in theaters around the world, the film earned $896 million, making it the·
highest grossing worlwide release of2005, and the second highest grossing Potter film at
that time (later surpassed by The Order ofthe Phoenix).
The positive reception for the fourth film on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritc web
sites was identical to reception for the previous third film.222 Although the third and
fourth films have different directors, composers, plots, and aesthetic styles, viewers
seemed to be equally pleased with the fresh (rather than faithful) interpretation of each.
The Goblet ofFire received an 89% "Certified Fresh" approval rating on Rotten
Tomatoes, tying with The Prisoner ofAzkaban as the most favorably regarded Potter
222 Some reviewers, such as Keily Oakes, positively stated that there was no clear difference in style
between the third film and the fourth. 1 disagree. As 1 will show in the following chapters, there are
several clear differences in style between the third and fourth films. Keily Oakes, "Polished Pottter ups
fright factor," BBe News entertainment, November 10,2005.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4386032.stm (accessed November 11,2009).
137
films on the site. Also like The Prisoner ofAzkaban, The Goblet ofFire received 81 out
of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim."
Positive acclaim cited the film's solid dramatic climax (including the regeneration
of Voldemort in physical form), while criticism cited the uninspired quality of the
representation.223 In an important contrast to the debate over the third film-i.e.,
whether Cuar6n should have taken a faithful approach rather than his more "inspired"
approach-the debate over the fourth film is whether Newell's approach is inspired or
not. For instance, while some viewers had been taken aback by the darkness of the third
film, most seemed used to this tonal progression by the fourth film. Roger Ebert wrote
favorably of Newell's ability to balance "whimsy and the ominous.,,224 Despite the fact
that Newell's edits are more abrupt than Cuar6n's, reviewer Manohla Dargis noted the
progressively darker tone as a continuation of Cuar6n' s approach when she stated that,
like the third film, "the new [film] opens and ends on an ominous note."22S She
continued,
If the world of the first two installments, "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's
Stone" and "Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets," both directed by
the aggressively upbeat Chris Columbus, represented some kind of
paradise for the boy wizard, it was a paradise that, we come to see, would
soon be lost. ...Like his predecessor, Alfonso Cuar6n, who brought new
beauty and depth to the series, the director Mike Newell embraces the
saga's dark side with flair. ... The gloom and doom may be less
223 BBC, "Mixed reviews for new Potter film," BBC.com, November 10, 200S.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hiJentertainment/4424194.stm (accessed November 11,2009).
224 Roger Ebert, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie review," The Sun Times, November 18, 200S).
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dlVartic1e?AID=/200S1117/REVIEWS/SII14003/1 023 (accessed
December 17, 200S).
22S Manahla Dargis, "The Young Wizard Puts Away Childish Things," The New York Times, November
17,200S.
http://movies.nytimes.cam/200S/1I/17/movies/17pott.html?J=I&ei=S070&en=48028I ca8b81316b&ex=I
IS66S1200&adxnnl=l&adxnnlx=IIS648S942-JmioaSGb9JG62Z4/tviEug (accessed December 17, 200S).
138
poetically realized, but the combination of British eccentricity, fatalism
and steady-on pluck remains irresistibly intact.226
Some reviewers adapted their statements of the previous three films in reference to the
perceived success of the fourth. For instance, Kenneth Turan, who had written high
praise for the Cuaron's direction of the third movie, re-considered his preferences
(ultimately favoring Newell's approach) when he wrote about the fourth film:
With the reliably commercial Chris Columbus in charge, the first two
Potters were soulless but safe-as-houses copies of the books. The gifted
Alfonso Cuaron attempted to escape the bonds of the conventional in "The
Prisoner of Azkaban" but succeeded only in part. It has fallen to the
veteran Mike Newell, eager, in his own words, "to break out ofthis
goody-two-shoes feel," to make the first Harry Potter film to be wire-to-
wire satisfying.227
Moreover, viewers interested in action-adventure were delighted with film.
Unlike Cuaron's "poetically" realized film, Newell cuts to the point, and while each
scene contains plenty of detail (including costuming, set design, and so forth), the camera
only focuses on the main event. As one blogger wrote,
Goblet is a lean, mean, storytelling machine. There's never a dull moment
(a stark contrast to some of the overblown earlier installments in the
series)....Speaking of action: The special effects in this installment are
hands-down better than ever. There's probably not a single scene in
Goblet of Fire that isn't manipulated with CGI in some way-but you'll
never notice.228
226 Ibid.
227 Kenneth Turan, "'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' movie review." Los Angeles Times, November
17, 2005. http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/turan/cl-et-harrypotter18nov18,0,41 0738.story (accessed
December 17,2005.
228 Christopher Null, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review," Contact Music.
http://www.contactmusic.com/new/film.nsf/reviews/harrypotterandthegobletoffire (accessed March 4,
2006).
139
The latter reviewer was also pleased with Newell's handling of the maturing teenage
themes.
Speculation has been rampant about how director Mike Newell. .. would
work out as the helmer of an action-oriented kid flick. Turns out, he's
better than those who came before him. Not only does Newell have a
good handle over the film's action showpieces, he knows how to deal with
the awkward romances and growing pains of the teen years.229
I include the above quote to show how viewers responded to the fourth movie, but
this response also requires clarification. As previously mentioned, each ofRowling's
Potter novels emphasizes unique ideas and events that are specific to Harry's experience
of maturation. It is in the fourth novel that Harry is first tested in such an action-oriented
way (e.g. out-flying dragons, out-swimming water creatures, and so on), and also is tested
in the sphere of romantic attraction. So, while the reviewer expresses valid opinions
regarding Newell's approach to these elements in the fourth movie, it is not as valid to
favor his approach (for action showpieces, awkward romances, and teenage growing
pains) over the approaches of his predecessors because these narrative elements were not
as relevant to Rowling's preceding novels.
It is significant, however, that Newell made a film about teenage students that was
also received well by teenage audience members. When I asked my teenage music
students what they liked best about the fourth Harry Potter movie, they invariably cited
the action sequences, the special effects, and the budding romances. As they are
presented in the film, these three elements all directly relate to the narrative ofHarry's
229 Ibid.
140
fourth year at Hogwarts, and also all directly relate to general narrative and cinematic
elements that modem teenagers expect from a good film.
Others compared the fourth movie unfavorably to its predecessors, citing its lack
of inspiration, lack of "magic," and its lack of cinematic flow. For instance, Owen
Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly did not fault the film for straying from Rowling's
literal narrative, but voiced disappointment that the film did not follow the spirit of
Rowling's original work when he wrote that the "fourth flick offers more magic, [but]
feels less magical." Gleiberman noted how Rowling's original novels are funny in the
details of their presentation of magical matter-of-factness, yet the same events expressed
in Newell's film read as 'just another processed effect from the digital factory, delivered
straight up, with no more wit or enchantment than a hundred other FIX in a hundred other
throw-away youth-fantasy films."230 Likewise, Gleiberman thinks less of Newell's
approach to cinematic flow than he does of Cuaron's previous approach, writing,
Newell, unlike Cuaron, jams sequences together like bricks ofLEGO,
without giving the story an emotional flow. The other Triwizard labors
are all staged as hermetic set pieces, with each one a little less exciting
than the last. The biggest disappointment of Goblet of Fire is that Harry's
first romantic stirrings, stoked by his new celebrity status as a Triwizard
competitor and also by the suddenly dolled-up appearance of Hermione
(Emma Watson) at a Hogwarts ball, are every bit as self-contained as the
action. Young love, having finally reared its head, becomes just another
LEGO block.231
As we will see in Chapter V, one reason that romance seems self-contained is that
Doyle's music emphasizes Harry's inner emotions, but not his bonds with others.
230 Owen Gleibennan, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Movie Review," Entertainment Weekly,
November 6, 2005). http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0.. 1131187.00.htm1(accessed December 17, 2005).
231 Ibid.
141
Similarly, Paul Clinton felt the film generally lacked sparkle, and could not hold
focus in the way the other films had.
Frankly, the entire film felt like the cinematic version of Hamburger
Helper-too little meat trying to do too much.... I'm not saying the
magic is gone, but I've lost that loving feeling. Director Mike Newell and
screenwriter Steve Kloves have attempted to make a movie that is part
thriller, part action flick and part budding love story. None ofthe themes
mesh together well. The result feels somewhat clunky and disjointed.232
Others, still, claimed that Newell's approach, though different from Cuaron's, was
warranted because of the different narrative emphasis in the fourth chapter of the series.
Reviewer Marrit Ingman explains that Newell doesn't "linger on the gothic curlicues" of
the narrative, nor does he emphasize "expressionistic, atmospheric gloom" as his
predecessors did because the fourth narrative chapter deals with a different topic:
adolescent, emotional development. As such Newell's straightforward, social realism
approach "makes sense" to Ingman who writes,
Newell understands that the real thrust of the source material-at least in
this particular book-is its characters' passage into adolescence, so he
keeps a tight rein on author J.K. Rowling's airy digressions into magical
whimsy (the Quidditch World Cup tournament, for example, merits a
minimum of screen time compared to its lengthy depiction in the novel)
and takes us right into the heart of the beast: teenage hormones, fallings-
out with friends, meeting weird kids from other schools, being hated by
your schoolmates, fearing your new teacher yet again, and having to slow
dance.233
232 Paul Clinton, "Review: New 'Potter' tries to do too much," CNNcom, November 21,2005.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/18/review.potter/index.html (accessed December 17,
2005).
233 Marrit Ingman, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie review," Austin Chronicle, November 18,
2005. http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Calendar/Film?Film=oid%3A31 0652 (accessed
December 17,2005).
142
In other words, Newell chose to present universal teenage issues in a way that was
representative of and relevant to contemporary teenagers. Similarly, Anthony Lane
commented favorably that "the parts of the film that stay with you are not concerned with
the dark arts but with something far more unstoppable: teen-agers," and that Newell
allows the teen-age characters to "behave like humans...a relief after the relentlessness
of their enchanted lives."234
As I have shown above, while critics wrote about the matters of action-based
narrative progress and inspired representation, the praise and criticism for this film also
clearly hinged on the virtue of realism (especially in the special effects, and realistically
drawn teen-age characters) versus the virtue of magic (or lack thereof). This is different
from the praise and criticism for the first two films, which revolved around the virtues of
fidelity versus creativity (or lack thereof), and different from the praise and criticism for
the third film, which revolved around the virtues of creativity versus continuity with the
previous films (or lack thereof).
As we will see, reception of the musical soundtrack followed some of the same
patterns---eoncerning the attention to narrative progress and cinematic flow, but had two
strains of contention rather than one. While there was some debate over Doyle's score on
its own merits, including the matters of beauty, musical "dazzle," and fluidity, the
underlying matter seemed to be whether to praise or chastise Doyle's score for being
different from Williams's precedents. Often these subjects are intertwined in the
comments of critics and fans.
The music that accompanied action, special effects, and budding romance was
received well by younger audiences. Reviewers also noted that Doyle's classically
234 Anthony Lane, "Boy Wonders," The New Yorker, November 18,2005.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/ll/28/051128crci_cinema?currentPage=1 (accessed December
17,2005).
143
inclined score was "dazzling" and "spectacular" when accompanying action events.235
Furthermore, the inclusion of contemporary rock music resonated aesthetically with
younger viewers. For instance, one younger reviewer commented:
While John Williams's main theme for the Harry Potter is still there, new
composer Patrick Doyle brings a wonderful score to many ofthe film's
dramatic moments, especially in the action sequences and most of all, the
Yule Ball scene. Another added touch to the music is that Yule Ball scene
comes from the fictional band the Weird Sisters who are played by Pulp
singer Jarvis Cocker and Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway.
The songs that are played for the film by the Weird Sisters totally rocks
[sic].236
However, an emphasis on action and adventure in films often indirectly results in
a lack of emphasis on character development. As we will see, this subject may directly
relate to viewer's sub-conscious comparisons between Doyle's score and Williams's
precedents. At the same time that some critics praised the maturation of the characters,
some claimed that the young leads had yet to develop emotionally substantive skill. For
instance, Dargis mused, "Mr. Radcliffe isn't an acting titan or even one of the Culkins,
but you root for him nonetheless, partly because you want Harry to triumph and partly
because there is something poignant about how this actor struggles alongside his
characacter."237 Others, such as blogger Eugene Novikov found Mike Newell at fault for
235 Film Tracks, "Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire," Filmtracks. com, 2005.
http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/goblet_frre.html (accessed November 11,2009).
236 Steven Flores, "Lord Voldemort... Rise!" Epinions. com, November 23,2005.
http://wwwO.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu-1152272/content_212029836932 (accessed March 18, 2009).
237 Manohla Dargis, "The Young Wizard Puts Away Childish Things," The New York Times, November
17,2005.
http://movies.nytimes.com/2005/l1/l7/movies/l7pott.html?_r=l &ei=5070&en=480281ca8b8l316b&ex=1
l56651200&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1156485942-Jmioa5Gb9JG62Z4/tviEug (accessed December 17,2005).
Her reference of "the Culkins" seems to compare the Harry Potter films with Chris Columbus's first
blockbuster success, Home Alone, which starred child-actor McCaulay Culkin.
144
lack of in-depth characterizations throughout the film, stating that the movie is
"entertaining, no doubt," and "many things are done well," but "what's missing is a sense
of these characters."238 In the following chapters, I will show how Doyle's music plays
a major role in character development, framing the characters much differently than
Williams had such that more interpretation is required of the viewer. This may indeed
provide a reason for the negative reception to the film's approach to character
development.
The musical emphasis on action set-pieces that pleased some film-goers may have
contributed to the lack of musical flow that displeased others. For instance, reviewer
Alisha Karabinus noted,
There are, of course, detractors who claim that this music is ill-suited to
the film because it doesn't flow. However, I can hardly blame Doyle for
that; the fault lies in the film itself, which simply tried to juggle too much
material in too little time. Where the music is a little too big, if you will, it
only mimics those parts where the film itself is a little too much, such as
the arrival of students from the other schools. "Foreign Visitors Arrive" is
one of my least favorite tracks, just as it was one of my least favorite
scenes (I do like Mike Newell, but he is HARDLY subtle when handling
this film).239
As well, some reviewers commented on the beauty of the music on the CD, but
acknowledged that the music was not represented as well in the context of the film. For
instance, the reviewer for Filmtracks stated,
Thus, in the end, Doyle's music for the film is awkwardly missing the
context necessary at this point in the series, and even his own material
238 Eugene Novikov, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Filmblather.com, November 18,2005.
http://www.filmblather.com/review.php?n=harrypottergoblet (accessed March 18,2009).
239 Alisha Karbinus, "CD Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Soundtrack," Blogcritics.org,
November 21, 2005. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/21/223647.php (accessed December 17, 2005).
145
here is badly edited and undermixed in sections of the film. But on album,
divorced from all the visual reminders of the previous Potter films,
Doyle's score is among the very best of2005. You have to decide, for your
own e~oyment,how strongly you identify the Potter franchise with
Williams' themes, and this will likely be the determining factor in your
evaluation of Patrick Doyle's new direction.240
When considered on its own merits, public reception for Doyle's music paralleled
reception for the film in general in that many viewers appreciated Doyle's fresh
approach. For instance, one reviewer wrote,
I was worried. Yes, when I read that Patrick Doyle was scoring episode
four of the Harry Potter franchise, I immediately had visions of Doyle
being relegated to the status of William Ross on The Chamber a/Secrets..
. . And this bothered me, because Doyle is a wonderful composer and
deserved better than just filling in the gaps between Williams' pre-
established themes. 241
However, by the same token, many could not immediately perceive the same richness of
character or take away either a signature theme, or a distilled idea as they had for the
previous films. They recognized that Doyle's music was not only different from
Williams's, it also emphasized different dramatic ideas. For instance, reviewer Jonathon
Braxton wrote, "If! were to make one tiny criticism of Doyle's score, it's that there is no
prominent new theme. Cinema-goers are unlikely to leave the theatre whistling a new
Hedwig's Theme or Fawkes's Theme."242 Likewise, Thomas Glorieux, who also wrote
favorably of the score, wrote further,
240 Film Tracks, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Filmtracks. com, 2005.
http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/goblet_fire.html (accessed November 11,2009).
241 Nick Joy review, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire "Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
242 Jonathan Broxton, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Movie Music UK,2005.
www.moviemusicuk.us/harrypotter4cd.htm (accessed November 11,2009).
146
... however nothing really erupts in either magical or fantastical territory.
. .. Seriously, Doyle's score is truthfully a warming up soundtrack. It
takes a bit of time to get into the musical fantasy of his composition and
above all accept the fact its completely different from John Williams'
music, its indeed a tough nut. But with time and patience, Harry Potter and
The Goblet of Fire becomes the score more or less I wished it to be. In the
blazing heroics, Doyle brings more out of the music than Williams' did,
however in the fantasy genre Williams' moments still excel. If you ever
combine the 2 [sic], it's wizardry.243
Likewise, Nick Joy noted that Doyle's music is "less magical and more regal than
Williams's earlier work in the series."244 In other words, Doyle's music helps to
emphasize and signify heroic and regal aspects in the narrative just as Williams's music
emphasizes and signifies magical aspects ofthe narrative. Along these lines, Jonathan
Broxton found some of the music not only non-magical, but also too familiar.
Also, perhaps the only mis-step in the entire album is the cheery
"Hogwarts March", a jaunty brass band piece in the style of Julian Nott's
Wallace & Gromit theme, which will forever make me think of the
summers I used to spend with my grandfather as a child, walking through
parks in my home city of Sheffield, listening to music like this played by
the Grimethorpe or Black Dyke Colliery Bands.245
Although these musical shifts made sense with reference to the maturation of the
protagonists in Newell's film, some viewers found the changes abrupt, or simply were
not receptive to the music on the first hearing. This is different from the reception to
243 Thomas Glorieux, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Radio Soundtrack F-M.
http://users.telenet.be/soundtrack-fm/Reviews/Patrick_Doyle/harry_goblet/harry_goblet.htm (accessed
November 11,2009).
244 Nick Joy review, "Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire "Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
245 Jonathan Broxton, "Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire," Movie Music UK, 2005.
www.moviemusicuk.us/harrypotter4cd.htm (accessed November 11,2009).
147
Williams's soundtrack in which most viewers "got it" on the first hearing, regardless of
personal preferences for or against Williams's choices.
The film was nominated for thirty-eight awards, nine of which resulted in wins.
It is the only Potter film thus far to win a BAFTA award (for Best Production Design,
though previous films were nominated). It is the also the only Potter film so far to win
the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Feature Film (though the other Potter
films were also nominated).246 Furthermore it is the only Potter film to win the Blimp
Award for Favorite Movie at the Kids' Choice Awards. It also won the Teen Choice
Award for Best Movie Drama. These last two awards support my claim that this Potter
film, especially, was geared toward young teenage audiences. Like the three Potter films
before it, the fourth Potter film won the United Kingdom's Empire Award for
Outstanding Contribution to British cinema. Patrick Doyle's music won the ASCAP
Award in the Top Box Office Films category. The film received a World Soundtrack
Award nomination for Best Original Song Written for Film for "Magic Works," the
collaboration between Patrick Doyle and contemporary rock composer Jarvis Cocker
(and other performers). Both Doyle and Newell received Saturn nominations. Thus,
even though the reception to Doyle's score was controversial, awards associations
acknowledged the quality of his work. However, perhaps speaking to the comparisons
that so many made between Doyle's score and Williams's precedents, the film was
nominated for academy awards for Best Art Production and Best Music, but lost both to
Memoirs ofa Geisha, with music by John Williams.
246 It is somewhat peculiar that this is the only Potter film to win this award, because, as I will discuss in
the next chapter, it is the film with the least number of musical soundtrack events, and the quietest
application of music.
148
Summary
Again, let us consider the key points in this continuing history of Harry Potter
film production and reception. The fourth Potter film received both a new director and a
new composer when Cuaron and Williams left the project following their work on the
third Potter film. In this way, this film represents the most significant break from ideals
of previous leadership. Furthermore, it was the first Potter film to begin production in
tandem (albeit offset) with the previous film.
Harry Potter producers chose to hire a different kind of director (again) for the
fourth film with a more modem approach for cinematic art, and viewers perceived this
difference in the aesthetics of the final product. By hiring Mike Newell to direct the film,
producers expressed their desire to continue trends set by Columbus, who had been
willing to make an accessible Hollywood style film (albeit with characteristics of heritage
film), and trends set by Cuaron, who increased the darker tonality of the narrative with
more individual cinematic creativity. By hiring composer Patrick Doyle, the producers
and director chose someone with different background experiences (e.g. in live theatre
and heritage adaptations) and compositional ideals (e.g. that music be less distinguishable
within the context of film) than Williams had brought.
The final product of this film endeavor and public reception to it was generally
congruent with statements of intent made by producers and the director during the
process.247 Although Newell stated his interest in reigning in the rampant use of special
effects, the narrative of the fourth film includes copious numbers of scenes in which
effects are required. Thus, Newell mitigated the matter by using special effects shots
only when the narrative required them. The film's music also reflected this ideal by
247 Composer Patrick Doyle did not make statements of intent during or after production regarding his
opinion of special effects in music.
149
emphasizing background music for the visual set-pieces and using several instances of
source-music in the service of the narrative (rather than saturating the film with
background music, which may not be necessary). It had also been director Mike
Newell's goal to highlight the familiar experiences of British boarding schools and
universal adolescent experiences related to budding awareness of sexuality. This was
reflected musically in pieces that signified the sexuality of teenagers, such as the
machismo of the Durmstrang boys' entrance, and the inclusion of a wizard rock band
(both to be discussed in detail in ChapterVII).
The resulting product, an action-thriller-romance mix, was geared toward young
teenage audiences (and older, as witnessed by the PG-13 rating), and garnered
favorability among this demographic (as supported by internet critic sites and blogs).
The film fared well at both the box office, on critics' sites (such as Rotten Tomatoes and
Metacritic) and among film critics awards associations-winning Kid and Teen awards
that the previous films had not.
Young people, especially, who valued the film's attention to action-adventure and
romance also valued the musical attention to scenes depicting these elements. However,
while some appreciated the true-to-life characterizations of familiar teen-age life, others
criticized the film for its dismissal of perfunctory wizarding magic, and also its lack of
cinematic sparkle. Reviewer critics responded favorably to Newell's fresh approach and
praised Newell's handling of special effects, but also acknowledged an overarching
clunkiness in the experience of narrative from scene to scene and from beginning to end.
Likewise, reviewers responded favorably to Doyle's beautiful, sometimes dazzling
music, but also acknowledged a lack of contextual connection, a lack of flow, and a lack
of "magic." As such, some fans and critics praised Doyle's work for providing a new
musical backdrop separate and unique from Williams's previous work, while others
150
criticized the musical score for lacking the clarity, cohesiveness, and sparkle that
Williams's music had provided.
For those for whom the score fell flat, blame was sometimes attributed to
Newell's direction, claiming that Doyle could only work with the visual foundation he
was given. Others blamed the feeling of abrupt change on Williams's precedents,
defending Doyle's music on its own merits as better than lingering expecations of a
Williams-style score would suggest that it is. As reviewer Nick Joy noted, "If this were
the score to the first movie, then it would be a knockout in everyone's eyes."248
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
History of Production and Aesthetic Choices
In order to keep production moving forward on the Harry Potter series, yet
another director was chosen to lead the fifth film, The Order ofthe Phoenix, as the fourth
film was still in production.249 In November of2004 (a year before the release ofthe
previous, fourth film), David Yates was chosen as this new director. A new screen-
writer, Michael Goldenberg, was chosen as well because Steve Kloves, who had written
the scripts for the previous four Potter films, decided to take time off from the project.
Kloves returned to write for the final installments yet to be released. Time-out news
reported that,
248 Nick Joy, "Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire "Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
249 Several articles suggest that Mike Newell turned down the opportunity to make a second Potter movie.
151
Gallic visionary Jean-Pierre Jeunet was thought to be the favourite to helm
Potter five, but in giving the gig to Yates, and with relative newcomer
Michael Goldenberg (,Peter Pan', Contact') writing the script, it seems as if
Warner Brothers are making concerted efforts to freshen up the franchise
with new blood.250
Subsequent press-release statements by Warner Brothers officials confirmed satisfaction
with Yates's appointment, citing his emphasis on human drama and compassion, and
bolstered an image of confidence in all of the director appointments thus far. Producer
David Heyman stated,
I am thrilled that David Yates is going to direct Harry Potter and The
Order ofthe Phoenix. Not only does he have tremendous passion for the
world ofHarry Potter, but he is a great director with a keen visual sense
who fills every frame with humanity and compassion for his characters.251
Similarly, Warner Brothers Pictures's President of Production, Jeff Robinov expounded,
We've been fortunate to have worked with very talented directors on the
first four Harry Potter films, all of whom have brought these extraordinary
stories to life with their own unique creative vision. We're looking
forward to continuing that tradition with David Yates on Harry Potter and
The Order ofthe Phoenix.252
While the latter statement bolsters my argument that each of the
director/composer teams brought a different cinematic experience to the Harry Potter
films, there are also many ways that Warner Brothers chose to guide the series with
250 Time-out, "Director chosen for next Potter film?" Time-out, November 24,2004.
http://www.timeout.com/fiIm/news/191/director-chosen-for-next-potter-fiIm.html(accessed March 18,
2009).
251 Daniel Saney, "Director Chosen for 'Harry Potter 5,'" Digitalspy.com, January 19,2005.
http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a18470/director-chosen-for-harry-potter-5.html(accessed March 18,
2009).
252 Ibid.
152
significant continuity. For instance, except for the fifth film, all the Potter film
screenplays (inclusive of the last installments yet to be released) were written by Steve
Kloves. Moreover, Stuart Craig stayed on as set designer beginning with the first film.
The appointment of David Yates also reveals some synthesis with previous
directoral choices. For instance, like Cuar6n, Yates has a broad taste in favorite directors,
rather than following a singular model or style. Like Columbus, Yates is a fan of mid-
centry British filmmaker David Lean. Like Newell, he is a fan of social realism, and
follows the work of contemporary British filmmaker Ken Loach. Additionally, Yates
follows the Hollywood model of legendary director Martin Scorsese. According to
Yates's biographical entry, his favorite Potter film was Cuar6n's The Prisoner of
Azkaban.253 However, unlike Cuar6n (who brought a history of strong opinions and
production turmoil to his work on the third Potter film) Yates brought a history of
bringing people together, and some have reported that he is the Harry Potter cast's
favorite director with whom to work.254
Perhaps because of Yates's role and history as a synthesizer of ideas, I find that
there is more to say in the discussion of the fifth film. Indeed, even if Yates had not been
at the helm, those in charge of the fifth film would have confronted a snowball effect of
opportunities for continuity and synthesis with the preceding films and the preceding
collaborations than could not have been experienced in the earlier films. Additionally,
newcomer composer Nicholas Hooper requires more of an introduction, and his less
traditional working relationship with director Yates requires more of an explanation than
253 Similarly, composer Nicholas Hooper's favorite Potter music is John Williams's score for The Prisoner
ojAzkaban.
254 Yates was subseqently chosen to direct the fmal installments of the Potter films as well, making him
the only director aside from Chris Columbus to direct more than one Harry Potter film, and the only
director to direct more than two Potter films. When he completes work on the final film, he will have lead
four Harry Potter movies (his third narrative, The Deathly Hallows, will be released in two installments).
153
is needed for veteran composers Williams and Doyle and their more traditional working
relationships with Columbus, Cuaron, and Newell. As such, this portion of this chapter is
longer than the others, and pulls in some new threads. A summary at the end will be
limited to the key points, and a conclusion will integrate the findings from the chapter as
a whole.
Reception to the announcement of Yates's appointment was mixed. For instance,
reviewer Daniel Champion's statement does not make clear whether he supports the
choice of Yates, or rather just believes that it is a lesser of evils.
With the exception of Alfonso Cuaron's elegantly crafted The Prisoner of
Azkaban (2004) the Harry Potter films have all been convoluted and
editorial calamities.... Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
continues under the misguided stewardship of executive producer David
Heyman, recruiting newcomer David Yates to direct after The Goblet of
Fire's (2005) Mike Newell (thankfully) turned the project down.255
In any case, the statement above reveals that fans and reviewers still cared about the
films, even after the mid-point in the series, and several years of following the story. As
well, the statement acknowledges viewer understanding that the aesthetics in each film
are the product of a chain of command.
Even so, there are definitive ways that David Yates endeavored to make his own
mark on the series. Yates believed that Warner Brothers initially approached him
because of his reputation for contemporary, edgy, and emotional pieces, and producer
David Heyman acknowledged how he figured Yates's "gritty sensibility" would be
beneficial-all ideas that Yates brought to his leadership of the fifth Harry Potter film.256
255 Daniel Champion, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, review" Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
256 Steve Daly, "Harry the 5th,,, Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.comlew/article/0..20046055.00.html
(accessed March 29, 2009).
154
A report from Entertainment Weekly provided some of Yates's ideas in context,
highlighting the role of realism (that Newell had also intended):
"Jo Rowling has said that if Harry Potter were a real kid in the real world,
he'd be deeply damaged, he's been through so much," says Yates, a soft-
spoken man who hails from British TV dramas. "So I was keen to make
this a much more psychological, emotional Harry than we've seen before.
Dan's done some wonderful work exploring it, to try to make it real for the
audience."257
Yates also believed that The Order a/the Phoenix provided a "cautionary tale about
political repression" in the way that the narrative emphasizes how wizarding leaders at
the Ministry of Magic refuse to acknowledge the rise of Voldemort, and punish those
who speak out.258 Producer David Heyman acknowledged, "This one's not comedic.
It's very much about the brink ofwar."259 These narrative goals are different than the
goals of his predecessor, Mike Newell, who wished to convey the anarchic and comedic
atmosphere of boarding school. Also different from Cuar6n's approach was how Yates
and screenwriter Michael Goldenburg endeavored to ground the film in gritty reality
(rather than portray it as a medieval gothic) in order to make the magic elements more
magical and the scary elements more frightening.260 New screenwriter Michael
Goldenburg spoke about the choices he made to support Rowling's and Yates's visions,
257 Ibid.
258 Steve Daly, "Harry the 5th,,, Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..20046055.00.html
(accessed March 29, 2009).
259 Ibid. There are, in fact, many examples of humor in the film that will be discussed in the course of
other chapters.
260 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon. com, July 11, 2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2007/07/ll/goldenberg_qa/index l.html (accessed October 22,
2009).
155
affirming producer statements of expectation that Yates would bring the contemporary
emotional drama to the fore.
My job was to stay true to the spirit of the book, rather than to the letter. ..
. [Rowling) gave us permission to take whatever liberties we felt we
needed to translate the book into a movie she would love....As with any
adaptation, the main problem is compression....The solution got much
clearer when I figured out that the organizing principle of the screenplay
was to narrate Harry's emotionaljourney.261
While Yates brought the emotional story to the fore, he put much of the action-
adventure on the back burner. In contrast to the first three films, which includes many
scenes of Quidditch sporting games, and in contrast to the fourth film, which features the
athletic events of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the fifth film cut all athletic events-
Rowling's Quidditch plot was one of the first things Goldenburg cut. This cut attracted
attention before the film's release and was also noted by reviewers later on. For instance,
author Wally Hammond acknowledged the change in directing style as well as changes to
the narrative when he wrote,
There's a new director on board, and if Chris Columbus was enjoyable,
Alfonso Cuar6n dark, and Mike Newell aware that for all school sagas,
familiarity breeds content, new helmsman David Yates is serious, almost
grave. He swathes swiftly through JK Rowling's doorstopper text with
martial efficacy, clocking a crisp 138 minutes, the shortest of the series.
He certainly keeps the scenes and action moving, but his no-nonsense
approach leaves no time for games-please sir, can't we play just a little
Quidditch? - and the excision of scenes of lolling chat in study rooms will
disappoint fans ofBunter and Tom Brown worldwide.262
2611bid.
262 Wally Hammond, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Time Out London Issue 1925: July 11-
17 2007. http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/82039/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix.html
(accessed November 11,2009).
156
As I have noted earlier in the chapter, cuts to major events in Rowling's narrative directly
affect the musical score. For remember, if there are no action-packed athletic scenes,
then there is no exciting music to accompany action-packed athletic scenes.
However, we must remember that each of the filmmakers chose to add to the
story in addition to making cuts. For instance, Goldenburg added a scene not found in
the book in order to highlight the important relationship between Harry and his godfather
Sirius. Goldenburg remarked that,
In that scene, there is that one line of Sirius' that in many ways is the
theme of this film, and it's also in the book [though in a different place]:
that the world isn't divided into good people and Death Eaters. That is the
lesson to me of this story. It's about Harry's journey from a more black-
and-white worldview to shades of gray. It's something I wanted to
dramatize.263
In Goldenburg's screenplay, this line is stated early on in the narrative, foreshadowing
the narrative to come, and supports Yates's goals to focus on Harry's emotionaljoumey
in a political landscape. This is different from the previous films and from Rowling's
novels in which moralistic statements usually occur only during the conclusion of the
narrative. Moreover, this example provides insight into the specific kinds of decisions all
of the filmmakers confronted in choosing some narrative threads over others.
Yates's influence on the film had as much to do with his style ofleadership as it
had to do with his dramatic decisions. For instance, Yates has been recognized for his
success in taking actors to greater achievement. He explained that, "1 like to create an
atmosphere where actors feel safe enough to take risks. I certainly don't believe in being a
263 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon. com, July 11,2007.
hrtp://www.salon.comlent/movies/feature/2007/07/11/goldenberg_qa/index I.html (accessed October 22,
2009).
157
macho bully; I'm not interested in frightening good work out of people. It's bollocks."264
Screenwriter Michael Goldenburg likewise discussed how he and Yates sought to be true
to Harry's adolescent experience "-which, when you look back on it may seem
embarrassingly morose or earnest or angry or over the top, but that's how it feels when
you're inside it. ...we felt it was important to go to that place because that's where Harry
is." 265 Significantly, Yates's latter description of adolescence is much more
symphathetic than Newell's, who described adolescence as "dark," "mean," and "nasty."
Actor Daniel Radcliffe also commented on Yates's approach with the young
actors:
David [Yates] wants everything to be real and detailed, so if I'm doing,
say, a quite general sense of fear, he'll come up and quietly say, 'I think
you can do it better, Dan.' He'll be completely frank with me. I don't think
there's been a moment on set this time where I've walked away after a
scene and thought I didn't give it my al1.266
After seeing the final cut of the film, Radcliffe was satisfied with his performance,
stating, "I actually didn't mind watching myself, for sort of the first time in five films....
I've started to see Harry rather than myself."267 In other words, Yates's attention to detail
may have garnered better performances from the cast than other approaches had. This is
different from some reports that lead actors' work on the fourth film was lack-luster.
264 Amy Raphael, "How I raised Potter's bar," The Observer, June 24, 2007.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/jun/24/harrypotter (accessed March 12, 2009).
265 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon. com, July 11,2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2007/07/ll/goldenberg_qa/indexI.html (accessed October 22,
2009).
266 Steve Daly, "Harry the 5th," Entertainment Weekly.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..20046055.00.html (accessed March 29,2009).
267 Ibid.
158
Additionally, these reports show ways that Yates used a sympathetic psychological
approach to many aspects of the filming process in order to bring out the emotional
psychological drama of the story itself.
According to set designer Stuart Craig, each director brings something fresh.268
Even five films into the story, the visuals and set design playa role in the innovation.
According to Craig, David Yates insisted on great clarity in the story telling, and wasn't
interested in great elaborate establishing shots. If the set has a message, it is delivered
immediately in one shot, not in any lingering way.269 In other words, even though Yates
appreciated Cuaran's lingering, poetic style, he chose a different approach-more in line
with Newell's intentions-with regard to atmosphere and landscape.
However, in contrast to Newell's efforts to scale back special effects in favor of
an emphasis on human drama, the fifth film (under Yates's command) included the most
expensive sets on the series thus far due to computer-generated enhancement.270 Stuart
Craig continued that existing sets are ten percent of the movie, and the rest is new-
"enough to keep it stimulating."271 The new Ministry of Magic set was the singularly
most expensive, and consisted of a physical set enhanced with CGI. Craig explained,
"[In each book], J. K. Rowling finds some major new ingredient, which usually has some
big visual impact, and this time, it was the Ministry of Magic .... a parallel universe
268 Stuart Craig, "An Interview with Harry Potter Production Designer Stuart Craig," Voices from Krypton,
September 27, 2006. http://www.voicesfromkrypton.com/2007/09/an-interview-wi.html#more (accessed
September 28, 2007).
269 Ibid.
270 Heather Newgen,"Harry Potter 5 Set Visit-Production Designer Stuart Craig," ComingSoon.net, June
25, 2007. http://www.comingsoon.netlnews/interviewsnews.php?id=21229. (accessed June 26, 2007).
271 Ibid.
159
under Whitehall."272 The physical design of the underground Ministry was based on the
London underground, and included lots of reflective surfaces-which created big
challenges for the director of photography.273
As we will see, many ofthe new sets inspired new musical themes. For instance,
in the next chapter, I will discuss how music mimetically represents Harry's introduction
to the Ministry of Magic building described above. Additionally, The Order ofthe
Phoenix became the first among the series to use a completely CGI set for the Hall of
Prophesies, located inside the Ministry of Magic.274 We see a parallel use of digital
technologies in the musical score, which is the first in the series to rely heavily on digital
sound effects.
In fact, major changes occurred in the arena of the film's musical accompaniment.
Following his desire for a good working relationship over a brand-name composer, David
Yates chose longtime colleague Nicholas Hooper, who had not yet composed for a
Hollywood film, to write the film's score. In CD liner notes for the musical soundtrack,
Yates explains,
My working relationship with Nick stretches as far back as film school--I
realise as I write this-that makes our creative collaboration now almost
fifteen years old. Nick has always elevated everything I've ever
directed-he's always been an intrinsic part of it-so it was inconceivable
that I travel to Hogwarts without him...275
272 Ibid.
273 Ibid.
274 Heather Newgen,"Harry Potter 5 Set Visit-Production Designer Stuart Craig," ComingSoon.net, June
25, 2007. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/interviewsnews.php?id=21229. (accessed June 26, 2007).
275 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack.
160
In order to provide a context for my later discussions of Hooper's music, I present more
information about Hooper and his working relationship with Yates in this section than I
present about the previous collaborators in the corresponding sections of the chapter. The
reasons are two~fold: first, neither Hooper's music nor Hooper's other film work are
well-known in the United States (or easily accessible for that matter), and second, very
little written biographical or professional information is available about Hooper. Indeed,
a large portion of the information available comes from audio interviews that have not
been published in transcription form.
Composer Background: Nicholas Hooper
Little has been published about Hollywood newcomer, British composer Nicholas
Hooper, including relevant information about his family background and musical
education. In an un-transcribed audio interview, Hooper mentions piano as his first
instrument, but states that he did not become fully invested in his music education until
he discovered classical guitar at age fifteen. 276 The timing of his college education at
the Royal College of Music (London) in the mid-1970s suggests that he is the youngest
of the three composers to work on the Harry Potter series.277 He is the second British
composer to work on the project.
In contrast to Williams's early musical training and career (which included wind
ensembles, piano jazz, and composition), and in contrast to Doyle's early musical
276 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but fIrst, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.fIlmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
277 Ibid. Hooper mentions the years 1975 and 1976 as the time he began college as a guitarist and then
decided to pursue composition.
161
training and career (which included singing, teaching piano, and composing/perfonning
for live theater), Hooper focused on classical guitar, classical composition, and the use of
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). Although Hooper has not cited it himself in
published interviews, we may be able to hear the influence of his guitar background in his
frequent use ofhannonically driven polyphony and polyrhythm.278 Additionally, the
score for the sixth Harry Potter film, though not addressed here, features accoustic guitar
(i.e., much as Williams's third score included jazz and Doyle's score included a vocal
solo).
He turned to western classical composition in college when he realized that his
guitar teacher (the other John Williams) had too little time for lessons in between
travelling commitments. He turned to composition as a career when he became
dissatisfied with trying to make a living as a performing guitarist. Additionally, he rather
fell into composing for films on the suggestion of a colleague. In other words, in contrast
to Williams and Doyle, Hooper did not set out to become a musical dramatist.
Although very little infonnation is available at this time regarding Hooper's
comprehensive instrumental or vocal training, his scores tend to include more digital,
experimental, and global sounds (along with standard orchestral instruments) than do the
scores of his Harry Potter predecessors. This is different from Williams's emphasis on
winds and brass, and also different from Doyle's ease with vocal scoring. Of the three
composers, then, Hooper's previous work is the closest to what Joseph Horowitz
describes as "post-classical" writing.279 However, this is not to say that Hooper works
278Ibid. Hooper does cite his appreciation for Philip Glass's style of minimalist composition, which may
also inspire his polyphonic, polyrhythmic writing.
279 Horowitz, Joseph, The Post-Classical Predicament: Essays on Music and Society (Boston:
Northeastern University Press, 1995).
162
only in a modem medium. Indeed, two of his most often-cited film scores (The
Tichborne Claiment, and The Heart ofMe) are for period/costume films.
Hooper explains in an un-transcribed audio interview that his first film-scoring
projects were for low-budget documentaries in the early 1980s. Although he would
sometimes perform guitar himself on these early soundtracks with a few other live
performers, he often used MIDI to mitigate his interest in having a particular sound
quality with his lack of funding to pay for live musicians. Later, when higher budget
projects carne along, he continued to use MIDI samples along with the conventional
sounds of live orchestra. Some of the samples used for Harry Potter and the Order ofthe
Phoenix corne from digital sound companies, while others are his own.
In contrast to Williams (whose scoring career began in Hollywood) and in
contrast to Doyle (whose scoring career began with live theater), Hooper's early work
was for animal documentaries. He approached these projects as works of drama,
endeavoring to capture the tension and energy of hunting, loving, chasing, killing and so
on. Indeed, Hooper states that his sense of music and drama developed from early
childhood when he would play with toy soldiers and imagine a background film score in
his mind. As well, his travels to the geographic locations of different documentaries
inl1uenced and inspired his use of musical ideas from different cultures in his work.
Desiring to shift toward human drama in film, Hooper contacted David Yates,
who was finishing a degree at the National Film and Television School in the early
1990s. The two collaborated on Yates's final project, and he and Yates have collaborated
regularly ever since. Thus, the collaboration between Yates and Hooper on the fifth (and
sixth) Harry Potter films is notable in that they are the only Harry Potter team to have
worked very closely together in recent years. Moreover, Yates expressed his preference
for Hooper over other more well-known composers (as suggested by his calculated
163
endeavors to get producer consent to hire Hooper). This is similar to other notable
longstanding collaborations (e.g., John Williams and Steven Spielberg, or Carter Burwell
and the Coen brothers), but different from the other collaborator teams who had worked
on Harry Potter. A more complete biography can be found in the appendix.
Music Composition Style and Process
According to Hooper, his previous work on contemporary films and period
dramas seemed like a good fit with the Harry Potter films which have both a
contemporary and classical fee1.280 Likewise, previous collaborative projects between
Hooper and Yates had been critically successful for each, so the choice to include Hooper
in the Harry Potter team seemed warranted. Even so, Warner Brothers officials needed
convincing before appointing a little-known composer who had never worked for
Hollywood before. Nicholas Hooper explained in an interview,
David Yates and I talked very carefully about how we should approach
Warner Brothers. First of all, we put together good examples of work I
had done on other projects for the producers in England. In consultation
with them, we then put together a palette of ideas for different aspects of
the film which we then presented to Warner Brothers. This was accepted,
and included one or two bigger musical ideas which eventually got used in
the final score.28l
In other words, although Hooper's experience with Warner Brothers was ultimately
positive, he had to jump through several hoops in order to secure his involvement on the
280 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.comlinterviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.htmJ (accessed October 22,2009).
281 Ibid.
164
Harry Potter film, while Williams and Doyle both had a much more powerful position
coming into their contracts.
As a fan of Rowling's series, Hooper had always wanted to write the music for
the Harry Potter movies. He expounded, "When the first movie came out, I said, 'Why
didn't they ask me to write the music!?' ...But of course they didn't know me [then], so
they wouldn't would they?"282 Hooper's perspective on Rowling's novels also marks an
important generational-cultural change among the composers. While Williams explained
that he read the books because his grandchildren read them, and Doyle explained that he
knew the books because his children read them, Hooper explained that he wanted to score
the film because he, himself, was the fan in his family.
However, Hooper (like Doyle before him) was concerned about following the
work of his musical predecessors too closely, stating, "I'm not good at writing other
people's music."283 He further explained (in parallel with Doyle's sentiments) that
developing new music was imperative because the story develops.
It's not the same as many franchises in that the books develop.... So it's
not like, you know, this is a sequel to something everybody [has] heard
before. In a sense, you'd expect things to grow up and develop and
change-and nobody's, obviously, more grown up than John Williams's
music [short laugh]. So I mean, the books are changing, so the films will
change... .It's a very different feeling than, say Batman IV.284
In other words, Hooper realized the significance in following in John Williams's
footsteps, but believed (like Doyle before him) that Williams's music for the first Potter
282 Ibid.
283 Ibid.
284 Ibid.
165
films, translated verbatim, would not work as well for the different stories told in the later
Potter films.
Hooper cites John Williams as one of his favorite composers, and claims that
Williams's score for the third Harry Potter film was his favorite among the films at the
time of his assignment-an opinion paralleled by Yates's preference for Cuaron's
approach to the third film. Warner Brothers allowed Hooper to study the previous film
scores in order to be able create continuity as he wished.285 However, Hooper ended up
following his own musical reflexes rather than copying those of Williams or Doyle.
While he referenced Williams's main leitmotif, "Hedwig's Theme" (as Doyle had done
before him) he also allowed his own music to evolve over the course of the film.
In the end, we decided to take a slightly different route. We definitely
used "Hedwig'S Theme"... It's obviously the first thing you hear in the
film and then it's used subtly in dramatic moments. But once we'd done
that, David [Yates] said, "Look, Nick, just do what you do. Don't try and
do what John Williams does," you know, "We don't want a second-hand
John Williams; we want a first-hand Nick Hooper." So in the end, I
abandoned my attempt to be John Williams, and I was just myself. And
the score is different from the previous ones-but then, so is the film. The
film is darker; it has a very different feel and structure to it. It's more
drama-based-more acting-based. The music probably is quieter in
places-I was going to say subtler, but I don't want to insult anybody. In
the end, David and I had to end up working the way we work, and it's not
the way the directors had worked for John Williams.286
285 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but first, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
286 Ibid.
166
In the end, Hooper assessed that "It's an emotional film and it needed emotional music in
it. It was less magical/tinkly, and more emotional impact-that's certainly the
intention."287
Even so, Hooper did not have free rein with the music. It was a bit "forbidding"
for him to follow such a great composer such as John Williams, but Yates had a clear
vision, and knew what kind of music he wanted.288 Hooper composed multiple choices
from which Yates ultimately made the final decisions. As a fan of the books who knew
the stories well, Hooper had to put aside his own prejudices about how the film should be
done and what it should say, though in the end, he was "completely won over by how it
was tackled."289 Although it is clear from this description that the role of Hooper's
music is to serve Yates's drama, the give and take of ideas exhibited in Hooper and
Yates's working relationship (as well as between their own personal investments in the
interpretation of the story) provides an alternative to the stereotypical scenario in which
the film composer is a relative nonentity when compared with the director.
According to Hooper and Yates, their extensive working relationship over the
course of productions pays off in the quality of film that is produced. When asked how
The Order ofthe Phoenix stacks up against the other Potter films, Hooper responded that
the themes are taken seriously, and that it is quite a serious film. While there are plenty
of entertaining aspects for "youngster audiences," the film also exhibits a depth that
Hooper does not feel the others had. In contrast to critical reviews of the previous, fourth
Potter film, Hooper believes that Yates's work "holds together well as a film... it doesn't
287 Ibid.
288 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.com/interviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22,2009).
289 Ibid.
167
sag anywhere.... It doesn't sort ofjerk and wrench from one part ofthe film to another
trying to cover every part of the book. ... so that it follows the themes through
smoothly."290 As we will examine in the following chapters, Hooper's music is also
greatly responsible for the unity and continuity experienced in the film. Moreover, the
elements that Hooper values in the latter statement provide contrast to the critical
assessment that the previous film had been blocked together like LEGOs.
Hooper continued, fleshing out his perspective on his collaborative process with
Yates.
With David, he likes to work very closely with the composer-and we
always have done. In some ways, he almost writes the music.... I did
write the music in the end, but he is actually very into how the music
works, and I do my best work for him as a result-it really is a
partnership.291
This sense of partnership is supported by the liner notes for The Order ofthe Phoenix CD
in which, for the first time in the Harry Potter series, comments are given by both the
director and the composer. This shows how the working relationship between Yates and
Hooper was different from the traditional method (followed by Williams, who composed
the score from his home, separate from the filming process). This also provides contrast
to the ambiguous representation of the working relationship between Newell and Doyle
in the previous film. This idea is explained further in the CD liner notes, in which Yates
elucidates his view of their collaboration.
The traditional industry method of scoring usually determines you get
your composer at the tail end of the production process. He or she will get
290 Ibid.
291 Ibid.
168
a near finished film, and will have a slot in which to write the score-
sometimes weeks, often a number of brief months.
Nick is less of a journeyman who slips in at the end of the process,
and more of a partner on a creative journey to find the film.
He begins his work in pre-production---even before I've shot a
frame of film. In that formative period, we get to playa lot, trying out
ideas to storyboards that I've drawn. I've often used music Nick has
written at this early stage to play to actors or crews, to give them a sense
of atmosphere or character.
Nick then works throughout the shoot, and into post production.
The score for the Order of the the Phoenix took over a year and a half
from conception, exploration, development to delivery. 292
This statement suggests that Hooper and Yates worked together on the fifth film for a
similar amount of time as Doyle and Newell worked on the fourth film, but in contrast,
clarifies the relationship between Hooper and Yates, and between Hooper's music and
the process of production. Hooper explained further,
I saw the scoring of this Harry Potter film as a great opportunity to work
with such important themes on a grand scale. David Yates and I started
early, even before filming started, working on such themes as Ministry of
Magic, Umbridge, and Voldemort. However, as we came closer to the
final cut, the music developed beyond what we had first imagined, so there
was that inevitable race against time. My process is one of discovery,
rather than having a specific plan. This can be nerve-wracking, but it has
its creative benefits.293
Thus, finishing the music ended up being a rush at the end, and under that stress, he wrote
some of his best music.294 He described the experience as "Great fun, but tough,"
292 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack.
293 Warner Brothers, "Warner Bros. Records to release Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Motion
Picture Soundtrack on July 10th," Warner Brothers, June 14,2007.
http://www.harrypotterorderofthephoenix.com (accessed July 7, 2007).
294 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.com/interviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22, 2009).
169
explaining that he must have written seven times as much music as what ended up in the
film.295
These statements above, as well as more below, allow us to envision more clearly
what Hooper's and Yates's processes were-an opportunity not provided by statements
made by the previous collaborators.296 It may be the case that the open dialogue that
drives the creative exchange between Hooper and Yates extends into their interest and
willingness to discuss the magic of movie-making with others. This is in contrast to the
general lack of acknowledgement of the powerful role of film music in published
statements by Columbus, Cuaron, and Newell (beyond the notes in other Harry Potter CD
liners), and also in contrast to the apparent secrecy that producers exhibit by restricting
access to the original film score transcripts.
Hooper spoke well of his support team who helped him complete the work,
including a "great team of orchestrators" that transferred MIDI files, a "fantastic"
orchestra, and general "fantastic" support from the director and producer, with nobody
interfering and everyone on the same page.297 Additionally, for the first time he had an
assistant who handled all the technical aspects of his job. Moreover, he found the
producers to be very encouraging, and, perhaps due to good communication practices
between them, he never experienced conflict about the differences with the previous
295 Hooper's description of writing "seven times" as much music than is used is also different from
Williams's experiences, in which Williams has "sometimes written as much as twenty mintues of music for
a film that was never used." Brian Linder, "Potter Postlude," IGN.com, May 23,2001.
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/200/200342p1.html (accessed July 3, 200 I).
296 That is to say, neither Williams nor Doyle have been reported to have spoken in great detail about their
involvement in the Harry Potter film series. Likewise, the directors Columbus, Cuar6n, and Newell have
not spoken in great detail about their perspectives on the musical scores.
297 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.com/interviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22, 2009).
170
films.298 These statements affirm Hooper's satisfaction with the resources provided him
for his monumental task, and also reinforce that producers were well aware of the
aesthetic decisions that Yates and Hooper chose to make.
Changes also occurred in the performance and recording of the new score.
Nicholas Hooper's music was performed by the contract studio orchestra Chamber
Orchestra of London (i.e. the COOL of Cool Music Limited-the agency with which
Nicholas Hooper is associated). Like Williams before him, Hooper used a full spectrum
of colors available in the contemporary orchestra. Also like Williams, but in contrast to
Doyle, this orchestral palette included regular use of celeste, harp, and choral voices.
Choral voices were supplied by R.S.V.P. Voices-a studio contract organization. The
musical soundtrack also included special effects samples from the company,
Spectrasonics' Distorted Reality 2. The music was recorded and mixed at Abbey Road
Studios. The soundtrack was conducted by Alastair King (a member of the orchestrating
team), except for the cue "Possession," which Nicholas Hooper conducted himself.
Yates expressed his appreciation of Hooper's score in the following statement, "I
believe he's delivered a beautiful and delicate score for what is Jo's most emotional and
darkest, and certainly most political story in the series thus far."299 Hooper
acknowledged that "The music is different, but then I think the film is different, so it goes
with it, really."300 The Order o/the Phoenix soundtrack was released a day before the
film opened, on July 10,2007.
298 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but first, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
299 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack.
300 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.com/interviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22, 2009).
171
The Order ofthe Phoenix film was released in the U.S. on July 11,2007.
Although the book of the same name is the longest of the first five novels (at 870 pages),
the film is the shortest ofthe first five films (at 139 minutes). Like the fourth film before
it, the "sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images" warranted a PG 13
rating.3° 1
Reception
Much as the preceding films had experienced, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe
Phoenix had a tremendously successful worldwide opening, accumulating an initial $333
million in box office receipts. Also as had happened before, a small but significant
portion of this revenue came from the thousands of viewers who purchased tickets in
advance to see the midnight release showings of the films that had become popular over
the course of the series. In the end, the worldwide box-office total was $938.5 million,
making it the second-highest grossing film of2007, and the second-highest grossing
Potter film at the time.
However, the overwhelming consumer confidence exhibited in the statistics above
was not mirrored by some critics. Rotten Tomatoes alotted the film a 77% score-a
generally favorable score to be sure, but the lowest of all scores given for Harry Potter
films. Metacritic gave the film a 711100, which, though a seemingly a lower score, was
the middle ground between the first two Potter films (which had received scores in the
60s) and the third and fourth Potter films (which had both received 811100). In other
words, while box office receipts suggest that the film was the second best in the series,
the Metacritic score suggests that the film is median, and the Rotten Tomatoes score
301 Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince, Directed by David Yates. Burbank, CA: Warner Brothers
Pictures, 2009.
172
suggests that the film is the worst of the lot. In contrast, Rowling claimed that The Order
ofthe Phoenix was "the best one yet."302 This serves as a reminder that different
viewers valued different qualities among the films, and that opinions about the films
depend on these aesthetic values and are not necessarily indicative of an objective
hierarchy of quality.
Critical opinions about the film tended to hinge on the entertainment value of the
story-that is, whether it was dramatically stimulating versus fun to watch. Although
few questioned the artistic value of the film (as some had done of the previous film),
some reveled in the "deliciously" compelling depth of emotion, while others responded
that the dramatic heft without as much action was dull and un-enjoyable. Responses on
either side of the matter were as passionate as they had been for the preceding films, with
some championing the film as the best of the lot and others dismissing it as the worst.
For instance, reviewer Rene Rodriguez claimed that the fifth film was the first in
the series to feel like a "real movie" instead of a capitalizing spinoff.303 Peter Travers of
Rolling Stone positively acknowledged Yates's intentions to emphasize emotional
character development when he commented on the 'joys" of watching the actors grow
into their roles as Yates "raises the bar," bringing a "new humanity to the story."304
Informal reviews followed suit, such as the following from a fan who cited the improved
character development as a reason for her preference for the fifth film.
302 Rupert Grint, David Heyman, Emerson Spartz, "OOTP US Premiere red carpet interviews,"
MuggleNet. http://media.mugglenet.com/movie5/redcarpetvideo/ootpredcarpet.mov (accessed July 11,
2007).
303 Rene Rodriguez, "Like Harry, movie has matured," The Miami Herald, July 10,2007.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2I3/story/165548.html (accessed July 11,2007).
304 Travers, Peter, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Rolling Stone, June 29,2007.
http://www.rolIingstone.com/reviews/movie/15087359/review/15289225/harryyotter_and_the_order_oCt
heyhoenix (accessed July 11, 2007).
173
OOTP was definitely my favorite. I thought the acting was very well
done-this is the first time Daniel Radcliffe completely convinced me he
could play Harry Potter. ... Overall, the most enjoyable film for me (as
well as GOF) with (finally!) respect for the canon characters.305
Those who desired more action and spectacle were disappointed. For instance,
reviewer Wally Hammond noted,
Performances are more mature, the soundtrack (by Nicholas Hooper) less
grandiose, and Yates executes some thrilling set-pieces-but, please, Mr
Yates, don't let these winds of modernity sweep too many beloved
cobwebs away! Let's hope he casts some more old-fashioned spells in part
six, 'The Half-Blood Prince' .306
Reviewer Kirk Honeycutt (who had previous criticized the first two films for the musical
intrusions emphasizing magic) complained of too little intrusion of the element of magic
in the fifth film, stating "it's quite possibly the least enjoyable of the lot so far."307 He
further explained that the fifth film is "full of plot but little fun," assessing that "there are
several eye-catching moments .... But the magic-movie magic, that is-is mostly
missing in this outing."
For those who favored the film and its music, the word "delicious" was also used
to describe Hooper's delicate, dramatically nuanced score, revealing how some listeners
valued the interplay between music and visuals. For instance, one fan cited the effective
305 Delicious Moon, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," IMDb, April 10,2008.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373889/#comment (accessed April 12, 2008).
306 Wally Hammond, "Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix," Time Out London Issue 1925: July 11-
17 2007. http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/82039/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix.html
(accessed November 11,2009).
307 Honeycutt, Kirk, "Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix," The Hollywood Reporter, June 30, 2007.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=9447. (accessed July, 1,
2007).
174
complementary relationship between music and narrative, noting the appropriateness of
Hooper's score in the context ofvisuals.
The music didn't compete with the plot, but only added to it, which I really
liked. I loved the montages with Umbridge and the newspapers. The quill
scene was appropriately creepy, the Weasley's exit was appropriately
awesome, and the ending was so much fun to watch (LOVED the
Vo1dy/Dumbledore fight and all the prophecy balls smashing).308
Much like the reception to the film as whole, however, those who favored a more direct
approach regretted the lack of more dazzling, unifying musical themes.309 To put it
another way, few challenged the value of Hooper's music in the context of the film (as
some had done of Doyle's music for the previous film), but only some applauded the
resulting expressiveness while others expressed disappointment that the score did not
have more zing when divorced from the visuals. For instance, reviewer Daniel
Champion, who thought very highly of Hooper's work as a whole, also commented, "If
there must be one criticism it is in Hooper's broad range of themes... [that] lack of a
singular defining theme to carry the album."31 0
The accolades cited above should not imply that reviewers did not approach
Hooper's work with skepticism. Although fans seemed to be more accepting that the
308 Delicious Moon, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," IMDb, April 10, 2008.
http://www.imdb.comltitle/tt0373889/#comment (accessed April 12,2008).
309 Nicholas Hooper did write a unifying theme for the sixth film, Harry Potter and the HalfBlood
Prince-another Hogwarts choir piece called "In Noctem." While the scene with the choir singing the
piece was ultimately cut from the film, Hooper includes the piece on the CD, explaining that music for the
entire film was designed around this core theme.
310 Daniel Champion, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, review" Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008). As listeners of the sixth Harry Potter CD soundtrack know, Hooper addresses this concern by
building the music of the whole film around a singular, chant-like theme. Although the choral piece that
serves as the foundation was ultimately cut from the film, it is presented on the CD as the nursing tree from
which most ofthe other new themes relate.
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films would no longer be the same as Columbus and Williams had established, some
reviewers continued to assess the film and its music based on what might have been. For
instance, a Film Tracks reviewer explained,
As predicted by most, Doyle was criticized for taking the sound of the
series away from Williams' familiar tones (and the majority of his themes)
and infusing the film with mostly a darker variant of his own
compositional style. Fans of Williams' multitude of themes, as well as his
overarching style for the franchise, often withheld their enthusiasm for
Doyle's score, despite its own admirable traits. The same predicament
faced Nicholas Hooper, whose name stirred up far more controversy when
he was allowed by Warner Brothers to write the score for Harry Potter
and The Order a/the Phoenix in 2007.3 11
Sure enough, fan reviewers such as the following three could not address Hooper's score
without deep nostalgia for Williams's precedents.
(1) I am hoping that John Williams returns to score future Harry Potter
movies, but I won't hold my breath.... As for this soundtrack, it was
better than I expected from someone that has never written a score for a
feature movie.3 12
(2) John Williams has composed 3 wonderful scores for the Harry Potter
movies and Patrick Doyle did a quite good job as well. But Nicholas
Hooper has delivered for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" a
boring and weak score.313
311 Film Tracks, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Filmtracks.com, June 27,2007.
http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/order--phoenix.html (accessed July 7, 2007).
312 Erik Anderson "Sandwich Jedi," "Good Despite its still not John Williams," Amazon.com, July 15,
2009. http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Phoenix-Nicholas-Hooper/product-
reviews/BOOOOLGCHAlref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortB
y=bySubmissionDateDescending (acccessed October 2,2009).
313 Filmmusik-Fan, "This is the weakest Harry Potter score by far!" Amazon. com, July 7, 2009/
http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Phoenix-Nicholas-Hooper/product-
reviews/BOOOOLGCHAlref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints= l&colid=&sortB
y=bySubmissionDateDescending (accessed October 2,2009).
176
(3) Worth buying if you are a serious HP fan, but it's just NOT John
Williams.314
Although some were dubious that Hooper was up to the task ofsuch a high-profile
assignment (as illustrated above), some were pleasantly surprised by Hooper's fresh new
take. For instance, reviewer Daniel Champion wrote,
Prior to the film's release this news [of Hooper's assignment] provided a
flurry of speculation and criticism even before a note of music had been
discussed by the pair, much more so than when Newell enlisted the talents
ofveteran Patrick Doyle for The Goblet ofFire... So it's sad to hear, once
the score is finally in the hands of many a ravenous listener, the criticism
continues. Hooper's efforts are exemplary, with careful musical plotting
and a delicacy far, far out of Doyle's reach for the previous adventure...
.This is a work far greater than the film that spawned it and will stand the
test of time.... It's a maturation of sorts and an elegant continuation of
Williams's style of development.3 15
Similarly, the reviewer from Track Sounds expressed pleasure in the subtle synthesis of
Williams's and Doyle's contributions in Hooper's fresh approach.
. . . something unexpectedly ...well. ..magical happened. Nicholas Hooper
rose to the occasion, and provided a wholly wonderful and repeatedly
enjoyable score for Harry's 5th-and darkest-year yet. Left behind
(though certainly not forgotten) are the wonderous childhood flourishes of
Williams' score, and the ponderous beauty of Doyle's turning-of-age
314 Douglas Clark, "HP fan," Amazon. com, December 12,2008. http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-
Phoenix-Nicho1as-Hooper/product-
reviewsIBOOOOLGCHA/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1 &colid=&sortB
y=bySubmissionDateDescending (accessed October 2, 2009).
315 Daniel Champion, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, review" Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
177
music, and now a mature-but-no-Iess-magical score lifts and propels
"Order of the Phoenix" through the viewers imaginations.316
In other words, just as many reviewers were able to discern differences between Hooper's
score and the preceding Potter scores, so too did they begin to draw similarities out as
well.
The film as a whole received thirty-nine significant award nominations-
comparable to the number received by the second, third, and fourth films (the first film,
in contrast, received sixty-two nominations). Notably, many of these nominations came
from organizations catering to young person culture, such as the MTV Movie Awards,
Teen Choice Awards, and the Scream Awards, and/or fulfilled categories devoted to
family appropriate media. Nicholas Hooper's score was nominated for a World
Soundtrack Discover Award, a Saturn Award for Best Music, and a UK Empire Award
for Best Soundtrack. The film was also nominated for Best Kiss-a moment of drama
that I argue is largely influenced by the accompanying music, as discussed in Chapter V.
Director David Yates won the Empire Award for Best Director, and the film as a whole
won Best Film for the European Film Audience Award, and Favorite Movie Drama for
the People's Choice Awards.
Summary
Let us again review some key points before conluding this chapter. In order to
keep production on the series moving ahead, Warner Brothers hired British director
David Yates, known for his gritty, modem dramas, to lead the fifth Harry Potter film.
316 Steve Townsley, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Pheonix Rising," Tracksounds.com,
http://www.tracksounds.com/reviews/harry-potter_order-phoenix_nicholas_hooper.htm (accessed
November 14, 2009).
178
Yates brought his longtime colleague, composer Nicholas Hooper, with him to the
project. Both Yates and Hooper brought a very different history of experiences from the
other collaborators: Yates has worked as frequently in television as he has in film, and
Hooper had a significant history writing for animal documentaries prior to his
introduction to human drama. Yates and Hooper also brought some more modem
technologies to their approach to the film-including the heavy reliance on cor for
visuals, and a relative reliance on digital sounds for the score. Although Hooper had not
yet written for a Hollywood film before, the producers were won over by Hooper's
abilities, which Yates and Hooper strategically presented in relation to Yates's intentions
for the film.
Yates framed the story as an emotional, psychological drama with political
undertones, and viewers perceived his perspective in the final product. While some
favored his nuanced approach to character development and dramatic depth, others
complained that the film did not exhibit the excitement or sparkle that it might have. For
Hooper's part, the music was delicately interwoven with Yates's drama, and therefore
critical commentary followed suit. While most were won over by Hooper's careful
dramatic handling of the score, some were disappointed by the lack of more direct,
unifying themes.
Hooper, like Doyle before him, also believed that the new story required new
music. Although Hooper integrated a few variations on Williams's original "Hedwig's
Theme" over the course of the film, the rest of the score was original, and fans took
notice. However, while some stated regret that Hooper's music was not as Williams
would have written, many accepted Hooper's work on its own merit, finding it not only
accessible, but also very pleasing.
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Summary and Conclusions
As I have shown throughout this exploration, differences in background,
experience, and goals among the directors and composers contributed to vastly different
final products in the case of the Harry Potter films. Each director/composer collaboration
was unique with regard to generation, nationality, background experience, and expertise.
Likewise each director brought an individual interpretation to the film or films he
directed for which each composer provided a supporting musical score unique to his own
style. However, directors and composers were not uniquely responsible for the aesthetic
of each film-for remember, Warner Brothers producers hired directors with specific
goals in mind, based on their history of experience and reputation. In general, public
reception mirrored statements of production intent in that viewers acknowledged the
same cinematic characteristics that producers had wished to convey. Yet each film
followed different goals, and therefore public reception changed accordingly, with some
viewers approving of the choices, while others disapproved.
Moreover, changes in production goals for later Potter films seemed to respond to
formal and informal critiques of the preceding films. Conversely, (and perhaps in a
humorous paradox) some criticisms of the later films and their accompanying scores
hinged on the fact that changes had been made from earlier precedents! In other words,
even though the Harry Potter film series as a whole has been enormously successful, the
examination of the details of reception reveal that the winning combinations only won
over some viewers some of the time. Furthermore, reception statistics, taken as a whole,
do not conclusively mark specific frontrunners among the films. For instance, box-office
numbers, critics site percentages, and awards statistics each point to different films as
being the best and the worst among the five.
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The first film commenced production only two years after the publication of
Rowling's first book. Though the narrative is a British story and set in Britain by a
female British author, the first film was defined in many ways by American culture-
with an American production company, American male producers, and an American
(male) director and (male) composer. Furthermore, both Columbus and Williams came
from the Hollywood model of filmmaking.
Warner Brothers' choices regarding the film's family-friendly genre and style (as
witnessed by their choice of director) was likely influenced by producer David Heyman's
original interest in adapting a children's book-thus creating a children's film. As such,
Chris Columbus's background, albeit relatively sparse, was in line with company desires
for family-friendly Hollywood style, and his cooperative spirit likewise in line with
Rowling's needs for cultural fidelity to her British-based narrative (as witnessed by the
British casting of characters). Perhaps the collaboration between Columbus and
composer John Williams was especially useful for the first film because it paired a
relative newcomer director with a seasoned, sucessful veteran composer. This is similar
to the way that Columbus cast newcomers to the lead child roles leads while veterans of
British television and film filled adult roles.
Columbus's role as director was complicated by the phenomenal popularity of the
unfinished narrative. Not only was he compelled to succeed aesthetically in Hollywood
style at a film that seemed certain to succeed at the box office, he was also honor-bound
to consider the input of Rowling (who was the only person to know the conclusion of the
narrative) and even perhaps more weightily, to consider the desires of millions of
committed fans. Both Columbus and Williams followed the rules, so to speak, on the
first and second Potter films. The script and visual narrative were executed faithfully,
following time-tested approaches for creating drama in cinema (e.g. Columbus's use of
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color and oflight and dark, and traditional camera angles), and likewise, Williams's
soundtrack followed time-tested approaches for creating drama in music (e.g. his use of
music as a signifier for magic, and other leitmotivic relationships). Reception to the first
and second films followed suit-with some championing the fidelity and others faulting a
lack of original artistry.
When Columbus stepped down, producers responded to the previous review
criticism suggesting a lack of cinematic artistry by hiring independent Mexican director
Alfonso Cuar6n, known for his individualistic artistic adaptations. Cuar6n was the first
director or composer for the Potter movies with a film background outside of Hollywood.
In order to produce the movie that Cuar6n wanted to make, some filming locations were
changed, new costumes were designed, and the production schedule was extended by six
months. The resulting film was the first in the Potter series to change the role of literary
fidelity from literal transference to a less literal transformation. Visually, it was the first
in the Potter films to feel significantly different from Columbus's first installment.
Though John Williams changed some of his musical themes and approaches to fit
Cuar6n's aesthetic, Williams's signature style continued to contribute musical continuity
between the first, second, and third films.
Although Cuar6n had the go-ahead from producers and from Rowling to create a
less literally faithful film, his role as director was complicated by the nature ofthe series.
First, the film opportunity provided a commercial-size budget, but also required
commercial success-something that had proved problematic in his previous working
relationships with production companies, and had proved elusive with his previous
Hollywood adaptations. Second, Cuar6n was bound (like Columbus) by the narrative
confines of an unfinished series, and bound (because of Columbus's choices) by many
previously established elements of the series-inclusive of actors, major set pieces, and
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so on. His interpretation did not seem to be bound by fan expectation, however, and
reception followed suit-with some championing his new and creative transformational
approach and others grieving a lack of continuity with the previous straightforward
adaptations. Likewise, some listeners delighted in Williams's adapted approach, while
others faulted a lack of continuity with the previous two musical scores. While the film
was received very well among critics and critics associations, it was the least financially
successful of the five films.
In order to keep production continuously moving forward, producers hired British
director Mike Newell to begin filming the fourth Potter film while the third was still in
post-production. Newell became the first English director to lead the British narrative,
and subsequently hired Scotsman Patrick Doyle, also the first British composer to work
on the series, upon Williams's decision to forego the fourth installment in lieu of other
commitments. Because the fourth film project employed both a new director and a new
composer, it was the first among the Potter films to clearly present both a different visual
and musical style, contributing to a more significant break from the feeling of
Columbus's and Williams's first installments.
In contrast to Columbus's traditional, classic approach to a magical children's
movie, and in contrast to Cuaron's progressive art-film approach to present a gothic
multi-generational movie, Newell used an accessible, contemporary approach to present
an action-thriller-romance targeted especially toward teenage audiences. Newell's
intention to highlight the familiarity of adolescent perspective in the context of British
boarding school came across to viewers and critics who responded accordingly. Many
applauded Newell's insightful, riveting approach, favoring it over the approaches of his
predecessors. The film resonated especially well with teenagers who appreciated the
high level of special effects, the humorous, age-specific depiction of budding sexuality,
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and the inclusion of well-known, contemporary rock musicians. Others mourned the loss
of magical sparkle that Columbus had established, as well as the cinematic panache that
Cuar6n had exhibited. Many reviewers noted the film's perceived clunkiness as a
shortcoming.
Likewise, Doyle's musical score was perceived as more regal, but less magical
than Williams's former scores. Doyle's background in British live theatre molded his
approach to film scoring in which he espouses using music less obtrusively than
Williams. This musical approach paralleled director Newell's beliefs in scaling back
excess in favor of the human drama. Some applauded Doyle's fresh approach and
appreciated the way the music never upstages the narrative. Others were disappointed
that Doyle's music did not maintain the magical feeling Williams's had established, and
regretted the lack of any singular identifying musical theme. In spite of these perceived
shortcomings, however, the success of the fourth film was equally supported by critical
response and box office receipts.
As the production schedule continued to move forward, producers hired yet
another British director, David Yates, to lead the fifth film. Yates brought with him his
longtime collaborator (though Hollywood newcomer), English composer Nicholas
Hooper. Although Yates and Hooper both expressed a preference for Cuar6n and
Williams's aesthetic for the third film, they followed their own course for the production
of the fifth film.
In contrast to Columbus's classic family fantasy, in contrast to Cuar6n's gothic
art-film, and also in contrast to Newell's action-packed teen thriller, Yates developed a
psychological drama around the emotional core of the characters' experiences. Yates's
intentions to highlight the inner worlds of the characters came across to viewers and
critics who responded accordingly. Those who were captivated by the modem drama
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hailed Yates's approach as the best suited to the story. In contrast, those who had
appreciated the traditional action-adventure and narrative progress of the previous films
found Yates's approach dull and unsatisfying. Opinions were mixed as to whether the
new approach breathed magic into the maturing story or dispelled it.
Likewise, Hooper's score was perceived as deliciously engaging by those who
valued the delicate interplay between music and drama. While some applauded Hooper's
emotionally moving and energizing approach, others were disappointed that Hooper did
not develop main musical themes to the extent that Williams had. Although Hooper's
work was inevitably compared to the work of his predecessors, it did not receive as much
criticism as Doyle's score had for not being the music that John Williams might have
written. As I will show in the following chapters, Hooper (although following his own
intuitions) made many decisions that synthesized the approaches of his predecessors and
potentially exhibited the continuity that reviewers needed to feel in order to give positive
responses. Additionally, reviewers may have more readily accepted Hooper's work after
hearing Doyle's approach, which had also provided contrast to Williams's precedents.
As I have shown above, each film was conceived, produced, and received
differently due to different filmmakers' goals. The most significant differences between
the films follow changes in leadership, especially the roles ofdirector and composer.
Indeed, each of the film directors brought varied experiences and expertise to the project
as did the film composers. Although I will argue in the next chapter that the composers
all followed the Classical Hollywood model of film composition while working on the
Harry Potter films, the study from this chapter shows some of the varied work histories
the composers brought-from working in the Hollywood style for decades (as Williams
has done), to working in the heritage style (as Doyle has often done), to working in a
documentary style (as Hooper had begun). These backgrounds influenced Williams's
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intentions for a "naturally theatrical" score, Doyle's intentions for a score that shadows
the drama (rather than shining a light on it), and Hooper's intentions for a score that
brings out the emotion of the story. Now that we know that the films were intended to be
different from one another and that they were received in distinct ways, we can begin to
examine how these differences affect and are affected by the musical soundtrack for each
film.
As we conclude this chapter, there are many questions left to be answered. Are
there measurable ways of differentiating the musical approaches to drama in each of the
films? What impact do the variations in approach have on the core narrative threads that
continue from film to film? What kind of relationship exists between the music for each
film and the musical landscapes that are described in Rowling's original novels? How
does the music engage viewers into these landscapes? How does music facilitate the
story itself, from each film beginning to each film ending? How does music tell us what
each film is really about?
In the following two chapters, I analyze the musical approaches of each
collaboration following the model of Claudia Gorbman's seven principles for the Classic
Hollywood style, exploring the commonalities between the approaches and highlighting
the differences. Then, in Chapters V and VI, I interrogate how changes in leitmotifs (i.e.,
the addition of new musical themes) over the course of the films allow viewers to see
different emotional interpretations ofthe key elements ofthe story: magic and humor,
love and loss, and good and evil. Following, in Chapter VII, I return to a discussion of
Rowling's original novels, Rowling's descriptions of music-making in the novels, and
how these music-making events are transferred to the film adaptations-that is, showing
what is lost and what is gained.
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CHAPTER III
APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY POTTER
FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUSIC IN FILM, PART ONE:
CREATING CINEMATIC SPACE
Introduction
This chapter presents my findings from a comparison between the applications of
music in the Harry Potter films and the traditional approach to film music that Claudia
Gorbman refers to as the Classical Hollywood style. I show that while each ofthe Potter
films uses music in traditional ways, each of the films also exhibits variation within the
tradition. The accumulation of variations at a detailed level results in significant
differences between the approaches to music in each film as a whole.
Throughout this dissertation, my goal is to compare and contrast the musical
approaches for each of the first five Harry Potter films. In the previous chapter, I showed
how each Harry Potter film director brought different goals to the different films in the
narrative, and explored how filmgoers responded to the cinematic choices. I illustrated
with reviews and fan critiques how viewers experienced the films differently. From my
experience, also, the films feel different, and thus convey different ideas about the
narrative. Why is it that the films feel different? How is it that each says something
different about the narrative? What role does the application of music have in the
aesthetic experience of each film? In this chapter, I argue that one significant reason that
187
the films feel different from each other is that the music is applied differently in each of
the films, and following suit, fulfills the roles of film music in varied ways.
I introduced the key players in these aesthetic choices in the previous chapter,
including directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates;
and composers John Williams, Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper; and showed how
each collaborative director/composer team approached either a more literal transference
or more liberal transformation of the Potter narrative from page to screen. Statements by
the key players about production decisions, as well as statements of reception by viewers
and reviewers, gave witness to Columbus's creation of a faithful, classic rendition of the
magical narrative, Cuaron's creation of an artistically transformed, enchanted rendering
of the narrative, Newell's creation of a familiar, contemporary British school framework
for the social realism of a thriller, and Yates's psychological lens for the drama of
Harry's emotional journey. How is it that music contributes to these overall aesthetics?
What is it about each composer's approach to music for drama that makes the films feel
different?
In my and others' experiences of viewing the films, Williams's music saturates
the soundtrack, adding richness and regular markers of interpretation; Doyle's music
permeates the soundtrack less frequently, less loudly, and more abstractly, leaving much
ofthe interpretation to the viewer; and Hooper's music provides substantive cues and
clues for an emotional framework to the drama, but often leaves room for viewers to
formulate unique interpretations by using music to parallel atmosphere rather than
gesture. How can these experiences be measured in a way that sorts out the different
approaches, functions, and results of each of the musical soundtracks?
Several film music scholars have developed systems of analysis that address the
specific applications of music for cinematic drama. For instance, Royal S. Brown's
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outline of questions for "How to Hear a Movie"317 focuses heavily on the music, yet
does not thoroughly interrogate the intricacies of how the music influences the visuals
and vice-versa. Brown advises listeners to note whether films use original compositions
or pre-composed music, what genre the music is, which types of instruments play it, and
whether the style of music is consistent with the composer's body of work as a whole.
These questions are useful at first, but too quickly level the playing field between the
Harry Potter composers because Williams, Doyle, and Hooper all employ neo-Romantic
orchestral music, which was at least somewhat consistent with their previous individual
work (as I discussed in the previous chapter).
That is to say, even novice listeners may perceive that the Harry Potter music
sounds "classical" and is applied to the films in a conventional way. As Kalinak
explains, "the medium of the classical Hollywood film score was largely symphonic; its
idiom romantic; and its formal unity typically derived from the principle of the
leitmotifs."318 Indeed, one of Kalinak' s main arguments in Settling the Score is that the
classical score has dominated the field since the 1930s.319 From these perspectives, all
the Harry Potter scores fit the Classical Hollywood model, end of story. By the same
token, however, I have also already established how listeners perceive differences
between the styles ofthe different scores, as explored in the previous chapter. As such,
this chapter gives specific examples of ways that these scores align with conventional
practices for music for narrative cinema, and also shows how these scores exemplify
some of the variations within traditional approaches.
317 Royal S. Brown, Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music (Berkeley: University of California
Press, 1957), 343.
318 Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film (Madison: University of
Wisconsin, 1992), 79.
319 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 79.
189
I choose to follow Claudia Gorbman's model for examining traditional narratives
with Classical Hollywood style film scores because this model best relates to the styles of
music and to the musical approaches in the Harry Potter films. Moreover, Gorbman's
description of the seven principles exhibited in the Classical Hollywood style provides an
orderly and detailed examination of musical placement, function, and result. Importantly,
when we examine the Harry Potter film music through the lens of Gorbman's principles,
we are able to clearly see important trends in the style of each film's musical plumbing.
As we will see, these structural uses of music significantly impact the landscapes and
dimensions of the narrative, the degree to which viewers are engaged in these landscapes,
the main messages conveyed by each film, and subtexts conveyed by the relationships
between music, visuals, and dialogue.320
While several film theorists such as Kathryn Kalinak, Annahid Kassabian, and
Michel Chion have taken Gorbman's discussion to greater depths and to more varied
philosophical threads, their texts do not provide a clear method for examining film music
in films of our era. Indeed, although these theorists have contributed their research more
recently than Gorbman, their texts have not exhibited the same level of order that
Gorbman's text exhibits (i.e., as the major forerunner in this thread of inquiry). As such,
I begin with Gorbman's theories as a starting point (as, indeed, many of the more recent
writers have as well) and include theories and research from Kalinak, Kassabian, and
Chion as appropriate.
The specific goals for this chapter are two-fold. First, I show how the film scores
written by John Williams, Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper for the Harry Potter films
follow traditional models for film music composition as established by composers of the
320 In contrast, the exercise of examining the Harry Potter film music through other theorist's methods
tends to lead to comparative lists of leitmotifs and performing forces. While these are also important
elements of the Harry Potter soundtracks, they will be explored in detail in Chapter V, using research
methods from the study of music for live drama in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
190
Classical Hollywood style in the 1930s (such as Max Steiner). I use Claudia Gorbman's
list of seven principles for film music composition, mixing, and editing as a model for
addressing issues of function within film music scores. I take account of the palette of
tools and techniques each composer chose in approaching the Potter narrative in cinema
as they relate to Gorbman's principles, and compare these technical approaches between
the films. Additionally, this chapter acknowledges some of the aspects of the soundtrack
(e.g. mixing and editing) over which the composer may have little or no control.
Second, I address the differences in variation that the Harry Potter musical
soundtracks express within the traditional model. I argue that small differences in the
ways the composers use their palette of tools accumulate to create larger differences in
effect. Indeed, I have already argued differences in effect in broad terms (e.g.,
Williams's music saturates, Doyle's music permeates less, and Hooper's music provides
a framework), and therefore, also conversely use Gorbman's model to show how these
different effects are achieved by following the principles in varied ways. By showing
which of Gorbman's principles are emphasized in each score (and likewise which
principles are subverted or ignored), we can better understand the degrees to which each
Harry Potter score follows the model of Classical Hollywood Style, and also the degrees
to which each composer follows the precedents of his predecessor(s) on the Harry Potter
project. Moreover, when we know how functional approaches vary from film to film, we
can better understand the different messages and moods that are conveyed with each
subsequent film (which will be discussed in detail as part of the case-studies included in
chapters V, VI, and VII).
As Kalinak clarifies, "the classical Hollywood film score can best be understood
not as a rigid structural or stylistic manifesto but rather as a set of conventions formulated
191
to sustain and heighten the fictive reality ofthe classical narrative film."321 She
continues,
A score can be termed classical because of its high degree of adherence to
these practices. This is not to say that all scores composed in Hollywood
fit this model or that the model didn't change in response to innovation
and experimentation.322
This is exactly the crux of the matter with the Harry Potter scores---each simultaneously
relies upon the time-tested principles as well as adapting to meet the specific narrative
needs of each Harry Potter film.
As we shall see, there are several differences between the technical approaches of
each of the composers, although all fall within the Classical Hollywood model.
Moreover, these differences affect the film at every significant level. Here are some
patterns to watch for as we explore each composer/director approach through the lens of
Gorbman's principles:
John Williams, in collaboration with Chris Columbus on the first two films, uses
leitmotifs for nearly every role of film music-to begin and end the films, to set the stage,
to indicate important ideas within the narrative, and to thread the form of the film
together. This approach effectively illustrates and clarifies the main ideas of the film. As
we read in Chapter II, this approach reflects Williams's early training during the 1950s
with master composers in the Classical Hollywood style. Williams's system for applying
the leitmotifs in the first two films is more finely tuned to match visuals than the
approaches in the later films, but also tends to represent narrative ideas in simpler, more
321 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 79.
322 Ibid" 79.
192
straightforward terms; often telling viewers how to respond rather than engaging viewers
in the experience of the story.
In collaboration with Alfonso Cuaron for the third film, John Williams's music
becomes more complex in almost all ways-melodically, harmonically, and in choice of
sound-producers-and includes fewer leitmotifs applied less rigidly than in the first two
films. Additionally, the relationship between music, visuals, and narrative ideas becomes
more fluid and richer than in the first two films (indeed, perhaps the most fluid and
richest of all the currently available films). 323 As was introduced in Chapter II, this
approach reflects Cuaron's vision of representing a looser, less literal transformation of
the story with film. As we will see, the visible relationship between music and the visual
narrative in the third film is the most complex of all of the films. This approach
effectively amplifies the main ideas of the film, sometimes in deeply meaningful ways;
this is an approach that engages the viewer in the story rather than interpreting the story
for the viewer.
Overall, many of the musical choices that Patrick Doyle makes, in collaboration
with Mike Newell on the fourth film, effectively deconstruct the illustrations and
clarifications that Williams had previously established (especially for the first two films).
Doyle scales back the use of background music considerably, and emphasizes source
music (notably, British source music) instead. This approach emphasizes socio-cultural
landscapes that provide a context for the drama without necessarily speaking directly to
the drama. This more conservative approach may reflect Doyle's background in
composing for live theater and heritage-style films (as was discussed in the previous
323 I qualify my statement here because fluidity and richness may be perceived and valued to different
degrees by different filmgoers, as I have established in the previous chapter. While some value the
complexity of the third film as a marker of artistry, others find that the so-called artistry gets in the way of
the story. Additionally, I have noted how the collaboration between Yates and Hooper on the fifth film was
very involved by industry standards, yet the relationship between music and visuals in the film is presented
more simply than is seen in the third film.
193
chapter). In contrast to Williams's music, Doyle's music rarely supports a singular
subjective point of view, and instead, tends to allow dialogue and visuals to operate more
independently. The approach allows viewers to invest more individual interpretation into
the story, but also holds the film less firmly together.
Finally, Nicholas Hooper, in collaboration with David Yates on the fifth film,
approaches all things in moderation-including moderation. That is to say, Hooper
integrates many of the elements and approaches of his predecessors, but also chooses to
make his own innovations. Like Williams, Hooper uses some leitmotifs to illustrate and
clarify the narrative. Also like Williams, sometimes Hooper interweaves his music
fluidly and richly with visuals in complex and meaningful ways. In some scenes,
however, the music makes way for dialogue and visuals to act independently (much as
Doyle allowed in the previous film). In this way, Hooper chooses from among the
different tool palettes of his predecessors for different segments of the drama-without
necessarily applying them in alternation or with equality. This approach tends both to
keep the viewer on track, and also keep the viewer in suspense. An important
contribution that Hooper makes to the continuing sound of the musical soundtracks in
Harry Potter films is the close relationship between sound effects and instrumental
accompaniment. This contribution, in combination with his approach in general, engages
the viewer in the immediate-which may reflect Hooper's background in composition for
television dramas and animal kingdom documentaries as well as for film.
In her book Unheard Melodies, Claudia Gorbman provides a list of seven
principles that apply to the classical film score style following the model of Max
Steiner.324 These principles are the following: (l) that nondiegetic (non-source) sound
324 Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1987), 73.
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producers be invisible, (2) that nondiegetic music should be subordinate to dialogue (thus
making it "inaudible"), (3) that music may emphasize specific narrative moods and
emotions, but that music is (in itself) a signifer of emotion, (4) that music may supply
"referential/narrative" cueing by establishing physical settings and points of view, as well
as it may supply "connotative" cueing by illustrating and interpreting events,325 (5) that
music provides continuity by filling the gaps between shots, scenes, and dialogue, (6) that
"music aids in the construction of formal and narrative unity" by repeating and varying
musical material and instrumentation, and (7) that a film score may violate any of these
preceeding principles as long as it is in the service of the other principles.326 She furthers
her discussion of these roles and rules by supplying examples of film scores that show
successful adherence and violation of these principles.
I will address each of Gorbman's seven principles in tum below, and explore how
the music for each Harry Potter film functions within (or in some cases, outside of) the
principle. As appropriate, I also include perspectives from Kalinek, Kassabian, Chion,
and Cohen in order to address functions in greater depth. I provide examples from each
film, as applicable, in the form of written descriptions and notated transcriptions.
My exploration of these principles in the Harry Potter films is divided into two
sections. Part One (this chapter) concerns how music creates a backdrop or cinematic
space for each ofthe films. Specifically, I address how the first three principles establish
landscapes and dimensions for the Harry Potter world, and help to induct viewers into
325
While all film music creates emotion to a degree, referential/narrative cues are those in which music
references a more straightforward idea (such as a place, a setting, an object, or a character) and connotative
cues are those in which the emphasis is on the emotion that characters experience and/or the emotions that
we should feel on behalf of the characters. As we will see, some of the musical cues in Hany Potter are
referential and connotative at the same time, while some musical themes function as referential cues at one
point in the film and function as connotative at another point in the same film.
326 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 73.
195
these landscapes and dimensions. For instance, when filmmakers violate the principle of
musical invisibility (the first principle) with source music, it effectively serves to
establish the time and history, and the place and culture of the story. These landscapes of
time and culture are different for each film, spanning medieval times to modem-day
times. My examination of the principle of inaudibility (principle II) reveals the
relationship between music and visuals (and other film elements in general) that affects
viewers' relationships to these landscapes. Some approaches allow the viewer to observe
while other approaches allow the viewer to experience. In the Harry Potter films, the role
of music as a signifier for emotion (principle III) is most prominently used when
background music is brought to the foreground in order to emphasize different aspects of
the fantasy dimension. Some of the films emphasize benevolent magic, some emphasize
malevolent magic, and some do not emphasize magic at all.
In the second part of this examination, found in Chapter IV, I address the musical
framework of each film. Specifically, I explore how each film's adherence to principles
IV-VI serves as an indicator for how the films are structurally held together from
beginning to end. The exploration of narrative cueing (principle IV) leads to an analyis
of film beginnings and endings, and how the music used at the structural limits of each
film serves to sum up the main narrative points of each film. Sometimes the musical
resolution is in parallel with the visual resolution (i.e., affirming the interpretation of
visuals), while in some cases, the musical resolution is complementary to the visual
resolution (i.e., adding to the interpretation of visuals). Furthermore, some film
beginnings and endings are only related to each other within a single film, while others
relate to the beginnings and endings of the other films. The examination of formal and
rhythmic continuity (principle V) reveals how major narrative transitions are negotiated
with music. Sometimes these transitions are smooth and straightforward, sometimes they
196
are dry and disjointed, and sometimes they are metaphorically magical. The final focus
on the principle of unity takes account of musical elements that are woven within each of
the films. As previously stated, Williams uses leitmotifs to weave the first two films
together, but as we will see, later films are woven with different musical elements. A
summary and conclusion will include an examination of Gorbman's seventh principle,
which acknowledges how principles may be violated in order to serve other principles.
Gorbman's First Principle: Invisibility
Gorbman's first principle of the Classical Hollywood style is that musical sound
producers should be invisible. However, this rule can be broken when music is part of
the scene that characters experience. In discussing the invisibility of the technical
apparatus of non-diegetic music, Gorbman uses the example of a scene in RKO's King
Kong (1933, score by Max Steiner) in which characters hide behind palms to view island
natives performing ritual dance accompanied by chanting and drumming (believed to be
diegetic, or source music) as well as the RKO orchestra playing a rhythmic ostinato
(which is obviously non-diegetic, or background music, though presented as if part of the
source music). Even though the principle of invisibility is broken, it is in the service of
telling the characters and the viewing audience something about the landscape of the
scene. As the ritual becomes more exciting for the voyeurs, the music swells in tandem
(i.e. both diegetic and non-diegetic aspects). When the character Carl Denham, an
adventure filmmaker, moves beyond the palms to capture the spectacle on film, he is seen
by the native chief who gestures for the ritual to stop-thus ceasing all music (diegetic
and non-diegetic) as well.327 Gorbman points out how the visuals subvert the cinematic
327 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 74.
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rule that the apparatus of filming should not be seen (by showing Denham's camera
filming what the viewer has been seeing), while the musical score reinforces the
cinematic rule by leading audiences to believe that the score (inclusive of the non-
diegetic orchestra) is effortlessly part of the experience of watching the native ritual
(especially since no sound-collecting device is made visible).328
The majority of music for the Harry Potter films is non-diegetic (i.e., in the
background) and therefore follows Gorbman's principle of invisibility. However, this is
only part of the equation. While each of the film soundtracks follows Gorbman's
principle of invisibility, each composer/director team follows the principle differently.
As is decribed for Steiner's King Kong, there are several examples from the Harry Potter
movies that illustrate how background (non-diegetic) music may seem to represent the
experience of a diegetic event. Sometimes the music clearly has no visual source, while
at other times the background music is heard alongside diegetic sounds and music with a
clear visual source. Additionally, some of the films have examples of source music with
no background music support. Furthermore, source and background music sometimes
alternate within a scene, or switch from one category to the other (e.g. a musical
performance becomes part of the background score, or vice-versa). In other words, in
some of the films, the music frequently crosses boundaries. Gorbman writes,
Music enjoys a special status in filmic narration. It can be diegetic
(musicians can play in the story, a radio can be on)-in the trade this is
called source music-or nondiegetic (an orchestra plays as cowboys chase
Indians on the desert).... But the nondiegetic voiceover is perceived as a
narrative intrusion, and music is not. Furthermore, music very often
crosses the boundary, even in the most conventional films.329
328 Ibid., 75.
329 Ibid., 3.
198
Annahid Kassabian provides another term, "source-scoring," to refer to the way that
music can cross boundaries.330 This type of approach is often intended to both represent
the experience of the characters and the interpretation of the experience for the viewer.
Different relationships between source and non-source music in the Harry Potter
films convey different dramatic messages about the landscape of each film. Each of the
Harry Potter musical soundtracks exhibits a unique relationship between digesis and non-
diegesis, and likewise between invisibility and visibility. As Gorbman suggests in her
discussion of King Kong, the effect of these relationships is two-fold. First, non-diegetic
music often establishes emotion, while diegetic music often establishes time and place.
Second, non-diegetic music tends to stimulate imagination, especially about the
unknown, while diegetic music tends to relate to the familiar, known world. This is also
the experience of the Harry Potter films. Those films that emphasize background music
allow viewers to fill in the details of the landscape with their imagination, while those
films that emphasize source music provide viewers with a more specific perspective of
the landscape that directly relates to the known world. Another way to put it is this:
when directors and composers choose to violate the principle of invisibility by using
source music, it alerts us to some aspect ofthe landscape (temporal, geographical, or
cultural) that the filmmakers believe is important for us to know about.
The following discussions elaborate the use of source (i.e., diegetic), background
(i.e., non-diegetic), and source-scoring (boundary-crossing) music in the first five Harry
Potter films. I show how some of the Harry Potter films (such as the first two, and also
the fifth) use very little source music, thus allowing background (non-diegetic) music to
establish all relationships between film texts and visuals. The effect often heightens the
portrayal of fantasy in the magical narrative, in part by allowing viewers' imaginations to
330Annahid Kassabian, Hearing Film: Tracking Identifications in Contemporary Hollywood Film Music
(London: Routledge, 2001).
199
fill in the gaps, and by providing a sense of timelessness and nowhere-ness. The third
Potter film includes several examples of source-scoring in which diegetic music is
blended (in one way or another) with non-diegetic music. The effect helps to blur
perceptions between reality and fantasy, while establishing both real and imagined
landscapes. Significant among these landscapes are the juxtaposition of temporalities-
from medieval times and Renaissance times, to mid twentieth-century times and modem
day times. The fourth film includes the most examples of diegetic music of all the films
discussed here, most of which directly relate to modem-day times. The effect helps to
ground the narrative in familiarity, modernity, and thus also a sense of reality. The fifth
film (though using few examples of diegetic music), often blends non-diegetic music
with diegetic special effects sounds, and thus aids in blurring perceptions of reality and
fantasy similar to the effect in the third film. However, much as in the fourth film
(though in contrast to the third), the existing diegetic examples emphasize modernity.
The Principle of Invisibility: Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone
In the first film (composer John Williams with director Chris Columbus),
background music is used far more often and prominently than source music.
Background music is almost always present, and the effect heightens the portrayal of
fantasy in the narrative. The use of background music establishes both Harry's emotional
world and his introduction to the magical world. There are only two examples of visible
source music, and only a few additional examples where diegesis is very loosely implied.
In other words, music is "invisible" far more often than it is visible. Furthermore, the
examples of visible source music include elements of the supernatural, and therefore
200
reinforce a magical interpretation of the story as much as they ground the story in the
familiar.
First, when students walk through the Hogwarts hallways during Christmas time,
a group of caroling ghosts are briefly seen and heard singing a minor key carol with
secular lyrics, a strophic, stepwise, diatonic melody, and a duple wassail rhythm (SS
DVD 1:25:21). This example of a diegetic ghost choir is not part of Rowling' s original
narrative, though similar examples of supernatural Christmas music (e.g. sung by Peeves
the Poltergeist and an enchanted helmet of armor) occur in Rowling's The Chamber of
Secrets and The Goblet ofFire, both of which had been published prior to the release of
the film version of The Sorcerer's Stone. Athough carols relate to the known world, the
singing ghosts reinforce the magical world.
Second, when students pass the gamekeeper's hut, Hagrid (the giant-sized
gamekeeper) is briefly seen and heard playing the "Hedwig's Theme" melody on a
recorder (SS DVD 1:50:24))31 As I will show in the following chapter, "Hedwig's
Theme" is an important leitmotif signifying both specific magical events and the overall
magic atmostphere. Thus, while the visible performance may ground the scene in
naturalness, the magically-large performer and the tune's magical association reinforce
the fantastical landscape. Neither of these diegetic examples is crucial to the film
narrative, and serves only to add referential cueing (discussed in a following section)
regarding time, place, and atmosphere.
Along with these two clear diegetic representations of music, a few examples of
non-diegetic music are heard as if characters might actually hear them, and serve to
331 This example references a plot change between the original novel and the film. In the novel, Hagrid
gives a recorder flute to Harry which he later uses to sooth a three-headed dog to sleep. In the film, Hagrid
is seen playing the flute, but doesn't give it to Harry, and the scene with the three-headed dog is negotiated
differently. This is discussed in more detail in Chapter VII.
201
reinforce the pageantry of the magical world. For instance, when Hagrid takes Harry to
purchase his required school list in the Wizarding-world shopping district named Diagon
Alley, the viewer hears a lively Elizabethan-style tune played by reed instruments and
percussion (that is to say a "medieval" sounding ensemble of instruments that is
markedly different from that used for the rest of the nondiegetic score332) when they
enter the magical Leaky Cauldron pub and inn (SS DVD 18:54). The musical nod to
Elizabethan aesthetics continues with full orchestra and tambourine when Hagrid and
Harry enter the shopping district itself (SS DVD 20:50).333 Although no one is seen
playing these instruments, it is easy enough to imagine that there might be street
musicians there who might be heard by the characters.334
Similarly, when Hogwarts students leave the banquet in the Great Hall (i.e. a
point in Rowling's original narrative when students and faculty sing the school song) one
hears a low brass ensemble playa tune Williams named "Hogwarts Forever" (SS DVD
47:59).335 While no brass ensemble is seen on screen, viewers familiar with Rowling's
narrative might imagine that Williams's tune is the school song that characters sing in the
book (though this is not shown in the film), and that the brass version that the viewer
332 I use the tenn "medieval" loosely in this case and throughout this document to describe music
containing signifiers of ancientness that help reflect the medieval, Gothic, or Renaissance elements of the
narrative.
333 This theme is heard again with brass instruments, strings, and tambourine when students first enter the
Great Hall at Hogwarts (SS DVD 41 :29).
334 Other themes evoking the medieval are also heard as part of the non-diegetic score, often played by
conventional orchestral instruments. For instance, a harp plays a modal melody over strings in open fifths
as students leave the castle walls at night (SS DVD 1:42:28).
335 Although Williams's title for this theme attaches it to Hogwarts, it might also be perceived as the
Gryffindor house theme because it occurs earlier when the magical Sorting Hat announces that Harry will
be a member of the Gryffinor house (SS DVD 45:47).
202
hears is a representation of what characters carry in their minds as they head to their
dormitories.336
These two latter examples ("Diagon Alley" and "Hogwarts Forever") are also not
critical to the plot (as plausible examples of source music, that is), and serve mainly to
enrich the narrative. In other words, just as the background music establishes a
fantastical backdrop, so can the music develop the landscape into broader, richer terms.
Film theorists John Huntley and Roger Manvell note that "music is frequently required to
develop a period atmosphere or to build up the grandeur of some pageant or spectacle set
in the past."337 Although Harry Potter's story is set in modem times, the magical world
that Harry enters operates within an alternative and eclectic experience of time and era,
and thus musical suggestions of era such as the former contribute to the overall
perception of the timeless magical world. In short, the background music provides a
fantastical backdrop, and the source music further informs the viewer that even Harry's
known world is fantastical.
The Principle ofInvisibility: Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
Music for the second Harry Potter film functions very similarly to the music for
the first film in that all music for The Chamber ofSecrets is non-diegetic. However, as in
the first film, some musical examples hint at having a narrative source, and therefore may
be categorized as source-scoring. For instance a cutaway of horsedrawn carriages in the
snow (indicating a season change at Hogwarts) is accompanied by a simple, folk-like
melody (i.e., a diatonic melody with a narrow range, and using simple duple rhythms)
336 This example will be discussed in greater detail in Chapters V and VII.
337 Roger ManveII and John Huntley, The Technique ofFilm Music (New York: Hastings House, 1975),
126.
203
with sleigh bells (CoS DVD 1:17:17). Although this musical cue uses orchestral
instruments, as does all of the background music for the film, the style of the piece is
distinct enough from the other cues and specific enough to this particular visual that it
may function as source music even though no music-makers are visible aside from the
horses who may wear sleigh bells. Similarly, when the ghost Nearly Headless Nick (who
died during the Renaissance) is accompanied by a Renaissance-style melody (that is to
say, a modal melody that is in contrast to the late-romantic vocabulary generally used in
the fi1m338), it is a casual form of source-scoring that serves to broaden the historical
landscape of Hogwarts (CoS DVD 33:13). Furthermore, this provides an example of
how source-scoring in the second film suports magical ideas-that is to say that while an
allusion to the Renaissance era is normal, a talking ghost from the Renaissance is
f: . A '" 'd d' F' 3 1 339antastIc. transcnptIOn IS provI e III Igure ..
Figure 3.1. Nearly Headless Nick's Renaissance tune
However, the modal Renaissance tune is still played on conventional orchestral
instruments-which is certainly in line with the Classical Hollywood conventions.
Kalinak explains that the classical score relies "not so much on actual imitation of music
338
Williams's supervising editor Ken Wannberg explained that Williams wrote much of the music in the
first Harry Potter films using modal melodies and harmonies in order to evoke Britishness.
339
Transcriptions are my own unless otherwise noted.
204
indigenous to other cultures as on a more generic concept of exoticism."340 As we will
see, however, this is in contrast to the approach in the third film in which specialized
ensembles play the music from distinct historic eras, thus creating a more varied musical
landscape and a more interesting relationship between source music, background music,
and source-scoring.
It is also useful to consider how this approach aligns with notions of the
"heritage" approach to literature on screen-for remember, it was Columbus's goal to be
faithful to the narrative, and imbue the story with Britishness. Although I will show in
chapters VI and VII that the first two films do not include all of the diegetic music events
that are described in Rowling's novels, the source music (and background music for that
matter) does make reference to the elements that have come to represent all of the British
Isles. According to Eckart Voigts-Virchow, these elements include "the stately mansion,
the gentrified life-style of a neo-pastoral southern Englishness, .... [the] norms of
conduct. ... [and] identities derived from the gentry of the Augustan Age."341
The Principle of Invisibility: Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
John Williams's new collaboration with director Alfonso Cuar6n on the third
Potter film produced a new, provocatively complex relationship between source and
background music. Unlike the first two films in which source music is rare, there are
several examples of source music and implied source music in The Prisoner ofAzkaban.
Furthermore, most of the examples of source music cross the boundary into non-source
340 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 91.
341 Eckart Voigts-Virchow, "Heritage and literature on screen," in The Cambridge Companion to
Literature on Screen, ed. Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2007), 124-125.
205
music (and vice-versa), thus providing several intriguing examples of source-scoring.
The new approach continually interweaves the concrete (Le., time, place, and event) with
the subjective (i.e., emotion and interpretation); and likewise regularly negotiates
between reality and fantasy. Instead of simply "telling" the viewer that the landscape is
magical (e.g., through an onslaught of background musical information), the new
approach, while still saturating the film with music, allows viewers to experience the
landscape as magical for themselves (e.g. by providing musical portals that carry viewers
between the concrete and the imagined). Additionally, just as film critics noted how
Cuar6n developed and expanded the visual landscape of Hogwarts (as discussed in the
previous chapter), so too, this musical approach develops and expands the aural
landscape.
Among the sounds that newly expand the aural landscape in the third film are
what Chion calls the "Elements of Auditory Setting" (E. A. S.))42 As Chion defines,
examples ofthe E. A. S. include "the faraway barking of a dog, or the ringing of a phone
in the office next door, or a police car siren. The E. A. S. inhabits and defines a space,
unlike a 'permanent' sound such as the continuous chirping of birds or the noise of ocean
surf that is the space itself."343 In contrast to the first two films, The Prisoner of
Azkaban includes both permanant sounds and E. A. S., such as the doorbell at the
Dursley house, the cawing of ravens near Hagrid's hut, the tolling of the bells in the
tower of Hogwarts, wandering carolers in Hogsmeade village, the chirping of a flock of
bats in the enchanted forest, and the ticking of the time-turner watch. Often, these sounds
occur as permanant sounds in one scene, then function as E. A. S. for another in order to
define the spaces (and the relationship between spaces) of Hogwarts and Harry's world.
342 Michel Chion, Audio-vision, 54-55.
343 Ibid.
206
For the first time, the musical soundtrack includes vocal music perfOlmed
prominently as both source and background music. For instance, in three places,
characters have song-like dialogue: (1) Hagrid provides a vocal fanfare, "Da da-da Da!"
when he introduces Buckbeak the Hippogriffto his students (PoA DVD 33:22), (2) the
Fat Lady (in the portrait guarding the Gryffindor rooms) attempts to break a glass goblet
with the resonance of her voice (PoA DVD 27:04), and (3) Sirius uses an ironic sing-song
tone when he beckons Peter Pettigrew, the betrayer, to "come out and play" (PoA DVD
1:32:50) There are also examples of actual singing. When Harry and friends visit the
snowy resort village of Hogsmeade, they pass a choir of carolers singing a rollicking
minor-key carol, providing atmosphere to the street scene (music only PoA DVD
1:04:03; music and visuals PoA DVD 1:05:58). Like the changing seasons cut-aways
from the previous films (e.g., the horse-drawn carriages with a sleighbell tune), the carol
indicates that Christmas-time and the winter holiday from school are approaching.
However, this time, the musical cue is incorporated into an active dramatic scene (rather
than a tableau cut-away),344 This is an example of how Williams and Cuar6n layer
information within scenes in order to develop the narrative landscape.
One source music vocal piece, "Double Trouble," is heard as both source and
background music. This piece occurs as foreground source music when it is sung by a
student choral group as a gesture of welcome to the Hogwarts school year (PoA DVD
24: 13), and then is heard as background music several times over the course of the film.
In fact, "Double Trouble" takes over for "Hedwig's Theme" as the most often-heard
leitmotif in the third movie-indicating its critical importance to the background
344 As mentioned earlier, the first film also includes ghost carolers who appear after the Christmas holiday
has already been established by other visuals and dialogue. A specific examination of temporal transitions
as they occur in each film will be discussed in the second section, regarding Gorbman's fifth principle, the
principle of continuity.
207
score.345 This is different from the first two Potter films in which source music has very
little impact on the narrative or the background score.346
"Double Trouble" also provides an example of music that makes a visual shift
between source music and non-source music-that is to say, source-scoring. At first, the
viewer hears a non-visible (and therefore seemingly non-diegetic) choir sing a
Shakespearean text347 while students travel from the Hogwarts Express Train to
Hogwarts Castle (PoA DVD 23:54). Then, an image edit shows the Hogwarts school
choir singing for students and faculty in the Hogwarts Great Hall (PoA DVD 24: 13).
Later, the tune returns non-diegetically as students leave the hall to go about their
business at Hogwarts (PoA DVD 26:57). In other words, the music seems to be for the
viewer only, then is revealed as part ofthe narrative, then returns to the background for
the benefit of the viewer (or perhaps, as a memory in the minds of the students as they
leave the hall). The music and text for "Double Trouble" will be explored some more in
Chapter VI.
Gorbman points out that most so-called diegetic music is pre-recorded. Visuals
that represent music making are either mimed in silence, or alternatively are audibly
performed but not recorded. "Double Trouble" provides a notable example of this
practical reality, and, like the natives scene in King Kong, includes other ambiguities in
the degree to which it is truly source music. Unlike the majority ofthe The Prisoner of
345 The fITst section of Hedwig's Theme is heard most often in the fITst film, while the second and third
sections are heard most often in the second film. "Double Trouble" is melodically related to the third
section of Hedwig's Theme, but is expressed with different rhythms, meters, and orchestral timbres. I
continue discussion ofunifiying themes such as these in Chapters V and VI. The theme "Double Trouble"
is also discussed in Chapter VI.
346 Although one instance of source music in The Sorcerer's Stone references "Hedwig's Theme," the
theme is established as non-source music long before it is used briefly as source music. In contrast, the fITst
time "Double Trouble" is heard is as source music, and then later becomes part of the non-diegetic score.
347 The text comes from the first act of Shakespeare's Macbeth, in which it is spoken by the three witches.
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Azkaban score which was composed after the completion of the filming, "Double
Trouble" was composed and recorded before filming so that actors and actresses would
be able to mime the performance. Although the visuals show a mixed gender choir, the
audible version was pre-recorded by an all-boys choir.348 The performance also
includes instruments-more than are represented by students playing recorders and frame
drums to the side of the choir, and giant croaking toads-whose sounds would have to
have been included in the digital studio rather than from the filming studio.
The third film is also the first in the series to include a specialized early music
ensemble, a harpsichord, and ajazz ensemble, in addition to conventional orchestral
instruments, and sometimes these instruments playa role in source music and source-
scoring (as in the "Double Trouble" example with recorders and frame drums). For
instance, when the ghosts of the headless horsemen crash through the windows at
Hogwarts in another example of source-scoring, the viewer hears an ensemble of reeds,
horns, and percussion instruments playing a tune akin to Renaissance dance music which
refers to the notion of medieval pageantry at Hogwarts (PoA DVD 38:43). Although no
ensemble is visible, the music occurs when the horsemen visually emerge, and dissipates
when the horsemen are out of sight-as if ghostly musicians follow on the heels of the
horsemen. This example seems more like source music than the Renaissance tune used
for Nearly-Headless Nick in the second film because the specialized instruments stand
apart more from the conventional orchestral timbres. This provides another example of
how source-scoring serves to develop and expand the landscape (in this case, the
landscape of time and history-what Voigts-Virchow calls "Deep England"349), and
348 The gendered aspects of this example will be discussed further in Chapter VII, regarding music and
gender in Harry Potter films.
349Voigts-Virchow, "Heritage and literature on screen," 125.
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also how source-scoring reinforces the magical backdrop (i.e., horsemen are familiar, but
ghosts of headless horsemen are fantastic).
Case Study: The Egyptian Oboe in the Leaky Cauldron Inn
The source-scoring in the third film serves another important purpose aside from
broadening the landscape and reinforcing magic. The device of crossing boundaries with
sound relates to a major narrative theme in The Prisoner ofAzkaban-that circumstances
are not always what they seem.350 For instance, when Harry meets up with friends Ron
Weasley and Hermione Granger at the Leaky Cauldron Inn, Ron is eager to show Harry a
vacation photograph of his family's trip to Egypt. As Harry and the viewer sees the
sepia-toned moving image of the Weasleys waving from a desert landscape (photos are
animated in Rowling's wizarding world), one hears what seems to be a middle-eastern
oboe playing a middle-eastern sounding melody (PoA DVD 16:48).351 The music,
barely audible, is certainly subordinate to the dialogue and one might initially guess that
it is simply a background referential cue to the Weasley's summer travels. However,
when the scope of the camera shot expands (PoA DVD 17:00), one clearly sees a dark-
skinned boy wizard sitting at the table beyond Ron, playing a folk oboe while his father
and mother look on, helping him to conjure a rope from a basket like a snake charmer.
Although the dark-skinned family does not fill any further narrative role, their presence in
350 Certainly, the previous example of the shape-shifting Boggart (from the same movie) also belongs
within this narrative theme. In general, the narrative theme that circumstances are not always what they
seem runs throughout the Harry Potter saga. However, this theme is particularly emphasized in the third
movie, The Prisoner ofAzkaban, and the fifth movie, The Order ofthe Phoenix. I will discuss later and in
following chapters how the soundtrack for The Order ofthe Phoenix represents this narrative element
through boundary crossing between sound-effects and the orchestral score.
351 The melody ascends then descends through the first five degrees ofa middle-eastern scale sometimes
known as hicaz, with characteristic lowered second and raised third scale degrees.
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this scene as a diegetic source and explanation for the middle-eastern music heard during
the focus on the photo provides an early clue that not all is as it originally seems.
Indeed, the scope ofthe camera widens to reveal the oboe player (then moves in
closer toward him) just before a point in the dialogue that specifically relates to the
symbolism I have suggested. When the concerned Mr. Weasley takes Harry aside,
warning him not to go looking for the escaped convict Sirius Black, the grey hues of the
Leaky Cauldron pub and the actors' moving placement between areas of shadow and
light alert the audience that he is divulging similarly shadowy and ominous information
(PoA DVD 17:25). The visual inclusion of the dark-skinned boy playing the double-reed
in the unfocused and dim background (PoA DVD 17:46) serves as a liaison between the
current and previous camera shots (in which Ron Weasley is showing off his vacation
photograph), and also serves as a symbolic parallel to the narrative clue about Sirius
Black.
Let us explore this further. The double-reed music seems to explain the photo at
first from outside of the narrative, then the visual ofthe rope charmer explains the music
that is heard from inside the narrative-which is to say that it turns out that the visual
reality is different from what we might expect from the first, aural perspective alone.
Similarly, Mr. Weasley warns Harry not to go looking for the dangerous outsider Sirius
Black, but it is later revealed that Black is truly Harry's guardian and protector-an
insider to Harry's family and history. That is to say, it turns out that the reality is
different from what we might expect by hearing Mr. Weasley's perspective alone,just as
the reality of the music (as source music or source-scoring) is different from what we
expect from the first hearing alone.
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The Principle of Invisibility: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
There are more examples of source music in the fourth Potter film (composer
Patrick Doyle and director Mike Newell) than in the preceeding three or the subsequent
fifth or sixth movies, and these examples make a significant impact on the representation
of reality vs. fantasy in this film. The quantity of source music examples is surely due in
part to the significant examples of musical events in Rowling's original narrative for the
fourth Harry Potter novel of the same name, though all of the first four films add and
subtract narrative music (from Rowling's original novels) to suit the cinematic form of
the story. As well, Patrick Doyle's background music for the The Goblet ofFire is
applied more conservatively than music for the other films. First, it enters less
frequently, and second, the edited volume of the music is much softer in comparison to
dialogue and other narrative sounds. A reasonable explanation for both the uniquely
liberal application of source music and the conservative application of background music
in The Goblet ofFire is director Mike Newell's stated desire to bring more immediacy
and realism to the project, as we observe in his statements of intent provided in the
previous chapter. The result of this approach in music is that concrete, familiar, realistic
events are emphasized more than subjective, fantastic, magical events.
Likewise, the new musical approach is in line with director Newell's interest in
depicting British-Irish culture from a British perspective. In other words, source music
with specific modem British-Irish associations helps to establish a more realistic British-
Irish landscape. British folk instruments and brass bands are included among specialized
ensembles, but early music instruments are excluded. This is in contrast to Williams's
first approach which casts the landscape with musical suggstions of "Merrie Olde
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England" or "Deep England."352 Irish-sounding folk music is heard at the campground
outside of the Quidditch World Cup stadium (GoP DVD 6:10). Characters Fred and
George Weasley continue to sing their team's Irish theme song after the event (GoF DVD
9:48). Hagrid and Hermione are heard singing a bit of the Hogwarts school song in the
distance as Harry walks through the woods (GoF DVD 1:41: 10). A visible school pep
band plays the "Hogwarts March" and students visibly chant cheers in the bleachers at
the third competition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament (GoF DVD 1:50:11). Members of
real-life British alternative rock bands Radiohead and Pulp are presented as wizard-world
rockers at the Hogwarts Yule Ball (GoF DVD 1:19:15).
These examples are presented as plainly in the editing mix as any dialogue or
other incidental narrative sound. Furthermore, in contrast to examples from the previous
film which crossed boundaries between diegesis and non-diegesis, source music
examples from the fourth Potter film never slip back and forth into non-diegetic aural
space, as they often do in the previous film. 353 Moreover, none of these examples
reinforce the presence of magic.
Additionally, there are several more formal examples of source music performed
non-diegetically though with an implied visual source. Sports team fanfares and theme
songs sound when athletes and their mascots take the field at the Quidditch World Cup
(GoF DVD 54:02). Sound producers are not visible, but characters respond to the music
as if it is present. Similarly, when visiting students at Hogwarts present choreographed
352 Kathryn Kalinak, in Settling the Score argues that the historical Classical Hollywood composers tended
to essentialize and exoticise the music of other cultures, while Annahid Kassabian, in Hearing Film, argues
that contemporary films sometimes include more authentic sounding source music as a form of promoting
national cultures.
353 I mean to say that the music is always presented as if from the characters' perspective. The one
possible exception to this statement is the visual montage following the scene in which students practice
waltzing to a phonograph. However, the students' behaviors suggest that they are still hearing the tune in
their minds.
213
performances as a form of introduction, the viewer doesn't see a music source, but does
see that characters respond to the music in their choreography (GoF DVD 17:34).
In some cases, the sound source is visible, but the sound quality is heightened
beyond normative narrative sound. Students practice dancing to music from a Wizard
world phonograph that starts with characteristic pops and hisses, then shifts into smooth
sound (GoF DVD 1:08:25),354 Students attend a formal dance that begins with a visible
student orchestra, though the sound of the music does not necessarily match the maturity
of the players and the volume of the music is edited to allow for character dialogue (GoF
DVD 1: 18:01). Fanfares with an orchestral brass timbre sound for the competitions in
the Tri-Wizard Tournament although a school-level band is visible later on (e.g., compare
GoF DVD 54:02, 1: 17:20, and 1:50:20). Many of these examples contribute more
directly to the narrative, significantly affect the visual focus and interpretation of the
scene, and will be discussed in greater detail in following chapters.
Although both Gorbman and Kalinak focus on the use of background (i.e., non-
diegetic) music in their discussions of the Classical Hollywood model, Kalinak reminds
that "the most common practice" in early Hollywood films "restricted music to diegetic
use, where its presence was occasioned by dialogue cues (' Just listen to that music') or
visual reference (the appearance ofon-screen musicians, for instance, or the presence of
radios or phonographs)."355 As such, some historical films in the Classical Hollywood
style used very little background music, while other films went to "absurd lengths to
redefine [non-diegetic] music as diegetic."356 In other words, even though Williams's
354 This is a unique exception to my previous statement that source music does not cross into non-diegetic
space. The sound of the waltz continues non-diegetically as students begin planning for the upcoming
dance. The implication, however, is that the characters continue to hear the waltz in their minds as they
anticipate the waltz event.
355 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 67.
356 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 69.
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precedents are saturated with background music and Doyle's score is saturated with
source music, both alternatives follow the conventions established in the era of Classical
Hollywood film.
The quanitity of source music events in the fourth film makes the story seem more
familiar. The seemingly distinct separation between source music and background music
makes the landscape more rational (as opposed to the regular slippage between source
and background music in the previous film that supported the experience of fantasy). As
well, the inclusion of folk, vernacular, and formal ensembles such as Irish harp and
drums, a brass band, a rock band, and school orchestra-without reference to early music
ensembles or early music, makes the story more modem. Moreover, in contrast to the
third film which expanded the geographic and temporal landscape through the use of
source music, the fourth film uses modem, vernacular source music to focus on the social
landscape of British boarding school life. Much as Steiner naturalized the mystery of
Skull Island in King Kong by authorizing the presence of music with the native
drumbeats, so too, Doyle naturalizes the mystery of Harry's magical world by authorizing
the presence of music with diegetic fanfares and band performances.357
The Principle of Invisibility: Harry Potter and the Order a/the Phoenix
The music for the fifth film (by Nicholas Hooper, with director David Yates)
returns to the principle and pattern of invisibility, but with an important twist regarding
the source-scoring of music with sound-effects. The majority of the music is in the
background, and there are only two examples of source music in the normal way the term
is applied. First, a radio announcer is heard along with piano music during opening
357 Ibid., 72.
215
visuals of the Dursley's neighborhood in Little Whinging (OotP DVD :50), and second,
Hogwarts students listen to rock music on Wizard Radio while Fred and George Weasley
sell magical candy to their student colleagues (OotP DVD 40:18). All other music is
played by a studio orchestra and is in the background.
While the brief excerpt of rock music on Wizard Radio is performed by the
English indie band The Ordinary Boys, neither British-Irish folk music, nor British
popular music, nor British historical gemes are brought to the fore over the course of the
film. This is in contrast to Williams's scores, which includes theatrical and historical
depictions of Britishness, and Doyle's score, which includes modem popular and folk
depictions ofBritishness. Indeed, even Hooper's background score includes very few
specific signifiers of Britishness (a brief accordion excerpt provides one example, as does
the general use of symphonic strings), and instead, includes other instruments (such as
electric guitar and taiko drums) signifying global traditions.
Significantly, however, the orchestral timbres and textures of background music
are frequently paired with heightened sounds from the narrative such that it is often
difficult to tell where sound-effects stop and the parallel sounds from the orchestral score
and MIDI samples begin-for instance, when squeaky lights sputter in the underpass
(OotP DVD 3:07), when doors whoosh open or closed (OotP DVD 12:45), or when the
fire rumbles in Ministry judicial hearing room (before and after OotP DVD 21:00). The
blurred lines defining narrative sound-effects from background music in The Order of
the Phoenix may significantly reflect for the viewer the way Harry has difficulty
distinguishing his own reality when Voldemort is influencing his thoughts through
magical telepathy and eventual posession----one major thread of the story, and a focus of
my discussion in Chapter V,358
358 This is clearly related to the way that relationships between source and background music in the third
film are also blurred, and serve as a clue about how circumstances are not always as they seem.
216
Some examples, such as those just mentioned, are experienced as sound effects,
though close listening suggests that Hooper's score works as an accomplice. Other
examples clearly sound like orchestral instruments, though they function as an aural
representation for a visual source. For instance, when the malevolent, soul-sucking
Dementors attack Harry and his cousin Dudley in an underpass in Little Whinging, a
high-pitched violin slides slowly, descending only a half-step interval above the rest of
the orchestral texture. Though clearly played by an orchestral instrument, the sound may
reference the vocal scream Harry hears in his nightmares--of his mother screaming his
name, "Harry" as she died defending him from the adversary Voldemort (OotP DVD
3:48). Indeed, readers of the novels know that Harry relives the moment of his parents'
death each time he is attacked by Dementors. A similarly pulsed two-note scream is
produced vocally with heightened volume in The Prisoner ofAzkaban (two films earlier,
PoA DVD 22:25) when the Dementors attack Harry for the first time on the train to
Hogwarts.359 In other words, this is an example in which an instrument takes over for
narrative sound. As well, sometimes synthetic orchestral sounds are played in reverse
(after being recorded normally) in order to function as sound effects.
In another example of source-scoring, the music accompanying Harry's first
exposure to the Ministry of Magic building represents the experience of the magical
space itself. Different families of orchestral instruments play different melodic contours
in a three-part texture. Each layer of the texture aligns with visual mechanisms in the
building in a way thas implies diegesis.360 A more detailed description of this scene and
the accompanying music follows in the case study below.
359 Additionally, this two-note motif is played by violins later in the Prisoner ofAzkaban soundtrack when
Harry experiences the depressing effects of the Dementors. In other words, Hooper's two-note motif
follows the precendent of both the original narrative source sound and the subsequent violin imitations.
360 This is similar to the musical/visual alignment in Gottfried Huppertz's original score for Fritz Lang's
Metropolis (1927), especially in scenes showing the underworld of the workers.
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Case Study: The Ministry ofMagic
At the beginning of The Order ofthe Phoenix, Harry is summoned to a hearing
after being charged with practicing under-age magic. Although it is a tense experience
for Harry because of the high stakes involved, the trip to the Ministry of Magic is also
full of wonder because, as director David Yates states,
He's in a part of the Potter world that we as an audience and he as a
character has never experienced before....Suddenly [he's] in this parallel
universe which is kind of the wizarding equivalent of commuting to work,
and all the wizards instead of getting off trains come by these lovely floo
powder chimneys.361
When Harry enters the Ministry of Magic, an ostinato pattern crowned with a majestic
descant and sprinkled with glockenspiel in the orchestral score builds in volume as
Harry's eyes travel from different pockets of activity in the bustling institution to the
large and opulent atrium with its grand edifices of power, then decreases in volume and
changes to a less coherent, more subordinate theme when Harry approaches, then enters
an elevator (OotP DVD 18:45-19:35).
Although there are no visible music-makers in the Ministry of Magic building,
each layer of the orchestral theme is symbolically representative of something Harry sees
and/or experiences as he traverses the space. Additionally, because music has signified
magic (to some degree) throughout the Harry Potter film series, a good audience member
(i.e. by Gorbman's definition, one who allows the hypnosis of film music to lower
361 Originally from an interview on MTV.com, found on LeakyCauldron.org, retrieved February 16,2009.
The same scene I describe is shown during filming as David Yates comments in the same video interview.
However, actors are listening to different music than what ends up in the final film while they mark the
scene. The music used for filming seems to depict the tension of the event while the music used in the fmal
film represents the wondrous aspects of the magical Ministry building. This provides an example of the
thorough collaboration between Hooper and Yates that was described in the previous chapter.
218
thresholds ofbelief362 ) might interpret the score as an effortless aural aspect of the
magical institution itself. For instance, the turning-figure ostinato in the strings suggests
the turning sound of the wheels of business and industry (dozens of actual wheels are
shown turning like ceiling fans in the windows of the ministry's atrium); the twinkle of
the glockenspiel imitates the visual sparkle of architectural ornaments, golden statues,
and glossy glass panes of the atrium; and the descant melody played by low brass
parallels the din of human voices and activity heard within the cathedral-esque space.
The viewer hears this music from the perspective of Harry's visual experience-
that is, the theme begins when Harry enters the space, becomes louder when Harry sees
grander and more magical aspects of the Ministry, then becomes softer and changes
course when Harry leaves the main floor ofthe building by elevator. It is as ifthe
magical building exudes music itself. This source-scoring approach by Nicholas Hooper
marries Williams's first approach (for films I and II) in which the music "tells" the
viewer about scenes with background music, and Williams's second approach (for film
III) in which the music allows the viewer to experience the magic with slippage between
source and background music.
Summary
While each one of the first five films follows Gorbman's principle of invisibility
in that the majority of music is in the background, each composer/director team follows
the principle differently. One measure of the degree of adherence to Gorbman's principle
is revealed by each team's inclusion of source music and source-scoring. Because we
know better how the collaborators chose to make music visible and to what degree the
362 Garbman, Unheard Melodies, 5.
219
visible music relates to the foreground visuals, we can better perceive the story they
wished to tell about Harry's world. In other words, when we examine the inclusion of
source music in each film, we are able to clearly see the aspects of the landscape
(geographic, temporal, cultural, and social) that the filmmakers wished to emphasize.
In some circumstances, the application of source music emphasizes familiarity
and reality, while in other circumstances, the source music emphasizes familiarity mixed
with fantasy. Furthermore, the cultural landscape of so-called Britishness is depicted in
varied ways by each collaboration. In Table 2.1, I summarize the most significant
findings discussed in paragraphs above; including the relative quantity of source music
and source-scoring examples, and the relevance and effects of these examples to and on
the plot.
Table 3.1. The inclusion of source music and source-scoring in Harry Potter films as an
indicator of adherence to Gorbman's principle of invisibility, including the relevance to
each film's plot and effects on the musical landscape
Film Source Music Source-scoring Plot Relevence Effects on the Landscape
The Sorcerer's Stone two few little relevance folk culture and magic
The Chamber ofSecrets none few little relevance folk and medieval culture
The Prisoner ofAzkaban several several some relevance multiple historic eras
The Goblet ofFire several several much relevance modernity and realism
The Order ofthe Phoenix two several some relevance modernity and magic
From left to right, this chart shows relative quantities ofsource music, source-scoring, and boundary crossing between
source and non-diegetic music in each ofthe Harry Potter films. It also addresses the degree to which source music
examples relate to the main plot (as portrayed by foreground Visuals), and the effect that these musical examples have
upon viewer perception ofHarry's world.. From top to bottom, this chart allows for comparison between the five films
with regard to the use and application ofsource music.
As summarized in Table 3.1, John Williams's collaboration with Chris Columbus
on The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets produced musical soundtracks that
220
are mainly non-diegetic. The few source music examples (implied or explicit) are not
critical to the narrative and only serve to enrich the folk-like, medieval atmosphere in an
otherwise magically non-diegetic landscape. Sometimes source-scoring examples, such
as the Renaissance-style tune heard in the Diagon Alley scene, serve to reinforce a
historic perception of Britishness that is sometimes referred to as "Merrie Olde England."
In contrast, John Williams's collaboration with Alfonso Cuar6n on The Prisoner
ofAzkaban produced a score with several examples of source music and source-scoring,
some of which are critical to the visual narrative-that is to say they are a visual focus.
Sometimes, the diegetic music in this film expands the temporal landscape by evoking
some form of historic music, either through song text, instrumentation, or melodic
allusion. Most of these temporal suggestions also reinforce a historic cultural depiction
of Britishness. Moreover, some of the examples cleverly cross boundaries between
perceived diegesis and non-diegesis, perhaps as a representation of the narrative theme
that not all is as it seems.
In contrast, Patrick Doyle's collaboration with director Mike Newell for the fourth
film, The Goblet ofFire, produced a musical soundtrack that seems to actively contrast
boundaries of diegesis with non-diegesis in the way source music is prominently
displayed in the visual narrative and in the way that background music is used less
pervasively than it is used in the three previous Potter films. Two explanations for the
marked increase in source music in this film include the significant number of musical
events in Rowling's novel of the same name, and the director's interest in reflecting the
realistic elements of Harry's British social environment. Moreover, the diegetic music
used in this film reflects familiarity with contemporary genres (e.g., music from the
Celtic folk revival, ritual vernacular, and rock music). Furthermore, British-Irish music
culture is framed in modem British terms, rather than in historical or theatrical terms.
221
Finally, Nicholas Hooper's collaboration with director David Yates produced a
score that returns to the pattern of musical invisibility in the traditional sense that there is
little source music. Furthermore, there are very few musical indicators specific to the
notion of Britishness, even when taking the background music into account (which,
indeed, often includes instrumental signifiers of global culture).363 However, Hooper
maintains some ofthe ambiguity between diegesis and non-diegesis by matching
instrumental timbres and textures with implied source sound effects, and by using music
as an aural representation of visual space. This approach to the music recalls the
ambiguities developed by Williams and Cuar6n for the third film, although specific
examples of source music are more modern sounding, much as in the fourth film.
I have shown how all of these soundtracks function in traditional ways (both in
the way they follow the principle of invisibility, and in the way they violate the
principle), and have examined how the variations among the approaches create
significant differences in effect. The differences between the first two films (with few,
source music examples representing folk music) and the fourth film (with several,
contemporary source music examples) is apparent. The two former films emphasize
magic and folk culture, while the latter emphasizes realism and modernity. Both the third
and fifth films amplify the narrative notion of uncertainty by blending non-diegetic music
with either diegetic music or sound, but also achieve different ends. The blended styles
of source music for the third film (including Renaissance and mid-twentieth-century jazz
music) heighten the viewer's awareness of historic space and time (or timelessness),
while the blended source sounds for the fifth film (including sound effects for objects and
events) heighten the viewer's awareness of the immediate. Furthermore, in both the third
363 The inclusion of global instruments and idioms could naturally also signify modem, cosmopolitan
British culture, though this is not overtly conveyed with Hooper's score.
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and fifth films, the blurred perceptions between diegesis and non-diegesis reflect the
related narrative theme that truth is sometimes hard to distinguish from fiction or fantasy.
Gorbman's Second Principle: Inaudibility
As we saw in the first section, the examination of Gorbman's principle of musical
invisibility leads us to a greater understanding of the landscapes and dimensions that
filmmakers want viewers to register in the Harry Potter films. But once registered, how
are these landscapes experienced in the course of watching the film? How do the
different approaches connect and/or disconnect viewers from the visuals? What is the
relationship between each musical approach and the perspective allowed for the viewer?
Gorbman argues that in order for viewers to be properly inducted into the landscape of a
film, the music itself must not register as an intrusion-it must be so to speak
"inaudible."
In discussing the so-called inaudibility of film music, Gorbman explains that the
evolution of "a set of conventional practices (discursive practices and viewing/listening
habits)" has resulted in "the spectator not normally hearing [film music] or attending to it
consciously."364 The reason that music must be subordinate to the film narrative in this
way is exactly because audiences attend the cinema to watch a story, not hear a
concert.365 Gorbman further explains four practical ways that music makes way for the
film narrative: (I) musical form follows narrative form, (2) music never takes priority
over dialogue or other sounds that are significant to the narrative, (3) musical entrances
and exits must serve the narrative, often occurring alongside a visual movement, though
364 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music, 76.
365 Ibid.
223
rarely occurring alongside the entrance of dialogue, and (4) music must set a tone that
reinforces the mood or tempo of the story.
Gorbman points out that music usually follows the form of scenes and action-
especially with regard to duration, explaining that composers often use things such as
sequences and short musical phrases to easily extend or shorten the score in order to fit
with editing. Film music writer Sabaneev prescriptively encouraged composers to "have
small pieces of neutral music ready for any emergency-sustained notes on various
instruments, rolls on the drum or the cymbals, string pizzicati, chords of a recitatival
type.,,366 This type of music is also called elastic or extensile music.367 As we will see,
some of the Harry Potter films use extensile music to follow form, while others tend to
use leitmotifs and longer themes.
Because music must be subordinate to dialogue and other important diegetic
sounds, the placement and dynamic presence of music follows the patterns of dialogue
and diegetic sounds. There are different points of view regarding whether music should
support dialogue softly, or whether music should cease completely during dialogue.
Sabaneev, in 1934, advises the cessation of music when dialogue is present, while
Hollywood practice of the same era had moved toward lowering the volume of music
behind dialogue. Ernest Gold describes how these decisions sometimes happen after the
composition process is finished, and how these decisions are sometimes made by others
beside the composer.
What fiendish tortures await the composer at [dubbing] sessions! That
tender cello solo, his favourite part of the entire score, lies completely
366
Leonid Sabaneev, Musicfor the Films: A Handbookfor Composers and Conductors, trans. S. W.
Pring (London: Pitman, 1935),44-45.
367
Leonid Sabaneev, Musicfor the Films: A Handbookfor Composers and Conductors, 22.
224
obliterated by a siren which the director decided was necessary at that
exact spot in order to properly motivate the reaction on the hero's face!
Or that splendid orchestral climax ... held down to a soft pp because of a
line of narration that had to be added at the last moment in order to clarify
. . 368
an Important story pomt.
This statement reveals some of the tensions between music and film visuals, and may be
negotiated in different ways through varied collaborative methods, as was discussed in
the previous chapter. As we will see, some of the Harry Potter films include music under
dialogue, while others do not. This choice affects how much dramatic information the
viewer receives at one time, and conversely, how much individual interpretation is
required of the viewer. Moreover, we will examine how music in the fifth film is
sometimes edited out to accomodate visuals, and likewise, how music sometimes takes
precedence over source sounds in order to make a dramatic point.
Similarly, musicians, composers, and soundmen debate the issue of
instrumentation behind dialogue. Historically, strings were preferred because the sound
did not compete with the human voice as woodwinds did. It was also preferred that
orchestral ranges provided contrast to the character's voice-that is, low instruments
behind high voices and high instruments behind low,369 This is in contrast to other
historical musical codes for drama which prescribe pairing instruments based on
character type and situational context-for instance, low-range, heavy-timbred
instruments for evil-doers and tense circumstances, and high-range, lighter timbred
instruments for heroes and satisfying circumstances. As we will see, the difference
between these approaches in the Harry Potter films makes a difference in the degrees to
which viewers are engaged in the cinematic landscape. That is to say, when too much
368 Quoted in Tony Thomas, Music/or the Movies (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1973),30.
369 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 78.
225
dramatic information is provided for the viewer, it can be just as disengaging as too little
information.
When it comes to the entrance and exit of music within a scene, some points are
more effective than others,370 Often music entrances and exits are timed to occur with
specific actions or sound events. Music can also unobtrusively creep in or out under
dialogue, or occur as a signal or reflection of a narrative change of course.371 Music
entrances are considered more conspicuous than exits, and therefore rarely parallel the
onset of dialogue, since music might cover the words.372
As Gorbman explains, effective use of music enhances a viewer's involvement in
the narrative by creating a parallel in the music that reinforces the mood or tempo,373 In
contrast, music that goes against the implied mood or tempo of the visuals risks
distracting viewers, drawing attention to the music and away from the narrative. For
instance, lively music might accompany fast-paced action while slow music might reflect
a character's grief or sadness. When music is paired with the narrative in seemingly
incongruent ways it is often for comedic or self-reflexive modernist effect.374 Likewise,
the degree to which the music in Harry Potter films follows the mood or tempo of the
visuals is directly proportionate to the level of viewer involvement in the visuals.
Furthermore, as part ofthis matter of keeping music "inaudible," a "musical
idiom must be thoroughly familiar, its connotations virtually reflexive knowledge, for it
370 Ibid., 78.
371 Ibid.
372 Ibid.
373 Ibid.
374 Ibid.
226
to serve 'correctly,' invisibly, in classical filmic discourse."375 As such, tonal, orchestral
music employing nineteenth-century Romantic principles (as well as neo-romantic
principles, or nineteenth-century approaches as they were transformed in the 20th and
21st century) has predominated in the Classical Hollywood score. Other familar genres
such as jazz and popular music have been used in films since the 1950s. As we will see,
the many musical genres that serve as source music in the Harry Potter films (as
discussed in the previous section on the principle of invisibility) also playa role in the
degree to which the Harry Potter music is "inaudible."
As explained above, an important measure of the inaudibility of the background
music is the degree to which the music follows the form of the visual narrative-for we
will recall that ifthe music follows form it is less likely to register as an intrusion.
Differences in the ways the composers choose to follow the form of the visual narrative
result in different effects regarding the level of interpretation provided by the soundtrack
and expected ofthe viewer. As Annabel Cohen argues in her discussion of the emotional
psychology of film music, "when music is combined with other media, the music readily
finds an object."376 Thus, when music follows the form of movement and dialogue, it
draws attention to these elements in order to interpret for viewers where to direct their
focus. Conversely, when music does not follow the form of the movement and dialogue
(either through absence or incongruency), the viewer plays a more active role in
interpreting the visuals.
In the following paragraphs, I will show how the inaudibility principle is enacted
in the five films by exploring how each ofthe musical soundtracks follow the forms of
action and dialogue within scenes. I will also provide brief information on the other
375 Ibid.
376 Annabel J. Cohen, "Music as a Source of Emotion in Film," in Music and Emotion., ed. Patrik Juslin
and John Sloboda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001),263.
227
elements of Gorbman's principle: the relationship of volume between music and
dialogue, music entrances and exits, and the degree to which music sets a mood or tone.
As I explain, there are several differences in the ways music follows form in the films
that run the gamut of possibilities-from following form very closely to following form
very loosely; and from following form with leitmotifs, with extensile melodic gestures,
and with atmospheric harmonic cadences.
The music for the first two films enters often, stays long, parallels action by
alternating leitmotifs, and parallels the contours and sentiments of dialogue with extensile
music. The music for the third film follows suit with the exception that action and
dialogue is often paralleled with longer (rather than shorter, alternating) themes. In
contrast, music for the fourth film enters much less often, stays less long, supports
dialogue only infrequently, follows action with extensile music (rather than with musical
themes), and tends to complement visuals rather than reinforce them. As if following a
Kantian model of contrast and mediation, music for the fifth film includes a combination
of the former approaches. These differences in approach playa significant role in how
each film engages the viewer-by allowing the viewer to observe vs. to experience the
narrative, and by engaging with the viewer's reason vs. intuition vs. emotion.
The Principle of Inaudibility: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
John Williams's music for the Harry Potter films follows narrative form closely,
reduces in volume to make way for dialogue, effectively enters without distraction, and
consistently works to set mood and tempo-and in this way, reflects Gorbman's principle
of inaudibility. From another point of view, Williams's score is almost always
contributing music to the visual narrative, and the music is almost always distinct in its
228
instrumentation, and clear in its volume-and in this way, is very audible. This aspect of
audibility in Williams's work has been criticized by some, such as Kirk Honeycutt
(quoted in the previous chapter), who marked the first Harry Potter score as "a great
clanging, banging music box that simply will not shut up."377 In contrast, Williams's
own statements of intent reveal a desire to seemlessly align music with visuals in order to
be inaudible.
In The Sorcerer's Stone, John Williams often strings together sections of different
leitmotifs in order to follow the form of a scene or parallel a point of narrative transition.
The music is full volume when it accompanies action (without dialogue) and softer when
it accompanies dialogue (though still clearly distinguishable). If starting from silence,
music fades in under dialogue or with the onset of action. Likewise, leitmotifs often
begin or change with an onset of action or change in the narrative. Instrumentation is
usually chosen to set the mood for the scene, and keys are chosen to fit the ranges of
instruments used, according to Ken Wannberg who worked as music editor for The
Sorcerer's Stone (as well as The Prisoner ofAzkaban),378 Moods and tempos of scenes
are also indicated rhythmically and through melodies that adhere to musical-cultural
codes for drama.
For instance, at the first Quidditch game (Wizard sport) of the season379, phrases
from two leitmotifs are strung together with additional sustained notes and melodic
377 Kirk Honeycutt, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," The Hollywood Reporter, November 9, 200 I.
(accessed Sebtember 21, 2007). Restricted access news source cited in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone (film)" Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.orglwiki/Harry] otter_and_the]hilosopher%27s_Stone_(film)#cite_note-69 (accessed
September 21, 2007).
378 This information is from my conversation with Ken Wannberg, Williams's orchestrator for the fIrst and
third Potter movies.
379 As you will remember from the previous chapter, the Quidditch scene received high praise from
viewers and critics, and its success played an important role in the perceived success of the film's special
effects.
229
gestures to accompany the action between the time when the two teams (Gryffindor and
Slytherin) fly onto the field and the Quidditch game commences. The first theme,
"Quidditch fanfare," consists of a starting pitch followed by a turning figure that returns
to the beginning pitch three more times (SS DVD 1:16: 11). The theme features trumpets
and tambourine, and is a simplified representation of a longer fanfare heard while the
athletes mentally prepare for the game (SS DVD 1:16:01). A transcription of this motifis
'd d' F' 3 2 380provl e III 19ure . .
Figure 3.2. "Quidditch Fanfare"
3 3 3 3
The second theme, "Hogwarts Forever!," (previously mentioned) emphasizes F horns and
low brass, and is associated (through motivic repetition in the film) with the honor and
pride at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (SS DVD 1:16:21).381 A
transcription for "Hogwarts Forever!" in G major follows in Figure 3.3.382
380
I use the key of Gail Lew's piano arrangement ("Quidditch," mm. 8-11) but have modified the
alignment of the rhythm with the meter to reflect the main pulse expressed by the music in the context of
the film. John Williams, Themes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (piano solos), arr. Gail Lew
(Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001), 10.
381 These titles are congruent with those used in published materials.
382
The melody is as presented by Gail Lew ("Hogwarts Forever!," mm. 1-10). John Williams, Themes
from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001),
8-9.
230
Figure 3.3. "Hogwarts Forever!"
*0
Key: G I Imt~7 vi7 IV flvidim7 I IV I IV VN IN
Iii\' vi Ilvidim7 1 bV9 ivdim bII ivdim717 bVI
9 10
~ C· ~ J § J J ~
IV iv IV
The first theme, "Quidditch fanfare" begins on the pitch E when Gryffindor team
members fly with broomsticks out of their dugout onto the playing field (SS DVD
1:16: 11). The same theme repeats a whole step higher (beginning on F#) as the
competing team (Slytherin) enters the playing field and both teams fly around the
stadium (SS DVD 1: 16: 17). The key change creates a musical tension just as the arrival
of the opposing team creates a visual tension. The music alternates to the "Hogwarts
Forever" theme (beginning on A) at a low volume when the Hogwarts student emcee,
Lee Jorden, announces the teams (SS DVD 1: 16:22). The second phrase of "Hogwarts
Forever" begins a minor third higher (on C, and still stated in major) as the camera
focuses on cheering Hogwarts students from the Gryffindor and Slytherin school houses
(SS DVD 1: 16:30). This second phrase is longer than the first, and seems to imitate the
idea of cheering three times for Hogwarts (as if following the words "Three cheers for
231
Hogwarts," beginning SS DVD 1:16:33).383 The second key change, like the first, creates
more musical tension as the crowd (and the viewer) waits for the game to begin.
The final measure of the "Hogwarts Forever" theme is extended (through
sustained notes, and time-filling melodic gestures) for an extra ten quick beats (equal in
pulse to the previous phrase), after which the "Quidditch fanfare" theme returns for one
statement (again starting on F#) while players fly toward their starting positions (SS
DVD 1: 16:45). Another ten-beat transition passage accompanies the continued
movement of players, then "Hogwarts Forever" returns (beginning on Eb) as the camera
focuses on Harry taking and holding his starting position (as if marking Harry as the
subjective champion of Hogwarts, with the theme beginning at SS DVD 1:16:55). Let
me state that again: when "Hogwarts Forever" is heard during the visual of Harry, it
marks Harry as the champion of tournament, and foreshadows that his team will win the
match. In this way, Williams's music not only follows the form of the action, it also
follows the form of what will occur later on. This [mal statement of "Hogwarts Forever"
does not finish, fading instead into an extensile sustained passage while the referee
addresses each team and starts the game. Table 3.2 summarizes the alignment of
alternating leitmotifs with film visuals.
This example shows how Williams matches music with narrative form in The
Sorcerer's Stone, diminishes the volume of the music to make way for dialogue (though
it does not disappear completely), aligns entrances of themes with visual focus on
narrative elements, and sets a mood and tempo appropriate to the action. This example
also shows how Williams chose to foreshadow the conclusion to the match as a whole by
aligning the Hogwarts victory song with the visual of Harry on his broom. This approach
illustrates and clarifies the visuals in a way that makes it easy for viewers to follow the
383
For a visual of the "Three cheers for Hogwarts" section, see measures 7-9 of Figure 3.3.
232
drama (even for those who have not previously read Rowling's novels). However, when
Williams's music tells viewers who will win the match even before the game begins (and
likewise, foreshadows other events throughout the film), it can diminish the engaging
element of suspense.
Table 3.2 The alternation of leitmotifs with extensile music for the Quidditch match
scene in The Sorcerer's Stone as an example of music following form
LeitmotifName Starting Pitch Visuals
Quidditch fanfare E Gryffindor team members enter field
Quidditch fanfare F# Slytherin team members enter field
Hogwarts Forever! A Emcee announces the teams
Hogwarts Forever! C Hogwarts students cheer from the bleachers
10-beat extension " " " " " "
Quidditch fanfare F# Teams fly toward starting positions
10-beat extension " " " " " "
Hogwarts Forever! Eb Harry takes his starting position
Fade Referee addresses teams
From left to right this chart shows how phrases ofleitmotifs align with specific film
gestures. From top to bottom, this chart shows how leitmotifs are alternated in order to
attach interpretative meaning to the visuals. As a whole, one can see that music follows
the form ofthe scene with alternating leitmotifs.
The Principle ofInaudibility: Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
As I have argued for the previous film, music for The Chamber ofSecrets is also
"inaudible" in the ways that it closely parallels visual form, and yet is also very audible
by way of Williams's distinct, ever-present leitmotifs that William Ross adapted for the
edited film. Music disappears abuptly from the film landscape only to make a narrative
point, while at most other times slips into every scene and almost all dialogue. For
233
instance, when three of the Weasley brothers rescue Harry from the Dursley's house in a
Hying Ford Anglia, their buoyant approach to his second Hoor bedroom window is
supported by motifs signifying anticipation (especially magical anticipation, CoS DVD
8:19). When they tell Harry that they have come to rescue Harry, we hear the third
section of "Hedwig's Theme" (CoS DVD 9:09, which tends to signify magical mischief
as much as it signifies magic alone). A transcription of this third section follows in
F· 34 384Igure ..
Figure 3.4. "Hedwig's Theme": third section
.5
When they successfully break the bars off of Harry's bedroom window, we hear a theme
for personal victory ("Victory," CoS DVD 9:25),385 A transcription of this theme is
provided in Figure 3.5.
384
Adapted from Gail Lew's arrangement ("Hedwig's Theme," mm. 35-42). John Williams, Themes
from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001),
4.
385 This theme is called "Nimbus 2000" in published materials, but does not always align with visuals of
the Nimbus broom, or with Harry flying on a broom. It does, however, tend to align with visuals depicting
a personal victory in Harry's life.
234
Figure 3.5. "Victory"
l _
Then, as they flyaway with Harry in tow, we hear the "Friendship" theme which
signifies the relationships Harry builds and experiences with colleagues at Hogwarts
(CoS DVD 10:09). Ron wishes Harry a "happy birthday," then the "Friendship" theme
repeats again. A transcription is provided in Figure 3.6.
Figure 3.6. "Friendship"
While I will discuss many of them in greater detail in the course of other chapters, the
important matter here is that Williams chooses to follow each section of this scene with
identifiable motifs that give us a narrative perspective on each set of actions. Table 3.3
summarizes the alignment of the sequence of leitmotifs with the sequence of visuals and
dialogue.
Later, when the boys arrive at the Weasley's magical home, the music changes to
a theme signifying (among other things to be discussed later) Harry's experience of
feeling loved (CoS DVD 11: 16). This theme continues to waft pleasantly as Harry
observes the magical aspects of the Weasley's cozy home (e.g. pans that scrub
235
Table 3.3 The alternation of leitmotifs for the rescue-from-the-Dursley house scene in
The Chamber ofSecrets as an example of music following form
Music
"Magic afoot"
"Hedwig's Theme" (part 3)
"Victory"
"Friendship"
"Friendship" (repeat)
DVD Time
8:19
9:09
9:25
10:09
Visuals and/or Dialogue
Flying Ford Anglia approaches window
Weasleys explain their rescue intentions
Weasleys successfully break metal bars
Harry and friends escape in the Ford Anglia
Ron wishes Harry a "Happy Birthday"
From left to right this chart shows how phrases ofleitmotifs align with specific film
visuals and dialogue. From top to bottom, this chart shows how leitmotifs occur in
sequence in order to attach interpretative meaning to the visuals. As a whole, one can
see that music follows the form ofthe scene with sequential leitmotifs.
themselves, a clock that tells where family members are, knitting needles that operate on
their own, and so on), then stops abruptly when the camera focuses on Mrs. Weasley who
scolds her sons soundly for taking the car without permission (CoS DVD 11 :35). In other
words, not only are the leitmotifs entirely "audible" throughout the magically
mischievous scenes of escape in the Ford Anglia (i.e., through their foreground volume),
they are also abruptly and audibly silenced to accompany Mrs. Weasley's stem words.386
This provides an example of how Williams sets viewer expectation that leitmotifs
will follow form, then disrupts this expectation for humorous ends. The application of
the previously described leitmotifs during Harry's escape from the Dursley home
transports the viewer into the magical landscape and reinforces the idealized expectation
of Harry's complete satisifaction in the wizard world. Then, the disruption to the music
likewise disrupts the idyllic landscape that the music creates. The disruption of
expectation (musical and otherwise) can be a form of humor-a topic that I will address
in Chapter VI.
386 I use this example again in the discussion of humor in Chapter VI.
236
The Principle of Inaudibility: Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
In collaboration with director Alfonso Cuar6n on The Prisoner ofAzkaban,
composer John Williams calmed his widespread use of leitmotifs such that many action
scenes use only one theme to parallel the form rather than using different leitmotifs to
align with different sections of the scene (as is the case in the Quidditch Match scene for
the first film, and the flying Ford Anglia scene in the second film). This approach
focuses on the here-and-now rather than on making connections (as leitmotifs do) with
what has already happened and what is yet to come. Moreover, the approach tends to
facilitate viewer experience of the circumstances rather than mere observation ofthe
events.
For instance, only one theme (newly written for the third movie) accompanies the
action of the third-year Quidditch game in which Harry is pulled offhis broom by the
powerful Dementors (while the musical cue begins at PoA DVD 54:00, the main motif
within the set-piece occurs first at PoA DVD 54:20).387 A transcription of the main motif
of the theme is given in Figure 3.7.
Figure 3.7. The main motif for the Quidditch match in The Prisoner ofAzkaban
387
This theme is also borrowed by Nicholas Hooper for the Quidditch game in the sixth film, The Half
Blood Prince.
237
The tolling bell-like minor melody and the strong, agitated rhythm in the four-measure
motif accurately reflect the tension of the potentially violent wizard sporting match that
continues in spite of a dark, rainy, thunderstorm. The agitated music may spark viewers'
intuitions that something bad may happen, but no specific musical gesture foreshadows
how the game will end. Indeed, something bad does happen, but Harry is rescued before
suffering too much physical damage.
How does Williams use just one theme (rather than many) to follow the form of a
scene? In order to fit the length and changing camera angles of the scene, the motif is
repeated with changing instrumentation, played in ascending melodic sequence, extended
through static repetition of accompanying harmonies, and varied at its beginning and end
to accommodate following and preceding sections of music. The theme changes only
briefly (to an alternating note ostinato played on harp) when Harry perceives the ominous
shape of a black dog in the clouds ahead ofhim.388 Diegetic sounds such as wind,
thunder, breathing, and so on, continue to be audible alongside the music. The music
fades somewhat to expose the immediacy of the Dementors' sucking breath as they close
in on Harry, then fades entirely when Professor Dumbledore casts a spell (complete with
vocal reverb) that saves Harry from his subsequent fall to the ground.
Similarly, just one theme (named "Buckbeak's Flight" on published scores)
follows the form of Harry's flying ride on the back of Buckbeak the Hippogriff (PoA
DVD 35:56). The theme enters as the ride begins, and phrases change to show
delineations in the form of visual focus. As well, the theme sets a mood for the scene that
mimetically follows the visuals in a way that allows the viewer to experience the ride as
Harry might. It is easy to hear how the changing rhythms and orchestral textures in
"Buckbeak's Flight" represent the changing details of the flight, but it may be less easy to
388 The ominous black dog is a recurring visual motif in the film, and only indirectly relates to the
Quidditch game and its outcome.
238
discern that even Williams's harmonic progressions for the theme suggest a directional
pattern of flight. This theme is very special among the themes of the film (and indeed
among all the films) because it both follows the details of the drama at length and with
complexity, and is also aesthetically beautiful. This is in contrast to Williams's leitmotifs
for the first two films, which follow the drama in alternation and with simplicity.
Moreover, while the musical "inaudibility" in the first two films allows the viewer to
observe through illustration and clarification, the musical "inaudibility" in the third film
allows the viewer to experience by amplifying visual ideas with the music and integrating
them together. The following case study examines in more detail how the music for
Buckbeak's flight follows form.
Case Study: Buckbeak's Flight
Rowling's Hippogriffnamed Buckbeak is a magical beast combining features of
horses and eagles. In Cuaron's movie, Buckbeak has the head and wings ofa dappled
grey eagle and the body of a similarly grey horse. During the first class of Hagrid' s
"Care of Magical Creatures" course, Harry accidentally volunteers to be the first to meet
and ride on the powerful, flying beast.
Following a pounding rhythmic cadence played by timpani drums that reflects the
power of Buckbeak's beating hooves prior to takeoff (PoA DVD 35:56), orchestral
strings launch a motif that represents Buckbeak's smooth, soaring, majestic flight (PoA
DVD 36:07). While the melodic contour in triple meter suggests turning (like the
circular beating of wings), the simple texture-in which a steady melody is supported by
sustained harmonies that change every two measures in a non-cadential way-suggests
239
the smoothness ofthe powerful, yet gentle beast's flight. 389 Williams uses ascending
sequences, sustains, and variation within the theme to reflect the changing altitude and
landscape in the visual narrative.
Then, Buckbeak's musical theme changes to a new, contrasting section with more
frequent melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic events as the camera changes focus from the
overall smoothness of the flight to Buckbeak's ruffling feathers, Harry's wind-beaten
hair, and their view of the swiftly passing landscape (PoA DVD 36:39).
Diegetic sounds such as Buckbeak's "caw" (PoA DVD 36:55) and Harry's shout of
exhilaration (PoA DVD 37:00) are easily heard against the music. The theme
recapitulates to the soaring sequences motif (PoA 36:58) then includes musical gestures
of descent, then eventually fades only when Buckbeak returns Harry to the place of their
original departure (PoA DVD 37:33).
A harmonic analysis of "Buckbeak's Flight" reveals that even the harmonic
progressions mimetically reflect the form of the course of flight. At first, two harmonies
alternate as if to suggest how the flight gets a running start (measures 1-10). Then, a
higher pitched set of harmonies alternate as Buckbeak and Harry gain altitude (measures
11-8). These harmonies "take flight" in parsimonious (i.e., intervallically parallel)
progressions that seem to defy or suspend tonal gravity just as Buckbeak and Harry defy
earth's gravity.390 The sequence of new tonal centers (measures 19-38) metaphorically
represents how the Buckbeak's flight carries Harry farther and farther away from their
389 This is different from the textural formula often used for Hedwig's Theme (to be discussed in greater
detail in Chapter VI) in which a medium-speed melody is supported by a less frequently changing
harmony, but also rhythmically buoyed by a third layer of running passages and arpeggios.
390 Theorists Felix Salzer and Carl Schacter explain how intervallic progressions with diatonic
indeterminacy seem to suspend tonal gravity. Felix Salzer and Carl Schachter, Counterpoint in
Composition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969),215. The notion of suspended gravity as a metaphor for
tonal indeterminancy also relates to Larson's work on the metaphors of musical forces.
-------------------------------
240
starting part. The return of the A theme (measures 39-55) support their return to Hagrid's
class, but the ending tonic (B major, a fifth higher than the original tonic) seems to
suggest that emotions are more uplifted than when the journey began. A traditional chord
analysis is provided below, based on the published piano reduction of the piece.391
Because the tonal centers change frequently, I indicate major changes in the left column,
and indicate changes within each section with underlines.
While the Roman numeral analysis shows how the harmonic progressions may
appear nonsensical when using traditional functionality (which relates each harmony to
the tonic), the Riemannian style Tonnetzen analysis provided in the appendix visually
plots the patterns of harmonic relations, and coherence within sections of the piece as
well as the piece as a whole by relating harmonies to those which come before and after.
As one can see from this chart, the harmonies rotate around a nexus, then expand in one
direction; generate from the nexus again, then take flight in the opposite direction. This
mimetically parallels Buckbeak's take-off and flight away from Hogwarts, his touch
down on the water, then return flight to Hogwarts again.
To summarize, John Williams applies a new musical approach to the third film, in
which he uses longer themes with more extensile music to follow the form of action and
set-pieces. Instead of merely using sequences leitmotifs to inform viewer perception of
film visuals, he more frequently uses melodic gestures and harmonic patterns to support
the drama and action. We here this is the various extensile melodic gestures used for the
stormy Quidditch match scene, and in the harmonic progressions of "Buckbeak's Theme"
that seem to "take flight" much as Harry and Buckbeak take flight.
391 The orginal written score is not published nor is it available for purchase in any way, and published
orchestral suites do not include a full representation of "Buckbeak's Flight."
241
Table 3.4. Buckbeak's Flight: traditional Roman numeral analysis
Introduction
Mm. 1
(Fm) Fm
2
C
V
3
Fm
4
C
V
5 6
C
V
7 8
Ab-Db-Ab Fm
III-VI-III
9
Fm-Gm-C
i-ii-V
10
Fm-Bbm
i-iv
Section A
Mm. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
(Fm) Fm Db Fm Db
VI VI (IIInat. IV)
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Bm G7 Cm Ab7 Db G#o7 Db G#o7
(Bm) V7/nat. ii i V7/bii I V07 (enh.) I in/iv (enh.)
Section B
Mm. 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
(F#m) F#m C#m G#m E Fm E Db
v II VIIIvii i VII V(enh.)
34 35 36 37 38
Ebo7 D Am F Am-F-B7
InN I(IV/v) i VI i-VI-IV7/v
Section Al
Mm. 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
(Em) Em C Em C C-am C-F#m B F#o-Am-F#o
VI VI VI-iv VI-vN I vO-vii-vO
47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55
B F#o-Am-FW B F#o7 C7-Am B F#o7
(B) I vO-vii-vo I v07 II7-vii I v07
Coda
Mm.
(B)
56 57 58
B-D7-B D7-B B
I-III7-I III7-I I
59
(B)
I
As mentioned previously in the section concerning Gorbman's principle of
invisibility, Williams sometimes incorporates Renaissance and jazz style music for
certain scenes in the third Potter film (employing Renaissance and jazz ensemble
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instruments respectively to play the music), in addition to using the familiar romantic
orchestral vocabularies found in the previous Potter films (and the majority of Williams's
previous scores in general). Although these eclectic, historic styles are in contrast to the
traditional neo-romantic orchestral score, they are still familiar to audiences in the way
they are easily understood to symbolize narrative ideas (e.g. representing medieval times
or urban culture). However, because these styles are so different from the rest ofthe
score, they are more audible, and sometimes imply diegesis.
The Principle of Inaudibility: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
Patrick Doyle's background music for the fourth Potter film, The Goblet ofFire,
is perhaps the most inaudible of all the current Potter scores. Music rarely accompanies
dialogue unless source music is present in the scene-though even then, the music
volume is reduced significantly to make way for narrative speech. This is in contrast to
the other films which tend to include low-volume background music with dialogue. On
the few occasions in the fourth film when background music does accompany speech, it
does so by creeping in under the dialogue (often later rather than earlier in the scene) and
sustaining a low volume such that distinguishing all elements ofthe music is difficult
even with close listening (e.g., music at GoF DVD 52:00-54:00 is much softer than in
preceding films). However, the music neither parallels movement nor follows the form
of action closely.
While some diegetic music (e.g. music used for the performances by foreign
visitors, the dance lesson, and the formal Yule ball) corresponds with choreographed
dance movement, the excessive use of parallels between music and movement, or
"Mickey-Mousing," is generally absent even in these circumstances. One exceptional
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use of Mickey-Mousing does occur during the opening waltz at the Yule Ball when Mad-
Eye Moody takes a swig from his hip flask-a movement that is accompanied by a swift
descending scale played brightly by a flute (GoF DVD 1: 15:58). At a surface level, the
parallel gesture is humorous. As it turns out, however, Moody's mysterious hip flask
provides a clue to the story's conclusion.392 While other visual opportunities to draw
focus to the hip flask are left unaccompanied, this instance allows for a musical parallel
gesture because source music is already present. In general, however, the alignment
between movement and music in scenes-such as the choreographed performances by
foreign visitors, the dance lesson, and the Yule Ball-is representative of choreographed
movement following pre-composed music and not vice-versa.393
Still, music follows narrative form (in broad strokes) in The Goblet ofFire,
though it does so in much more subtle, complementary ways than in the previous films.
Music enters when there is action and supports critical movements (for instance when
Harry escapes a dragon on his broomstick, GoF DVD 58:30), but does not often aid in the
anticipation of action (for instance when Harry has not yet figured out how to
outsmart/escape the dragon, GoF DVD 58:00-59:30). This is in contrast to the way
Williams's music spells out the situation of the Quidditch match in the first film even
before the game begins. In other words, Doyle's music provides much less information
for the viewer-an approach which can heighten suspense, but can also be confusing in
some circumstances. Furthermore, instrumental timbres, textures, and ranges often
complement the mood set by visuals and sound effects rather than setting the tone alone.
This is in contrast to Williams's music for the stormy Quidditch game in the third film
392 In contrast, another clue about Moody's true identity (a nervous tick that occurs with his tongue) is
sometimes accompanied by a sound-effect, and sometimes is not accompanied at all.
393 As stated in the discussion of production history, most music for The Goblet a/Fire was composed
after editing, however the dance music was composed before filming in order to give actors something to
respond to.
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which establishes the dark tone of the circumstances in parallel with the dark hue of the
sky. In other words, the information that Doyle's music provides may alert the viewer to
unseen matters rather than exhibiting a musical parallel with what is seen-an approach
which can be more stimulating, but can also be distracting. The ways that Doyle's
approach to following form differs from Williams's approaches (for Columbus and
Cuar6n) are varied and significant, and warrant further examination, which is provided
below.
Case Study: The Dragon Competition
When Harry must steal a golden egg from a dragon during the first task of the Tri-
Wizard tournament, all previous music ceases when Harry enters the arena (GoF DVD
58:00). Source sounds (such as those made by his movements and crowd responses) are
brought to the foreground as Harry tries different approaches of defense against the spiny,
fire-breathing beast. This approach emphasizes the here-and-now, and neither provides a
framework of expectation nor foreshadows what will happen. A theme signifying victory
is briefly heard when Harry magically summons his broomstick to aid him (GoF DVD
59:30), but the theme is immediately swallowed up in the diegetic sounds of the roaring
crowd. This fleeting marker of success affirms that Harry has made a right decision, but
is so swiftly extinguished by diegetic sounds that it does not effectively foreshadow his
ultimate success.
Music continues as Harry escapes the dragon arena on his broom, but isn't clearly
heard until both Harry and the dragon have flown beyond the confines of the crowded
stadium (GoF DVD 1:00:01). For nearly twenty-five seconds, the melody races and
trills, provides gestures of ascent and descent (that do not necessarily align with visuals
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of ascent and descent), and alludes to the "Harry Victorious" theme in fragmented
variation, yet never clearly states the motif in its pure, uncorrupted form. This is much
different from Williams's music for the first two Potter films which often uses strings of
leitmotifs during action scenes, and different from Williams's music for the third Potter
film which often uses a single, longer theme for action-based narrative events.
Also different is the way the high-pitched, brightly-timbred, swiftly swirling
melodic contours do not parallel the movements ofthe bulky, slow-beating flight of the
winged dragon at Harry's heals (GoF DVD 1:00:01-1 :00:35). While Williams
paralleled the heavy hooves and smooth flight of Buckbeak the hippogriff in The
Prisoner ofAzkaban (i.e. by using a timpani cadence followed by symphonic strings), the
related physical characteristics of the bulky, dangerous dragon in The Goblet ofFire are
not represented musically. Instead, the dragon's characteristics are represented visually
(e.g. in the way the building bricks crumble away with the dragon's power and weight)
and with source sounds (e.g. the prominent rumbly sound ofthe dragon's roar). Indeed,
Doyle's music for the dragon's pursuit of Harry illustrates Harry and his rush of
adrenaline more than it represents the dragon.
When Harry and the dragon continue their conflict on the steep rooftops of
Hogwarts, the theme stops to allow for the immediacy ofanticipation (GoF DVD
1:00:36), and starts again only when Harry has remounted his broom (GoF DVD
1:01 :36-1 :02:04, though extensile musical gestures begin at GoF DVD 1:01 :00).
Again, the music is composed of gestural fragments (some of which are related to the
"Harry Victorious" theme only in the same loose way that a second viola part might
relate to a main violin melody) that continue for another thirty seconds until Harry
successfully captures the golden egg (GoF DVD 1:02:29-1 :02:54). The "Harry
Victorious" theme finally sounds as Harry holds the golden egg in his hands. Yet, as the
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camera widens its focus from the egg, one realizes that the scene has changed to an
informal victory gathering in Harry's dormitory. In other words, the delayed gratification
of hearing the victory theme also serves as a scene transition, contributing to the film's
continuity (to be discussed in a following section).394 Notably, the scene change itself
effectively delays gratification further because it functions as the beginning of a new
crisis (that of discovering the egg's secret) rather than allowing Harry (and the viewer) to
enjoy the satisifaction of the victorious resolution to the previous crisis.
In consideration of the scene as a whole, it is clear that Doyle uses his motivic
theme conservatively in an endeavor to support form and mood (rather than to support
specific movements or the scene's conclusion). All musical allusions to the "Harry
Victorious" theme used during the course of the dragon confrontation suggest that victory
is a goal within reach, yet Doyle does not reward the viewer's ears with the pure victory
theme until Harry is actually victorious.395 This is different from the way that Williams
uses alternating leitmotifs to represent contrasting narrative ideas (e.g. confrontation with
conflict vs. victory itself), and different from the way that Williams represents Harry as a
hero in his first Quidditch game by annointing the visual of Harry with the Hogwarts
alma mater theme even before the game begins.
The effect of Doyle's approach is also different from the effect of Williams's
approach on the previous films. When Doyle leaves dialogue and some narrative action
unaccompanied, it brings more immediacy and realism to the cinematic experience than
what more widespread use of music tends to do. The approach also more readily allows
viewers to construct their own interpretations of a scene.
394 As I will show in the section concerning Gorbman's principle of continuity, this smooth transition from
one scene to the next is much less frequent in The Goblet ofFire than in the previous or following films.
395 I continue the discussion of significant musical aspects of the "Harry Victorious" theme in Chapter V.
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However, Doyle's musical approach to the dragon scene may distance viewers
from the narrative in ways that Williams's approach to Buckbeak's flight does not. For
instance, Williams's tempo and instrumentation accompanying Buckbeak's flight
effectively represents (through musical codes and metaphors) the visuals that viewers see.
Because the music and visuals are congruent, the music reinforces rather than distracts.
Furthermore, because the music represents Buckbeak, the viewer experiences Buckbeak's
flight as Harry does-smooth, soaring, and majestic-and in this way, the viewer may be
able to identify more deeply with the the main character. In contrast, Doyle's fast tempo
and high-timbred instrumentation accompanying Harry's escape from the dragon
represents how Harry feels, rather than what viewers see. Because the music and visuals
are not congruent, the music risks distracting viewers. Furthermore, because the music
represents the terrified Harry (rather than the terrifying dragon), Harry becomes the
object of the viewers subjective experience, thus distancing the viewer from identifying
with his experience as closely as they might ifthe music represented the terrifying dragon
(which would give the viewer the same perspective as Harry).
The Principle of Inaudibility: Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
Nicholas Hooper's music for the fifth movie also observes Gorbman's principle
of inaudibility by following the form of both visuals and mood, and shares some
similarities with the approaches of the previous composers. Like Williams's approach
for the third film (The Prisoner ofAzkaban), Hooper's musical phrases tend to
correspond with the visual foreground, and provide a mood that is congruent with the
visual narrative. Like Doyle's approach for the fourth film (The Goblet ofFire),
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Hooper's background music is often more atmospheric than lyric, and rarely parallels
specific gestures.
Many scenes are built around a model of growing narrative tension resolving in
release. As such, music and/or sound effects often begin as a wash of low volume
dissonance that increases in volume before resolving with one or more major chords that
feel like a tonic resolution even though no key has been previously established. An
alternate version of the same model begins with an aurally out-of-focus melody or
polyphony (that may be atonal, disjointed, or angular) that grows in volume then resolves
with a major chord, again feeling like a tonic resolution despite a lack of harmonic
cadence. A common building block in both of these variations is ostinato, which is most
often heard in melodic or rhythmic components of a scene, though only sometimes
harmonically (since this model, in general, is not driven by harmonic cadences). These
are some ways that music follows the atmospheric form of a scene without mimicking
specific gestures with parallel melodic gestures.
For instance, when the oddball character Luna Lovegood talks with Harry about
making efforts to connect with others in spite of feelings of isolation, the orchestral score
provides a low-volume slightly dissonant background with an atonal ostinato played on a
celeste (OotP DVD 42:45). At the end ofthe scene, Luna illustrates her outlook by
cheerfully tossing a chunk of meat to a hungry Thestral foa1 396 while a satisfying
consonant chord swells from the background musical textures and pervades the sound
experience (OotP DVD 44:45). In this case, the music not only follows the tension and
resolution of the scene, it also mimetically reflects the ideas of the scene by using pitches
that seem unrelated while Luna discusses feeling isolated, and using pitches with a clear
harmonic relationship when she emphasizes her practice of building personal
396 Thestrals are skeletal, winged horses that are only visible to those who have witnessed death (as have
Luna and Harry).
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relationships. In this case, the music participates in the dramatic conversation, allowing
the viewer to experience the information as well as to see Harry and Luna enact it, and
hear Luna talk about it.
Some scenes include more than one of the variations for musical tension and
release. For instance, in Harry's court appearance scene,397 music includes washes of
harmonic dissonance, disjointed melodies, ostinati, and occasional parallel gestures,
eventually resolving in harmonic consonance. These approaches establish a mood for the
entire tense scene, and also establish significant sections within the form of the scene as a
whole. The different musical sections help to clarify the dramatic sections, which might
otherwise be ambiguous to follow because the scene includes mainly dialogue, and no
significant action. A detailed examination of how music establishes form in the scene of
Harry's Court Appearance follows below.
Case Study: Harry's Court Appearance
When Harry appears before the Wizengamut (the wizard court) at his hearing for
performing under-age magic, the initially low-volume dissonant rumble mimics the
roaring fire behind the judges, and also reflects the tension of the occasion (OotP DVD
20:50).398 A melodic ostinato ending on sequentially higher pitches (though beginning
at the same pitch) rises in volume while the charges against Harry are read (OotP DVD
21 :27). The melody reaches its highest point, and the volume its peak when Harry
397 This scene directly follows Harry's first exposure to the Ministry of Magic building, the music for
which is discussed in the previous section on Gorbman's principle of invisibility.
398 It is not clear on all sound systems whether the rumble comes from orchestral instruments or digital
sound effects.
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defends himself, stating that he only used magic because he was attacked by Dementors
(OotP DVD 21 :55).
The volume subsides, then a similar melodic ostinato with minor inflections
begins to rise again while the Minister ofMagic cross-examines Harry (OotP DVD
22:00). High-pitched strings provide a sigh of relief when a witness (Mrs. Figg) is
produced in Harry's defense (OotP DVD 22:26). There is no music while she gives her
testimony, though the low rumble continues faintly. When Professor Dumbledore argues
Harry's case, a low-pitched hom emerges from the texture (OotP DVD 24:20). Although
the orchestral backdrop seems harmonically consonant, the volume in the mix is too low
for audiences to experience any harmonic function.
As the leader of the jury requests a show of hands indicating those "in favor of a
conviction," the low-pitched background rumble returns with a high-pitched ostinato
alternating between Ab and Gb (OotP DVD 24:50)-which continues with added
punctuation by a plucked bass to emphasize hands raised "in favor of clearing charges"
(OotP DVD 25:05) When the Minister pronounces Harry "cleared" of all charges, the
orchestra supports the pronouncement with a warm-toned, resonant, Ab major chord that
reflects the satisfying resolution of this early hurdle in The Order ofthe Phoenix movie
narrative (OotP DVD 25:19). However, unlike other scenes that simply end with the
major chord, this one shifts to an Eb major chord unexpectedly when Dumbledore
strangely disregards Harry's request for his attention (OotP DVD 25:25). Thus, while
Hooper's music follows the form of the tense scene (like Williams's approach), it also
serves as an atmospheric transition from the end of one crisis (i.e., Harry's acquittal) to
the beginning of another (i.e., Dumbledore's uncharacteristic snub). Table 3.4
summarizes the sequence of musical and visual events.
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Table 3.5. The sequence of atmospheric music and sound for the court appearance scene
in The Order ofthe Phoenix as an example of music following form
Music/Sound
Low rumble
Rising ostinato
Ostinato reaches peak
Rising ostinato (var.)
Strings sigh
Horn melody
Low rumble, high ostinato
Plucked bass
Ab chord
Eb chord
DVD Time
20:50
21:27
21:55
22:00
22:26
24:20
24:50
25:05
25:19
25:25
Visuals and/or Dialogue
Roaring fire and the tense atmosphere
Charges against Harry are read
Harry attempts to defend himself
Minister cross-examines Harry
A witness is produced in Harry's defense
Dumbledore argues Harry's case
Judges are asked to vote
Hands raise in favor of clearing charges
Minister pronounces Harry "cleared"
Dumbledore ignores Harry
From left to right this table shows how atmospheric music and sound align with specific film visuals and
dialogue. From top to bottom, this table shows how music and sound occur in sequence in order to attach
intelpretative meaning to the visuals. As a whole, one can see that music follows the form ofthe scene with
a sequence ofmusic events.
In addition to following the form of each scene, the model of dissonance (or
unresolved consonance) resolving with a consonant harmony also follows a major
narrative theme of organization and order in the fifth film, aptly titled The Order ofthe
Phoenix.3 99 In this narrative-in which Harry builds stronger relationships with
colleagues (extending beyond his best friends Ron and Hermione), learns of the
organized resistance against Voldemort, and establishes his own organized resistance
training group-Hooper's system of creating order from chaos in the soundtrack on a
scenic level establishes an order of its own that replicates Harry's journey of focus,
organization, and order amid the chaotic circumstances of his life in the often disorderly
magical world.
399 The title of the film directly relates to the group of individuals who fight against Voldemort and his
Death Eaters, but more broadly relates the theme of organization.
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However, the tension of the film and of the film music does not always resolve
with consonant, orderly release-sometimes order resolves with chaos. Such is the case
when the Weasley twins, Fred and George, can no longer withstand the tension caused by
Professor Umbridge's tightly ordered inquisition, decide to leave school before
graduating, and mark the occasion by setting off fireworks, creating chaos during the
end-of-year exams. The music for the scene (discussed below in more detail) follows a
pattern in which phrases have three orderly, identical measures of melody followed by a
fourth that is incongruent. This serves as a metaphor for how students observe strict rules
of behavior for the majority of film under Umbridge's leadership, then rebel against the
strict expectations at the end of the film. Furthermore, the musical phrases align with
visuals at first, then the piece breaks down into a polyrhythmic orgy as the twins' (as well
as the viewers') need for release is played out in the subversive fireworks display and the
havoc it causes in Umbridge's classroom. Although the music for this scene progresses
from order to chaos (in contrast to other music in the film which progresses from chaos to
order) it does so exactly in order to follow the form of the scene-which visually
progresses deeper and deeper into chaos. Additionally this case study provides an
example of music that is edited out of the final film in order to make way for dialogue.
Case Study: Fireworks
The set-piece "Fireworks" supports the dramatic action when the Weasley twins
(Fred and George, who are fed up with the Ministry's corrupt leadership of Hogwarts)
play their final Hogwarts prank by setting off magical fireworks in the halls of Hogwarts
during the O.W.L. exams (Ordinary Wizarding Level exam) as they make their escape
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from the school.400 While most of Hooper's score leads to some point of order or logic
between music and visuals, the example of music from the fireworks scene leads from
order to chaos. There is a significant difference between the music as represented on the
CD and as represented in the film, and therefore I address both.
On the CD, the track begins with a repeated, orderly eight-beat phrase that is
presented as a theme and variation by orchestral instruments throughout the piece (e.g.
AABBCCDD). On the DVD, this same sequence accompanies Professor Umbridge's
discovery of the twins and their fireworks in the hallway, the twins's flight into the
examination hall, and the whirling of magical fireworks around students in the hall (OotP
DVD 1:35:55).401
The phrase lengths, tempo, and rhythmic accents of the theme loosely align with
visual events. On a few occasions, the music directly aligns with movement. For
instance, the following events all align with the first beat ofmusical phrases: (1) the
Weasley twins fly into the examination hall, (2) the twins toss fireworks into the air, (3) a
flying firework skims the top of Professor Umbridge's head, and (4) a firework leaves a
trace imprint of Draco Malfoy's terrified expression on the woodwork behind him (OotP
DVD 1:36:05, 1:36:14, and 1:36:24, respectively). The orderly alignment between these
musical and visual events reinforces the humor as the Weasley's enact a relatively
harmless revenge, and irritating and malevolent characters receive a comeuppance for
400
This musical theme is also used to support visuals of the Weasley twins' joke shop in the sixth film,
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. However, the The Hal/Blood Prince CD includes a track called
"Wizard Wheezes" which may have originally been intended instead. This provides an example of how
filmmakers chose musical continuity over innovation.
40 I The B phrase begins at OotP DVD I:36:04; the C phrase begins at OotP DVD 1:36: 14; and the D
phrase begins at I :36:24. Phrases B, C, and D are all variations on the A phrase.
------- -----------------
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their previous behavior.402 Furthermore, the energetic tempo and bright, clear
instrumentation reflects the lighthearted mood of the clearly subversive act.
However, after the statement of the theme and three variations (i.e.,
AABBCCDD), another variation featuring un-pitched percussion continues for thirty-two
beats (OotP DVD 1:36:34). The new variation emphasizes polyrhythms, and as such, has
a less orderly rhythm in the conventional sense. In the film, this music accompanies a
gigantic Chinese dragon-shaped firework that pursues Professor Umbridge as if trying to
swallow her. Indeed, both the way that the visual of the dragon invades the space of the
screen (and swallows up Urnbridge) and the way that the polyrhythmic percussion takes
over the background music show how the chaos of the irrational realm is overcoming the
order of the rational realm.
Then, (heard on the CD only) an electric guitar emerges from the texture to play
an unmetered melodic passage with distortion (approximately the length of two phrases).
The ascending contour of the guitar melody, the use of electric guitar, and the distortion
combine as a musical phallic symbol and serve as a metaphor for the rude middle finger
gesture much as the Weasley twins figuratively give the finger to Umbridge and her
leadership by setting the disruptive fireworks in the wake of their early departure.
Though not heard in the film, this passage from the CD version makes clear that the
Weasleys' subversive act has conveyed its message and left its mark.
In the film, however, diegetic noise takes over as a wall of plaques (stating
Umbridge's new Hogwarts ordinances) plummets to the floor, shattering (OotP DVD
1:36:48), and the main theme begins again when students and professors take refuge
outside and watch the Weasley twins flyaway (OotP DVD 1:37:05). That is to say, the
guitar solo is never heard. Even so, the visuals of the shattered wall of Urnbridge's rules
402 Chapter VI will include a more detailed examination of humor in the Harry Potter films.
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makes clear that chaos has won the day. The first theme of the piece returns (in both the
CD and the DVD versions), perhaps signifying a victory of sorts, followed by
instrumental variations until the change of scene.
While the music follows the same order on both the CD and DVD versions, the
film scene omits the guitar solo. It is not clear whether the guitar solo was always a part
of the cue or whether it was added for the benefit of the CD only.403 In either case, the
expressive, connotative guitar solo was certainly an option for the film that was not used
in final editing in order to favor other narrative sounds.
As mentioned in the introduction, there are two special examples of music and the
matter of inaudibility in the fifth film in which music is either usurped completely by
source sounds, or conversely, music usurps source sounds completely. In the first
example (explored in the casestudy above), an electric guitar solo that occurs in
"Fireworks" on the CD version of the soundtrack does not occur during the same music
on the DVD. This provides an example of how music may be edited out of the
soundtrack in order to make way for narrative sequence of dialogue and other source
sounds-that is to say, to follow the form of the drama. Second, when Harry witnesses
Sirius Black's murder at the end of the film, the background music takes over the aural
sphere such that we see that characters are mouthing words, but we only hear music
(OotP DVD I:56:46). This is an example of an opposite phenomenon, in which first
dialogue then source sounds are edited out in order to make way for the emotional power
of the music. The latter example will be explored further in the discussion of Harry's
emotional world in Chapter V.
403 The guitar solo is also heard in the recapitulation of the piece during the ending credits.
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Summary
There are several ways that the Harry Potter collaborators follow Gorbman's
principle of inaudibility, though each film exhibits a variation within that principle.
Although Gorbman points out four ways that music should be inaudible in film-relating
to entrances and exits within scenes, the relationship of volume with dialogue and source
sounds, the relationship between music and the form of the narrative, and the relationship
between music and the mood of the narrative-I have focused on the question of how
music follows form for my exploration of the Harry Potter films. As I have shown,
music for each of the films follows the narrative form of individual scenes, although each
composer/director team approached the task differently, and these different approaches
affect the ways that viewers engage with the narrative landscape.
Williams (in collaboration with director Chris Columbus) follows form by
alternating leitmotifs that support images, ideas, and narrative subjectivity (as was
described regarding scenes of the first Quidditch match, and the first flight in the Ford
Anglia). Additionally, music occurs to support both action and dialogue. While music
enters surreptitiously and follows the form of visuals relatively closely (i.e., both patterns
that contribute to inaudibility), the duration, frequency, and volume of musical cues
contributes to the audibility of the score, even ifnot intended. A significant effect of this
approach, however, is that sequences of leitmotifs not only connect the dots for the scene
at hand, but also make connections between what has happened in previous scenes and
what may happen in future scenes-in other words, following and contributing to the
form of the film as a whole.
With director Alfonso Cuar6n, Williams's approach changed so that some longer
action scenes in The Prisoner ofAzkaban (such as the third-year Quidditch scene and
Buckbeak's flight) receive unique themes with unique treatment (such as the new
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Quidditch musical theme and the "Buckbeak's Flight" theme). One effect of the new
approach is a greater emphasis on the here-and-now (rather than an effect that
emphasizes how the visual relates to past and future). The music continues to parallel
action within scenes through the matching of phrases, timbres, textures, tempo, and even
harmonic progressions (as in the mimetic musical representation of Buckbeak's flight).
While Williams uses some alternate music genres in the third film (e.g. jazz and
Renaissance style) that provide contrast to the traditional orchestral palette, these genres
still fall within parameters of the familiar, and therefore are still considered inaudible
according to Gorbman's principle (although the nature of their contrast risks audibility).
Doyle's music for The Goblet ofFire rarely occurs under dialogue, and
sometimes does not even occur during action sequences (such as during portions of
Harry's conflict with the dragon). This approach brings an even greater sense of
immediacy to the viewer, but can also contribute to confusion (rather than clarity) for the
viewer. When music does support longer action sequences (such as the flying portions of
Harry's conflict with the dragon), it creates a mood to follow the form of the scene.
However, Doyle resists using leitmotifs explicitly until the conclusion of the scene, thus
promoting a greater sense of anticipation about the outcome of the scene. Furthermore,
music tends to complement images rather than parallel them-as witnessed in the dragon
scene when music represents Harry's unseen adrenaline rather than representing the
bulky, threatening dragon already presented with visuals and sound effects. This
approach provides a richer expression of the narrative than paralleling visuals alone, but
risks distracting viewers and distancing them from close identification with the
protagonist's experience.
Hooper marries approaches from the third and fourth films (with music by
Williams and Doyle respectively) in his score for the fifth film, The Order ofthe
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Phoenix. Atmospheric music occurs under both dialogue and action, but is much softer
under dialogue than Williams's music is for the earlier Potter films. While many
dramatic scenes (such as Harry's court appearance) use dissonance, ostinati, and
disjointed melodies to depict tension followed by harmonic resolution to emphasize an
orderly release, some extended action scenes (such as the fireworks scene) receive unique
themes with unique treatments that emphasize a chaotic release (from the super-imposed
order ofUmbridge's authority). Much of Hooper's music parallels narrative moods and
loosely parallels actions (as witnessed in the regular, but not insistent alignment between
musical and visual events in the fireworks scene). Additionally, a comparison between
the DVD and CD soundtracks shows how some significant music in Hooper's score is not
heard in the film in order to make way for dialogue, while other significant music was
edited to have an increased volume that overpowers dialogue to achieve an emotional
effect.
These variations in approach help to explain why the films feel different from one
another. Just as differences in approaches to Gorbman's principle of invisibility
significantly influence the landscape ofthe story (e.g., with regard to time, history, and
culture), the differences in approaches to Gorbman's principle of inaudibility affect the
immediacy of the story and the relationship between the viewer and the visual landscape.
That is to say, the application of Williams's leitmotifs tends to interpret the story for the
viewer, while Doyle's and Hooper's often less thematic music tends to expect more
individual interpretation from the viewer. As well, Williams's approach (with Cuar6n)
and Hooper's approach allow viewers to experience what Harry experiences, while
Doyle's approach allows viewers to experience Harry's emotional responses to the
landscape.
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When Williams applies music pervasively, and alternates shorter musical themes
to reflect changing narrative elements, the approach functionally clarifies and interprets
the narrative for the viewer. When Williams applies longer musical themes to scenes and
ideas (as he does in the third film), it allows the viewer to invest more deeply in
experience and the emotional signification of the scene, and perhaps facilitates more
personal interpretation for the viewer. In contrast, when Doyle does not apply music to
dialogue and does not apply specific musical themes to action, the approach facilitates
immediacy and allows for a broad range of viewer interpretation. Additionally, however,
Doyle's approach may distance the viewers from the landscape when background music
follows the form of Harry's experience (e.g., his rush of adrenalin in the dragon
competition)-making him the object, rather than following the form of what Harry
experiences (e.g., the powerful dragon), and thus allowing the viewer to experience the
same circumstance. When Hooper applies longer musical themes to major narrative
ideas that do not necessarily align with every gesture, he alerts audiences to the
significance of a mood or idea, but allows room for viewers to interpret the details.
Similarly, when Hooper uses a model of relative atmospheric dissonance resolving to
consonance within a scene, it allows audiences to experience the significance of the
narrative resolution without interpreting each detail of the scene for the viewer.
Gorbman's Third Principle: Music as a Signifier of Emotion: the Representation of
the Irrational, Romantic, or Intuitive Dimension
In the first and second sections ofthis chapter, we explored the different
landscapes that are musically represented in the Harry Potter films, and investigated how
viewers are inducted into these landscapes in the course of watching the films. I argued
260
that the different musical approaches had a significant impact on how viewers experience
the films (i.e., as either observers or participants). Assuming the perspective that the
music in each film does indeed induct the viewer into the landscape of each film, are
viewers transported into a world of fantasy or just a parallel reality? In considering the
many landscapes that music establishes (and that have already been discussed, such as
geographic, temporal, and social landscapes), what is the relationship between music and
the fantasy dimension? How does music establish the world of wizards and witches in a
series in which the narrative seems contingent upon a magical dimension?
According to Gorbman, music is a signifier of emotion, bringing an "emotional,
irrational, romantic, or intuitive dimension" to the more objective elements of film (e.g.
image, dialogue, and sound-effects).404 While music can heighten perceptions of
specific emotions such as excitement, romantic love, fear, and so on, "music itself
signifies emotion, depth, [and]the obverse of 10gic."405 For this section, I focus on music
as a signifier for the irrational dimension-a main subcategory of the emotional
dimension that Gorbman has pointed out.
In Gorbman's discussion of "music and representation of the irrational," she again
provides an example of Max Steiner's score for King Kong in which music is
conspicuously absent from the film (following the opening titles) until the main
characters approach the mysterious, mist-enshrouded Skull Island by ship. When music
enters the soundtrack at this point (described by Gorbman as "a harp in low register
plunk[ing]a tonally vague, repetitious motif, over sustained chords of a string orchestra")
it brings the viewer into the world of fantasy, hypnotically dismantling defenses of logic
404 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 79.
405 Ibid., 79.
261
and reason.406 Accordingly, the "association of music and the irrational" functions as a
"catalyst in the textual process of slipping in and out of the discourse ofrealism" in the
fantasy genre.407
However, Gorbman warns that "strictly aligning music (or its absence)" in order
to convey emotion risks "emphasiz[ing] discontinuity which runs counter to classical
sound-track construction."408 In other words, these transitions need to be made smoothly
or else they will disrupt the flow of the film. If, for instance, a scene alternates between
images of something here and something there, or between the past and present, the
background music signifying one idea cannot simply appear then abruptly disappear with
each alternation without drawing awkward attention. It can, however, slip in an out over
a period of time, or segue smoothly from one style of music to another. As we will see,
the background music in many of the Harry Potter films follows a similar model of
alternation that represents normality/reality with one kind of music (or its absence) and
the irrational or fantasy dimension with another kind of music.
Now let us consider how each of the Harry Potter films uses music as a signifier
of emotional and irrational dimensions. In general, music in the Harry Potter films is
used in the traditional role of emotional signification, but is used to address specific
emotions-and subcategories of the emotional dimension-in different ways by each
director/composer collaboration. For the purposes of this chapter (which takes account of
the palette of tools each composer uses and how he chooses to use them), I focus my
inquiry on the ways that the collaborators use music as a signifier of the fantastic-which
is a subcategory of the emotional dimension, according to Gorbman's principle.
406 Ibid., 79.
407 Ibid., 79.
408 Ibid., 90.
262
Although I sometimes provide accounts of the relationship between music and the
broader range of emotions in each film as a whole, a closer examination of the nuanced
changes in Harry's emotional world will follow in the Chapter V.
While all of the films use music as a signifier of the fantastic at some level, each
collaboration distinguishes the fantastical dimension in a different way. The first two
movies alternate background music and silence to distinguish the magical realm from the
non-magical realm. The third film uses consonant music to signify mischievous magic
and dissonant music to signify fantasy situations within the magical realm. The fourth
film does not generally employ background music to signify the magical realm, but relies
heavily on background music to support the rise of evil. As I have argued in two
previous sections, the fifth film combines approaches from the previous films, in this case
using different kinds of music to distinguish benevolent and malevolent magic.
The effect of these differing approaches is that some of the films feel more
magical than others. As we learned from an exploration of Gorbman's first principle
(invisibility), each Harry Potter musical soundtrack establishes a landscape, either
geographical, temporal, cultural, or social. As we learned from the examination of
Gorbman's second principle (inaudibility), each musical soundtrack allows the viewer to
relate to the landscape in a different way-most often as either an observer of or a
participant in the interpretation. As we will see from the following analysis of
Gorbman's third principle, each musical soundtrack convinces the viewer to varying
degrees that the Harry Potter landscapes are part of the fantasy dimension.
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The Representation of the Irrational Dimension: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
and Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
Gorbman's description of the way the presence of music alerts the viewer to the
fantastical presence of the mysterious island in King Kong is very similar to the technique
used in the first Harry Potter film in which the assocation between non-diegetic music
and narrative magic creates a system for the viewer in which music-equals-magic. I
provided a detailed account of this alternation in the introductory chapter, and therefore,
will simply summarize the situation here. In short, music is only present at the beginning
of the first film when magical events are happening or when magical people are present.
When the wizards deliver the infant Harry to the Dursley house, there is music; but after
the wizards leave, there is no music. When the child Harry unknowingly exhibits his
magical talents by talking to a snake, there is music; but when the Dursleys regain non-
magical authority, there is no music. Similarly, there is an alternation between music and
the absence of music as dozens of owls gradually deliver hundreds of magical letters to
Harry. As was argued in the introductory chapter, when the inevitability of Harry
receiving one of the magical letters becomes clearer, the music of "Hedwig's Theme"
returns louder and with fewer interruptions until it completely fills the aural space.
Likewise, the musical soundtrack persists in gaining the attention of the listener (thus
subverting the silence of realism) just as the magical letters persist in subverting the
Dursleys' denial of magic.
Because a precedent is set early on in this film that music accompanies magical
events and characters (while non-magical characters are not supported by music), music
in general becomes a signifier for the fantastic. That is to say, we know when something
is magical in the film because the music tells us so. Furthermore, the pattern of applying
264
background music (sometimes as long as a theme, sometimes as brief as a few notes) to
magical events in the narrative continues throughout the first two Harry Potter films.409
Case Study: Hagrid's tears
Other musical gestures that are not tied to specific leitmotifs are also used to
parallel emotion and action at a detailed level. For instance a series of melodic gestures
follow the dialogue during the prologue of The Sorcerer's Stone when magical leaders
from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry leave baby Harry Potter on the
doorstep of his muggle relatives. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, is saddened by
leaving Harry there, and, though the camera focuses on Professor Dumbledore placing
Harry on the doorstep, the viewer hears Hagrid sniff back a tear (SS DVD 3:27).
How is it that the viewer knows that the sniff holds a tear (i.e. and not just a
response to cold weather or a virus) when Hagrid is only heard and not seen? One cannot
hear tears, only see them. Williams's score adds the aural equivalant of the falling tear
(or at least of sad emotions) when a flute mimetically cascades through an E minor triad,
passing again through the fifth degree then landing on the raised fourth degree. While the
final note is sustained, Professor Dumbledore responds to Hagrid's emotion, saying,
"There, there, Hagrid, it isn't really goodbye, after all." The music responds to
Dumbledore's assurance by ascending through the E natural-minor scale (SS DVD 3:33),
pushing through the upper tonic to the second scale degree in preparation for the next
musical phrase-a return of the "Hedwig's Theme" leitmotif (a signifier that something
magical is in the works).
409 Although music is not entirely absent from Dursley's non-magical home in the second film, The
Chamber afSecrets, the pattern is generally the same-that scenes without magical events also do not
include background music, while scenes with magical events (and scenes in the magical world) include
background music.
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This example shows how Williams's non-Ieitmotivic music supports emotions
conveyed by dialogue. As well, it supports my claim that Williams's music responds to
narrative emotions at a detailed level (e.g. during dialogue) similar to the way his
leitmotifs responds to emotions conveyed in visual form at a broader level (e.g. such as
when leitmotifs alternate during action scenes to depict different perspectives).
Furthermore, it shows how Williams signifies specific emotions at the same time that the
general presence of music in the scene signifies the fantasy dimension.
John Williams's music for the second film follows the same model used in the
first film (as well as Steiner's model used in King Kong) in which music itself is a
signifier of the irrational, fantasy elements of the narrative. As such, there is very little
music in the non-magical world, while the Wizard world is quite saturated with
background music. As in The Sorcerer's Stone, different musical sections from
"Hedwig's Theme" playa key role in establishing the pervasiveness of magic in the
narrative for The Chamber ofSecrets. For instance, Hedwig's Theme is used as a whole
or in sections over two dozen times throughout each of the first two movies.410 The uses
and evolving roles of these different musical sections will be discussed in greater detail in
Chapter VI. Additionally, other leitmotifs from the first film are carried into the second
to signify emotions from Harry's perspective, such as feelings of love, friendship, and
belonging. These musical examples have been discussed briefly in previous sections, and
will be addressed in greater detail in Chapter V. Also like music from The Sorcerer's
Stone, other musical gestures that are not tied to specific leitmotifs often parallel
emotions implied by visuals and dialogue (such as is shown in the case study of Hagrid's
tears).
410 1 only include complete phrases in this number. If one were to include implied quotations and
incomplete melodic gestures the number would be much higher.
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As you will remember from the previous chapter, this approach aligns with
statements made by director Chris Columbus, who sought to make a clear difference
between the muggle and magical worlds by using drab, subdued colors in the Dursley
home, and bright, rich colors at the Hogwarts School, respectively.411 The director's
goal was reflected by Williams's score in which music is absent from the muggle world
(except when magical events take place there) and music is fully used to support scenes
of the magical world-infusing Columbus's version of Rowling's Wizarding world with
orchestral colors and vitality. Thus, the wizarding world is portrayed as both highly
magical and highly appealing.
Likewise, when music and visuals collaboratively indicate the fantasy dimension,
the effect is magical for many viewers. As you will remember from the previous chapter
on history and reception, many viewers favor the first two films because these films seem
to represent the magical world as readers imagined it would be, based on Rowling's
novels. Just as Rowling's words tell readers what the magical world is like, so too,
Columbus's visuals and Williams's music illustrate and clarify for viewers what the
magical world is like. However, in contrast, you will remember also that some critics
found the first two movies un-magical because the films merely transferred Rowling's
words without expanding the vocabulary of the fantasy dimension to include those
elements that are possible in film. In other words, these critics complained that
Columbus's and Williams's approaches told a magical story, but did not provide a
magical experience.
411 Jeff Jensen and Daniel Fiennan. "Inside Harry Potter," Entertainment Weekly, September 14, 2001.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..254808.00.html (accessed September 17,2007).
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The Representation of the Irrational Dimension: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
Azkaban
The pattern of relating background music to magical events also continues in
varied form in the third film (under the direction of Alfonso Cuar6n, with composer John
Williams), and the new varied approach allows viewers to experience some of the magic
of the fantasy dimension instead ofjust witnessing it. First, the relationship between
presence of music and the presence of the fantastical dimension is maintained, but varies
the established dichotomy (Le. between music for magical world, and no music for the
muggle world) with the introduction of source music. As in the first two Potter films, the
first scenes take place at the Dursley house in the muggle world, and only include
background (non-diegetic) music when something magical happens. In contrast to the
previous two films (in which there was no music in the muggle world unless magic was
afoot), the Dursley family keeps the television on during dinner which provides ambient
noise and sometimes music. The addition of source music does not really change the
paradigm, it just adds complexity (i.e. muggles now have source music, but still no
background music). I explore the use of music and sound at the Dursleys in greater detail
in my discussion of rhythmic continuity (in the following chapter).
Second, however, there is a shift in the relationship between source music,
background music, and the notion of fantasy while characters inhabit the fantasy
dimension. In short, one scene establishes how consonant source music at Hogwarts
signifies reality in the fantasy dimension; while dissonant background music at Hogwarts
signifies fantasy in the fantasy dimension. In other words, this new shift establishes that
the magical world itself consists of both real and fantasy realms. A detailed account of
the alternation between the two kinds of music follows in the case study below.
268
Case Study: Lupin's Jazz Record and the Shape-shifting Boggart
The example of source music (a jazz record) alternating with background music in
order to indicate levels of reality and fantasy within the fantasy realm comes from the
scene when Professor Lupin teaches students how to confound and dispense a shape-
shifting Boggart (PoA DVD 40:04). Lupin explains that Boggarts appear in the shape of
one's deepest fear but are defeated by the sound of laughter. As such, students should
use the spell "Ridikulus" to change the Boggart from the shape of something frightening
into the shape of something laughable. He tests this principle with student Neville
Longbottom, asking him to identify his greatest fear (the wrath of Professor Snape), then
to imagine his greatest fear in his grandmother's antiquated garments. The Boggart is set
free from a previously locked armoire (PoA DVD 42:18), emerges as the formidably
stern Professor Snape (to the tension-filled score of low brass and strings), and is swiftly
transformed by the "Ridikulus" spell into the same professor in a wool suit dress,
carrying a red handbag and wearing a large hat with a stuffed vulture adorning the top-
much to the amusement of all of the students.
Following Neville's example, Professor Lupin asks students to line up to try their
wands at the Boggart, then turns to a phonograph. He places its victrola-style needle onto
a record of a light-hearted, mid-twentieth century style swing tune (composed by John
Williams, though recalling pieces such as "Sing, Sing, Sing," and the jazz ensembles that
played them), complete with characteristic phonograph ticks and hisses (PoA 42:52).
This record becomes the source-music soundtrack while the students practice their
defensive spell against the Boggart.
Gorbman points out how a musical theme can become "an index of strongly
subjective point of view," such as when diegetic music transforms into an altered
269
nondiegetic theme in order to convey a character's pereceptions of surroundings or
circumstances.412 The application of the dissonant orchestral music when the Boggart
emerges as Professor Snape (Neville's greatest fear), establishes this type of music as a
signifier for subjective feelings of fear. When Professor Lupin starts the swing tune
record (after the frightening image of Snape has been transformed into something funny),
it establishes swing music as a signifier for normalcy, a lack of fear, and perhaps joy.
However, this alternation does not merely describe how students feel. Instead, this
approach describes the image, and prescribes how viewers should feel as well. The
subsequent alternation between these two types and genres of music (i.e. non-diegetic,
dissonant orchestral music and diegetic, consonant jazz) throughout the rest of the scene
conveys a subjective perspective on the changing reality, and in so doing, also follows the
responses of students to the shapeshifting Boggart.
Each time the Boggart becomes something scary, the music is orchesral. Each
time the Boggart becomes something funny, the music is the swing tune. In this way, the
contrast between between source music and non-source music produces the same
dichotomy between reality and fantasy that is produced in Steiner's King Kong and in the
first two Harry Potter films when silence (equating non-magic) is contrasted with non-
diegetic sound (equating magic). The chart below shows how dissonant, non-diegetic
orchestral music and lighthearted, diegetic swing music are alternated to musically
support subjective responses to frightening and funny images in the entire scene.
Following Table 3.6, I will show how the subjective point of view shifts with the visuals
for the rest of the scene.
412 Ibid., 84.
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Table 3.6. The alternation ofnon-diegetic orchestral music and diegetic swing music in
Professor Lupin's classroom scene as a representation of subjectivity
1
2
3
4
5
6
7a
7b
8
Dissonant Orchestra for Frightening Images
Boggart appears as Prof. Snape*
Boggart appears as a spider
Boggm1 appears as a cobra
Boggart appears as a Dementor/
(then) appears as a full moon
Lupin's Swing Tune for Funny Images
Prof. Lupin starts the swing record*
Spider stumbles wearing roller skates
Cobra becomes a Jack-in-the-box clown
Full moon becomes a deflating balloon
This table shows how dissonant, non-diegetic orchestral music accompanies frightening images
ofthe shape-shifting Boggart while diegetic swing music accompanies humorous images ofthe
shape-shifting Boggart, and therefore illustrates how music aids in representing the subjective
responses (ofstudents in Prof Lupin's classroom, and thus also viewers) to these images.
*These two events occur before the main alternating sequence, but are included in the chart to
show how each genre ofmusic is established as a signifier ofsubjectivity.
As discussed above and represented in the chart, when Neville Longbottom faces
the Boggart in the shape of Professor Snape the viewer hears dissonant orchestral music
that dissipates when students laugh at Snape in Grandmother Longbottom's clothing.
When Professor Lupin starts the record, both characters and viewers hear ajazz ensemble
swing tune. When Ron Weasley faces the Boggart (still appearing as Professor Snape in
Grandmother Longbottom's clothing), the shape-shifter changes into an enormous black
spider and the music changes also-the contour of a trumpet phrase in the swing tune
continues in lower brass instruments over a standard string orchestra texture with
discordant harmonies. When Ron performs the "Ridikulus" spell, Lupin's swing music
returns (without the pops from the victrola), and the spider falters clumsily and
humorously while trying to negotiate the four pairs of roller skates that Ron's spell has
given him. Similar alternations between the jazz and orchestral genres occur when
271
Parvati Patil transforms the Boggart-as-cobra into a Jack-in-the-box, and when Lupin
himself (who troubleshoots a potentially dangerous confrontation between Harry and the
Boggart-as-"dementor") turns the Boggart-as-full-moon into a deflating balloon.
The swing tune is heard for as long as students are not fearful. When the
shapeshifting Boggart turns into a frightening image from their irrational subconscious,
the music transforms into dissonant orchestral music. Much like the alternation between
music for magical events and silence for non-magical events as seen in the first scenes of
The Sorcerer's Stone, the alternation in this case between diegetic swing music (for
subjectively happy emotions) and non-diegetic orchestral music (for the students's
subjectively fearful emotions) is distinct. The effect is also just as clear-the visible
music represents the objective, rational world, while the invisible music represents the
subjective, irrational world.
In each of the shifts (shown in the chart above), melodic gestures from the swing
tune continue into orchestral sections. Because of this, it seems as if the music is
constant, though Hogwarts students (and therefore viewers) experience the music
differently when confronted with images that cause irrational fear. Not only does the
music provide an emotional foundation for the scene, it also provides a subjective
perspective on the atmosphere created by the fearful and funny images. Moreover, the
tone of the music is congruent with the visuals we see as viewers, and therefore we react
to the images with either anxiety or reliefjust as the students react to them. These
subjective responses allow viewers to share in the experiences that characters encounter,
rather than just witness them.413 Following suit, viewers are able to experience aspects of
the fantasy dimension, rather than just observe it.
413
This is also different from experiencing the scene through the individual emotions of the students.
When the sound of a musical cue is symbolically congruent with the visuals we see, the effect is
prescriptive-that is to say, we interpret the visuals as the composer wishes us to interpret them, and our
emotions follow accordingly. When the music is symbolically congruent with a character's emotions, the
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The Representation of the Irrational Dimension: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
In the fourth film, the relationship between music and the fantastical is almost
non-existent. The fourth film is the only movie that does not begin at the Dursley house
(i.e. in the muggle world), and therefore, no musical contrast is established between the
muggle and magical world. As well, the fourth film includes the least conspicuous
examples of background music and the most conspicuous examples of source music
(including tournament fanfares, folk music, school songs and hymns, and music for
different dances-none of which include magical effects), which grounds the narrative in
the familiar, rather than in the fantastic. As such, music does not often parallel magical
gestures or magical events except when source music is already present. Similar to the
third movie, source music is used regularly. However, source music in the fourth movie
never aids in blurring boundaries between diegesis and non-diegesis as it did in the third
movie. Furthermore, much of the source music in the fourth movie establishes a link
with the contemporary muggle world-in contrast to source music in the third movie
which often establishes links with historical times or other-worlds.414
effect is more descriptive-that is to say, we may interpret the character's emotions as the composer wishes
us to interpret them, but there may no clear prescription for how we should respond to the information. In
written story-telling, this is the difference between suggesting that "the Boggart is a terrifying creature" (a
statement which implicitly argues that we should respond with fear) and stating that "students were
frightened of the Boggart" (to which we mayor may not respond with fear or concern for the children
depending on whether we observe that the situation actually warrants it). Certainly, there is an aspect of
prescription and description in both cases, but the dramatic tension is created more directly when the
musical focus is on the Boggart (and the tense atmosphere created by the Boggart) than it might have been
if the music were to focus only on the student responses.
414 For instance, source music at Hogwarts in the fourth movie relates to contemporary rock music,
contemporary (albeit nostalgic) ballroom music, and contemporary (albeit stereotyped) expressions of
European folk music. In contrast, source music at Hogwarts in the third movie relates to perceptions of
medieval and non-western music.
273
That being said, background music is used prominently to signify dark magic in
the lengthy scene depicting the physical regeneration of the adversary Lord Voldemort
and the reorganization of malevolent magical forces around him in a mysterious
graveyard.415 The length of this scene is 9 minutes 53 seconds, and background music is
heard for 9 minutes 38 seconds of it. The duration and prominence of background music
in the scene is unlike any other in The Goblet ofFire. Additionally, the soundscape
changes in this latter section to highlight brass instruments and special effects sounds that
contrast the with symphonic string sound that is most prevalent in the previous non-
diegetic music in the film. 416 The effect of this contrast is that Harry's magical world
seems more normal, while only the rise of evil is represented as truly fantastical.
Although certainly a standard mode of cinema (and not, for instance, a propaganda
statement in favor of evil), the musical emphasis on the rise of evil magic adds to its
appeal and spectacle similar to the way that the musical emphasis on benevolent magic in
the earlier films adds to the appeal of the fantasy world in general. A case study of this
example follows below, after which I will also provide more general comments
concerning the relationship between music and emotion in the fourth film.
Case Study: Voldemort's Physical Regeneration
A brief description of the alternation of silence and background music in the
scene depicting Voldemort's physical regeneration shows how malevolent magic (as well
as emotion) is emphasized with music, but regular (i.e. benevolent) magic is not. Indeed,
415 Certainly, background music accompanies other exciting, action-oriented scenes (such as when Harry
outwits a dragon), but in these cases, the background music stops for periods of time to make way for other
source sounds.
416 This is different from Williams's orchestration which includes brass and wind instruments in non-
diegetic music throughout the narrative.
274
what we see is not so much an alternation of music and silence, but instead the nearly
uninterrupted use of music in the scene. This is different from all other dramatic scenes
in the film.
At the end of the third task in the Tri-Wizard competition, Harry and his
competitor Cedric run neck-and-neck through a maze in order to reach the trophy cup.
Ultimately, they touch the cup at the same time, a sound effect accompanies, and the boys
are magically transported to a mysterious graveyard (without background music, GoF
DVD 1:59:03). Once Harry realizes that he has seen the mysterious location in his
nightmares, and Cedric acknowledges that the trophy is really a portkey, an ascending
chromatic leitmotif signifying the adversary Voldemort and the rise of evil enters the
soundtrack (GoF DVD 1:59:32). A transcription of two variations of the
"EviINoldemort" motif is provided in Figure 3.8.
Figure 3.8. Two variations of the "EviINoldemort" motif
~m am E~ Gm
1. 2.
Although atmospheric music and sounds continue throughout the scene, here are
some conventions that occur that follow the form of the drama. Dissonant and blistering
brass accompany as Wormtail (one of Voldemort's minions) kills Cedric (GoF DVD
2:00:02-2:00:13). A potion is made on behalf of Voldemort to the pulse of timpani,
slicing and trilling violins, and sustained bass strings (GoF DVD 2:00:14-2:01:30).
Background music continues (including several statements of Voldemort' s leitmotif) as
Voldemort regenerates into physical form (GoF DVD 2:01:30) and beckons his minions
(i.e., the Death Eaters, GoF DVD 2:03:00). When Voldemort chastises his minions for
275
their lack of faith that he would return, the musical melodies subside, but the atmospheric
sounds do not (OoF DVD 2:03:30). Melodic and rhythmic gestures return when
Voldemort addresses Harry, who has been held captive during the preceding events (OoF
DVD 2:05:04). Ostinati of swirling winds and pulsing strings over a timpani pulse
accompany as Voldemort explains that the enchantment of love that had spared Harry's
life in the past is no longer viable against his renewed powers, and that he will kill Harry
as proof (OoF DVD 2:05:37-2:06:08). First, he tortures Harry with his touch then with
a curse (to swelling orchestral dissonances, OoF DVD 2:06:09-2:07:00), then he
challenges him to a wand duel (accompanied by a timpani gallow cadence, OoF DVD
2:08:03).
When Harry casts a defensive spell, his wand locks with Voldemort's-holding
him at bay with the brass fanfares-and a sequence of ascending scales and shimmering
wind chimes marks the materialization of the spirits of those murdered by Voldemort's
wand (beginning OoF DVD 2:08:53). The spirits (including Harry's dead parents) advise
Harry to loose the magical hold between Voldemort's wand and his own, and escape
before the spirits disappear again. As they speak to him, the viewer hears a lyrical,
diatonic, treble strings theme that reflects Harry's inner emotions (the same theme heard
while he ponders his affections for Cho Chang, OoF DVD 2:09:16). The occurrence of
this theme provides an example of how the musical portrayal of Voldemort and the rise
of malevolent magic is interrupted only for the musical portrayal of emotion (but is not
interrupted by silence). Notice however, that while windchimes are initially used as a
way to musically express benevolent magic within a malevolent magical circumstance,
choral voices (as well as harp and celeste) are not brought to the fore to indicate the
otherworldly realm as had been indicated in the previous films when Harry experienced
276
supernatural connections with his dead parents. This illustrates how Doyle musically
emphasizes the familiarity of emotions over the supernatural elements of magic.
Harry breaks his hold between the two wands, runs to Cedric's lifeless body,
summons the trophy portkey and all three disappear. Dissonant background music
(including a final statement of Voldemort's theme) continues during further visuals of the
graveyard as Voldemort realizes that he has been defeated and yells out in frustration
(GoF DVD 2:09:46). The next shot shows Harry, the body of Cedric, and the trophy
portkey appearing back at Hogwarts tournament arena. There is no background music
because there is no immediate malevolent magic at hand (GoF DVD 2:09:53). Source
music draws attention to the lack of background music when the school band strikes up a
victory march a moment later (not realizing that a student has been killed).
The following table summarizes how malevolent magic (as well as emotion) is
emphasized with music in the graveyard scene, but regular (i.e. benevolent) magic is not,
and illustrates the striking difference between the use of background music in The Goblet
ofFire compared with the preceding three Potter films. Instead of alternating
background music with specific images (as was done in the preceding films), background
music is applied without break to the many events that occur during the roughly ten-
minute long graveyard scene. While there is no background music present before or after
malevolent magic is immediately at hand, there is non-stop background music and
atmospheric sound throughout the rise of Voldemort and the gathering of his evil forces.
While the majority of this background music is built on dissonance and statements
of Voldemort's motif, the exception occurs when visuals of benevolent magic (numbers
16-18) are accompanied by a leitmotif signifying Harry's inner emotions (but not
signifying magic).417 In other words, the music privileges emotion and heightens the rise
417 This leitmotif is called "Harry in Winter" on the CD soundtrack.
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of evil, but does not generally acknowledge magic or fantasy. Ultimately, the music for
the fourth film makes the story dramatic and "real," but not necessarily magical.
Table 3.7. The alternation of silence and background music in the graveyard scene as a
representation of regular (i.e., benevolent) and malevolent magical circumstances
Visuals without Background Music Visuals with Background Music and Sound
Harry recognizes the mysterious graveyard
Cedric acknowledges the role of the portkey
Wormtail arrives and kills Cedric
A potion is made on behalf of Vo1demort
Vo1demort regenerates in physical form
Vo1demort beckons his minions (Death Eaters)
Voldemort chastises his minions
Voldemort addresses Harry
Vo1demort explains Harry's protective magic
Voldemort claims supremacy over Harry
Voldemort tortures Harry
Voldemort challenges Harry to a duel
Harry's wand locks with Voldemort's wand
Voldemort's murder victims emerge as spirits
The spirits give protective advice to Harry
Harry releases his wand lock with Voldemort
Harry escapes by way of the portkey
Voldemort expresses frustration at his failure
I. A portkey transports boys from Hogwarts to a graveyard
2. Harry and Cedric wonder where they are
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
II.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21. Harry (with Cedric's body) returns to Hogwarts
22. The school band begins to playa victory march
Horizontally, this chart shows how background music is applied to images in which malevolent magical
events occur, while images with normal (i.e. benevolent) magical circumstances do not include background
music. Vertically, this chart shows how images that include malevolent magical events (and thus also
include background music) are clumped together between images that do not include malevolent magical
events.
Although Patrick Doyle's score for Mike Newell's The Goblet ofFire tends not to
emphasize the irrational realm (with the exception of the case study above), I do not deny
that the score supports the emotional realm. By the same token, while Doyle's score
certainly provides emotion in the larger sense that music itself signifies emotion, it tends
278
not to address emotion at the level of the specific. As previously mentioned, music rarely
accompanies dialogue, and when it does, often enters late in the scene and at a
significantly lower volume than the dialogue, such that it is difficult to perceive.
Additionally, sometimes the mood of the music is difficult to interpret even when the
volume is high enough to hear. For instance, when contestants for the Tri-Wizard
Championship place their names into the Goblet of Fire, the viewer hears non-diegetic
music that does not seem to have a specific emotional intent (GoF DVD 28:57-29:28).
Perhaps this music represents gravity, honor, danger, the passing of time, or something
else completely different. In other words, Doyle's music for this scene seems to
contribute an appropriate atmosphere (if I interpret the scene correctly as a serious
moment in the drama), but does not illustrate or clarify the drama with subjectivity as
Williams's music tends to do for the previous films.
Additionally, Doyle's music does not tend to parallel actions with specificity such
that audiences might interpret actors's gestures as being significant. For instance, when
Filch (the Hogwarts caretaker) jogs into the Hogwarts Great Hall with oddly large,
prancing steps (GoF DVD 16:35), no music is present to help establish his motivation-is
he in a hurry? does he have a rash in a sensitive area? is he simply an oddball character
with goofy mannerisms? His movements are probably meant to be funny, but without
interpretive help from the soundtrack, it may be difficult for some viewers to know how
to respond emotionally to the scene.
One diegetic and one non-diegetic example that do effectively signify specific
emotions are worth noting. First, when Harry waits alone in the champions' tent as he
prepares to face the Hungarian Horntail dragon, the viewer hears thickly scored music for
brass and strings that more clearly represents the way that terrified Harry must stoically
await the dangerous task that looms ahead (GoF DVD 57:23). The power of the
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instruments supports the bravery and strength of skill expected of him while the slow
tempo reflects the gravity of the circumstances. In contrast, the visual image---ofHarry's
relatively small form waiting in isolation in the large, empty tent while the tournament
continues outside~indicateshis experience of smallness and separateness in the midst of
obstacles of great magnitude beyond his control. In this example, the human element of
the drama is emphasized more than the fantastical element of the dragon lays in wait for
Harry. This provides another contrast to how music in the first three films tends to
emphasize the fantastical elements of the story.
Second, at the close of the Yule Ball, song lyrics in the background add
commentary on emotions implied by foreground images. When Hermione responds
negatively to Ron Weasley's snappish, insinuating comments about her relationship with
Viktor Krum (her Yule Ball escort), the lyrics of the background rock song "Magic
Works" come to the foreground, adding weight to her sadness and discouragement (even
at the end of the glorious event, at which she has looked and felt like the belle of the ball)
that Ron does not acknowledge her feminine identity and worth. "Ron, you spoiled
everything!" she exclaims before the lyrics come to the foreground (GoF DVD 1:21:58):
So dance, your final dance,
'Cause this is, your final chance.
The music for this text was composed by contempoary rock musician Jarvis Cocker,
though it includes a string section orchestrated by composer Patrick Doyle. The specific
alignment between the melodramatic background lyrics and Hermione's melodramatic
foreground emotional perspective is not represented in Rowling's original novel, but is
characteristic of director Mike Newell's approach (as witnessed in similar pairings
between pop music lyrics and foreground emotion in Newell's Four Weddings and a
Funeral). According to Kassabian the inclusion of popular music into the musical
280
soundtrack is a way to make diegetic music (and non-diegetic music) not only immediate,
but also more personal for viewers.418 Much as in the previous example, the music in
this example emphasizes the human experience of the event more than the fantasy
dimension of the magnificent Yule Ball.
The Representation of the Fantasy Dimension: Harry Potter and the Order ofPhoenix
The opening scene of the fifth film recalls the original relationship between
silence in the rational muggle world and sound in the irrational magical world, though it
does not follow the model rigorously, and succeeds at combining approaches from all of
the previous collaborations. In fact, in the process of combining elements from the
previous musical approaches to the opening scene, the fifth film exhibits a new approach.
This approach incorporates diegetic music and sound, non-diegetic music and sound,
background silence, and combinations of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds.
In the first scene, implied diegetic sounds (a weatherman announcing a heat wave
and piano music) fade in from the orchestral, non-diegetic title music then fade out as the
camera focuses in on the opening shot of Harry in a neighborhood park in Little
Whinging. A wind instrument echoing the sound of cicadas (i.e. a hot weather insect)
continues, then makes a transition to other normative diegetic sounds (such as squeaky
playground equipment) before dialogue begins.419 When Harry's cousin Dudley hurls
insulting remarks about Harry's nightmares and dead mother, a few instruments enter
softly on slowly changing pitches to rel1ect Harry's rising emotions, thus establishing
low-volume non-diegetic music as a signifier of Harry's personal emotions (OotP DVD
418 Kassabian, Hearing Film, 77.
419 The cicada imitation begins at GotP DVD 1:00.
281
1:47). Fuller volume instruments along with sound effects enter as foreboding clouds
encroach and the hot sky above them turns dark (OotP DVD 2:20-2:47). Only diegetic
sounds continue as Harry and his cousin run for cover from the storm until the magical,
malevolent Dementors (who by implication brought the summer storm) descend upon
them in an underpass. At this point (OotP DVD 3:09), heightened diegetic sounds (e.g. a
sputtering underpass light), dissonant orchestral strings, and a low-voiced choir enter the
viewer's aural sphere to reflect the malevolent magical presence (much as Hedwig's
theme entered the aural sphere to reflect a benevolent magical presence in the first films).
Thus, full volume non-diegetic music is established as a signifier of magical events.
Similar to the first two Potter films, the use of fuller volume, orchestral, non-diegetic
music to signify magical events is in contrast to silence as a signifier of normal muggle
life; similar to the third Potter film, diegetic sounds (including implied diegetic music)
are used in the soundscape of both muggle and magical events; and similar to the fourth
Potter film, non-diegetic music becomes a signifier for malevolent magic.
Like Williams's music for the first and second Potter films, Nicholas Hooper
provides small segments of specific music unique to specific scenes (in addition to using
leitmotifs that occur throughout the film to indicate continuous narative themes). In
contrast to Williams, who tends to use melodic gestures to cue emotion, Hooper tends to
use harmonic progressions to support emotions (as was discussed in the previous
section). For instance, emotions such as relief, release, and comfort are conveyed in the
non-diegetic, sustained harmonies that support Harry's reunion with the Weasley family
and his Godfather Sirius (OotP DVD 15:05-15:16). Later, in an adjacent scene, non-
diegetic music conveys seriousness, danger, and perhaps also hope when members of The
Order ofthe Phoenix (including the Weasleys and Sirius) share information with Harry
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about the rise of their mutual adversary, Voldemort and Harry's role in the complex
situation (beginning at GotP DVD 15:47).
The latter two examples are relatively short, and are related to one another in the
way they appear in the context of the film, slipping under the dialogue and into the
viewer's subconscious, before resolving harmonically and disappearing. In other words,
much as in Williams's approaches for the first three films, Hooper's music for human
emotion is much more inaudible than his music for representing the fantasy dimension.
However, in contrast to Williams's approach, Hooper allows his emotional music cues to
adapt to the drama of the scene at hand, rather than using leitmotifs with relatively static
significations.
Summary and Conclusions
Music is used in the traditional role of emotional signification in each Harry
Potter film, but is used to address specific emotions in different ways by each
director/composer collaboration. Notably, music is used as an emotional signifier of the
fantasy dimension in each of the films to different degrees through its presence and
application. Table 3.8 shows how music (or the lack of music) normalizes some spheres
of the narrative while making other spheres fantastical.
In collaboration with Chris Columbus, John Williams's score establishes a
relationship between a logical, rational, non-magical world without background music,
and an emotion-filled, irrational, magic world filled with music. Additionally, John
Williams uses a combination of leitmotifs and melodic gestures to reflect how characters
feel (e.g. Hagrid's tear) or to reflect a subjective point of view (e.g. that Harry is the
viewer's hero at the Quidditch game). Much as Williams's leitmotifs illustrate and
283
clarify the story's landscape (as was discussed in the section on invisibility) and
characters' dramatic relationship to the landscape ( was discussed in the section on
inaudibility), so too, Williams's leitmotifs illustrate and clarify the distinctions between
the realm of muggles and the realm of magic.
Table 3.8. The application of music as an emotional signifier for the irrational dimension
in Harry Potter films
Film --"'T-J-,ypl!-'e"---"'-'of"-'M=>'u"-'si=c-----"S"-"il:>'gn"-ti""-'fi=ca""t"-"io'-"'n'---- =C=on""t""ra=s=ti=ng,=,--"-,M",-,u=s=ic,---S=io.z;:g",,,Dl=·fi=c=at=io""",n
Stone no music-the muggle world music-the magical world
Chamber
Prisoner
Goblet
Order
no music-the muggle world
no music/diegetic music-the muggle world
no music/diegetic music-the magical world
no music/diegetic music-the muggle world
music-the magical world
diegetic/non-diegetic music-magic world
non-diegetic music-malevolent magic
full volume, non-diegetic music-
malevolent and benevolent magic
This chart summarizes how different types ofmusic are contrasted to signifY normal andfantastical spheres
in the Harry Potter films.
In collaboration with Alfonso Cuar6n, John Williams continues using leitmotifs
and melodic gestures to indicate the fantasy dimension and subjective emotions, and also
includes a handful of set-pieces that support the emotional realm of singular scenes. For
instance, during the encounter with the shape-shifting Boggart, the music changes
between Professor Lupin's diegetic jazz record (reflecting objective safety) and the
dissonant non-diegetic orchestral music (reflecting subjective fear and danger). This
relationship between objectivity and subjectivity (reflected in the use of the two music
genres) parallels the previously established relationship between the non-magical and
magical worlds (reflected in the alternation between background silence and music).
In other words, the absence of music continues to signify the muggle world,
background music continues to signify the magical world, and source music newly
signifies either. In contrast to Williams's approach with the first director (Columbus),
284
which establishes separation between the muggle and magical worlds, this new approach
establishes a musical bridge between the two dimensions. This is similar to the way that
other slippage between music and visuals occurs in the source-scoring for the third film
(as was discussed in the invisibility section), allowing viewers to experience a slippage in
perception between reality, imagination, and fantasy. This approach is also related to the
way that the varied musical landscape of the third film (including Renaissance music and
twentieth-century jazz, as was discussed in the sections on invisibility and inaudibility)
creates bridges with other historical dimensions as well. As we will see in the second
half of our exploration of Gorbman's principles, this type of slippage also plays a role in
the approach to continuity in the third film when music and visuals are coordinated in
creative ways to create segues and sutures between scenes, ideas, and realms.
In collaboration with director Mike Newell, Patrick Doyle does not continue the
pattern of signification in which the presence of music indicates magic, and instead
presents the magical world with tangible familiarity by using more source music and
much less background music. Non-source music only becomes a clear signifier for the
fantastic in the visually elaborate scene depicting the malevolent magic used for
Voldemort's rebirth. As such, the magical world is experienced as rather normal until
this critical scene-when malevolent magic is experienced as truly magical. Although
Patrick Doyle tends not to apply emotionally significant music to most of the dialogue, I
gave two examples in which music provides an insider perspective on a character's
subjective experience-first, when non-diegetic music dramatically supports Harry's wait
to compete in the dragon task, and second, when diegetic lyrics lend commentary to
Hermione's sad frustration at the Yule Ball. In both of these cases, the music emphasizes
the human emotional element rather than the characters's relationship to their irrational,
magical surroundings.
285
In contrast to Williams's and Cuaron's approach of building musical bridges
between different diQ.1ensions, Doyle and Newell focus on the here and now-as
witnessed in the several kinds of modem vernacular musics used as source music, and the
distinct separation between this source music and background music (as was discussed in
the section on invisibility). Furthermore, in contrast to the first two films which use
leitmotifs as way to connect characters and events with what has come before and what is
still to come, Doyle uses leitmotifs sparingly, and thus background music (when present)
is more uniquely related to the scene it accompanies (as was disccussed in the section on
inaudibility), and does not emphasize connections with what has come before and what is
yet to come. The effect of this approach is that viewers may experience the narrative as
more immediate and more personal, but viewers are less likely to feel transported into a
new landscape or to experience that landscape as magical.
Nicholas Hooper (in collaboration with David Yates) combines approaches from
his predecessors in a way that establishes a new approach for the fifth film. Hooper
recalls Doyle's use of modem-sounding source music by using piano music and the
voice-over of a weather report at the beginning of the film, and also recalls Williams's
use of music as a signifier for magic during the first scene by not including full volume
background music until the arrival of the magical Dementors. The bridge between reality
and fantasy that is created by this approach directly relates to the approach in the third
film, but represents an alternate message. While Williams and Cuaron articulate the
dimension of reality within the fantasy realm by alternating source and background music
in the Boggart scene, Hooper and Yates emphasize the slippage of the magical realm into
the real world with the emphasis on background music when the Dementors attack.420
420 This is also clearly related to Rowling's intentions of gradually showing this slippage as Voldemort
continues to gain power.
286
Additionally, Hooper combines the approaches from his predecessors by using
some leitmotifs, and using some shorter melodic and harmonic gestures for dialogue (e.g.
when Harry is reunited with loved ones and when Harry becomes privy to important
information about Voldemort). In this way, Hooper balances the degree to which music
establishes connections between characters and their landscape, with the degree to which
music establishes the here and now. Similarly, this affects viewer involvement in the
story's landscape. At times, Hooper's music allows the viewer to observe, while in other
times, Hooper's music allows the viewer to experience.
In this chapter, I presented my findings from a comparison between the
applications of music in the Harry Potter films using the Classical Hollywood style as a
model (as outlined by Claudia Gorbman). I showed how each ofthe Potter films uses
music in traditional ways, and how each of the films also exhibits variation within the
tradition. The accumulation of variations at a detailed level-as seen through the
examination of Gorbman's principles of invisibility, inaudibility, and the representation
of the irrational dimension-results in significant differences between the approaches to
music in each film as a whole.
The two most provocative approaches to the principal of invisibility are witnessed
in the third movie-in which Williams and Cuar6n blur the boundaries of diegesis-and
in the fourth movie-in which Doyle and Newell rigorously contrast source and non-
source music. As we saw, the inclusion of source music made a significant impact on the
landscape that each team of filmmakers set out to establish. How do these approaches to
source music relate to Rowling's original text and intentions? How do the approaches
from the other films (which use far less source music) relate to Rowling's novels in
which there are several examples of musical events? Although I have briefly mentioned
that each collaborative team made choices to include or exclude musical events from
287
Rowling's descriptions (or indeed, to invent their own source music events), I provide a
thorough examination of these musical events in Chapter VII. By comparing the musical
events as described by Rowling with the same or similar events as represented in the
films, we can better understand how the filmmakers either transferred or transformed
Rowling's social landscape into the cinematic medium.
Differences in the approach to inaudibility are drawn along national lines-at
least when one considers the literal volume of music in the films. While Williams's
(American) music is always distinctly heard, Doyle's and Hooper's (both British) music
is often much softer.421 However, when considering how music follows the form of the
drama (as an expression of the approach to inaudibility) there are at least three distinct
approaches in the Harry Potter films, encompassing the use of musical gestures that
parallel action, the use of atmospheric music to parallel mood, and combinations of the
two. As we saw, the degree to which music follows form establish different relationships
between the viewer and the landscape of the film. How does music follow the form of
each film as a whole, or further, of the film series as a whole? While I limited my
discussion of form in this section to individual scenes (and in so doing, showed how each
film engages viewers into the story's landscape), I pursue further the matter of music and
form in the next chapter-which uses Gorbman's remaining principles to explain how
music ties the films together from beginning to end.
My examination ofthe connection between the presence of music and emotion
showed how each successive collaboration chose to represent the irrational realm in a
strikingly different way. As we saw, the presence and prominence of background music
is a strong indicator of the relative emphasis on fantasy in each film. This matter speaks
directly to the story filmmakers wished to tell, and deserves greater attention. I continue
421 The directors who collaborated with Williams are both from North America, while the directors who
collaborated with Doyle and Hooper are both from the UK.
288
my examination of the musical representation of the irrational realm in Chapter VI by
exploring melodic motifs and intstrumental timbres that are used to signify elements of
magic. I also add to this examination the exploration of how music contributes to the
spectactle of the films, which is another form of fantasy as escapism in cinema.
This chapter also touched on the relationship between background music and the
more general realm of emotion. At the level of the specific, emotions are signified the
most often by Williams (in the first three films), and are signified the least often by Doyle
(in the fourth film). While Williams uses leitmotifs for nearly every film music role
(including the representation of emotion), both Doyle and Hooper use more atmospheric
music. How do these differing approaches affect the emotional threads that run the
course of the film series? How do different approaches affect the representation of
characters and situations? Chapter V addresses this matter in detail, focusing on the
changing musical themes for love, loss and death, the rise of evil, and its conquest.
289
CHAPTER IV
APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY POTTER
FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUSIC IN FILM, PART TWO:
FROM BEGINNING TO END
Introduction
This chapter continues my findings from a comparison between the applications
of music in the Harry Potter films and the traditional approach to film music that Claudia
Gorbman refers to as the Classical Hollywood style. As in the previous chapter, I argue
that the accumulation ofvariations that the films exhibit within the tradition results in
significant differences between the approaches to music in each film as a whole. This
chapter continues the discussion by examining how Gorbman's remaining principles
(numbers four through seven) play out in the five available film DVDs.
In the first part ofthis examination (found in the previous chapter), I showed how
each ofthe musical soundtracks articulates the landscape ofthe story differently and
engages the viewer with the landscape at different levels. I illustrated how examples of
source music establish geographic, historic, and cultural atmospheres unique to each film,
and how alternations between background music and either source music or silence
distinguish the dimensions of fantasy in the story. Further, I explained how the degree to
which music follows the form of action and drama within scenes plays an important role
in establishing the viewer's relationship to the landscape-as either an observer or
290
participant. While these matters concern how music provides context for each of the
films, I have yet to discuss how music aids in the linear progression of each film.
How does each film begin and end? How does music help introduce the story at
each beginning and facilitate closure at each end? How does music provide continuity
and unity as the film progresses? How does music help organize characters, events, and
ideas that viewers must take account of in order to enjoy the narrative and appreciate the
story that the filmmakers wish to tell? How does the music of each film relate to itself?
How does the music of each film relate to the other films?
As we will see, an exploration of Gorbman' s remaining principles shows us how
film music facilitates the linear progression of each film. My examination of how
Gorbman's principle of narrative cueing (principle IV) plays out in the Harry Potter films
leads to an exploration of film beginnings and endings. This examination shows how the
music at the limits of each film serves to sum up the main narrative points of each film,
and how musical introductions and resolutions can be either congruent with or
complementary to film visuals. The examination of formal and rhythmic continuity
(principle V) reveals how major narrative transitions are negotiated with music, as well as
how the music functions as a connective tissue in general. The final focus on the
principle of unity (principle VI) takes account of musical elements that are woven within
each of the films. As previously stated, Williams uses leitmotifs to weave the first two
films together, but as we will see, later films are woven with different musical elements.
A summary and conclusion will include an examination of Gorbman's seventh principle,
which acknowledges how principles may be violated in order to serve other principles.
The differences in approach that we explored through an analysis of Gorbman's
first principles continue to play out in the examination using Gorbman's remaining
principles. In part one of this examination, I argued that Williams's music (in
291
collaboration with Columbus) saturates the first two films, and both illustrates and
clarifies the magical world for the viewer. As we will see in part two, this approach
provides congruent messages between film beginnings and endings, clear markers for
temporal and geographical shifts, and musical cross-references that stitch the narrative
together. In part one I argued that Williams's music (in collaboration with Cuaron) also
saturates the third film, but with added complexity that amplifies (rather than clarifies)
major narrative ideas. As we will see in this chapter, this approach creates a more linear
progression between the film beginning and end, provides elaborate markers for temporal
and geographical shifts, and braids (rather than stitches) the narrative together with
juxtaposing musical material. In part one I argued that Doyle's music (in collaboration
with Newell) deconstructed many of the illustrations and clarifications established by
Williams's background music, and emphasized a more realistic socio-culturallandscape
with source music instead. As we will see in part two, this approach produces a less
congruent beginning and end (that also relates the least to the other films), provides few if
any markers of temporal and geographical shifts, and staples the narrative together with
atmospheric reminders of the narrative tensions. Finally, in part one I argued that
Hooper's music (in collaboration with Yates) skillfully negotiates the approaches of the
predecessors in order to suit the drama. As we will see in part two, this approach
provides a largely congruent beginning and end, produces clear and sometimes creative
markers for temporal and geographical transitions, and eases the narrative together with
an atmospheric gel (often infused with energizing rhythms).
292
Gorbman's Fourth Principle: Narrative Cueing
According to Gorbman, the semiotic duties of classic Hollywood style film music
can be classified in two ways: as referential cues and as connotative cues.422 The first
category, referential cueing, includes film beginnings (in which title music sets mood and
genre, states a prominent theme or two that will be restated throughout the narrative, and
defines the beginning of the narrative) and film endings (in which "musical recapitulation
and closure reinforces the film's narrative and formal closure"). As well, referential
cueing can include demarcations of time, place, and stock characterizations (as 1have
explored in the previous sections on invisibility and inaudibility), and indications of a
subjective point of view (as 1discussed in previous sections as well).423
Sometimes the indication of a subjective point of view is displayed by association
between a theme and a character on screen, repetition of a thematic association,
orchestration of previously sung music, and reverberation.424 That is to say, the presence
of a theme (separate from its specific musical qualities) can lead the viewer to a specific
interpretation of the drama. Gorbman gives example of music for OfHuman Bondage
(score by Max Steiner) in which the male protagonist makes a statement about music
heard at a restaurant where he dines with his love interest: "I love that music: it makes
me think ofyou."425 As such, the repetition of this theme as nondiegetic music signifies
422 Kathryn Kalinak describes these conventions as making a musical parallel with that which is explicit
and that which is implicit. Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score: Music and the Classical Hollywood Film,
84. Music may reference the explicit by drawing attention to particular characters, objects, places, or
narrative ideas; and music may connotatively draw attention largely unseen narrative elements such as
emotions and emotional relationships between characters.
423 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 83.
424 Ibid., 83.
425 Ibid., 84.
293
the protagonist thinking of his love interest. This is a very important matter in the Harry
Potter film music soundtracks, as all of them are built on the idea of leitmotifs, at least in
part. The majority of these leitmotifs will be discussed in the course of the following
chapter, which explores how the leitmotifs and the subjective narrative ideas they
represent evolve over the course of the films. As we shall also see, the inclusion of
specific themes at the beginnings and endings of the Harry Potter films can lead viewers
to specific interpretations of these films-a subject which will be examined in this
section.
Above all, music as a signifier of emotion has an extraordinary capacity to
influence specific moods and emotions through the second category, connotative cueing.
Virtual and literal lexicons of musical connotation developed in nineteenth-century
dramatic practice and twentieth-century prescription, codifying musical meaning for the
classical Hollywood film.426 While connotations of meaning are imposed with the use
of any of several musical elements including range, tempo, and rhythm, Gorbman
suggests that two main musical elements, orchestration and melody, are most commonly
effectivelyemployed.427 This is certainly the case in the Harry Potter films, and will be
included in the discussion here, as well as the one to follow in Chapter V.
Narrative film music, both referential and connotative, provides a foundation of
meaning for the images it represents.428 As we have already learned, melodic, harmonic,
rhythmic, and instrumental elements "imitate or illustrate physical events on screen," set
stages of mood, interpret narrative events, and "indicate moral/class/ethnic values of
426 For instance, Guiseppe Becce's Kinobibliothek (1919) and Emo Rapee's Motion Picture Moodsfor
Pianists and Organists: A Rapid Reference Collection ofSelected Pieces Adapted to Fifty-Two Moods and
Situations (1924).
427 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 86.
428 Ibid., 84.
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characters."429 In many cases, Gorbman points out, the music reinforces and makes clear
the interpretations that have already been indicated by film visuals, dialogue, sound
effects and other cinematic elements (lighting, color, tempo, and so on). How does
music, both referential and connotative, provide a foundation for each of the Harry Potter
films?
For this study, I focus on the music used for the beginnings and endings of each
of the films in order to explore how the musical soundtracks reinforce interpretations that,
as Gorbman's suggests, may have already been indicated by other film elements such as
visuals and dialogue. I include music that occurs during the film title and opening scene,
and music at the story's conclusion, including also the first themes heard during ending
credits.430 This examination helps us to answer questions such as: what is each film
really about? How does the music at the beginnings and endings of each film lead us to
conclusions about what each film is about? Does the music point us toward one answer
or many answers? Is the musical resolution to the film the same as the visual resolution
to the film? Additionally, this exploration helps us identify how the films are organized
as a sequence of episodes. For instance, does each film episode begin in the same way?
Are there examples in which the ending of one film relates musically to the beginning of
the next film? Are there ways in which each film uses music to either tie-up loose ends
or leave them dangling suspensefully?
As we will see, the music at the beginning and ending of the first film shows us
that the film is about magic and love. This musical interpretation is congruent with film
visuals, and provides a tidy resolution (through musical symmetry) with satisfying
429 Ibid., 84.
430 Generally speaking, I consider the first half minute of credit music, but not the entire selection of
themes used for the credits. The former is the music that plays as audiences leave the theater, and therefore
provides a reliable indication of the narrative ideas that filmmakers want the audience members to leave
with.
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closure. Similarly, the music at the beginning and ending of the second film emphasizes
the lesson of magic and love, though this is not entirely congruent with film visuals.
Furthermore, the same music is used at the end of the first movie as is used at the
beginning of the second, thus creating a strong link between the two. The music used at
the end of the third film is congruent with visuals, yet is not the same as the music used
for the first two. Instead, several motifs are used to paint a fuller and richer, but less tidy
picture of the film's resolution and emotional closure-suggesting many themes inclusive
of magic, love, mischief, self-discovery, freedom, and belonging. The music at the
beginning and ending of the fourth film is the least symmetrical, and instead suggests
complementary opposition. At first, music suggests that the film is about the rise of evil,
then later suggests that the film is about choosing right from wrong with the support of a
strong community. This is the only film that emphasizes narrative progress over themes
of magic and love at the introduction and conclusion of the story. In yet a new variation,
the music at the beginning and ending of the fifth film negotiates the approaches from the
previous films in order to exhibit symmetry, congruency, and complentary opposition, as
well as to emphasize magic, emotion, and narrative progress. Similar to, and yet different
from the previous films, the fifth musical soundtrack tells us that the story is about magic,
the power of loving friendships, and the empowerment of organization in the fight against
evil.
Narrative Cueing: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
As I have argued in previous sections, John Williams's music for Harry Potier
films seems to "catch everything," much like Max Steiner's approach to golden age
Hollywood films. Nearly every shift of camera focus and each turn of dialogue is treated
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with musical commentary that clarifies the relationship between cinematic details and the
overall narrative. This approach begins from the moment the first film begins. In The
Sorcerer's Stone, the narrative begins with a prologue scene (in which characters such as
the infant Harry and Hogwarts staff are introduced, along with some narrative clues to the
plot), pauses to visually present the movie's title (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
along with title music ("Hedwig's Theme"), and then begins the main body of the
narrative (when Harry is nearly eleven years old). In other words, music initiates the
atmosphere of magic, introduces the main characters, then launches the main story.
The prologue itself begins with a tableau of an owl sitting on a lamppost on a
misty night, accompanied by a celeste leitmotif signifying "magic afoot" through its
alignment with film visuals (SS DVD :17). Both the "magic afoot" motif and "Hedwig's
Theme" (also heard during the prologue) include musical codes for magic such as (1)
unexpected chromatic melody notes (which suggest the absence of natural laws)43 1 ,and
(2) the use ofthe celeste (which has historical dramatic associations with the benevolent
spectrum of the supernatural). Additionally, the "magic afoot" theme includes
unexpected rhythmic hesitations which subvert expecation. Furthermore, "Hedwig's
Theme," (the film's main theme) is in triple meter which is culturally coded as less
rational in the historical language of music for drama.432 Viewers can gather from the
misty visuals and the unusual melodies and instrument choices that the film will include
mystery and magic. The high pitch of instruments (though with a gentle timbre) suggest
the family- friendly nature of narrative. The choice of conventional orchestral instruments
suggests a traditional narrative presentation style. When the title image reading "Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" interrupts the prologue accompanied by a louder, full
431 This will be discussed later in greater detail in Chapters VI and VII.
432 Susan McClary, Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota, 1991).
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orchestra version of "Hedwig's Theme" resplendent with vocal chorus "aah" and sound-
effect thunder, the grandeur of the increased texture and volume indicate the epic nature
of the story while the chorus further implies mystery and otherworldliness (SS DVD
3:59).
Following the model in Rowling's original novels, each of the Harry Potter films
has two narrative resolutions: first a resolution to a trial Harry has faced (usually reflected
in a conversation between Harry and an older male character), and second, a conclusion
to each school year during which he is reunited with his friends before leaving Hogwarts
for the summer holiday.433 In The Sorcerer's Stone, the music used for the first
resolution is the same as the music used for the concluding scene, and both instances of
music are congruent with the film visuals. After Harry faces (and defeats) Voldemort
while trying to protect the powerful Sorcerer's Stone, he seeks an explanation of how he
survived the events from headmaster Albus Dumbledore-who reveals to Harry that his
mother placed a protective spell of love on him. During Dumbledore's explanation of
"love, Harry, love," the viewer hears "Hedwig's Theme" (SS DVD 2:16:06) followed by
a leitmotif that signifies Harry's reflection on his love for his parents and their love for
him (SS DVD 2:16:36).434
Three scenes later, when Harry prepares to board the train leaving Hogwarts,
Hagrid (the Hogwarts gamekeeper) presents him with a photo album with pictures of his
433 Using this rationale, each story may also have two beginnings: one at the start of the film, and the other
when Harry arrives at Hogwarts. However, because of the stylistic precedent of the fIrst film, I
characterize Harry's arrival at Hogwarts as a geographic transition (to be discussed in the next section)
rather than a new narrative beginning. That being said, the music in the fourth film articulates Harry's
arrival at Hogwarts as a beginning to the story, as we will see in the following section on Gorbman's
principle of continuity.
434 The viewer knows that the "Love/Reflection" theme indicates Harry's feelings of reflection and love
because this referential association of subjectivity is established in a previous scene when Harry literally
reflects on his long lost parents in the magical Mirror of Erised-a mirror that reflects one's deepest
desires. This theme will be discussed in greater detail in later chapters.
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parents. From this point until the moment when the train departs, the music alternates
between the "reflection/love" theme and "Hedwig's Theme" (SS DVD 2:22:09)
The recapitulation of these two themes reinforces both the premise of the film (i.e.
magic), the emotional resolution of the film (i.e. that Harry has found a world in which he
experiences love) and the resolution of the narrative's mystery (i.e. that Harry survived
the un-survivable because of a magic spell of love). In this way, the music is entirely
congruent with film visuals. Significantly, the recapitulation emphasizes magic and
emotion. As we will see, this is different from the later films, which emphasize narrative
progress and do not always emphasize magic.
Narrative Cueing: Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
John Williams's music for the second film, The Chamber ofSecrets, also seems to
"catch everything," following Max Steiner's illustrative model of narrative cueing.435
This movie begins with statements of "Hedwig's Theme" and the "reflection/love"
theme-that is to say, it begins with the same music that is at the end of the previous
film-then reverts to silence and occasional "inaudible" music during opening scenes at
the Dursley home. Music saturates the narrative once more when Harry returns to the
Wizarding world and the narrative ultimately ends with the same themes with which the
film began-"Hedwig's Theme" and the "reflection/love" theme. By following the
precedent set for musical beginnings and endings in the first film, Williams's music
provides considerable continuity between the first two films. As well, the message
indicated at the musical boundaries of the second film is the same-the film is about
magic and love.
435 GaTbman, Unheard Melodies, 87.
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While these musical themes are generally congruent with film visuals, the ending
music does not specifically reflect either the emotional ending or the resolution to the
mystery of the narrative as it does in the first movie. When the first movie ends with the
"reflection/love" theme, it appropriately reflects the emotional resolution of the film-
that Harry has entered a world in which he can experience love; and appropriately reflects
the resolution to the first mystery-that Harry was able to escape death at the hands of
Voldemort through the power of his mother's love. In contrast, the second film has a
different emotional/moral resolution and a different answer to the mystery at hand.
In Harry's meeting with Professor Dumbledore (i.e., the emotional resolution to
the film), Dumbledore explains that Harry's victory over the venomous Basilisk and the
embodied memory ofVoldemort in The Chamber ofSecrets (located in the depths of
Hogwarts) was due in large part to Harry's loyalty (CoS DVD 2:18: 45).436 Indeed,
Harry made a critical choice to stay loyal to Hogwarts as an institution of "good" when
he argued that "Dumbledore will never be gone..." during his battle with the evils in the
chamber. It is after this pronouncement that Dumbledore's magical phoenix (named
Fawkes) flies to him bringing him magical weapons, and ultimately saves him from
death.
In The Chamber ofSecrets, and indeed, throughout the film, Harry learns about
many of the ways that he is similar to Voldemort. When Harry asks Dumbledore for
affirmation of what separates him from Voldemort during their closing conversation in
the film, Dumbledore responds that it is "our choices, not our abilities that make us who
we are" (CoS DVD 2:20:35).437 When phrases from "Hedwig's Theme" are interjected
throughout this dialogue, it reflects the theme's general association with magic
436 We hear "Hedwig's Theme" under Dumbledore's dialogue.
437 This is also a statement of moral resolution at the conclusion of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
(that is to say, an author for whom Rowling has stated great admiration).
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(especially with benevolent magic) and with Hogwarts, but does not specifically reflect
either the notion of loyalty or the idea of choice. Similarly, when the "reflection/love"
theme is heard following an orchestral at the conclusion of the film (CoS DVD 2:30:31),
it might signify the idea of love as a choice that separates Harry from Voldemort, or
might generally reflect Harry's developing, positive relationships with friends and
colleagues, but does not specifically reflect the resolution to the mystery or the resolution
of Harry's personal emotional growth.
There are other possible musical choices from which the filmmakers might have
chosen in order to better reinforce the narrative resolution. For instance, the "Hogwarts
Forever" theme from the first film might have been used to represent Hogwarts, and
"Fawkes the Phoenix" might have been used to represent loyalty (because this bird's
arrival during Harry's crisis in The Chamber ofSecrets signifies Harry's loyalty to
Dumbledore). However, no other theme specifically signifies the idea of choices.
Furthermore, these alternate themes may not be able to establish the same kind of
symmetry with the opening of the film as the use of "Hedwig's Theme" and the
"love/reflection" theme create, nor the emotional power that the recurrence ofthe title
music exhibits. As it stands, it appears that the filmmakers valued the musical symmetry
of the film and the continued message of magic and love over complete congruency with
film visuals.
When I argue that themes are misaligned with narrative ideas, I am favoring my
own interpretations above the choices of the composer and director. Gorbman reminds us
that film music not only reflects interpretations, it also creates the interpretation. Thus,
another reading of the aforementioned scenes suggests that the ideas ofmagic (as
signified by Hedwig's Theme) and love (as signified by the "love/reflection" theme) are
always the most important resolutions to the mystery and the emotional conclusion ofthe
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Harry Potter narratives, regardless of more specific variations on those themes. From this
perspective, the ending music of the film is congruent with visuals because the music sets
the interpretation, not the other way around.
Nonetheless, Williams's system ofleitmotifs is used more diligently throughout
the second film than in any of the other Potter films (including those using different
systems of musical themes). For instance, there are several examples where the music
responds correctly to the clues of the mystery in ways that the viewer might recognize
only in hindsight. These examples and others will be the focus of my discussion of
leitmotifs for mystery in Chapter V.
Narrative Cueing: Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
John Williams's score for the third film also seems to "catch everything" in the
Max Steiner style of narrative cueing and illustration-although Williams tends to use
longer themes rather than shorter leitmotifs in the third film (as was discussed in the
previous chapter). That is to say that Williams's approach to narrative cueing is similar
to that for the first three Harry Potter films.438 As was argued in the previous chapter,
one way that the third soundtrack differs from the previous two is with regard to
referential cues for time and place. While the first two Potter film soundtracks use
instrumentation to distinguish music for magic (e.g., the use of celeste in Hedwig's
chromatic waltz theme) from music for emotion (e.g., the use of conventional
instrumentation and melodies for other themes), the third Potter musical soundtrack
additionally distinguishes multiple layers of time existing simultaneously. This is
accomplished by incorporating twentieth-century jazz style music (played by swing
438 Adaptor Williams Ross may have had more direct control over narrative cueing in the second film, but
foIlowed Williams's model for the fIrst film.
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ensemble and orchestral jazz instruments) and Renaissance-like dance music (played by a
period instrument ensemble), along with neo-romantic orchestral music. The
intertwining of these instrumental ensembles allows the film to provide a richer musical
text, but the result is less clear than in the first two films. As we will see, the approach of
presenting multiple ideas at one time also relates to the music at the beginning and end of
the third film. This is in contrast to the first two films which both have relatively tidy
musical resolutions.
Like the first two Potter films, The Prisoner ofAzkaban begins with a statement
of "Hedwig's Theme." Unique to the third film, the opening visuals integrate the Warner
Brothers logo, the title of film and the opening scene all together, and are all
accompanied by "Hedwig's Theme." At first, the viewer sees a glowing light in the
distance accompanied by a narrative sound (i.e., a sound representation ofthe glowing
light). "Hedwig's Theme" begins on the celeste and the glowing light gradually becomes
closer, preceded by the Warner Brothers logo. The camera shot passes through the logo
and through the bedroom window where Harry is practicing magic under his bed sheet.
The implication of this visual shift is that the light from his wand is the source of the light
first seen in his window. The melody pauses, though the accompaniment continues,
when Harry's Uncle Vernon opens the bedroom door. Harry pretends to be asleep and
Uncle Vernon leaves. The "Hedwig's Theme" melody returns with fuller instrumentation
as Harry returns to his practice.439 The light from his wand fills the screen, after which
the the film title appears, accompanied by the main melody played by F horns. The
visuals travel again through Harry's window, where Harry again pauses his magic
practice in order to feign sleep when Uncle Vernon checks on him a second time.
439 This provides another example of how different elements of music are alternated in order contrast the
magical world with the non-magical world.
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"Hedwig's Theme" concludes, and the music ultimately stops as the next (muggle) scene
begins.
As in the two previous films, the use of "Hedwig's Theme" at the beginning of
the film signifies the magic of Harry's specific actions as well as the general fantasy that
viewers should expect in the unfolding story. As a tool for and approach to continuity,
the theme also provides a Harry Potter pedigree for the third movie in the franchise. That
is to say, the logo and title music tells the viewer to expect a continuation of the stories
presented in the first two films, even though the third movie has a different director. The
artful combination of production logo, film title, opening scene, and title music presented
with signifiers of cinematic magic (e.g. the presentation of visuals not possible in real
life) suggests that the film will amplify the idea of magic in clever ways.
Unlike any of the other films, The Prisoner ofAzkaban does not explicitly include
a conflict with the adversary Voldemort (though plenty of other dangerous confrontations
occur), and furthermore is the only one of the Harry Potter films to provide emotional
resolution in conversations with two (rather than one) adult male mentors-neither of
whom is Professor Dumbledore.440 When Harry expresses frustration that his actions
during the critical conflict did not make enough difference in the eventual outcome of
events, his mentor Professor Lupin responds with moral advice, explaining that Harry's
actions made all the difference-he uncovered the truth, and an innocent life was spared
(PoA DVD 2:07:19). No music is heard during the discussion, but one of Lupin's swing
records plays before the dialogue (i.e., as a referential cue of Lupin's character, PoA
DVD 2:06:08), and an oboe quotes Antonio Caldara's aria "Sebben Crudele" as the two
440 This provides another example of how the landscape of Harry's world expands in the third film. While
Harry has only one adult male mentor in the fIrst two films, the third film emphasizes that Harry now has
three reliable mentors-perhaps even four, if one counts Mr. Weasley, who has a frank discussion with
Harry at the beginning of the film.
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leave the room (i.e., as a connotative cue of Lupin's disposition, PoA DVD 2:08: 17).441
The unheard lyrics for this tune, which state the author's intention to go on loving in spite
of setbacks, may also serve as a musical reflection of Lupin's advice for Harry-to go on
making an effort, loving despite setbacks.442
In another, more significant discussion between Harry and his Godfather Sirius
Black, Harry's yet unrequited longing for family is realized through the historic, familial,
emotional, and legal connection to Sirius Black (PoA DVD 2:03:38). Sirius affirms the
emotional connection shared between them and with Harry's parents when he states,
"The ones that love us never really leave us, and they can always be found in [one's
heart]" The third film's version ofthe "love/reflection" theme ("love/reflection/longing")
swells as he speaks (PoA DVD 2:04:06), and continues to swell until the end of the
scene.443 In the final scene of the film, depicting the end of the school term, Harry flies
off on a new broom (sent to him by Sirius Black) and the viewer hears a portions of
"Hedwig's Theme" (the main theme as well as another phrase with similarities to
"Double Trouble"), "Victory"444 (a theme depicting personal successes, often involving
flight), and then Hedwig's Theme along with "Double Trouble" (signifying mischief) as
the credits begin to roll (this sequence begins PoA DVD 2:09:20).
The latter selection ofleitmotifs manages to encompass many aspects of the
narrative conclusion. As such, the resolution is not as tidy as in the first two films, but
441 Caldara's aria tune from 1710 also serves as a referential cue signifYing the historic past as a layer of
time in the magic world.
442 There may also be an allusion to the opera for which this aria was originally written, La constanza in
amor vince l'inganno (Faithfulness in love conquers treachery).
443 This theme exhibits the same narrative signification and shares similar musical codes with the original
"reflection/love" theme, but is a new theme with a new melody, harmony, rhythm, and so on.
444 As mentioned previously, this is called "Nimbus 2000" in published scores.
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the emotional closure may be more satisifying. At the level of specific referential
cueing, Harry's final broom flight is accompanied by music that often accompanies
Harry's personal satisfaction and broom flight (i.e., "Victory"). At the level of general
referential cueing, "Hedwig's Theme" signifies magic in both the final scene and in the
end credits. At an emotional, connotative level, the "Victory" and "Double Trouble"
themes (although they do not have the same significance as the "love/reflection" theme)
are indirectly congruent with knowing loved ones in Harry's heart. Indeed, it is in this
film that Harry learns that he, his godfather Sirius Black, and his mentor Professor Lupin
(as well as Harry's father before him) have all been predisposed to mischief, and it is
Sirius Black himself who sends Harry the new broomstick that provides him with the
liberation offlight.445 The combination of these themes at the film's end speaks to the
events that have occurred in the film, and also to Harry's growing awareness of his own
identity and how this identity fits in the context of the magical world. Even more so,
these themes reflect Harry's moment of exhilaration (i.e., more than they reflect narrative
progress), and in so doing, emphasize the magic and emotion ofthe film, much as the
music from the first two films accomplishes.
Narrative Cueing: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
In contrast to the preceding approaches (i.e., that seem to "catch everything"),
Patrick Doyle's score for the fourth film engages in very little referential cueing at the
level of the specific. That being said, instrumental fanfares occur regularly to demark the
445 In Chapter V, I will continue my discussion of these themes, claiming that both the film's visuals and
soundtrack amplifY the idea of mischief as a major narrative thread. There is also a direct connection
between the immediate broom flight and Harry's Godfather because Sirius sent him the broom on which he
flies. Furthermore, these themes suggest Harry's independence, which is ironically only available to him at
Hogwarts with the connection of legal guardianship.
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beginnings of official events (such as the Quidditch World Cup, the tasks in the Tri-
Wizard Tournament, and the grand entrance into the Yule Ball) and examples of diegetic
music (such as school orchestra and band performances) reference time and place with
connotations of familiar, contemporary experiences. As I have argued previously, these
contemporary examples are in contrast to the neo-romantic soundtracks evoking
timelessness in the first two films, and also in contrast to the third, mixed-genre
soundtrack evoking multiple perspectives of time. Moreover, the emphasis on musical
familiarity in the fourth film is in contrast to the efforts to represent the unfamiliar in the
previous films.446 In other words, choices in the fourth film tend to disrupt the patterns
of expectation set by the first three films. As such, the musical soundtrack makes
distinctions between the realistic atmosphere and the emotional atmosphere, but does not
distinguish a magical atmosphere or emphasize specific cued emotions.
There are also important differences in the way that music marks the beginning
and end of the fourth film that break from the models of the previous films-in music,
style, and message. As we will see, the fourth film is the first in the series to vary the
music of "Hedwig's Theme" from John Williams's original (used in the first three films),
is the first to leave out "Hedwig's Theme" at the end of the film, and is the first to use
new themes at the end of the film to indicate narrative progress, but not necessarily
emotional closure. As a result, the music at the beginning and ending of this film tells us
that this story is about the rise of evil and Harry's trials in the Goblet ofFire tournament
as a representation of the potential conquest of evil. The music is not entirely congruent
with film visuals in the introductory and closing scenes of the film, but indeed reflects
director Newell's statements of intent that the rise of evil would be the spine of the story.
446 I will continue this discussion in the examination of musical codes for magic in Chapter V.
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At the very beginning of the film, new music consisting of an orchestral
crescendo pierced by two striking notes (played by strings and woodwinds, and akin to
the famous slicing motif from Psycho) accompanies the the image of the Warner Brothers
logo (GoF DVD :00-: 19). The first scene, a prologue of sorts,447 follows with the
visual of a snake slithering through a graveyard at night accompanied by repetitions of a
snake-like musical motif (GoF DVD :20-:52). As a referential cue, this motif seems to
signify the snake, but is used later to more generally signify that evil is on the move.
Then the film title, which emerges in the sky above the graveyard, is accompanied
with a brief statement of "Hedwig's Theme" (GoF DVD :53-1:10) The theme is played
by conventional orchestral instruments (i.e., rather than celeste and harp), is no longer in
triple meter, and has less frequent chromaticism. Patrick Doyle uses John Williams's
"Hedwig's Theme" only twice during the fourth film, and makes significant musical
changes to the melody, harmony, and rhythm; and also changes how the theme aligns
with visuals-which shifts the signification of the theme. These changes alter the sound
of "Hedwig's Theme" considerably, represent an important example of musical
continuity and change throughout the Elms, and will be investigated more thoroughly in
the case study of "Hedwig's Theme" in the Chapter VI.
When the camera focuses on a house beyond the graveyard, this music makes a
transition back to the snake-like theme (GoF DVD 1: 11-1:19), and adds another phrase
which tends to signify Vo1demort himself (GoF DVD 1:39-2:00), as well as another
motif that tends to signify more general mystery (GoF DVD 2:01-2:07). The scene
continues as a prologue exposition about how Voldemort and his minions are gathering
resources for evil ends.
447 I say a prologue "of sorts" because as we will see, the background music suggests that all ofthe scenes
leading up to the arrival at Hogwarts are part oflong prologue to the school year.
308
To be clear, this is the first Potter film that does not begin at the Dursley house
and does not begin with signifiers for benevolent magic. Instead, ominous visuals and
the connotations of the new, chromatic music alert viewers that malevolent magic should
be expected in the new installment. In fact, an important part of the film is about the rise
of evil (as was shown in the discussion of Gorbman's third principle). This directly
relates to director Newell's beliefthat Voldemort's physical rise to power is the spine of
the story (as published statements established in Chapter II).
Now let us consider what the concluding scenes tell us. Toward the end of the
narrative when Harry has a personal conversation with Dumbledore following the critical
conflicts of the plot, Dumbledore gives him moral advice and affirmation, saying, "Dark
and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and
what is easy. Remember this, you have friends here, you are not alone." Paradoxically,
no music supports this crucial statement (GoF DVD 2:20:33-2:20:52). What kind of
effect results from this approach? Connotatively, the emotions conveyed by the absence
of music in the moment seem to contradict the dialogue. Either Harry still feels alone
(following a motif of separation and isolation within the fourth film) or he really is alone
(despite Dumbledore's suggestion to the contrary).
Music in the final scene and credits may indirectly answer to this contradiction.
As students from Hogwarts and the visiting school delegations hug and wave goodbye,
Harry, Ron, and Hermione meet up in an outside corridor. As students leave and the
friends meet up, walking toward the exit together, orchestral music summarizes Harry's
experiences during the year by alluding to leitmotifs such as the somber, and honorable
"Hogwarts hymn," the two themes for the arrival of foreign visitors, and the tournament
theme (GoF DVD 2:21 :43-2:23:36).448 While these musical themes are only implied
448 In fact, the music begins at a very low volume prior to this when two melodic motifs allude to the
round "Now the day is over," then Humpderdink's prayer from Hansel and Gretel occurs (GoF DVD
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with melodic gestures and instrumentation in the musical cue for the final scene, they are
explicitly presented in the end credits, which begin with the altered Hedwig's Theme,
followed by "Foreign Visitors," and "Hogwarts Hymn" (GoF DVD 2:23:40, 2:24:07, and
2:24:21).449 These themes recapitulate for viewers how Harry has been successfully
tried and tested as a representative of Hogwarts (i.e. as a tournament champion), that he
belongs to an honorable association as a student at Hogwarts, and that he belongs to an
extended assocation of cooperative witches and wizards around the globe. In other
words, these musical themes indirectly reflect Dumbledore's assertion that Harry is not
alone, and emphasize the importance of the extended supportive community of witches
and wizards in which Harry exists. In this way, the music is reasonably congruent with
film visuals and with the narrative content as a whole.
However these themes do not convincingly reflect an emotional closure to the
film because each was previously used as a referential cue (rather than a connotative
one). For instance, the "Hogwarts Hymn" is first heard during Dumbledore's speech
about the trials ofthe Tri-wizard tournament; the themes for foreign visitors referentially
mark their arrival; and the "Tournament" theme cues events in the tournament. In other
words, none of the themes tells us that Harry experiences an emotional closure.
Furthermore, none of these themes appears to speak directly to Dumbledore's assessment
that the time for choosing between "what is right and what is easy" (i.e., between good
and evil) is upon them. Indeed, Harry has many opportunities to choose between right
and wrong during the course of the film, and while no one theme uniquely represents this,
my discussion of the rise of evil and its conquest in the following chapter (Chapter V)
2:21 :28,21 :35). These two allusions may serve as a way of defming the temporal length of the story in
musical terms-although the film is two hours in length, the visuals and dialogue depict an entire school
year, and yet the music suggests that the characters have come to the "end of the day."
449 These are the titles given in published materials.
-----------------_.__._-------------.- .
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will show how a set of related melodies represents this idea with a musical metaphor. As
such, the re-capitulation of the musical themes at the end ofthe film emphasizes narrative
progress, but does not reference magic or emphasize emotional closure.
Structurally, The Goblet ofFire is the first of the Harry Potter films to present the
first and final scenes without statements of "Hedwig's Theme."450 Instead, other music is
used for narrative cueing. Music signifying the rise of evil is used during the opening
scene of the prologue, and music signifying the events of Harry's school year is used
during the final scene. As such, there is no direct symmetry between music used at the
beginning and end of the film (as occurs in the previous films), nor are there strong links
to music used at the beginnings and endings of the other films (with the exception of
"Hedwig's Theme," which is only used as the musical marker for the franchise).
Furthermore, unlike the previous film conclusions, the notion of magic (as signified by
the presence of the Hedwig's Theme) is not an implied aspect of the narrative resolution.
Instead, the beginning and end of the film have a complementary relationship in which
the opening scene musically depicts a crisis (Le., the rise of evil) while the ending scene
musically depicts the resolution to the crisis (i.e., solidarity against evil). This is different
from the earlier films in which Harry experiences a lack of something at the beginning of
the film (e.g., a lack oflove) and a liquidation of the lack at the end of the film (e.g.,
gaining love).
450 The first scene includes the altered "Hedwig'sTheme" only as a signifier of the film title (which is
integrated into the prologue scene), and does not connect it to first scene visuals. The end of the film uses
Hedwig's Theme only in the credits.
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Narrative Cueing: Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
As I have argued in the previous chapter, Hooper's approach tends to integrate the
approaches of his predecessors. As such, the music at the beginning and ending of the
fifth film is largely congruent with film visuals, and emphasizes magic and emotion, as
well as narrative progress. Like Doyle's work for the fourth film, Nicholas Hooper's
music for the fifth film provides narrative cueing for larger narrative ideas (as described
previously for the representation of places like the Ministry of Magic) and like
Williams's work on the third film, Hooper sometimes provides narrative cueing within a
musical theme (such as when visual and musical events align in "Fireworks"). However,
unlike Williams's work for the first two films, Hooper does not use the swift alternation
of leitmotifs as a tool for cueing. Instead, Hooper's music is often both atmospheric and
directly related to the narrative idea of the moment. The result of this approach at the
introduction and closure of the story conveys to the viewer that this film is about magic,
about the power of friendship, and about the empowerment of organized groups of
individuals.
At the beginning of the film, the Warner Brothers logo and film title are presented
with the visual of a dark, mysteriously cloudy sky before the narrative begins, and are
both accompanied by John Williams's Hedwig's Theme as arranged by Nicholas Hooper.
The opening narrative visuals pan across the roof tops of Little Whinging (emphasizing
the yellowing of summer), then show a short montage of shots depicting hot summer
weather (e.g. blue sky, tall yellow grasses, long shadows, and so on), before focusing on
Harry as he sits on a swing by himself in a community playground. During these visuals
(as I described in the previous section on the principle of emotion), the music makes a
transition to include a weatherman announcing long days of heat ahead, and the sound of
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a piano playing a minimalist-style melody. Other instruments imitate cicadas (i.e. a hot
weather insect), then the music fades out altogether. In other words, Hooper (like Doyle)
uses "Hedwig's Theme" as a signifier of the franchise during the opening logo and title,
but uses his own music (in this case signifying familiar modernity in an atmospheric way)
as the first scene begins. Similar to Williams's approach on the third film (with director
Cuar6n), Hooper's music is integrated with the visuals in clever ways that heighten
viewer experience of the scene. When the music stops, Harry is alone in a park, and the
absence of music (with heightened diegetic sounds) helps to establishs Harry's
experience of loneliness.
"Hedwig's Theme" is also part of the closure at the end of the film. During
Harry's conversation with Dumbledore after the critical crisis has passed, viewers hear
"Hedwig's Theme" in the background as Harry expresses his realization that either he or
Voldemort will perish in the end, and asks Dumbledore why he never told him (OotP
DVD 2:05:05). Dumbledore explains that he had (perhaps mistakenly) protected Harry
from this information because he cared too deeply for him, just as Harry and his friends
care so deeply for one another. As the scene ends, the music for the next and final scene
bleeds in-a cue called "Loved Ones and Leaving" on the CD, which functions as a
referential cue from other events in the film and also as a connotative cue implying both
the sadness and hopefulness of Harry's longing for human relationships (OotP DVD
2:05:40). Most importantly, this theme represents the fact that Harry is not truly alone.
Indeed, in the very final scene of the film, Harry is joined by his two best friends, Ron
and Hermione, who affirm with him the value oftheir deep friendship---especially in the
face ofVoldemort and his destructive plans (OotP DVD 2:07:03). In other words, the
music in the ending scenes emphasizes magic and emotion.
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Structurally, the musical beginning and ending of this film are similar to those in
the first three films (by John Williams)-which all included "Hedwig's Theme" at the
beginning (as a signifier ofmagic, though Hooper uses it only with title visuals), then
"Hedwig's Theme" plus another theme at the end to signify emotional resolution.
However, unlike any of the previous Potter films, Hooper does not begin the credits with
"Hedwig's Theme." Instead, he begins with a full statement of one of his own themes
called "Dumbledore's Army" on the CD (though used referentially as a cue when
members of Dumbledore's Army practice the Patronus charm). Like Doyle's inclusion
of Toumament themes at the end of the fourth film, Hooper's "Dumbledore's Army"
theme re-capitulates the main point of narrative progress. Indeed, the theme not only
references the specific organization of Dumbledore's Army, but also by extension,
Harry's cooperative energies with his friends and with adult members in the Order of the
Phoenix. In other words, this theme indirectly relates to Harry's developing friendships
(which recalls Williams's use of a friendship theme at the end of previous films), but
more directly suggests the empowerment that Harry and his colleagues experience
through their cooperative organization.
Summary
As we saw through this exploration, John Williams's music at the opening and
closing of the first two films emphasizes the world of magic and the magic oflove. His
approach exhibits musical symmetry (by using the similar music at the beginning and
end), and is congruent with film visuals (though the music is directly congruent with
visuals for the first film, and only indirectly congruent with visuals for the second film).
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In contrast to later approaches, Williams's ending music achieves closure by emphasizing
atmosphere and emotion, but not the details of narrative progress.
Jolm Williams's music for the third film also emphasizes the world of magic, yet
even more, the creative integration of music with visuals in the opening scene amplifies
the experience of the world of magic. Similarly, instead of simply emphasizing the
magic oflove (e.g. with the leitmotif for love), Williams's music expounds on the fruits
of love in the ending scene-including Harry's feelings of freedom, belonging, and
exhilaration. In this varied approach, the musical boundaries of the film are only
somewhat symmetrical, but are still directly congruent with film visuals. Furthermore,
while the resolution of the film clearly emphasizes atmosphere and emotion, the
increased number of leitmotifs (from the body of the film) indirectly reminds the viewer
of narrative progress.
Doyle's approach for the fourth film is much different. He only includes
"Hedwig's Theme" as a marker of the franchise, but not as part of either the first or last
scenes. Furthermore the music at the boundaries of the film is not symmetrical, and
instead, consists of complementary opposites. The music in the opening scene
emphasizes the rise of evil, while the music in the ending scene emphasizes the potential
conquest over evil. Even so, the music at the resolution of the film is not clearly
congruent with film visuals, and reveals instead the thoughts that are unseen-that is to
say, the memories that Harry and his friends carry in their minds as they think back over
their year at Hogwarts. In other words, the concluding music emphasizes narrative
progress, with only indirect links to emotion, but no emphasis on magic.
Hooper's approach, which combines elements from the previous collaborations, is
different still. The music at the beginning and ending of the film includes both symmetry
(by including "Hedwig's Theme) and complementary opposites (by emphasizing
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isolation at the beginning, and emphasizing the power of loving friendships at the end).
Furthermore, the music is directly congruent with visuals at both ends of the film. While
the music in the opening and ending scenes clearly emphasizes magic and emotion, the
music at the beginning of the credits (as well as the relationship of complementary
opposition, already mentioned) also recapitulates narrative progress.
Table 4.1 summarizes the music used at the film beginnings and endings with
regard to the repeated use of the "Hedwig's Theme" leitmotif and other musical themes.
In the service of spacing, film titles have been abbreviated to the main noun for each.
Likewise, "Hedwig's Theme" is indicated as "H. T." As one can see from the table, all
of the films use "Hedwig's Theme" to accompany each film title. Williams uses the
theme throughout the main sections of the beginning and end of the first three films,
while Doyle and Hooper use the theme more sparingly in the fourth and fifth films.
Doyle uses the theme with the title image and the credits of The Goblet ofFire, but does
not use it during the narrative scenes at the beginning or ending of the film. Hooper uses
the theme for the sequence of the Warner Brothers logo and the film title, but also does
not include the theme during the first scene (though he does include it in the penultimate
scene). The first and second films exhibit unity as single films, and also as a pair of
films. For instance, the first scene in the second film uses the same music as the last
scene in the first film.
Both The Prisoner ofAzkaban and The Goblet ofFire would appear more unified
than they do on the table above if! were to have included Harry's journey to Hogwarts as
a significant point in each narrative's beginning (even though the event takes place long
after the beginning of each film). For, as we will see in the next section, both the third
and fourth films include music for the train ride that is also heard at the end of the film.
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Table 4.1. Musical themes and leitmotifs used during beginning and ending events in
Harry Potter films
Film
Stone
WB Logo
H.T.*
Title
H.T.
First Scene
"magic afoot"
H.T.
Last Scenes Credits (30 sec)
"love/reflection" H.T.
H.T. "friendship"
Chamber H.T. H.T. "love/reflection"
"friends"
H.T.
"friendship"
"love/reflection"
H.T.
"friendship"
Prisoner H.T. H.T.- H.T. H.T. H.T. (motif only)
H.T. section 3** "Double Trouble"
"victory"
Goblet ominous intro. H.T. "snake"
"Voldermort"
alludes to: H.T.
"foreign visitors" "foreign visitors"
Hogwarts hymn" "Hogwarts hymn"
"tournament theme"
Order sound f/x/H.T.- H.T. piano/radio H.T.
"loved ones"
"patronus"
* Hedwig's Theme
** closely related to Double Trouble
From left to right, this chart lists the names ofleitmotifs and musical themes that occur during beginning
and ending events in eachfilm. The information presented supports my argument that some ofthe films are
unified by using similar leitmotifs at significant points of the film 's beginning and ending. For instance,
all ofthe films use Hedwig's Theme at some stage ofthe beginning, but not all use the theme at the end.
From top to bottom, this chart compares how the difJerentfilms applied Hedwig's Theme as a W0J to unifY
the series offilms as a whole. Em-dashes indicate when beginning events happen simultaneously.
In The Prisoner ofAzkaban, the theme "Double Trouble" is first heard on the train ride
and is last heard as the credits roll. Similarly in The Goblet ofFire, music signifying the
Tri-Wizard Tournament is first heard on the journey to Hogwarts, then is recapitulated in
the end scene and onset of the credits. Instead, I address each film's version of the
journey to Hogwarts in my discussion of the principle of rhythmic continuity (found
below).
Although The Order ofthe Phoenix appears to be the least unified as a single film
and as a chapter related to the series, further analysis mitigates this conclusion. For
instance, relating it to the first two films, the fifth film uses music signifying love for the
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ending scene. While some of the music for the beginning and end parallels music used in
the other films (e.g. Hedwig's Theme and a theme about love), the other themes used at
the beginning and end directly relate, in a complementary fashion, to the narrative at
large: the sound effects at the beginning signify Voldemort's invasion of Harry's mind,
while the "Patronus" theme used at the end credits signifies Harry's (and his friends')
innate power and their empowerment to combat Voldemort's invasion.
Gorbman's Fifth Principle: Formal and Rhythmic Continuity
In the first section of this chapter, we examined the beginnings and endings of
each film, exploring the musical and visual clues that tell us what each film is about, and
by extension, which narrative ideas may light the way through the film as a whole. What
about other guide posts aside from the beginning and ending of each film? Are there
other guiding markers that occur in the course of the film? How do these other guide
posts tie the film together, incorporating major narrative ideas in the process?
Film, as a visual medium, is full of privileged views, disjunct images, and lulls
between visual action and narrative sound. One of the roles of music in film is to fill
these holes and smooth these transitions (or "discontinuities" as Gorbman calls them)-to
provide a context beyond the limitations of the screen, to carry viewers from one scene to
the next, and to propel narrative ideas from action and dialogue events to the next
events.451 In the Classical Hollywood model, there is agreement that music "fills the
tonal spaces and annihilates the silences without attracting special attention to itself.,,452
451 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 89.
452
Leonid Sabaneev, Music/or the Films: A Handbook/or Composers and Conductors, trans. S. W.
Pring (London: Pitman, 1935), quoted in Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 89.
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Martin Marks explains that empty, soundless space (i.e. dead space) in early film gave a
deathly effect for viewers, and thus one early role of music was to breathe life into an
otherwise seemingly static and sterile medium.453 While the advent of talkies and
narrative sound remedied much of the perceived stasis, music continues to breathe life
into the structural and emotional animation of the narrative. Gorbman explains that
music builds cohesion where it is lacking in visual edits and sequences because "as an
auditory continuity it seems to mitigate visual, spatial, or temporal discontinuity."454 For
this reason, montages (i.e. sequences of alternate temporality that abrieviate the passage
of time) are usually accompanied by music.455 Similarly, music fills the transitional
gaps between scenes and segments. Gorbman states, "typically, music might begin
shortly before the end of scene A and continue into scene B. Or perhaps, scene A's
music will modulate into a new key as scene B begins."456
One measure of the various collaborative approaches to continuity in Harry Potter
films can be found in the handling of Harry's yearly travel to Hogwarts by train (i.e., a
mitigation of a discontinuity of space) and the change of seasons during the Hogwarts
school year (i.e., a mitigation of a discontinuity of time). Not only do these examples
appear in some form for all of the films, they also tend to be representative of how each
453 Martin Marks, Music and the Silent Film: Contexts and Case Studies, 1895-1924 (New York: Oxford,
1997). Furthermore, music was used to cover up the sounds of film equipment after the advent of sound
films.
454 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 89.
455 Ibid.
456 Ibid., 90.
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collaborative team approaches continuity in general. I will give additional examples of
musical approaches to continuity when useful or particularly interesting.457
As is my mode of argument throughout this dissertation, I claim that each
collaboration approaches these transitions differently, a difference which either creates a
unique effect in itself, or contributes to an overall effect that is unique to the particular
film. Some of the films emphasize "Hedwig's Theme" during Harry's travel to Hogwarts
(which references the Hogwarts location and heritage, and reinforces both the notion of
magic and the overarching narrative of the series), while other films introduce other
music at this transition as a way to present new narrative themes. Similarly, some ofthe
films use "Hedwig's Theme" during visuals of seasonal transitions, while others include
music that is unique and specific to the visuals of seasonal change. Some other
transitions are not supported with music at all. Moreover, in some films the transitions
occur with straightforward cutaways, while in other films, the transitions occur in subtle,
seamless layers. Most importantly, some of the visual transitions allow composers to
represent with music the important overarching aspects of the narrative beyond the visual
at hand.
Similar to what we have seen in the other examinations, Williams's music for
transitions in the first two films clarifies the narrative with leitmotifs, while reinforcing
the narrative idea of magic, in straightforward terms. However, Williams's musical
transitions for the third film amplify the beauty, cleverness, and humor of the visuals, and
reinforce the narrative idea that not all is as it seems. In contrast, there are very few
special transitions in the fourth film, and instead shifts in visuals and/or music serve
narrative progress alone. Combining approaches from the preceding films, transitions in
the fifth film are sometimes straightforward, are sometimes elegantly negotiated with the
457 Chapter V is devoted to an analysis of continuity and unity between the five Potter films with regard to
major narrative themes.
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integration of music and visuals, and are sometimes made in the service of providing
valuable narrative information (rather than merely establishing a new setting).
Continuity: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
When Harry boards the Hogwarts train in his first year, "Hedwig's Theme"
accompanies the visuals of a birds-eye view of the train as it traverses the countryside
(seemingly headed West by travelling from right to left, SS DVD 34:03). The volume of
the music recedes to allow for visuals inside the train and dialogue among the students.
When the visuals show the train pulling up at the station (now travelling left to right),
"Hedwig's Theme" begins again (SS DVD 37:50). This is an example of how Williams
uses leitmotifs as agents of continuity when addressing spatial discontinuity. Each visual
presents only one idea (e.g. either the train travelling, events on the train, or the train
arriving), but the music facilitates continuity between otherwise disjunct tableaux. The
effect is straightforward and clear, and reinforces the over-arching narrative idea of
magic.
Leitmotifs are also used as agents of continuity when addressing the progression
of time. Examples of time progression that represent changes in season are also
presented as moving tableaux with accompanying music. When the camera pans down
through the magically floating jack-o-Iantems in the Great Hall, a choir vocalizes the
syllable "ah" to a transitional phrase in "Hedwig's Theme," then F horns and other low
brass take over the the second section of "Hedwig's Theme" when the visuals show the
entirety of the Halloween feast (SS DVD 1:07:44). This example is somewhat different
from the train example because the image stays relatively stationary, but the camera
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moves through it, leading the viewer to the upcoming dialogue.458 This example is still
similar to the train example because the visual establishes a new point in time while the
music establishes continuity with the film as a whole.
The seasonal change to winter is presented more obtusely. A cut-away scene of
Hagrid dragging a large pine tree through the snow to Hogwarts is inserted for a few
seconds before the visuals change to the inside of Hogwarts on Christmas morning.
Instead of using "Hedwig's Theme," a tune evoking Christmas (previously described,
with a folk-like melody, simple harmony, and sleigh bells) facilitates the transition by
continuing from the first scene to the next (SS DVD 1:25:05). As we will see, this tune
plays a role in the continuity between the first and second films when it occurs again as
the musical accompaniment for wintertime cut-away in the second film.
Continuity: Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets
Harry does not ride the train to Hogwarts in his second year because he and Ron
encounter obstacles which cause them to miss their boarding time. Instead, they drive a
bewitched, flying Ford Anglia to school, passing the Hogwarts train on the way (no
music uniquely signifies the train). The car's flight is accompanied by its own theme
(called "The Flying Car" on the CD), which also includes portions of other leitmotifs
(such as the "friends" theme). In contrast to the other films, the trip to Hogwarts itself is
an action-packed adventure, and the music accompanies the entire journey and follows
the contours of their path (CoS DVD 23:37).459 The music makes a transition to
"Hedwig's Theme" when Harry and Ron arrive at Hogwarts (CoS DVD 26:06). This is
458 This is in contrast to the visual of a moving train as seen through a seemingly stationary lens.
459 Because the journey is action-packed, there is very little dialogue. As such, music does not make way
for dialogue as it does for the conversation on the train in the ftrst ftlm.
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one example among many in which different leitmotifs and generic music contribute to a
steady stream of musical information over the course of a transitional scene. It is also an
example of how "Hedwig's Theme" is used as a marker of Harry's geographic transition
from the muggle world into the magical world of Hogwarts.
When the season changes to winter in Harry's second year, the temporal transition
is presented similarly to temporal transitions in Harry's first year. A brief, moving
tableau of horse-drawn carriages travelling through a snowy day precedes images of
Christmas day inside Hogwarts (CoS DVD 1:17:17). The same Christmas tune that was
used in the first film is used again to facilitate a smooth transition betweeen the disjunct
images by beginning with the onset of action in the carriage tableau and continuing
through the beginning of Christmas activities inside Hogwarts.
Continuity: Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
The approach to geographic and temporal transitions in the third film are much
more subtle and elaborate than in the preceding two films. In contrast to the transitions
in the first two films, the new transitions favor cleverness over straightforwardness, and
complexity over clarity. This approach expands the dimensional landscape of the
wizarding world, and amplifies narrative ideas beyond the immediate visuals at hand.
When Harry boards the Hogwarts train with his friends in his third year at
Hogwarts, the narrative focus is on their dialogue within the train, and does not include
background music at first. Perhaps because the friends are pooling their information
about recent events in the magical world, the scene does not require music to provide
continuity between the muggle sphere and Hogwarts-that is to say, the dialogue
introduces the transition instead (PoA DVD 19:05). At the end of the train ride, however,
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the theme "Double Trouble" (a musical relation to Hedwig's Theme) enters when the
camera focuses on Harry's reflection on the compartment window against a dark, rainy
sky.460
An instrumental prelude to the theme (PoA DVD 23:55) begins just before the
shadowy reflection of Harry's face segues into the shadowy reflection of moonlight
across a puddle of water as carriages transport students from the train to Hogwarts Castle
(PoA DVD 23:57). When the camera shows students inside the Great Hall, the focus is
on a school choir and instrumentalists performing "Double Trouble" at the front of the
hall (PoA DVD 24:12). In other words, a few subtle transitions are woven together in
order to convey a more important transition. The visual of Harry's face makes a
transition from Harry to his reflection, and then to the reflection of light in the puddle.
The music makes a transition from apparent non-diegesis to a diegetic performance in the
foreground. These elements are woven with the broader geographic transition (though it
is less overtly represented in visuals): that of Harry's transportation by train, then by
carriage to the Hogwarts castle. Additionally, the manner of transition serves a broader
theme of the story by showing that interpretations change as aural and visual perspectives
shift. This example shows the cleverness and complexity that is characteristic of many of
the geographic transitions in the third film.
The temporal changes in the third film are also more elaborate than those in the
first two films. Director Alfonso Cuar6n uses the motifs of trees and birds as harbingers
of seasonal change during Harry's third year. Each statement of these motifs serves as a
unique vignette, and the collection of motifs exhibits visual and musical form. In the first
seasonal change, a fast-paced flute melody accompanies the scene (over the tolling of
460 In fact, a brief musical pre-cursor of"Double Trouble" occurs when the visuals leave the friends'
conversation for a moment in order to present a wide-angle shot ofthe train curving around a loch (from
left to right in this film, PoA DVD 19:37).
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clock bells) as a bluebird flies happily through a warm fall day (PoA DVD 28:47), but
then bursts into a puff of feathers after flying into a branch of the magical Whomping
Willow tree (PoA DVD 29:04).461 In the second seasonal change, Hedwig's Theme
accompanies as Hedwig the owl takes flight in dry, fall weather (PoA DVD 58:23), then
continues to fly across the Hogwarts landscape as the sky produces snowflakes, and the
ground turns white with snow (end at PoA DVD 58:46).462 In the third seasonal
change, somber-sounding music continues from a previous scene (of Harry in the snow)
to a transitional scene of butterfly touching down on a bulb flower, then to the Whomping
Willow covered with melting snow (PoA DVD 1:07:03).463 The Willow shakes its
branches, and snow splatters the camera lens (i.e., an obtuse and humorous violation of
the invisibility ofthe camera apparatus, PoA DVD 1:07:12). The somber-sounding
music continues until the next scene when Harry meets with Professor Lupin after the
Christmas holidays. The fourth and final seasonal change recalls the first statement,
when Hedwig's Theme once again accompanies the lighthearted flight of a songbird who
is subsequently extinguished by the limbs of the Whomping Willow tree-which are now
covered in spring leaves (PoA DVD 20:05:50).
Each statement of the visual motif shows off different special effects skills-all
with computer-generated images, to be sure, but all attaining different effects. Likewise,
music is applied differently to each statement of the motif. This is different from the
461 Shortly after, the Whomping Willow shivers, then drops all of its leaves in one motion. This transition
is unaccompanied.
462 Notably, both the visuals and the music segue into the following scene. The flight of Hedwig leads the
visuals to the clock tower where Harry stands, and the fmal note ofHedwig's theme becomes the fIrst note
of Harry's "lovelreflection/longing" theme.
463
I call this somber-sounding music the "Betrayal" theme, and discuss it more fully in Chapter V. The
end of the "Betrayal" theme also alludes to the "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme-also to be addressed in
ChapterV.
325
way that the same tune is applied to the cut-away, tableau-style transitions for temporal
and spatial discontinuities in the first two films.
As seen in the following chart, the visual form of the seasonal motifs includes a
recapitulation when the songbird explodes in the fourth statement as it did in the first. As
well, both the first and fourth statements include a bird and the tree, while the second and
third statements include first a bird, then a tree, respectively (i.e., a delay of expectation).
The musical form is regulated by using Hedwig's Theme for both the second and the
fourth statements of the motif.
Table 4.2. Four temporal transitions using bird and tree motifs with musical
accompaniment in The Prisoner ofAzkaban
Temporal Transition Music
1. Fall fast-paced flute
2. Fall to falling snow Hedwig's Theme
3. Melting snow somber-sounding
4. Spring Hedwig's Theme
Visual
A bluebird is extinguished by the Whomping Willow
Hedwig flies from fall to winter
The Whomping Willow shakes snow off its branches
A bluebird is extinguished by the Whomping Willow
This table summarizes the four temporal transitions that occur in the thirdfilm by listing the
major narrative, musical, and visual components ofeach. As one can see above, the temporal
transitions follow the progression ofseasons, while the progression ofmusical themes follow an
ABCBform. Theform ofthe visuals (i.e., bird and tree motifs) includes an exposition, two
variations, and a recapitulation. This provides another example ofcomplexity in the approach to
transitions in the thirdfilm.
As we will discuss in the next section, the use of smaller forms (such as is presented in
the form of the temporal transitions above) within the larger form of the film helps to
establish unity within the film.
In fact, the creativity, subtlety, and complexity exhibited in the transitions in The
Prisoner ofAzkaban go beyond the geographic and temporal transitions addressed above,
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and so they warrant further discussion. The third Potter film provides an excellent
example of how music and visuals can fill gaps with what Gorbman calls segues and
sutures. When the musical soundtrack crosses boundaries between diegetic and
nondiegetic space (as was discussed in the first section), it sometimes aids other
cinematic elements such as rhythmic continuity in an endeavor to cross narrative
boundaries of time, physical space, and idea. Gorbman describes this role as one of
"suturing" in order to soften the edges of changing film angles, perceptions of time, and
evolving emotional dimensions.
Music may act as a 'suturing' device, aiding the process oftuming
enunciation into fiction, lessening awareness of the technological nature of
film discourse. Music gives a 'for-me-ness' to the soundtrack and to the
cinenarrative complex. I hear (not very consciously) this music which the
characters don't hear; I exist in this bath or gel of affect; this is my story,
my fantasy, unrolling before me and for me on the screen (and out ofthe
loudspeakers).464
Just as in Gorbman's description, John Williams's music for the third film seeps like a
gel or a flow of water from one scene, physical space, and idea into the next,
collaborating with Alfonso Cuaron's visuals in a way that allows the story to unroll
seamlessly before the viewer.
Visually, Cuaron sutures scenes together with regular use of long travelling
camera shots through physical spaces ofHogwarts castle (e.g., memorably panning up
through the clock tower and down into the courtyard below), some of which also indicate
temporal space (such as when the camera follows Hedwig as she circles the Hogwarts
grounds from fall to winter). Musically, scenes are sutured with motifs that continue
from one visual to another, and sometimes by using sound to preceed visuals. For
464 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 5.
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instance, early on in the film, one hears the sound of a doorbell and the voice of Petunia
Dursley telling Harry to "open the door" against a blank, dark screen that preceeds the
image of Harry's Aunt Marge coming through the Dursley's front door (PoA DVD 1:37).
Murch argues that this is a more natural or primal use of sound because it parallels our
experiences in the womb-hearing, but not yet seeing.465
A particularly artistic and subtle sequence of sutures between collaborative
visuals and sound occurs after Harry accidently blows up his Aunt Marge (i.e., his aunt
Petunia's sister-in-law) to the size of a giant balloon. The sequence of segues and sutures
uses the motif of dancing and dance music to show absurdity, then banality, and then
great tenderness-all while making a transition from one scene to the next. The case
study below investigates this sequence in detail.
Case Study: Segue and Suture: Aunt Marge's Waltz, the Tango on the Television, and the
Photo ofHarry's Parents
The sequence that precedes an artful suture begins after Aunt Marge insults
Harry's parents, causing Harry's unchecked magical energies to blow her up like a
balloon in retaliation (PoA DVD 4:18). At first, Aunt Marge's physical inflation is
accompanied by "Aunt Marge's Waltz," a humorous theme characterized by the neo-
classic combination of conventional orchestral instrumentation and form, with absurd-
sounding harmonies (reminiscent of Prokofiev).
I discuss this set-piece (that precedes the segue) in Chapter VI, and present only
the main points here. During the main musical theme of "Aunt Marge's Waltz," the
music alludes to the lunacy of Aunt Marge and the whole Dursley family through the
465 Walter Murch, forward to Audio- Vision: Sound on Screen, by Michel Chion (New York: Columbia,
1994), vii.
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repeated chiming of the family cuckoo clock, musically emphasizes the events of
Marge's expansion with accents and parallel gestures as her buttons pop from her clothes,
and increases in volume as she inflates in size. All the while, the contrast between the
propriety of the theme's symmetry and textural restraint (reflecting the so-called
propriety of the Dursley family) and the preposterousness of the unfolding events (a bi-
product of Harry's teenage wizard temperment, and represented in the humorously
dissonant harmonies) creates a layer of dramatic irony for the whole scene. When Aunt
Marge ascends fully inflated into the night sky, one hears the last strains of "Aunt
Marge's Waltz" as it has transformed into a duple meter, dramatic, cadential fanfare in G
major (PoA DVD 5:32).
Then a clever segue commences (5:58). The camera withdraws backwards inside
the house, leaving Petunia and Vernon Dursley on the back lawn waving at Marge above
them in sky, and passes Harry's unconcerned cousin Dudley who aloofly watches a
tongue-in-cheek tango performed by a dancing woman and her inflatable-doll partner to
the famous tango tune "La Cumparsita" (played in G harmonic-minor) on a variety show
on television. In other words, there is a visual suture between the inflated Aunt Marge
and the inflated dance partner, and a musical suture between the waltz-tempo G-major
music accompanying Aunt Marge's and the G-minor tango tune accompanying the
dancers on the television.
The sound of the tango continues as the camera follows Harry rushing upstairs
(PoA DVD 6: 11), and fades away when Harry enters his bedroom. Once inside, he sits
on the bed, pausing a moment to reflect on the moving color photograph of his late
parents on the nightstand (PoA DVD 6:20). In the picture, his father takes his mother's
arms in a ballroom position and turns them both as if dancing together while fall leaves
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drift around them. As Harry watches them turning together with smiles on their faces,
the viewer hears a plaintive G (natural) minor melody in slow waltz time.466
In other words, there is another visual suture between watching the dancers on the
television screen and watching Harry's parents dancing in the photograph behind glass,
and likewise, another musical suture by following the diegetic tango tune (in G harmonic
minor) with the non-diegetic plaintive waltz (in G natural minor). Importantly, these
sutures carry the viewer from the absurdity of Aunt Marge, to the banality of Dudley's
television obsession, and finally to the tenderness that Harry feels toward his parents.
The different applications of music through this transition signify different levels
of reality and truth-for the viewer and for the characters. For instance, the music of
"Aunt Marge's Waltz" makes real (for the viewer) the otherwise unbelievable visuals of
Marge's expanding body. The verisimilitude of the television program (which has
engaged Dudley's attention more than watching his Aunt float to the sky) adds a
commentary on the level to which characters themselves accept the events as real. The
diegetic television sound and visuals also lends naturalness to the next musical scene in
which viewers are able to experience the inner truth of Harry's connection to his parents
as he watches them through glass.
Furthermore, Dudley's fascination with the television (over the extraordinary
events taking place around him) adds a reflexive layer of commentary on the use of
music in cinema itself-that is to say, the same mesmerizing principles that keep viewers
glued to the film also keep Dudley glued to the television within the film. As Gorbman
points out, "music lessens defenses against the fantasy structures to which narrative
provides access. It increases the spectator's susceptibility to suggestion. The cinema has
466 I call this the "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme. Later, I will discuss how this figuratively reflective
theme mimetically represents physical reflection qualities and also relates to similarly reflective themes in
movies I, II and V.
330
been compared to hypnosis, since both induce (at least in good subjects) a kind of
trance."467 In other words, it provides multi-layered humor when viewers see the
banality of Dudley's television trance because they, too, are under the spell of the
movie's musical trance.
Although these latter sutures perform an important function by easing the
transition from one scene to another in the way that they cleverly reference similar dance
contexts, more significantly, they artfully show the distinct contrasts between each
context. In so doing, these sutures provide the viewer with a lot of important narrative
information. When audiences are emotionally affected by the plaintive waltz melody
illustrating the longing in Harry's heart for his parents (whom he knows only through the
photograph), the effect is amplified by having just experienced the folly of the Dursleys's
conduct (indirectly contributing to Aunt Marge's inflation), and the vapidity ofI-Iarry's
life in their home (depicted through Dudley Dursley' hypnotic attention to the television).
In contrast, the viewer comes to understand that Harry's love for his parents and the love
they had for him is not only real, it is something that truly matters.
Continuity: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
The geographic and temporal transitions are all but ignored in the fourth film.
Instead of identifying these transitions with straightforward clarity (as in the first two
films) or expanding the meaning of transitions with elegant complexity (as in the third
film), the transitions in the fourth film tend to emphasize narrative progress alone. The
main geographic transition ofHarry'sjoumey to Hogwarts includes an audio-visual
467 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 5.
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catalogue foreshadowing events to come, while temporal transitions are not emphasized;
rather, they are only included in the background of scenes depicting narrative progress.
In the fourth film, the train ride to the magical world of Hogwarts is accompanied
by 'Hedwig's Theme" (which provides continuity with the other films) and also by a
collection of other leitmotifs that serves as an overture introducing events that will occur
during the main body of the film. In this way, this geographic transition seems to
indicate that this is the true beginning of the story (rather than the opening scenes
described in the previous section). Indeed, the music used in this transition scene creates
symmetry and greater congruency with the music used in the ending scene than does the
music used at the beginning of the film (as was discussed in the previous section).
As in the previous films, music (this time from a preceding scene) makes way
for dialogue while Harry and his friends are on the train to Hogwarts, but then swells
with "Hedwig's Theme" (in an altered, more ominous-sounding form arranged by Patrick
Doyle) when Hedwig flies from the train with a letter to Harry's godfather, Sirius (GoF
DVD 15:04). When the visuals return focus to the moving train, the music changes
without a hitch to another leitmotif foreshadowing the Tri-Wizard Tournament (GoF
DVD 15:24). As the visuals change again to a flying carriage led by white flying horses,
the musical theme changes again to one that represents visiting students from the
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic (GoF DVD 15:33).468 The visuals change yet again to
an antique schooner with eagles on its flags (similar to both the Teutonic and the Russian
Imperial Eagle crests) emerging from the Black Lake to a theme representing the visiting
students from the Durmstrang Institute for Magical Study. The melody for this theme is
closely related to the Russian folk song translated as "Meadowlands," which further
468 However, this theme does not follow the subsequent appearances of the Beauxbatons students.
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evokes the Russian provenance of the ship, and so also, the geographic transition that it
may have made (GoF DVD 16:05).469
The sequence of visuals and musical themes discussed above for Harry's arrival at
Hogwarts functions more like a narrative beginning than simply a geographic transition.
As in the Classic Hollywood Style (as described by Gorbman), this sequence begins with
the title theme (i.e. Hedwig's Theme) and also includes themes representing the main
points of the upcoming narrative (i.e. themes representing the visiting students and the
Tri-Wizard Tournament). As in an overture, the themes are spectacular in their full
instrumentation, volume, and narrative cueing, and transition from one to the other in
smooth succession. In addition to behaving like an overture (rather than a transition), this
musical sequence is also not representative ofthe way most other transitions are handled
in the fourth film-which do not include leitmotifs, or sometimes any music at all. 470
Doyle's music for the fourth film does not fill gaps as thickly or as frequently as
the previous musical soundtracks do. As such, transitions in The Goblet ofFire seem
more disjunct than in the previous Potter movies, and rhythmic and formal continuity
sometimes suffers for it. Many scenes begin with silence (without music from previous
scene) and some end that way as wel1.471 Although the music follows the Classical
Hollywood model by creeping in softly before making a transition, or by beginning
alongside a visual action or cutaway, it does so sparingly and conservatively (as stated in
469 This example also illustrates how Doyle uses real-world, familiar tunes to illustrate magical beings and
events. This is different from Williams's quotation ofCaldara's "Sebben Crudele" as an indicator ofa
specifc emotion.
470 Furthermore, much ofthe music used in this sequence is recapitulated at the end, thus serving a unity
between this point of the narrative and the conclusion.
471 For instance, the beginning of Alistair Moody's class (OoF DVD 23:09) begins with a one-second
bleed-over of the previous scene's ending chord, but does not include any of the previous scene's music per
se. The scene transition at OoF DVD 49:04 has no music on either side of it. In contrast, two distinctly
different musical cues are pasted (rather than threaded) together on either side of the visual transition at
OoF DVD 41:29.
333
a previous section). This is to say that the music infrequently assists the continuity from
scene to scene (doing so only with low volume), and even less frequently assists the
rhythmic continuity within scenes themeselves. Often, there is no music at all to bridge
the gap between disjunct images.
For instance, there are no scenes that make a transition from one season to the
next at Hogwarts. Following suit, no background or source music aids in the transition of
temporality in this way. While there is one scene that follows the flight of an owl to the
Hogwarts owlry (i.e., a geographic transition with possible temporal implications), and
referential music representing the swirling, beating wings follows the flight, the music
stops before the next scene begins, and so does not provide continuity as the music in the
previous films do. Furthermore, while the transitional image of the owl traverses a short
distance, it does not seem to traverse time as the seasonal changes in the previous films
seem to. While another scene at the Hogwarts owlry includes snow (beginning at GoF
DVD 1:12:08), neither the scene before nor the scene after (beginning at GoF DVD
1: 13 :43) includes snow or otherwise indicates the onset of winter with music or visuals.
Instead, a musical theme depicting Harry's inner emotions (called "Harry in Winter" in
published materials) begins with the onset of the snowy visuals, pauses for dialogue, then
re-emerges at the end of the scene. As such, the seasonal change occurs only as a
backdrop to a scene depicting narrative emotion and progress, but not as an indicator of
temporal change itself. This abruptness is characteristic of the approach to continuity in
the film as a whole.472
472 While Doyle's music provides far fewer transitions than does Williams's, Doyle's music does mitigate
visual, spatial, and temporal discontintuity in The Goblet ofFire in a single montage, to be discussed in
Chapter VI.
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Continuity: Harry Potter and the Order a/the Phoenix
As in the third Potter film (with Williams and Cuaron), the Yates and Hooper
collaboration for the fifth film includes some clever sutures and segues in the
representation ofHarry's fifth year at Hogwarts.473 Also as in the third film, the
transitions in the fifth film tend to include layers of narrative information. First, let us
consider the geographic transition ofHarry's journey to Hogwarts.
When Harry heads toward the train to Hogwarts in this film, he hears an eerie,
whispering sound and sees Voldemort waiting for him by the train door (OotP DVD
27:17). When the visuals and music shift, Harry awakens as if from a nightmare while
riding in one of the train's compartments (OotP DVD 27:34). Then, an ostinato (perhaps
alluding to the train's wheels) leads into the first phrase of Hedwig's Theme, which
swells then transforms into a variation with an imitative sequence (OotP DVD 27:41).
As the changing tonality of the sequence carries the listener farther away from the
original statement, so the visuals suggest that the train carries its passengers farther and
farther away into the night. The same music continues until students prepare to board the
carriages from the Hogwarts station to the Hogwarts castle (OotP DVD 28:11).
This approach is similar to the approach for the third film's train ride in that
narrative information is presented in a way that is interpreted differently as the scene
progresses. At first we believe that Harry sees the adversary, then later, we understand
that he has only dreamt of the adversary. As well, two shifts happen at once: Harry
473 One of the most consistent visual markers of temporal transitions in the fifth film is the use of
newspaper headlines, and newspaper montages. In these examples, the film visuals lead the viewer in and
out of the moving photographs in the newspaper articles, thus making smooth visual transitions in and out
of scenes, and also promoting the notion that not all is as it seems-perceptions are always shifting. Each
of these temporal transitions uses different background music, appropriate to the drama in the moment.
Because I choose to focus on Harry's train ride and the changing seasons as a comparitive marker of
transitions in the series, I do not address this other significant unifying motif that contributes to the
continuity of the fifth film.
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experiences a transition from his dream-world to reality, and in a provocative
juxtaposition, the train carries Harry from the world of reality to the wizard world of
fantasy. However, the approach is also similar to the approach for the fourth film in
which "Hedwig's Theme" is heard along with other themes foreshadowing important
narrative developments. In this case, the important narrative development is Voldemort's
new-found ability to psychologically possess Harry as if in dreams-a development that
is crucial to the plot, as is the general narrative theme of uncertain perceptions.
Temporal transitions in the fifth film are also well-sutured, and follow the models
established in the first three films. For instance, in order to indicate that the weather is
turning colder, the visuals fly from a Hogwarts window (like an owl in flight, though no
owl is seen) through an emerging storm to the snow-covered village of Hogsmeade some
distance away (OotP DVD 52:54). A statement of "Hedwig's Theme" ends as the visual
cue begins, then an allusion to either "Hedwig's Theme" or "A Window from the Past"
(from the third film) begins, carrying the listener into the next scene (OotP DVD 53:06).
This provides an example of how Hooper creates segues and sutures-in this case by
suturing one visual transition with musical segues at each end. This transition also recalls
the season change in the third film in which Hedwig the owl flies from fall into winter,
but newly also serves as a geographic transition from Hogwarts Castle to Hogsmeade
Village. Similarly, a cutaway (more specifically, a fade-in cutaway) establishing the
winter holiday begins outside of the Order headquarters at Grimmauld Place where young
people are playing in the snow, then makes a transition to the Christmas celebration
inside Grimmauld Place (OotP DVD 1:11: 11). This transition recalls the tableau-style
cutaways from the first two films in which the change of seasons was introduced by a
brief outdoor snow scene.
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The type and complexity of each transition may align with the level of magic
present. The straightforward, less magical cut-away takes place in muggle territory
(though the wizard hide-out is nearby), while the more visually complex, seemingly more
magical transition of the flight to Hogsmeade takes place in the magical world. In this
way, the musical and visual transitions in the fifth movie serve broader narrative themes
in addition to smoothing the mechanics of scene changes.
Summary
In the first two films, Williams uses leitmotifs for continuity when addressing
visuals depicting spatial and temporal discontinuity. Specifically, "Hedwig's Theme" is
used as a marker for geographic transitions such as Harry's journey to Hogwarts (and
sometimes for temporal transitions, such as Halloween), and a tune evoking Christmas is
used for two winter cut-away shots. The approach that I have described aligns with
Columbus's intent to represent Harry's magical world with clarity. When "Hedwig's
Theme" is used regularly as a marker of transition, it establishes and re-establishes the
role of magic as an agent of continuity in the story. When the tune evoking Christmas is
used for cut-away transitions, it establishes the change of seasons with simplicity and
straightforwardness.
In the third film, Williams and Cuar6n use layered segues and sutures (consisting
of both music and visuals) that make subtle, elegant transitions that are packed with
narrative information. For instance, when "Double Trouble" accompanies Harry's arrival
at Hogwarts, the layers of visual and musical transitions establish the geographic
transition, smoothly carry the viewer into the next scene, and also foreshadow the
narrative theme of changing perceptions. Similarly, the sequence of dance events
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following Aunt Marge's inflation provides information about identities and relationships
in addition to carrying the viewer from one shot to the next. Additionally, a suite of
vignettes depicting seasonal changes exhibits a form of its own, and creates temporal
continuity within the film. The evidence from this analysis aligns with Cuaron's intent to
expand the dimensions of the magical world, as was discussed in the previous chapter.
By creating segues and sutures between different geographies, temporalities, and ideas,
Cuaron and Williams show how Harry's world is organized and fluidly connected.
Although Doyle includes "Hedwig's Theme" for the train ride in the fourth film,
it is in an altered form, and the arrival at Hogwarts is treated more like a beginning to the
story than a transition within the story, with the accompanying music functioning more
like an overture, foreshadowing events to come.474 Having said that, the sequence of the
musical themes follows the arrival ofthe Hogwarts train, the Beauxbaton carriage, and
the Durmstrang schooner in order to depict the immediate geographic transition into the
Hogwarts landscape, as well as broader geographic transitions (such as the musical
reference that the Durmstrang ship has come from Russia). Other transitions in the film
(geographic, temporal, and from scene to scene) are not approached with the same
finesse, and frequently do not include music at all. In fact, there are no clear examples of
temporal transitions at all. The approach to transitions in the fourth film exhibits contrast
to the approach to transitions in the previous, third film. Indeed, the new approach aligns
with director Mike Newell's intent to omit visual excess in order emphasize realistic
social culture and narrative progress rather than to emphasize the landscape of the
magical world (as was Cuaron's intent in the third film).
Hooper and Yates draw from the approaches of the first three films to indicate
geographic and temporal transitions with leitmotifs, travelling camera work, and segues
474 This approach might be due to director Mike Newell's belief that the Harry Potter series is essentially a
school story because each narrative is relative to one year at the Hogwarts school.
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and sutures. As in the first two films, some transitions simply and clearly establish shifts
in place or time (such as the wintertime transition), while other transitions (such as the
train ride to Hogwarts) include more important narrative information (as occurs also in
the third film). The relationship of each transition to the realm of magic may bear
directly on the relative complexity of the visuals and music in the transition. As in all of
the previous films, "Hedwig's Theme" accompanies Harry's journey to Hogwarts in the
fifth film as a marker of the transition into the magical world. When the journey to
Hogwarts includes the ominous dream about Voldemort accompanied by the hissing pre-
cursor to the "Possession" theme, it aligns with Yates's intent to emphasize the
psychological drama of the story. As well, Hooper alters Hedwig's Theme such that it
connotatively reflects traveling away (as opposed to Hedwig's flight, Hogwarts, magic,
or other significations). This is in contrast to Doyle's more ambiguously interpreted
alteration of Hedwig's Theme for the journey to Hogwarts which connotatively implies
yet unexplained dramatic tensions.
Gorbman's Sixth Principle: Unity
So far in this chapter, we have addressed the main structural points of each film
by examining beginning and ending scenes, and we have addressed the main geographic
and temporal transitions of each film by examining Harry's yearly journey to Hogwarts
and the seasonal changes during the school year. What about the rest ofthe film? What
musical elements connect the tissues of the film together between these main guide
posts? How does music unify each Harry Potter film and/or the series as a whole?
According to Gorbman, some measures of a soundtrack's ability to unify a film
include (1) the relationship between music used at the beginning and ending of the film,
(2) the relationship between keys used for music within the film, and (3) the relationship
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between musical themes and narrative ideas. To these measures, I add the (1)
relationship between instrument choices and timbres used for music within the film-a
measure which indirectly relates to both key relationships and leitmotifs, and (2) the
relationship of styles of music within the film. Because I have addressed these matters in
the course of exploring the previous film-music principles, I use this section to
summarize the main patterns that Gorbman's principles have revealed, and in so doing,
highlight the main musical elements that bind each film together.
The patterns of approach reveal yet again how Williams uses leitmotifs in the first
two films to clarify the narrative and bind the story together; how Williams interweaves
musical ideas together in the third film to make the narrative more complex and braid the
story together; how Doyle deconstructs the magical world that Williams's music
established in order to emphasize reality and block the story together; and how Hooper
negotiates the approaches of his predecessors in order to simulteneously clarify,
complicate, and deconstruct the story, while also allowing the story to flow together.
Within the Harry Potter series, there are least two types of unity to address: the
unity within each film (introduced above), and the unity among the films. As we have
seen in the patterns already discussed for Gorbman's other principles, the contour of
approaches to music in the Harry Potter films follows a Kantian model of thesis (i.e.,
Williams's approach), antithesis (i.e., Doyle's approach), and synthesis (i.e., Hoopers's
approach). This course is also akin to sonata-allegro form, in which Williams's music
for the first two films supplies the exposition, while Williams's and Doyle's music for the
third and fourth films supplies the development and contrast (respectively), and Hooper's
work on the fifth film supplies the recapitulation. This suggests that the contour of
approaches is not only something that occurs as filmmaker choice, but also as something
that can be experienced by the viewer. Furthermore, Kalinak explains that sonata-allegro
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form is often a model for opening title music in Classical Hollywood films.475 Thus,
viewers may be able to experience on a grand scale that which is often intended at the
beginning of films in limited form.
Unity: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets
When we review what we have learned so far about Williams's approach to music
in the first two films, we can clearly see how Williams's music presents the story with
straightforward clarity. We can also see how this straightforward, clear approach unifies
the film. When we considered Gorbman's first principle, invisibility, we saw how the
Williams's first two musical scores are unified by their neo-romantic vocabulary and
their conventional instrumentation (including instrumental signifiers for magic, such as
harp, celeste, and the choral "aah"). When we considered the second principle,
inaudibility, we saw how Williams's musical score exhibits a close alignment between
music and visuals, especially by using leitmotifs that recur and bind the story together.
Likewise, when we considered the representation of the irrational dimension (included in
Gorbman's third principle) we saw how the frequent use of"Hedwig's Theme" and other
musical markers for fantasy serve to reinforce the magical premise of the story from
beginning to end. In fact, clear statements of "Hedwig's Theme" occur over thirty-five
times over the course of the first film (though it is stated fewer times in the second film),
making this theme the most recognized unifying factor in the first two films.
Furthermore, when we explored narrative cueing (Gorbman's fourth principle) by
examining the beginnings and endings of each film, we saw how the first two films are
475 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 99.
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musically symmetrical, and that the music at each boundary is congruent with film
visuals-thus drawing clear connections between the film beginnings and endings.
Similarly, our examination of continuity (Gorbman's fifth principle) revealed how
musical transitions emphasize either the magical atmosphere, and/or provide clarity to the
narrative.
Of these patterns, perhaps the most significant is the use of leitmotifs. John
Williams constructs a system of leitmotifs that directly relate to narrative ideas, and
adheres strictly to the system of signification throughout the films-recurring music is
tied to recurring ideas, and vice-versa. As I have argued previously, these leitmotifs hold
the films together-to unify them. Gorbman states that,
Based on the Wagnerian principles of motifs and leitmotifs, a theme in a
film becomes associated with a character, a place, a situation, or an
emotion. It may have a fixed and static designation, or it can evolve and
contribute to the dynamic flow of the narrative by carrying its meaning
into a new realm of signification.476
Furthermore, much of the so-called generic music in between statements of musical
themes bears resemblence to the leitmotifs, and thus continues to reinforce the main
unifying elements in both the musical soundtrack and the narrative (through which the
soundtrack threads). The leitmotifs include variation through their instrumentation, and it
is the instrumentation that determines the key of the passage, according to orchestrator
Ken Wannberg. As such, the musical score for the first two films is unified by genre,
instrumentation, and the system of leitmotifs, but not by key relationships.
476 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 3.
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Unity: Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
In collaboration with the director Alfonso Cuar6n for the third film, John
Williams elaborates on the approaches established in the first two films. Williams
embeds his music more within the narrative than in the previous films, and also expands
the narrative more with his music than in the previous films. This embedding is
witnessed in the frequent examples of boundary-crossing between diegetic and non-
diegetic music. The regular braiding and integration of the music with visuals unifies the
film as a whole.
As we saw in the exploration of Gorbman' s principle of invisibility, neo-romantic
background music is braided together with folk music, Renaissance music, and jazz. As
we saw in the examination of Gorbman's principle of inaudibility, the new approach
balances a close alignment between music and visuals, and also the seamless integration
of music and visuals-emulsifying the two together. My discussion of music and the
irrational dimension (within Gorbman's third principle) revealed how the regular
occurrence of both "Hedwig's Theme" and "Double Trouble" serves as a unifying
reinforcement of the magical underpinnings of the story. While the exploration of the
principle of narrative cueing (Gorbman's fourth principle) revealed that there is
symmetry and music-to-visual congruency at the boundaries of the film, it also revealed
that the combination of leitmotifs at the end of the story serves to expand and elaborate
on the narrative themes established in the first two films. Furthermore, the examination
of continuity (Gorbman's fifth principle) revealed how seasonal transitions are
elaborately expanded beyond simple clarity in order to create another musical thread that
is braided into the film as a whole.
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While leitmotifs continue to play an important role in clarifying and interpreting
the narrative (as they did in the previous films), other musical elements come to the fore
as well--different instrumental pairings and music genres among them. Moreover,
"Hedwig's Theme" shares the spotlight with "Double Trouble" as unifying themes.
Additionally, because most of the musical themes are longer than those in the previous
films, and are presented in longer segments, the braiding of these leitmotifs occurs at a
slower rate of periodicity than does the frequent alternation of leitmotifs in the previous
films.
Unity: Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
Nearly all that is established with music in the first three films is deconstructed in
the fourth. The approach disrupts the contour of film music in the series from one
perspective, while simply providing contrast to the previous approaches when observing
the pattern of all five films as a whole. As we learned from the examination of
Gorbman's principle of invisibility, all background music is neo-romantic and uses
conventional orchestral instruments-though excluding any emphasis on celeste, harp,
and choral "aah"s as well as other instrumental signifiers of magic. Additionally, several
occurrences of source music include folk, vernacular, and modern genres and
instrumentation, which provide contrast to the conventional background instrumentation.
The transitions between source and non-source music tend to be exclusive-that is to
say, confined within one sphere or the other rather than integrated together. My
discussion of Gorbman' s principle of inaudibility revealed how leitmotifs do not follow
the contours of physical action and drama, and when they do occur, their signification is
not as clear or as strictly applied as in the preceding films. Instead, leitmotifs and other
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background music tend to alert the viewer to what is unseen. Similarly, atmospheric
music is only sometimes congruent with visuals, while at other times, background music
expands the story to include unseen emotions. While the latter approach risks disruption
of the film's unity by confusing the specificity of the dramaturgy, the close melodic
relationships between many of the musical themes serves to unify the soundtrack through
the repetition of similar melodic contours.477
As I noted in the discussion of Gorbman's third principle, "Hedwig's Theme"
occurs only once in the body of the film, and therefore no longer serves as a regular
marker for dramatic progress or reinforcement of the magical underpinnings of the story.
Likewise, no other musical markers reinforce a magical landscape. In fact, the
abundance of source-music examples seems to unify the story more than the background
music through an emphasis on the realm of realism. Furthermore, no other musical
themes or leitmotifs are camied over from the previous films, resulting in another clear
break from the musical approaches to the previous films.
As we examined in the discussion of Gorbman's principle of narrative cueing,
Doyle's Harry Potter score is the first to break the unity (and continuity) of using
"Hedwig's Theme" at both the beginning and ending scenes of the film. Furthermore,
DoyIe's modified version of "Hedwig's Theme" alerts the viewer that there has been a
break from the patterns of the earlier films. Indeed, instead of creating a beginning and
ending that are symmetrical, the filmmakers established complementary opposition at the
boundaries ofthe fourth film, and this asymmetrical, more linear progression helps to
lead the viewer through onto the next episode. Even so, the transitions within the film
itself are generally abrupt and block-like, as we discovered in the examination of
Gorbman's principle of continuity.
477 I will discuss how the close relationship between major themes serves narrative cueing and the overall
narrative ideology in The Goblet ofFire in Chapter V.
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Unity: Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
Hooper's approach to unity in the fifth film synthesizes and mediates the
approaches of his predecessors. As we saw in the exploration of Gorbman's principle of
invisibility, the background music is unified by neo-romantic (including minimalist)
vocabularies, conventional orchestral instruments, and the inclusion of world instruments
(such as accordion, electric guitar, and taiko drums) and instrumental signifiers for the
fantastic (such as choral voices and windchimes). Furthermore, the regular integration of
music with sound effects adheres the music to the visual images, unifying them, and by
extension, unifying the film as a whole. As we discovered in the discussion of the
principle of inaudibility, Hooper does not use as many leitmotifs as Williams uses, nor
does he align them as closely or as frequently as Williams does, but he does align themes
with visuals in clear, truthful ways (in contrast to Doyle, whose musical alignment is
much less direct). In other cases when leitmotifs are not present, unity is promoted when
music within scenes follows a recurring model of dissonance resolving to consonance.
As we learned from the examination of music and the realm of fantasy (in the
section on Gorbman's third principle), Hooper chooses a middle ground regarding the
frequency of using "Hedwig's Theme." In contrast to both Williams (who saturated the
first two films with dozens of statements of "Hedwig's Theme") and Doyle (who used the
theme solely as a marker of the franchise and pedigree of the story), Hooper uses
"Hedwig's Theme" for the beginning and ending of the film, and for several key points of
dramatic change or tension within the story. As well, Hooper unifies the film with other
instrumental signifiers for fantasy (regularly, though not as conspicuously as Williams)
that reinforce the magical underpinnings of the film-and the series-as a whole.
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The film is further unified within itself and with the other films by the musical
themes at the beginning and ending of the story, as we saw in the examination of
Gorbman's principle of narrative cueing. For remember, the music at the beginning and
ending of the fifth film exhibits both symmetry and complementary opposition, and
therefore synthesize the approaches established by Williams and Doyle. Similarly, our
exploration of Gorbman' s principle of continuity revealed how Hooper synthesized
Williams's and Doyle's approaches to transitions, by using them to reinforce the magical
atmostpher and provide clarity (as Williams's transitions do) and to foreshadow events
yet to occur (as Doyle's music does).
Summary
Each of the films exhibits unity as a singular unit and relates to the unified series
as a whole in a unique way. Williams's music for the first two films emphasizes clarity
and symmetry with a well-constructed web ofleitmotifs, while Williams's music for the
third film fluidly expands and elaborates on the clarity previously established, braiding
new ideas into the mix. Doyle's music for the fourth film deconstructs the clarity ofthe
previous films, and provides a number of contrasts-between background and source
music, the abruptness between changing scenes, and the discarding of old themes-that
indicate a turning point in the progression of the series. Hooper's approach for the fifth
film moderates the unifying principles of the previous films, by balancing unifying
leitmotifs with unifying atmospheric music, by including both old and new musical
themes, and by using music to clarify, to expand, and to deconstruct the narrative.
In the series thus far, the pattern of composers' approaches roughly parallels the
Kantian model of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. That is to say that Williams's music
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for the first three films lays the groundwork that is contrasted by Doyle's approach in the
fourth film, and then is synthesized by Hooper's approach in the fifth film. Additionally,
the contour of approaches based on the different collaborations roughly follows the
model of sonata-allegro form. From this perspective, Williams's music for the first two
films (with director Columbus) serves as an exposition, Williams's music for the third
film (with director Cuar6n) serves as elaboration on the original theme, Doyle's music for
the fourth film (with director Newell) serves as a contrasting theme, and Hooper's music
for the fifth film (with director Yates) serves as a recapitulation of the former approaches.
Although the music for each collaboration is different, each soundtrack fulfills a role in
the larger form-whether intended as this form or not. Moreover, the contour of
approaches can be experienced both as individual unified films and also a unified whole.
Gorbman's Seventh Principle: Breaking the Rules
In the last sections, as well as in the last chapter, I focused on the ways that each
composer and/or collaboration chose to follow the principles of film music as layed out
by Claudia Gorbman. From the patterns that emerged through this study, we are better
able to see the kind of film that the filmmakers wished to make (e.g., through landscape,
fantasy atmosphere, and viewer experience) and the kinds of stories they wished to tell
through the film (e.g., the messages at the beginning and ending of the film, and the way
each film is connected with itself and with the other films). However, the arguments that
I have made thus far are based solely on the ways that each composer follows the
principles of film music. What can we learn by investigating how and why each of the
composers chooses to break the principles?
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Gorbman's final principle points out that anyone of her previously listed
principles can be violated (and yet the score will still fall within the Classical Hollywood
model) as long as the principle is violated in the service of fulfilling one of the other
principles. This certainly applies to the music for the Harry Potter films to date. As I
have shown in the previous sections, each of the composers breaks at least one of the
rules some of the time. However, no two composer/director teams chose to apply this
wild card in the same way. How does each team make exceptions that break one or more
of Gorbman' s rules in the service of another principle?
First, The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets (composer John Williams
with director Chris Columbus) frequently breaks the rule of inaudibility by bringing
distinctive melodies to the foreground as a way to provide rich narrative cueing.
Moreover, even at lower volumes, the music rarely disappears from the soundscape
completely. Williams's music for Alfonso Cuaran's The Prisoner ofAzkaban similarly
risks audibility and also flirts with the principle of invisibility. The music bends (if not
breaks) both rules through several instances of blurred boundaries between source and
non-source music in order to illustrate (with segues and sutures through the principle of
continuity) a larger narrative theme that the world and its circumstances are not always as
they seem. In all circumstances of violation (e.g., the principles of invisibility and
inaudibility), narrative cueing is both served and preserved
Patrick Doyle's score for Mike Newell's The Goblet ofFire deconstructs many of
the approaches established by Williams, and in so doing, seems to bend or violate more
of Gorbman's principles than Williams's approach does. When Doyle uses music
conservatively by rarely placing music underneath dialogue (i.e., a contrast to Williams's
approaches), the approach cultivates the realism of inaudibility but sacrifices rich
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opportunities for referential and connotative cueing.478 In contrast, Doyle's score
includes the most examples of source music, and thus regularly breaks the rule of
invisiblity in favor of referential cueing. That is to say, Doyle emphasizes inaudibility
over narrative cueing, but favors narrative cueing over the principle of invisibility.
Additionally, Doyle's Harry Potter soundtrack is the first to break unity between
beginning and ending musical themes.479 This change alerts audiences through
referential and connotative cueing that the narrative has taken a new tum.480
Furthermore, Doyle's music does not provide as much rhythmic continuity as is provided
in the other films, and this may be experienced as a violation of this principle by those
viewers whose expectations were formed by the previous films.
Nicholas Hooper's music for David Yates's The Order ofthe Phoenix follows all
of the principles most of the time, and also violates most of the principles some of the
time. The way that Hooper negotiates the different principles in variation throughout the
film may be a product of his intentions to suit the drama-narrative cueing-as needed
(rather than to use anyone strict strategy), as well as a product of his close working
relationship with Yates, who had significant influence over the music used in the final
product. When instrumental music is very closely aligned with sound-effects for visible
sound-makers, the approach flirts with the violation of invisibility. When instrumental
music overwhelms the film's soundtrack (as it does during some action scenes and one
highly emotional scene), it violates the principle of inaudibility. While rhythmic
478 In a post-modem sense, one could argue that the absence ofmusic could be a form of connotative
cueing itself.
479 Doyle also breaks the rule of unity through inconsistent and sometimes misleading uses ofleitmotifs in
favor of a unified sound to the score including a family tree of related motifs. This will be discussed
further in Chapter V.
480 This is reflected in Hermione's rhetorical statement at the end of the film, "Everything'S going to be
different now, isn't it?"
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continuity is generally upheld and most transitions are handled with elegance, a few
occur without much musical treatment at all, which may feel like a disruption for the
viewer. Like the fourth film, music for the fifth film is less unified at the boundaries of
the film by ending with different music than that with which it began. Again, this
violation serves the principle of narrative cueing by supporting the idea that the narrative
has progressed from (not returned to) the point of departure.
The summary above illustrates three important findings. First, the examination of
Gorbman's final principle shows how the music from each film violates different
principles, thus supporting my claim that each film incorporates a different musical
approach. Second, however, is that each film shares the commonality that principles
were most often bent or broken in order to emphasize narrative cueing (that is to say, in
service of the narrative). Third, music for the first three films broke fewer rules while
music for the fourth and fifth films broke more rules. However, with consideration of the
viewing experience as a whole, I amend this claim to state that early teams broke fewer
rules more often while later teams broke more rules less often.
Summary and Conclusions
At the beginning of this chapter and throughout this dissertation, I make the claim
that there are differences between the five Potter soundtracks with regard to how the
music relates to the narrative and supports the drama. In this chapter, I have focused on
measures of technique as described in Claudia Gorbman' s list of seven principles for how
film music functions within the classical Hollywood model. By illustrating how each
film soundtrack exhibits variation within the traditional roles of music in film, I also
show how different choices produce different results. Moreover, I argue that the
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accumulation of small differences in technical approach add up to significant differences
in effect.
Let us review some of the most significant patterns. Williams's soundtrack for
The Sorcerer's Stone (for director Chris Columbus) includes very little source music,
follows the principle of audibility (though erring on the side of heightened volume and
frequency), signifies emotions on both broad and specific levels, emphasizes narrative
cueing, and aids continuity and unity through the use of leitmotifs. Across the board,
Williams's approach to the second film, The Chamber ofSecrets, mirrors his approach to
the first film. Reflecting a new collaboration with Cuar6n for the third film, Williams's
soundtrack for The Prisoner ofAzkaban utilizes more source music, better facilitates
continuity through segues and sutures, and aids in unity (rather than establishing it) as
one aspect of a more elaborate braid of narrative ideas. Like music for the previous two
films, Williams's third Potter soundtrack continues to signify emotions on both broad and
specific levels, and to err on the side of heightened volume and persistence with regard to
"inaudibility."
The complete change in leadership for the fourth film, The Goblet ofFire,
however, establishes a distinctly different approach. Doyle's soundtrack for Mike
Newell's film uses significant quantities of source music and highlights the contrast
between source and non-source music. Non-source music is almost entirely inaudible,
and specific narrative cueing occurs only infrequently. Many scene changes occur
without the aid of music, and unity is challenged by the inconsistent use of leitmotifs and
the decision to end the film with significantly different music than that with which it
began.
Hooper's approach on the fifth film, The Order ofthe Phoenix, for director David
Yates, seems to marry approaches from the third and fourth film soundtracks. Like
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Williams, Hooper blurs the boundaries of diegesis by combining non-diegetic music with
narrative sound, addresses emotions musically on broad and specific levels, and uses
musical themes to support continuity. Like Doyle's soundtrack, Hooper's non-diegetic
music is lower in volume during dialogue, eschews mickey-mousing (sometimes to the
detriment of useful narrative cueing), and chooses to challenge unity by using fewer
leitmotifs, and ending the narrative with different music than which it began.
Williams's Potter soundtracks provide the richest narrative cueing, sometimes at
the risk of Mickey-Mousing and simplistic interpretation. Doyle's soundtrack provides
very little narrative cueing, thus risking the main role of music as cinematic interpreter.
In this area and many others, Hooper's soundtrack chooses a path in-between those ofhis
predecessors.
The most complex approaches to continuity are witnessed in the third film, in
which Williams and Cuaron artistically assemble musical/visual segues and sutures to
draw the viewer into the narrative, and in the fifth film, in which Hooper and Yates
similarly include significant narrative information in the process of depicting temporal
and geographic transitions. Approaches to unity are also divided on national lines. True
to Hollywood tradition, Williams's soundtracks strictly adhere to leitmotif signification
and end with the music with which they began. Both Doyle and Hooper use leitmotifs
more loosely (either with regard to adherence to signification or frequency of use), and
choose to end the narratives with different music than that with which they began. When
the Harry Potter composers violate film music principles, it is most often in the service of
narrative cueing-in other words, exhibiting fidelity to the narrative.481
The emphasis on music in Harry Potter films as a support to and reflection of the
narrative through referential and connotative cueing deserves further exploration. Now
481 Doyle seems to sacrifice narrative cueing by way of his musical approach in the fourth film. In
Chapter Four I will show how his distinctly different approach serves some of the overall narrative goals.
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that I have broadly compared and contrasted the technical film music approaches used by
the four Harry Potter collaborative teams, I investigate in Chapters V and VI how each
musical approach supports the major emotional and philosophical narrative themes of
each film through referential and connotative cueing. Just as the discussion of narrative
cueing in this chapter revealed the core messages that each filmmaker collaboration
wanted to present and affirm at the beginning and ending of each film, so the discussion
of narrative cueing in the next chapter reveals how music interprets the emotional threads
that run the course of the films: love, loss and death, the rise of evil and its conquest,
magic and fantasy, and humor. I address how each soundtrack supports the unique and
unified emotional story of each film, and also how these emotional stories are linked in
the continuity and unity of the series as a whole. In other words, the discussion in this
chapter regarding approaches toward continuity and unity has only scratched the surface
of how changing musical themes and leitmotifs reflect evolving narrative motifs in the
film series. As well, the discussion of referential cueing is carried on in the examination
of musical humor and spectacle in the Potter films, which follows in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER V
HARRY'S EMOTIONAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL WORLD: MUSICAL
APPROACHES TO NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART ONE
Introduction
As is the frequently stated premise ofthis dissertation, an analysis of music for
Harry Potter films provides a unique opportunity to compare the musical approaches of
different composers and directors to a continuing narrative with the same characters. In
the first chapter, I explored filmmaker statements of intent to show how each
director/composer collaboration brought a new perspective to the series, and examined
statements by fans and reviewers to show how each film was received differently by
filmgoers. In the last two chapters, I argued that the aesthetic differences that viewers
perceive between the films is due in large part to the varied musical approaches. The
three Harry Potter composers use similar tools within the range of traditional dramatic
music practices; yet the small differences between their approaches add up to much larger
differences in effect. Now we will examine how these musical approaches affect and
reflect some of the Harry Potter story's main narrative themes. Here, too, we will see
how different musical messages about the narrative shape each film as a whole. This
chapter considers how the individual and cumulative work of composers Williams,
Doyle, and Hooper on the Harry Potter films guides the interpretation of important
emotional threads that occur throughout the narrative, including love, loss and death, and
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the rise of evil and its conquest. Furthermore, when we examine the aesthetic
perspectives on the narrative that each composer contributes, we are able to see how the
Harry Potter composers address the same questions concerning the representation of
drama that have concerned musical dramatists over the past two hundred years (and
longer).
In keeping with the groundwork that I established in the previous chapters III and
IV, I show how Williams's music for Columbus's Potter films (films I and II) functions
as another set of eyes: clarifying and explaining what we see through theatrical codes and
leitmotifs. In contrast, Williams's music for Cuaron's film (film III) functions as a heart,
or intuitive sense: preceding what we see, more actively molding how we perceive, and
amplifying or exaggerating visuals in more abstract, nuanced (i.e., less melodramatic)
ways that allow us to understand narrative concepts through experience, not just through
witness. Doyle's music for Newell's film (IV) functions as a philosophical mind:
distinguishing the concrete (e.g., events), but provocatively deconstructing the less
concrete (e.g., ideas and emotions), thus providing commentary on what we perceive.
Finally, Hooper's music for Yates's film (V) functions as skin and sensation: providing a
network of musical metaphors that allows us to viscerally experience the feeling of what
we see.
In addition to exploring each composer's individual musical contributions to the
narrative, this study also shows how composers have incorporated some cumulative
musical resources from the work of their predecessors, and have rejected others.
Furthermore, the cumulative work of these composers for the Harry Potter films creates a
whole which is different from the work of the individual composers. This cumulative
whole is important to consider because most casual viewers of the Harry Potter films are
not aware of who the film composers have been, much less that there have been different
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composers for different Harry Potter films. In other words, for many, the Harry Potter
soundtrack begins with The Sorcerer's Stone and continues through The Order o/the
Phoenix without boundaries or interruption-the music is all part of the same story.
Moreover, as Chion argues, the music creates the story.
I address the musical representation of narrative themes that clearly occur in each
film and evolve over the course of the series. In this chapter, part one of this topic, I limit
my discussion to Harry's emotional and philosophical world, including musical
representations of love (including familial, fraternal, and romantic love), loss and death,
the rise of evil (including themes for mystery), and the conquest of evil (including themes
for personal victory and solidarity). I continue the examination of music for the ongoing
narrative in the following chapter, Chapter VI, by addressing the musical representation
of pleasurable motifs such as magic, humor, and general spectacle. While each of the
first five films includes these narrative threads, and likewise includes music to represent
these threads, the music itself is different and the way the music aligns with visuals is
different. Thus, we gain a new perspective on the narrative in each film. Furthermore,
the cumulative experience of the series as a whole changes with the unique musical
perspectives on the drama in each film.
For instance, musical themes for love occur in all of the films, but can be parsed
out into many different facets of the kaleidescope of this emotion. In most of the films,
the music emphasizes Harry's loving relationships with others, while in one film, the
music singles out Harry's feelings alone. In some of the films, the music represents
Harry's love for the living, while in others, it represents Harry's non-viable relationships
with the dead. Additionally, musical themes for love can be divided among those for
family relationships, those for friendship, and those for romantic intrigue. Importantly,
the musical themes depicting love start out simple and become more musically
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complicated over the course of the films, just as Harry's emotional world becomes more
complex.
While all of the films include examples of loss and death, the first two films do
not include musical themes for these subjects, while later films collectively include
several varied musical perspective on loss and death. However, even the examination of
musical themes for loss and death in the third, fourth, and fifth films reveals that the
musical representation of this narrative thread is not directly proportionate to
opportunities for representation. As we will see, one way that filmmakers negotiated
difficult emotions such as grief was to alternate between the personal and the epic when
representing loss and death.
Although musical themes for mystery are fairly similar throughout the films,
some of the musical clues lead viewers truthfully while others lead viewers astray.
Morover, the face of evil changes over the course of the films. At first, evil is militant
and distorted, then, evil is a privation of goodness and spirit, next, evil is a corrupt
mutation of that which is potentially good, and last, evil is seductive. Similarly, although
musical themes for personal victory share musical similarities over the course of the
films, themes reflecting the conquest of evil show us that love, loyalty, truth and j oy,
righteousness, and emotional integrity are the true weapons against the adversary.
To a degree, the evolving approaches to the narrative naturally follow Harry's
maturation (and likewise, the maturation of the young actors and actresses in the films),
the increasing complexity ofthemes in Rowling's coming-of-age story, and the
anticipated maturity of the intended audience. However, as I have shown in the Chapter
II (regarding the history and reception of the films), the evolution of the cinematic
narrative was driven in large part by the aesthetic approaches brought by each
director/composer collaboration, and thus it is much too simplistic to suggest that the
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films and their accompanying soundtracks merely "grow up." For instance, both older
and younger viewers are attracted to the magic and fantasy ofthe story (which is always a
part of Rowling' s novels), yet not all of the filmmakers emphasized the role of magic and
fantasy equally (as we will see in part two of this discussion, in the next chapter).
Likewise, the subsequent films are not necessarily geared toward increasingly mature
audiences. For instance, the artistically complex third film (The Prisoner ofAzkaban)
appeals more to mature audiences, while the fourth film (The Goblet ofFire, which
emphasizes teen-age vernacular culture) appeals more to younger audiences.
Furthermore, not all of the films have garnered increasingly strong ratings (e.g. PO,
PO13, R, and so on).
As I explained in Chapter II, Rowling's increasingly long novels had to be
condensed to standard film lengths, and film directors made individual decisions about
how they would represent the essence of the narrative. That is to say, while each of
Rowling's original novels abundantly includes the themes listed above (love, loss, and
death, and so on), filmmakers made choices about how to emphasize certain narrative
ideas in order to drive home their individual interpretations. Thus, this exploration of the
changing musical themes for important narrative themes reveals how the dramatic
approaches to background music evolve to reflect filmmaker interpretation.
As we will see, these interpretive decisions directly relate to the major
philosophical dilemmas that musical dramatists have encountered since the Classical era.
That is to say, some of the major aesthetic trends witnessed in western music for drama
over the past two hundred years are represented in five films from a series of our own era.
Does one represent love as a simply a feeling or idea, or as an active exchange between
characters? Does one reflect loss and death by showing the emotional impact on
characters or the moral impact on society? Does one embody evil in the form of a
------~---------_._-_._-
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character or disembodied form of a force? Does the victory over evil come from physical
power, spiritual power, or from the supernatural?
It is not unusual to see these questions answered differently among different eras
of music for drama, as scholars know from studies of Meyerbeer, Wagner, and Verdi
(and others). However, the examination ofthe first five Harry Potter films allows us to
see how different aesthetic perspectives are conveyed in a modem-day drama to modern-
day audiences. It is also not unusual to see varied perspectives among different
composers, or among different dramatic works themselves (even all within the present
era). However, it is rare to see such disparate perspectives within one series. Although
other film series, such as the smaller, independent Twilight saga, are now following the
Harry Potter model of changing filmmaker teams and aesthetic approaches, the Harry
Potter film series is the first of such magnitude, success, and popularity to change
directors and composers in the course of a continuing story.
How does music provide aesthetic perspectives on the narrative from film to film?
How does the narrative change because of these perspectives? How does it stay the
same, or follow a related course?
This chapter frequently discusses leitmotifs (as they are varied and transformed
throughout the first five Potter films) and their changing symbolic reflection of narrative
ideas. Although most of the films use leitmotifs to depict important narrative ideas, the
music for these ideas is organized and applied to visuals differently in each film
collaboration such that the interpretation(s) of the narrative ideas changes over the series.
Additionally, some narrative themes are represented with very brief music, while the
exposition of other narrative themes is accompanied by longer musical set-pieces.
Although my emphasis on some musical examples over others reflects some of
my biases, to be sure, it is not my direct intention to elevate one approach over another.
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Rather, I endeavor to point out how each approach reflects different interpretive goals,
and how each interpretation adds to the understanding of the narrative. The degree to
which each approach has satisified viewers and listeners has already been well discussed
by fans and critics, as I have shown in Chapter II. Additionally, I have already noted how
some viewer opinions about the approaches have changed over time as subsequent
interpretations were added to the mix. However, the success and effectiveness of each
film-music approach is also measured in the potential to reach its audience, and thus
another goal in this chapter is to show how the different musical approaches reflect
specific narrative interpretations that, in turn, resonate with viewers in different ways and
at different levels.
Music and Historical Drama
I choose to frame the Harry Potter music by Williams, Doyle, and Hooper in
relation to dramatic aesthetics from the nineteenth century for a number of reasons.
Recent interest in music for drama has produced detailed accounts of dramatic intent and
effect in nineteenth-century opera and ballet. The research on nineteenth-century
dramatic works focuses on dramaturgy in broader and more detailed musical terms than
many film theorists have endeavored, often delving into the realm of the musically
symbolic (rather than how music assists the visually symbolic)-that is to say, how the
organization of music and musical pieces serve as rich musical symbols for narrative
ideas. Furthermore, while studies of musical melodrama tend to focus on stylistic
continuity and film music theorists tend to focus on commonalities when discussing the
classical Hollywood style (both of which were addressed in the previous chapter),
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research in nineteenth- and twentieth-century music for classical drama tends to focus on
aesthetic change.
The topic of aesthetic change is an important matter in the Harry Potter films.
Instead of endeavoring to make the films and film music the same (as was done in the
Star Wars and Superman series), the filmmakers broadly advertised their intent to make
the films different (as I showed in Chapter II), and indeed used varied approaches to the
relationship between music and visuals (as I showed in Chapters III and IV). That is to
say, as is witnessed in the evolution of formal styles of music for drama (such as opera
and ballet) the Harry Potter filmmakers have been intentionally innovative.482 As such,
we can see a parallel with aesthetic shifts in nineteenth- and twentieth-century musical
drama in the musical progression of one series in the twenty-first century: Harry Potter.
Although Shapiro and Marks have shown how twentieth-century practices for
film music composition developed from melodrama practices from the previous
century,483 Williams, Doyle, and Hooper (and other twenty-first century film
composers) have been influenced as much by the codified classical composer-dramatists
as they have by the vernacular traditions ofmelodrama.484 In fact, Williams, Doyle, and
Hooper were all trained in western classical music and composition prior to their
involvement in the film industry. Kalinak's argument about the creation of the Classical
Hollywood style in the 1930s follows suit, explaining that,
482 Anne Dhu Shapiro (now McLucas), "Action Music in American Pantomime and Melodrama, 1730-
1913," in American Music, (Winter 1984),49. Shapiro argues that opera composers valued innovation
over convention, while composers for melodrama valued tradition and convention over innovation.
483 Anne Dhu Shapiro, "Action Music in American Pantomime and Melodrama, 1730-1913," 49. Martin
Marks, Music and the silentjilm: contexts and case studies, 1895-1924 (New York: Oxford, 1997).
484 I posit, as Michael Tenzer has argued in Analytical Studies in World Music, that modern, western
musicians are influenced by a breadth and depth of music from around the world and from history, and not
just by a singular musical lineage.
362
With the exception of American-born Alfred Newman, the development of
the classical Hollywood film score in the crucial decade of the thirties was
dominated by a group of composers displaced from the musical idiom in
which they had been trained. It was in Hollywood that they were able to
reconstitute what John Williams has called "the Vienna Opera House [in]
the American West."485
Moreover, Kalinak notes how the musical idiom of the nineteenth century influenced the
symphonic medium that became the orchestral and harmonic convention for film, as well
as the use of lyric melody-especially the leitmotif-as a main means of expression.486
As well, Williams's, Doyle's, and Hooper's work is also perceived in terms of
classical music. For instance, journalists and film scholars have linked Williams's use of
leitmotifs to Wagner as often as they have noted stylistic links with Korngold and
Steiner. In liner notes for the third film's CD, director Cuar6n similarly notes how "John
juggled these medieval motifs with a late 19th century Rossini-esque narrative, a
delirious big band Jazz number, and 20th century music." Likewise, music journalists
regularly comment on Patrick Doyle's ability to capture the essence of a historic era or
classical genre in his soundtracks for heritage productions. Nicholas Hooper has stated
that his compositional style was originally inspired by so-called minimalists such as
Philip Glass (who has also written for live drama and film).487 Additionally, Nicholas
Hooper's and David Yates's statements of their working relationship on the fifth Potter
485 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 100. John Williams quoted in Tony Thomas, "A Conversation with John
Williams," Cue Sheet: The Journal ofthe Society for the Preservation ofFilm Music 8, I (March
19991):12.
486 Kalinak, Settling the Score, 101.
487 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but first, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
363
film suggests a dramatic partnership journey (throughout filming) akin to that of
composer Guiseppe Verdi and opera librettist Arrigo Boito rather than the typical film
relationship in which the composer adds musical gloss after the visuals have been
completed. Furthennore, the development of nineteenth and twentieth century classical
drama was also influenced by nineteenth-century melodrama practices, and thus, modern
film music composition is perhaps characterized as a close cousin, once or twice removed
by generation. Some, such as Prendergast, posit a direct link between nineteenth-century
opera and twentieth-century film music (in function, if not in lineage), making the claim
that recitative is to dialogue as aria is to soundtrack.488
According to Petrobelli and De Van, the dramatic works of Verdi and Boito are
superlative because of their ability to reveal both what is seen and what is unseen.489
Likewise, Smart shows how nineteenth-century composers such as Giacomo Meyerbeer
(who wrote in a more conservative style than Verdi) were able to convey action, content,
concept, and emotion with musical gestures, codes, and metaphors for what is seen and
unseen.490 Congruent with the models ofthe great musical dramaticists of the
nineteenth century, Murch and Chion argue that in film,
The most successful sounds seem not only to alter what the audience sees
but to go further and trigger a kind of conceptual resonance between
image and sound: the sound makes us see the image differently, and then
this new image makes us hear the sound differently, which in tum makes
488 Roy M. Prendergast, Film Music: a Neglected Art (New York: Norton, 1992).
489 Pierluigi Petrobelli, Music in the Theater trans. Roger Parker (Princenton: Princeton University Press,
1994). Gilles De Van, Verdi's Theater: Creating Drama Through Music (Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1998).
490 Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania: Music and Gesture in Nineteenth-century Opera (Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2004).
364
us see something else in the image, which makes us hear different things
. h d d 491III t e soun ,an so on.
This speaks to the heart of representing Harry's emotional world with music-that is to
say the realm of the unseen that informs the way we perceive the visual realm.
In slight contrast to Gorbman, who shows how music is an accomplice to the
visual drama, Chion posits that music creates the story that would otherwise be unseen
with visuals alone. "Despite all appearances, we do not see and hear a film, we hear/see
it-what Chion calls Audio-vision."492 Simply put, Chion's notion of audio-vision
dictates that "one perception influences the other and transforms it."493 When the brain
fuses perspectives of film visuals and sound, it makes it seem as though the fusion
happens "out there," in front of our eyes, rather than "in here" inside our minds.494 This
is much like the fusion that happens in vision alone when we use both of our eyes to
perceive rather than just one. However, unlike the distance between the perspectives of
our eyes, which is fixed, the distance between the aural and visual perspectives of cinema
are "continuously changing and flexible."495 Ultimately, "we see something on the
screen that exists only in our minds, and is in its finer details unique to each member of
the audience."496 However, as indicated previously, the fusion is a contract, not a
491
Walter Murch, forward to Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen, by Michel Chion (New York: Columbia,
1994), xxii.
492 Walter Murch, forward to Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen, by Michel Chion (New York: Columbia,
1994), xxi.
493 Ibid., xxvi.
494 Ibid.
495 Ibid., xxii.
496 Ibid., xxi.
365
natural relationship. Although cinema tends to privilege visuals and the voice, the
contractual fusion between these elements and music allows the music to bring about
meaning, either all on its own or by the relationship between the music and the image,
according to Chion.497 It is exactly the meaning of the film-that is to say, the main
narrative messages-that we examine in this chapter and the next.
Music and Metaphor (Music As Metaphor)
The relationship between music, text, and visuals has been an important part of
dramaturgy throughout the history of western music, because it is this relationship that
determines the interpretation of the narrative. Although the matter of dramaturgy is a
longstanding practice historically, the creation and maintenance of musical meaning has
not been constant. As previously stated, customs followed by Harry Potter filmmakers
evolved during the nineteenth century when composers for melodrama, opera, and ballet
developed a dramatic musical language for creating meaning.
The idea of music as a language is a metaphor, and indeed, the way music creates
meaning in film is often through metaphor. Film music theorist Walter Murch reminds
us that "every successful metaphor-what Aristotle called 'naming a thing with that
which is not its name'-is seen initially and briefly as a mistake, but then suddenly as a
deeper truth about the thing named and our relationship to it."498 For the purposes of this
research, I use the term metaphor to refer to the way that music is organized with textual
and visual narratives in ways that mimetically support characters, their actions,
497 Michel Chion, Audio-vision, 5.
498 Walter Murch, forward to Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen, by Michel Chion (New York: Columbia,
1994), xx.
366
intentions, and scenarios. Some of these mimetic devices are among the stock theatrical
codes that Gorbman and others note-for instance, consonance equating pleasantness;
tessitura equating highness and lowness, timbre equating lightness and darkness, and so
on. Other metaphors include symbolic relationships between music and image that are
unique to an individual work of drama, or hinge on the way we tend to talk about the
details of music in terms of movement. When we talk about the way a musical theme
changes in its musical properties (i.e., comparing music to music) it may suggest an
abstract way of perceiving how the accompanying visuals do or do not change-for
instance, equating what McClary calls "musical excess" to notions of femininity,
irrationality, or seduction.499
According to Johnson and Larson, "our most fundamental concepts of musical
motion and space, used by laypeople and music theorists alike, are defined by conceptual
metaphors that are based on our experience of physical motion."500 For instance, we talk
about how music moves up and down (or fast and slow), how it includes certain events
here or there, or how it pulls us this way and that-though music does none of these
things in a literally tangible sense. Further, Johnson and Larson argue that "our
conceptualization of, discourse about, and even our experience of musical motion"
depend on the logic of metaphors.sOlIn other words, while Chion uses the theory of
conceptual metaphor to link music with images of movement in cinema, Johnson and
Larson complete the circle by showing how music itself is conceptualized in terms of
perceived and experienced movement. This helps to explain how film music not only
499 Susan McClary, Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota, 1991). See especially Chapters Three and Four.
500 Mark L. Johnson and Steve Larson, '''Something in the Way She Moves'-Metaphors of Musical
Motion," in Metaphor and Symbol, 18(2):63-84,2003.
501 Ibid.
367
reflects ideas presented in the images of film, it also determines and/or creates the
patterns of movement and ideas that we perceive when we see/hear film together.
Johnson and Larson's research brings to our awareness that when we talk about
music using metaphors, these metaphors inform our interpretation of the music itself and
the interpretation of any visuals aligning with the music. That is to say, when we
experience music as movement, it moves us in tum. Over the course of this examination
I will rely on both ofthese understandings of metaphor (i.e., those from Chion and
Murch, and from Johnson and Larson). We will see how the more objective alignment of
musical themes with film visuals in the Harry Potter films alerts us to the dramatic
signifcation of the music, while conversely, the more subjective metaphors for movement
in the themes themselves inform our interpretetation of the visuals. Ultimately, the
dialectic between musical and visual metaphors allows us to perceive greater narrative
truths in each film as a whole.
Music and Dramatic Truth
Although I have thoroughly explored the varied technical approaches of the Potter
composers in the previous chapter in terms of film theory, this chapter addresses the
important dramatic effects of these varied approaches. What meaning or truth do these
approaches bring to the interpretation of the narrative? According to musicologist
Pierluigi Petrobelli, the funcion of music in drama is to "characterize in its own terms the
elements of the dramatic discourse."502 Similarly, musicologist Gilles De Van describes
how Verdi "placed the truth of the drama above the beauty ofthe music and the literary
502 Pierluigi Petrobelli, Music in the Theater trans. Roger Parker (Princenton: Princeton University Press,
1994), 118.
368
quality of the lines."503 Moreover, in order for the drama to be effective, dramatic truth
often superceded realistic truth in historical practice. That is to say, theatrical
exaggeration was allowed for the purposes of representing reality. As we will see, the
music for each Harry Potter film does indeed characterize the elements of the dramatic
discourse in its own terms and negotiates for itself the interplay between dialogue,
musical beauty, and dramatic truth.
However, even the aesthetics of Verdi's own approach to drama evolved over the
course of his lifetime. Within the realm of historical dramatic composition, production,
and perfornlance, there has been an ever-present concern for aesthetic variety and
interest, as seen in the evolving styles of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century formal
works.504 While an audience often attends the theater already knowing the story, the
ways that composers/directors use cinematic conventions to tell the story becomes the
surprising element for the observer. Likewise, many Harry Potter viewers attend the
theater already knowing the story, but wondering how it will play out in cinematic
interpretation.
Nevertheless, sometimes variety is accompished at the expense of the
narrative.505 While some fans and critics have argued that the disparate aesthetic
approaches in the Harry Potter films risks the unity of the series, I argue that the disparate
aesthetic approaches in the film music adds to the cumulative value of meaning over the
evolution of the films. As we will see, the different Harry Potter composers also
participate in a stylistic evolution over the course of the Potter films. Just as there is an
aesthetic shift between the concrete and the invisible in drama during different eras, so
503 De Van, Verdi's Theater, 39.
504 Ibid.
505 Ibid.
369
the accompanying music has been synchronized with movement and then aligned with
more abstract ideas. Likewise, we see a shift from the concrete to the invisible in the
drama in Harry Potter films, and likewise, a shift between direct music-to-visual
parallels, to more abstract relationships. In other words, the aesthetic shifts I discuss are
not new, but what is new is that such an evolution occurs within one narrative series:
Harry Potter.
A note about the title of themes: my study of Harry Potter DVDs, CDs, piano, and
orchestral scores reveals several themes for each film. I label the themes based on their
narrative functions. While some leitmotifs are named by the filmmakers on soundtrack
CDs and published transcriptions, I often provide a different name that more specifically
aligns with the use of the theme in the film. This is for two main reasons. First, the
filmmakers' titles sometimes bear only a casual relationship to the theme's function or
refer to only one but not all deployments of the music with film visuals, and second, the
filmmakers' titles sometimes combine more than one leitmotif under the same name (i.e,
the individual leitmotif has not been named by filmmakers). Although I often include
both the filmmakers' titles as well as my own in the discussion ofthe music, my intent in
providing an alternative analytic title is to alert and remind the reader that the theme
functions in a certain way within the context of the film (or films) it serves.
Harry's Emotional World: Love and Friendship
As we saw in the examination of narrative cueing in the previous chapter, the
beginnings and endings of most of the films tell us that the films are about love. Love is
what Harry needs, it is what he seeks, and it is also often the key to either his physical or
spiritual safety. As we will find in the discussion below, Harry's journey includes many
370
complex aspects oflove. The different facets of Harry's capacity to love, to be loved, to
desire love, and to manifest love are represented in different musical themes over the
course of the series.
All of the five films have musical themes for Harry's emotional world, but the
different themes sound different and reflect different levels of emotion and emotional
connection with others through the use of musical codes and metaphors and through the
alignment of the themes with film visuals. In the first and second films, two musical
themes for Harry's emotions are sweetly simple, harmonically safe, and are
straightforwardly connected with Harry's love for his dead parents and for his new
friends, Ron and Hermione. In the third film, a new minor-mode, theme written in
British-Irish folk style for Harry's emotions is more melodically and harmonically
complex, metaphorically leads the listener to a deeper place, and aligns instrumentation
with visuals in order to symbolize an evolving set of ideas, including Harry's reflection
on his lost parents, his love and gratitude toward his parents' surviving friends, and the
magical power within him as a result of both his love and grief. In the fourth film, a new
classically lyric theme for Harry's emotions is more reserved and contained (and even
stoically martial through its melodic and rhythmic relation to other march-like themes),
and tends to reflect Harry's emotional isolation, disconnection, and emotional
vulnerability through alignment with film visuals. In the fifth film, a new romantic, aria-
like theme plaintively ascends (transcending the confines of rhythmic and metric
expectation) to reflect Harry's loneliness and longing for companionship, then eventually
descends with a harmonic companion to symbolize his renewed, strengthened
connections with friends. The following discussion explores and explains the
conclusions I have stated above.
371
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets:
"Love/Reflection," and "Friendship"
The first two films (John Williams and Chris Columbus) share two leitmotifs for
Harry's inner emotions--one theme tends to align with visuals to support the idea of
Harry's love for and reflection on his deceased family ("Love/Reflection")506 and the
other theme aligns with visuals to support the joy of his new friendship with Ron and
Hermione ("Friendship").507 Notably, both themes represent connections with others
(albeit sometimes with others who are no longer living). I will come back to this point in
the discussion of other themes in which connections with others are not necessarily part
of the emotional experience. Transcriptions of these themes are provided in Figures 5.1
and 5.2.
Figure 5.1. "Love/Reflection"
C Em G#m Am F
~.
Figure 5.2. "Friendship"
87 F E7
506 This theme also seems to represent Harry's longing for a family, and his love for those characters, such
as Rubeus Hagrid, who provide him with a sense of family.
507 The two themes are included with other musical material in published versions as "Family Portrait"
and "Harry's Wondrous World" respectively.
372
Although the two themes support different ideas under an umbrella of the larger
idea of Harry's emotional world, they have much in common. Both are in triple meter
(performed at moderate tempi), have short, relatively simple melodies (mainly diatonic),
have simple steady rhythms, are in major modes, and end in a way that melodically leads
(through aural expectation, and sometimes through actual repetition) back to the tonic
beginning. As I explained in Chapters III and IV, these musical attributes are consistent
with the traditional theatrical music codes used by Williams throughout the first two
films. Most of the themes from the first collaboration (between Williams and Chris
Columbus) are in triple meter, especially those depicting both the irrational (i.e. fantastic)
and the emotional. While themes for the fantastic usually include chromaticism, themes
for familiar emotions tend to be diatonic. The relatively simple melodies and rhythms
suggest the childlike nature and relative depth of the emotions Harry experiences, and the
return to the tonic (or, in some cases, the implied return to the tonic) suggests the safety
of these emotional experiences.508 Additionally, the themes repeat throughout the film
without significant musical variation, adding to their feeling of stability.
There are also ways that each theme is specific to the idea it represents. As I have
previously pointed out, Mary Ann Smart argues (as does Gorbman and others) that music
can represent the internal thoughts of characters.509 The first foreground hearing of the
"love/reflection" theme510 occurs when Harry sees the magical Mirror of Erised-a
508 The return to the tonic shows on a smaller scale the symmetry and congruence observed on a larger
scale by the same themes used at the beginning and end ofthe fIrst two fIlms.
509 Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania: Music and Gesture in Nineteenth-century Opera (Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2004).
510 The theme is heard once before when Harry draws a birthday greeting to himself in the dust because he
doesn't have a proper family to extend their best wishes to him on his day; and later in the same scene
when he leaves the family he knows (the horrible Dursleys) to follow Hagrid into the magical world.
However, the fIrst prominent example is the one I have discussed above.
373
mirror that shows one's deepest desire, rather than mirroring reality (SS DVD
1:33: 11).511 When Harry looks into the mirror for the first time, he sees himself standing
with his deceased parents and other family members. The "love/reflection" theme (heard
prominently in the background) captures the idea of his love for his family and the
mirror's reflection in at least two ways. As a metaphor for reflection, the melodic
contour ascends then descends back using the same pitches, then ascends and descends
(again) using different pitches. In other words, like the Mirror of Erised (which is like a
mirror, yet isn't), the melody reflects back on itself (almost in mirror image, but not
quite). No other musical theme in the first two films shares this attribute.512 I have
included the transcription of the theme again below in order to illustrate how the visuals
align with the music in order to reinforce the notion of reflection. The visual ofHarry
looking into the mirror aligns with the first two measures, while the visual of Harry's
c Em G#m Am F 137 F E7
Visuals: Harry looks into mirror; his mother looks back; her hand; his hand
mother looking back at him from inside the mirror aligns with the third and fourth
measures-that is, the measures that are almost like a reflection of the first two measures.
511 "Erised" is the word "desire" spelled in reverse-or rather, in mirror image.
512 I spoke with John Williams's orchestrator, Ken Wannberg, about the creation and intention of these
metaphors. He did not believe that Williams had intentionally created the musical metaphors at all, but
instead had endeavored to write a "sweet" sounding melody. Williams himself was not available to
comment. However, published statements from Williams, such as those used in my discussion of "the rise
of evil," suggest that Williams often thinks in terms of dramatic metaphors in his process of composing for
film.
374
Similarly, her hand moves to rest on Harry's shoulder in the mirror's image at the
beginning of measure five, and Harry's hand moves to his own shoulder during the
similar musical gesture in measure seven.
As a metaphor for emotion, the combination of the major mode and the
descending sequence (including minor harmonies) simultaneously suggests the
pleasurable emotions of imagining his parents and wistful longings of realizing that he
will never know them. The sequence ultimately leads the listener away from the tonic
(and from the steady step-wise motion around the tonic) to the relatively far-reaching
melodic intervals in the second half of the theme (perhaps implying a range or depth of
emotion). As stated before, the theme sometimes repeats (or harmonically implies a
return to the tonic), which metaphorically implies a safe return from the potential sorrows
of more extreme emotions. This is different from themes from the later movies which
carry the listener away to a different place-either lower or higher than the opening pitch.
The second theme, "friendship," is not used until Harry builds bonds of friendship
with Ron and Hermione, and then is heard regularly whenever they spend time
together. 513 Unlike the "love/reflection" theme, which (at first) moves steadily in step-
wise motion, the "friendship" theme is melodically buoyed by larger intervals, ascending
from the start. The "friendship" theme also includes more energetic rhythms and major
harmonies than the introspective "love/reflection" theme. Although the "friendship"
theme also tends to repeat (or otherwise imply a return to the tonic), sometimes the
melody returns via the tonic an octave higher-thus demonstrating an overall melodic
ascent, and metaphorically implying an overall emotional lift.
513 The theme is ftrst heard when Harry gains the admiration of his friends by catching the Golden Snitch
in his ftrst Quidditch game, thus winning the game for his team and for his school house (SS DVD
1:23: 17). It is heard more frequently in the second ftlm than in the ftrst because the friendship begins in the
ftrst ftlm, and therefore is pre-established at the beginning of the second ftlm.
375
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban: "Love/Reflection/Longing"
The third film, The Prisoner ofAzkaban (Williams and Alfonso Cuar6n), has just
one musical theme to reflect Harry's inner emotions and emotional connections with
others, but this one theme suggests more emotional complexity than either of the two
previous themes. Although the theme is called "A Window to the Past" in published
materials, I categorize it as the "love/reflection/longing" theme because it takes over for
the "love/reflection" theme from the first two films, but adds a more sombre component
in its minor melody, which suggests Harry's sad longing for his parents.
One reviewer wrote, "'A Window to the Past' is the movie's major new theme
and what a beauty it is. Sad and reflective, this tender melody will quickly become one
of Williams' classic themes."514 The description of the theme as both "beautiful" and
"sad and reflective" illustrates how a theme can resonate with listeners at more than one
level, yet how the overall feeling of the tune is sentimental. Like the first
"love/reflection" theme (heard in the first two films), this new theme has a diatonic
mirroring motif that repeats throughout, and appears with film visuals and dialogue
relating to Harry's love for and reflection on his lost parents, and his longing for a
connection that he might have had with them.
However, the theme overall is much more musically complex than either of the
themes from the first films and also changes to minor mode-which implies greater
emotional weight or sadness. The folk-style melody is much longer than the first themes
514 Kevin McGann, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Music from the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed October 10,
2007).
376
and travels more within a wider pitch range.515 The more complex compound meter
changes between 6/8 and 9/8, and includes many rhythmic inequalities (e.g. asymmetrical
rhythms and duples within triple meter) and rhythmic variations (including grace note
ornaments) within the meter. The greater complexity in the theme suggests that Harry's
feelings oflove and connection (or longing for love and connection) are now more
complex. Further emotional metaphors in the melody might be described as follows: the
melody reaches down (e.g., as seen in the triplets) in order to extend up (e.g., as seen in
the duplets), and the sequence pattern eventually leads the listener to a deeper place (i.e.
harmonic sequence and melodic resolution as metaphors for emotion) than where it
b A ... 'd d' F' 53 516egan. transcnptIOn IS provl e III Igure ..
Figure 5.3. "Love/Reflection/Longing"
Gm Dm Gill Dill
~~·~~·I
iv iv
G m7 D m A In Bb Fin G III Am D m
. . . .
~~~~~
iv7 i iv/v i/v iv/v/v ilv/v iv v
515 I categorize the theme as "folk-style" because of it's step-wise, modal melody and lilting rhythm (as is
common in British Isles folk tunes), and do not use the term perjoratively to imply that the theme is more
simple or rustic than the other themes.
516
Transcription adapted from published materials ("A Window to the Past"). John Williams, Selected
Themesfrom the Motion Picture Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban (piano solos), arr. Bill
Galliford, Ethan Neuburg, and Tod Edmondson (Warner-Barham, 2004), 25-26.
377
Although the melody does not change significantly between the several different
occurrences of the theme in the film, the instrumentation and texture change to reflect
meaning with film visuals in more specific ways, which adds to the layers of the theme's
signification. (When the theme is played by early musical instruments, it includes the
ornaments in measures two and four; when it is played by F horns, it does not). In other
words, Williams allows the theme to evolve with the narrative by using different
instrumentation for each statement. This is different from Williams's approach in the
first two films in which the two leitmotifs for love remained fairly static in their
instrumentation and signification.
The new theme establishes a parallel with the old "love/reflection" theme when it
is first heard on celeste and sustained strings while Harry gazes at a moving photograph
of his parents (dancing underneath falling leaves) while still at the Dursley house (PoA
DVD 6:20).517 Clearly, this introduction to the new theme alludes to the moment in the
first film in which Harry gazes on the reflection of his parents in the Mirror of Erised.
Similarly, the new audio-visual combination implies both Harry's longing for his lost
parents and also his longing for his sense of belonging in the magical world (via the
coded use of the celeste). The theme is heard next on recorder with a broken-chord harp
accompaniment while Professor Remus Lupin and Harry have a heartfelt discussion on
the footbridge about Lupin's friendship with Harry's parents (PoA DVD 45:30). While
the minor-mode melody still signifies Harry's love and longing, the changed
instrumentation reflects (Cuaron's vision of) the medieval, folkloric atmosphere of the
magical world in which the conversation takes place. The theme is heard similarly on
flute, harp, and strings while Harry and Lupin converse again while walking through the
woods in a later scene (PoA DVD 57:27). Lupin eventually becomes Harry's private
517 This statement of the theme is the only one in hannonic minor, which is noticed most in the fIrst
measure when the raised seventh degree is used as the neighbor tone to the tonic.
378
tutor in the defense against the dark arts (in addition to being an emotional mentor), and
when Lupin teaches Harry how to conjure the protective Patronus charm (which appears
for Harry as the shining white form of his father's animagus-a stag518 ), the theme is
heard again, this time played powerfully by horns over choral cluster chords (PoA DVD
1: 10:32). This new instrumentation clearly implies how Harry's longing for love and
belonging has turned into a powerful energy source.
The dialogue surrounding the visuals of the Patronus charm confirms the musical
theme's association with Harry's reflections on his parents and provides evidence of the
intention to present this emotional association with greater complexity. In order to
attempt the Patronus charm in practice, Lupin asks Harry to think of his happiest
memory. After trying a memory that fails to produce the desired effect, Harry offers,
"There's another memory. It's not happy, exactly. Well it is-it's the happiest I've ever
felt, but it's complicated" (PoA DVD 1:09:43). This memory works (i.e, it is powerful
enough to produce the charm); Harry conjures the Patronus (with background
accompaniment of the theme played by horns), and Lupin praises his magical skill,
comparing him favorably to his father. As they sit together talking, Harry tells Lupin
about his memory, and an oboe plays a sweetly nostalgic version of
"love/reflection/longing," accompanied by an oboe, harp, and strings (PoA DVD
1: 11: 15). He says, "I was thinking of [my father] and Mum, seeing their faces. They
were talking to me, just talking. That's the memory I chose. I don't even know if it's
real, but it's the best I have." Later, during the crisis of the narrative, Harry conjures the
Patronus to protect himself and others, and a full hom section plays the melody again,
accompanied by sustained choral vowels (PoA DVD 20:01:06).519 The narrative
518 The visuals do not depict the charm as a stag in this visual, but do later on in the film.
519 There are two sides to the perspective of this scene because Harry and Hermione travel back in time
and experience the event again. In the real-time occurrence, Harry is saved by the Patronus stag and the
379
implication for the latter instrumentation and its alignment with the powerfully magic
visual is clear: Harry's deep feelings oflove which have often brought him so much
sorrow are also a powerful, magical source to protect him from life's struggles.
Aside from the scenes depicting the powerful Patronus charm, perhaps the most
emotionally satisfying occurrences of the new "love/reflection/longing" theme happen
when Harry has two heartfelt conversations with another of his parents' trusted friends-
Sirius Black,520 who is also revealed to be Harry's godfather. When Sirius tells of his
love for and grief over Harry's parents, and extends his love and protection to Harry (first
as they look toward Hogwarts castle, PoA DVD 1:38:00, and later, while they rest in the
Hogwarts courtyard following the narrative crisis, PoA DVD 2:03:33),521 the
"love/reflection/longing" theme is heard in the background and thus confirms that
Harry's longings for a family have been requited, and his desires for meaningful family
connections have come to fruition. Indeed, on the last hearing, the melody ascends
(rather than descending) so that the ending pitch is the same as the first (rather than an
octave lower), which musically represents the important emotional resolution. Just as
Sirius tells Harry that "The ones that love us never really leave us, and you can always
find them here [in your heart]," so the music also returns to the original tonic, the true
heart of the theme.
The alignments of this theme with film visuals and dialogue provide examples of
how Williams, much like Verdi, is able to create a musical approach which both
viewer also hears choral cluster chords and horns playing generic music (DVD 1:44: 10). In the back-in-
time version, Harry produces the Patronus to save his parallel self (though it appears as a shield of light
instead of as a stag), and the viewer hears choral cluster chords and the "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme
played by horns.
520 Sirius is the "prisoner" described in the title, The Prisoner ofAzkaban.
521 The theme also plays in the background when Harry tells Hermione about how much the first
conversation with Sirius means to him (DVD 1:57:30).
380
semanticizes the music and musicalizes the word. In other words, the way that the theme
evolves over the course of the film suggests a text of its own. Likewise, the alignment of
specific varied statements of the theme with dialogue explaining Harry's inner world
creates a way for the film's texts to attain a direct musical parallel.
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: "Inner Emotions"
The fourth film, The Goblet ofFire (Patrick Doyle with Mike Newell) also has
only one theme that relates to Harry's emotional world. On the soundtrack CD and in
published scores, this tune is named "Harry in Winter," but I characterize the theme as
signifying Harry's "Inner Emotions." The most commonly heard motif of the "Inner
Emotions" theme is transcribed in Figure 5.4.
G
Figure 5.4. "Inner Emotions"
Bm A
~~J=::=:fiJ.
8m
This new theme is heard prominently in the film. One reviewer wrote, "...but for me,
the standout track is 'Harry in Winter,' which easily stands alongside [Williams's] 'A
Window to the Past' from The Prisoner ofAzkaban in terms of dramatic sweep and
grandeur. Essentially, it's 'Harry's Theme' ..."522 While I agree that there is a musical
and dramatic parallel between Doyle's "Harry in Winter" ("Inner Emotions") and
522 Nick Joy review, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire "Music/rom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
381
Williams's "A Window to the Past" ("Love/Reflection/Longing"), there are some
important differences between the two musical themes and their application with film
visuals that demonstrate differences in the emotions and emotional connections that they
represent.
First, the musical structure of "Inner Emotions" metaphorically frames emotion in
a more confined way than the previous theme does, and second, the theme's alignment
with film visuals indicates Harry's inner world and vulnerabilities, but does not directly
support relationships between Harry and other characters. In other words, the theme
sometimes supports Harry's emotions for other characters, but does not support Harry's
emotional relationships with other characters. That is to say, the new theme is all about
Harry.
The new theme for "Inner Emotions" synthesizes some of the musical elements of
the emotion themes from the first three movies, and also makes changes. The melodic
contour is relatively sholi and simple (like the first two "Love" and "Friendship" themes),
but the rhythm is more varied and complex (like the third "Love/Reflection/Longing"
theme). Like the previous emotion themes, the new theme also includes a diatonic
sequence that might carry the listener away to a new place-except that it regularly
delivers the listener back to the safety of the starting pitch. The new theme is the first
among the emotions themes to be presented in duple meter, which may be perceived as a
more grounded, masculine meter, according to Susan McClary. Also, unlike the previous
themes (in which the instrumentation often changes, but the melody generally stays the
same), the different statements of the new "Inner Emotions" theme generally use the
same instrumentation (emphasizing strings), but vary the melody and rhythm.
Let us consider three variations of the "Inner Emotions" theme. Transcriptions of
these statements are provided in Figures 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7.
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Figure 5.5. "Inner Emotions": Harry and Cho at the owlry
Figure 5.6. "Inner Emotions": Harry sees Cho at the Yule Ball
Bm A G Bm
Figure 5.7. "Inner Emotions": Harry sees Hermione at the Yule Ball
A D A G
The first statement of the theme as it appears in the film (while Harry walks alone in the
snow to the owlry, GoF DVD 1:12:08) is not presented as a full phrase, and it includes a
strange rhythmic hitch in the film that sounds like an editing mistake.523 For this reason,
let us begin with the second statement of the theme (Figure 5.5), which occurs as a full
phrase shortly afterward (when Harry asks Cho to the ball and is kindly rejected, GoF
DVD 1:13:05). The duple meter and simple derivative rhythms (e.g., straight-time
523 Between GoF DVD 1:12:21~1 :12:22, a sustained note seems to be cut short by a beat as the theme
relaunches into a repeat of the phrase. This is unlike any of the other statements, and does not serve the
discussion here.
383
combinations of whole, half, quarter, eighth notes) within the melody convey a more
orderly, stereotypically masculine framing of emotion than the themes depicting
emotions from the previous films do. (These are all in triple meter, and have generally
lilting rhythms.) The melody is simple and reserved, following classical expectations
closely.524 Furthermore the melody poetically resolves exactly where it began, perhaps
signifying that Harry is dwelling on or is stuck in a set of emotions, or perhaps suggesting
(in contrast to Williams's previous complex theme) that Harry's emotions are either
shallow or confined, leading neither to great depth nor height (the melodic resolution is
heard at GoF DVD 1:13:17).
Any of the aforementioned metaphors may be applied to Newell's film
presentation of The Goblet ofFire, which emphasizes Harry's maturity from child to
teenager, his isolation from his friends, and his age-appropriate emotional self-
involvement. Actor Daniel Radcliffe spoke to this matter in an interview when asked
how Harry shows feelings for Cho in the fourth film. Radcliffe responded,
I like how Harry acts with girls. He's a fantastic hero, and he's brave and
strong, loyal and trustworthy, and he's the greatest friend-he's
everything you could wish for-but he's bad with girls. That separates
him from becoming an all-conquering Superman kind of hero, and it
makes him normal. He just can't think of the right things to say when he's
with Cho, and that aspect of him is what everyone can identify with,
because I think it happens to everyone at least once.525
In other words, Harry has not yet learned how to negotiate and express his emotions for
the benefit of interacting with others. However unified as an audio-visual message, or
524 The melodic and phrasing symmetry is similar to practices of symmetry in late eighteenth-century and
early nineteenth-century music for drama-----<::ustoms that were abandoned by later dramatists such Verdi
who sought to convey the truth of the drama with the form ofthe music, according to De Van, 294.
525 Movie Magic, "Harry Potter: Hero of Hogwarts," Life Story, February 6, 2006, 13.
384
faithful to events in Rowling's narrative, this symbolism is much different than was used
in the previous film. While the "love/reflection/longing" theme establishes that Harry's
longings for connection are requited in the third movie, the new "inner emotions" theme
suggests that Harry's longings for connection are now unrequited again.
The next statement/variation of the theme (Figure 5.6), which accompanies
Harry's admiring gaze at Cho Chang (on the arm of Cedric Diggory at the Yule Ball),
also follows melodic expectation, and includes a sequence that leads back to the same
pitch as which it began (GofDVD 1:16:40). The rhythms are more lilting (e.g. the
triplets within a duple framework), perhaps to reflect Harry's softened emotions at seeing
Cho dressed up for the ball. Although the melody is sweet, the minor tonality continues
to reflect Harry's sadness and feelings of disconnection. Following a brief transition, the
theme repeats as a variation (represented Figure 5.7) when Harry watches his true friend
Hermione (who is usually plain-looking) descend the stairs to the ball in a romantic,
flowing pink gown (GoF DVD 1: 16:59). This time, the theme is presented with major
harmonies, perhaps to reflect Harry's happiness for Hermione, and descends in graceful
rhythms away from the original pitch because Hermione is descending the staircase
gracefully. The melody ascends briefly at the end in parallel with the visuals of
Hermione's escort, Viktor Krum, greeting her from below.526
Because the melody of Doyle's theme is never the same between two statements,
it is harder to pin down as a musical idea or as a metaphorical idea for emotion than are
Williams's more consistently stated leitmotifs. However, the subtle changes between
statements of the new theme allow for more varied and evolving interpretations of what
the theme symbolizes. At first, the theme signifies Harry's loneliness, then signifies the
pain of his crush on Cho Chang, then signifies his admiration and unrequited affections at
526 This is one of few examples where Doyle's music parallels film visuals. As I have stated in other
chapters, Doyle's music tends to complement rather than parallel film visuals.
385
seeing beautiful Cho at the Yule Ball, then reflects his even greater admiration and
pleasure at seeing his true friend Hermione's beauty shine through as she descends the
staircase.527 If the expression of Harry's emotional theme in these varied situations
seems reserved or stunted in some way by the simple, elegantly circular melody, perhaps
this can be explained by Harry's isolated, unguided experience toward maturity (the
fourth film does not include a clear male mentor relationship as the third film does).
As mentioned above, this theme is about Harry, and not about his relationships
with others-which is likely why filmmakers attached the title "Harry in Winter," in
published sources (also clearly relating to the visuals of Harry walking alone in the snow
on his way to the Hogwarts owlry). The theme is not about his relationship with Cho
Chang-his affection for her never reaches fruition in the fourth film. Similarly, the
theme is not about Harry's relationship with Hermione-she is on her way to greet her
date, Viktor, at the Yule Ball, and Harry and Hermione are not even visually engaging in
their friendship connection at the moment when the theme is heard (e.g. through physical
proximity, conversation, or even mutual eye-contact). Even when the theme is heard
again when apparitions of the dead (including those of Harry's parents and his friend
Cedric Diggory) erupt from Harry and Voldemort's locked wands (GoF DVD 2:09:15),
and is heard finally (as a variation) when Cedric's father weeps over his son's body while
Harry looks on (GoF DVD 2:10:28), these statements are also about Harry's emotional
state. In each of these examples, the theme changes to reflect emotion from Harry's
perspective, but does not actively indicate human connections. In other words, the theme
reflects Harry's inner emotional world, especially his vulnerabilities, but is not used to
reinforce Harry's relationships. This is different from the "friends" themes used in the
527 This approach is similar to Mozart's character construction, according to De Van, in which characters'
emotions are conveyed with human subtlety (e.g. passionate love, prideful love, tender love) rather than as
epic or universal truths without need of description. De Van, Verdi's Theater, 88-90.
386
first two movies and the "love/reflection/longing" theme used in the third. This is also
different from the dramatic approach of the previous films. While the emotions themes
from the previous films suggest evolutions in Harry's emotional state with changes in
instrumentation, Doyle's "inner emotions" theme is the first to have melodic, rhythmic,
and harmonic variations for each circumstance. This conveys a more nuanced picture of
Harry's emotions as he responds to different people in his life.
Furthermore, variations of the theme resemble other musical themes in the same
film, such as those for the Tri-Wizard Tournament (a fanfare march), for "Harry
Victorious," and for the "EvilN01demort."528 As we will see, this is different from how
the narrative threads for love, victory, and the rise of evil are all represented with very
different, contrasting music in the other films. The similarities between the musical
themes in the fourth film alone provide an example of how Doyle's score functions as a
philosophical mind that deconstructs the separations and distinctions between Harry's
experiences that the other composers make.
For instance, while the themes for the Tri-Wizard Tournament and for "Harry
Victorious" reflect the machismo of Harry's outer world, the similarity between those
and the theme for Harry's "Inner Emotions" suggests the duality of Harry's experience.
That is to say that he must perform as a hero on the outside while on the inside he is quite
lonely and vulnerable. The similarity between Harry's "Inner Emotions" theme and the
"Rise of Evil" theme in the same film may likewise reflect Harry's evolving connection
with Voldemort, or may reflect the weight of responsibility that Harry experiences at
being the "chosen one" to defeat the adversary.529 The "Inner Emotions" theme is also
528 The transcriptions for these themes are provided and discussed in the second half of this chapter,
concerning Harry's philosophical world (i.e,. the rise of evil and its conquest).
529 The narrative does not explicitly state that Harry is the "chosen one" until a later novel/film, but the
notion has been repeatedly implied throughout the frrst four narratives.
387
very similar to the music signifying loss and death that is heard in the background when
Harry brings Cedric's lifeless body back to Hogwarts after their encounter with
Voldemort. I address this music specifically in the section on cumulative approaches to
loss and death, but note here that the similarity between the music for Cedric's death and
the music for Harry's "Inner Emotions" supports my claims that the variations
collectively represent Harry's vulnerabilities-he is able to stay Voldemort's attack on
himself, but he is not quick or able enough to save his colleague.
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: "Cho" and "Loved Ones"
In the fifth film (Nicholas Hooper and David Yates), there is one musical theme
to represent Harry's emotional connection to loved ones (though other musical material is
used to support his continued grief over the loss of his parents, discussed in the section on
loss and death), and one musical theme to represent his romantic attraction to Cho Chang
and their brief romantic relationship. The theme for Harry's connections to loved ones is
called "Loved Ones and Leaving" on the soundtrack CD and in published transcriptions,
but I characterize the theme as simply and directly representing Harry's now requited
longing for "loved ones." The theme for Harry's brief romance with Cho Chang is
sometimes called "The Kiss," but because it also aligns with film visuals to symbolize
Harry's attraction to Cho long before they kiss and also their eventual disconnection, I
characterize the theme as representing Harry's relationship with Cho.530 The theme for
"loved ones" is the most aria-like and emotionally expressive of all the emotional themes,
530
Hooper wrote new music to support the relationship between Harry and Ginny in the sixth film, The
Half-Blood Prince. This new piece is called "Ginny" on the soundtrack CD, and features an accoustic
guitar melody with an ostinato triplet rhythm.
388
and the theme "Cho" is the most magnetically visceral of all the themes. Therefore, these
themes provide examples of how Hooper's score functions like a skin that allows us to
feel the sensations of the story.
"Cho"
In contrast to all of the other themes for emotion and emotional connection,
Hooper's music for Harry's relationship with Cho is the first to rely on the magnetic pull
of harmony without a distinct melodic motif. The primary effect of this approach helps
the viewer to physically feel the relationship as Harry experiences it. The theme is stated
in varied form each of the three times it occurs in the film: first to represent attraction,
then to represent the consummation of mutual attraction with a kiss, and finally to
represent the eventual break-up of the relationship. In other words, just as music
establishes emotion (following Cohen's law of "Control Precedence"), so can music
change the nature of emotion (following Cohen's "Law of Change"), and further, can
dispel the appearance of certain emotions (following Cohen's "Law of closure").531 In
the first two examples, the harmonic progression follows the metaphors of tension and
attraction. The harmonic tension created by the C half-dim. 7 chord and the harmonic
release created by the following Bb major chord is much like the visceral pulse of
romantic attraction which can also alternate between feelings of tension and pleasure for
the bearer of such emotions. In the third example the harmonic progression starts with
the tension of a C# half-dim. 7 chord, but then falls away, resolving to a B minor (rather
than major) harmony, indicating the dissolution of the attraction. All three examples are
531 Annabel 1. Cohen, "Music as a Source of Emotion in Film," in Music and Emotion., edited by Patrik
Juslin and John Sloboda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), 263-264.
389
included in Figure 5.8. Although the theme is presented as unmetered in all statements, I
have normalized the rhythms in order to focus on the harmonic progressions.
Figure 5.8. Three statements of "Cho"
Music supporting Harry's attraction to Cho first occurs near the beginning of the
film while Hogwarts students are transferring from the Hogwarts train to the carriages
that will take them the rest of the way to the school (Example 1 of Figure 5.8; OotP DVD
28:33). As Harry catches a glimpse of Cho (who is also looking back at him as she rides
ahead on one of the carriages), a repeating two-measure harmonic cadence (played by
strings, with a celeste ostinato) alternates between a C half-dim.7 harmony and a Bb
major harmony (ii half-dim7-I). The pulse of the harmonic tension followed by release
supports Harry's romantic gaze at Cho. The theme occurs again after a meeting of
Dumbledore's Army (students who secretly practice defensive spells), specifically when
Harry and Cho converse alone in front of a mirror with the late Cedric Diggory's picture
pasted on it (Example 2 of Figure 5.8; OotP DVD 1:04:56). This time also, the theme
begins with the repeated two-measure harmonic cadence (ii half-dim7-I) that reflects
the alternation of tension and pleasure that romantic attraction often creates, then falls
away from the pattern into minor chords (iv-i, in measures 5-6) when the two discuss
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Cedric (Cho's boyfriend who had been killed the year before). When their attention
returns to each other (and to the mistletoe magically descending above them), the
harmonies ascend in major (Ab then Bb chords, VII-I, measures 7-8), then return to the
original harmonic tension-release alternation, in increasingly sustained rhythms, as the
two engage in a long kiss (which satisfyingly resolves to a broad tonic chord).
Later in the film their relationship comes to an end when, under magical duress,
Cho betrays the secrecy of Dumbledore's Army to Professor Umbridge, and Harry and
the other members of the organization are physically tortured in punishment (Example 3
of Figure 5.8).532 Cho waits for Harry outside in a hallway in order to explain herself,
still musically supported by the same harmonic alternation that characterized their
original attraction to each other (though stated a half step higher, OotP DVD 1:26:59).
Although Harry sees her, he walks passsed her without acknowledgement, and the
harmonies loose their magnetic hold by progressing to the (diatonic) II chord, then the
(parallel minor) i chord, thus symbolizing the breakdown of their attraction, and
ultimately, the end oftheir relationship.
"Loved Ones JJ
Although Cho's theme is somewhat specific to the viable relationship in this film
alone, the theme for "Loved Ones" is more like the other musical themes for emotion in
that it supports narrative ideas that continue throughout the films. However, while the
new "loved ones" theme also shares some of the musical elements of the previous
themes, the synthesis of previously used musical elements results in an entirely different
sound. In contrast to the first "Love/Reflection" theme for the first two films (which is
532 As fans will point out, this is different in the book. Cho is later vindicated in the film.
391
simple and sweet), the second "Love/Reflection/Longing" (which is in a folk style, yet is
also more complex, as previously explained), and the third "Inner Emotions" theme
(which is both reservedly lyric and rhythmically martial), Hooper's "Loved Ones" theme
is a plaintive aria that expressively reaches from the depths of Harry's emotions to the
light of day and requited human connections. A transcription is provided in Figure
5.9.533
Figure 5.9. "Loved Ones"
G
--
A Bm
=f! ..
"Loved Ones" has a slow-moving major diatonic melody with a wide range of
pitches. Both the melody and the accompanying harmonies have an ascending contour.
The meter is duple, but the rhythm is sometimes obscured by several sustained pitches in
the melody.534 The effect ofthe ascent from the tonic is like a recitative/aria,535 plea,
533
My melodic/harmonic transcription with rhythm/meter adapted from published materials. Nicholas
Hooper, Selections/rom Harry Potter and the Order a/the Phoenix (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Van
Nuys: Warner Brothers: Alfred Publishing, 2007).
534 It is notable that only two major musical themes have such slow moving melodies in Hooper's score.
The other is the "Posession" theme, representing Voldemort's growing telepathic and psychological control
over Harry. All of the other major musical themes are energetically rhythmic.
535 Although these two terms mean different things in opera, I use them both here because the aria-like
melody is also rhythmically speechlike (albeit very sustained), and the text of Harry's letter establishes
both narrative progress and his emotional state.
392
or even a prayer-just as Harry is extending himself out from the depth of his emotions
in order to make a meaningful connection with others.536 The instrumentation (solo hom
melody over homophonic strings) remains relatively similar between statements of the
theme, but the melodic pitches as well as the rhythms sometimes include variations.
In the first statement ofthe theme (OotP DVD 41 :44-42:43), Hedwig the owl flies
over the forest away from Hogwarts, presumably carrying Harry's letter to his godfather,
Sirius. Echoing the recitative/aria style of the melody,537 the viewer hears a voice-over
of Harry verbalizing what he has written to his dearest and only "family" member:
Dear Padfoot [Sirius's nickname], I hope you're alright. It's starting to get
colder here. Winter is definitely on the way. In spite of being back at
Hogwarts, I feel more alone than ever. I know you, of all people, will
understand.
As Hedwig flies out of sight, the camera focus drops to the visual of Harry walking alone,
passing his friend Hagrid's empty hut, and walking through the forest as he and Lupin
had done together the year before. Although the music helps bring out the emotional
value of the dialogue and visuals, likewise, though in reverse, the dialogue and visuals
provide the signification of the music as a theme depicting Harry's loneliness and his
wish to feel less 10nely.538
Much as the operatic tradition has fluctuated between the balance of text and
melody (with consideration also for theatrical visuals), so film has also fluctuated
536 The contour of the frrst phrase is very similar to other dramatic musical prayers such as the aria "I had
a dream" from Les Miserables, and the invocation to the Holden Evening Prayer Vespers by contemporary
liturgist Marty Haugen.
537 The voice-over is like a recitative (though it includes both narrative progress and emotion), and the
subsequent visuals support the idea of an aria (i.e. providing a visual representation of Harry's emotional
state).
538 This, again, follows Cohen's "Law ofConcem," in which music readily frnds an object when
combined with other media. Annabel 1. Cohen, "Music as a Source of Emotion in Film," 263.
393
between the balance of text, visuals, and music. Following suit, the Harry Potter
composers have negotiated the historic tension between following text and creating music
of beauty. As De Van argues, nineteenth century opera composer and self-proclaimed
"man of the theater" Guiseppe Verdi was an effective dramatist because of his ability to
musicalize the word and semanticize the music. So too, the example of "Loved Ones"
provides an example of how Hooper (with director Yates) was able to both musicalize the
text of Harry's letter while seeming also to semanticize the music. This is different from
the way the clarity of Williams's leitmotifs (with director Columbus) tends only to
semanticize the music, and also different from how the ambiguity within Doyle's family
tree of themes for good and evil seems only to musicalize the subtext.
Although the film does not include Sirius's response to Harry's letter, the music
tells us that Harry's plea for human connection will somehow be answered. After a very
long, sustained melodic ascent in the first phrase (eight measures) of the theme, the horn
melody continues to ascend at the beginning of the second phrase, then, when it reaches
its pinnacle it gathers another note (an upper harmony note suspension in the strings) that
accompanies the hom melody on its descent back to the tonic (OotP DVD 41:44-42:43).
In terms of emotional metaphor, the melody clearly rises up out the depth of emotion and
away from the safety of the tonic, motivated by yearning rather than the confines of
rhythm, measure, or phrase, until it finds a significant connection with which it returns, in
harmony, back to the tonic. In other words, Harry's longing for connection is aurally
satisfied by the use of parallel thirds that return to the tonic together at the end of the
theme. Harry's longing for connection is visually satisfied in the following scene when
he encounters Luna Lovegood feeding apples to the Thestrals in the woods, and receives
394
philosophical advice from her about the importance of making connections with
others.539
While there are other themes in the body of the film that support Harry's
experiences building connections with others (e.g. the themes accompanying his
leadership ofthe student rebellion, Dumbledore's Army, discussed in the section on the
conquest of evil) the "Loved Ones" theme is not heard again until the emotional closure
of the film, following the crisis in the narrative. First, it is heard as the camera pans
down across the gallery of paintings and shifting staircases at Hogwarts,540 and
continues as Harry descends alone out into a corridor where other students are heading
through at the close of the school year (OotP DVD 2:05:43). After the melody descends,
while Harry and Luna converse in the hallway, the melody alternates between the ending
tonic pitch (over a IV chord) and the supertonic (over a V chord) as Harry extends his
help to Luna and she extends her compassion to him. In other words, the music
metaphorically illustrates a dialogic give-and-take of friendship by alternating between
the self (the tonic) and extending out from the self (the supertonic).541 Instead ofa
harmonic resolution, the theme shifts to Luna Lovegood's flute and celeste ostinato motif
(i.e. changing from Harry's theme to another character's theme, perhaps as another
representation of Harry's ability to recognize and emotionally connect with others).
539 I discussed music for this scene in chapter III.
540 The visual of the gallery of paintings also symbolizes how order has returned to Hogwarts after the
suspension of Professor Umbridge, who had had all of the paintings removed during her terror-filled time
of leadership.
541 This harmonic alternation is similar to, yet also different from, the one that occurs in the music for the
"Cho" theme. While the toggle during Harry and Cho's scene reflects the transformation of anticipation
into romantic satisfaction (by progressing from great harmonic tension to release), the toggle during Harry
and Luna's scene anticipates the promise of friendship (by melodically extending up from the tonic, and
harmonically alternating between subdominant and dominant). In short, the harmonic alternation between
Harry and Luna feels good, while the harmonic alternation for Harry and Cho feels urgent.
395
Then, the "Loved Ones" theme resumes as students walk from the woods toward
the Hogwarts train station, and Harry meets up with his dearest friends, Ron and
Hermione (OotP DVD 2:07:01). As in the first statement of the theme, character
dialogue further solidifies the coordination of the musical theme with film visuals when
Harry delivers the last line of the film:
I've been thinking about something Dumbledore said to me.... that even
though we've got a fight ahead of us, we've got one thing that Voldemort
doesn't have... something worth fighting for.
The implication of the statement is that their friendship makes all of their struggle
worthwhile. As in the first statement of the theme, the melody reaches a pinnacle alone,
then returns back to the tonic in the company of harmonic companions. In contrast to the
first statement of the theme, the melody and harmony maintain a more regular rhythm,
though still quite sustained. After Harry delivers the last line, the music swells with a
timpani roll, and harp and strings energize the music with an ostinato that simultaneously
represents the uplifted emotional invigoration and the presumed churning of the train
axles as the camera rises above the forest for a last long shot tableau of Hogwarts castle.
The rhythmic confidence of the new presentation confirms that Harry's feelings of
loneliness have been resolved and requited.
Summary
As we have seen, the different musical approaches to the representation of
Harry's emotional world reflect both the evolution of maturing themes in the narrative
and also the aesthetics of the filmmakers. While all of the latter emotional ideas are
present at some level in Rowling's original novels, filmmakers made decisions about
396
which emotional elements to highlight and emphasize most. The exploration of these
different approaches provides insight into why the films resonate with and emotionally
impact viewers at different levels and to different degrees.
In the first two films (Williams and Columbus), the two themes for Harry's
emotional world are childlike and innocent, and demonstrate his connections with others
(his parents and his friends) without delving into deeper implications or meaning (e.g., by
evolving musically over the course of the two films). In the third film (Williams and
Cuar6n), one new theme, like the first two, continues to idealize Harry's emotions
through lilting triple meter rhythms and the nostalgia of the new folk style melody, but
also metaphorically delves deeper into and reflects the complexity of Harry's emotions.
Importantly, the use of different instrumentation for different statements ofthe music
allows the theme to evolve with the narrative circumstances. The theme serves first as a
signifier of Harry's love for and reflection on his lost parents, but later serves to support
viable relationships with his living mentors, Professor Lupin and Sirius Black, and later
still reveals the potential power of his inner emotional strength.
The new theme in the fourth film (Doyle and Newell) highlights the duality of
Harry's inner emotional vulnerabilities and outer world fayade through its relationship to
other important musical themes, but it does not highlight Harry's relationships with other
characters. This provides an example of Petrobelli's argument that music has the power
to characterize the dramatic discourse on its own terms-that is to say, it is an example of
how Doyle's music recontextualizes Harry's inner emotional world with his new musical
approach. 542 Indeed, we will see how Doyle's music re-characterizes every thread of
dramatic discourse as we examine musical themes for Harry's emotional and
philosophical world. Although no less beautiful or meaningful than the others, the "inner
542 Pierluigi Petrobelli, Music in the Theater trans. Roger Parker (Princenton: Princeton University Press,
1994).
397
emotions" theme does not include the lilting, more care-free rhythms of the first two
themes, nor does it lead the listener to either greater emotional depth or height (like the
"love/rel1ectionllonging" or "loved ones" theme. Instead, the effect of Harry's outer
responsibilities on his experience of inner emotions is illustrated in seemingly gender-
specific, masculine ways through its melodic control and confinement, and march-related
rhythm. However, like the previous theme, this one too evolves to rel1ect different
narrative circumstances (e.g. his loneliness, his unrequited affection, his admiration for a
friend from a distance).
The new themes for the fifth film (Hooper and Yates) highlight Harry's brief
romantic relationship with Cho by using the physical pull of harmonic progressions, and
represent Harry's emotional world in general with the metaphor ofthe theme's aria-like
plea for the connection of "loved ones." Instead of symbolically delving down into
emotions or emphasizing his lost relationship with his parents (as in the third film), or
getting stuck in an emotional loop (as in the fourth film), the new "Loved Ones" theme
musically extends up (and metaphorically out from Harry's inner emotions) to make
viable connections with the living and rel1ect the satisfying results of his inner emotional
strength. In contrast to the third film (in which his inner strength creates a powerful
magic spell), Harry's inner emotional strength in the fifth film creates friendships. The
effect of Harry's uplifted sense of well-being invigorates the end of the film in order to
build anticipation for the next installment.
Although the themes are very different from one another-with some sounding
more or less complex or major or minor, some representing emotions as more or less
idealized or difficult through alignment with film visuals, and some which lead the
listener to a deeper or an uplifted place-each one metaphorically represents a faithful
interpretation (but not the only interpretation) ofthe narrative. For instance, the music in
-------------_.__._------------------_..
398
the first two films emphasizes Harry's bonds of friendship with his peers, while the music
in the third does not; the music in the fourth emphasizes Harry's isolation, and the music
in the fifth reflects Harry's re-connection with friends. Although these are reasonable
interpretations of the narrative, they are different from Rowling's books, in which Harry
experiences isolation of some kind and positive relationships of some kind during each
school year. In other words, each film-music interpretation (e.g. representing
relationships or isolation) is faithful, but only emphasizes part of the picture. The
combination and accumulation of these interpretations provides a richer understanding of
Harry's emotional world than anyone of the film-music approaches provides on its own.
Moreover, the musical approaches in their sequence reflect a definitive narrative contour
in which Harry's emotional world becomes more complex, includes the hardship of
disconnection, then the satisfaction of reconnection with others, and experiences the
depth of sorrow before being uplifted with inner strength.
Harry's Emotional World: Loss and Death
While love is often the answer in the Harry Potter stories, the matter of loss and
death is the other side of the coin that returns again and again. According to Rowling,
her books are "largely about death-They open with the death of Harry's parents; there is
Voldemort's obsession with conquering death and his quest for immortality at any price,
the goal ofanyone with magic."543 Although the Harry Potter narrative addresses loss
and death from the start (beginning with the premise that Harry's parents were murdered
by Voldemort), and although death occurs (or is at least discussed) in each of the novels
543 Geordie Greig, "There would be so much to tell her...," Daily Telegraph, January 11,2006.
http://www.telegraph.co.uklnews/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/0 1/1O/nrowlllO.xml (accessed April 4,
2007).
399
and films, the filmmakers chose not to emphasize death and other dramatic loss with film
music until the third film, The Prisoner ofAzkaban. That is to say, visual presentations
of death are not accompanied by any prescription for emotion. Moreover, in choosing
not to acknowledge loss and death with music in the first two films, the filmmakers
essentially chose to protect viewers from the emotional ramifications of death.
In contrast, when significant loss and death are represented with music in the
third, fourth, and fifth films, the organization of the music with film visuals leads viewers
to different forms of emotional experience and immediacy. Indeed, though no character
ultimately dies in the third film, the concept of loss is represented in several musical cues.
Among these are themes representing the grief of betrayal, and the anticipation of an
unjust execution. In contrast to the third film, several deaths occur in the fourth film, The
Goblet ofFire, but only one is acknowledged musically. Even so, the music quickly
shifts away from personal grief in order to objectify those characters who grieve. In
contrast to the fourth film, music facilitates difficult emotions far more than it protects
viewers from them in the fifth film. This film includes a motif representing Harry and
Sirius's shared grief over lost loved ones, a musical cue representing the loss of dignity
when characters are unjustly dismissed,544 and an important harmonically-driven
meditation reflecting Harry's overwhelming emotions when Sirius is murdered in front of
him.
In other words, the amount and quality of music reflecting loss and death in the
films is not directly proportionate to the opportunities that Rowling's original novels
provide. Instead, we see how each filmmaker team negotiates difficult emotions so as to
tell a meaningful story without letting grief overwhelm the emotional experience of the
544 Trelawney is unfairly dismissed from her position as professor, and Harry believes that Dumbledore
dismisses him by ignoring his pleas for conversation and mentoring.
400
film. The following discussion explores and explains the conclusions I have stated above
for each film in sequence.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets: No
Themes for Loss and Death
In the first two films (John Williams and Chris Columbus), the "love/reflection"
theme (discussed in the previous section) evokes Harry's love for and reflection on his
lost parents, but does not specifically signify grief. When characters die in the first two
films (e.g., the unicorn, Professor Quirrell, the basilisk, and the embodied memory of
Torn Riddle)545 music reflects the crisis of narrative (i.e., with referential cues such as
parallel gestures), but does not prescribe an emotional response (i.e., with connotative
cues). Thus, the deaths are experienced as part of the narrative progress, but not as part
of the emotional fiber of the story.
To be fair, the basilisk and the embodied memory of Torn Riddle (i.e., two of the
beings who die in the film) are malevolent characters in the narrative, and so it stands to
reason that their destruction would bring more relief than grief. Nevertheless, I submit
that the omission of emotional themes for their deaths represents an interpretive
decision.546 Furthermore, other characters who die in the film might deserve grief. The
murdered unicorn is an innocent character deserving of pity if not sadness (yet does not
545 Professor Quirrell crumbles to ashes without significant musical accompaniment (SS DVD 2:13:01).
When Harry kills the basilisk, the music provides three tones, tolling bells, then a statement of"Voldemort"
(CoS DVD 2:14:17). When the embodiment of Tom Riddle's memory bursts apart, the musical
accompaniment combines statements of "Something's Odd" with "Voldemort" and mixed choral voices.
546 For instance, emotional background music might have signified Harry's loss ofinnocence at having to
kill another creature, even if the filmmakers did not wish to confuse viewer perception of the basilisk or
Tom Riddle.
-------------_ _--_._---_._---- ----
401
receive any background music),547 and Professor Quirrell, who had been possessed by
Voldemort like so many before him, may deserve pity also (if only for the tragedy that
his goodness was overcome by the adversary).548
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban: "Betrayal," "Lupin Resigns," "Death
Sentence," and "Buckbeak's Execution"
In contrast, the music in the third film (John Williams and Alfonso Cuaron)
reflects a growing awareness ofloss in Harry's emotional world. In addition to the
"love/reflection/longing" theme (which often represents Harry's love for his lost parents),
the third film also includes music specifically reflecting characters' loss and death-even
though no character ultimately dies in the film. 549 The most significant of these cues are
those representing betrayal and the anticipation of an unjust execution. Though the
themes are significant for their prominence in relation to film visuals for loss and death,
the cues tend to be fairly short (e.g., a phrase or two in length) in contrast to other themes
in the film. Perhaps this is a way that filmmakers mitigate the emotional impact of the
themes even while they clearly make an emotional statement by including the music to
begin with. Additionaly, the themes tend to be similar in that they emphasize string
547 Somber-sounding music accompanies the centaur's explanation ofthe unicorn as it relates to the
danger Voldemort presents (SS DVD 1:47:33), but the music does not directly support the death of the
unicorn or grief over the unicorn's death.
548
For instance, the music by Nicholas Hooper for the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince, frames Draco Malfoy's apparent allegiance to Voldemort as a tragedy for both Malfoy's victims
and Malfoy himself.
549 Incidental deaths do occur in the animal kingdom, however, and are treated humorously with music,
rather than emotionally. Examples such as Buckbeak's ferret and bat snacks are addressed in the next
chapter on humor.
402
instruments (as an instrumental code for emotion), and often include open fifth harmonies
(perhaps as an allusion to medieval music).
"Betrayal"
The "Betrayal" theme reflects Harry's deep emotional injury and loss of
innocence upon learning that his parents were betrayed by their friend (resulting in their
murder). When Harry first hears the information (while eavesdropping beneath his
invisibility cloak in Rosmerta's pub in Hogsmeade Village) he reacts by leaving the
location in a hurry, accidentally pushing people over in his distraught emotional state
(PoA DVD 1:05:43). Strings sigh and bells toll as he rushes away, adding an emotionally
discordant layer to the Christmas carol sung by a source choir in the village street. That
is to say, the music for emotion overpowers the source music heard in the background of
the scene. This provides an example of how Williams uses music to show dramatic truth
rather than beauty (i.e., as nineteenth-century musical dramatists such as Verdi are known
to have done).
Then, the visuals show a woodsy knoll, where Harry, still under his Invisibility
Cloak, has sat on a stump to cry. When Ron and Hermione rush to his side, Hermione
carefully pulls off his cloak, and a musical theme commences on strings (DVD 1:06:35)
to reveal Harry's emotions and allow the viewer to feel as Harry feels. In the following
transcription, one can see how the two melody lines struggle to reconcile-both
rhythmically and harmonically Gust as Harry struggles to reconcile his emotions with the
new information), and how the often widely-spaced intervals between the two melody
lines metaphorically leave a hole where the heart of the pitches ought to be. The music
stops to allow for Harry's exclamation, "He was their friend!" then resumes. A
transcription is provided in Figure 5.10.
Figure 5.10. "Betrayal"
403
"
.
t
tJ ... ' ... ... He was
< their friend!
--
•I ..
1 1 L--
8 00-----------------------,I I r I
• ....... ~.
This is the first music in the Harry Potter film series to truly acknowledge difficult
emotions, and it does so in a dramatically effective way.
"Lupin Resigns"
As one can see from the following transcription (Figure 5.11), the first two
measures of "Lupin Resigns" are closely related to the "Betrayal" theme.
404
Figure 5.11. "Lupin Resigns"
•
~.
~ , I
,
I . . .
4 7'J -"" -- • •Sebben Crud Ie} Love/Ref!~ction/Long ng
I
.
.
\
When Harry finds Professor Lupin packing up his office (with a rhythmically buoyant,
major key swing tune playing on a phonograph in the background), Lupin explains to him
that someone "let slip" (i.e., "betrayed") the secret that he is a werewolf (i.e., a wizard
with a stigmatized medical condition), and so he decided to resign from his post rather
than cause undue scandal for himself, Hogwarts, or Professor Dumbledore. Further, as
one from his condition, he has come to expect such disappointments. When the music
changes to the free-metered, background strings theme in minor mode transcribed above
(PoA DVD 2:08:05), it suggests Lupin feelings of rejection in spite of outward
statements.
Moreover, when the theme continues as an oboe quotation of Antonio Caldara's
aria "Sebben Crudele" (which states the singer's intention to go on loving in spite of
rejection) it suggest Lupin's resignation to continue on in his life, in spite of
disappointment and set-backs. In light of my previous argument (from Chapters III and
IV, and from earlier in this chapter) that the alternation between Lupin's source swing
405
music and background music suggests emotional control and lack of emotional control,
respectively, the change from swing music to background music in Lupin's resignation
scene seems to reflect Lupin's emotional vulnerability. Thus, the viewer is allowed an
intimate look into Lupin's emotions just as Harry and Lupin have allowed each other to
see their emotional vulnerabilities.
"Death Sentence" and "Buckbeak's Execution"
Two musical cues prescribe emotional responses to the sad news that Buckbeak
the hippogriffhas been sentenced to death, and to the troubled belief that the event has
taken place. Neither of the cues is significant in length, perhaps because Buckbeak is
ultimately rescued from the terrible fate, but still they provide examples of how Williams
and Cuar6n chose to address loss and death in emotional terms. When Hagrid explains to
Harry, Ron, and Hermione that Buckbeak has been unjustly sentenced to death for
injuring a Hogwarts student (PoA DVD 1:12:54), a brief background cue in minor mode
with a descending melodic contour played by strings prescribes downtrodden
emotions.550 When the time approaches for Buckbeak to be executed (PoA DVD
1:26:35), the viewer hears a death march cadence played by tolling bells, sustained horns
and strings, and timpani implying sadness and impending doom. When the viewer hears
the executioner's axe from off-screen, the theme pauses (PoA DVD 1:27:14), then
resumes briefly as a slower, homophonic string, harp and timpani version of the same
theme suggesting an emotional response to the completion of the tragic execution (PoA
DVD 1:27:20).
550 This cue segues to the next scene with the addition of celeste, which suggests that there will be a
magical conclusion to this conflict. Indeed, a magic time-turner allows Harry and Hermione to go back in
time to save Buckbeak.
406
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: "Cedric's Death"
The fourth film (Patrick Doyle and Mike Newell) is the first in the series to
visually show (even emphasize) a character's death, and is the first to emotionally
address a specific character's death at length with music. Indeed, there are four murders
committed on screen during the course of the film. However, the filmmakers did not
choose to highlight the three deaths equally with musical themes. Moreover, filmmakers
chose to align music and visuals in a way that distances viewers from the source of
emotion, thus shielding viewers from a stronger emotional response.
The first death in the film occurs when Voldemort casts the killing curse
("Avadakedavra") on an unsuspecting muggle grounds keeper who investigates a
mysteriously lit room where Voldemort and his minions are meeting (GoF DVD 3:39).
Though sound effects accompany the spell and a whistling teapot creates a tension-filled
transition into the next scene, no music registers an emotional response to the murder
(e.g., such as sadness, pity, or grief). In other words, while the sound effect and the loud,
whistling tea-pot startle us, evoking fear at Voldemort's terrifying power, no music
registers how we should feel about the pitiful bloke who just got murdered.
The second death in the film occurs when Alistair Moody's imposter (who we
later learn is one of Voldemort's minions) casts first a torture curse, then a killing curse
on a clearly sentient spider as part of a classroom lesson. At first, the background music
is rollicking (in counterpoint to the violence of his actions, GoF DVD 24:56) but then
becomes somber-with mournful minor harmonies that reflect the reality of the spider's
impending doom (GoF DVD 25 :31, and a dissonant variation again at 26:37). However,
when the spider is ultimately killed (GoF DVD 27:20), there is no music to acknowledge
either the grief or skepticism that students must feel at seeing the creature killed as part of
407
a classroom exercise. Instead, perhaps the lack of music reflects the emptiness that
students (and viewers) experience after witnessing needless suffering.
The third death in the film (the second character death) occurs when Harry finds
the lifeless body of Ministry official Barty Crouch Sr. in the woods, a scene accompanied
by dissonant and sustained strings (GoF DVD 1:41 :22). Much as with the first character
death, this one occurs without any musical, emotional acknowledgement regarding the
loss of human life. Indeed, barely a referential cue is heard in the scene prior, when
shadowy visuals allude to the murder. It is more unusual that this death does not receive
a musical acknowledgement because students (and viewers) have learned about the
character Barty Crouch Sr. over the course of the film (i.e., in contrast to the muggle
groundskeeper who is murdered, who we never formally meet in the film).
The fourth death in the film occurs when Voldemort's minion Peter Pettigrew
casts a killing curse on the Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory. While sound effects and
music reflecting violence and tension accompany the moment of the murder (GoF DVD
2:00:09), background music does not register an emotional response until a later scene.
Indeed, the mournful theme (named "Cedric's death" in published materials) does not
occur until Harry brings Cedric's body back to Hogwarts and students and faculty there
realize that he has died (GoF DVD 2: 10:27). Musically, "Cedric's death" is the first
among the themes for loss and death to emphasize tremolo strings and tertial harmonies
(in contrast to lyric strings and open fifths in the third film), and is longer than the themes
for loss and death in the previous film.
In contrast to the unique musical cues for loss in the previous film ("betrayal"),
"Cedric's death" is melodically and harmonically related to other themes in the fourth
film (such as the "Inner Emotions" theme and to the "Harry victorious" theme; see mm.
408
2-3, and 9-10 in Figure 5.11).551 However, rather than leading the viewer toward a
deeper emotional response to the death of a Hogwarts student hero, the music leads
viewers away from the emotional immediacy of the event. Note, also, that this musical
piece occurs roughly ten minutes later in the film than the moment of Cedric's actual
death, which is another way to distance viewers from the immediacy of grief. Figure
5.12 provides a transcription of this musical cue.
As shown in the transcription, "Cedric's death" includes different kinds of rhythm
and meter in the three main sections of the piece. These three sections align with visuals
of three different physical proximities to Cedric, thus symbolically reflecting three levels
of emotional immediacy in the grief over Cedric. In the first section (mm.I-3), the free
rhythm and meter align with the tournament spectators' realization that Cedric is dead,
and supports an immediate, sorrowful emotional reaction to this information (GoF DVD
2:10:27).552 At the end of the first musical section, the visuals show Cedric's father
descending from the grand stand Gust as the melody descends). He calls out "That's my
son! That's my boy!" (perhaps as an allusion to the famous emotional text of King David
grieving for his son Absalom).
In the second section (mm. 4-12), with clearly metered, more formally organized
rhythmic polyphony and Baroque flourishes, the visuals focus on Cedric's father's grief,
and the shock and sadness of others who observe while Cedric's father grieves (GoF
DVD 2: 11 :00). In other words, the focus is no longer on Cedric, nor even on Harry's
grief over Cedric, but rather, is removed-focusing on those who observe others who
grieve. Furthermore, the formality of the neo-Baroque music in this section suggests a
551 The "Inner Emotions" theme also occurs softly in the background when Cedric's ghost (as well as the
ghosts of Harry's parents, the grounds keeper, and others) emergers from Harry and Voldemort's locked
wands, prior to Harry's retrieval of Cedric's body to Hogwarts.
552 Although the viewer witnesses Cedric's murder in the middle of the crisis several minutes earlier, the
music enters later when Harry and others are able to respond to the loss.
Figure 5.12. "Cedric's Death"
3
.--'-'
4
2
rit._atempo 7 .....------s-
409
~91 11 10, I'. ,., 12 13 14 II - I, .
\ U
.
T .g T ~
) A. Diggory: f'*lvuiJ*lI "*,vail*H
·
·
II u
15 16 17
1 ,j 18J ~ 13
I
It d ... I
<
~ ··
410
fonnal or ritualistic objectification of death and grief (though, in fairness, the rhythmic
syncopation in measure five and the suspension resolving to a tri-tone in measure eight
also reveal the vulnerable human response to difficult emotions). Indeed, the antiquated-
sounding music itself may be enough to distance viewers from the emotional situation-
because it does not sound like the music of our time, it may not feel like the grief is our
own either. In the third section (mm. 13-18), with clear rhythm and homophony, the
music aligns with visuals that ascend up from the tournament grounds to Hogwarts castle
Gust as the melody ascends), thus carrying the visuals and the music-as-emotion even
farther away from the source of emotion (GoF DVD 2:11 :23).
In an aesthetic move that further detaches viewers from the emotional impact of
mortality, generic background music (e.g., sustained hannonies) accompanies Cedric's
memorial service (GoF DVD 2:17:36). During this event, Professor Dumbledore's
speech may reinforce a detachment from emotion when he recontextualizes Cedric's
memorial as an opportunity for learning and morality training, as discerned from the text
below.
Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss....Now, the pain we all feel
at this dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us that while we may come from
different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In
light of recent of events, the bonds of friendship we made this year will be
more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not
have died in vain. You remember that, and we will celebrate a boy who
was kind and honest and brave and true right to the very end.
In other words, the personal (Le., Cedric's death) is transformed into the collective (i.e.,
the need for solidarity). As Dumbledore finishes his eulogy, both the camera and the
melody ascend. The camera focus rests on light shining through the rafters of the hall
while the music rests on a final minor chord. While the music certainly evokes sympathy
for the loss of Cedric, the combination of music with visuals transforms the experience of
411
the personal to the experience of the communal or epic. This is significantly different
from the more intimate portrayals of loss and death in the previous, third film, and, as we
will see, in the following film (The Order ofthe Phoenix).
The approach described above was certainly not the only logical choice available
to the filmmakers. Early on in the film, a theme evoking emotion (marketed as the
"Hogwarts Hymn") plays in the background score while Dumbledore describes how
participation in the Tri-Wizard Tournament brings both great honor and the enormous
peril to those involved (GoF DVD 33:02). Because Cedric died during his participation
in the third task of this tournament, it might have been appropriate to use the same music
to memorialize him-that is to say, to remind the viewer of Cedric's valiant effort in an
honorable pursuit, and of how his sacrifice will go down in history. There is no theme
that follows Harry's relationship with Cedric throughout the film, though filmmakers
might have chosen to make one in order to allow viewers to see the death as a personal
tragedy in Harry's life. As previously stated, a version of Harry's "Inner Emotions"
theme is musically recontextualized for the response to Cedric's death in the stadium, and
may relate to Harry's vulnerability, including his lack of ability to save Cedric. This
theme, too, might have been restated at the memorial as a reminder of the emotional
impact of Cedric's death on those around him. With these, and perhaps other choices
clearly available to the filmmakers, we must assume that they chose the less thematic
music for Cedric's memorial based on aesthetics rather than on necessity. Therefore, it is
especially significant that the musical approach that the filmmakers chose emphasizes the
public and epic rather than the personal.
Indeed, Doyle's conservative approach to this film resembles the work of the
grand opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. When Meyerbeer's music defines space
within the span of vision and beyond (much as the three sections of "Cedric's death"
412
define space), it serves as a metaphor for the tactile space ofthe narrative. However,
Meyerbeer's approach (much like Patrick Doyle's approach with director Mike Newell)
uses broad strokes in his musical representation ofdrama (rather than, for instance,
synchronization with movement, or anything approaching miming music, such as occurs
in Daniel Francois Auber's 1828 opera, La Muette de Portici).553 Rather, for both
Meyerbeer and Doyle, the music rel1ects the broad, the public, and the collective, rather
than the personal or singular.
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: "Grieving the Past," "Loss of Dignity," and
"Sirius's Death"
The music for the fifth film (composer Nicholas Hooper) includes three
emotionally provocative music themes for circumstances of loss and death in the film.
All three ofthese themes weigh heavily on the heart of the listener, and provide an
example of how Hooper's music moves us in physical ways. In contrast to Doyle's
music for the fourth film, which emphasizes the collective, Hooper's music for loss and
death in the fifth film emphasizes the personal. Indeed, it is in the fifth film that Harry
experiences his most personal loss since his parents were murdered-when his guardian
Sirius Black is murdered in front of his eyes. The other music themes about grieving the
past and losing dignity are also presented in more personal ways.
553 Smart, Mimomania, 109.
413
"Grieving the Past"
The first theme initially occurs when Sirius and Harry acknowledge and
remember those who have died in the honorable fight against the adversary. As Harry
prepares to take the train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year, Sirius shows
him a picture of a group of members of The Order ofthe Phoenix-the organized
rebellion against Voldemort-from before Harry was born (OotP DVD 26:31). Included
in the picture are Harry's parents James and Lily Potter, Sirius himself, Remus Lupin,
and others who were either tortured or killed by Voldemort and his minions. A
transcription is provided in Figure 5.13.
Figure 5.13. "Grieving the Past"
=!c Am Em6 Am Em6 F. G Em Am Em Am Em F~m~~e~
The musical theme that accompanies Sirius's description of the photo has a palindromic
quality to the harmonic progression (i.e., leading toward and away from the F and G
chords, much as the previous reflection/love and longing themes have a palindromic
component in their respective melodies),554 and a melodic contour that from the
beginning seems crippled, like a broken wing that prohibits flight. Even when the
melody begins again in the second full measure, it immediately snaps back to the tonic.
554 Unlike the "Love/Reflection" and "Love/Reflection/Longing" themes by Williams (which evoke
feelings of love in spite of sadness), Hooper's "Grieving the Past" theme evokes only the emotional injury
of disconnection and grief.
414
The inability of the melody to escape it's own narrow confines reflects the indelible
injury caused by the loss ofthese people from Sirius's and Harry's lives. The last phrase
of the melody (at the pick-up to the fourth full measure) includes an ascending sigh that
gently, resignatedly, returns to the tonic yet again, as if this is the only place that this
melody-as a metaphor for the painful emotion-can go.
The same theme is heard later when Sirius reveals his personal grief at his
disconnection with the Black family, and later still when he and Harry discuss how dark
feelings affect one's inner being. This provides an example of how this theme evokes a
similar feeling for more than one situation, showing a complexity in the landscape of
Harry and Sirius's emotional world. For instance, when Sirius shows Harry the tapestry
of the Black family tree (OotP DVD 1:13:59), pointing out where his mother blackened
him out of the picture in retaliation for his defection from the dark side, he exhibits grief
over broken relationships with those who fought for evil, not just just those who fought
for goodness. Later in the same scene (OotP DVD 1:15:24), the theme occurs again after
Harry worries aloud that the anger and darkness that he feels inside himself is an
indicator the has gone "bad."555 Sirius assures him, accompanied by the "Grieving the
Past" theme, that all people have both dark and light inside of them. The musical theme
itself emphasizes inner darkness through its inability to escape the minor tonic, and is in
contrast to the theme for inner light, "Loved Ones," that reaches higher and higher up
from the major tonic. Furthermore, as we will see, the philosophy that Sirius argues-
that we each have light and darkness inside of us-is similar to the way the theme for
rising evil in the film ("Possession") suggests that all are susceptible to the seduction of
evil.
555 As we will see, this reflects the philosophy ofevil represented musically in the previous fourth film in
which the path of evil can deviate from a path that begins in righteousness.
415
"Loss ofDignity"
The second theme for loss occurs when Professor Trelawney unjustly loses her
job and her Hogwarts home at the hands ofthe malevolent Professor Umbridge (OotP
48:44). This type ofloss, in which characters feel powerless in a corrupt situation,
reflects a broader theme in the film in which Harry loses his childhood idealisms. Harry
observes behaviors in others---even among those that he loves-that do not seem fair or
reasonable, and also observes and experiences how life's unfaimesses can easily wound
the spirit.
Speaking to this matter as one of Rowling's main messages in the fifth novel,
screenwriter Michael Goldenburg explains how he emphasized this message throughout
the film.
It's something I wanted to dramatize.... the moment when you see the
authority figure you've either idealized or demonized revealed as more
complicated. It's an iconic moment when you realize your parents are
normal, flawed human beings. That was a motif in the book, this
revelation about James Potter being quite bullying and arrogant. And
Snape was an outsider in the same way Harry was. It's a motif that also
plays out in Dumbledore's last scene, where he finally shows his cards and
goes from being the omniscient benevolent father figure he's been
throughout the series, to somebody who's scared. He confesses to Harry
that he's made a strategic mistake by ignoring Harry all year. In my mind
I saw [the story] as an ideological battle [as much as a conflict between
Harry and Voldemort]. And while it was never the intent to make that
explicit in the film, I do think it is in the book, that these are two very
different ways of viewing the world.556
Similarly, when Professor Trelawney is fired and thrown out of Hogwarts by Dolores
Umbridge, we witness through Harry's eyes the humanity and vulnerability of a teacher
556 Rebecca Traister, "Hany Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon.com, July 11,2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/jeature/2007/07/11/goldenberg_qa/indexl.html (accessed July 7,2008).
416
who is otherwise an authority figure. Moreover, we witness a small emotional death that
is caused by someone who, though not one of Vo1demort's minions, is still malevolent.
Until this moment in the film, Umbridge's actions have seemed ridiculous, infuriating,
and have even caused physical pain, but this scene represents a turning point in
characters' (and likewise viewers') understanding that her influence is truly harmful.
Figure 5.14 provides a transcription of the theme for Tre1awney's dismissal, "Loss of
Dignity."
Figure 5.14. "Loss of Dignity"
8°O----------------------------------------------~
Indeed, the melodic allusion to "Dies Irae" (i.e., the medieval sequence for the
day of wrath) that one can see and hear in the melody of "Loss of dignity" furthers the
association ofjudgement, helplessness, and grief, and tells us that Trelawney experiences
the event like a death (albeit spiritual rather than physical). The phrases of Trelawney's
piece and the Dies Irae are not identical, but share melodic contours at the skeletal level
such that they could be phrases of the same musical piece. Perhaps this similarity
provides the intended allusion without stooping to the cliche of quotation (a practice
against which film music critics Eisler and Adorno complained). Incidently, Professor
Trelawney's first name is Sybill, a word that appears in the first stanza of the Dies Irae.
Perhaps the connection is purposeful.557
557 A similar musical association occurrs when Professor Lupin resigns from Hogwarts at the conclusion
of The Prisoner ofAzkaban. As Lupin explains to Harry that he has chosen to leave rather than be forced
417
Dies irc:e! dies illa
Solvet saeclum in favilla
Teste David cum Sibylla!
The phrases of Tre1awney's theme continue even after she has been invited back
into the castle by Professor Dumbledore, who says, "Professor McGonagall, might I ask
you to escort Sybill back inside" (OotP DVD 50:00). The first phrase repeats a last time
when Harry's attempts to gain Dumbledore's attention are ignored (i.e., a different kind
of dismissal, OotP DVD 50:38), prompting Harry's own feelings oflost dignity (in
response to Dumbledore's misguided strategy, as Goldenburg argued above).558 In this
way, the same music serves two purposes within one scene. First it accompanies the
painful circumstances of Trelawney' s dismissal as Hogwarts students look on, then it
accompanies Harry's own experience ofdismissal when Dumb1edore rectifies
Trelawney's circumstances, but ignores Harry.
"Sirius's Death"
The third, and perhaps most significant theme, "Sirius's death" occurs when
Sirius is murdered in front of Harry's eyes by Vo1demort's minion, Bellatrix Lestrange
(OotP DVD 1:57:00). This is the first death in the series that is presented visually and
musically in very personal ways. It is the first and only musical theme in the first five
films to completely usurp source sound, thus representing Harry's overwhelmed
out due to his stigmatized illness, Williams's accompanying music includes a quotation from the artsong
"Sebben Crudele," the unquoted text of which declaims that the protagonist will continue to love in spite of
being despised.
558 This fmal statement is actually a sequence of three consecutive, nearly overlapping statements of the
fIrst phrase.
418
emotional state. Furthermore, the slowly moving, gradually descending (and unraveling),
three-part texture provides an emotional perspective oftime that is in counterpoint to the
disorienting, artificially represented speeds of the visual response to the murder (both
slower and faster than real time). Much as the two rhythmically mis-aligned melodic
lines of Williams's "Betrayal" theme for the third film musically depict how Harry tries
to reconcile painful information (with Harry's own dialogue providing a third line to the
texture), so too, the three-line texture of the "Sirius's Death" theme is at first
rhythmically misaligned, then aligned as Harry comes to terms with a truth too difficult
for words. A transcription of the theme follows in Figure 5.15.
Figure 5.15. "Sirius's Death"
fI I
-.
I
-
I I I I
The string melody of the theme seeps seemlessly into the background score as
Sirius fades away beyond a curtain of death in the bowels of the Ministry ofMagic.
When the visuals return to Harry's shocked face, mouthing a scream of protest as Remus
Lupin restrains him from acting irrationally, the background music covers all would-be
dialogue.ss9 In other words, even though Harry cannot afford to act irrationally given the
dangerous circumstances, the irrational use of audible music (making dialogue inaudible)
tells the viewer how distorted Harry's emotions are in the face of such personal tragedy.
559
The music itself is similar to Williams's music the "Betrayal" theme in the third film. However, while
the "Betrayal" theme subsides in order to make way for Harry's emotional dialogue, the "Sirius's Death"
theme covers up Harry's dialogue in order to indicate Harry's overpowering emotions.
419
This is different from the way that music subsides during the "Betrayal" theme in the
third film in order to make way for Harry's dialogue. Only the voice of Sirius's
murderer, Bellatrix Lestrange, pierces through the background score (and metaphorically,
Harry's inner emotional state). Indeed, it is through Harry's angry, passionate pursuit of
Bellatrix that the music segues out of the painful theme.
Although a deep analysis of the sixth Harry Potter film, The Half-Blood Prince,
is beyond the scope of this dissertation (as it has not yet been released to DVD at the time
of submission), I would be remiss if I did not mention how composer Hooper continues
to emphasize the narrative theme of loss and death with music in this new installment. A
sentimental flute melody (in minor mode and triple meter) accompanies Professor
Slughom's wistful remembrances of Harry's mother Lily from her student days. The
giant spider Aragog is eulogized to a hymn resembling "Comin' Through the Rye"
(though this is a somewhat funny application of music for death). Draco Malfoy's de-
moralizing descent into underworld activities includes an audio-visual motif of
songbirds-one of whom is killed, accompanied by music that frames the event with pity
for both the bird and for Malfoy. Finally, music based on Hooper's core choral theme "In
Noctem" accompanies the death of Harry's long-time mentor, Albus Dumbledore, and
those who honor his passing.
Summary
As we saw in this examination of musical themes for loss and death in the Harry
Potter films, the strategies for representing varied forms of grief with music are not
directly proportional to the opportunities for depicting loss and death. We also saw how
the decisions made by Harry Potter filmmakers are related to the decisions made by
420
nineteenth-century musical dramatists-especially with regard to representing the
personal versus representing the collective. Indeed, the first films include a number of
deaths, but no music reflects these losses in an emotionally significant way. In contrast,
the third film does not include any deaths, but several musical cues reflect painful
emotions about loss such as the grief of betrayal and the anticipation of an unjust
punishment. While the fourth film is the first to explicitly represent four murders, only
one of the deaths is acknowledged with music signifying grief. Even so, this music is
applied in a way that distances the viewer from a more personal connection with the
grief. Instead of emphasizing the personal, the music and visuals highlight the collective,
epic quality of the situation, and the impact of the death on narrative progress. In
contrast, music for loss and death in the fifth film emphasizes Harry's personal emotions
over the epic. Certainly, Harry's most personal experience with death occurs when his
guardian Sirius is murdered, however broader ideas of loss and grief are also represented
in musical ways that bring the viewer closer in to the drama (rather than distance the
viewer away from it).
Harry's Philosophical World: Mystery and the Rise of Evil
All five films have musical themes that cue mysterious events and indicate the
rise or presence of evil, but each theme sounds different and also reflects varied kinds of
information through the use of musical codes and metaphors and through the alignment
of themes with film visuals.560 As a group, the themes for mystery tend to function
similarly as (only somewhat connotative) referential cues for narrative intrigue, but differ
560 I include both leitmotifs for mystery and for the rise of evil in this discussion because the main
mysteries in the Harry Potter narrative directly or indirectly revolve around the rise of evil in the past and
present.
421
in the specific ways they negotiate mystery and truth in each film. That is to say, some
themes "tell the truth" while other themes lead viewers astray.561 In contrast, the themes
for the rise of evil are both musically different from one another and also connotatively
emphasize different philosophical aspects of the nature of evil-militant, alarming,
deviant, and seductive.
In the course of this particular examination, I am informed by Cone's prescriptive
advice for appreciating approaches to mystery in three readings (or viewings/listenings,
in this case): the first time for enjoyment, the second time for attention to craft, and a
third time for a synthesized understanding of enjoyment and craft.562 When useful, I
comment on how the musical approaches to mystery may be perceived on a first viewing,
versus how the same approaches may be perceived during subsequent viewings. As we
will see, Williams's leitmotifs for mystery are especially effective at providing clues for
the first-time viewing that still ring true with subsequent analysis.
In the first and second films, the alignment of leitmotifs with film visuals never
"lies," and the themes for the adversary, Voldemort, are rhythmically martial,
chromatically distorted, and melodically flamboyant-reflecting the clear-cut, distinct,
and perverse nature of evil. In the third film, the placement of one mystery leitmotif is
always truthful, while the placement of another mystery leitmotif endeavors to lead the
viewer astray. There are no themes for Voldemort because he does not appear in the
narrative, though two other musical themes sound an alarm to represent imminent
physical and spiritual danger. In the fourth film, leitmotifs for mystery and the rise of
evil are aligned with film visuals in more ambiguous ways (i.e., that do not always seem
561 I am informed by Justin London's discussion of how leitmotifs can "tell the truth" even when visuals
and dialogue are less forthcoming. Justin London, "Leitmotifs and Musical Reference in the Classical Film
Score" in Music and Cinema, ed. James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan
University Press, 2000), 85-98.
562 Edward T. Cone, Music: A View from Delft (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1989).
422
"truthful"), and the melodic contour indicating Voldemort and the rise of evil is
remarkably similar to Harry's theme for victory and the conquest of evil-thus reflecting
the relatively small deviations between the paths of goodness and evil. In the fifth film,
narrative cues for mystery are indicated with sound-effects, and the theme for Voldemort
is unmetered, diatonic, and seductively smooth-reflecting the notion of evil as a
malleable state of being. The varied philosophies about the nature of evil that are
represented by the different musical metaphors and alignments with visuals are also
representative of the aesthetic and philosophical questions that nineteenth-century
dramatists addressed in varied ways.
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone: "Something's Odd," "Evil Rising," and
"Voldemort"
There are three leitmotifs for mystery and the rise of evil in the first film (John
Williams and Chris Columbus). As a group, these themes are musically similar. All
three themes are in duple meter, are performed at moderate tempi, have overtly chromatic
melodies, and are relatively short (two to four measures long). As well, all three include
dotted rhythms (although "Something's Odd" includes only one). Furthermore, the
rhythm of "This is Evil Rising" emphasizes the militaristic Scottish snap. The musical
similarities between the themes for mystery and evil are significant because none of the
themes for benevolent magic or for emotion (which tend to use triple meter, lilting
rhythms, and moderate chromaticism) share these musical attributes. Moreover, all of the
themes are applied "truthfully" to the visuals, and therefore indicate clear contrasts
between goodness and evil through their alignment with film visuals.
423
"Something's Odd"
The theme for the central mystery, "Something's Odd" (also used in the second
film) cues the viewer to visual and dialogue cues that may be either directly or indirectly
related to evil, but are always directly related to the mystery at hand. The melody is
clearly recognizable by its repetition of an augmented second interval. Indeed, many of
the themes depicting mystery in the series include a repetition of an unusual (i.e., non-
diatonic) interval. The insistant repetition of the "Something's Odd" theme functions as a
, 1 fi fd" A' ., 'd d' fi 5 16 563mUSlca orm 0 nppmg water torture. transcnptlOn IS provl e In Igure . ,
Figure 5,16. "Something's Odd"
Gm F+ Gm F+ Gm F+ sus Gm F+
!'l
I
~ l>lt ti* ~ l>lt ti* :6t P1J v~. ~ l>lt ti* ~
> > >
I ..
-
c.. c.. • • c..
In the first film, the story generally focuses on the mystery ofhow Harry survived
Voldemort's killing curse as an infant, but focuses more specifically on the mystery of
The Sorcerer's Stone-an alchemist's magical stone with the ability to extend life that
Voldemort is trying to steal. While the general mystery ofHarry's history is narratively
cued with "Hedwig's Theme" and the "love/reflection" theme (discussed in other
563
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Themes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001), 28.
424
sections), the more specific mystery of The Sorcerer's Stone is highlighted with the
"Something's Odd" motif.
As such, "Something's Odd" aligns with visuals relating to The Sorcerer's Stone
in order to cue the viewer to the clues. Sometimes the musical cue is the only indicator in
the scene to distinguish moments of dramatic concern. For instance, when the Harry,
Ron, and Hermione receive a warning from Hagrid not to go looking any deeper into the
matter ofNicholas Flamel (number four on the following chart), only the the music tells
the audience that a mysterious and ominous clue has been revealed. In contrast, the
visuals of the scene, including lighting, color, camera angle and dialogue between
friends, are cheerful and friendly. Only the "Something's Odd" theme (i.e., a motif to
which the viewer is being conditioned) alerts the viewer to the clue that Flamel will play
a role in the narrative resolution.
Sometimes the musical cue influences one interpretation in the moment, and
suggests other interpretations in hindsight. The notion of mental rumination is
represented musically in the way the three-note motif turns over and over again,
sometimes adding new information (i.e., new pitches and rhythms) in the third measure.
The repetition of the three note figure also functions as a melodic ostinato, which creates
tension "through sheer accumulation," like "Chinese water torture," according to
Kalinak.564 In Table 5.1, I list nine occurrences of "Something's Odd," and show how
many of the alignments with visuals may resonate conceptually in more than one way-
some realized in the moment, and some realized later on.
564 Kathryn Kalinak, Settling the Score, 93. "Chinese water torture" is the popular term for dripping water
torture which is not historically related to Chinese cultural groups or governments.
425
Table 5.1. Visuals aligning with statements of the musical theme "Something's Odd" in
The Sorcerer's Stone and resulting conceptual resonances
I. Harry views his pile of gold at Gringotts Wizard Bank (SS DVD 23:42):
(A) cues viewer to the hidden treasures in Gringotts
(B) corresponds with the yet unknown fact that The Sorcerer's Stone had been stored atGringotts
2. Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrive at the third floor corridor (SS DVD 1:01:30)
(A) reminds the viewer that this is a place students have been warned not to go
(B) implies trouble ahead, before the friends stumble upon a monstrous three-headed dog
(C) corresponds with the yet unknown fact that The Sorcerer's Stone is hidden there
3. After Professor Snape limps into the Great Hall, Harry voices suspicions (SS DVD I: 14:20)
(A) at first suggests that Professor Snape tried to get passed the three-headed dog
(B) corresponds with the yet unknown fact that Snape thwarted Professor Quirrell's attempts to get passed
the dog on behalf of Voldemort
4. Hagrid lets slip the name "Nicholas Flamel," then warns the friends against further investigation (SS DVD 1:24:36)
(A) marks the information that Flame! knows what is being harbored beneath the dog.
(B) corresponds with the yet unknown fact that Flamel is the only known maker of The Sorcerer's Stone
5. Hermione reads to Harry and Ron about Flamel and The Sorcerer's Stone (SS DVD 1:37:56)
(A) marks their realization that the Stone is that which has been guarded by the three-headed dog
6. Hermione states, "As long as Dumbledore is around, we'll be safe." (SS DVD 1:49:42)
(A) calls into question whether the they (and the Stone) will be safe (even) under Dumbledore's watch
(B) corresponds with the yet unknown fact that Dumbledore is away from Hogwarts on business
7. The friends go to warn Professor McGonagall that someone is trying to steal the stone (SS DVD 1:51:57)
(A) reinforces the significance ofthe stone in relation to the central mystery
8. Harry hears a disembodied voice in the chamber with him and Professor Quirrell (SS DVD 2:08:33)
(A) registers the incongruency of visuals and dialogue
(B) marks the following realization that Voldemort is parasitically attached to Quirrell
9. Harry sees himself with the stone as he looks into the Mirror of Erised (SS DVD 2:09:35)
(A) reinforces the significance of the visual in relation to the central mystery
(B) suggests that the mystery has come to a resolution
In this chart, each number describes the visuals that occur with the theme for mystery ("something's odd''),
while the letters that follow provide multiple (yet still truthful) interpretations ofthe audio-visual
alignment.
"Evil Rising" and "Voldemort"
The themes "Evil Rising" and "Voldemort" are often linked together. However,
while the "Evil Rising" theme tends to align with indirect references to and the imminent
presence of the adversary Voldemort, the "Voldemort" theme itself aligns with direct
426
visual or dialogue references to Voldemort.565 For instance, the "Evil Rising" theme is
heard when the disembodied voice of Voldemort tells Quirrell to let him speak with
Harry directly ( SS DVD 2:09:47), while the Voldemort's own theme aligns with the
visual of his parasitic face on the back of Quirrell's head (SS DVD (2: 10: 17). Therefore,
the presence of the leitmotif bears a direct relationship to musical embodiment of
Voldemort. That is to say, the music tells us when Voldemort is present in physical form
even though the dialogue of the first film (and second film also) makes it clear that
Voldemort has not yet regained a complete physical form. Williams's approach clarifies
the presence of Voldemort in important ways, and I do not mean to suggest that a
leitmotif suggesting embodiment is out of line. I do suggest that this provides an
example of dramatic license in the music, and that, as we will see, later films deal with
this matter differently. Figures 5.17 and 5.18 provide transcriptions of these two
'.c. 566
motlls.
Figure 5.17. "Evil Rising"
•• ~. - ..
h•. I > •.
-
I
565 In other words, the three themes are always aligned truthfully with film visuals, and operate in a
hierarchy in which "Something's Odd" is the most general and "Voldemort" is the most specific.
566
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Themesfrom Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001), 29.
427
Figure 5.18. "Voldemort"
The following chart lists occurrences of the "Voldemort" theme with film visuals,
and shows how (much as the "Something's Odd" theme) the leitmotif is always
"truthful," yet sometimes (such as in alignment number 2 in the table below) influences
the interpretation of a scene in an immediate way that is different from the overall
interpretation. As we can see fromTable 5.2, the theme is stated a number of times, and
reflects something important about the narrative at each statement.
Table 5.2. Visuals aligning with statements of the musical theme "Voldemort" in The
Sorcerer's Stone and the resulting conceptual resonances
1. Hagrid explains that Harry is the only one to have survived Voldemort's attack (SS DVD 29:47)
(A) reinforces the leitmotif as a signifier for Voldemort (during flashback visuals)
(B) reinforces the distorted nature of Voldemort through musical codes (in combination with dialogue)
2. Harry's broom is jinxed while playing Quidditch, seemingly at the hand ofProfessor Snape (SS DVD 1:20:42)
(A) suggests that Snape is a servant of V0 ldemort
(B) corresponds with yet unknown information that Quirrell had cast the jinx (and Snape countered it)
(C) corresponds with yet unknown information that Quirrell is a servant of Voldemort
3. Harry's scar hurts after seeing a shadowy figure in the woods (SS DVD 1:47:03)
(A) suggests that Harry's scar hurts because of Voldemort
(B) suggests that Harry has seen (or been in the presence of) Voldemort
4. With the help of a centaur, Harry deduces that the shadowy figure was Voldemort (SS DVD 1:48: 15)
(A) affirms that Harry had been in the presence of Voldemort
(B) affirms that Harry's scar hurts because ofthe presence of Voldemort
5. Harry sees Voldemort's parasitic face on the back of Quirrell's head (SS DVD 2:10:17)
(A) reinforces (and resolves) the connection between the leitmotif and the presence of Voldemort
(B) affirms that Quirrell is one of Voldemort's minions
(C) dialogue that follows affirms that Voldemort has been behind all mysterious events in the film
In this chart, each number describes the visuals that occur with the theme for evil ("Voldemort"), while the
letters that follow provide multiple (yet still truthful) interpretations ofthe audio-visual alignment.
428
Musically, the "Voldemort" theme includes martial dotted rhythms, an angular
chromatic melody, and chromatically derived harmonies, the contour and aspects of
which resemble Prokofiev's depiction of the power hungry and manipulative Montagues
and Capulets in the pavane (of the same name) in Romeo and Juliet. Whether intended
or not, this association supports the notion that Voldemort is powerful, manipulative, and
furthermore, evil. Although John Williams has not specifically spoken on the topic of
Voldemort's theme, the following interview exerpt regarding his approach to Darth
Vader's theme for Star Wars suggests that he followed a similar set of theatrical precepts
when writing for the different fantasy series.
The melodic elements needed to have a strong imprint. In the case of [the
adversary], brass suggests itself because of his military bearing and his
authority and his ominous look. That would translate into a strong melody
that's military, that grabs you right away, that is, probably simplistically,
in a minor mode because he's threatening. 567
The leitmotif "Voldemort" reinforces the interpretation of the distorted nature of
Voldemort's character (and by extension, the character of evil itself) through musical
codes and through the combination of the leitmotif with film dialogue. Though other
themes are in minor, no other theme in the film has such martial rhythms or such
pervasive chromaticism as "Voldemort." Likewise, no other themes emphasize brass and
bass strings-which tend to dominate the statements of the theme. These characteristics
can be musical codes for powerful malevolence, and also set the leitmotif apart from
other themes signifying benevolent magic or emotions. Moreover, the first two
statements of the leitmotif align with dialogue describing the terrible harm that
Voldemort has caused to others (as noted in the first two examples on the chart above).
567 Craig 1. Byrd, "John Williams: Interview by Craig 1. Byrd," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/features/williams.asp (accessed November 24,2009).
429
Throughout the film, Voldemort (that is to say, the unspeakable "You-know-
you") is described as a terrifying heartless killer-the opposite of Harry's loving, heroic
parents, who saved him from Voldemort. In other words, just as the film dialogue creates
a dichotomy between loving "good" and heartless "evil," so does the music create a
dichotomy between lilting, diatonic and harmlessly chromatic themes for "good;" and
martial, overtly chromatic themes for "evil." This philosophical interpretation if the
nature of evil (as the opposite of good) is influenced (and in fact, emphasized) by
Williams's music in the first films (though it changes in the third, fourth, and fifth films).
Furthermore, the dichotomous relationship between different-sounding music for good
and evil unveils Voldemort's lie that "there is no good and evil, there is only power."568
This provides another interpretive layer in which the music is "truthful" about the film's
championing of one philosophical truth about the reality of good and evil.
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets: "Chamber of Secrets," and "Love/Reflection"
The second film (John Williams and Chris Columbus) includes the three
leitmotifs discussed above, and also includes a new leitmotif to represent the mysterious
Chamber of Secrets.569 As in the first film, all leitmotifs align with film visuals in a
truthful way, and thus the "Chamber of Secrets" leitmotif is not heard unless the chamber
itself is truthfully referenced in dialogue or visuals. For instance, the motif accompanies
568 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (New York: Scholastic, 1997), 291.
569 The second film also includes a leitmotif that accompanies the mysterious exodus of spiders from
Hogwarts castle. However, as the spiders are themselves the point of mystery, and the music merely
mimics their scurrying movements, I do not include this theme in my discussion here.
430
Dumbledore's statement that "The Chamber of Secrets indeed has been opened" (CoS
DVD 1 03 0 ) . .. 'd d' fi 5 19 570: : 5 . A transcnptIOn IS proVI e III Igure . .
Figure 5.19. "Chamber of Secrets"
>.
The new theme sounds different, but also shares some musical similarities with the
previous themes. The short melody uses some chromaticism (but not a lot), and also uses
dotted rhythms, but in a new, compound meter context. These changes (e.g., less
chromatism and triple-related meter) may reflect how the Chamber of Secrets itself is a
mysterious but not necessarily evil place, but has been manipulated by evildoers.
Following a similar hierarchy of narrative cueing from the most general to the
most specific, the "Something's Odd" theme is used on fourteen occasions during the
course of the second film to indicate generally mysterious events (though it is often
repeated a number of times for each occasion), while "Chamber of Secrets" is heard in
only a handful of circumstances to directly indicate the chamber itself, and "Voldemort"
is heard on only two occasions for the revelation of Voldermort' s hand at work. As in the
previous film, the leitmotif for Voldemort seems to suggest the physical presence of
Voldemort, although the film dialogue clarifies that it is really Voldemort's embodied (or
perhaps disembodied) memory ofhimselfthat appears as a shadow from Voldemort's
youthful diary, rather than Voldemort himself in physical form.
570
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Selected Themesfrom the Motion Picture Harry
Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2003), 9.
431
Before we move on to a discussion of themes for the third film, let us briefly re-
consider the use of the "Love/Reflection" theme in the second film. In other chapters, I
have argued that John Williams's music "catches everything," much as Classical
Hollywood composer Max Steiner's music does. One scene in Harry Potter and the
Chamber a/Secrets provides a clever example of this principle, when the
"Love/Reflection" theme supports the truth of a mystery in addition to Harry's feelings of
love.
In the discussion of the "Love/Reflection" theme as a leitmotif signifier of
Harry's emotional world, I explained that this leitmotif is prominently used to support the
emotional idea Harry's love for and reflection on his deceased parents. In fact, the first
prominent use of the leitmotif occurs when Harry sees a magical reflection of his parents
in the Mirror of Erised. As well, we saw in the transcription ofthis motif how the
melody ascends then descends almost like a mirror image. However, while the
"Love/Reflection" theme is generally associated with Harry's parents, and the
"Friendship" theme is associated with Harry's friends Ron and Hermione, there is one
exception that reinforces the mystery of the second film. When Harry and Ron go to visit
Hermione in the infirmary after she has been mysteriously petrified, the viewer hears the
"Love/Reflection" theme as the boys discover a crumpled note in her petrified hand.
After studying the note, they realize that Hermione had solved an important part of the
mystery about the Chamber of Secrets, and, fearing the possibility of petrification (or
worse, death), she had thus carried a mirror with her to avoid the direct gaze of the
Chamber's deadly Basilisk serpant. In other words, much as the "Love/Reflection"
theme is associated with the Mirror of Erised, so too, the theme functions in this scene to
foreshadow the realization that Hermione had been holding a mirror. Of course, Harry
and Ron have developed a love for Hermione in their friendship, but Williams already
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employs a "Friendship" theme throughout the first two movies. As such, the most
justifiable reason for using the "Love/Reflection" theme in this case is to remind the
viewer of the original mirror association (i.e. a referential cue about a mirror, rather than
a connotative cue about reflection and longing), which in this case is a clue to the
conclusion of the mystery. 571
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban: "Warning Sign," "Peter Pettigrew,"
"Danger,Dangerl" and "Dementors"
The third film (John Williams and Alfonso Cuar6n) presents a special case in the
series with regard to mystery and the rise of evil because the immediate mystery does not
directly involve Voldemort, and Voldemort does not even appear in the film (or original
book, for that matter). Although Voldemort's name is used in the film, he does not
appear, and because he does not appear, the "Voldemort" theme is not used. However,
other circumstances and characters participate in a new puzzle, and thus there are new
themes for mystery and for imminent danger.
In contrast to the musical representation of evil in the first two films (in which
evil is the opposite of good), the musical representation of evil in the third film suggests
that evil is what philosophers David and Catherine Deavel call a "privation, a lacking in
what something is supposed to be.... a lacking of what is good."572 For instance, the
unpleasantly dissonant orchestral music that accompanies the shape-shifting Boggart in
571
When I spoke with orchestrator Ken Wannberg about this clever occurrence of the "Love/Reflection"
theme, he disagreed with my hypothesis, claiming instead that Williams had merely intended to reflect the
tender feelings with a sweet-sounding music.
572 David and Catherine Deavel, "A Skewed Reflection: The Nature of Evil," in Harry Potter and
Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Baggett and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago: Open Court,
2004),132.
433
Lupin's classroom (discussed in the previous chapter) lacks the structure of tonality just
as the shape-shifting Boggart itself lacks the structure ofa true form. The four new
themes discussed here share some musical similarilities-brevity, for instance-but are
more different from one another than the family of similar mystery/evil themes used in
the previous two films, and thus I will address the musical attributes separately.
"Warning Sign"
At the beginning of the third film, dialogue suggests that the escaped convicted
murderer Sirius Black is intending to find and harm Harry. The three-harmony "Warning
Sign" motif, often played by low brass and accompanied with tolling bells, aligns with
visuals of Sirius Black's prison photo, and other ominous images of Harry's implied
impending doom-such as those of the "Grim" (a harbinger of death in the shape of a
black dog). Each statement of this theme is different, but Figure 5.20 provides three
examples of the variation style.
Figure 5.20. Three examples of the "Warning Sign" motif
As it turns out, Sirius Black is not a murderer, is not out to harm Harry, and the black dog
is not a harbinger of Harry's doom. Thus, unlike the leitmotifs for the first films which
never "lie," this leitmotif leads the viewer astray by following characters' perceptions
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around a fearful idea rather than cueing narrative "truth." The following chart lists some
of the occurrences of the theme in which a fearful perception is conveyed instead of
narrative truth.
Table 5.3. Visuals aligning with the musical motif "Warning Sign" and the resulting
conceptual resonances: examples ofmusic indicating character perception, but not
narrative truth
1. Mr. Weasley talks with Harry about the danger of Sirius Black (PoA DVD 18:12)
a). Suggests that Sirius Black may seek to harm Harry
b). Suggests that Harry may have reason to want revenge against Sirius Black
2. The Hogwarts train comes to a sudden stop (PoA DVD 20:30)
a). Suggests that Sirius Black is attacking the train or trying to attack Harry
b). Reinforces the premise that Sirius Black is dangerous
3. Dialogue reinforces Sirius Black's danger to others as an escaped convict (PoA DVD 39:34)
a). Suggests that Black is an unstoppable force of evil
b). Reinforces the idea that Harry's life is in danger
4. Students read about Sirius Black in the newspaper (PoA DVD 39:44)
a). Suggests that Black is closing in to attack Harry
b). Reinforces the ideas that Black is dangerous and that Harry is in danger
The examples above show how the alignment ofthe mysterious musical theme with film visuals reiriforce
the errant character perception that Sirius Black is aforce ofevil seeking to harm Harry. Indeed, the truth
that is later revealed is that Sirius Black is aforce ofgood seeking to guard andprotect Harry.
While the specific alignments of the motif with visuals support flawed
information, the music of the theme itself reflects a larger truth in the film's narrative that
circumstances are not always as they seem.573 For instance, the motif is experienced as
being the same on each occurrence, but the transcriptions I provide reveal how the motif
is frequently varied-just as truth is often more complex than just one perspective allows.
Furthermore, the dissonant intervals used in each statement make it hard to discern
573 The uncertainty of truthful perception as an idea is emphasized in film visuals as well, such as when
the visuals seem to travel through the mirror of the wardrobe in Lupin's classroom in a way that suggests
the mirror image and the real image are the same, and not opposing reflections.
435
specific pitches, just as the fear around the idea of Black's escape makes it hard for
characters to discern reality.
The alignment of the theme with film visuals reveals difference between the first
and second collaborations. As I discussed in a previous section, the "Something's Odd"
theme from The Sorcerer's Stone is sometimes the only cue to clarify the significance of
an event-for instance, when lighting, camera angle, dialogue delivery, and so on, do not
provide any specific emphasis when Hagrid delivers a warning to the three friends. In
contrast, a similar warning in The Prisoner ofAzkaban includes visual indicators ofthe
significant narrative marker in addition to the "Warning Sign" motif. When the
concerned Mr. Weasley warns Harry not to go looking for Sirius Black in The Prisoner of
Azkaban, the grey hues ofthe Leaky Cauldron pub, the actors' moving placement betwen
areas of shadow and light, and changing camera depths (along with the "Warning Sign"
theme) alert the audience that mysteriously important information has just been divulged.
The approach amplifies the effect (that either a musical or image cue would provide
alone) by layering multiple symbols for mystery.574
"Peter Pettigrew"
In contrast, the second theme for mystery in The Prisoner ofAzkaban never lies.
After Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley, give Harry a map (the Marauder's
Map) showing the location of everyone in Hogwarts, the viewer hears a brief melodic
figure played on harpsichord as Harry notices the name "Peter Pettigrew"-a supposed
impossibility, because Pettigrew reportedly died at the hands of Sirius Black (for
574 Remember also, from my description ofthis scene in Chapter III, that source-scoring oboe music (fIrst
non-diegetic, then revealed as diegetic music) also occurs during Mr. Weasley's warning, thus adding
another, more abstract layer of mysterious perception.
436
instance, PoA DVD 1:13:47). Just as the Marauder's Map never lies, so the "Peter
Pettigrew" theme always lights the correct path. The same leitmotif is heard, always on
harpsichord, each time Harry sees Peter's name on the map, and also with visuals of the
Shrieking Shack-the location of the eventual showdown with Pettigrew. The first
example in Figure 5.21 is of the harpsichord motif that tends to be heard when we see
Peter's name on the Marauder's Map, while the second example is of the harpsichord
motif that tends to accompany the Shrieking Shack (perhaps to foreshadow the
showdown with Peter Pettigrew).
Figure 5.21. "Peter Pettigrew"
This provides another example of how music can embody the presence of a character for
the purpose of creating mystery. When Pettigrew is exposed as an imposter and betrayer
by his former colleauges, he attempts to escape from the room by scurrying (in the form
of a rat) across a keyboard instrument which clangs briefly against other non-diegetic
music as he launches off the keys (PoA DVD 1:35:05). While Peter Pettigrew's
harpsichord motif functions more as non-diegetic clue than as a precursor to the actual
source sound of the piano, it also provides another example of boundary crossing
between perceptions of diegetic and non-diegetic sound.
437
"Danger, Danger!}}
Two similar themes that sound the alarm that mystery and danger are at hand
exhibit characteristic theatrical agitated rhythms, and include many of the same extensile
gestures (e.g., ascending and descending gestures following the visuals of movement, and
sustained dissonances to indicate tension). This provides an example of how Williams
retains many of the traditional musical codes for drama even as he expands the musical
vocabulary in for the third film. The first theme is heard during the Quidditch match
when Harry faces the perils of a dangerous storm and even more dangerous Dementors
(PoA DVD 54:00).575 This theme is transcribed below in Figure 5.22.
Figure 5.22. "Danger, Danger!"-the main motif accompanying the Quidditch match in
The Prisoner ofAzkaban
The second, similar "Danger" theme is heard when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are under
attack by the Whomping Willow (PoA DVD 1:28:43). Figure 5.22 provides a
transcription of the main motif.
Figure 5.23. A similar "Danger, Danger!" motif-the main motif accompanying the
attack of the Whomping Willow in The Prisoner ofAzkaban
575
As mentioned in a previous footnote, this theme is borrowed by Nicholas Hooper for the Quidditch
match in the sixth film, The Halj:Blood Prince, as well.
438
As each of the "Danger, Danger!" themes occur in only one scene, and each accompanies
imminent physical peril, the application ofthe themes is truthful (whether or not
characters indeed suffer physical harm or not).
"Dementors"
In contrast, the theme for the soul-sucking Dementors is the least traditional-
sounding of Williams's themes. The Dementors also represent a non-traditional form of
evil, and the narrative role of the Dementors requires some explanation. Importantly,
both the visual and musical representation of the Dementors supports a new idea in the
series about the nature of evil: as a privation of that which is good (rather than a contrast
to that which is good). As we will see, this theme also represents dramatic truth, rather
then beauty, and therefore provides an exanlple ofhow Williams's music follows the
drama as Verdi's music often does.
In order to protect students from the supposedly dangerous escaped convict, Sirius
Black, the Dementors (magical prison guards) are sent to guard Hogwarts. Unlike the
ambiguous form of the shape-shifting Boggarts, Dementors have a stable, frightening
form-albeit one lacking all markers of humanity. As Rowling describes, "Where there
should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over
empty sockets. But there was a mouth... a gaping, shapeless, hole, sucking the air with
the sound of a death rattle."576
Also in contrast to the way Boggarts relate to different individual fears, the
Dementors affect everyone equally. As the character Mrs. Figg states in a later film, The
Order ofthe Phoenix, "I felt them. Everything went cold and this was a warm summer's
576 J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban (New York: Scholastic, 1999),384.
439
night, mark you. And I felt. .. as though all happiness had gone from the world... and I
remembered dreadful things..."577 This dialogue further supports the notion of
privation-the lacking of what is good. Although the presence of the Dementors is
meant to serve Hogwarts, their indifferent malevolence ultimately causes potentially
deadly disruption. While in general, the Dementors take away happiness (potentially
resulting in a victim's insanity), the most horrifying aspect of their powers is the ability to
suck the soul from their victim with a "kiss" (resulting in a fate "worse than death"). 578
Just as the presence of Dementors potentially results in a lack of happiness, a lack of
health, or a lack of soul, so the dissonant music for the Dementors lacks a foundation of
tonality in transcription A of Figure 5.24, and further lacks a voice of resonance in
example B, which is played by collegno strings.579 Indeed, most of the music for the
Dementors also lacks true pitch and rhythm, although these attributes are exhibited in the
transcription below.
Figure 5.24. Two musical elements in the "Dementors" motif
o
The alignment of visuals with the accompanying musical motif contributes to a
frisson effect (a loan-word from French), in which the violation of musical expectation
577 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix (New York: Scholastic, 2003), 145.
578 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban (New York: Scholastic, 1999),247.
579 The Dementors also appear in the fifth movie. While the accompanying music is relatively similar in
both films, one major difference is that a treble, female choir is included in some statements of the motif in
the third film, while a deep male choral sound accompanies the only appearance of the Dementors in the
fifth film.
-------------------------------
440
causes a chilling sensation.580 For instance, Harry first encounters a Dementor while
riding the train to Hogwarts (PoA DVD 20:25-22:18). During the course of one
Dementor's attack, we hear combinations of special effects sounds with tremolo strings,
descending chromatic gestures played by collegno strings, slicing piccolo motifs,
prepared piano, orchestral harmonic dissonance, and heightened diegetic sounds-
especially the menacing sound of the Dementor's sucking breath. Harry is attacked by a
Dementor again during the Quidditch match (PoA DVD 55:58)581 , and again while
trying to rescue Sirius (PoA DVD 1:42:35).
Thus, as in the nineteenth-century, the Harry Potter filmmakers also negotiate
musical beauty versus musical truth. Verdi's "notion of dramatic truth expands to
include examples of realism that formerly seemed to be incompatible with 'ideal beauty,'
moments where transcription into music inevitably entailed a rejection of the usual
demads for balance and harmony."582 In other words, if the truth of the drama included
ugliness (for instance, an evil character) then the music depicting the ugliness would be
ugly as well. In the case of Verdi, his approach extended beyond mere theatrical
conventions. The example of the "Dementors" theme above provides an example of how
Williams's approach with director Cuar6n also extended beyond mere theatrical
conventions. In contrast to Voldemort's theme in the first two films (which is sinister-
sounding, but still beautiful in broad terms), the Dementors' theme is repulsive.
580 David Huron, Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology ofExpectation. Cambridge:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006, 34.
581 In this occurrence, the "Dementor" theme is integrated with the frrst "Danger, Danger!" theme.
582 De Van, Verdi's Theater, 41.
441
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: "Here's a Clue?," "Evil is On-the-Move," and
"EvillVoldemort"
The themes for mystery and the rise of evil in the fourth film (composer Patrick
Doyle and director Mike Newell) behave very differently from the themes in the previous
films. First, the theme for mystery is not always truthful in its application to film visuals
(in that there is not always a direct narrative correlation between the musical cue and
visuals or dialogue), and second, the melodies for evil are closely related to other
prominent motifs for goodness (making it difficult to perceive which theme is occurring
until three or four pitches into the motit).583 While this approach appears to be
paradoxical, it only seems so, as ultimately the music informs us through these symbolic
relationships (between music and visuals, and between music and music) that mystery
and evil are always afoot, and that the differences between goodness and evil are not as
clear-cut as the previous filmmakers suggest. As such, the themes for evil are also not
ugly, per se, as the dissonant theme for the Dementors is in the previous film. This shift
marks an important divergence from the first two films in which a morally black and
white text presents good and evil in simple terms and thus (following Cross's arguments)
misses opportunities to teach about the complexities of life.584
Director Mike Newell spoke to the matter of representing evil in an interview
when asked, "When you're dealing with an ultimate evil like Voldemort, is it difficult to
walk the line that doesn't allow you to slip into caricature?"585 Newell responded,
583 This is a main reason that I do not provide charts for the application of these leitmotifs as I did for the
first film.
584 Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction." in The Gothic in
Children's Literature: Haunting the Borders. edited by Anna Jackson, Karen Coats, and Roderick
McGillis (New York: Routledge, 2008), 66.
585 Movie Magic, "Harry Potter: Hero of Hogwarts," Life Story, February 6, 2006, 17.
442
It sure is. It's a very great challenge, you bet. ... People ask me what it
was like dealing with such a fantastic story. But it wasn't a fantastic story
to me at all. It was absolutely real. Okay, it's got wands and stufflike
that, but you could say this is what it was like living in Europe in the '30s
[with the spread of Nazism]. There was something really bad out there,
and people were either going to do something about it or weren't going to
do something about it, but that really bad stuff was creeping ever
absolutely remorselessly forward and it was getting worse.586
As we will see, composer Patrick Doyle created a musical parallel to Newell's idea that
"people were either going to do something about[the rise of evil] or weren't going to do
something about it" in the way that his musical themes for the rise of evil and the
conquest of evil in the Harry Potter films share a common path that diverges-
metaphorically choosing to follow either the path of good or the path of evil, but starting
from the same point.
At a practical level, the ambiguous approach causes some problems. As music
psychologist David Huron notes, "accurate expectation facilitates perception."587 Huron
shows how mental processing increases in speed with increased exposure to familiar
stimuli.588 In this way, there are two strikes against Doyle's score from the get-go: first,
Doyle no longer uses the familiar, frequently stated themes from Williams's Harry Potter
scores, and second, Doyle does not align his own themes with the same accuracy or
frequency that viewers became accustomed to in the previous films. As such, perceptions
ofthe conceptual resonances between Doyle's music and film visuals may come more
slowly or less efficiently than for the other films. In other words, although Doyle
586 Ibid.
587 David Huron, Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology ofExpectation. Cambridge:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006, 63.
588 Ibid.
443
potentially creates one of the most nuanced portraits ofevil with his music, viewers just
may not get it without focused analysis.
"Here's a clue?"
The referential cue for mystery, "here's a clue?" is musically similar to mystery
motifs in the previous films: it has three melodic events with first a wide, then a smaller
interval. However, the placement of the motif with film visuals and dialogue is different
than in the previous films. The motif occurs frequently, but does not always align with
visuals and dialogue that directly relate to the core mystery. Furthermore, visuals and
dialogue that do relate to the core mystery are not always accompanied by the motif1 A
transcription is provided in Figure 5.25.
Figure 5.25. "Here's a clue?"
One of the first occurrences of the theme establishes the narrative connection
between the motif and the notion of mystery when Harry sees the first visually
mysterious event: a man in the shadows casts a spell to the sky which results in a
glowing skull and serpent-Voldemort's "dark mark" (the spell is cast at OoF DVD
11:54, the motif is heard at OoF DVD 12:25-12:30). However, when the mysterious
person arrives at Hogwarts in the guise of the new Hogwarts professor, the theme does
not accompany (OoF DVD 19:12). Much later in the film, the theme occurs when Harry
444
speaks with Sirius through the fireplace (though they are speaking of evil rising only in
general terms, GoF DVD 44: 14 ), occurs later again after an aerial shot of Hogwarts
when a bird lights down on Harry's window sill (GoF DVD 1:22:48), and when Harry
sees a magical memory of Igor Karkaroff standing trial (but before he incriminates Barty
Crouch, GoF DVD 1:44:05). Only much later in the film does the theme re-align with
visuals of the original mysterious man (i.e., Barty Crouchjr., GoF DVD 2:16:59).
Depending on the viewer, the effect of the cue may be compromised by the many indirect
alignments with visuals, or may be heightened by the subtle indication that mystery has
enveloped Harry's entire environment.
"Evil is On-the-Move"
This snake-like melody first occurs in the beginning of the movie as Voldemort's
pet snake, Nagini, slithers through the graveyard at night toward her master (GoF DVD
:19). A transcription is provided in Figure 5.26.
Figure 5.26. "Evil is On-the-Move"
The collection of pitches, and the initial ascending contour followed by a chromatic
deviation are musically related to the "Evil/Voldemort" motif. As well, it is easy to draw
a connection between the slippery-sounding melody and the great slithering snake.
However, like the "Here's a clue?" theme, this theme is not always aligned regularly and
445
truthfully with visuals. For instance, the theme also accompanies (1) a rainy view of
Hogwarts (GoF DVD 36:25), (2) the dialogue as Harry reads a letter from Sirius (GoF
DVD 42:09), and (3) the congregation of student champions in the tournament tent (GoF
DVD 54:33)-that is to say, all visuals with only a peripheral relationship to the rise of
evil. Like the application of the previously discussed motif ("Here's a clue?"), viewers
may interpret the ambiguous alignment of this theme with visuals as either a distraction,
or as a affirmation that the rise of evil has pervaded Harry's environment.
"Evil/Voldemort"
The new motif for Voldemort first occurs with visuals suggesting the not-yet
physical form Voldemort in the opening scene. In contrast to the ambiguous alignments
of the latter two themes ("Here's a clue?" and "Evil is on the move"), "EviINoldemort"
occurs at several key points of the mystery when Voldemort's plans are in motion
(althought the theme also occurs with several indirectly related visuals). For instance, the
motif "truthfully" accompanies (1) two visuals of Voldemort's "dark mark" in the sky
(GoF DVD 13:33 and 2:03:09), (2) the visuals and dialogue after the imposter Mad-Eye
Moody (Voldemort's minion) casts the killing curse on the spider (GoF 27:24, (3) the
malevolently bewitched Goblet of fire selecting names of champions (GoF DVD 31 :51),
(4) Harry's dream about Voldemort's minion Barty Crouch Jr. (GoF DVD 1:23:19), and
of course, (5) the lengthy scene depicting Voldemort's physical regeneration. Figure
5.27 provides a transcription of two rhythmic variants of the motif.
2.
Figure 5.27. "EvillVoldemort"
¥ (lE~~Go~~)~~~~
1.
Yet, what can we discern from the more ambiguous, or even seemingly "un-
446
truthful" alignments of the "EviI/Voldemort" theme? For instance, the theme is heard
when Dumbledore merely dims the lights in the Hogwarts hall, when visuals lead to
Dumbledore's window at night, and as Harry heads to the owlry and finds that he has a
letter from Sirius there waiting. In these circumstance, there is no clear connection
between the leitmotif and visuals. Film music researcher James Buhler explains that
while leitmotifs generally function at "face value" in film, there is always the possibility
of employing them as Wagner often did, as musical summaries that
arrest the flow of language in the dramas, dissolving the bond that
otherwise obtains between the leitmotif as signifier and its signifies and
giving this music a mythic substrate, a fluid semiosis that itselfpoints to
an intelligible realm beyond signification.589
In more practical terms, Buhler describes,
Sometimes a motif appears that cannot be directly related to the drama;
sometimes it cannot be fixed securely to a signified at all. Often it is the
linguistically constructed drama that yields to the music, as the action is
suspended momentarily to allow the presentation of a summarizing
musical statement that bears only tangentially on the scene.590
589 James Buhler, "Star Wars, Music, and Myth." in Music and Cinema, ed. James Buhler, Caryl Flinn,
and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 41.
590 Ibid. This is not necessarily to say that Williams's deployments of leitmotifs are not in line with
Wagner's model. Williams, in contrast to Doyle, often strings a series ofleitmotifs together in order to
447
In the case of Dumbledore's window and Harry's walk to the owlry, the music generally
signifying the rise of evil interrupts the benign circumstances and reminds us that this
film is about the rise of evil, and Harry's life is always at risk.
In contrast to the first two films (in which the music for Voldemort reflects the
philosophy that evil is in clear-cut opposition to goodness), and in contrast to the third
film (in which the music for malevolent creatures reflects the philosophy that evil is a
privation of goodness) the music for Voldemort in the fourth film reflects the philosophy
that evil is a deviant variation ofgoodness. By comparing Figure 5.27
("EvilNoldemort") with Figures 5.4, 5.34, and 5.35 ("Inner Emotions," "Harry
victorious," and "Righteousness") one can see how all of these themes share an ascending
contour, but the motif for Voldemort takes a chromatic deviation, a short-cut, while the
themes for goodness (especially "Righteousness") stay on a diatonic path of
righteousness.
According to philosopher Jennifer Hart Weed, the Harry Potter novels as a whole
follow Boethius's characterization that "evil is 'parasitic' on goodness."591 This is
visuallly reflected with Voldemort's face as a parasite on the back of Professor Quirrell's
head in the first film, but is not reflected in music until the fourth film. The notion of the
parasitic or deviant aspects of evil are explained by Augustine, who suggests that evil
actions are the result of "tuming away from higher goods in favor oflower goods."592
Just as Weed suggests that the character Voldemort provides an example of one who
create a musical summary ofa visual or idea. In fact, Buhler argues that Williams's approach to leitmotif
in Star Wars (which is much like his approach to Harry Potter) bears a strong resemblance to Wagner's.
591 Jennifer Hart Weed, "Voldemort, Boethius, and the Destructive Effects of Evil" in Harry Potter and
Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Bagget and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago: Open Court,
2004), 148.
592 Ibid., 150.
448
turns away from higher goods in favor oflower ones, so Doyle's musical theme for
Voldemort falls shy of the higher resolving pitches of "Harry Victorious" and
"Righteousness" and instead turns to a lower goal. According to Boethius, the higher
goal is the "natural" goal, while the lower is unnatural and less human.593 Accordingly,
"Harry Victorious" uses the natural, diatonic pitches, while "evilNoldemort" turns from
the path of naturalness in favor of less natural chromaticism.
In light of these philosophical perspectives, it may be especially significant that
this is the film in which Voldemort regenerates himself into human form-although this
new form is at once both less than human and super human. When Voldemort chooses
the unnatural, inhuman path of molding his own immortality, so too does the music
representing his embodiment reflect a less natural, less human path by following a
chromatic rather than diatonic path. In contrast, we will see how Voldemort's theme in
the following, fifth film emphasizes human qualities and frailties.
The matter of the embodiment of evil directly relates to the aesthetic decisions
that historical music dramaticists have encountered. For Meyerbeer, the dramatic issue
was that of embodiment: "... every thought incarnated and every word made flesh" was
the opera critic Camille Bellaigue's 1896 characterization of Meyerbeer's style.594 He
used this metaphor to show Meyerbeer's abilities to represent every movement and action
with music (though not with miming gestures). Furthermore, Mary Ann Smart argues
that Meyerbeer's musical setting shows examples of embodying, disembodying, and/or
objectifying characters and situations through the manipulation of melodic and harmonic
accompaniment. The recognition of embodiment adds a layer of meaning to the plot of
Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots when one remembers that questions regarding the truly
593 Boethius, Book IV, Chapter 2.
594 Smart, Mimomania, 106. Many figures in La Muette are similar to those found in melodramas.
449
embodied holy sacrament divide the Protestestant and Catholic faiths represented in
conflict in the opera. Likewise, the matter of embodiment is specifically meaningful in
the Harry Potter films in which the adversary Voldemort takes on various bodied and
embodied forms in his rise to power.
For Meyerbeer, Verdi, and others, the representation of embodiment included the
meaning of the embodiment. As such, the form of the music followed the attributes or
function ofthe character. Verdi represents Violetta with waltz tunes in La Traviata to
represent the truth of her courtesan lifestyle, though she never dances on stage, and
likewise, Meyerbeer represents the protestant Marcel with the Lutheran anthem "A
Mighty Fortress" in Les Huguenots. Following suit, Doyle's representation of the
embodiment of Voldemort also includes the meaning ofthe embodiment-that
Voldemort has turned away from higher goods in favor of lower goods.
Furthermore, Smart argues how "Meyerbeer's dramaturgy tends to proceed in
reverse, moving from the idea to the individual and personifying emotions as
characters."595 Thus, Smart continues, "the element of the fantastic... takes on living
form."596 So too, Doyle's theme begins with the idea of corruption, and aligns with the
regenerated living form ofVoldemort. Bellaigue concludes that Meyerbeer's unique
approach resides in his ability to portray "something concrete and solid, something that
reassures us, grounds us, and saves us from menacing abstraction, not through realism,
but through reality."597 This is similar to Doyle's approach, which elavates the concrete
(e.g., the embodiment of evil magic), while simultaneously deconstructing the abstract
(e.g., the notions of magic and evil).
595 Ibid.
596 Ibid.
597 Ibid.
450
Harry Potter and the Order o/the Phoenix: "Surprise!," and "Possession"
Although the rise of evil is even more insidious and sinister in the fifth film (e.g.,
after Voldemort's physical regeneration in the fourth film, and leading up to a significant
character death at the end of the fifth film), the music for the fifth film (Nicholas Hooper
and David Yates) includes the most subtle, even delicate application of motifs for
mystery and the rise of evil. There is no melodic leitmotif for mystery (though the a
motif signifying startling surprise occurs at regular intervals), and the theme for
Voldemort ("Possession") is only heard definitively on a few occasions-and even in
those occurrences is less definitive as a leitmotif because ofthe extremely sustained
rhythm of the melody (perhaps one would even call it an anti-melody). In contrast to the
musical themes for benevolent magic from the same film, which are typically presented
with fuller volume, catchy rhyhms, and concrete melodic material, the theme for
Voldemort's possession of Harry's mind is hidden, shadowy, and seductive. Although
there is also a prominent, boisterous musical theme for the malevolent character
Professor Dolores Umbridge, the alignment of the theme with visuals emphasizes a
humorous tension rather than evoking mystery or doom, and therefore I address her
theme in the next chapter concerning magic, humor, and spectacle. Furthermore,
Umbridge herself denies the existence of Voldemort (i.e., making the conceptual
resonance between the musical theme and visuals more difficult to align with the notion
of evil).
In the CD liner notes, Hooper discusses his new themes, indicating the importance
of both the Umbridge theme and "Possession," and describing the contrasts between the
two:
451
In scoring the film a number of themes began to appear, most notably the
Umbridge and Possession themes. Umbridge, the fluffy, mean, cruel, and
increasingly mad witch from the Minstry of Magic who takes over
Hogwarts has an insistent and slightly irritating tune that carries on
oblivious to the harm it does. The Possession theme on the other hand is
woven into the fabric of the film. Harry's possession by Voldemort is
gradual and insidious and eventually results in Harry's belief that
Voldemort has Sirius and is torturing him. Cues relating to Harry's
desperate mission to rescue Sirius are based around this theme in a fast
rhythmic version. But eventually the music underpinning Harry's
successful struggle to evict Voldemort from inside him is slow and
moving-the climax of the entire film.
In other words, one reason the "Possession" theme is hard to pin down in defining terms
because Hooper allows the seductive theme to evolve and adapt to fit many
circumstances, just as a seducer adapts in approach to groom an object of prey. But first,
let us briefly examine the one theme used for mysterious circumstances.
"Surprise! "
While there is no musical theme that referentially cues mysterious events in the
film, there is a musical motif of an abrupt orchestral crescendo that toys with viewer
expectation when visuals indicate that mystery or danger might lurk around the comer.
Although this motif is typically used for benign events (e.g., friends suddenly appearing),
the effect makes one's skinjump. For instance, when Harry opens a door while
exploring the murky old house that is the headquarters for The Order ofthe Phoenix, the
motif occurs as a swift dissonant crescendo as Hermione rushes toward him (OotP
DVD12:45). Later, a similar sound-effect crescendo occurs when the Weasley twins
magically appear (i.e., "apparate" in wizard terms, OotP DVD 13:53 and 14:54). In both
452
of these circumstances and others, the visuals and crescendo motif heighten the general
suspense, but also lead viewers astray at the level of the specific.
Music psychologist David Huron notes that surprising people for fun is a cross-
cultural phenomenon that can be fun for those being surprised (i.e., the film viewers) as
much as those doing the surprising (i.e., the Harry Potter filmmakers).598 In the case of
the "surprise" motif in the fifth film, a tension response is created by the uncertainty
about "what will happen, and uncertainty about when it will happen."599 The fact that
these initial surprising events tum out to have benevolent circumstances (i.e., Harry's
friends appearing) only serves to sustain the heightened arousal or attention as viewers to
continue to wait for more malevolent events.600 Furthermore, loud abrupt sound is one of
a relatively small number of categories in human audition that evoke an innate (rather
than learned) auditory response: the startle response.601 This provides a specific
example of how Hooper's music for the fifth film acts as skin or sensation, allowing the
viewer to feel and experience the narrative rather than to intellectualize it.
"Possession"
The title of the "Possession" theme refers to the way that Voldemort is able to
influence Harry's thoughts through a mysterious connection between their two minds. At
first, the mysterious connection (portrayed with dream-like visuals to reflect Harry's
vulnerability to the connection in dreams) is accompanied with sound effects that sound
598 Huron, Sweet Anticipation, 21.
599 Ibid., 9.
600 Ibid., 10.
601 Ibid., 62.
453
like wind, or rushing water-symbolically reflecting the current of information and
emotion connecting Harry with the adversary. Sometimes the visions that Harry sees are
frightening but only imagined (such as when he imagines that Voldemort waits to
confront him at the trainstation), while at other times the visions reveal terrible truths
(such as when Harry sees Mr. Weasley being attacked by Nagini the snake, beginning at
OotP DVD 1:07:34).
From the novel, fans know that Voldemort does not recognize the connection
between his mind and Harry's at first, but later realizes it and understands its usefulness
for manipulating Harry's thoughts and actions-in other words, his possession of Harry.
Though this is not explained in the film visuals or dialogue, the background music
registers the change from the initial circumstantial connection between the two minds to
Voldemort's deliberate manipulation of Harry with the addition of pitched music.602 That
is to say, when the mind connection happens without Voldemort's knowledge, there are
sound-effects, but no music. Then, when Voldemort recognizes the connection, the
musical theme is present. Indeed, the first definitive occurrence of the "Possession"
melody aligns with Harry's vision that Sirius is being tortured by Voldemort and his
minions-a vision that has been falsely placed in Harry's mind by Voldemort in order to
effect an active retaliation (OotP DVD 1:37:00). A transcription is provided in Figure
5.28.
602 It is reasonable to think of the "Posession" theme with sound effects as the un-pitched version (before
Voldemort realizes the malevolent potential of their connection, and the same theme with melody as the
pitched version (when Voldemort exercises his power mental power over Harry).
454
Figure 5.28. "Possession"
f'l I':@~(t.~§~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!c;;_i!.~ijg'-"~.~D~C;;~-~~~
/~~~~~I~~~~~~~~~~I§.......~~n~~n§-'~~.~"'~~~~~~~~~~~
I
The extremely slow, vine-like melody starts low and gradually leads upward,
sometimes delicately winding back upon itself before insidiously extending its reach
further upward. I suggested in a previous paragraph that the theme is like an anti-
melody, which is to say that the collection of pitches themselves follow normal melodic
patterns, but the slowness of the melody makes it difficult for the ear to organize the
pitches into a definitive group. This is clearly a symbol for the philosophy of evil
represented in the fifth film, in which evil is seductive, slowly entangling its victim-
even a victim devoted to goodness and righteousness, like Harry. This is different from
the portrayal of evil as a distorted militant character in the first two films, different from
the malevolent creatures lacking goodness in the third film, and different from the
portrayal of evil in the fourth film as one who deviates from the path of goodness (i.e., a
character who takes action to pursue lower goods). Rather, in the fifth film, evil is
presented as a force (rather than a character) that can ensnare anyone through seduction
and deceit.603
This relates to the story's role as a political allegory. Screenwriter Michael
Goldenburg stated his opinion that the filmmakers were lucky to be making a Harry
Potter movie, "because with a lesser-known quantity you could imagine a studio
603 For instance, the theme also accompanies Lucius Malfoy's seductive rhetoric that Harry should submit
to evil for the sake of his friends (DVD 1:49:55), and Harry's reluctant transfer of the important magical
prophesy into Lucius's hands (DVD 1:54:52).
455
repressing the political allegory. But certainly the minute you're aware of any sort of
allegory as allegory, it loses its power. So we wanted it subordinated to the rest of the
story. But it's right there in the book."604 Goldenburg goes on to explain how director
David Yates "describes it as a political movie with a small 'p'." 605 Though some have
believed that Rowling's story alludes to the period between World Wars I and II, or to the
period surrounding 9/11, Goldenburg asserts that that "stories are universal. They are
about different kinds of power and ideological struggles. So while it's not difficult to
find parallels, we didn't want it to be exclusively about any political situation."606
Composer Nicholas Hooper describes the "Possession" theme slightly differently,
in terms of passion rather than politics, explaining how the piece became the emotional
core of the crisis in the film.
The central theme of Voldemort possessing Harry and the way he [Harry]
throws him out through the fact that he has love in him is a very
passionate idea. And the central theme for that is called the "Possession"
theme.... it's quite slow. I wrote [the piece] ... a couple months before
we scored and that's one of the things that was always going well. And
based on that passionate theme, I wrote the fast action music. It's the
same theme, but it's all speeded up and it gave it a real energy and a real
emotion. It's an emotional film and it needed emotional music in it.607
604 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon.com, July 11, 2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/moviesljeature/2007/07/11/goldenberg_qa/indexl.html (accessed July 7, 2008).
605 Ibid.
606 Ibid.
607 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but first, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.ftlmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
456
This provides an example of how Hooper's music can engage viewers at many different
levels: as a symbol for a philosophical perspective, as a representation of political
circumstances, and as a metaphor for emotion. This also provides an example of how
Hooper's "Possession" theme serves dramatic truth in addition to musical beauty.
Summary
As we saw in this examination, all five of the films address concepts of mystery
and the rise of evil with musical themes, but the themes from each collaboration have
different musical properties, and convey different kinds of information about the
mysteries at hand. While the themes in the first two films are always applied
"truthfully," the mystery becomes more complicated in the later films. For instance, one
theme in the third film represents faulty character perception rather than narrative truth.
In the fourth film, the themes for mystery are applied so ambiguously that it suggests that
mystery pervades Harry's entire experience. In contrast, there are no themes that
uniquely reinforce mystery in the fifth film.
More importantly, the different themes are used to express different philosophies
about the nature of evil. In the first two films, the music for the adversary Voldemort is
rhythmically militant, and chromatically distorted. Moreover, the distinction between
music for malevolent and benevolent magic clarifies that evil is the opposite of goodness.
In the third film, music for malevolent creatures (such as the soul-sucking Dementors) is
alarming, and exhibits an absence of musical substance (e.g., melody, harmony, and even
tone), which follows the philosophy that evil is that which lacks goodness. In the fourth
film, the similarity between the melodic motif for Voldemort and other melodic motifs
for benevolent characters and ideas acknowledges the philosophical interpretation that
457
those who are evil deviate from the path of goodness in order to pursue lower goods.
Indeed, as we saw, the melody for evil diverges by taking a lower, chromatic path. In the
fifth film, music for evil is no longer militant, or alarming, or deviant, but rather, is an
insidiously seductive power. The melody for the "Possession" theme sneaks in under the
radar, and is easily manipulated with other music and circumstances just as Voldemort
manipulates Harry's thoughts.
Harry's Philosophical World: Victory, Solidarity, and the Conquest of Evil
Just as each of the films has musical themes for mystery and the rise of evil, so
too, each of the films has musical themes for the conquest of evil. I also include musical
themes for more personal victories and for solidarity in this category and in this
discussion. Just as we saw many musical themes for mystery leading up to the various
conflicts with Voldemort's brand of evil, so too, we see many musical themes for victory
and solidarity that provide a sense of accomplishment on the journey to the victory over
evil.
Most of the motifs for personal victory in the five films (such as those for
sporting events and tournaments) follow traditional theatrical codes and are similar to one
another. For instance, these themes tend to have ascending melodic contours, fanfare
rhythms, and stable, major harmonies aligned with visuals to evoke noble endeavors,
even though they also have melodic and rhythmic differences, and are sometimes applied
to visuals in slightly varied ways. Additionally, some of the films have music signifying
solidarity against the rise of evil, such as the various themes for Hogwarts (e.g., its noble
history, legacy, and good intent), and the Hogwarts affiliated militant orders: The Order
of the Phoenix, and Dumbledore's Army.
458
Notably, however, the themes for victory and solidarity (although indirectly
relating to the good fight) are not the themes that ultimately accompany the main victory
of each story-the conquest of evil. Just as the themes for evil convey messages about
the nature of evil, so too, the themes for the conquest of evil convey messages about the
qualities of goodness. Furthermore, while musical themes in the first films indicate a
reliance on magic for the conquest of evil, musical themes for the later films indicate a
strong reliance on moral fortitude. Throughout the films, the music makes plain that the
conquest of evil does not take place with competitive strategy, wit, or physical force, but
rather, evil forces are quelled with the powers oflove, loyalty, truth, righteousness,
discipline, and integrity.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: "Quidditch Fanfare," "Hogwarts Forever," and
"Victory"
Although there are three themes for victory and solidarity in the first film (John
Williams and Chris Columbus), none of these themes are directly related to either Harry's
successful battle with Voldemort, and are only indirectly related to the conquest of evil as
a whole. Rather, these themes are hierarchically applied to Harry's localized conflicts at
Hogwarts-from the most benign to the most troublesome. The sporting battle cry of the
"Quidditch fanfare" referentially cues the start of the Quidditch competition, but does not
take a side in the match. The alma mater march "Hogwarts Forever!" represents the
righteousness of Hogwarts, and indicates that Harry is on the side of righteousness, but
never implies that Harry vanquishes evil when he wins the game for his team. Similarly,
the theme "victory" supports Harry's integrity in standing up to mischievous bullying
peers (though this, again, is hardly comprable to the true conflict with evil). Instead, as
459
we will see, other leitmotifs representing love and magic are used to represent the
conquest of evil.
"Quidditch Fanfare" and "Hogwarts Forever!"
The "Quidditch Fanfare" motif occurs at the onset of the quidditch match as
players prepare for the game (as discussed in Chapter III). Following traditional
theatrical codes for drama, the fanfare is energized by triplets and duplets within triple
meter. The melody consists of an ascending contour, repeated three times. A
... 'd d' F' 5 29 608transcnptlOn IS pravI e III Igure . .
Figure 5.29. "Quidditch Fanfare"
3
3 3 3
In the first quidditch match of the year in The Sorcerer's Stone (recounted in Chapter III),
this theme segues into a statement of "Hogwart's Forever!"-a theme depicting the
honorable Hogwarts school tradition (first heard on Harry's first evening at Hogwarts).
As previously discussed in Chapter III the alignment of "Hogwarts Forever!" with
visuals of Harry before the quidditch match begins marks him as a champion, and
therefore also serves as a victory theme. However, the theme also represents all of the
student body (as seen by the alignment of the theme with visuals of all the Hogwarts
608
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Themes/rom Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001).
460
students), and therefore, the use of the theme for Harry does not necessarily indicate a
division between those students who are good and those who are evil.
"Victory"
This theme first occurs when Harry rescues Neville's remembrall from the bully
Draco Malfoy, who has stolen it (SS DVD 58:49).609 While Harry's conflict is with one
who is doing wrong, the conceptual resonance does not suggest that this is truly a battle
of good and evil. Rather, the alignment of the music with film visuals emphasizes
Harry's personal successes in endeavors in which he has noble intentions. Much as the
other two themes, the "Victory" theme also follows standard theatrical conventions (such
as including ascending melodic lines and energizing rhythms), as shown in Figure 5.30.
Interviewer Craig Byrd spoke with composer John Williams about heroic themes
for Star Wars in ways that relate to the approach Williams brought to the Potter films,
and to the "Victory" theme in particular.
Interviewer CB: "And then also the hero.... what about his theme?
JW: "Flourishes and upward reaching; idealistic and heroic, in a very
different way than [the adversary] of course, and a very different
tonality-a very uplifted kind of heraldic quality. Larger than he is. His
idealism is more the subject than the character itself."610
609 This theme is not heard prominently again in the first film, but is used again at the conclusion of the
third film, just before the credits.
610 Craig L. Byrd, "John Williams: Interview by Craig L. Byrd," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/features/williams.asp (accessed November 24, 2009).
461
As we will see in the following transcription (figure 5.30), Williams's description for the
hero's motif in Star Wars also describes his hero's motif for Harry Potter.
Figure 5.30. "Victory"
Harry's "victory" theme is another type of fanfare with an ascending contour that
is rhythmically and melodically propelled by the placement of ascending eighth notes in
the second measure and by the sixteenth-note turns in the third measure. When the theme
continues beyond the phrase given in transcription, the melody often begins on the last
note of the previous statement, thus carrying the melody (and the listener's spirits) higher
and higher with the sequence.
However, none of the aforementioned themes occur to support the critical
conquest of evil. Instead, "Hedwig's Theme"-that is, the main theme for magic,
supports Harry's conquest over Voldemort in The Sorcerer's Stone, and the
"love/ret1ection" theme supports Dumbledore's explanation to Harry of how he defeated
Voldemort. In other words, the film music tells us that individualistic victory does not
conquer evil magic, but rather, one needs benevolent magic, and the power of love. This
is notably congruent with what we learned about the main message of the film from our
examination of film beginnings and endings in the previous chapter. For remember, the
film begins with "Hedwig's Theme," uses "Hedwig's Theme" and "Love/Ret1ection"
during the critical crisis of the story, then uses these two themes again at the end of the
film, thus reinforcing how the story is about magic and love.
462
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets: "Fawkes the Phoenix," and "Fawkes's Tears"
The second film continues to use the three aforementioned themes for victory and
solidarity against the rise of evil ("Quidditch fanfare," "Hogwarts Forever!," and
"Victory"), and also adds new music for the conquest of evil. One musical fragment and
one musical theme directly relate to the conquest of evil at the level of the specific
(Fawkes's tears save Harry from death) and at the level of the philosophical (Fawkes
comes to Harry's aid because of his loyalty to Dumbledore and the goodness he teaches).
This is different from the first film in which musical themes representing magic and love
support the critical moments in the conquest of evil.611
"Fawkes the Phoenix"
This theme supports the conquest of evil in a broad, philosophical sense. The
theme is first heard when Harry meets Dumbledore's pet bird in his office (thus
signifying a relationship between the music and the bird). Just as Harry takes notice of
the aging bird (CoS DVD 1:14:52), it bursts into a pillar of flames, reduces to a pile of
ashes, then emerges again as a chick from the egg (CoS DVD 1: 15:49). Thus, the
association of the music with the visuals not only connects the theme to Fawkes, but also
to Fawkes's magical ability to be resurrected.
The theme repeats later in the film after Harry swears his loyalty to Dumbledore
while confronting Tom Riddle (i.e., Voldemort's preserved, embodied memory) and the
611 Remember also, from the discussion of film beginnings and endings in the previous chapter, that this
marks a difference from the unity established by music at the beginnings and ends of the first two films.
The first film uses "Hedwig's Theme" and the "LovelReflection" theme to explain the conquest of evil and
also uses these two themes for the emotional closure at the end of the film. In contrast, the second film
uses "Fawkes' the Phoenix" and "Fawkes's tears" to explain the conquest of evil, but does not use these
themes for closure at the end of the film, in favor of "Hedwig's Theme" and "Love/Reflection."
463
deadly basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets (CoS DVD 2:08:38). Fawkes soars onto the
scene (in Deus ex machina style) bringing the sword of the brave and righteous Hogwarts
founding father, Godric Gryffindor, for Harry to use in his conflict. As well, Fawkes
gouges out the eyes of the basilisk with his beak so that Harry will not be suffer from the
basilisk's deadly gaze during the physical fight. In other words, Fawkes provides Harry
with the tools and circumstances that he needs in order to defeat Voldemort and the snake
in that moment. Fawkes's theme accompanies these visuals as well.
Even though Harry's predicament appears hopeless-a twelve year-old boy
against a powerful dark wizard and a deadly gargantuan snake-the music for Fawkes's
Theme evokes hope. Indeed, the mythology of the phoenix tells of resurrection from the
ashes, or, in other words, hope when all hope is lost. When Harry remains loyal to
Dumbledore, loyal to Hogwarts, and true to himself, this hope comes to him to rescue
him (and later resurrect him) from his deadly circumstances. Figure 5.31 provides an
abbreviated transcription of the theme.6 12
Figure 5.31. "Fawkes the Phoenix"
CAe D F C Am Am
Em
C:I
Em F
VI
Am Am D
11 IV
Em F
vi
c
vi
iii III IV vi vi II iii IV ---
612
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Selected Themesfrom the Motion Picture Harry
Potter and the Chamber o/Secrets (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2003).
464
Musically, the Fawkes's theme is similar to Hedwig's theme-both have moderate tempi
and lilting triple meters symbolizing flight. It is also different from Hedwig's theme in
that Fawkes's them has more even rhythms, and emphasizes diatonicism in the melody
and harmony---evoking the honor of loyalty that the creature requires, rather than the
peculiarities of magic that we hear in "Hedwig's Theme."
"Fawkes's Tears"
This motifis as short as a magic charm (CoS DVD 2:17:04-2:17:10). Indeed,
Fawkes's tears act as a charm against deadly venom when Harry is wounded by the
poisonous basilisk snake. The fragment occurs only once, as the healing tears fall on
Harry's wound. Thus, this theme symbolizes a victory over evil at a more specific
level-the victory over an otherwise untimely death. Figure 5.32 provides a
transcription.
Figure 5.32. "Fawkes's Tears"
That is to say, at a specific level, Harry lives to tell about his contlict with the basilisk
because Fawkes's tears (represented in the motif with falling chords) resurrect him from
465
imminent death from the poison. However, at a broader level, this music reinforces the
greater intent that Harry conquers evil because of his loyalty to goodness. Even so, we
cannot dismiss the role of magic in Fawkes's Deus ex machina appearance or in
Fawkes's magical, antidotal tears. In other words, just as the first film tells us that the
magic of love conquers evil, the second film tells us that loyalty to benevolent magic
conquers evil.
As we will see, the first two films are the only two in the series thus far that
emphasize the role of magic in the conquest of evil. Although Williams's use of
leitmotifs alludes to Wagner's approach, and Williams's melodic style resembles those of
Rossini and others in the bel canto opera tradition, the important role of magic in the
musical themes for resolution harkens back even farther to works of the eighteenth
century. A shift begins in the third film in which Williams's music for the conquest of
evil emphasizes naturally human rather than supernaturally magic qualities.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban: "Buckbeak's Flight"
Perhaps because Voldemort is not an immediate threat, the third film is not really
about the conquest of evil, per se, but is rather about the conquest over human fears and
sorrows--although, certainly, some philosophies draw a direct link between these matters
and the phenomenon of the evil in human society. Some of the most prominent musical
themes for the conquest of fears and sorrows have already been discussed in previous
sections. For instance, the sorrow of Harry's "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme
transforms into the power of Harry's patronus charm when he uses his "happy memory"
to shield himself against the malevolent Boggarts and Dementors. Similarly, I have
already discussed Lupin's classroom scene in which students' fears are represented with
466
dissonant orchestral music, while their conquest of their fears is supported with pleasing,
joyful swing music. What exactly does this say about the conquest of evil (i.e., in the
form of fear and potentially overwhelming sorrow)?
The music tells us that joy is the answer and the best defense against life's perils.
Harry's minor key theme for emotion ("love/reflection/longing) turns jubilant and major
when Harry transforms his pain into a joyful emotion for the patronus charm (PoA DVD
2:01: 12). Likewise, students in Lupin's classroom transform their fears into joyful
laughter, just as the music transforms from dissonance to consonance. There is one other
significant theme depicting the cultivation ofjoy (i.e., the antidote to life's perils) that has
not yet been mentioned in this chapter: Buckbeak's theme.
"Buckbeak's Flight"
In contrast to many of the motifs discussed in this chapter, this theme is very long
(a set-piece, in fact), and follows the movements of a visually spectacular scene, as one
will remember from my analysis in Chapter III. In the first of three musical sections, the
harmonies alternate between parallel chords, then take flight through unexpected
harmonic progressions, much as Buckbeak gets a running start, then takes flight, then
soars to new vistas with Harry on his back. In the middle section, the texture is thicker
and more rhythmic; aligning with the more active close-up visuals of Buckbeak's feathers
ruffling, and Harry's hair flying in the wind. In all sections of the theme, the music and
visuals align to emphasize Harry's exhilaration. Indeed, Harry's flight with Buckbeak is
perhaps the only moment in the film when Harry is free of his fears and sadness.
Although Harry conquers the Dementor's with his Patronus charm (accompanied
by a vibrant horn rendition of the "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme, indicating his ability
467
to pull joyful memories out of sad circumstances), he rescues Sirius from an evil end in
the tower prison on the back of Buckbeak (accompanied by Buckbeak's theme, perhaps
representing his uninhibited experience ofjoy, PoA DVD 2:02:42). Later, also, Sirius
victoriously flies away to safety beyond Hogwarts on the back ofBuckbeak (after years
ofemotionally depressing imprisonment with the Dementors), though this time
"Love/Reflection/Longing" accompanies again, emphasizing the joy and freedom oflove
(PoA DVD 2:04:32). In fact, when Harry takes his joyous last broom flight at the end of
the film, the Buckbeak connection is still there (in visuals, though not accompanied with
Buckbeak's theme) because Harry's new broom features a collection ofBuckbeak's
feathers fastened to the handle (PoA DVD 2:09:06).
It is curious that many of the themes for the conquest of evil in the first three
films embody this victory in the form ofmagical flying creatures. Although Hedwig is
not present when Harry battles Voldemort for The Sorcerer's Stone, "Hedwig's Theme"
accompanies his victory. In the second film, Fawkes the Phoenix embodies the loyalty
that saves Harry. In the third film, Buckbeak embodies Harry's innate joy that relieves
him ofthe burdens of evil. In contrast, Voldemort does not yet have a physical form in
the first three films, as mentioned in the previous section on the rise of evil. As we will
see, when Voldemort gets his body in the fourth film (i.e., becomes a truly emobdied
character), the musical theme for the conquest of evil no longer involves a bodied
character. Instead, the musical themes for the conquest ofthe evil in both the fourth and
fifth films are formed around Harry's inner abilities alone.
This trend also marks a turning point in the roles ofmagic and human capabilities
in the conquest of evil, as noted in the discussion of the previous film. While the music
in the first two films tells us that magic is an important component for the conquest of
evil, and (as we will see) the music in the fourth and fifth films tells us that inner human
468
qualities are the important component for the conquest of evil, the third film includes
both. In the first two films, the magic that saves Harry comes from outside of Harry-
first the spell of his mother's love, then the antidote of Fawkes's tears. While magic is
still part of the equation in the third film, the music tells us that the power ofthe magic
comes from within Harry himself. When Harry conjures the protective Patronus charm,
it is not the vision of the stag itself that saves Harry; rather this is just the form that
Harry's power takes. Similarly, the music tells us that Harry's experience ofjoy while
flying with Buckbeak comes from inside himself, not from any magical power on
Buckbeak's part. This aesthetic is more in line with nineteenth-century dramatic musical
works in which magic may set the stage of dramatic circumstances but does not
ultimately control the dramatic outcome.
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: "Tournament fanfare," "Hogwarts Hymn,"
"Hogwarts March," "Harry Victorious," and "Righteousness"
The fourth film (Patrick Doyle and Mike Newell), includes four new themes for
personal victory and solidarity, and one new theme for the conquest of evil. Although
this film includes the most themes for victory in the series thus far, the first four themes
are theatrically typical ofthe events each represents, and therefore function more as
referential cues than as connotative cues. Only the fifth theme, "Righteousness,"
specifically reveals how Harry battles against the forces of evil by staying the course of
righteousness. This is different from the first film's message that magical love conquers
evil, different from the second film's message that loyalty to benevolent magic conquers
evil, and also different from the third film's message that joy is the antidote to evil. As
469
well, the new theme shows a complete shift from the reliance on magic for conquering
evil to a reliance on inner human strength.
"Tournament Fanfare"
The first victory theme occurs at the beginning of the Quidditch World Cup game
(GoF DVD 7:20) and at the beginning of one Tri-Wizard Tournament event (GoF DVD
54:02). Its musical characteristics are standard among jubilant fanfares, and therefore
serve mainly as a referential cue. Broadly, the theme connotes the pursuit of victory, but
does not favor a particular side in the competition, or depict any side as either good or
evil. Figure 5.33 provides two variants ofthe motif.
Figure 5.33. "Tournament Fanfare"
VI IV
A~ F c
2.
"Hogwarts Hymn"
The first theme depicting solidarity occurs while Dumbledore explains the history
of the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the honorable legacy of champions (GoF DVD
33:02). Its musical characteristics are standard among hymns, alma mater tunes, and
470
other songs of solidarity, and therefore serve mainly as a referential cue, though it also
connotes honor and righteousness to a degree. Like the previous theme, this one does not
align with visuals to favor one contestant over another, or to provide contrast between
those who are good and those who are evil. Rather, the significance of the theme is
similar to Williams's "Hogwarts Forever" in that it is applied to all students at Hogwarts.
"Hogwarts March"
Another theme for both victory and solidarity, the Hogwarts sporting fight song,
"Hogwarts march" is played as source music by the Hogwarts school pep band before
and after the third Tri-Wizard event (GoF DVD 1:50:13 and 2:09:55). Similar to the
examples above, this theme functions mainly as a referential cue. Although the theme
suggests allegiance to Hogwarts (rather than to the foreign schools, Beauxbatons and
Durmstrang), the theme never follows the journey of anyone of the tri-wizard
champions, and only serves to set the festive mood of the tournament.613
"Harry Victorious"
The theme for Harry's personal victories is more specific than the preceding
themes. The motif first occurs when Harry successfully completes the first Tri-Wizard
event-a conflict involving a fire-breathing dragon (discussed in Chapter Two). The
motif occurs again when Harry is awarded second place in the second event (GoF DVD
1:39: 11). That is to say that the theme follows Harry specifically, and directly aligns
613
I discuss this theme more fully in Chapter VII.
Figure 5.34. "Harry Victorious"
E~ B~
471
with a moment of narrative progress rather than with visuals that merely set the scene.614
Although the melody is different from Harry's previous victory themes, this theme is also
typical of theatrical heroes' themes. This theme only accompanies Harry, and does not
support the successes of the other competitors. However, as in the previous films, the
music for Harry's personal victories does not accompany Harry's epic victory over
evil/Voldemort. A transcription is provided in Figure 5.34.
E~
i1=p~e~6k_~_~~r~·~~j§tm~.
Significantly, as we will remember from the discussion of themes for Harry's emotional
world, the major mode "Harry Victorious" theme is melodically similar to the minor
mode "Inner Emotions" theme. By pairing these similar-sounding motifs with seemingly
opposing narrative ideas-those of Harry's outer fayade and Harry's inner emotional
state-----composer Patrick Doyle shows us how Harry's experiences in the world and
experiences inside his heart are related.
"Righteousness"
There is only one victory theme that directly relates to the conflict of good and
evil. This theme occurs when Harry makes decisions in favor of goodness during the
tournament with other student champions and also in his confrontation with Voldemort.
614 However, the theme does set the scene for all of the Tri-Wizard champions when it is heard as the
processional march for the Yule Ball (GoF DVD I: 17:23).
472
That is to say, this theme aligns with visuals to signify the act of moral, righteous
choices, then shows how staying the path of righteousness is the key to conquering
evil.615 Notice in Figure 5.35 how the pitches from the "Harry Victorious" theme are
also found in the melodic contour of Harry's "Righteousness" theme. This provides an
example of how Doyle's themes for Harry's personal successes and the conquest of evil
are musically related (in contrast to Williams's previous themes, which are not).
Figure 5.35. "Righteousness"
""';¥"""ie....-_'-(-'-
Moreover, as mentioned before, the "Righteousness" melody is also related to the
theme for Voldemort, and metaphorically shows how the paths of good and evil may
branch from the same stem. As well, this theme marks the first time in the series in
which the theme for the conquest of evil is directly, musically related to the theme for
evil. While the theme for Voldemort is chromatically crooked, the "Righteousness"
theme stays the straight course of diatonicism.
The relationship between the "EvilNoldemort" and the "Righteousness" theme
tells us something important about the philosophy of good and evil that is presented in
this film. As previously stated, Boethius proposed that goodness is rejecting lower goods
in favor of higher goods (as the melody seems to do in the "Righteousness" theme) while
615 For instance, a slow version of the motifis heard when Harry chooses to send up a rescue flare on
behalf of Fleur during the maze event (GoF DVD 1:56:06). It is heard again in the maze when Harry stops
Cedric from harming Victor (GoF DVD 1:57:02). It occurs in variation yet again when Harry chooses to
rescue Cedric in the maze (GoF DVD 1:58:08). All of these examples support my argument that the theme
indicates choices that are right instead of easy. As well, the theme is alluded to in the consonant harmonies
and victorious brass timbres of Harry's wand duel with Voldemort (GoF DVD 2:08:14).
473
conversely, evilness is turning away from higher goods in favor of lower goods (as the
melody seems to do in the "Evil/Voldemort" theme). Indeed, Professor Dumbledore
gives Harry moral advice at the end of the film that aligns with this philosophy.
Dumbledore explains that "dark and difficult times lie ahead," and that the time to choose
between "what is right and what is easy" will soon be upon them. In fact, viewers know
that Harry has experienced dark and difficult times throughout the entire film, and his
choices along the way have illustrated the differences between what is right and what is
easy, as heard in in his "Righteousness" theme.
Let us return to for a moment to consideration of how the "Righteousness" theme
is musically related to the "Harry victorious" theme. This marks the first time in the
series in which a musical correlation is made between Harry's personal victories and
Harry's more epic victories. This provides another example of how Doyle's approach
blends the many facets of Harry's experience rather than separating them out (i.e., as
Williams's distinctive leitmotifs tend to do). This may relate to director Newell's desire
to relate all aspects of the story to a central spine. As actor Daniel Radcliffe (who plays
Harry in the films) explains, "[Newell] talked about [the story] having a central spine
with these little offshoots, I guess you'd call them nerve-endings, coming off it. ..These
little other strands that he kept reiterating, in which every scene had to push that central
spine"6l6 This is similar to the way that Doyle's musical themes-"Inner emotions,"
"Victory," "Evil/Voldemort," and "Righteousness"-are melodically related like
branches of one musical family tree. Likewise, composer Patrick Doyle expressed the
importance of aligning music with both the text and subtext of a film.
616 The Associated Press, "British director tackes 'Goblet of Fire,'" The Associated Press, November 21,
2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/111211mike.newel1.ap/index.html (accessed November
22,2005).
474
In order for a score to do its job you have to understand the characters in a
film and the storyline, not to mention the back-story. Sometimes I wonder
if the people doing the job have actually watched the film. You have to
really, really highlight the story and the narrative. Dialogue reigns
supreme, what are they trying to say is what you should be trying to say in
your score. That's what you have to focus on.617
This is also the first time in the series that the conquest of evil theme does not
have a musical relationship with a fantastic magical creature, or indeed with magic at all.
Although magic is clearly involved in the wand duel between Harry and Voldemort in the
critical crisis scene, the music emphasizes the human decisions that each makes--either
holding on for higher goods, as Harry does, or turning away toward lower goods, as
Voldemort does. This marks an important shift in the aesthetics of the drama. The
emphasis on realistic human struggles (rather than magical solutions) aligns this dramatic
musical approach with later nineteenth-century interests in realism and naturalism.
Moreover, the close musical link between the themes for good and evil suggest a
connection with modernist aesthetics which sought to deconstruct the divisions between
good and evil.
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: "The Flight ofthe Order," "The Room of
Requirement," "Patronus," "Fireworks," and "Harry's Internal Struggle"
The new themes for victory, solidarity, and the conquest of evil in the fifth film
(Hooper and Yates) are musically different from the themes in the previous film, and less
musically predictable in general. That is to say, the themes are congruent with the drama,
but tend not to include the theatrical tropes (such as hymns, tuneful marches, and
617 Joe Utichi, "Composer Patrick Doyle: The RT Interview," Rotten Tomatoes, December 19,2007.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harryyotter_and_the_goblet_oCfIre/newslI 698240/composeryatrick_
doyle_theJUnterview (accessed January 11, 2008).
475
fanfares) that Williams and Doyle use in the previous films. Furthermore, with the
exception of "Harry's internal struggle," all of the themes are set-pieces. While none of
the first four themes ultimately accompany Harry's conquest over evil, they are all at
least indirectly related to solidarity movements against evil, and therefore provide the
foundation for the success of "Harry's internal struggle" against Voldemort. These first
four themes mark the first time that music signifiying solidarity takes a side in the battle
of good and evil. In contrast, there are no victory themes in the fifth movie that merely
set the scene (as the previous fanfares and fight songs do) or signify a success not related
to the battle between good and evil (as some of Harry's previous victory themes do). The
new theme for the conquest of evil itself, "Harry's internal struggle," follows the new
trend in which inner strength, rather than magic, saves the day. However, unlike the
fierce discipline to stay the path of righteousness required of Harry in the fourth film (as
represented by the "Righteousness" theme), the new theme for the conquest of evil in the
fifth film represents Harry's determined internal struggle to stay true to himself.
"The Flight afthe Order"
The first theme for solidarity is a short set-piece following the form of Harry's
broom flight with members of the Order of the Phoenix from the Dursley horne to the
Order headquarters (OotP DVD 9:22-10: 16). The regular rhythmic cadences in the
piece suggest a militaristic quality (although the piece is too fast to be considered a
march), while the short melodic phrases align with film visuals to create a thrilling
spectacle. In addition to signifying the militant organization against Voldemort and his
minions, Hooper's CD liner notes discuss how the theme reflects a sense of freedom-
that is to say, Harry's freedom from the malevolent control of the Dursleys. As such, the
476
shorter, more frequently changing melodic phrases may symbolically reflect this
freedom. This provides an example of how Hooper's music, like Verdi's, may serve the
drama as much as it serves beauty. The main theme of this set-piece is provided below in
Figure 5.36. As one can see, the style of melody is march-like, but as one can hear in the
film, the tempo is too fast to be a traditional march.618
Figure 5.36. "The Flight of the Order"
8w--------------------------------~
A Em D D EmIntro
"The Room ofRequirement"
IV VII VII
Another set-piece signifying solidarity occurs when Neville Longbottom finds a
magical room where the underground student resistance organization (i.e., Dumbledore's
Army) can meet in secret (OotP DVD 58:40). The theme continues for the duration of a
montage during which the student group uses the room to practice magic in the defense
against the dark arts. Musically, the theme is ajig--that is to say, not a typical musical
form for militant resistance. Instead, the music connotatively shows the joy students
experience when learning skills in the company of kindred spirits-skills that really
matter. In this way, the theme is as much about the students' experiences in the room as
618
Adapted from published materials. Nicholas Hooper, Selections/rom Harry Potter and the Order 0/
the Phoenix (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Van Nuys: Warner Brothers: Alfred Publishing, 2007), 5.
-----------------------------_.... __ . - .
477
much if not more than it is about the room itself. The main motif of this set-piece is
provided in Figure 5.37.619
Figure 5.37. "The Room of Requirement"
I IV I
"Patronus "
Another set-piece occurs when students in Dumbledore's Army learn how to
conjure their own protective shields using the Patronus charm (OotP DVD 1:21:50-
1:22:50). The melody ascends like a rocket, then cascades down in a sequence of thirds
much as their magical spells are sent into the air and result in wispy images of animals
leaping and bounding around the room. While neither the melodic gestures nor the
underlying syncopated ostinato directly aligns with specific visual events (as the
"Fireworks" set-piece does, for instance), the music is congruent with the mood and
general speed of action. This provides an example of how Hooper's music energizes the
drama so that we can feel the excitement in the air much as the students feel it.
In other words, the melody mimetically represents the casting of the spell, and
connotatively reflects the happiness that students focus on in order to create the patronus.
Hooper notes how the "Patronus" theme (also known as "Dumbledore's Army" in
published materials) "carr[ies] the story of the children's determination to learn to defend
619
Adapted from published materials. Nicholas Hooper, Selections from Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Van Nuys: Warner Brothers: Alfred PUblishing, 2007), 28.
478
themselves in spite ofUmbridge's blocking their every move.,,620 However, in contrast
to the somber determination required of Harry by the "Righteousness" theme in the
preceding film, the determination in the fifth film is about joy. The main motif of this
.. 'd d' F' 538 621set-pIece IS provI e III Igure . .
Figure 5.38. "Patronus"
"Fireworks"
The final set-piece signifying solidarity (of sorts) occurs when the Weasley twins
decide to subvert the malevolent authority of Professor Umbridge by lighting fireworks
during the end-of~yearexams and abandoning their studies completely. A more thorough
examination of this set-piece is included in Chapter III. The music mimetically reflects
this rebellion through the use of unorthodox orchestral instruments (e.g., percussion
instruments such as taiko drums, a gong, and lots of pitched and un-pitched percussion)
and non-conforming rhythms (such as polyrhythms and hemiola). Although the
620
Hooper recontextualizes this piece in the sixth film, The HalfBlood Prince, for Ron's Quidditch
training. As in the original use, the rhythm of the piece aligns with visual events. The backdrop idea of the
music also aligns with the notion of finding one's inner spirit and succeeding-as Ron finds himself in the
course ofjoining the Quidditch team.
621
Adapted from published materials. Nicholas Hooper, Selections/rom Harry Potter and the Order 0/
the Phoenix (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Van Nuys: Warner Brothers: Alfred Publishing, 2007), 10.
479
fireworks event is conceived and played out by the twins alone, the gesture may also
represent the overall message that people must stand up against tyranny-and as the
music tells us, do so with joy and exhuberance rather than with hatred and anger. This
provides another example of how Hooper's musical themes both energize the atmosphere
and also do not include tropes (such as those evoking hymns and marches) to support the
notion of solidarity.
"Harry's Internal Struggle"
Finally, there is one theme that directly aligns with visuals of Harry's battle with
Voldemort. "Harry's internal struggle" is what I am calling the melodic descant and
sequence above the "Possession" theme when Voldemort endeavors to inhabit Harry's
body and mind at the end ofthe confrontation in the Ministry ofMagic. The contour of
Harry's melody descends at first, as if Harry is being dragged down into the seductive
tentacles of Voldemort's ascending "Possession" melody, but then slowly ascends from
the potential abyss, seeming to struggle melodically upwards (through dissonance and
rhythmic misalignments with the "Possession" theme) much as Harry struggles against
Voldemort's power, until it reaches a pinnacle, two octaves higher (as well as a
consonant, F minor chord). As Harry struggles, the visual montage of his thoughts shows
us that it is his experiences oflove and joy in solidarity with others (such as the Order
and Dumbledore's Army) that give him the integrity to fight offVoldemort's seduction.
Rather than a transcription, I provide a timed account of the lengthy cue below.
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Table 5.4. The alignment of the "Possession" and "Harry's Internal Stuggle" themes with
film visuals and dialogue, and the musical relationship between the two themes in Harry
Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
DVD Time Description ofMusic and Events
2:00:33 tremolo strings in background as Voldemort prepares to enter Harry's body
2:00:39 Harry gasps to indicate that Voldemort has entered his body
2:00:44 first bass note of "Possession" melody as Voldemort tries to possess Harry
2:01 :07 first mid-range note occurs in the melody depicting Harry's internal struggle
2:01:09 Harry's melody starts to descend, losing ground in the struggle
2:01:25 first higher sequence occurs, perhaps reflecting Harry's efforts (but not results)
2:01 :29 Harry's melody starts to ascend, gaining ground in the struggle
2:01:51 Voldemort's theme ("Possession") starts to descend and diminish in volume
2:02:13 Harry's theme reaches a melodic pinnacle and a consonant Fm chord.
2:02:16 Harry addresses Voldemort, saying, "You're the weak one, and you'll never
know love or friendship, and I feel sorry for you."
2:02:29 reverse sound effects as Voldemort retaliates and is ejected from Harry
2:02:34 the F minor chord is pulled to an F diminished chord, but returns to F minor
2:02:47 the "Possession" theme begins softly behind Harry's consonant F minor chord
2:02:53 Voldemort addresses Harry, saying, "You're a fool, Harry Potter, and you will
lose-everything."
This timeline shows how both the "Possession" theme and the "Harry's Internal Struggle" theme
occur in the same scene at the same time to mimetically represent the largely unseen mental
struggle between Voldemort and Harry in the critical crisis ofthe film.
Certainly, Harry's struggle requires fierce determination. However, unlike his
struggle in the fourth film, which required disciplined allegiance to the path of
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righteousness (as depicted in the music), his struggle in the fifth film is fueled by his
passionate emotions of love and joy, and his desire to stay true to himself.622 Although
the magical circumstances of Voldemort's possession of Harry cannot be denied, Harry's
defeat of Voldemort is based on his human-rather than magical-abilities. As well, in
contrast to all other preceding themes for the conquest of evil in the series, "Harry's
Internal Struggle" is un-metered.
Summary
Much as was a concern among nineteenth-century dramatic composers, the Harry
Potter composers also endeavored to balance the dramatic with the intimate in their
musical depiction of the conquest of evil.623 While for Wagner the pursuit of balance
meant elevating the epic drama, we see in the examination of the first two Harry Potter
films how Williams's leitmotifs similarly depict a hierarchy of conflicts ranging from the
competitions of opposing teams to the battle of opposing forces of good and evil. Even
though the musical approach for the conquest of evil conveys a less nuanced message
about the natures of goodness and evil, the other musical themes for victory and
solidarity reminds us that not all conflict includes an evil side.
The role of magic is also very important in the conquest of evil in the first films as
it had been in dramatic works prior to the nineteenth century. Indeed, the music for the
conquest of evil in the first film includes the same magical theme, "Hedwig's Theme"
that is used to establish Harry's magical world to begin with. Likewise, the musical
theme "Fawkes the Phoenix" accompanies the Deus ex machina style arrival ofthe bird
622 However, there is a similarity in the musical metaphor of endeavoring to attain higher goods (Le.,
pitches) over lower goods (or pitches).
623 De Van, Verdi's Theater, 216.
482
who saves Harry (and by extension, the whole wizarding world) from doom in the second
film. It may be hard to imagine that filmmakers had other choices for representing the
story this way, given their commitment to fidelity to the novel. However, even these
decisions were based on aesthetic preference rather than necessity. Music for Harry's
confrontation with Voldemort in the first film might have emphasized the force of love
over the force of magic as that which conquers the evil one. Likewise, music for the
arrival of Fawkes the Phoenix might have emphasized Harry's loyalty above the notion
of Fawkes's ability to resurrect himself and others.
For Verdi, balancing the dramatic with the intimate meant rejecting the war
themes of his contemporaries in favor of developing his character's inner world.
Similarly, the victory-over-evil themes in the third, fourth, and fifth Harry Potter films
tell us about Harry's access to inner joy, love, and fortitude. Indeed, the shift away from
magical saviors to human emotional strengths begins in the third film. Although
"Buckbeak's theme" seems to embody the conquest of evil in the fonn of a magical
flying creature (much as the previous themes seem to embody the conquest of evil in
Hedwig and Fawkes), it is truly the joy that comes from within Harry-not from
without-that provides Harry's power to conquer evil.
Often in Verdi's dramas, the inner world is only known by the audience and
perhaps a few characters, but generally culminates in a public revelation on stage.
Moreover Verdi's operas, like Rowling's novels, often show a rift between a character's
private and public life, leading to complex relationships between personal plots relating
to fewer characters, and public plots involving most or all characters. We see this also in
the fourth Harry Potter film when the family tree of motifs alerts us to the slight divisions
between the bravado that Harry is expected to exhibit in public and the isolation he feels
inside, and between the choices he makes in the pursuit of goodness and the choices
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Voldemort makes leading to a path of evil. We also see this in the fifth film when
Harry's private inner struggle of trying to differentiate himself from Voldemort is played
out in front of others when Voldemort publicly invades his mind. As Voldemort
possesses his words and actions, causing Harry to writhe on the Ministry floor
(accompanied by the entangling "Possession" theme), Harry must respond by both
inwardly and publicly pushing Voldemort out (accompanied by his own, more powerful
"Harry's inner struggle" theme).
The new emphasis on human integrity in the musical themes for victory-over-evil
in the fourth and fifth films reflects a dramatic aesthetic that became important during the
romantic era. In the later Harry Potter films, much as in the late nineteenth century, the
musical dramatists shifted away from stories relying on divine intervention in favor of
stories depicting realistic human struggles. Furthermore, in both the fourth and fifth
films, the musical links between themes for good and evil allude to modernist drama in
which the divisions between good and evil are called into question.
Conclusions
The examination of how musical themes reflect Harry's emotional world reveals
how these narrative themes are approached very differently in each of the Harry Potter
films. While Williams's music for the first two films clarifies emotions and relationships
between characters, Williams's music for the third film develops and expands these
emotions and relationships in nuanced ways. In contrast, Doyle's music for the fourth
film tends to deconstruct the structures established by Williams, and represents emotions
and relationships in more distanced and epic (rather than personal) ways. In further
contrast (though following some patterns from the third film), Hooper's music for the
484
fifth film expands Harry's experiences of emotions and relationships into a network of
feelings and sensations.
Music in the first two films (Williams and Columbus) functions as another set of
eyes that clarify and explain what viewers see with standard theatrical codes and
leitmotifs. That is to say, all emotions and all relationships between characters are made
plain for the viewer. While Williams's use of leitmotifs harkens back to Wagner's
model, Williams's melodies follow the bel canto models of composer dramatists such as
Rossini.
For instance the alignment of the "Love/Reflection" and "Friendship" themes in
the first two films indicate Harry's affectionate bonds with his lost parents and newly
made friends at Hogwarts, but tell the viewer little else beyond the pleasantness of
Harry's feelings of love. Indeed, the lilting, diatonic melodies are pleasant to hear, but
neither moves to great heights or depths, nor do they move the listener to experience
great heights or depths of emotion.. There are no themes that uniquely reflect loss or
death in the first two films, which is perhaps a filmmaker strategy for shielding younger
viewers from extreme emotions.
Williams's music for mystery, the rise of evil, and its conquest in the first two
films also functions as another set of eyes. Themes for mystery always align with visuals
in a way that leads the viewer to a correct conclusion, and are never aligned with visuals
in order to lead the viewer astray. Likewise, the themes for the rise of evil are carefully
aligned to specifically represent Voldemort and those circumstances and characters that
are directly related to him. The clear distinctions between music for good and evil also
clarify the visual relationships between characters and circumstances that are good and
evil. Following suit, themes for victory and the conquest of evil define the heroes in
archetypal rather than nuanced tenus.
485
Music in the third film (Williams and Cuar6n) functions as heart, or intuitive
sense that allows the viewer to experience emotions and relationships through an
expanded vocabulary of musical metaphors. In contrast to Williams's approach to the
previous two films which favors musical beauty over dramatic truth, Williams's approach
to the third film follows the Verdian model of balancing musical beauty with dramatic
truth. Indeed, the musical themes tell us much more information about the drama through
musical metaphors than simply alerting us to key characters or points of progress. For
instance, a new theme for Harry's love, reflection, and longing for his parents is allowed
to grow and evolve as Harry builds bonds with his mentor Remus Lupin and learns to
harness his own power from his experiences of love and loss. Other themes specifically
reflecting loss explore a spectrum of more painful emotions, including betrayal and the
anticipation of unjust consequences. In the sphere of mystery, one theme maintains the
pattern of "truthfulness" while another reflects the ambiguities of characters' own
perceptions of the mysterious. Significantly, the defining feature of evil changes from
being that which is the opposite of goodness to being that which has a privation or lack of
goodness. The specific creatures such as Boggarts and Dementors who lack goodness are
accompanied by less traditional leitmotifs that lack the musical elements at the heart of
western music: melody, harmony, and resonant tone. In contrast, the themes for the
conquest of evil are really about joy, and not about the archetypal hero's victory. Also
unlike the music for archetypal victory themes, these joyful themes reflect Harry's
nuanced experiences of exhilaration.
Music for the fourth film (Doyle and Newell) functions as a philosophical mind
that distinguishes the concrete but provocatively deconstructs the sphere of emotions and
relationships. At times, this approach follows the model of Meyerbeer's broad strokes
for cueing the public rather than private aspects of characters' lives, while at other times
486
follows the model of modernist composers who used music to deconstruct previously
held beliefs. For instance the new "Inner Emotions" theme reflects Harry's inner world,
but does not rel1ect Harry's relationships with others. The variation of this theme that
encompasses "Cedric's Death" referentially and connotatively acknowledges Cedric's
death, then acts with the visuals to objectify the scene depicting grief rather than to
subject viewers to the feeling of grief itself. In contrast to the previous films, musical
themes for mystery and the rise of evil are more ambiguously aligned with visuals such
that it seems like the threat ofthe mysterious and evil pervades Harry's experience,
whether acknowledged with visuals or not. A large part of this ambiguity is created by
the musically similar family tree of themes relating to Harry's inner world, loss, the rise
of evil, and the victory over evil. Indeed, the close musical relationship between these
themes with such disparate meanings indicates a new philosophy regarding the nature of
good and evil in which both paths derive from the same trunk. While evil deviates from
the path in favor of lower goods (and is accompanied by lower pitches, in the case of this
film), goodness follows the path of righteousness to higher goods (and is accompanied by
higher pitches in this case).
Music in the fifth film (Hooper and Yates) functions as skin and sensation in that
it provides a network of musical metaphors that allows the viewer to viscerally
experience the feeling of the visuals. While the approach follows the model of Verdi in
the way Hooper balances beauty with dramatic truth, the music itself sometimes follows
the sound of minimalist composers such as Philip Glass. For instance, the new "Loved
Ones" theme is both beautiful and the most melodically expressive of all of the themes
for Harry's relationships with others (and therefore follows a model that Verdi might
have chosen). Similarly, the new theme reflecting Harry's briefromance with Cho
allows the viewer to experience the tug and tension of infatuation and heartache by using
487
the tug and tension of a harmonically-driven motif (that is to say, as Glass might have
written). Likewise, viewers experience the distortion of Harry's painful emotions over
Sirius's death when the background music usurps all source sound. While no theme
specifically represents mystery, the "surprise" theme plays with the tension of viewer's
expectations that something bad will eventually happen. Unlike all previous themes for
the rise of evil, the new "Possession" theme shows how are all are susceptible to the
seductions of evil. Just as Harry's human vulnerabilities are revealed when Voldemort
manipulates his mind, so too, Voldemort's vulnerabilities are revealed when Harry's
memories of love struggle and defeat Voldemort's power-a struggle that is musically
represented by the competition between the "Possession" theme and the descant "Harry's
internal struggle."
The accumulation of these different perspectives on Harry's emotional world
create a progressive whole that is different from any individual piece of the series. For
the viewer who watches the five films in sequence, nearly every part of Harry's
emotional world becomes more complex-but there is more to the evolution than just
complexity. Truly, part of the complexity that viewers may experience is due to the
varied perspectives on Harry's emotional world themselves.
The series of musical themes for Harry's feelings oflove begin simply with his
love for his parents, then extends to love for his new friends at Hogwarts. Next, music
tells us how Harry's love for his parents is also mixed with sadness and longing which
contributes to his need for loving guidance from his father's friends, Remus Lupin and
Sirius Black. Additionally, the music reveals how Harry's strong feelings of love
manifest in a powerful magical strength when Harry conjures the Patronus charm.
Although Harry's longings for connection seem requited at the end of the third film, the
music in the fourth film shows us how Harry's longings feel unrequited again-no
488
themes represent his connections with his mentors or with his friends. Instead, the music
tells us that Harry is isolated within his own emotional world. Answering to this lack,
the music in the fifth film expresses Harry's endeavors to build relationships with others,
including his first romantic relationship.
While loss and death occur in the first two films, the events are not supported by
emotionally prescriptive musical themes. Although no character dies in the third film, the
music expands the landscape of Harry's emotional world by alerting the viewer to the
significant losses that Harry experiences and/or observes-losses such as betrayal and
unfairness. In contrast, the fourth film includes many deaths, but the music limits the
emotional impact rather than expanding the emotiona11andscape. The most truly moving
collection of musical themes signifying loss and death occur in the fifth film when Harry
shares his grief for his parents with Sirius, then loses Sirius as well. Because of these
musical themes, the viewer is made well aware of the significance of Sirius in Harry's
life and the significant grief that Sirius's death will cause Harry to experience.
While the representation of loss and death becomes more personalized over the
contour of the films, so too does the representation of evil change from that which is an
objectified Other to that which closely resembles human nature and the known. Evil is
represented musically in the first two films as an objectified, militant, Other that exhibits
the opposite metaphorical musical characteristics to goodness or humanity. In this way,
the music tells us clearly what evil is, but may also make the cliched evilness of
Vo1demort hard to accept as real. In the third film, the evil creatures (such as Boggarts
and Dementors) are truly not human at all, and likewise, the music accompanying them
similarly lacks those musical elements that make music sound familiar or recognizable.
The metaphorical parallel between visuals and music make these creatures truly
frightening to behold. In the fourth film, the visuals show us that evil has a concrete form
489
(i.e., in the regenerated Voldemort), but the music tells us more ambiguously that evil is a
close cousin to good, but has deviated from the path of righteousness. This approach
brings evil into focus in a way that relates to our known world. Similarly, the music in
the fifth film shows how evil is a force, not just a concrete character, with seductive,
manipulative powers that can affect anyone.
The various themes for the conquest of evil also make a shift from presenting
objectified heroics to representing more realistic, internal struggles with the adversary.
For instance, victory over evil in the first film is represented with the musical theme for
magic, then later explained as a powerful magic spell oflove. Similarly, in the second
film, the conquest of evil is accomplished with the help of a magical bird, with its own
musical theme ("Fawkes the Phoenix"). While other matters are also at play, such as
Harry's honorable choices, no musical themes represent these ideas. In the third film, the
conquest of evil is accomplished with completely different means-the experience ofjoy.
As is often the case in real life, Harry pushes away his oppressing thoughts and
circumstances by focusing on his most important memories and experiences: those that
bring him feelings of love, happiness, and joy. However, the conquest of evil returns to a
more traditional archetype in the fourth film, in which the music tells us that victory over
evil is achieved by staying the disciplined course of righteousness. In yet another
perspective, the music from the fifth film tells us that the seduction of evil is conquered
by pushing it away with the power of love-a perspective that is not unlike the magical
power of love in the first film, except that the power of love now comes from within
Harry himself.
The perspectives represented in each of the films are generally congruent with the
perspectives garnered from reading the novels; certainly, none of the perspectives are
illogical or unreasonable when compared with Rowling's work. However, while the
490
length of the novels allows for many perspectives simultaneously (e.g., that Harry is both
alone and not alone over the course of one novel), the films tend to guide a more singular
interpretation (e.g., that Harry's longing for connection is requited in the third film, then
unrequited again in the fourth film). Sometimes the choices the filmmakers make drive
home a specific interpretation (e.g., the seduction of evil in the political allegory of the
fifth film), while some choices call concrete interpretations into question (e.g., whether
Voldemort is the embodiment of evil-as seen in the visuals of the fourth film, or
whether evil is parasitic on goodness-as heard in the music ofthe fourth film).
As fan and critical responses showed us in the first chapter, some viewers
preferred some interpretations over others, and some found that the changing narrative
interpretations detracted from the enjoyment of the series as a whole. For instance, those
who championed the simpler, more straightforward perspectives of the first two films
were disappointed by the later approaches that seemed to muddy the waters of
interpretation, and wished that Warner Brothers had found a way to continue the style
that Williams and Columbus began. Others found that Williams and Columbus had not
gotten the story quite right in the first two films, and looked to the later films for the
interpretations that most resonated with their own readings ofthe story. As an
alternative, I posit that the changing representations over the film series convey a richer,
more complex and layered version of the story than anyone film perspective is able to
provide on its own (even the more complexly layered films in the series). Because of the
layers of perspective that each film contributes, the series as a whole better reflects the
multi-faceted story that Rowling tells in her original novels. Furthermore, the different
perspectives in each ofthe films allow the story to resonate with more viewers than any
one of the perspectives may have done.
491
In this chapter, part one of the changing narrative perspectives, I focused on some
of the major philosophical, even ideological messages in the films. These include the
important roles of love and other powerful emotions such as grief, the nature of evil, and
the ways of being that resist the paths of evil. Truly, these narrative themes are
represented in Rowling's books, and these are some of the messages that have made loyal
fans out of many readers and viewers. However, these may not be the themes that
initially draw readers and viewers in. The narrative motifs that seem to delight viewers
the most are those of magic, humor, and spectacle-the topics to be addressed in the next
chapter, part two of the changing narrative perspectives. Indeed, for some viewers, the
real story is about magic, the topic I introduced in Chapter 1. As we will see in Chapter
VI, the nature of magic also changes over the course of the films, each film uses different
gemes ofhumor (which, similar to magic, constitutes different kinds of violations to the
norm), and each film frames spectacle to serve its own perspective.
492
CHAPTER VI
HARRY'S MAGICAL AND HUMOROUS WORLD: MUSICAL APPROACHES TO
NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART TWO
MAGIC. There's precious little of it in today's world. Most of us re-
discovered magic in the pages of J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books.
As adults, we were transported back to a more innocent time in our
lives, a time when we first discovered the promise of a better
future and the possibility that good can overcome darkness
and evil. ... So ... , sit back and dream. Dream of flight.
Dream of defeating Dark Lords. Dream of winning
a Quidditch match. But most importantly,
dream of magic.
-Chris Columbus, London. September 21,2001 624
Harry's Magical World: Magic and Fantasy
Just as Mary Ann Smart argues that music can expand the physical space of
drama beyond the boundaries of what is seen, so too can music expand the dimensions of
the magical fantasy universe of the Harry Potter stories in film. 625 Likewise, Petrobelli
argues that when music characterizes the dramatic discourse in its own terms, it also
establishes its own temporal and spatial dimensions.626 This matter is especially
624 From the CD liner notes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
625 Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania. Gorbman (in Unheard Melodies) and Chion (in Audio-vision) also
convey this point.
626 Pierluigi Petrobelli, Music in the Theater.
493
important in the Harry Potter film series because many viewers are drawn to the story as
a work of fantasy. Much as music is linked from its first appearance to the production of
myth in the well-known and well-studied film epic, Star Wars,627 so too is music linked
from its first appearance to the production of magic in Harry Potter.
One of the first points I argued in the introduction to this dissertation is that the
Harry Potter stories begin with the premise of magic, and that music is inextricably tied
to the representation of magic in the films-at least the first film. Indeed, during the
course of other examinations in Chapters II, III, and IV, I have pointed out ways that
magic (including musical symbols for magic and fantasy) is not emphasized as much in
some of the later films, even though a pastiche of magical, mythical, and fantastic acts
and circumstances still play an integral role in the narrative progress of the series. In
other words, even though magic is at the core of the original narrative, the film music
reveals that magic is presented very differently in each of the films-with more or less
emphasis to convey more or less importance. How does music represent magic and the
fantasy realm over the course of the series? How does this representation change from
film to film?
In Chapter II, I introduced some aesthetic changes that each collaboration brought
to the production process and that fans and viewers perceived in the final films. One way
we are able to discern aesthetic differences between the films is by interrogating the
words that filmmakers and fans use to describe each of the films. When we examine
these descriptive terms, we find that only some ofthe films are described in terms of
magic. As you will remember, the first two Harry Potter films (with Columbus and
Williams) are described as "faithful" and "classic" while the music for the first two films
is described as "theatrical" and "magical." The third film (with Cuaron and Williams) is
627 James Buhler, "Star Wars, Music, and Myth." in Music and Cinema, ed. James Buhler, Caryl Flinn,
and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 37.
494
often called the "art-film," and the accompanying music is described as "haunting" and
"enchanting." The fourth film (with Newell and Doyle) is considered a "realistic,"
"action-packed thriller," and the music has been described as "brooding" and "regal"-
but not magical. Finally, the fifth film (with Yates and Hooper) is considered the
"psychological drama" ofthe series, and the accompanying music is often called
"dramatic," "elegant," and even "delicate,"-but not necessarily magical.
Further, we saw the importance of magic-especially when it is perceived to be
missing-in the critical reviews for each film. For instance, over the course of the five
film releases reviewers made assessments such as (1) "This movie about You-Know-
Who is missing a sprinkle of you-know-what: what one dared to expect in a wizard's tale.
This is a magic act performed by a Muggle,"628 (2) "[this] flick offers more magic, [but]
feels less magical,"629 and (3) "there are several eye-catching moments .... But the
magic-movie magic, that is-is mostly missing in this outing."630
Why are some of the films perceived as more "magical" than others? What do
these descriptive terms suggest about the underlying role of magic over the course of the
films? What does this suggest about the role of music in conveying magic in the series?
Are there measurable ways to assess the intended level of magic in each chapter of the
narrative?
I have already established that the films feel different from one another in large
part because of different director/composer collaborations. As such the franchise has
628 Richard Corliss, "Wizardry without Magic," Time, November 19,2001.
http://www.time.com/time/2001/harrypotter/review.html (accessed July 9, 2007).
629 Owen G1eiberman, "Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire Movie Review," Entertainment Weekly,
November 6, 2005). http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0..1131187.00.html (accessed December 17,2005).
630 Honeycutt, Kirk, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," The Hollywood Reporter, June 30,
2007. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_disp1ay.jsp?&rid=9447. (accessed July, 1,
2007).
495
experienced four completely different audio-visual collaborations over the course of the
five films currently available on DVD.631 As we will find, one marker of the aesthetic
differences in the Harry Potter films is observed in the changing approaches to the
musical representation of magic in the wizarding world. That is to say, when we examine
how the element of magic and the fantasy realm is expressed with music in these five
films, the divisions between different musical approaches to magic clearly align with the
change in collaborative teams.632 A guiding question is: How does each collaboration
present the dramatic role of magic and fantasy in the narrative?
This examination adds to our understanding of Harry Potter films as works of
fantasy and also contributes to research on music in fantasy film in general. According to
1. Q. Hunter, the dominant geme ofHollywood blockbusters has been fantasy since the
late 1970s, largely because these films appeals to "the crucial teenage demographic" and
"encourage[s] fannish absorption in their expandable universes."633 Moreover, Hunter
explains, while scholars generally accept that fidelity to pre-existing texts is "a hopelessly
fallacious measure of a given adaptation's value because it is unattainable, undesirable,
and theoretically impossible," this theory works less surely in cases such as Harry Potter,
in which fans demand that the films work within what Hunter calls a "discourse of
fidelity" with Rowling's originallandscapes.634 As we will see, this may provide an
explanation for the overt emphasis on magic and fantasy in some of the films.
631 Yates and Hooper continue to collaborate for the remaining films. The sixth DVD installment, The
Half-Blood Prince, is forthcoming in 2009, and the last chapter in the epic, The Deathly Hallows, will be
split into two movies to be released in theaters in 20 10 and 20 II.
632 As we will see, these divisions occur despite the use of "Hedwig's Theme," (i.e., the main musical
signifier for magic) in all of the films.
6331. Q. Hunter, "Post-classical fantasy cinema: The Lord a/the Rings" in The Cambridge Companion to
Literature on Screen, edited by Deborah Cartmell and Imelda Whelehan (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2007), 154.
634 Ibid., ISS.
----------------- --
496
This study of Harry Potter also contributes to the growing awareness of fantasy
genres-including their stigmas-within scholarly studies. Hunter reminds us that many
critics perceive the fantasy genre as "a deviation from the true path of modernism," and
fans of fantasy are often stigmatized as "infantile, nerdish, [or] irredeemably Other."635
Furthermore, Hunter argues that fantasy film is often "demonized within 'serious' film
culture" much as fantasy novels are criticized within literary circles.636 The perception
of this stigma was reinforced by Peter Jackson, the director of The Lord ofthe Rings
films, upon receiving the Oscar award for best picture at the 76th Academy Awards in
2003:
I'm so honored and touched and relieved that the Academy and members
of the Academy have seen past the trolls and the wizards and the hobbits
and are recognizing fantasy this year. Fantasy is an 'F' word that hopefully
the five second delay won't do anything with.
Indeed, in 2001,2002,2003, The Lord ofthe Rings was up for several Academy Awards,
encompassing nearly every category of nomination-including original score, directing,
best picture, sound-editing, and so on. If I had chosen to research the most successful
team for fantasy film (i.e., director Peter Jackson and composer Howard Shore), I might
have chosen the powerhouse trilogy of The Lord ofthe Rings instead. However, my
project is on varying approaches to film music and fantasy, and this is what is found in
the also overwhelmingly popular Harry Potter cinematic series.
Also in contrast to The Lord ofthe Rings (which is commonly acknowledged to
have a Christian subtext), the Harry Potter series has experienced criticism, conflict, and
even literal demonization over the inclusion of magic and sorcery, and thus this study
635 Ibid., 156.
636 Ibid., 156.
497
also points out music's indirect role in this controversial matter. As we will see, only
some of the film scores emphasize magic, thus showing how varied interpretations can
arise from the same texts. Attesting to this controversy, the Harry Potter books were at
the top of the "most challenged books" list from 1999-2001 according to the American
Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.637 As literary philosopher Suman
Gupta points out, this is quite an achievement for a series first published in 1997!
Religious leaders have included Harry Potter books in ceremonial book burnings, schools
have banned the books from school libraries, and concerns about the use of sorcery in the
narrative has led other church officials to make statements about the appropriateness of
the books and films for religious children.638 For instance, The United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops addressed the matter of the appropriateness of the first film, The
Sorcerer's Stone, in this 2001 statement, "Parents concerned about the film's sorcery
elements should know that it is unlikely to pose any threat to Catholic beliefs. Harry
Potter is so obviously innocuous fantasy that its fiction is easily distinguishable from
life."639 Clearly, many people have questioned the fundamental ideological messages
conveyed by the narrative and its relationship to magic.640 Many, such as Conference of
Catholic Bishops, have recognized that it is the element of fantasy (rather than the
637 Suman Gupta, Re-reading Harry Potter (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003),17-18; Also see
Richard Abanes, Harry Potter and the Bible (Camp Hill, Penn.: Horsizon, 200 I); Connie Neal, What's a
Christian to Do With Harry Potter? (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook, 2001).
638 Suman Gupta, Re-reading Harry Potter, 17-18.
639 Quoted in Gupta, 19, from the website www.usccb.org.
640 Others have defended the ideological messages conveyed in the narrative. Several national literacy
and literature organizations against censorship formed a coalition called Kidspeak to "fight attempts to
restrict access to the Harry Potter books." Independent author John Granger wrote The Hidden Key to
Harry Potter in order to argue that the narrative supports Christian ideology rather than negates it. John
Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter (Hadlock: Zossima, 2002).
498
practice of magic) that appeals to so many fans. As we will see, however, the
relationship between fantasy and reality is presented in varied ways throughout the films.
As measures for discerning how each Harry Potter collaboration presents magic
and fantasy in the drama, I begin with a brief perspective on the relationship between
narrative music events and magic in Rowling's original novels, then discuss the
relationship between background music and magic in the subsequent films-including
the application of music to magical events in the narrative, the use of instruments as
signifiers of the fantastic, and the use of musical (i.e. melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, etc.)
elements to evoke the supernatural. Additionally, I explore changes in the Harry Potter
main theme, "Hedwig's Theme" as a specific example of the changes occurring in the
films as a whole. I show how there is a direct relationship between music and magical
events in the first two films, that this relationship becomes more complicated and less
direct in the third film, that the connection between music and magic is disrupted in the
fourth film, and that the relationship is largely reinstated in the fifth film. In other words,
the films are at first clearly magical, then complexly magical, then hardly magical, then
subtly magical again in part because of the different approaches to the film music.
The musical differences between each film's approach to the portrayal of magic
demonstrates how the films are different from one another, and provides a significant
reason for why the films feel different from one another. Indeed, the matter of how the
films feel different (and make viewers feel different when watching them) is somewhat
different than the matter of how music conveys narrative messages about Harry's
emotional and philosophical world, as examined in the previous sections. When music is
used to emphasize magical events and fantastical landscapes (as it is in the first two
Potter films), the film as a whole conveys the importance of imagination and escapism.
When the connection between background music and magic is de-emphasized or
499
disrupted (as it is in the later films) in order to privilege emotional narrative themes, the
film as a whole imparts greater value to realistic human struggles (in addition to or in
spite ofthe fantastical backdrop of the story). The different sensibilities of the
filmmakers are shared by fans and critics who individually find that some of the films
resonate more than others. In other words, although millions of people enjoy the Harry
Potter story in novels and films, not all interpret the story in the same way. Following
suit, the films are considered both as a unified series, and as separate, unique
interpretations. This is different from other series such as Star Wars and Lord a/the
Rings in which the role of fantasy is consistent throughout each series. As such, the
Harry Potter film series as a whole may reach a wider audience by including different
interpretive perspectives throughout the series. I argue that the changing dramatic
relationship between background music and visual magic in the Harry Potter films guides
the very different experiences of each film that, in tum, resonate with and influence
filmgoers to different degrees.
A Literary Perspective: The Relationship between Music-making and Magic in
Rowling's Harry Potter Novels
There are several examples of music in Rowling's narrative, and many of these
are directly linked to magical activities, events, and power. One enchanting aspect of
Rowling's storytelling style is her way of weaving information from several real-life
academic disciplines (including language studies, botany, alchemy, astronomy and
astrology, folklore and mythology, and so on) into her narrative about an unfamiliar
realm (namely the topsy-turvy magical world). Although Rowling does not include the
discipline of music as an official course of study at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
500
and Wizardry where Harry attends school, she frequently describes musical
performances, events, and participation in them as a way to propel narrative progress and
establish a colorful socio-culturallandscape in the magical world. I provide a thorough
comparison of music events in Rowling's books to those represented in the films in the
next chapter, but will briefly mention a few relevant examples here.
For instance, in Rowling's novels, music is performed formally and informally for
school ceremonies and athletic events. Sometimes there is a magical component to even
mundane music performances, such as when a suit of armor and a poltergeist sing
Christmas carols,641 when music sounding like "a thousand fingernails scraping an
enormous blackboard" plays at Nearly-Headless Nick's deathday party,642 and when
winged cherubs deliver singing love-grams on Valentine's Day.643 Music is also used
ritually for magical events and as part of magical transactions (e.g. incantations with
rhyme and rhythmic lilt). However, in the film versions, most (source) musical events
are normalized in order to minimize the relationship between music and magic.
As portrayed in the books, the relationship between music and magic is
established early on in Harry's experience at Hogwarts, and the music/magic connection
occurs regularly throughout the series. Upon his arrival as a first-year student, a magical
singing wizard's hat sorts new students into four school houses with which the students
will be affiliated for the duration oftheir education.644 Thus does a singing
performance help to establish the hat's powerful authority as a magical judge of each
641 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 395.
6421. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets, 131. 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the
Goblet ofFire, 365.
643 J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets, 238.
644 J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, chapter seven.
501
student's character.645 On the same evening, Hogwarts students and faculty alike sing
the school song-all on the same words, but each individual choosing a favorite tune.
When the song finishes, the Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, wipes his eyes
and exclaims, "Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!. .."646 The performance of
the song demonstrates an unusual level of tolerance for individuality in the social
organization of Rowling's magical world, and Dumbledore's statement establishes that
the performance of music has magical properties. Later in the same novel, Harry and his
friend Hermione exhibit the mythical power of Orpheus (who controlled animals through
song) by soothing a three-headed dog to sleep with flute music.647 This instance
establishes a specific and time-honored way that music is used to serve magical ends.
None of these latter musical events appears in the first film, or in any of the other
films. The hat sorts students, but does not sing. Hogwarts students and faculty likewise
don't sing the school song, nor does Dumbledore make any statement regarding the
power ofmusic.648 Harry and his friends don't use flute music to magically soothe the
three-headed dog to sleep because the dog is already asleep when they encounter it.
Similarly, examples of music-making from the second novel are either eliminated in the
film version, or negotiated differently such that magic is taken out of the music equation,
and vice-versa.
645 I address this example and others from the novels in greater detail in Chapter VII.
6461. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 128.
6471. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 275-276.
648 However, an alma-mater march is heard in the musical soundtrack at the end of the same scene as it
appears in the film. The words for the Hogwarts school song are performed with a unified melody in a
deleted scene found on the "extra" part of the fourth film DVD.
502
The most abundant numbers of musical events in the books occur in Rowling's
fourth novel, The Goblet ofFire, and many of these events have a magical component.
For instance, (1) male spectators at the Quidditch World Cup tournament649 are
mesmerized, to the point of bewitchment, by seductive dancing Vee1a (i.e. woodland
sprites from European folklore),650 (2) spectators of all genders are bedazzled by the
choreographed formations of a horde of tiny leprechauns,651 and (3) an extremely hairy
wizarding rock band sensation named The Weird Sisters plays music on an eclectic
assortment of instruments (such as bagpipe, lute, guitar, and so on) at the Hogwarts
school Yule Bal1.652 Additionally, Harry receives a magical clue to his task in the Tri-
Wizard Tournament delivered in song by a chorus of Merpeople.653
Some of these events are represented in the film version of The Goblet ofFire,
though the majority of them are normalized in order to represent the familiar rather than
the fantastic. For instance, the dance of the leprechauns looks more like a glittery
fireworks display than an act of musical magic. Likewise, the vee1a do not dance at all-
though two gender-specific choreographies are performed by visiting foreign students to
Hogwarts. These performances include magical maneuvers (e.g. when the boys make
sparks with their staves, and when the girls conjure butterflies from their arms), but no
magical consequence ensues.654 A band implied to be the Weird Sisters performs at the
649 Quidditch is the main wizard-world sport.
650 1. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 103.
651 Ibid., 104.
652 Ibid., 419.
653 Ibid., 365, 460.
654 Naturally, Hogwarts students are impressed by the foreign visitors, but there is no magical transaction
similar to the way the dancing Veela bewitched the male spectators in the novel.
503
school dance, but they are neither "extremely hairy" nor are their instruments eclectic-
aside from a bagpipe solo, the band plays standard rock on standard rock instruments (the
characters themselves are played by familiar real-life rock performers). In other words,
the representation of the band relates more closely to the real world than to Rowling's
descriptions of a topsy-turvy magical world in the books. Harry does receive the magical
clue disguised in the mer song, but the performance of the song is normalized by using
one lyric soprano singer (i.e. following the familiar folklore of a single siren's song)
rather than following Rowling's more mysterious description of a mer "chorus of eerie
voices." 655 Another musical ensemble that emphasizes the familiar is also added into the
film version of The Goblet ofFire. Like the third film, which adds a Hogwarts school
choir, the fourth film adds a Hogwarts school band with instruments appearing as Dr.
Seuss might have drawn them, but sounding like a standard English brass band playing a
normal tune, with no special magical effect.
Although I have pointed out some ways that the Harry Potter films differ from the
Harry Potter books, it is not my intention to elevate one set of choices over another since
literary fidelity need not be a measure for cinematic success. However, different choices
create different effects that affect audiences in different ways. Rowling creates a direct
connection between music and magic by showing how music-making is part of magical
social organization and establishing that music-making in the wizarding world is a
potential vehicle for magical power. In contrast, the Harry Potter film directors generally
ignore (or at least dilute) the connection between source music and magic by omitting
many of the examples of narrative music and by adapting those remaining such that their
magical effect is minimized.
655 J. K. Rowling, Goblet ofFire, 460.
504
One reason for these different choices is that source music functions differently in
literature than in film. The inclusion of music-making in a written text can breathe life
into the story. In film, however, source music (i.e. diegetic music) is often less
emotionally powerful and tends to ground the narrative in realism. This is exactly the
experience of viewing music in the Harry Potter films, as we saw in Chapter III-the use
of source music tends to emphasize connections with the familiar (e.g. by using a
contemporary rock ensemble to represent a wizard rock group) and de-emphasize
connections with the fantastic (e.g. by eliminating or bringing less attention to examples
of music-making with magical effects). As an alternative, the Harry Potter films
generally rely on background music (i.e. non-diegetic, non-source, music) to breathe
magical life into film.
Examples from Cinema: The Relationship between Background Music and Magic in
Harry Potter Films
Composing for [fantasy films] is a gift. The composer no longer has to
deal with restrictions which he would probably have with a more realistic
picture. The music is always present in the picture. The orchestra keeps
playing and the ear of the listener can accept the bombardment of music
even if what his eyes see doesn't agree with what his ears are listening to.
Music in these types of films plays a very important part because only
music can make the audience believe what they see.
Only music can make fantasy, reality.656
-John Williams
Just as Rowling establishes a relationship between music-making and magic early
in the Harry Potter novels, filmmakers establish a relationship between background music
656 Thanos Fourgiotis, "John Williams Interview," Cinema Magazine, 1992.
http://www.cswu.czljohnwilliams/interview/jw-cinema.html (accessed June, 9, 2006).
505
and magic early in the Harry Potter films. As I described at the beginning of the
introductory chapter, the presence of background music is used as a signifier of magical
events in the first Harry Potter film when background music accompanies magical events,
while muggle (i.e., non-magical) scenes are left unaccompanied. As I later showed (in
the examination of music as a signifier for the irrational in Chapter III) the pattern of
signification is altered in the following four films such that the relationship between
background music and magic is made less direct, then disrupted, then reinstated.
Likewise, the use of instrumental signifiers for magic changes over the course of the
films. The first two films frequently employ several instrumental symbols for magic such
as celeste, choral voices, and harp, while the third and fifth films employ only some,
some of the time, and the fourth film employs very few, rarely in the service of signifying
magIc.
Let us review how the five films alternated the presence of background music
with the absence of background music in order to reveal different aspects of the fantasy
world, and further, how the five films use different instruments in the service of
signifying magic.
At the beginning of the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's
Stone, the presence of music aligns with the presence of magic while the absence of
music aligns with the absence of magic. The most prominent alternation between
background music and the lack of background music accompanies the arrival of magical
owls bringing letters of acceptance from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to
Harry. In fact, composer Williams revealed that "The first great mail delivery" was his
favorite scene in the film. 657 When the visuals show the owls attempting to deliver their
657 Frank Kurtz, "Williams Talks Harry Potter Score," USA Today, November 13,2001.
http://www.mania.comlwilliams-talks-harry-potter-score_article_31 03l.html (accessed March 12, 2009).
506
letters to Harry, there is music. When the visuals show how the Dursley family bars the
owls in their attempts to deny the existence of magic, there is no music. When it becomes
clear that the owls will win out, the music of "Hedwig's Theme" returns louder and with
fewer interruptions until it completely subverts the Dursley's denial of magic. As such,
the alignment of "Hedwig's Theme" with film visuals establishes the presence of magic
in the narrative, and establishes that background music will be a marker of specific
magical events in the visuals.
Because a precedent is set early on in this film that music accompanies magical
events and characters (while non-magical characters are not supported by music), music
in general becomes a signifier for the fantastic. Furthermore, the pattern of applying
background music (sometimes as long as a theme, sometimes as brief as a few notes) to
magical events in the narrative continues throughout the first two Harry Potter films. 658
Indeed, as previously stated, "Hedwig's Theme" alone is stated over two-dozen times in
both The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets.
As we've also explored over the course of previous chapters, music saturates the
soundtracks of the first two films, and the most-often deployed themes are in lilting,
dance-tempo triple meters, include plenty of chromaticism, and employ unexpected
harmonic progressions, which are all historic theatrical musical codes for the fantastic,
and tend to mimic the topsy-turvy nature of the wizard world.659 Furthermore, these
themes align with film visuals to support various fantastical aspects of the magical world.
Because background music also conveys human emotion in the first two Potter films,
658 Although music is not entirely absent from Dursley's non-magical home in the second film, The
Chamber a/Secrets, the pattern is generally the same-that scenes without magical events also do not
include background music, while scenes with magical events (and scenes in the magical world) include
background music.
659 Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 18,79,86.
---------------~~-----_._---
507
specific instruments sometimes serve as indicators of magic within the drama. The
celeste often signals that general magic is afoot, while harp and unseen choral voices
often signal otherworldly, supernatural, or mysterious events. Moreover, we saw how the
use of "Hedwig's Theme" during beginning and ending scenes summarizes the
importance of magic to the story, and how the alignment of Hedwig's Theme (as well as
Fawkes's Theme) with visuals during the critical conflicts of the first two films reveals
how Harry conquers Voldemort through the power of magic.660
The pattern of relating background music to magical events also continues in
varied form in the third film, The Prisoner ofAzkaban (under the direction of Alfonso
Cuaron, with composer John Williams). The varied form of Williams's music reflects
Cuaron's intent to stay true to the spirit of the story (rather than to the letter, as Columbus
intended).66 1 As in the previous two films, music saturates the soundtrack and many of
the prominent themes are in triple meter and/or use chromaticism. However, the
relationship between background music and magic is complicated by the frequent
inclusion and incorporation of source music-an ambiguity or slippage between source
and background music that Kassabian refers to as "source scoring."662 That is to say, the
presence of music tends to still represent magic while the absence of music tends to
represent the absence of magic, but something new happens as well.
Because the source-scoring approach effectively confuses viewer perceptions
about what is real and what is fantasy, it adds to the implicit dialogue about the role of
660 While music accompanies many important magic acts and events, there is no musical accompanimet
for magical "parlor tricks" in the film, such as when Hagrid lights a fire with his umbrella, or when
Hermione re-sets Harry's broken glasses. Instead, this category of event is generally accompanied by
sound-effects.
661 Lizo Mzimba, "Alfonso Cuar6n: the man behind the magic," BBe Newsround, May 28,2004.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3758000/37581 0l.stm (accessed October 20,2009).
662 Kassabian, Hearing Film, 45.
508
magic in the narrative. Just as the application of the music to film visuals sutures the
narrative together, the regular slippage between source and background music sutures the
relationship between reality and the magical world. This marks a significant shift from
the magic vs. non-magic dichotomy presented in the first two films.
In short, a new paradigm of the fantasy realm is established in the third film in
which both fantasy and reality can exist within the world of magic. As was examined in
Chapter III, this new approach is highlighted in one scene from the third movie, when
source and background music alternate to signify reality in the magical world vs. fantasy
in the magical world. During Professor Lupin's classroom lesson, students hear swing
music on Lupin's phonograph when they are in control of their perceptions, and film
viewers hear dissonant background music played by orchestral instruments when a shape-
shifting Boggart challenges the students' control over their emotions. That is to say,
when the students' emotions are irrational with fear, the dissonant orchestral music
reflects the irrational dimension ofthe fantasy realm. In contrast, when the students'
emotions are under control, the lighthearted swing music reflects the rational dimension
of the fantasy realm.
Furthermore, some instruments are employed differently for the signification of
magic in the third film, The Prisoner ofAzkaban. Indeed, unseen choral voices and
celeste (used less often) align with visuals of otherworldy occurrences (as they do in the
previous films), and collegno strings and tolling bells are added as signifiers of
malevolent magic. However, other instruments are emphasized as well-though not
always in the service of magic. Early instruments, such as a Renaissance ensemble of
woodwinds and tambourine, align with visuals to signify the exotically medieval (though
not necessarily magical) qualities of the wizarding world. Similarly, a harpsichord
leitmotif cues the audience to mysterious clues (often, though not always seen by way of
509
a magical map), but does not directly signify magic. Likewise, harp is used in the service
of British-Irish folk style melodies as well as in the service of magical signification. In
other words, the theatrical quality of magic established by celeste and choral voices is
complicated by the inclusion of other instruments for the purpose of establishing a
broader, more realistic cultural heritage. As such, it feels like magical-sounding music
only occurs some of the time.
Moreover, music used at the beginning and ending of the film includes other
themes along with "Hedwig's Theme," thus indicating the growing importance of
narrative themes aside from magic. Similarly, while the "love/reflection/longing" theme
that accompanies Harry's main magical victory (i.e., his Patronus charm defense against
the Dementors) is resplendant with choral voices evoking the otherworldly, the theme
itself signifies Harry's emotional tenor rather than the conquest of magic over evil. This
is not to say that the filmmakers desired to subdue the importance of magic, but is to
suggest that they strengthened the stature of other narrative themes aside from magic.
The relationship between music and magic is remarkably different in the fourth
film, The Goblet ofFire (by composer Patrick Doyle and director Mike Newell).
Overall, there is very little connection between music and magic. First, the pattern of
representing magic with background music (and the lack of magic with the absence of
music) is entirely disrupted-for remember, the film narrative does not begin at the
Dursley's home in the non-magical world (i.e. there is no clear visual contrast between
muggle and magical realms). As well, the fourth film includes the least amount of
background music and the most examples of source music (including tournament
fanfares, folk music, school songs and hymns, and music for different dances-none of
which include magical effects), which grounds the narrative sonically in the familiar,
510
rather than in the fantastic. As such, music does not often parallel magical gestures or
magical events except when source music is already present.663
Furthermore, although Doyle uses harp in pastoral setttings, he rarely uses
instrumental signifiers for magic (such as harp, celeste and choral voices) in the service
of cueing magical events. Additionally, most background musical themes are diatonic
(with the exception of leitmotifs for Voldemort) and all background themes are in martial
or hymn-like duple meter.664 According to convention, diatonicism and duple meters
tend to provide an atmosphere of order and rationality, as opposed to an atmosphere of
dis-order and irrationality (as is provided by the chromaticism and triple meter in
Williams's scores). Ultimately, realistic familiarity is emphasized in the music more than
magic or fantasy. In fact, the only scene to use background music extensively is the
lengthy scene depicting Voldemort's dark magic physical regeneration. As you will
remember, music continues for nearly all ten minutes of the scene, and the duration and
prominence of background music in the scene are greater than in any other scene in the
film. While the music in the previous film shows how reality and fantasy can both exist
within the fantasy realm, the new approach in the fourth film seems to suggest that
Harry's world is a realm of reality in which only dark magic is represented as
irrational.665
663 For instance, when Professor Moody takes a swig from his hip-flask (later revealed to hold magic
polyjuice potion) during the Hogwarts Yule Ball, a flute from the waltz orchestra descends with his
physical gesture. However, when Professor Moody takes a swig from the flask in other scenes without
source music, his physical gesture is not accompanied by any music at all. Two scenes with parallel
musical gestures will be discussed in the next section on the topic of humor in the films.
664 Only source music dances are in dance-like triple meter. Otherwise, the music does not include codes
for the fantastic.
665 Congruent with this assessment, you will remember, "Hedwig's Theme" (as a symbol for benevolent
magic) is absent from both beginning and ending scenes in the fourth film, as well as from the scene
depicting Harry's critical conflict with Voldemort.
511
Hooper and Yates successfully integrate many of the patterns of their Harry Potter
predecessors into their own approach for the fifth film, The Order a/the Phoenix. While
the resulting approach is new, the effect of regular, subtle emphasis on magic is much
like that found in the third film (with Williams and Cuaron). First, the pattern of equating
background music with magic is largely reinstated. Likewise, the score includes several
instrumental signifiers for the magical realm-including celeste, windchimes, harp, and
treble choral voices for the benevolent magic, and collegno strings, prepared piano and
bass choral voices for malevolent magic. The seamless integration of source-scoring
with digital sound-effects both enriches and complicates the relationship between music
and magic (much as the integration of source music and background music does in the
third film). Furthermore, several examples of Hooper's source-scoring parallel Harry's
visual experience of the wizarding world (such as his introduction to the Ministry of
Magic building) in such a way that the magical world itself seems to exude music.666
This approach allows the viewer to experience the fantasy realm as the characters might,
and increases the energy and the emotional appeal of magic. However, Hooper engages
in only a little Mickey-Mousing for the purposes of emphasizing magical events.
While Hooper does not use "Hedwig's Theme" during the critical conflict with
Voldemort in the fifth film, choosing instead to focus on the emotional matter of
possession and resistance, he does include brief statements of this important magic
symbol in the scenes depicting dramatic closure. However, much as Williams chose for
the third film, other musical themes are also prominent at the ending for the fifth film. In
contrast to Williams's approach for the third film, which seems to elevate other themes to
the stature of "Hedwig's Theme," Hooper's approach for the fifth film endeavors to re-
666 This seems to be an inverse relationship to Rowling's novels, in which descriptions of music result in
magic.
512
instate some stature for "Hedwig's Theme" that had been lost in the process of the fourth
film.
The assessments presented above provide a general picture of the relationship
between music and magic in the first five films, but an important piece of the puzzle
remains to be discussed. It is "Hedwig's Theme," which as I have suggested throughout
this dissertation, is an important signifier of the magical realm in the Harry Potter films.
An examination of the uses of music for magic in the films would be lacking without an
analysis of the specific uses of and variations on "Hedwig's Theme" in the films.667
How often is this well-known leitmotif heard in each of the films? When is the theme
used to accompany narrative visuals? What instrumentation is used for the theme? What
do the musical elements of the different variations of the theme tell us about the implicit
metaphors of magic in the music itself? How does an examination of the uses of
"Hedwig's Theme" (i.e., the main theme for magic) compare with the assessments made
above the suggested roles of magic in each film?
Case-Study: Applications of and Variations on John Williams's "Hedwig's Theme"
Throughout the First Five Films
John Williams's "Hedwig's Theme" has become emblematic ofthe Harry Potter
production series as a whole. Although all three composers have used the theme, each
has molded the tune to fit the interpretation ofthe film at hand. An investigation of the
changes to John Williams's "Hedwig's Theme" over the course of five films provides
specific evidence of the changing dramatic relationship between music and magic. The
667 There are other notable themes signifYing bewitched objects and magical experiences besides
"Hedwig's Theme" in films I, II, III, and V (but not IV). These include themes for quidditch, for FluffY's
harp, the flying car, the Knight Bus, the Marauder's Map, the Room of Requirement, and so 011.
513
following analysis considers (1) the number oftimes the theme is used in each film, (2)
the implied signification through alignment with film visuals, (3) the instrumentation
used for the theme, and (4) the musical elements ofthe theme, including levels of
melodic chromaticism, harmonic expectation, and meter. I how the applications of and
variations on "Hedwig's Theme" follow the pattern I have posited: an emphasis on magic
and fantasy in the first two films, a relaxed emphasis on magic and fantasy in the third
film, an absence of magic and fantasy in the fourth film, and a relaxed reinstatement of
magic and fantasy in the fifth film.
The first film, The Sorcerer's Stone, includes over twenty-five separate statements
of Hedwig's Theme (at least a phrase in length).668 The melodies for the three sections
of the theme are provided in Figures 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 with often-employed harmonies.669
The first and second sections are heard most often, but all sections are aligned with
visuals to signify the wonders, mysteries, and idiosyncracies of the magical world, and to
identify key points in the narrative.
668 I count entrances of the theme at least a phrase in length, but not continuations of the theme. If one
counts the occurrence of each of the three sections, regardless of whether another section has just been
heard, there are over forty statements of the theme throughout the film.
669
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Themes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone (piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001), 2.
Figure 6.1. "Hedwig's Theme," section I
514
Em Am Em B7
TT
Key: Em iv6 ii" V7 V"
TT IT
Em Gm Fm Am Arn9 F#7 F~9 Em
-
.
iii iii" bii iv iv9 117 I19
TT
Figure 6.2. "Hedwig's Theme," section II
Em Em Em C7 B Em C7 Cmaj7 Em
Em Em G m IGo Fm A m A m9 F~7 B+ Em
~.
iiio bii i, i'9 111 V+
TT
515
Figure 6.3. "Hedwig's Theme," section III
5
Many of the statements of the theme feature celeste, and sometimes include harp, and
choral voices also. These instruments evoke the realm of fantasy and have been
conventionally used as such for dramatic musical works since the nineteenth century. For
instance, Tchaikovsky used harp in his fairy ballet, Sleeping Beauty, and used harp,
celeste and choral voices in his fantasy ballet, The Nutcraker.670 As one can see from
the transcriptions, the music itself evokes the fantastic by including triple meter with
lilting rhythms (except Figure 6.3), melodic chromaticism, tri-tones, and unusual
harmonic progressions.671 Speaking of these musical conventions for magic, Williams
explained,
670 The Parisian builder Auguste Mustel invented the celeste in 1880. The instrument followed in the
footsteps of the dulcitone, invented by Auguste's father Victor Mustel in 1860. Roland John Wiley,
Tchaikovsky's Ballets. See also, Therese Hurley, "Opening the door to a fairy-tale world: Tchaikovsky's
ballet music."
671 I include an examination of the musical elements of "Hedwig's Theme" in the appendix, using Steve
Larson's theory of musical forces metaphors as a vehicle for explaining how the theme symbolizes magic
and the realm of fantasy.
516
I wanted to capture the world of weightlessness and flight and sleight of
hand and happy surprise. This caused the music to be a little more
theatrical than most film scores would be. It sounds like music that you
would hear in the theater rather than in film. 672
Table 6.1 below lists some of the visuals that occur with each of the three phrases ofthe
theme. As you will see, the theme is used to support both major narrative events and
other magical circumstances that may have a strong bearing on the magical atmosphere.
Table 6.1. Film visuals suggesting magic that are reinforced by the three sections of
"Hedwig's Theme" in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hedwig's Theme. section I
Opening visual
Flying motorcycle
The Harry Potter emblam
Dudley is magically encased
Owls deliver letters
Harry learns he is a wizard
Hagrid gives Dudley a tail
The Hogwarts Express
The train arrives
The boat to Hogwarts
Hermione and the Sorting Hat
Owls deliver the post
Hedwig delivers a new broom
Harry's magic cloak
The magical Mirror of Erised
Harry sees the magic stone
The train leaves Hogwarts
Hedwig's Theme. section II
A letter from Hogwarts
Owls bring more letters
Letters fly in through the fireplace
Harry learns he is "the boy who lived."
The boat to Hogwarts
A break-in at the magic bank
Draco steals Neville's Remembrall
A pumpkin-lit hall and sky
Harry looks in a magic mirror
Harry and friends plan a rescue
Harry learns how his mother saved him
Film credits
Hedwig's Theme. section III
A talking snake slithers
Neville floatslflies away
Draco steals Neville's Remembrall
Harry catches the Remembrall
A Quidditch game begins
Vertically, this table lists the chronological occurrence offilm visuals with the three sections ofHedwig's Theme in the
first Harry Potter movie in order to support my claim that the theme is usedfor specific events to signify magic afoot,
and is used broadly throughout the film to reinforce the overarching idea ofmagic in the narrative.. There is no direct
horizontal relationship between the lists, other than the illustration that the first section ofthe theme is used most often,
and the third section ofthe theme is used least often. A comparison ofthe three lists also reveals that some visuals are
accompanied by more than one section of "Hedwig's Theme" (e.g. Owls deliver letters, and Draco steals Neville's
Remembrall).
672 Frank Kurtz, "Williams Talks Hany Potter Score," USA Today, November 13, 200l.
http://www.mania.com/williams-talks-hany-potter-score_article_31 031.html (accessed March 12, 2009).
517
Similarly, the second film, The Chamber ofSecrets, includes twenty-three
separate statements of "Hedwig's Theme." Again, three sections of the theme align with
visuals to signify magical events and cue critical moments in the drama, though the third
section (which is often used for action and mischief) is heard more often than it had been
in the first film. As in the first film, the performance of the theme usually includes
instrumental signifiers of the fantastic such as celeste, harp, and choral voices. The
transcription provided in Figure 6.4 shows an alternative, more ominous sounding bass
line and harmonic progression used in the second section (with sustained strings, during
the opening titles) that reflects a darker tone in the second film. 673 Otherwise, the music
itself is the same, and continues to include musical codes for the fantastic.
Figure 6.4. "Hedwig's Theme," section II, with a more ominous-sounding bass line for
The Chamber ofSecrets
Em Em Em Em B
-
F#7 B+ EmFill EmGillEm
-
Em
'\ .l.I .fI- .. .fI- .. ~ )~ f:. b.. :f!:: fL~# •
-.
t.. i j ... 1 t ..." iv bii j Iii" Jl7 v+ iIII III
.
.
'1IIt. jII. ~. ... • *.: :!If
I
673
My own transcriptions. Published materials include only Williams's version of Hedwig's theme for
the first film.
518
The role of Hedwig's Theme is markedly reduced in the third film, The Prisoner
ofAzkaban, though it continues to cue important magical and dramatic events. Hedwig's
Theme occurs only eight times (i.e., only six clear statements in the body of the film plus
during both the opening title and ending credits), and is reduced to the first section (i.e., a
reduction that the subsequent composers follow).674 The new deployments of the theme
reinforce narrative progress and key dramatic points, but no longer tend to accompany
atmospheric magical events. Nevertheless, the melody, harmony, and instrumentation
remain the same as in the first films.
However, one new theme, "Double Trouble," is melodically related to the third
section of Hedwig's Theme, aligns with film visuals to signify the absurd, medieval, and
mischievous aspects of the magical world, and is heard seven times during the third
film-that is, more often than "Hedwig's Theme." "Double Trouble" also includes
chromaticism, unusual harmonies, and is performed on early wind instruments, to signify
the medieval. The first phrase of this theme is provided in Figure 6.5.675
Although the duple meter of "Double Trouble" may feel less magical than triple,
the melody is full of chromaticism, and the harmonies are often peculiar. Additionally,
the eclectic sound-producers used in the various statements include harpsichord,
tambourine, Renaissance flutes and reeds, source-music choral voices, and croaking
toads. In the CD liner notes for The Prisoner ofAzkaban, Cuar6n states that the new
theme became the "foundation stone for the rest ofthe film score. Its medieval color
became the musical identity of the wizarding world..."676 The overall feel of the new
674 A portion of the third section is stated in the last narrative scene before the credits.
675
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Selected Themesfrom the Motion Picture Harry
Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban (piano solos), arr. Bill Galliford, Ethan Neuburg, and Tod Edmondson
(Warner-Barham, 2004), 17.
676 From the CD liner notes, The Prisoner ofAzkaban.
519
Figure 6.5. "Double Trouble," first phrase
Dou - ble, dou - ble, toil and trou-ble, fi re _ burn and caul-dron bub-ble.
Dou - ble, dou - ble, toil and troll - ble; some-thing wick - ed this way comes!
musical theme and its text may also reflect the dual nature of trouble (e.g. making
mischief or trouble vs. getting into trouble) that Harry experiences in his third year. This
is related to, but the not the same as, the way "Hedwig's Theme" represents both the
wonder and mystery of the magical world in the first two films. However, the alignment
of the theme with film visuals seems to emphasize some of Harry's important emotional
experiences of fun, curiosity, and joy, (rather than magic, itself) as shown in the
following list.
The Alignment of Film Visuals with the theme "Double Trouble"
Harry (and other students) arrive at Hogwarts by carriage (segue)
The Hogwarts school choir sings "Double Trouble" as a gesture of welcome
Dumbledore suggests that "happiness can be found in the darkest of times."
Harry and others climb the shifting stairs in Hogwarts castle
Harry and his friends play with magic and laugh in their dormitory
Harry attends his friend Hagrid's class on magical creatures
Harry greets Buckbeak the Hippogriff, who will become his friend
520
Nevertheless, the "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme representing Harry's
emotional world (called "A Window to the Past" in published materials) is the most
often heard theme in the third film, occurring eleven separate times, not counting repeats.
In other words, "Hedwig's Theme" shares the spotlight with two other themes that
signify the medieval landscape and Harry's emotional world. This supports my claim
that the role ofmagic was relaxed in order to emphasize the emotional core of the film.
Striking changes occur to "Hedwig's Theme" in the fourth film, The Goblet of
Fire. The theme is only stated twice to cue important dramatic events beyond the
opening titles: Harry's journey by train to Hogwarts, and a transition scene showing owls
flying around Hogwarts. Let me repeat that: aside from the opening titles, "Hedwig's
Theme" occurs only twice during the course of the film! In both cases, only the first
section is used. The length of these musical cues (at approximately 0: 15 ) is also much
shorter than the similarly placed cues in the preceding films (which range from 0:40 to
2:20). Although the title statement includes shimmering cymbals, none of the
statements includes celeste, harp, or choral voices.677 Moreover, composer Patrick
Doyle made changes to Williams's original melody and rhythm that resulted in duple
(rather than triple) meter, less chromaticism, fewer tri-tones and more familiar (rather
than unexpected) harmonic progressions. These changes suggest an emphasis on the
familiar rather than on the fantastic. Even when Doyle employs triple meter for the
statement ofthe theme for visuals of the train ride to Hogwarts, melody notes (and
harmonies, following suit) are normalized to diatonic pitches rather than chromatic
pitches. The transcriptions provided in Figures 6.6 and 6.7 show the melody and
harmony for the occurrence in the titles and the occurrence for the trainjoumey to
677 Celeste can be heard softly in the transition between the fIrst statement of the theme and the next
phrase of music, but is not in the foreground of sound, nor is it specifically used as a signifIer for magic
during the course of the fIlm.
521
Hogwarts, with asterisks to indicate melodic pitches that are different from Williams's
original.
Figure 6.6. "Hedwig's Theme," as heard during the opening title in The Goblet ofFire
Cm
*
Gm
*
Cm
*
D
*
3
Cm
f\ I ,----- --, ,----- 3 ----,
t
t. .. ... r;;; .. ...... • ?l. it
i II i v i
t ·
·
CmCm
,----- 3----,
em
f\ I ..---3--, I I I
*
I .
u .. ... I ., q~ -&< j iio i6 i
f ··
Figure 6.7. "Hedwig's Theme" as heard during the journey to Hogwarts in The Goblet of
Fire
-
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522
The effect of the new approach is that Hedwig's Theme signifies a continuity with
the Harry Potter film series, and marks Harry's journey into the magical world of
Hogwarts, but does not itself signify magic in either its application or use of instruments.
In contrast to examples from the previous films, the theme does not accompany acts of
magic, major narrative advances, or markers or Harry's emotional experience. Also in
contrast to the preceding examples, this version of the theme includes melodic and
harmonic changes that emphasize the natural over the supernatural.
No other musical theme takes over as a signifier of the fantastic. However, the
most often heard leitmotif is one that signifies Voldemort and the rise of evil
("EviINoldemort," first heard at GoF DVD 1:39). This supports my argument that the
relationship between background music and magic is disrupted, except for the portrayal
ofVoldemort's return to power.
Similar to the third film, the fifth film, The Order o/the Phoenix, includes eight
statements of Hedwig's Theme to signify magical events and to cue narrative progress.
The following chart lists these deployments. As one can see, each deployment
accompanies a key point in the drama, which mayor may not include magic, but does not
accompany magical events for that sake alone.
Visuals and Dialogue accompanied by "Hedwig's Theme" in
The Order ofthe Phoenix
Opening title
Mrs. Figg states Dumbledore's concern for Harry
Students ride the train to Hogwarts
Hermione states that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts
(theme continues through an aerial view of Hogwarts)
Hermione verbalizes the need for someone to teach students to defend themselves
Upon finding a magical room, Harry posits, "It's as if Hogwarts wants us to fight
back."678
678 The magical, hidden room is known as "The Room of Requirement."
523
Harry holds a sphere containing a phrophesy about his relationship to Voldemort
The voice of the prophesy states, "Neither one can live while the other survives."
Some, but not all deployments of the theme use instrumental signifiers for the fantastic,
such as celeste, harp, and windchimes.679 All of the occurrences use the first section
(only) of Williams's original melody (with chromaticism and triple meter), though
Hooper sometimes concludes the theme with his own variation. As in the fourth film, the
most prominent statements are heard during the opening film titles, and during Harry's
journey by train to Hogwarts. These two examples are provided in Figures 6.8 and 6.9.
In Figure 6.8, the lack of harmonic rhythm in the first phrase of the section makes the
melody sound dream-like, as does the the gradual slowing and fading during the final
pitches (which continue beyond the phrase to an allusion to the second section of
Williams's original theme). In other words, the music helps the viewer to enter Harry's
dream-like fantasy world, just as Harry will enter the world of magic in the film.680
In the second statement provided (Figure 6.9), the motor-rhythm ostinato imitates
the movement of train wheels, while the call-and-response melody and harmonic
sequence carries the listener away much as Harry is carried away to Hogwarts.
Moreover, the echo quality of the call and response between the French horn and flute
lines functions as a musical symbol for geographic distance. This provides another
example of how Hooper uses musical movement to represent visual movement, and
musical texture to represent space.
679 However, many other significant themes also include harp, celeste, windchimes, and/or choral voices.
For instance, reviewer Daniel Champion describes "The Room of Requirement" theme as possibly the best
theme written for the film, calling it "theatrical in the most traditional sense," and comparing it to
Tchaikovsky's magical themes for Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and The Enchantress. Daniel Champion,
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, review" Music/rom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&lD=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
680 Fans of the film also know that dreams play an important role in the plot of The Order a/the Phoenix.
524
No other single theme usurps "Hedwig's Theme" in quantity of occurrences, but
many ofthe new themes relate to Harry's joyful, emotional, and magical experiences.681
Some of Hooper's statements of the theme include celeste and harp (like Williams's
versions) and windchimes (like Doyle's version). The overall effect is one that balances
the natural with the supernatural, by using musical signifiers for the fantastic, while
simultaneously emphasizing dramatic progress over less significant magical events.
Figure 6.8. "Hedwig's Theme," as heard during the opening title in The Order qfthe
Phoenix
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681 I include themes such as "The Flight of the Order," "Dumbledore's Army," the Patronus theme, and
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525
Figure 6.9. "Hedwig's Theme," as heard during the journey to Hogwarts in The Order of
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Summary
Gilles De Van discusses the "ambiguity of realism" in a clearly unreal convention
(opera, for his research; film for these purposes). So, too, the Harry Potter filmmakers
526
have embraced fantasy vs. realism to varying degrees in the Harry Potter series. The
quandry of where theater and reality meet aside, audiences during the nineteenth century
turned away from the excesses and anachronisms of earlier opera. So, too, the Harry
Potter filmmakers have negotiated the degree to which image supercedes music and vice-
versa, such that narrative reality is either created by or disrupted by music. Much as we
saw a seqence of approaches to Harry's emotional and philosphical world in Chapter V,
we also see a sequence of approaches to Harry's fantasy world. Unique to the Harry
Potter films, four different director/composer collaborations have guided these four very
different sequential interpretations of the story. Moreover, the music from different
Harry Potter films demonstrates different ways to represent magic and fantasy within a
single fantasy film series.
While Rowling's novels establish a direct relationship between music-making and
magic, the films do not, and instead, the filmmakers include varied relationships-from
direct, to indirect, to complex relationships-between background music and magic. I
have shown how this changing dramatic relationship illustrates and explains the
significant aesthetic differences between the films. That is to say, although magic is at
the core of Rowling's Harry Potter narrative, the films feel different from one another
because each director/composer collaboration made decisions regarding the degree to
which fantasy should drive the story. As we have seen, these decisions are reflected in
the distinctly different musical soundtracks. While the film visuals and dialogue always
include some magic (by nature of Rowling's original design), it is the Harry Potter film
music that truly guides the imaginations and emotions of viewers in order to make the
fantasy real-whatever degree of fantasy is represented, that is.
When the music from the first two films is organized to emphasize fantasy in
traditional, theatrical ways, the approach elevates imagination and escapism, and portrays
527
the magical world as more different from and more appealing than our own. When the
music from the third film enriches the fantasy with music that slips between source and
background sound, and elevates new themes that highlight Harry's emotional world, the
approach integrates real human struggles into the world of fantasy, and portrays the
magical world as different from, but just as complex as our own. When the music from
the fourth film emphasizes the familiar with source music, but does not emphasize magic
(except for the rise of evil), the approach recontextualizes the fantasy realm as a realistic
world in which human dramas play out, and in which evil is real and threatening. When
the fifth film (much like the third) dramatizes the fantasy with sounds that slip between
source and background music, and elevates new themes that highlight Harry's emotional
experiences, the approach (re)recontextualizes the human drama into the fantastical
realm and portrays the magical world as an appealing parallel landscape.
The examination of changing dramatic approaches to the musical representation
of magic serves as a reminder of the ways that visuals are manipulated with the addition
of music, and as a reminder of the malleability of musical meaning in general. To a
degree, the interpretation of visuals and music is always in the eyes and ears of the
beholder. Although the technical changes that I relay in my analysis may not be
perceived in the same way or in as much detail by every filmgoer, these changes clearly
account for some of the aesthetic differences that fans and critics have publicly stated in
their discussions of the films as representations of Rowling' s fantasy novels.
Furthermore, all cinema is fantasy to a degree, and thus, this study also reminds us that
the world of film provides a way for viewers to play out the way they relate with others
and the world they live in---either magical or muggle. Moreover, the traditional role of
film music is to light the course of imagination, and reveal the emotion within the
narrative. In the case of Harry Potter films, filmgoers are able to play out and respond to
528
different parts of their imaginations and emotions over the course of the series because
each set of filmmakers used music to guide the interpretation of the fantasy world in a
different way.
Harry's Humorous World: Styles of Humor, including Spectacle and Set-pieces
In addition to the appeal of magic, many fans and filmgoers are drawn to Harry
Potter on the basis of humor. It is widely perceived that Rowling's narrative is
humorous, and that Rowling's style of humor relates to people of many age groups, as
witnessed by the multi-generational fan following. Indeed, the appeal of humor may
shadow the appeal of magic because they both consist of violations of the norm.
According to fansite discussions, many also find the Harry Potter films funny, though the
movies only include a fraction of the humorous events found in Rowling's original
novels. Furthermore, fans find some of the movies funnier than others. What makes the
films funny? Which humorous events make it from Rowling's page to the screen
version? What kinds of humorous events are newly added to the films? Which
humorous events receive musical treatment? How does music support humorous
situations, events, and dialogue in the different films? These are the questions that I will
take up in this portion ofthe chapter.
According to literature historian Julie Cross, the Harry Potter litarary series
belongs to the recently growing trend of comic gothic fiction for young readers.682
According to Cross, "many texts aimed at older junior readers (around ten years of age
682 Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction." in The Gothic in
Children's Literature: Haunting the Borders. edited by Anna Jackson, Karen Coats, and Roderick
McGillis (New York: Routledge, 2008), 57. According to Cross, comic gothic fiction has become
prevalent over the past fifteen years.
529
and above), most part of a series or which have sequels, now incorporate the mix of
'horror,' 'humour,' and the Gothic,"683 Although these stories do not always have happy
endings in the traditional sense, humor and comedy throughout the stories help to
alleviate the tension of the otherwise depressing subject matter.
[It] is typical of the comic Gothic, which despite slapstick and farcical
episodes, often contains elements of more serious, normally less palatable
undertones of life's unfairness, offering a bitter-sweet experience. Indeed,
humour, and comedy in particular, have long been recognised as often
containing serious themes.684
Indeed, Harry's life, as portrayed in both the books and the films, is fraught with
unfairness-he is introduced to readers/viewers as an orphan whose parents were
murdered, he is raised by abusive caretakers, and he alone must face the malevolently
powerful Lord Voldemort at the end of nearly every book and film episode. Furthermore,
Harry endures many hardships and personal losses over the course of the series before
ultimately vanquishing Voldemort' s power. In other words, when I say that the Harry
Potter series is humorous, I do not suggest that the series is not also serious. As we saw
in the previous chapter, the Harry Potter films address many serious subjects including
love and loss, and good and evil. Rather, I concur with Cross's argument that humor in
Harry Potter (as a work of Gothic fiction) is inextricably linked with the seriousness of
the subject matter as a much needed vehicle for mitigating aggressive story elements.685
As we will see, when music facilitates humor in the Harry Potter films, it is frequently in
the service of alleviating the many injustices that Harry must endure.
683 Ibid., 57.
684 Ibid., 71.
685 Ibid" 61.
530
Although the mechanics of humor (much less the mechanics of musical humor),
are not completely understood, psychologist of humor Thomas C. Veatch has proposed a
compelling theory of what humor is and why it works. According to Veatch, "humor
occurs when it seems that things are normal while at the same time something seems
wrong. Or, in an only apparent paradox, humor is (emotional) pain that does not
hurt."686 That is to say, humor is an emotional response when the "subjective moral
order" has been violated-when the moral order is "... defined as the set of principles
which an individual both has an affective commitment to and believes ought to hold."687
However, this moral order is culturally determined and subjective to the individual. To
this end, people have different levels of committment to a moral order, which explains
why that which is funny to one person may be perceived as either unremarkable or
offensive to another.688
In other words, people must have an emotional investment in a given matter in
order to find its subversion funny. Conversely, if an idea is subverted too much, the
humor may be perceived as offensive. Veatch provides the examples of elephant jokes
(which are often funny to ten-year olds, but less funny to adults) and dead baby jokes
(which may be much less funny to those who have children, or further, to those who have
lost a child). While children have an emotional investment in the way elephants should
behave within the structure of the world (i.e., an emotional investment that adults tend to
outgrow), allowing them to laugh wholeheartedly at the idea of an elephant in a
refrigerator, so too, parents and those who have concerns about babies may develop
stronger emotional attachments to the structure of infant development (than those without
686 Thomas Veatch, "A Theory of Humor" Humor, the International Journal ofHumor Research, 11, no.
2 (1998), 164.
687 Ibid., 212.
688 Ibid., 170-171.
531
personal attachments to children may not have developed) such that they find the idea of
a dead baby revolting (i.e., not funny in the least).689 This continuum of humor from the
unremarkable to the funny to the offensive provides an explanation for why I, as a
viewer, laugh at some of the Potter films more than others; why the majority of younger
viewers at the midnight showings at the cinema laughed at humorous teen-age events that
I (as an adult viewer) found unremarkable; and why the dark humor in the later films
makes some fans cringe (while it is perceived as funny by others).
Veatch also reminds us that laughter, like yawning, is contagious.690 That is to
say, people may be more affected by humorous events in the company of others than by
themselves. This suggests that the level of humor in the Potter films may be experienced
differently if one watches the films at the cinema with others or on DVD at home.
Likewise, the "moral investment" that viewers bring to their experience of watching the
films may be affected by their level of commitment to the sequence of events and
character behaviors as portrayed by the original novels. By the time I became a fan of the
Harry Potter books, two films had already been released on DVD-too late to see The
Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber ofSecrets in the theater. When I watched these two
at home, I found them funny enough. When the third, fourth, and fifth films came to
theaters, I stood in line with hundreds of others to see the first showings, and found them
to be more engaging. That is to say, I experienced these films as funnier than the first
two, if only because my own sense of humor was heightened (and then amplified) by the
other filmgoers' reactions. However, there were also moments in the theater when some
chuckled, but others did not.
689 Ibid., 173.
690 Ibid., 198-199.
532
Determining the degree of comedy in the Harry Potter films is certainly subjective
to individual tastes according to Veatch's theory, however, determining the degree to
which Harry Potter film music facilitates humor may be more objective. When
potentially humorous events happen in the Potter films, music is either present or not
present, musical gestures either align with film visuals or act in counterpoint (or different
systems of periodicity altogether), and the music itself is either stylistically congruent or
incongruent with, or otherwise providing commentary on, the visuals. Approaches and
methodologies from music and dance research, such as those by Rachel Duerdon and
Inger Damsholt, provide ways of organizing these metaphorical alignments between
music and cinema visuals and between music and cinema narrative. Duerdon provides a
model for comparing music, narrative, and movement in order to reveal different layers
of meaning through musical and visual interpretations of text.691 Damsholt addresses
the structural relationships between music and movement in set-pieces and suggests how
meaning is created. I combine these methods with an analysis of periodicity-a cross-
cultural approach to understanding musical and movement structure and meaning
proposed by Michael Tenzer.692 Although it is beyond the scope of this chapter to make
an exhaustive comparison between humor in Rowling's novels and the subsequent films,
the following sections will show how the different collaborations chose to frame select
types of humor from the novels for each movie.693
691 Rachel Chamberlain Duerden, "Transfigurations: Changing Sensibilities in Schoenberg's Verkliirte
Nachf' (Rachel S. C. Duerden, 2000).
692 Michael Tenzer, introduction to Analytical Studies in World Music (New York: Oxford, 2006), 22.
693While I do not compare every instance of humor in the books with the representation in the films, I do
provide an exhaustive comparison between references to music in the novels and these events are portrayed
in the subsequent films in Chapter VII.
533
In general, Harry's magical world itself is a vehicle for humor because it disrupts
the moral order of reality. As depicted in Rowling's novels, the organization of the
magical world seems to parody the real world through "humorous, exaggerated
imitation," and sometimes additionally serves as a parody on traditional folklore and
mythology by distorting the expected organization of the fantasy world.694 As
philosopher Gareth Matthews notes,
The curriculum at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
'normalizes' what we might otherwise call 'paranormal phenomena' by
including among school subjects such topics as spells, the history of
magic, magic theory, potions, and transfigurations695
The act of normalizing the abnormal can result in a humorous effect. Likewise, the odd-
sounding musical themes signifying magic in the films, such as Hedwig's Theme, may be
perceived as funny by some because they exhibit characteristics against the norm (e.g.,
chromaticism and unexpected harmonic progressions) that disrupt listener expectation
without being offensive to the ear. Like parody in literature, some musical themes for the
magic world combine a nod toward established musical forms or styles with a wink of
tongue-in-cheek imitation and exaggeration.
Furthermore, Hedwig's Theme (i.e., the main theme for magic in the earlier films)
is often used in scenes depicting the resolution of minor conflict (and sometimes major
conflict as well), thus providing relief music akin to what humor theorists call "relief
laughter." For instance, Hedwig's Theme occurs in the first film, The Sorcerer's Stone,
when Hagrid punishes Dudley Dursley for stealing and eating Harry's birthday cake by
694 Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 66-67.
695 Gareth B. Matthews, "Finding Platform 9 3/4: The Idea of a Different Reality" in Harry Potter and
Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Baggett and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago: Open Court,
2004),184.
534
giving him a curly pig tail. According to Cross, slapstick revenge such as the former is a
socially sanctioned form oftransgression that satisfies a subconscious need for
subversive amusement and an "intuitive sense ofjustice."696 In the pig-tail scene, the
use of Hedwig's Theme punctuates the event, and affirms the pleasure that viewers
should experience at seeing Dudley receive a comeuppance (especially one that violates
the normal body like growing a pig's tail). This provides one of many examples of how
music facilitates humor in order to mitigate injustice.
As I have already shown in the previous section, only some of the films
emphasize magic or use Hedwig's Theme with significant frequency, but this is only part
of the picture concerning the relationship between music and comedy. The other part of
the picture is that generic music, humorous-sounding instruments, new musical themes,
and set pieces accompany humorous visuals and create comedy of their own accord in the
first five films. Moreover, humor is approached and treated in various ways by the
sequence of collaborators.
In the first film, the humor is lighthearted, and generic musical cues clarify visual
humor with cartoonish, parallel gestures. The approach to humor in the second film is
similar, and also includes humorous musical incongruencies with already humorous
visuals, thus adding a layer of comedy not present with visuals alone.697 Some of these
musical cues poke fun at magical characters and at the magical world itself (that is to say,
subverting the moral order of the magical world rather than just mocking the muggle
world). In contrast, the humor in the third film is macabre, violent, irreverent, and
distorted. Recurring comedic audio-visual tropes violate the sanctity of life and the
696 Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 61-62.
697 Although Chion argues that the music always creates meaning out of visuals (rather than reflects it),
and thus even so-called parallel music gestures create new meaning (rather than clarify one that already
exists). However, Chion recognizes (as does Gorbman and others) that music that seems to contrast film
visuals creates a different kind of new meaning.
535
perceived sanctity of the magical world (that is to say, as Columbus and Williams had
established it in the first films). Furthermore, new musical set pieces accompany
grotesque caricatures and preposterous situations, and are rhythmically timed to amplify
and distort perceptions of the visuals, thus increasing the degree and interpretative layers
of humor. The fourth film is the least magical of the five (as I argued in the previous
section), and therefore lacks also that element of humor that topsy-turviness allows.
However, other humorous visuals are lighthearted, sometimes bawdy (e.g., emphasizing
the awkwardness of sexuality from a teenage perspective), and often deadpan-as music
rarely accompanies humorous events to guide their interpretation. On the occasions that
musical themes do accompany humorous dialogue or visuals, the music is often
coordinated to set mood (although these moods are sometimes incongruent with the
visuals) or to maintain continuity between scenes and shots, but not to punctuate the
comedic scenarios or events. When the filmmakers for the fifth film reinstated magic
(and the significant use of Hedwig's Theme), they also reinstated a more overt and
consistent presentation of humor and delight. Musically, the fifth film includes a variety
of musical cues in evocatively humorous dance rhythms (such as schottische, jig, and
soft-shoe) that highlight events from a number of humor categories (e.g., peekaboo,
mischief, exaggeration, irony, and satire) from both so-called lower and higher forms of
humor. In some cases, the musical humor recontextualizes subversive transgressions that
occurred in previous films.
The third, fourth, and fifth films also include a number of musical set pieces that
are often rhythmically timed with visuals to emphasize visual pleasure, clarify humor,
and streamline the delivery of comedic dialogue. These set-pieces fall into a category
that Gorbman defines as "spectacle" when she writes:
536
The music playing in each case invites the spectator to contemplate; it is
helping to make a spectacle of the images it accompanies; it lends an epic
quality to the diegetic events. It evokes a larger-than-life dimension
which, rather than involving us in the narrative, places us in contemplation
of it,698
As Gorbman suggests, the majority of set-pieces in the third through fifth films allows
the viewer to contemplate circumstance, though each set-piece is organized to emphasize
different aspects of the circumstance. In the third film, the musical form of "Aunt
Marge's Waltz" disintegrates as Aunt Marge magically inflates and chaos ensues; music
for Harry's ride on the Knight Bus distorts perceptions of sound and motion to the point
of absurdiy. In the fourth film, "Neville's waltz" provides rhythmic continuity between
humorous visual sequences, but fails to rhythmically punctuate anyone comedic event.
In the fifth film, one musical set piece, "Professor Umbridge," extends the absurdity of
film visuals to a level of emotional pain (by juxtaposing a lighthearted schottische with
malevolent actions) that is both humorous and provocative. Another set-piece,
"Fireworks," provides a subversive, yet socially sanctioned rhythmically humorous
response to the tension established in the previous set-piece. As in the previous section
(on the topic of music and magic), I will explore notable audio-visual events for each of
the films in sequence.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Lighthearted and Cartoonish Humor, including
Socially Sanctioned Transgression
The first Potter film includes many lighthearted events and dialogue that are
emphasized by pauses in dialogue and camera angle. Following Veatch and Cross, many
of these humorous events may be categorized as "obvious" or "lower" forms of humor
698 Gorbman, Unheard Melodies, 68.
537
because of their relationship to the body (for instance, slapstick physical humor, and
gross and scatalogical humor) and thus may be particularly appealling to younger
audiences.699 Some examples include: (1) when Ron tries to turn his "fat rat yellow,"
(2) when students have trouble getting their brooms to work properly (and Ron's broom
whacks him in the face), or (3) when Harry's wand goes up the mountain troll's nose and
comes out again with "troll bogies" (i.e., boogers) attached to it.
Additionally, there are a few instances when "Hedwig's Theme" accompanies an
act of physical comedy to signify that magic can provide humorous, socially sanctioned
transgressive solutions to unfair situations. I already mentioned the occurrence of
"Hedwig's Theme" when Hagrid gives Dudley Dursley a curly pig's tail for misbehaving
(SS DVD 17:37), and add to it the occurrence of "Hedwig's Theme" when Harry
accidently traps Dudley behind glass in the boa constrictor exhbit at the zoo after Dudley
has been rude to both Harry and the animals (SS DVD 7:50). Similarly, "Hedwig's
Theme" is heard at the end of the film when Hagrid suggests that Harry threaten Dudley
with magic if Dudley begins to bully him (SS DVD 2:22:59). In all these circumstances,
the message is clear-magic can produce comedic, sweet revenge.
Although the film as a whole seems quite blithe from an adult perspective,
producer Steve Kloves articulated to interviewer Brian Linder how the film is meant to be
dark from a child's perspective, though it clearly includes moments of humor.
Kloves told the San Jose Mercury News, "It doesn't look like a kiddie film,
I can tell you that." He says the film is dark, and true to author J.K.
Rowling's vision. Like the books, the film does have some lighthearted
moments. Kloves says, "Harry does stick his wand up the troll's nose,
699 Thomas Veatch, "A Theory of Humor." Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's
Gothic Fiction," 61. However, Cross argues against a great divide between child and adult senses of
humor, suggesting instead that the appreciation of higher forms of humor comes with experience rather
than biological maturity alone (p. 63).
538
where it becomes ensnared in his nostril. Then Harry has to extricate the
wand." 700
This provides an example of Cross's argument that humorous events can mitigate dark or
aggressive narratives.701
While the previously mentioned events (i.e., Ron's fat rat, the broom incident, and
the troll boogers) are accompanied by parallel sound effects, other humorous events are
accompanied by music. When music (or other sound effects) accompanies humor, it
tends to parallel the gesture of humorous movement or provide a comedic backdrop to
funny dialogue or conversations. This approach, sometimes called "Mickey-Mousing," is
discussed by John Williams in terms of cartoon-style humor.
The music follows the rhythm of the picture, underlines the action.
Somebody makes an intense move and the orchestra follows him with an
emphasis, like the strings. Somebody else is dreaming and the orchestra
describes the sense of this dream. In other words, my music... doesn't
abstain from that of a cartoon, where the music has to be attached in the
picture. 702
The concept of musical "Mickey-Mousing" relates to Veatch's category of "mimicry" in
which parallel gestures "may impose artificial or exaggerated intonation patterns."703
For instance, when visual special effects show how the Hogwarts students make their
feather quills ascend with the spell "Wingardium Leviosa," so too, the background
celeste ascends in a parallel gesture. Conversely, when Seamus humorously has trouble
700 Brian Linder, "Potter Postlude," lGNcom, May 23, 2001.
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/200/200342p1.htm1(accessed July 3, 2001).
701 Julie Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction,", 61.
702 Thanos Fourgiotis, "John Williams Interview," Cinema Magazine, 1992.
http://www.cswu.cz/johnwilliams/interview/jw-cinema.html (accessed June, 9, 2006).
703 Veatch, "A Theory ofHumor," 199.
539
making his spell work, we hear (but do not see) an explosion, followed by the visuals of
Seamus's face covered in soot (SS DVD 1:06:50-1:07:16).
Sometimes, the music parallels a specific physical gesture (as above), while at
other times, it parallels the mood in a more general way. For instance, reviewer John
Mansell notes how the use of "awkward sounding instruments," such as the "scratchy-
sounding violin" in the CD tracks "Diagon Alley" and "The Gringotts Vault" evokes an
atmosphere that is at once threatening and also "cheeky, clumsy and awkardly
comical."704 Likewise, when Dumbledore eats an ear-wax flavored jelly bean in the film,
the event is accompanied by rollicking carnivalesque background music that clarifies the
moment as a humorous (rather than a threatening, disgusting, or offensive) subversion of
the moral order ofjelly beans (SS DVD 2:16:52).
Even so, literary scholar Philip Nel disagrees with producer Steve Kloves's
assessment that the original books include only "moments" of lightheartedness, arguing
that the film includes far less comedy than the books (and therefore, is far less
humorous).
The accumulation of minor details can create a markedly different
experience between a book and a film.... The movie looks like the places
in the book but it doesn't 'feel' like them because these little details
accumulate. To turn to another example, Dumbledore's sense of humor
remains hidden until the very end of the movie when, at Harry's hospital
bedside, he selects an earwax-flavored jelly bean. In the novel, his offbeat
wit makes earlier and more frequent appearances: At the opening banquet,
Dumbledore says, 'Before we begin our banquet, I would Ike to say a few
words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blibber! Oddment! Tweak!'
(Rowling, 1997, p.125)."705
704 John Mansell, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, review." Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
705 Philip Nel, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bored: Harry Potter, the Movie" in Journal ofAdolescent and
Adult Literacy, ed. Lori Norton-Meier (Media Literacy, October 2002).
540
As Nel suggests, Dumbledore does not state the humorous words at the opening feast as
depicted in the film, and likewise, no musical accompaniment alerts the viewer to the
humor ofDumbledore's personality until he eats the earwax jelly bean at the end of the
film.
Thus, my initial reaction that the film is "funny enough" is also supported by
analysis of music and visuals. The music that supports a backdrop of magic (discussed in
the first section) may also support a backdrop of humor, and other music (and/or sound
effects) often accompanies humorous events to highlight the comedy. However, as Nel
points out, perhaps not as many humorous events occur as fans of the books might
expect.
Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets: Lighthearted, Cartoonish humor including
Violations of Propriety and Character Leitmotifs
The second film follows in the vein of the first with regard to lighthearted,
childlike, cartoonish humor. Likewise, the relationship between the music and humorous
visuals in the second film is similar to the relationship in the first film. For instance,
humorous events are often accompanied by parallel sound-effects and/or background
music with parallel musical gestures. As an example, when Harry and his friends
encounter the ghost known as Nearly-Headless Nick, the viewer hears a musical cue that
leads into a medieval-sounding tune which some may find anachronistic (Nick died
during the Renaissance), and therefore humorous in a modem-day story (CoS DVD
33:13). When Nick obligingly tips his head to passers by (i.e., cracking open his neck to
reveal why he is called "nearly-headless") the physical gesture is accompanied by a
541
parallel, exaggerated sound-effect.706 Similarly, when the magical flying Ford Anglia
ejects Harry and Ron's luggage from its trunk, the visual is accompanied by the sound of
flatulence. Indeed, the second film includes more examples of bodily and scatalogical
humor than are in the first.
In addition to slapstick events that happen to characters' bodies (such as when
Harry's broken arm turns to rubber after a mending spell goes awry, or when Hermione
accidentally transfigures herself into a cat), the film also elicits humor from the notions of
things that corne out of bodies (for instance, when Ron vomits slugs). Furthermore, the
chamber named in the title of the film refers to a secret location hidden beneath a
different kind of chamber-the girls' bathroom. That is to say that the title and a main
narrative thread are built on a pun that is dependent on at least two interpretations of the
word "chamber"---{)ne architectural, and one scatalogical. The potential for potty humor
is generally left at the suggestive rather than the concrete, though the three friends do run
to the stalls to be "sick" after drinking Polyjuice potion, and Moaning Myrtle (an
adolescent ghost who hangs out in the u-bend of the toilet) describes her experiences as a
lavatory ghost.707 According to Veatch, the suggestion of bodily functions such as these
(e.g., vomiting and bathroom practices) is funny because these events are a violation of
propriety.708
While neither the slug-vomiting sequence nor the bathroom sequences have
specific accompanying background music, two other types of events that do include
706 Nick also tips his head in the fIrst fIlm with an accompanying sound effect.
707 Fans may note that the mountain troll incident (with troll "bogies") in the fIrst fIlm also took place in
the girls' bathroom. Literature theorist June Cummins argues that the series of bathroom incidents as
depicted in the novels suggest Hermione's passage into menarche, though this bodily function is not
addressed in the films. June Cummins, "Hermione in the Bathroom: The Gothic, Menarche, and Female
Development in the Harry Potter Series." in The Gothic in Children's Literature: Haunting the Borders.
edited by Anna Jackson, Karen Coats, and Roderick McGillis (New York: Routledge, 2008).
708 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 173.
542
musical accompaniment also hinge on the notion of propriety. In the first type of
occurrence, the propriety of the music itself is disrupted by abrupt stops that make way
for humorous events and dialogue. In the second type, a character's leitmotif includes
musical exaggerations that ultimately violate the very propriety that the character wishes
to display.
Abrupt Stops Violating the Propriety ofMusic
In the previous section ( on the topic of magic and fantasy), I showed how the
overt absence of music in both the first and second films signifies an absence of magic.
Be that as it may, abrupt cessations of music in the second film occasionally make way
for startling (but still humorous) ends to fun times. For instance, after Harry leaves the
Dursley residence at the beginning of The Chamber ofSecrets, music is heard sweetly
and continuously until his arrival at the Weasley house-when the music stops abruptly
for Mrs. Weasley to harshly scold Ron and his brothers for taking the flying car without
asking (then, nearly in the same breath, to warmly welcome Harry to their home, CoS
DVD 11 :35). Likewise, the background music stops abruptly later on when Ron receives
a scathingly admonishing letter from his mother at school (CoS DVD 34:08). The letter
bursts open, the music is cut short, and an origami-like paper mouth shouts and shrieks at
Ron in front of his classmates before blowing a raspberry and self-destructing. Although
Mrs. Weasley's scolding voice violates the propriety of refined conduct, the abrupt
cessation of music equally violates listener expecation of the propriety of musical order.
Similarly, The Chamber ofSecrets twice includes an audio-visual motif
concerning the Weasley family's wobbly-flying owl Errol, his trouble with landings, and
the abrupt cessation of background music. The visual of Errol's flight is accompanied
543
by a lovely (perhaps even noble) theme that is melodically and rhythmically related to
Hedwig's theme. Transcriptions ofthe two statements (inclusive of their abrupt stops)
are provided in Figure 6.10
Figure 6.10. Two statements of "Errol the Owl"
~~.~~~~~~~.~~.
tlsmash"
tIsmash II
In the first occurrence of the motif, the music begins when the Weasleys spot Errol
through the window flying toward them (CoS DVD 13:31). The music stops abruptly
(i.e., before the natural end of the musical phrase) when Errol smashes into the window
and immediately drops to the ground. In the second occurrence of the motif, the music
begins when students see Errol Hying into the Hogwarts Great Hall at morning mail time,
and ends abruptly when Errol crashes into the bowls of cereal and other breakfast foods
(CoS DVD 33 :45). In this second occurrence, the crash and abrupt musical stop happen
later on in the theme to heighten the humor (by further subverting the expectation set by
the first occurrence).
In both examples, Errol's lovely background music leads the viewer to believe
that Errol has the same majestic qualities of Hedwig (and by extension, the grandeur of
Harry's perception of the magic world as a whole). When Errol makes clumsy,
disruptive landings, the impression of the order of flight is disrupted even more by the
544
clumsy disruption of the music. In other words, the propriety of elegant flight is violated
by the untimely crashes just as the propriety of the beautiful music is violated by the
untimely cessation. This is an example of a way that the film includes a parody of itself
by using a humorous audio-visual imitation of Hedwig's Theme that subverts the
symbolic glorification of the magical world that the real Hedwig's theme had established
for the series.
A LeitmotifViolating the Propriety o/Character
The second film also includes a new leitmotif, "Gilderoy Lockhart" that
humorously violates musical norms of propriety in the very endeavor of representing
Lockhart's proper facade. The character Gilderoy Lockhart is hired on to be the
Hogwarts teacher in the "defense against the dark arts" class during Harry's second year,
but is later revealed to be a charlatan (Lockhart's classroom introduction is at CoS DVD
35:13). Although the act of fraud can be threatening, Lockhart is more shallow and
narcissistic than he is evil. The theme that accompanies his appearances on screen
symbolically depicts these attributes by using a one-dimensional, monophonic texture,
lack of rhythmic consistency, and frequent superficial flourishes. In other words, as
Verdi scholar De Van argues, the form ofthe music follows the form of the character.709
A transcription of this theme is provided in Figure 6.11.710
709 De Van, Verdi's Theater, 263.
710
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Selected Themes from the Motion Picture Harry
Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets (piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2003), 26.
545
Figure 6.11. "Gilderoy Lockhart"
•. >
For Verdi, as well as for Meyerbeer and Tchaikovsky, the representation of embodiment
included the meaning of the embodiment. Because Lockhart is shallow, so is his
leitmotif. Further, the excesses experienced in the music (i.e., the frequent and randomly
placed rests, trills, grace notes, and so on) violate the propriety of the music implied by
the monophonic texture and refined, neo-Baroque structure of the melody.
This is also an example of how humor, and especially musical humor, mitigates
some of the unfair experiences that Harry and his friends encounter. According to Cross,
caricature (such as for Gilderoy Lockhart) is a common way to deal with fears, and the
musical caricature that is the "Gilderoy Lockhart" theme reduces the character's threat
through comic distancing and ridicule.7ll Additionally, perhaps the large number of
physically humorous events throughout the second film (e.g., Harry's rubberized broken
arm, Ron's slug incident, and Hermione's feline transfiguration) additionally help to
make-light of bodily injury such that the more frightening threats to life and health are
more bearable.
711 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 89.
546
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban: Dark, Macabre, Irreverent and Distorted
Humor
The approach to humor is markedly different in the third film. Dark humor is
pervasive, several macabre events violate the sanctity of life,712 and much of the comedy
is aggressive, irreverent, and visually distorted through camera angle and perspective.
Hedwig's Theme is used to mark major narrative developments rather than to punctuate
humorous events, but the new theme "Double Trouble" often implies mischief, which can
be a form of humor according to Veatch. Perhaps the most important addition to the
relationship between music and humor is the inclusion of several humorous set-pieces in
the third film. These sequences of visuals and music include very little dialogue, and
instead allow viewers to take pleasure in the humor of particular circumstances or
actions.
One humorous visual motif that violates the sanctity oflife occurs when
Buckbeak the Hippogriffnonchalantly gobbles small animals (typically dead ferrets).
Sometimes the motif is accompanied by music: for instance, when the camera pans
langorously as bats fly through the forest at night, the visuals are accompanied by a
pastoral harp and oboe theme (PoA DVD 1:56: 18); but when Buckbeak catches one of
the bats in his mouth with a sound effect "chomp" (PoA DVD 1:56:29) the propriety of
the calm music and visuals is disrupted much as Errol's motif was disrupted in the second
film. In contrast to Errol's motif, this one also violates the sanctity of life (i.e., when
Buckbeak gobbles the bat), and is therefore more likely to be perceived as offensive by
some.713
712 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 196.
713 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 196.
547
Likewise, two of the vignettes that function as a seasonal marker in the film
(discussed in detail in Chapter IV) similarly violate propriety and the sanctity of life.
One of the vignettes (which is similar to the other) includes a joyful, virtuosic flute
melody that accompanies a bluebird flying happily through the sunny air-stopping short
when the bird is casually snuffed out by the Whomping willow tree, causing the bird to
explode into a puff of feathers (PoA DVD 28:46).714 Though similar in form to Errol's
motif in the previous film, the examples of Buckbeak's bats and the exploding bluebird
given above are exaggerated by more purposefully sweet music and by more threatening
terminal outcomes. As a result, the lighthearted quality of the magical world (as had
been represented by Williams and Columbus) is called into question, and the experience
of morbid suprise becomes the norm (even though viewers intellectually know that the
wizard world includes many surprises).715
The third film also includes a larger proportion of aggressive, physical humor.
Veatch argues that humorous events become even funnier when the victim of physical
comedy has it coming.7 16 Moreover, dislike of the subject only increases the humor at
the violation experienced by the subject.717 However, in contrast to the previous films
in which comeuppances are often administered by magic (such as when Hagrid gives
Dudley a piggy tail), the third film includes manual physical violence as a vehicle for
humor (with magic only assisting the process). For instance, when Draco Malfoy gloats
714 This event further subverts the glorification of magical birds established in the first films.
715 De Van (Verdi's Theater, 252-253) discusses how diversions themselves serve to stall plot
developments by seam1essly integrating marginal episodes into the structure of the piece. Thus, these
comedic diversions serve as part of the mystery as well.
716 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 186.
717 Ibid., 181.
548
over Buckbeak's pending execution, Hermione threatens him with her wand, but then
relents, punching him in the face instead (PoA DVD 1:23:09-1:23:33).
While the latter event uses a sound effect, another sequence of physically violent
(though also humorously satisfying) acts of comeuppance toward Malfoy and his friends
includes music titled "The Snowball Fight" in published materials. When Draco Malfoy
calls Hermione a mudblood (a racial slur among magic folk), Harry attacks him with
snowballs while hidden safely uder his Invisibility Cloak (PoA DVD 1:02: 15). The
ensuing audio-visual set-piece allows viewers to revel in the socially sanctioned
transgressions of Harry's sweet revenge (PoA DVD 1:02:25-1 :03: 10).
The music of "The Snowball Fight" rollicking and cheerful, and includes humor
within the structure of the music itself because of the numerous deceptive cadences
leading through several key center transitions (much like those Prokofiev used in his
Classic symphony). Additionally, the phrases of the music align with film visuals to
emphasize each aggressive act that Harry carries out on his enemies while hidden under
his invisibility cloak. The aggressive actions themselves (such as pulling one boy's pants
down) serve to ridicule Malfoy's gang, and the joyful music further mocks them by
expressing pleasure (not remorse) to show us that the boys deserve it.7l8 The chart
below shows how the events of the altercation are highlighted by their alignment with
strong beats within the measure, and organized into groups by their alignment with
musical phrases in order to emphasize the comedy of the event.
718 Veatch explains that ridicule is a particular type of aggressive humor C"A Theory of Humor," 203).
549
Table 6.2 Alignment of aggressive actions with the "The Snowball Fight" theme in The
Prisoner ofAzkaban as an example of rhythmic timing for the purpose of humor
Phrase
A
B
transition
A'
C
Measure(s)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12-15
Beat
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
1
Description of Visuals
A snowball hits Malfoy and friends
Another snowball hits Malfoy and friends
More snowballs hit Malfoy and friends
Malfoy reacts by pushing Crabbe
Visual focus on the tall boy
The tall boy's hat is pulled down over his eyes
Crabbe's pants are pulled down
The tall boy pulls his hat back up
Crabbe bends over to pull pants up
(focus on boxers implies target)
Crabbe is kicked in the seat and falls over
Hermione laughs
Malfoy's face contorts in fear
The tall boy is grabbed by his scarf
The tall boy is swung around by his scarf
Malfoy is grabbed by his legs
Malfoy is dragged around by his legs
transition
D
D'
16
17-21
22-25
1
1
" " " " " "
transition
A
D"
Coda
25
26-30
31-35
36-37
38
1
1
1
1
Visual transition
Malfoy, Crabbe, and the tall boy scramble up and run away
" " " " " " "
Ron and Hermione unveil Harry from his magic cloak
Harry is revealed
This chart shows how the phrases of "The Snowball Fight" align with groups ofevents in
the fight itself, and how specific physical events are generally aligned on the strong beats
ofmeasures. 1 have included lines between sections in the description ofvisuals in order
to show more clearly how the phrases ofmovement (and/or types ofmovement) align with
the phrases ofmusic.
550
As one can see in Table 6.2, the groupings or phrases ofmovement (such as those
concerning snowballs, then clothing, then being dragged around, and running away) are
directly aligned with musical phrases. Within the musical phrases, physical events tend
to occur on the strong beats of the common time meter (usually on beat one, sometimes
on beat three). This alignment serves to emphasize the events, and portray them as
humorous. In the first two phrases, especially, the physical actions provide a visual
rhythm (i.e., beats 1.1.1.1.13131..3) that creates periodic play with the musical rhythms
in a potentially humorous way. I will return to this idea of humorous periodicity in the
discussion of other pieces. Furthermore, the changing keys throughout the music itself
serves to energize the scene even as the visual events occur (and/or change) less
frequently within each subsequent phrase.
The third film also includes examples ofexaggerated, distorted humor. For
instance, the scene in which Aunt Marge inflates like an enormous balloon is
accompanied by a circus waltz set-piece (titled "Aunt Marge's Waltz" in published
materials). The audio-visuals of the set-piece violates the Dursley's desire for order with
the disorder of Marge's inflation and the chaotic music that accompanies it. The
exaggeration ofher body is distorted visually with rapidly changing visuals from a
variety of perspectives and proximities, and is further distorted musically by the atypical
chromatic melodies, dissonant harmonies, bombastic orchestration, and implied key
changes. Although I have already addressed the clever segues and sutures that follow
"Aunt Marge's Waltz" in Chapter IV, let us now explore how music aligns with visuals
in the set-piece itself (PoA DVD 4:18-6:00).
551
Case Study: Humorous Set-piece: "Aunt Marge's Waltz"
When Aunt Marge's misguided and malicious criticisms of Harry and his
deceased parents set off Harry's yet uncontrollable wizarding energies, it results in a film
set-piece named "Aunt Marge's Waltz" in published sources. Without overtly intending
to, Harry's magical powers blow Aunt Marge up like a balloon and she floats away into
the night sky. The rollicking, jocularity of the barely tonal accompanying theme acts in
"harmonic dissonance" (what Chion calls the discordant pairing of music with visuals)
with the violent dialogue that precedes the event, and the violent image of the event itself.
However, in this instance, the viewer does not register the image as violent because
comical music is overlayed onto the image. That is to say, much as in the "Snowball
Fight" set-piece, the music informs the viewer that Aunt Marge deserves her fate, and
thus we should take pleasure in the audio-visual dramatic justice at work. Moreover,
initial camera angles focus on the inflation of various parts of Marge's body parts, thus
allowing the viewer the pleasure of savoring Marge's comeuppance while the music
provides what is essentially a laugh-track in the form of a melodic composition.7l 9 The
viewer therefore does not worry about the ultimate safety of Aunt Marge, nor about the
ramifications (personal or otherwise) that Harry will suffer as a result of his unintended
magic. Indeed, this perspective is affirmed later when Harry defiantly tells his Uncle
Dursley that "She deserved what she got!" (PoA DVD 6:37).
The paradox of humor and violence created by the lighthearted music with
visuals-which would be frightening in a different context-confounds expectation, and
also creates commentary. This commentary might be characterized as a symbolic or
719 That is to say, the music provides a melodic imitation of various patterns of laughter. Indeed, if each
instrumental note were replaced by the vocalization "ha" or "he" the rhythm and melodic contour of most
measures would sound like laughter.
552
metaphoric concordance-such as between the oom-pah of low brass and the bloated
image of Marge and her disproportionate sense of self-righteousness (such as begins at
PoA DVD 4:38). Likewise, the insanity of the ludicrous situation is supported by two
visual occurrences of the cuckoo clock's chime (PoA DVD 4:40 and 5:12, though the
sound motif continues through the end of the waltz). The "cuckoo" call of the bird, and
the misalignment of the bird's call with musical phrases confirms the craziness and the
cacophony implied by the scene's rapidly alternating, chaotic visual elements. Swiftly
changing musical contrasts between measures of music emphasize the absurdity of the
situation, and also reflect how characters (much like the viewer) have no idea what will
happen next. For instance, measure nine (as assigned in the published piano reduction)
includes only one persistent melodic note, while the following two measures melodically
traverse through two octaves (PoA DVD 4:28--4:32).
Perhaps it is because of the pervasive misalignment that three examples of audio-
visual alignment are especially funny. First, Aunt Marge's swelling neck busts apart her
amber necklace, showering beads all over the dining room much as the descending
orchestral gesture cascades down. Second, Marge pops one of her shirt buttons which
catapults across the table and smacks Dudley on the forehead on the downbeat (PoA
DVD 5:06). Last, Marge pops another shirt button which also smacks Dudley on the
forehead, though this time it happens on a weak downbeat (i.e., subverting expectation by
delaying gratification, PoA 5:11)
The music itself includes a humorous incongruency in that it contains qualities of
both formality and absurdity. The formal, regular, expected, seemingly symmetrical
structure ofthe four measure waltz phrase is repeatedly subverted by phrase extensions,
while the regularity of harmonic cadence is subverted by multiple transitions to new key
areas. The subversion of formality and expectation in the music serves as a symbol for
553
the way magic disrupts the fonnal (albeit misguided) structure of the Dursley home and
lifestyle. As an example of potentially comedic musical contrasts, a semi-tuneful phrase
(resembling the motif from Strauss's Til Eulenspiegel) beginning with the pick-up to
measure 25 in the published piano score, combines legato with staccato notes,
diatonicism with chromaticism, and triplets with non-measure preserving hemiola within
the frame of eight measures (PoA DVD 4:37---4:46). Whether intended or not, the
assocation with Strauss's motif reminds the (musically educated) audiences of the prank-
like quality of Harry's effect on his aunt. Other frequently changing musical elements-
melodic, rhythmic, and instrumental-seem to support both the erratic nature of Harry's
adolescent skills, as well as Aunt Marge's unexpected physical experience.
As discussed in Chapter IV, the transition away from Aunt Marge's waltz is
cleverly done with other references to dancing in a way that further emphasizes Marge's
absurdity and the absurdity of the Dursley family as a whole-making them seem more
dysfunctional and Harry's parents seem more desirable than they would have without this
musical treatment.
Although "Aunt Marge's Waltz" ridicules the Dursleys and provides a laugh-track
for Marge's misfortune, Harry himself is not immune to the position of ridicule in the
third film. Indeed, in another set-piece from the same film, viewers are treated to the
pleasure of seeing Harry's humorous misfortune when the disorderly Knight Bus makes
repeated abrupt stops, accompanied by parallel gestures from the orchestra, which cause
Harry to slam against the front window (PoA DVD 9:45-12:10).
554
Humorous Set-piece: The Knight Bus
Another scene, Harry's ride on the Knight Bus (with the musical set-piece "The
Knight Bus"), also includes humorous audio-visual exaggeration and distortion.
Additionally, this scene is an example of a humorous set-piece that the filmmakers added
which was not in the original novel. The camera angles alternate frequently inside the
bus, generally emphasizing diagonal perspectives (for instance when focusing up and to
the side on the conductor, Stan Shunpike, and his grotesque blistering acne, PoA DVD
9:55), and the music likewise alternates instrumentation, emphasizing only one comer of
the orchestra at a time (i.e., piccolo and strings, saxophone, vibraphone, and sound
effects, alternated with a syncopated brass motif). Similarly, the bus moves through the
city landscape with speed, careening around comers and emphasizing a "bumpy ride" (as
the shrunken head at the front of the bus predicts), and the music adds to the exaggerated
physical movement with fast, exaggerated musical gestures.
What aids in the spectacle is that the visuals are funny on their own, and the
organization of alternating instruments and disjunct musical phrases is also funny on its
own. Additionally, the combination of the aligning visuals and music make the bus ride
appear even more fast, chaotic, and ludicrous than it would with either audio or visuals
alone. In other words, music not only follows the physical movements of the bus, it uses
more and bigger gestures to suggest that the bus is moving more than we see-adding to
the craziness of the wild ride. This example provides support to my argument that the
music in the third film expands and amplifies the narrative.
Additionally, there is witty dialogue incorporated into comedic bits. In fact, the
form of the sequence of instrumentation seems to follow specific comedic bits more than
the instrumentation follows the gestures of visuals. For instance, first, alternating racing
555
flutes/strings and syncopated brass establish the "bumpy ride" itself (PoA DVD 9:46-
9:55). Then, jazzy saxophone licks and syncopated brass motifs accompany as Stan
Shunpike and a shrunken head banter with Harry about his destination, The Leaky
Cauldron (PoA DVD 9:56-10:12). Then, a new section with walking vibraphone and
brass syncopation accompanies banter about muggles. A transition of sorts (including
both syncopated brass and sound effects) accompanies a bit about an old woman in the
crosswalk (PoA DVD 10:25-10:48). Then, a contrasting section with sustained and
dissonant orchestral instruments accompanies Harry's questions and Stan's serious
answers about the escaped convict in the newspaper, Sirius Black (PoA DVD 10:53-
11 :30). The next visuals return to comedy when the bus magically squeezes between two
other oncoming buses, accompanied by a musically varied section (PoA DVD 11 :34-
12:05). Finally, the saxophone and syncopated brass motifs reoccur, and Harry comes to
the end of his ride-but not before the bus taps a parked car, setting off its alarm (PoA
DVD 12:06-12:14).
In at least one case, the music shows us an important movement that the visual
does not, thus allowing for better rhythmic timing of a comedic bit. Much as the abrupt
cessation of music makes room for humor in the second film, the sudden absence of
music in the third film also allows for humor. When the music representing the Knight
Bus stops suddenly, the space of silence allows for a humorous bit in which Harry loses
his balance and flies forward, planting his face into the front window of the bus.no
There are three times that the bus stops abruptly along with the accompanying
music-but one of the times is not in the visuals, but is set right with the music. The first
no Much as the seasonal vignettes in the third film are represented with comedic bits, so too is there a
form of comedic bits within this one set-piece. The different smaller and larger patterns of form between
the film music and visuals that unify the film also provides another example of how the music amplifies the
narrative from a small, detailed level, to the large, overarching level.
556
time, the bus slams to a halt at a crosswalk to avoid hitting a proverbial little old lady
with a walker crossing the street (PoA DVD 10:31). The music and the movement of the
bus stop at the same time, Harry loses his balance and slams against the window. The
camera focuses on his humorously squished face against the glass, then the music and the
bus continue on.
The second time, Ernie the driver pulls a lever and the bus slows down time
(rather than truly stopping) so that it can collapse into vertical slimness and continue its
path, passing between two oncoming buses (PoA DVD 11 :47). The music slows down
abruptly Gust as the movements of the bus slow down abruptly), and the musical texture
thins in order to feature an accordion. This is the one and only time that an accordion is
used in the orchestral texture, and this appearance serves as a musical pun.72l
In linguistics, a pun is a lexical matter in which the ambiguity between two
disparate meanings of a word (or sound of a word) are exploited.722 In this musical pun,
the accordion can represent musical genres (such as French cafe or Irish pub music) or
can signify itself. As a representative of musical genres, the accordion is out of place in
the orchestral jazz piece. However, as a representative of itself, the accordion is
congruent with the visuals we see. The bus is an object that is collapsible, and so is the
accordion, thus the music from an accordion serves as a pun on the visual of the bus
becoming more narrow. The cessation ofthe orchestral texture allows for the musical
pun to emerge.
721 Another musical pun of sorts occurs when the portrait of the Fat Lady practices vocalizations, and ends
up purposefully smashing a glass goblet after trying in vain to break it with the resonance of her awful
voice. While the portrait of the Fat Lady has no relation to circus stereotype (i.e., a show is over when she
sings), the occurrence of the musical vocalizations prompts the new association for viewers in a humorous
way.
722 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 202.
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The third time the bus stops is at its destination, The Leaky Cauldron pub (PoA
DVD 12:10). However, the peculiarity is that this time, the music stops first, then we see
Harry slam against the front window (in quicker succession this time so that the gag still
works), then we see the bus slow to a stop, hitting the car ahead enough to set off the
car's alarm. Read that again: first the music stops, then Harry falls forward, then the bus
stops. This sequence of events defies the laws of physics, and provides another example
of how the music helps distort the visuals we see, and thus presents humor in a distorted
way. It may be that the scene was intended to defy muggle-world science, or that it was
edited with a mistake that the music was able to cover, or, better yet, that the sequence
allows for two moments of humor instead ofjust one because the music sets the rhythm
of when the bus stops, even though this is not yet seen. In so doing, we are able to enjoy
the slapstick comedy of Harry's second slam into the bus window, and the extra twist of
the magical bus setting off a modem-day car alarm.723
Indeed, even the introduction to the Knight Bus set-piece is presented in a
humorous way. Just after Harry sees what looks like a menacing black dog in the foliage
across his street (PoA DVD 8:05), a rickety-looking double-decker bus magically arrives
and sounds a hom with the timbre of a circus clown prop (though with deeper resonance,
PoA DVD 8:14). A bass clarinet solo (i.e., an instrument with a potentially humorous
meaning)724 accompanies with a triple meter melody (akin to those from Prokofiev's
Peter and the Wolj)725 as the conductor Stan Shunpike awkwardly reads his statement of
723 There is also the humorous incongruency that the bus can brake fast enough to avoid running over an
old woman, but cannot brake fast enought to avoid hitting a parked car.
724 Much as Tchaikovsky embodies the odd character Herr Drosselmeyer with the unusual texture of viola,
trombones, and tuba in The Nutcracker, so too does Williams use unusual instrumentation to embody odd
characters in the first three Harry Potter films.
725 Although the melody is not exactly like the themes from Peter and the Wolf, the allusion may serve as
a musical pun on Harry's sighting of the black, wolf-sized dog.
558
introduction about the bus in a low-brow English accent (that is, an accent with a
humorous stigma; the music begins at PoA DVD 8: 17). Furthermore, plucked bass and
other instruments punctuate the movement when Harry takes a last look into the foliage
beyond the bus to see if the menacing-looking dog is still there, and when Stan Shunpike
peers out the door to look at Harry and to look where Harry is looking (PoA DVD 8:50-
9:00). Without the musical punctuation, the movements are unremarkable, and perhaps
even evoke mystery and fear about the black dog. With the musical punctuation,
however, the scene is delightful.
Let us return to the general discussion of humor in The Prisoner ofAzkaban. In
the introduction to this section on humor, I suggested that many of the humorous events
accompanied by music help to mitigate the aggressive and unfair elements in the Harry
Potter narrative. (We also see this aspect in the description above, in which musical
humor mitigates those elements that may be terrifying.) While the first two films
emphasize more lighthearted comedy that balances and softens the harsher realities of
Harry's journey, the third film emphasizes darker comedy that re-contextualizes
aggression in both friendly and frustrating circumstances. This new approach suggests
that life is often unfair (e.g., at Harry's home, on the bus, and at school), and there isn't
always a subversive act to rectify the situation (as there is during the snowball fight), but
there is often a humorous perspective if one chooses to see it. This philosophy is
summarized by Professor Dumbledore during the opening feast at Hogwarts in the third
film when he states, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times-if one only
remembers to tum on a light." The relationship between Dumbledore's statement and the
new notion of humor is re-inforced by the emergence ofthe "Double Trouble" theme in
the background (DVD 26:43).
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As the reader will remember from my comparison of approaches to magic and
fantasy, "Double-Trouble" is a musical theme that evokes humor on more than one level:
(1) the lyric text includes Shakespeare's humorously macabre rhymes (e.g., eye of newt
and toe of frog, and so on), (2) the lyric content implies mischief, which can be a form of
humor, (3) the peculiar instrumentation includes bassoons and funny-sounding medieval
instruments, and (4) the vocal performing forces include girl and boy students, and
enormous croaking toads.726 Although the occurrence of "Double Trouble" is not as
funny as other more directly humorous events, it does serve the story by reinforcing the
intentions for humor.
Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire: Lighthearted, Bawdy, and Deadpan Humor,
including Socially Transgressive Physical Behavior and Superiority
While the third film (The Prisoner ofAzkaban) emphasizes humor bordering on
the offensive, the fourth film (The Goblet ofFire) emphasizes humor bordering on the
unremarkable. Viewed as a whole, The Goblet ofFire certainly contains lighthearted
humor. However, at the level of the specific, much of the humor is so subtle, indeed
deadpan, that some viewers may miss it. At other times, music may mitigate visual
humor rather than reinforce it. According to Cross, understated humor is also at the
opposite end of the continuum from crude, slapstick humor, and thus this film provides
contrast with the first two as well,727 Furthermore, as previously stated, the fourth film
726 As discussed before, these are the visual perfonning forces. The song was actually perfonned by an
all-boy choir, with added sound effects. While the singers perfonn this song very nicely, the act of singing
and the vernacular tradition of the "fat lady" singing are parodied later on in the film when the woman in
the Gryffindor painting, known as "the fat lady" tries to sing, but can only shriek (DVD 27:03). She tries to
break a wine glass with her high note, but can not achieve it, so she smashes the glass instead, then
exclaims, "Ah-Amazing! Just by the sound of my voice!"
727 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction,", 66.
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minimizes the emphasis on magic, and therefore also lacks the potential for humor that
the atmosphere of magic, as a violation of normalcy, provides.
Veatch points out that perceptions of humor can change from the moment of
initial experience to later remembrances of the experience. "A commonly observed fact
about life is the way that situations we go through change their character in our memory
over time, so that they become first funny, and then sometimes unremarkable with greater
distance."728 The opposite can also be true-that an event that was experienced first as
awkward, embarrassing, or frightening (or other) might later be perceived as funny with
the distance of time. These observations may explain why theater audiences found the
movie funny during initial viewings, yet why I have found it more difficult to provide
detailed examples of humor now that I have viewed the film a number of times, yet also
why I remember experiencing the film as funny (and therefore continue to perceive the
film as somewhat funny without responding to specific events).
A major reason that comedic events are so difficult to pin down in the fourth
movie is the lack of background music for narrative cueing. Several potentially
humorous events may be lost on viewers because music is not present to guide the
interpretation. The latter claim is supported by Cohen's "Law of concern" in which
music, when combined with other media, readily finds an object and ascribes meaning to
the object,729 Without music, then, the object goes unfound and meaning is left un-
ascribed.
For instance, when the elderly woman who attends the snack-trolley on the
Hogwarts train asks Harry, "Anything sweet for you dear?" there could be a humorous
728 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 174.
729 Annabel J. Cohen, "Music as a Source of Emotion in Film," 263. Cohen follows the work ofW. Tan
and N. H. Frijda. This theory is also supported by Mary Ann Smart in Mimomania, who observes how the
alignment of music emphasizes visual movement.
561
double-entendre that (1) she is selling sugary snacks and that (2) Harry has just made eye
contact with Cho Chang (the girl he is sweet on). However, without musical punctuation
or even a rhythmically timed visual cut-away from the trolley to Cho to indicate the
trolley attendant's intention for the statement, the potential for humor is diminished (GoF
DVD 14:16-14:27).730 As Veatch explains,
... if the two affective interpretations enter and leave the mind one after
the other, and are not present at the same time, humor does not occur.
This is why timing is so important in humor, becaues the simultaneous
juxtaposition of contrary ideas in the mind... must be accomplished in
some way. 731
This is different from the way that Williams's music punctuates a relatively unremarkable
event in the third film (i.e., Harry looking into the foliage and Stan Shunpike looking
there after him), and in so doing brings out humor that would probably not be perceived
with visuals alone.
Similarly, when Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker, jogs into the Hogwarts Hall in a
peculiar, high-stepping way, it is not clear whether it is funny or not, nor why it would be
funny. In other words, there is a difficulty with comprehension, and there is no music to
set it straight (GoF DVD 16:36). According to Veatch, in order for a visual to be funny,
a viewer must simultaneously perceive something that is normal and something that
violates normality. In the case of Filch's peculiar gait, the way that he is high-stepping
may not be normal, yet given that Filch is a peculiar character, a peculiar gait may be
normal for him. Moreover, ifthe viewer is to believe that Filch is behaving in a way that
is strange even for his character, the event might be more humorous ifthe viewer were
730 There is a cut-away to Cho's face, but the visual is not rhythmically timed to heighten any humor.
Thus, it is easy to register that Harry has made eye-contact with Cho while talking with the trolley lady, but
not easy to register a connection between Cho and the words that the trolley lady uses.
731 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 188.
562
given a clue or cue as to the motivation for this strange behavior (e.g., if he had ants in
his pants, or was training in vain for the tournament).
Furthermore, some of the violations of propriety and order may be humorous to
teen-agers, but may seem unremarkable to adults. For instance, when Hermione delivers
a message to Harry saying, "Ron would like me to tell you that Seamus told him that
Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid's looking for you" (GoF DVD 46:07---46: 19)
younger viewers may find it very humorous because the sentence is, at the same time,
both grammatically coherent and illogical in its length, and made more illogical by the
fact that Ron is standing directly behind Hermione when she delivers it!732 However,
older viewers may find the statement nearly unremarkable because it is normal for
teenagers (such as Hermione, Ron, and Harry) to behave illogically, and therefore there is
no real violation of normalcy in the delivery of the message. In this circumstance, as in
the others, there is no background music to cue or clarify the event to indicate that the
viewer should find it funny.
Similarly, in the potentially comedic set-piece in which students learn to waltz,
"Practice Waltz" (called "Neville's Waltz" in published materials), the visuals and
dialogue may be funny, but the music is formal, and the phrases ofthe music and the
visuals do not align, and thus do not punctuate the humor of the visuals and dialogue
(1 :08:25-1:10:30). This is in contrast to the emphasis on audio-visual alignment with
"The Snowball Fight" in the previous film to highlight funny physical events. Just as
Cohen, Smart, Damsholt, and others argue that music can emphasize movement through
synchronization, so too, music may de-emphasize movements in favor of continuity and
flow through a lack of synchronization.733 Table 6.3 describes how music and visuals
732 Younger viewers at the midnight showing of this film laughed heartily at this line.
733 Annabel J. Cohen, "Music as a Source of Emotion in Film," in Music and Emotion., edited by Patrik
Juslin and John Sloboda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania: music
563
are paired in the set-piece montage. I use the term periodicity to describe how the music
and visuals follow different cycles or patterns of development.
Following the work of Freud, Veatch reminds us that jokes with sexual content
tend to elicit greater response than more innocent, lighthearted humor.734 Following
suit, some of the few overt examples of music accompanying comedic visuals in the
fourth film are for bawdy, physically inappropriate, or sexually awkward humor. Even
so, music for these visuals does not tend to punctuate concrete visual bawdiness (though
it sometimes confirms sexual undertones when visuals are ambigouus). For instance,
when Hagrid lowers his hand to Madame Maxime's bottom while dancing at the Yule
Ball, source music is present, but no particular musical gesture punctuates the motion
(GoF DVD 1:22:15-1 :22:21). Indeed, the visual probably does not need clarification:
the visuals emphasize how Hagrid lowers his hand to Maximes bottom, how Maxime
returns his hand to her waist, and how Hagrid gives a sheepish look. However, even
though the visuals are clearly presented, the cliche gesture may seem somewhat
unremarkable to viewers who perceive Hagrid and Maxime as consenting adults (rather
than as adults humorously behaving like adolescents at a student dance).
Some other examples of humor include sexual undertones, sometimes
accompanied by music or sounds with sexual overtones. For instance when the bathroom
ghost Moaning Myrtle attempts to cozy up to Harry while he takes his bath, the
supporting music in habafiera rhythm (with oboe melody and tambourine punctuation)
affirms the sexual element of her advances (GoF DVD 1:27:22). The incongruency that a
ghost (without sexual viability) is supported by music signifying the utmost level of
and gesture in nineteenth-century opera (Berkeley: University of Califomia Press, 2004). Inger Damsholt,
Choreomusical Discourse: The Relationship between Dance and Music. unpublished dissertation, 1999.
734 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 192.
564
Figure 6.3. The alignment of visuals with the "Practice Waltz" theme in The Goblet of
Fire as an example of overlapping periodicity resulting in continuity, but not humor
Phrase Measure
Intro 1-2
A 3-4
5-6
A' 7-8
Beat Description of Visuals
Ron and Professor McGonagall assume waltz position
Ron and McGonagall waltz (she counts against the music)
Weasley twins hum and mime dancing
Harry and the Weasley twins exchange comments at Ron's expense
B
B'
A
A'
B
B'
trans.
C
A
A'
B
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17-18
19
20
21-22
23-25
26
27
28
29
30
31-32
33-34
35
36
37-46
47-51
52-55
56
1,2
1
1
1,3
2
2
2
Female students quickly get up to dance
(In contrast), male students hesitate to get up to dance
Focus on (timid) Neville
Neville gets up to dance first/segue to Gryffindor dormitories
Segue to Gryffindor dormitories
Neville practices dancing in his pajamas
Harry and Ron watch Neville through the door
Focus on Neville's footwork (motion against the music)
Harry and Ron watch Neville through the door
Focus on Neville's armwork and concentrating face
Harry frets with Ron about how to ask a girl to the Yule Ball
A group of girls look down their noses at the two boys
Harry smiles sheepishly at the group of girls
Harry continues on his way without asking anyone to the ball
Ron comments that Harry can face a dragon (but not a girl)
A group of Beauxbatons girls snubs Harry and Ron
Fleur and another group of Beauxbatons girls pass by
Hagrid talks to Madame Maxime about his childhood
Maxime picks something off of Hagrid's beard and eats it
Hagrid and Maxime continue to talk
57
58-59
B' 60-61
62-63
Coda 64-65
66
Viktor Krums trains on the beach, passing Hermione
A gaggle of girls follows Viktor on the beach
Viktor makes eye contact with Hermione
Hermione clears her throat and looks away, blushing
Girls continue to follow Viktor
Segue to Harry and Ron in study hall
This table shows how the phrases of music follow one pattern ofperiodicity while the potentially humorous visual
vignettes follow another pattern of periodicity such that major sections from each column do not align. Additionally,
changes in camera angle and characters' physical gestures tend not to align with strong beats within the musical
measures (or with beats at all, in most cases). I include dividing lines between the visual vignettes in order to more
clearly show how the audio-visual relationship provides continuity, but not comedic emphasis or rhythmic punctuation.
565
sexuality (through the allusion to Bizet's Carmen) comes off as absurd, and also
funny.735 Furthermore, her advances on the unwilling and uncomfortable Harry allow
the viewer to experience pleasure at his pain. As we will see, this is an important
thread-that is, pleasure from Harry's pain-among the examples depicting sexual
awkwardness. Another tendency in these examples is that either the music or the visuals
seems to balance out the matter of sexuality, making the situation potentially humorous,
instead of truly sexual or threatening,?36
Two examples mix absurd characters with potentially inappropriate physical
touch for a humorous effect,?37 In each case, the relationship between music and
movement both creates humor and leaves room for viewers to feel uncomfortable about
the situation. Indeed, this discomfort may align with director Newell's intentions to
represent the awkwardness of newly realized sexual identities and tensions. First, the
unethical journalist witch Rita Skeeter exhibits a visibly uncomfortable physical
closeness with the Tri-Wizard tournament contestants (in proximity, touch, and
dialogue), and second, Professor "Mad-Eye" Moody's imposter transfigures Draco
Malfoy into a ferret and foists him down his colleague's trousers. In contrast to some
other examples of humor, these transgressions--enacted by adult characters upon under-
age characters-may be perceived as offensive to some adults while younger audiences
may find them merely comedic. Additionally, the examples may seem funnier on first
viewing and less funny after viewers know more about the mal intents of the perpetrators.
Both scenes are accompanied by music that is extremely theatrical, compared with the
735 I discuss this example again in the context of gender and sexuality in the following chapter.
736 I address the musical representation of gender and sexuality in greater detail in the next chapter, and
focus on the role of music in creating humor here.
737 These circumstances may be perceived as non-socially sanctioned transgressions because they
transpire between adults and teenagers.
566
rest of Doyle's music in the film. Even so, the approach in each scene is different from
Williams's theatrical approaches in the first three films. Most significantly, Doyle's
approach leaves space between the viewer and the visuals, rather than drawing us in
completely. I provide a longer case study of Rita Skeeter's scene below (GoF DVD
39:02-41 :27). A shorter description of the ferret scene follows.
An Example ofan Absurd Character and Transgressive Physical Behavior: "Rita
Skeeter's Quick-notes Quill"
When Rita Skeeter arrives at Hogwarts to interview the Tri-Wizard champions for
her tabloid magazine, she greets them with inappropriate physical gestures (GoF DVD
39:25). First, she stroke's Fleur Delacour's cheek with her dangerous-looking fingernail
before giving Fleur's face an audible swat with her hand, then she musses and tossles
Cedric Diggory's hair, and finally, she puts her arms around the waists of the two
Hogwarts lads, Cedric and Harry. The visual appearance of Rita-a cross between
Marilyn Monroe and Cruella de ViI-further implies the potentially sexual implications
of such touch, as do the awkward glances and grimaces exhibited by the students. While
none of these visuals are accompanied by music, Rita's close-quarters interview with
Harry in the broom closet (called a broom cupboard in the film) is accompanied by a
theme I call "Rita Skeeter's Quick-notes Quill"---{)r "Rita's Quill" for short.
The matter of musical alignment with visuals in the broom closet involves a
couple of layers. First, I will explain what the music and visuals do, then I will address
what the music and visuals do not do. The music begins prompted by a dialogue motif,
consisting of a question Rita asks followed by the answer Rita gives before others might
answer. When Rita asks who of the four competitors is willing to speak with her first, an
awkward silence occurs, then she announces that she will "start with the youngest!"-
567
that is to say, with Harry. This dialogue motifis followed by a laugh-track style
descending scale motif (a "tiddle-tiddle-ti" rhythm played by flutes and a double reed)
that sounds like a quick musical chuckle (GoF DVD 39:52). This musical chuckle
affirms the humor of Rita's conversation transgression, and also prescribes the perverse
pleasure of watching Harry squirm in the awkward situation.
The musical motif leads right into the main musical theme just as Rita leads Harry
into a broom closet, and viewers are introduced to her magical, green, Quick-notes
feather quill-a pen that writes what she wills it to write, rather than transcribing the
words that are spoken. This is important. The music is not Rita's leitmotif, and therefore
does not follow Rita's entrance or movement. Instead, the music follows the magic quill
pen as it writes on a notepad beyond the viewer's sight. This is different from Gilderoy
Lockhart's humorous theme in the second film, which aligns with the presence of
Lockhart.
First, flutes gesturally ascend to a trill, then descend to another trill (against a bass
and celeste accompaniment) as the quill flies around (GoF DVD 39:53). Then, the
texture of the theme reduces to a bass and celeste vamp to make way for dialogue in
which Rita's words contribute to more sexual tension and indirectly insult Harry (GoF
DVD 40:00). "*Sigh* This is cozy," she says as she moves closer to Harry in the closet.
"Uh, it's a broom cupboard," he responds flatly. "You should feel right at home then,"
she insults, alluding to his childhood bedroom at the Dursley's house. The music
responds to her quip with another, slower, descending chuckle motif (i.e., ti-ti ti-ti ta, at
GofDVD 40:12). As before, the musical laugh-track affirms the transgressive pleasure
of watching Harry negotiate an awkward situation.
During the so-called interview, Rita asks three main questions, and the music
follows the form of each-that is to say, the music follows the speed of of Rita's pen as it
568
takes notes from the interview. Each ofthe long-winded questions is framed in a
deceptive, misleading way, and as the dramatic tension caused by Rita's fallacious words
increases, the music shifts from the general theme (i.e., a sequence of ascending and
descending flourishes) to an ostinato vamp (i.e., a musical signifier for tension), to
singular punctuated notes that are placed in alignment, then in counterpoint to Rita's
cutting words. A brief pause occurs while Harry either stumbles over his answer or
denies the premise of Rita's question, but the music returns even before Harry is finished
responding. In other words, much as Rita does not wait for an answer at the beginning of
the scene, the music tells us that she also does not wait for Harry's answer during the
interview before deciding what to write. This interpretation of her behavior is confirmed
after Rita poses the last question, and Harry glimpses her notepad, exclaiming "Hey! My
eyes aren't glistening with the ghosts of my past!" (GoF DVD 41 :22)
The music is generally congruent with the visual movement of Rita's quill, and, in
being congruent, alerts us to the humor of Rita's unethical journalism by punctuating
Rita's deceptive words and overlapping with Harry's answers. However, this alignment
with subtext is rather subtle, as the music is not very loud (save for a few punctuating
notes), and there is little about the musical material that suggests that Rita herself is an
unethical character. For instance, the notion of ridicule is used in both the second and
third films when framing a dangerous being in a humorous light.738 Gilderoy Lockhart's
theme conveys ridicule with the swift melodic transitions between flourishes and trills
without any harmonic (or symbolic) depth. While the "Rita's Quill" theme includes
flourishes and trills, it accompanies the quill's movements, not Rita's, and therefore fails
to comment on her absurdity. Likewise, in the third film, students use the "Ridikulus"
charm when combatting the boggart in Professor Lupin's classroom, and the changing
738 Similarly, as we will see, the next film uses the notion of paradox to humorously accompany a
villainess with music.
569
styles of music (dissonant orchestral to melodic swing) indicate when students are able to
use humor to distance themselves from the terrifying illusions. In contrast, there is not as
much comic distancing in Rita's scene. Indeed, the visual ridicule in the scene seems to
fall on Harry, who must endure Rita's excruciatingly awkward interview.
Even though Rita's physical actions and proximities seem inappropriate, the
background music neither addresses these events nor re-frames them as humorous.
Instead, the background music responds to Rita's transgressive dialogue. This provides
an example of how the music mitigates the sexually transgressive behavior that might
otherwise seem overtly offensive. Even so, because the background music is really
representing the movement of the pen, it does not directly mitigate Rita's transgressive
character (as the ridicule of Lockhart's theme does, for instance). In this way, the music
informs viewer reaction to potentially humorous events, but also leaves room for
discomfort with the transgressions-much as the other characters experience discomfort
with Rita's physical behavior. In other words, there is something funny about the way
that Rita comes up with her own answers before others have a chance to respond, but
there is also something offensive about the way her character causes harm and discomfort
without remorse. According to Veatch, this is often the crux of the matter of humor: the
certain perception that "It's okay," and "It's not okay" simultaneously,?39 Furthermore,
the way the music facilitates (viewer) pleasure of Harry's misfortune provides an
example of how the film inducts viewers into the adolescent social landscape that Newell
called "mean and nasty" with "sexual tension" under the surface.
Let us now return to the discussion of another absurd character with transgressive
physical behavior-namely, Alistair "Mad Eye" Moody and the ferret scene. In the ferret
scene-the scene in which Professor Moody's imposter transfigures Draco Malfoy into a
739 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 185.
570
ferret-the duality of comedy and discomfort is portrayed more overtly in the
accompanying music (GoF DVD 50:48-51:36). In a cartoonish style, several melodic
gestures follow visual gestures, emphasizing the humor as Draco (in the form of a ferret)
receives yet another comeuppance (this time for drawing his wand to cast a spell against
Harry). The ferret is volleyed into the air, spun in circles, then thrust into Vincent
Crabbe's trousers---eausing both physical discomfort and embarrassment to both
involved. Much as the "Rita's Quill" theme does not directly address the suggestion of
sexual tension in Rita's transgressive actions, so also the music in the ferret scene does
not address the suggestion of sexual tension when Draco-as-ferret is forced into his male
friend's pants.
However, at the same time that the music is energetic and includes gestures that
parallel movement, the music is also dissonant, melodically and harmonically distorted
(much more so than in "Aunt Marge's Waltz"), and relatively low in volume. The
discordance in the music creates an incongruity with the humorous visuals, and alerts the
viewer that something is wrong with the scenario. Furthermore, the low volume keeps
the viewer from being completely engaged in the ferret frenzy. In other words, much as
the music provides comic distancing for the rather violent physical humor, so the music
also provides distance from complete involvement in the scene. This distancing may
serve the dramatic narrative by allowing viewers to see the malevolence behind Professor
Moody's actions at the same time that we see the foreground humor. This interpretation
may be especially valid for those who are aware that it is Moody's evil imposter, not
Moody himself, who transfigures Malfoy.
Another plausible explanation is that the discordant music simply reflects
Moody's scarred, warped personality.740 When my spouse broke up in laughter over the
740 This provides another example of how Doyle's music facilitates more than one interpretation.
571
scene, I asked him about it and he replied, "It's funny because Moody is nuts-his
actions are all over the place! You wanted me to say 'it was the music,' didn't you?
Well, it wasn't the music." While the music does not seem loud enough to create the
chaos, it may be just loud enough to support it. As such, for some, the humor in the
scene may be more about witnessing Moody's ill-advised actions than it is about the
aggression against Malfoy and Crabbe. As well, laughter may be a "strategic mechanism
to minimize embarrassment."741 This also relates to Veatch's notion of superiority
humor, in which "humor involves other people screwing up, but doesn't involve the
perceiver screwing up."742
Two other comedic bits deserve brief consideration, both of which rely on the
pleasure of watching others "screw up." The first bit involves the odd-ball
groundskeeper, Argus Filch, who prematurely fires the starting cannon for both the
second and third Tri-Wizard events (OoF DVD 1:31 :46 and 1:52:34-1 :52:38). The
relationship between Dumbledore's verbal countdown and the early arrival of the cannon
sound create the humor, which is based on rhythmic surprise, and on the realization that
Filch has erred.743 Furthermore, in the context of so many other scenes with sexual
undertones, the bit may subversively suggest that Filch suffers from sexual dysfunction
(which similarly relates to superiority humor and also to ridicule). The second bit
involves the pep band (i.e., the brass and percussion players) at the third Tri-Wizard
event, who fall into musical disarray on two occasions when their march is interrupted by
dialogue (OoF DVD 1:50:57 and 2:10:16). In this bit, the sounds themselves are funny-
741 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 204.
742 Ibid., 188.
743 The countdown only occurs the second time. It may be less clear to viewers that the cannon fIres early
in the fIrst occurrence.
572
the disintegration of the musical texture and the fizzling of individual instruments-as is
the perception of musical ineptitude (i.e., the presence of superiority humor), and the
violation of musical propriety. Likewise, in the context of pervasive sexual tension in the
film, the sliding, descending pitches as the music grinds to a stop may symbolically
suggest a different kind of sexual dysfunction (which likewise relates to superiority
humor, and also to ridicule). However, the second occurrence of the bit happens in the
background visuals of Cedric's dead body. As such, the bit may not be perceived as
funny in the second context.744
My assessment that the fourth film is less overtly funny than the other films (and
moreover is less overt in the relationship between music and humor) is in contrast to
statements made by the film's director. In the CD liner notes for The Goblet ofFire,
Mike Newell wrote, "When [Doyle] looked at Harry Potter and The Goblet ofFire, he
immediately plugged into the excitement and craziness that was in the story. He saw his
job as bringing out the fun, exotically-colored, noisy, and above everything else, anarchic
world of a school." Further, Newell comments that Doyle "has a wonderful sense of
humor-he used to be a comedy actor-and so he plugged straight into the comic
potential of the story."
As I have shown, this quality is harder to see in much of this film than the
preceding others because so many potentially humorous moments transpire without
helpful commentary from referential music. Additionally, musical themes that do include
gestures that parallel visuals (such as for "Rita's Quill" and the ferret scene) also include
incongruencies that mitigate the humor. Years, and multiple viewings after this movie
744 Similarly, the bawdy slapstick bit when Hagrid lowers his hand to Maxime's bottom follows on the
heals of Hermione's sadness and discouragement at Ron's behavior toward her. The same music is used
for both visuals-Hermione and Hagrid and Maxime-and the effect suggests that we should care about
Hermione's feelings, but not care so much; or conversely, that we should not care about Hermione's
feelings in favor of laughing at Hagrid and Maxime. Either way, the comedy is mitigated by the whiplash
of emotional information.
573
was released, I remain unconvinced that Doyle's music is either "crazy," "fun," "noisy,"
"anarchic," or necessarily "exotically colored." Either Doyle did not bring out the
humor as much as he might have, or there was not much humor to begin with-both are
plausible conclusions when considering that Newell stated his intent to focus on real-life
elements of the story shaped as a thriller, and likewise, wanted Doyle to musically
represent the "rich, dark, and scary tones of the thriller story." Perhaps, also, the humor
might be better perceived in Doyle's music if the volume were fuller in the mix. Further,
it was Newell's intent to depict the subtleties of British school culture, and therefore, the
elements of humor may be more accessible to those who are insiders in that culture.
With this in mind, we might also remember that the previous films presented an
American version of British humor (i.e., through the design of American directors and a
Hollywood composer), which may have unfairly predisposed some viewers to a less
accurate understanding of British humor in cinema.
Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix: Peekaboo, Mischief, Caricature, Irony,
Satire, and Dance Music
As I have argued in so many of the other sections of this dissertation, Yates and
Hooper seem to integrate the approaches of their predecessors into their own style and
interpretation. For instance, the fifth film combines low and high forms of humor
together, and the darker realities of Harry's story are balanced with the often absurd
nature of his circumstances. Further, some humorous visuals are accompanied with
parallel musical gestures, some accompanied by atmospheric music; yet only a few are
574
left unaccompanied.745 "There a lot fewer cute wizarding tricks in this one," noted
interviewer Rebecca Traistor.746 However, the fifth film also returns to the limited use of
musical signifiers for magic, thus re-establishing the topsy-turvy magical atmostphere
that potentially facilitates humor. Screenwriter Michael Goldenburg explains,
We embraced the idea that the characters were growing up, the books
were growing up, and the films should grow up as well. David and I are
similar, and we wanted to work against our biases, which tend to be
darker. We were both aware of that, and made an effort where we could to
have some fun, but we also wanted to be true to Harry's experience, which
is an adolescent experience-which when you look back on it may seem
embarrassingly morose or earnest or angry or over the top, but that's how
it feels when you're inside it.747
When we explore the uses of music for humor in the fifth film, we find comedic musical
relationships with dialogue, with peculiar scenarios, and with visually choreographed set-
pieces. What we find most often is the application of melodic dance rhythms and
stigmatized instrumentation (e.g., clarinets and bassoons instead of string textures) to
symbolize lighthearted situations. The frequent use of dance rhythms provides an
example of how the music allows viewers to feel delight about humorous circumstances.
However, the use of satire in some examples allows for intellectual responses as well.
745 For instance, when Order of the Phoenix member Nymphodora Tonks makes her own hair tum colors
and her own nose grow into animal shapes as a party trick at dinner, no music or sound effect registers
these background visuals (OotP DVD 15:20).
746 Rebecca Traister, "Harry Potter and the art of screenwriting," Salon. com, July II, 2007.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2007/07/1l/goldenberg_qa/index1.html(accessed July 7,2008).
747 Ibid.
575
Peekaboo Humor
Veatch explains that Peekaboo is a game that is often entertaining to very young
children, but less entertaining to older children and adults. Nevertheless, the
fundamentals of peekaboo humor are at work in some of the comedic events in the fifth
film. Hypothetically, when a caretaker hides his or her face from a toddler in the game
Peekaboo, it may seem to the young child that the structure of the world has been
upturned in a potentially threatening way. When the caretaker reveals his or her face, the
toddler often laughs. Veatch explains, "When at first something seems badly wrong, and
all of a sudden it turns out that it is really okay, one frequently laughs. This may be
called'relieflaughter.'''748 In The Order ofthe Phoenix, there are a few occasions for
surprise and relief akin to Peekaboo for which the orchestra accompanies the perceived
threat with an abrupt crescendo, but does not accompany the resolution in order to allow
for the calm of relief (and viewer laughter).749 Although the frequently-used music for
this stinger motif ("surprise!") was discussed in the previous chapter as an example of
mystery, the chart below clarifies how the motif allows for reliefhumor.750
748 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 197.
749 This is a convention typical of the of Max Steiner model of Classical Hollywood style, according to
Gorbman (Unheard Melodies, 88-89).
750 Another example of reliefhumor in the fifth film uses the opposite convention from a Stinger: a dead
silence. When Minister Fudge fmally acknowledges Voldemort's return by exclaiming "He's back!," the
silence that follows affmns how his epiphany has fallen flat with those who have been arguing the matter
for years. Additionally, the event of humor itself allows for comic relief after the lengthy battle scene
between Voldemort's minions and the members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix.
576
Table 6.4. Occurrences of peekaboo and reliefhumor accompanied by abrupt orchestral
crescendi in Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix
DVD Potentially threatening situations (Peekaboo)
8:23 Harry hears people breaking into his bedroom at night.
12:48 A door creaks open at Order headquarters.
13:52 Harry, Ron, and Hermione hear a sudden violent noise.
14:54 Harry and Mrs. Weasley hear a sudden violent noise.
Non-threatening Resolutions (Relief)
It turns out to be the Order, come to rescue him.
Ron and Hermione greet Harry
Fred and George magically appear ("apparate").
Fred and George magically appear.
This chart provides examples ofpeekaboo humor in which that which is unseen (left column) is perceived as
threatening (with the interpretive help of abrupt orchestra crescendi), but is soon revealed to be non-threatening (right
column). In these occurrences, the relief of the non-threatening resolutions creates a potential for relief laughter.
There are several musical themes that use nostalgic dance rhythms as one basis
for conveying humor,751 These rhythms include those used for soft-shoe tap-dance,
light jigs, schottisches, and polkas,752 Veatch explains how in linguistics, stigmatized
forms or dialect features may be perceived as funny by the majority group members,753
The tap-dance quality of many of the musical pieces in the fifth film functions similarly
as a stigmatized genre of music associated with vaudeville entertainment, with provincial
traditions, and with so-called lower forms of music practices (as presented in the context
of a classical orchestral film score).
For instance, when the Weasley twins use their magical "extendable ear" to
mischievously eavesdrop on a confidential meeting of Order of the Phoenix members, the
polka-like pas-de-basque rhythm of the accompanying music (as well as the use of
bassoon for the melody) conditions the viewer to expect a humorous scenario with
751 Here, I am addressing something different than my discussion of waltzes and other dances in the fourth
film. While waltz music is used for waltzing in The Goblet ofFire, dance music in The Order ofthe
Phoenix occurs only in the background score, and does not accompany dance on screen.
752 Additionally, the "Fireworks" theme discussed in previous sections features a 3+3+2 rhythm which is
conventional for many African and new-world dances.
753 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 202.
577
potentially humorous results (OotP DVD 14:02). Indeed, when Hermione's cat,
Crookshanks, begins to play with the ear like a toy on a string, their mischievous attempt
meets a comedic end. This provides an example of how music sets the atmosphere but
does not follow every physical gesture. New music, no longer in a dance rhythm, takes
over to broadly depict the speed and gestures of the cat's movements (OotP 14:35).
When Crookshanks ultimately captures the ear, the sound effects accompany the pounce
with a "splat" sound (OotP DVD 14:44), and the music stops. This provides an example
of how Hooper's music engages in a discourse of its own, much as the two comedic bits
(the Weasley's mischief and Crookshank's mischief) compete in the visual discourse
Likewise, when music in single jig rhythm accompanies as Mr. Weasley
awkwardly attempts to navigate a muggle-world underground turnstile, the music alerts
us to the potential humor in the transitional scene without paralleling each gesture as Mr.
Weasley misunderstands the relationship between his ticket and access to the Tube (OotP
DVD 17:42). This approach allows the filmmakers to interject a lighthearted moment
without drawing attention completely away from Mr. Weasley's more serious mission of
delivering Harry to his trial at the Ministry of Magic. Because Mr. Weasley's trouble
with the tumstyle is in the foreground of the visuals, the music does not need to explain
the details of the comedic bit.
Indeed, this is not the first time in the film that ajig rhythm reinforces a moment
of humor. One of the very first scenes in the film establishes with music and visuals that
much is terribly wrong-and also pleasurably wrong-with Harry's life in the muggle
world, and represents the incongruency with a metaphorical tap-dance. The following
description of the scene explores how visuals and music depict grotesque caricatures,
incongruencies, and the humor of what David Huron calls "prediction response."754
754 David Huron, Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology o/Expectation. (Cambridge:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006), 12.
578
An Example ofDance Music Conveying Humor: "Justice" and a Metaphorical Jig
When Harry returns home to the Dursley house after fighting off an
unprecedented Dementor attack in his muggle neighborhood of Little Whinging, the
visuals introduce viewers to Mr. and Mrs. Dursley with grotesque caricatures (OotP DVD
5:30). As previously stated, caricature is one form of comic distancing which mediates
the threat of adversaries. "Cruel individuals who are made ridiculous through gross
exaggeration and who posess no redeeming features seem unreal, almost comic-strip
figures, and this provides comic distancing."755 This distancing can reduce tensions and
make audiences more comfortable when watching horrible character behavior because it
assures the audience of its fictionality. In the case of the Dursleys, viewers may become
more comfortable with the family's abusive attitudes because they are made
uncomfortable by Mr. and Mrs. Dursley's inappropriate personal behaviors.
First, the camera introduces Petunia Dursley, who is scantily clad in a baby-doll
sundress (i.e., a style of dress that is incongruent with her age-group), and who reclines
with her legs spread as she sweats and fans herself (i.e., a presentation that violates
Petunia's intentions for propriety). Furthermore, when the television in the living room
announces that the weather is "hot," it may suggest an uncomfortably suggestive double-
entendre relating to Mrs. Dursley's appearance. Next, the camera introduces the
morbidly obese Vernon Dursley through a fish-eye lens perspective as he lurks in the
light of the refrigerator door with a spoon dangling from his mouth as he eats ice cream
from the carton (OotP DVD 5:44).
Although no background music accompanies these visuals, the grotesque
caricatures and the distorted perspectives set up the topsy-turvy nature of Harry's muggle
755 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 59.
579
life. This is different from the way that the other films establish the topsy-turvy nature of
the magical world and it provides an example of how the filmmakers for the fith film
engage the viewer in the experience ofthe unexpected.756 Nevertheless, by establishing
this new expectation-that the Dursley family seems more farcical than the magical
world-it also prompts the awareness that circumstances could go from bad to worse for
Harry.
Indeed, when the Dursleys see the effects of the Dementor attack in their son
Dudley's vacant, terrified features, they blame Harry (OotP DVD 5:54). Just as Vernon
sputters out how he will take no more ofHarry's "nonsense," an owl abruptly flies into
the living room bearing a letter (OotP DVD 6:14). The owl drops the letter on the couch,
but apparently flies into something himself, and drops clumsily to the floor-dearly an
allusion to Errol the owl's comedic motif in the second film. At this point, those viewers
who know about the magical letter motif (also witnessed in The Sorcerer's Stone and The
Chamber ofSecrets) know for certain that circumstances have indeed gone from bad to
worse for Harry-with pleasurable results for the viewer. Music psychologist David
Huron explains that people can derive great pleasure from negative outcomes when they
have the "satisfaction at having correctly anticipated this dismal outcome."757
Background music emerges with the arrival of the letter, and plays into this dismal
anticipation of the visuals with tremolo strings and walking bass (OotP DVD 6:22).
When the envelope "opens" (so to speak) into the form ofa cartoonish face (OotP
DVD 6:29), a woman's stern voice explains that the Ministry of Magic has accused Harry
of a criminal activity (for using the Patronus charm to save himself and Dudley from the
756 We also saw this upturned approach in our previous examination of the "Fireworks" theme, which
developed from order into chaos, instead of Hooper's usual organizing principle of discordance leading to
concordance.
757 Huron, Sweet Anticipation, 12.
580
Dementors), that Harry has been expelled from Hogwarts, and that the undersigned is
"hoping you are well, Mafelda Hopkirk." The dialogue given by the letter is full of
incongruencies and absurdities that may be perceived as funny by those who see the
progression of "bad to worse." For instance, it is absurd that Harry should be charged
criminally for defending himself, and incongruent that the undersigned hopes he is well
even as she delivers devestating news to him. The accompanying music affirms that we
should feel pleasure at this pain by accompanying Mafelda's words with parallel clarinets
playing dance-like dotted rhythms (OotP DVD 6:46), then erupting into a soft-shoe or jig
rhythm motif played by celeste over strings and walking bass (OotP DVD 6:57).
It is over this jig that the visuals provide another fish-eye perspective of Vernon
Dursley, who comedically hisses out the pronouncement, "Justice!" (OotP DVD 7:03).
This moment may be funny for viewers for several reasons. It is funny because we saw
Harry's spite against Aunt Marge Dursley play out in the third movie, and in a case of
tum-around is fair play, we see the Dursley's spite against Harry play out in this movie.
Perhaps there is pleasure in seeing Vernon Dursley win out just once! From a different
perspective, this moment provides a new example of how even Harry is not immune to
ridicule (much as he is not immune to it when he is repeatedly slammed against the front
window of the bus in the third film). In other words, the fact that Harry has to endure
enormous trials does not free him from being the butt of less harmful, humorous
circumstances. Indeed, this also relates to the notion of self-fulfilling prophecy, or "the
prediction response," as Huron calls it. We may find the scene funny because we suspect
that someday, somehow, Harry's limited luck will run out at the Dursley's. Moreover,
the particular alignment of the music with the pronouncement of "justice" is funny
because it metaphorically shows how Vernon Dursley's insides are doing a little jig-and
581
furthermore, suggests a humorous incongruency because Dursley's size would likely
prohibit him from really dancing with any ease.
However, what we see from the description above, is not how music establishes
humor for an entire scene or scenario, but rather, how music and visuals are coordinated
throughout the scene in order reach a pinnacle of humor at the end. This is significant
because Veatch points out that "complexity seems to increase the degree of perceived
humor, so that if a joke is seen to contain several hidden violations, it will be funnier than
if fewer were noticed."758 Perhaps, by extension, a humorous event is perceived as
funnier ifit includes several different kinds of violations. This is different from the set-
piece approach in which the form of a musical piece and visual perspectives are aligned
throughout (usually to emphasize physical humor), and also different from the approach
of inserting specific comedic bits amidst other non-humorous material (often to
emphasize bawdy or slapstick humor),759
Although the example above concerns a more delicate interplay of complex visual
and musical humor, the fifth film also includes conventional set-pieces in nostalgic dance
rhythms that exhibit so-called lower forms of humor. For instance, the jovial, 12/8
"Room of Requirement" theme frequently aligns with visuals to emphasize ideas and
movements, and also includes specific musical gestures to parallel comedic action or to
function as a laugh-track.760 For instance, the music makes way for dialogue when Ron
suggests that if the room is really a "room ofrequirement" it might appear when someone
758 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 181.
759 We see the latter, inserted slapstick approach in Moaning Myrtle's habanera scene in the fourth film.
First visuals show the comedic bit of Myrtle making advances on Harry, accompanied by the habanera
theme; then the visuals focus on narrative progress, showing both Harry and Myrtle underwater together
(Harry without clothing on), yet with no musical suggestion of humor or sexuality.
760 The music for the set-piece begins at OotP DVD 58:37.
582
really needs the toilet (OotP DVD 58:28), then a sound-effect from the room creates a
descending groan-like gesture (OotP DVD 58:31). Similarly, when Ron, who has been
acting smugly, is stunned and stupefied by Hermione's practice spell, the music responds
to the comedic awkwardness by having a bassoon (i.e. a characteristically awkward-
sounding instrument) take over the melody of the already jovial-sounding theme, while
the visuals continue on, showing how Ron's brothers bet money against his magical
prowess (OotP DVD 1:00:09-1 :00:35).
Professor Umbridge 's Schottische
Perhaps the most important dance rhythm theme in the film is Professor
Umbridge's schottische, which also conveys humor through incongruency.761 As
composer Nicholas Hooper describes in the CD liner notes, "Umbridge, the fluffy, mean,
cruel, and increasingly mad witch from the Ministry of Magic who takes over Hogwarts
has an insistent and slightly irritating tune that carries on oblivious to the harm it does.
While Umbridge is cruel and unyielding, her facade is paradoxically sweet. Hooper's
musical theme for Umbridge is congruent with her facade rather than with the character's
dramatic truth; an approach that Verdi believed could make tragedy all the more
tragic.762 However, this approach may also be both humorous and engaging at the same
time.
According to Veatch, something unremarkable "may be exaggerated so that in its
exaggerated form it is a violation of norms of personal behavior or appearance."763 This
761 The music for this set-piece begins with a tremolo string preparation at OotP DVD 46:02. The main
melody begins at OotP DVD 46:18.
762 De Van, Verdi's Theater, 256.
763 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 203.
583
certainly relates to the previous description ofthe Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, and can also be
related to both Dolores Umbridge's fluffy pink appearance and her insipid musical theme
in a schottische dance rhythm. According to Cross, exaggeration is not subtle, but
incongruity in caricature (such as with Umbridge, who is presented as both fluffy pink
and malevolent) can be subtle, and is considered a higher, more cognitive type of
humor.764 "Such humor relies upon ... [the] perception of something unexpected,
illogical, or inappropriate in some way to [the] normal view, which strikes [the perceiver]
as funny."765
The film representation of Dolores Umbridge also provides an example of
comedic satire and irony.766 Veatch explains,
In (written) satire, a situation containing a violation is presented without
any explicit acknowledgement of the existence of the violation(s). The
violations are presented deadpan, as though there were no violation at all,
so that the reader must detect or miss the violation on her own, actively
using her own moral conscience.767
Similarly, Cross explains how the effect of irony comes from "below the surface, saying
much more than it seems to be saying."768 According to Cross, ironic humor is
"particularly vulnerable to misunderstanding" because the perceiver must be able to (1)
764 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 61.
765 Ibid., 61.
766 The difference between satire and irony is subtle, and there is little agreement about the division
between the two concepts. The research from Cross and Veatch on satire and irony shows how these two
concepts are often intertwined in the service of humor. As we see, their descriptions of each emphasize the
common characteristics.
767 Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," 202.
768 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 67.
584
distinguish falsehood from truth, (2) "infer another's beliefs" (rather than perceive a
statement as a mistake), and (3) "infer another's intentions" (rather than perceive a
statement as deceit).769 In short, the perceiver must be able to discern the combination of
conflicting messages within a single code.770 Following Cross's argument, an unreliable
character such as Umbridge is a characteristic vehicle for irony because of the viewer's
suspicion of deceit.771
While Umbridge's verbal statements as a ministry official at Hogwarts are often
the opposite of what is right and just (and in some cases they parody statements made by
modem world leaders), the background music that accompanies Umbridge (i.e., the
theme "Professor Umbridge") consists of musical codes that are the exact opposite of
what is meant. This type of explicit contradiction is called "stable" irony, and, through
patterns of performance, may contribute to prolepsis (i.e., foreshadowing), which Cross
relates to the "pleasures of the humor of expectation and comic anticipation."772 This is
an important ingredient in the humor of the fifth film because, as Cross argues, long
anticipated and expected humor can be just as satisfying as that which surprises us.773
Indeed, when the viewer is led to anticipate something funny, it contributes to
"superiority humor," for which the viewer is "allowed the satisfaction of knowing more
than the characters."774
769 Cross, "Frightening and Funny: Humour in Children's Gothic Fiction," 66.
770 Ibid.
771 Ibid., 67.
772 Ibid., 69.
773 Ibid.
774 Ibid. Note, however, that this is a slightly different definition of "superiority humor" than Veatch uses
when he explains the pleasure at believing oneself to be superior to another.
585
However, the ability of viewers to interpret the intentions of filmmakers is an
important ingredient in the ability to find Umbridge's theme humorous. In the grand
visual montage highlighting Umbridge's new Ministry role as "Hogwarts High
Inquisitor," the theme is congruent with visuals in many ways, and clearly presents
musical conventions for humor. First, tremolo strings accompany the depiction of
Umbridge's rise to power much like a pitched drumroll before a spectacular event (OotP
DVD 46:02). Then, as previously noted, when the main theme begins, the skipping,
simple, child-like melody is congruent with Umbridge's facade of innocent sweetness
(OotP DVD 46: 18). As she walks the Hogwarts halls with a speed congruent with the
tempo of the theme (though not overtly aligning with the pulse of the added tuba, OotP
DVD 46:32), several of Umbridge's acts and inquisitions do align directly with
downbeats of phrases and other major pulses in order to emphasize humor. Many of
these acts are aggressively physical-such as when she magically disentangles two
teenage sweethearts, when she forces some loosened tie knots back toward the throats of
the wearers, and forcibly tucks in students' shirt tails (OotP DVD 46:41, 46:51, and
46:54). She destroys the magical fireworks with which the Weasley twins are playing
during a lull in the music, but then the music returns with a bassoon laugh-track (OotP
DVD 47:18).
Furthermore, when she interrogates each of the Hogwarts professors, dialogue
tends to align with the onset of musical phrases or with important rhythmic pulses. For
instance, when she interrogates Professor Snape, the viewer has the pleasure of seeing
him receive a comeuppance, in that she taunts him much as he taunts Harry throughout
the series (OotP DVD 46:57). Umbridge's cheerful disposition and accompanying music
are in contrast to Snape's sombre expression. Likewise, there is a humorous
juxtaposition between her rapid-fire questions and his slow, measured responses.
586
Moreover, the onset ofeach character's dialogue aligns with the beginning of a musical
phrase, thus suggesting a metaphor of choreographed dance to describe the folly of
Umbridge's inquisition.775
Nevertheless, the incongruency between the lighthearted theme and her
underlying malevolent intentions (as already discussed) creates a dramatic tension that is
experienced alongside the humorous tension. For some viewers, the dramatic tension is
felt more strongly than the humorous tension, and the irony comes across as offensive
rather than funny. For instance, a colleague (who generally favors the approaches in the
first films over the approach to the later films) specifically mentioned the
inappropriateness of Urnbridge's lighthearted theme as a signifier for a cruel character. "I
hate that theme!" he exclaimed during our conversation. For this viewer, the distinction
between falsehood and truth in the drama was clear (following Cross's requirements for
the comprehension of irony), but he was unable to rectify for himself the contradictions
that the film puts forth. In other words, for him, and perhaps for other viewers as well,
the overlay of comedy over tragedy makes it all the more tragic, rather than all the more
funny.
While a deep analysis of the sixth film, Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince,
is beyond the scope of this dissertation (as the DVD has not yet been released), there are
many notable examples of musical humor in the new installment. For instance, when a
tune resembling "Comin' Through the Rye" accompanies the funeral of the giant spider
Aragog (called "Farewell to Aragog" on the CD), it may simply reference Scottish
culture (through Robert Bums) with humorous overtones (regarding "when a body meet a
775 When, in the same vignette, Ron laughs at Snape's discomfort, Snape smacks him in the head with a
textbook---()n a downbeat, of course. This provides another example of layers of humor (similar to the
layers of mischief between the extendable ear and the cat). For instance, fIrst we may fInd Umbridge's
behavior funny, but then fInd Snape's discomfort even funnier, then fmd Ron's misfortune even funnier
yet.
587
body"), or it may serve as an allusion to James Joyce's reference to "Tomorrow will be
your funeral, comin' through the rye" in Ulysses, which adds another layer of subtextual
wit and humor.776 A different piece, the music for Professor Slughorn's schmoozing
party (called "The Slug Party" on the CD) is presented as a caricature oflounge-style
Latin jazz much as the party itself is visually presented as a caricature of such events.
Instead of using a musical piece that sounds "real," and letting the music slip in and out
of conversations and vignettes, Hooper's music includes only those musical elements that
tend to be heard in noisy social situations-conga drums, cymbals, rhythmic harmony
parts, and a few melodic gestures. As well, a hybrid musical piece alluding to both "The
Room of Requirement" and Umbridge's Schottische set-pieces from the fifth film
accompanies a new set-piece while students learn a complex, dangerous potion in
Professor Slughorn's classroom (called "The Living Death" on the CD). Much as in
Umbridge's theme, the rhythm of "The Living Death" aligns with humorous movements
and dialogue during the scene, and the lively dance rhythm serves as commentary-
indicating the paradox of creating a potentially deadly potion with such delight, and also
indicating the irony of how Professor Slughorn is under the delusion that his actions do
not have harmful consequences (much like Umbridge's similar delusion).
Summary and Conclusions
As we have seen in this chapter, two of the main narrative elements that appeal to
viewers of the Harry Potter films-magic and humor-are in fact presented in very
different ways by each set of collaborators. While there are similarities to be sure (e.g.,
the use of "Hedwig's Theme" as a signifier for magic, no matter how infrequent; and the
776
James Joyce, Ulysses, "Episode 8." http://www.online-literature.comljamesjoyce/ulysses/8/ (accessed
November 30, 2009).
588
use of aggressive forms of humor) there are several differences as well. Furthermore,
while both magic and humor consist of violations of the order of the normal world, there
is not necessarily a connection between the approaches to magic and the approaches to
humor over the course of the films. For instance, the approaches to magic in the first two
films are quite similar, while the filmmakers chose to add new kinds of humor to the
second film besides those they had used in the first film. While the third and fifth films
both use "Hedwig's Theme" a handful of times for key events in the story, the third film
emphasizes macabre humor with incongruous and interrupted pastoral melodies, while
the fifth film highlights ironic humor by means of nostalgic dance rhythms.
Over the course of the films, we see a shift from more lighthearted humor, to
humor that may be deemed offensive by some. For instance, in the third film, aggressive
humor unabashadly ridicules characters and violates the sanctity oflife. In the fourth
film, some humor stems from suggestive sexual circumstances that may seem
inappropriate. In the fifth film, the humor that revels in Harry's misfortune and that fails
to overtly acknowledge cruelty may be perceived as offensive by those wishing for
dramatic truth.
Additionally, of course, we see a variety of categories of humor. There tends to
be more so-called high humor in the later films, but so-called low humor is used
throughout. While this study did not provide an exhaustive examination of visual humor,
nor a comparison of humor between the books and the films, the mere exploration of how
music contributes to humor in the films provides the following categories: lighthearted,
cartoonish, socially sanctioned transgressions, violations of propriety, musical humor in
character leitmotifs, dark and macabre humor, irreverent and distorted humor, bawdy
humor, deadpan, socially transgressive humor, two forms of superiority humor,
peekaboo, mischief, caricature, and irony and satire.
589
We also examined different musical methods for bringing out humor. Sometimes
music is present for humorous visuals, sometimes it is not. Sometimes music aligns with
the humorous movements, while in other cases, music only provides a humorous
atmosphere. Sometimes music punctuates only certain events, while in some set-pieces,
important musical and visual events align throughout. Importantly, music often gives a
subjective perspective through which to perceive humor. For instance, while Gilderoy
Lockhart's theme signifies Lockhart himself, Rita Skeeter's theme signifies her pen. The
difference between these approaches creates a difference in the way we perceive the
characters.
We saw a number of examples in which music plays a greater than average role in
the suggestion of humor. For instance, the counterpoint punctuation of Stan Shunpike's
conversation with Harry makes an otherwise unremarkable scene seem delightful.
Similarly, the inclusion of an accordion during the Knight Bus ride creates a pun that
would not be present with visuals alone. In the fifth film, music creates the interpretation
that the mischief of Crookshanks the cat trumps the mischievous attempts of the Weasley
twins. Furthermore, some of the films include recurring motifs for which music set the
stage and silence gave the punchline. These motifs include Errol's clumsy flight,
Buckbeak's bats, the bluebird who blows up in the Whomping Willow, and the "surprise"
motif.
Veatch argues that there is a continuum from the unremarkable to the offensive, in
which humor lands somewhere in between, depending on the perceiver. As I have
argued, the different Harry Potter films include different categories of humor, and
different shades of humor ranging from the unremarkable to the offensive. Because some
of the humor is lost on some, and some of the humor is perceived as offensive by some,
this examination of the varied approaches to humor over the course of the film provides
,----------- --- ._---
590
an explanation for why the films resonate differently with different viewers.
Furthermore, this exploration supports my hypothesis that the series as a whole may
resonate with more viewers because more stylistic options are included.
I have argued that the differing aesthetic perspectives applied by each team of
filmmakers are generally congruent with perceptions ofthe narrative in its original novel
form, yet have also noted that each collaboration gave only a limited perspective due to
the limitations of working in film. This argument rings true for the discussion of humor
as well. Rowling's books certainly include the categories of humor that are highlighted
in the films, and according to some, Rowling's books include many more. However,
what we have not yet examined is how the large number of musical events in Rowling's
books (as briefly mentioned in the section on magic) stack up with the representations of
these musical events in the films, and vice-versa. In the next chapter, I interrogate the
ways that the film representations of (source) musical events are both similar and
different to their presentations in Rowling's novels.
591
CHAPTER VII
FOLKLORE AND VERNACULAR TRADITIONS AT THE NEXUS OF MUSIC AND
GENDER: A COMPARISON BETWEEN MUSICAL EVENTS IN HARRY POTTER
NOVELS AND FILMS
Introduction
This chapter presents my findings from a comparison between the ways musical
events are described in Rowling's Harry Potter novels and how these events are
represented in the film version of each book. I show how a relationship to folklore and
vernacular traditions is a common factor between music-making in the books and
representations of music-making in the films, and how representations of gender are often
at odds between examples from the books and those in the films. In short, while
Rowling's written descriptions of music-making include equal opportunity for female and
male participation, expression, authority, and power, music-making in the first five films
is represented with status quo gender bias and specificity, and lacks equal opportunity for
female and male participation, expression, authority, and power.
From the moment Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the original British
title for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) reached bookstores, readers, writers and
publicists launched discussions of gender.777 First, there was speculation because of the
777 John Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter (Hadlock: Zossima, 2002). Lana A. Whited,
Introduction to The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002).
592
author's anonymity. In agreement with her publicist, Joanne Rowling originally authored
the books as the ambiguously named "J. K. Rowling" so that her feminine identity would
not deter young boys from picking Harry Potter from the shelves. The simple deceit may
have worked. Before long, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone gathered fame as the
fiction book "appropriate[d] by adolescent boys, [who are] not traditionally a large
presence in the reading market".778 Even after Rowling's feminine gender became
known, book sales continued to skyrocket.779 Adolescent girls seem to eI\ioy the Harry
Potter saga just as much as boys, and adults without children are following the tale as
much as those with children.780
Other questions about gender agency within Harry Potter books and movies have
been discussed at a grass-roots level. While surfing various Harry Potter web sites over
the past years, I noticed active on-line discussions regarding issues of gender, power, and
authority. For these discussions, Harry Potter followers e-mailed their personal opinions
which were then posted for all web-surfers to view. In several cases, readers debated
whether Rowling's books are "feminist" in nature. While some readers cited Rowling's
elevation of the smart and opinionated female character Hermione Granger (over other
prettier, softer-edged female characters such as Pansy Parkinson and/or the Patil twins) as
an example of feminism, other contributors claimed that Rowling used too many
stereotypical male and female roles which undermined the potential for gendered
778 Lana A. Whited, Introduction to The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter (Columbia: University of Missouri,
2002), 10.
779 Ibid.
780 Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter, 6.
593
agency.781 According to Whited's introduction in The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter,
serious academic interest in Harry Potter developed by August 2000.782 Academic
theorists in literature, gender, and folklore took up similar discussions of gender, power,
and authority in the form of conferences and publications, often coming to similarly
mixed conclusions as had the non-academic website opinion posters.783 However, no
record through internet or library searches indicates that any of these discussions of
gender in Harry Potter broached the issue of music.
Discussions of music for the Harry Potter movies also eventually appeared on
web sites, but these discussions likewise did not acknowedge that the music could include
meaningful information about how the narrative stood up to issues of gender, power, and
authority. It is my focus in this chapter to show how the music presented and represented
in the Harry Potter narrative---especially music within folk and vernacular traditions-
offers meaningful information about the creators' (e.g. Rowling, the film directors, and
music composers) ideologies of gender for the narrative. In other words, I will show how
gender and gendered ideas are presented in Rowling's musical descriptions and
represented in the film music for Harry Potter.
Ideas ofmetaphorical gender representation in contemporary music for dramatic
performance can be traced to historical practices beginning in the late sixteenth and early
seventeenth centuries. Research from Susan McClary, Mary Ann Smart, and Gilles de
Van shows how specific musical codes have represented gender difference in music for
781 The phrase "gender agency" is used in contemporary feminist research to define circumstances in
which all genders may not overtly have equal power, but have equal access to function beyond
stereotypical roles. This is addressed later in the introduction in greater detail.
782 Lana A. Whited, Introduction to The Ivory Tower and Harry Palter, 1.
783 Ibid., 10. Eliza T. Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," in The Ivory Tower and
Harry Palter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 211.
594
live drama of various kinds since early Baroque times. McClary shows how early music
for drama followed the cadence of speech, imitating gendered rhetorical styles through
metaphors in music.784 Smart explores how both words and the ideas behind them (e.g.
text and subtext) were represented in classical forms of dramatic music in the nineteenth
century.785 Similarly, de Van argues that composers such as Verdi were masterful at
layering information into the music in addition to building beautiful melodies.786 Unlike
Claudia Gorbman's classic book about music for film, Unheard Melodies, this literature
examines case studies of dramatic works from the musical canon (although McClary also
addresses a late twentieth-century music video piece).787 An analysis that combines
Gorbman's film approach with gender case studies from historical music dramas provides
a more complete picture of how Harry Potter film composers use historically gender-
coded music in the contemporary film medium.
Gendered representation in music can also be analysed through an
ethnomusicologicallens. Many ethnographers have explored how music reflects andlor
reinforces cultural norms about gender, authority and power. While not all societal issues
are reflected in music, most musical structures reflect important social ideologies. For
instance, many cultures with hierarchical music organizations also have hierarchical
social organizations. Norman Stolzhoffs research for Wake the town and tell the people
shows this by explaining how strong social hierarchies in Jamaican culture are reflected
784 Susan McClary, Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota, 1991). See especially Chapter Two for the seventeenth-century.
785 Mary Ann Smart, Mimomania: Music and Gesture in Nineteenth-century Opera (Berkeley: University
of Califomia Press, 2004).
786 Gilles De Van, Verdi's Theater: Creating Drama Through Music (Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1998).
787 Claudia Gorbman, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1987).
-----------------" .. _. ----_ .._-- -----_._-
595
in the competitive style of urban dancehall music.788 Similarly, those cultures with
more egalitarian musical roles often exhibit relative egalitarianism in social structures.
For instance, Michelle Kisliuk's work with members of the BaAka culture in central
Africa supports others' claims (such as those made by Alan Lomax) that BaAka society
functions with relative egalitarianism (as reflected in their cooperative music-making),
but also shows the complexities of gender relationships (as seen in gender-specific music
traditions) that are sometimes in contrast to the Lomax's generalization.789 Likewise,
cultures that treat genders differently in the realm of music also tend to treat genders
differently within society. This is witnessed in Jane Sugarman's research with Prespa
Albanians which explores how cultural ideals for distinct gender roles are performed in
the context of gender-specific music-making and dance.790
What could a gendered analysis of music from Harry Potter books and movies
support or disprove regarding the treatment of gender in the folk groups of British society
within the Harry Potter narrative? With regard to an ethnomusicological method of
addressing a socio-musical question, my focus is two-fold: first, to discuss and analyze
how music and musical events are described in Rowling's novels, and second, to discuss
and analyze how these musical events are represented for the subsequent movies by film
directors and composers.
788 Nonnan C. Stolzoff, Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica (Durham, NC:
Duke University Press, 2000).
789 Michelle Kisliuk, Seize the Dance!: BaAka Musical Life and the Ethnography ofPerformance (New
York: Oxford, 1998).
790 Jane C. Sugannan, Engendering Song: Singing and Subjectivity at Prespa Albanian Weddings
(Chicago: University of Chicago, 1997).
596
There are many challenges in approaching the gendered aspects of J. K.
Rowling's Wizarding World from a musical cultural standpoint.791 First, in the novels
there is no musical notation. While all sorts of musical events are described in books 1-
VII, and metered, rhyming lyrics are sometimes printed, Rowling does not use musical
transcriptions. Second, there is no real-world culture described. Although the "muggle"
(non-wizard) culture is mainly set in Great Britain, the Wizarding culture, which is so
thoroughly explained throughout the majority of the story, is imagined. Nevertheless,
folklorists have considered the Wizarding World in terms of a true culture:
From the beginning of the series, Rowling introduces her readers to a
culture that differs markedly from their own. Wizarding society is
described in a fashion that entices the audience to want to be a part of it.
This society can be seen as a distinct folk group, with a cultural identity
paralleling that of a national group. The characters in the series also
undergo rites of passage similar to those children and adolescents go
through in real life.792
Although Wizarding society is described as markedly different from Euro-American
culture, Rowling also gives readers clues about the parallels between her Wizarding
society and real cultures through continual references to British-Irish and, when
appropriate, European culture and folklore. Her descriptions include allusions to folk
beliefs, folk practices, and folk music (as well as other day-to-day music practices and
events). For this reason, I contextualize her musical descriptions by comparing them to
living folk and vernacular music traditions in Britain and Europe. Additionally, I analyze
791 Even the naming of Rowling's magical world as the "Wizarding World" has been gendered by scholars
who distinguish witches from wizards when identifying genders separately, but lump genders together
under the umbrella-term "wizard" when referring to the Rowling's magical culture as a whole. When
possible I choose to use the term "magical world," but also use the term "Wizarding world/culture" when
specifically referring to Rowling's imaginary society.
792 Jann Lacoss, "OfMagicals and Muggles: Reversals and Revulsions at Hogwarts" in The Ivory Tower
and Harry Potter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri 2002),67.
597
and compare excerpts from musical scores for the first five movies-with the
understanding that while this music might be inspired by Rowling's written story, it was
written at least one or more steps removed from Rowling's original expectations.
The intent of this study is to show how a musical analysis of Harry Potter books
and films adds to the existing literature on both (l) gendered agency in Harry Potter and
(2) gendering in music for drama. In so doing, this study also contributes to the research
on literary adaptations in film that has come to be known as ideology study. That is to
say, when a film adaptation includes different narrative choices from the original
literature, the film may also present a new ideological perspective about humanity and
culture. I show that while Rowling's Wizard culture clearly resembles Euro-American
patriarchal systems with all their shortcomings, there is also ample room for male and
female agency among Rowling's characters.793 In general, musical events that are
presented with gender equality and agency in the novels are represented with less
equality and agency in the films. In some cases, I will discuss how the background (non-
diegetic) music from the first five Harry Potter movie scores reflect historical practices
for coding dramatic music in gendered ways. I address music descriptions from the book
using epistemological approaches from ethnomusicology and music examples from films
and soundtracks for the first five films with approaches from music theory,
choreomusicology, and film studies in order to support this claim. This chapter addresses
issues of gender and music in Harry Potter's world in two main sections. First, I
introduce some of the ways that other scholars have critically approached gender issues
in Rowling's work. Then, I analyze some ofthe significant musical descriptions found in
Harry Potter books I-VII in terms of gender. As applicable, I will make comparisons
between book descriptions and corresponding aural examples from the film scores.
793 I follow the philosophical defmition ofagency which describes a person's capacity to make choices-
often evidenced by the provision ofchoice and the availability of different options.
598
Previous Approaches to Harry Potter and the Matter of Gender
Several aspects of the Harry Potter phenomenon have been scrutinized regarding
gender, gendering, and gender bias. For instance, sources such as John Granger's The
Hidden Key to Harry Potter claim that the Harry Potter books have sold more copies than
any other book in recent history-perhaps due to the relatively untapped, young, male
readership previously mentioned. The phenomenal sales record led to gendered dialogue
regarding Rowling's potential place in the canon of literature. Perhaps because
qualitative evaluations based solely on Rowling's gender would not be tolerated in
contemporary times, critics have often turned Rowling's strengths and successes into
shortcomings. While it is not the purpose of this document to make a judgement on this
matter, it is relevant to the discussion of gender to report on the ways the issues swirling
around Rowling's work have been framed. For instance, critics such as folklorist Jack
Zipes claim that Potter popularity itself suggests its inappropriate consideration as
literature-if everybody likes it, it can't be good.794 Additionally, Zipes claims that
because Rowling puts her own twist on the folklore and mythology that she describes, her
tale becomes "fake-lore" instead of "folklore." Ironically (considering Zipes'
background in folklore), it is a major theoretical tenet of the folklore discipline that
folktales and mythologies must continue to have variation in order to remain folkloric. In
other words, if folklore remains static, it dies. Therefore, one can argue equally that
Rowling maintains folk traditions by invigorating them with her own ideas.795
794 Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter, 17.
795 I do not argue that the Harry Potter narrative is folklore, but rather that Rowling draws on folklore and
folklore variations for her own story, as is the perogative of any storyteller in Western folklore traditions,
and/or any literary author.
599
Perhaps this is similar to the ways that young people and adults have fueled the
Harry Potter phenomenon from a grass-roots (i.e. folkloric) level, as opposed to the ways
that books considered to be "literature" are prescribed from the top down. The global
popularity of the Harry Potter saga (the novels have been translated into several
languages) reflects the shared cultural tastes of a globalized folk group consisting of
young readers and those in their parents' and grandparents' generations. In other words,
Rowling's work is both commended and condemned for her ability to inspire folk of
today's generations. Whited writes:
I suspect that Harry Potter books' unprecedented success has been both a
blessing and a curse. A fairly common stereotype is that notion that works
of great literary or artistic value do not enjoy commercial success. This is
a stereotype, not a prejudice.... However, some critics extrapolate from
this stereotype the notion that commercial success and literary value are
mutually exclusive at worst or inversely proportional at best.796
Similar to Granger's and Whited's formulation of the stereotype that commercial
success negates literary worth, some have dismissed the potential musical worth of film
music that is commercially successful. Some believe that because film music isn't meant
to be heard per se, but rather to be passively taken in as a medium subordinate to the
narrative of the film, that it loses its capacity to achieve high art. This matter may be
linked to a larger social perception of gender in which dominance equals masculinity, and
subordinance denotes femininity, as discussed by musicologists Susan McClary and
Mary Ann Smart, as well as cultural historians such as Edward Said. In the twentieth and
twenty-first centuries, many music composers, theorists, and critics have argued that
music as so-called art must be for the sake of music alone, and must not be bound to
796 Whited, Introduction to The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter, 7.
600
audience preferences. In this view, film music (i.e. a popular genre that caters to
audience tastes) cannot be high art. Notably, even as a so-called high art, music for
music's sake has grappled with social perception as a so-called feminine art (albeit still
dominated professionally by men) in many Euro-American societies.797 Ifthe music is
subordinate to both visual narrative and audience preference, then music itself is no
longer dominant, and is therefore further feminized. Furthermore, dramatic musical
works, such as opera and (and even more so) ballet, have also been historically perceived
as subordinate to the visual dramatic elements, as discussed by Inger Damsholt, Mary
Ann Smart, Gilles de Van. This kind of subordination has also been perceived in social
consciousness as a feminization of music for drama and thus, by association, has
furthered the existing perceptions of film music as a feminine medium that is outside of
the musical canon.798
Other critics such as Harold Bloom seem to attack Rowling's gender by claiming
that Rowling's writing isn't literature because it cannot be easily compared with the
writing of other (male) literary authors such as C. S. Lewis or Samuel Clemens.799 It is
precisely because these male critics have downplayed Rowling's success because of her
popularity and through comparison to the fore-fathers (rather than fore-mothers) of
literature that others such as Granger have become suspicious of gender bias---or more to
797 Judith Tick, "Charles Ives and Gender Ideology" in Musicology and Difference: Gender and Sexuality
in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth Solie (Berkeley: University of Califomia Press, 1993),83-106.
798 This is not to say that opera and ballet composers have not been accepted into the musical canon.
However, the exclusion of ballet music (beyond Stravinsky's Rite of Spring) in mainstream music history
courses, and the exclusion of operatic music from mainstream classical radio stations, each for varied
reasons, point to social emphasis on instrumental and vocal music free from the confines ofnarrative
representation. To be fair, however, some classical music stations do play film soundtracks.
799 Granger, The Hidden Key to Harry Potter, 17. Whited, Introduction to The Ivory Tower and Harry
Potter, 8.
601
the point, gender exclusion.soo Perhaps Rowling's folkloric topics and younger target
audience also aid perceptions that her work is subordinate to other fiction appealing to
adults. For instance, Edward Said points to the ways that superstition (e.g. folklore and
mythology) is perceived as subordinate to so-called scientific truths. Thus, Rowling's
folkloric fantasy may gain less attention than other so-called science-fiction fantasy.SOl
Similarly, the telling of folk tales (and children's storytelling in general) was historically
within the female sphere in Euro-American culture. Acknowledged famous folklore
collectors such as the Brothers Grimm often gathered their stories from un-named
women. Furthermore, the notion of young-people's culture has been historically
subordinate (and feminized) in comparison to adult culture. Although critics continue to
debate Harry Potter's place in literature, and while supporters recognize the need for
longevity before such claims can be justly argued, the female organizer of The Ivory
Tower and Harry Potter writes, "So the answer to the question of whether Harry will be
taken seriously by those within the 'Ivory Tower' appears to be a resounding 'yes' ."S02
I am indebted to Whited's organization of The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter for a
number of critically written resources cited in this essay. In "Hermione Granger and the
Heritage of Gender," Eliza Dresang writes about one ofthe substantial dialogues
concerning Harry Potter characters and gender.
SOO One of the most popular book of the nineteenth century, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," was also written by a
woman, and is also typically excluded from literature anthologies---even in contemporary times.
SOl Although Ursula LeGuin is perhaps the most famous female author of science-fiction novels, the genre
as a whole appears dominated by male authors. Incidently, some critics of the Potter novels, such as John
Pelmington have argued that Rowling "ripped-off' material (such as Fluffy the Three-Headed dog) from Le
Guin's novels. In fact, Rowling borrowed the idea from a much older source---Greco-Roman mythology.
S02 Whited, "Introduction," in The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter, 2.
602
Hermione, as both a name and a persona, has raised considerable interest
among literary critics and the public in general. ... Moving on beyond her
name, more substantive discourse has focused on feminist issues in
relation to both Hermione and other less central female characters in the
books. Reviewers, literary critics, and other readers have pondered the
question of gender representation. "Well I was just wondering about the
sexism in the series. Do you think it exists, even when J. K. Rowling is a
woman?" queried one thoughtful thirteen year 01d.803
In this introduction Dresang references the observation that while Hermione is a
strong character, she is still secondary to the male hero, Harry Potter. Furthermore, there
are few fully developed female characters aside from Hermione. This claim is also
argued by Christine Schoefer who writes, "The world of everyone's favorite kid wizard is
a place where boys come first."804 In interviews, however, Joanne Rowling has
claimed that she never consciously intended to write a feminist text, and that characters
were developed for the purposes oftelling a story the way she thought it should be
told.805
I was writing the books for six months, before I stopped and thought:
Well, he's a boy. How did that happen? Why is he a boy? Why isn't it
Harriet? And number one, it was too late, Harry was too real by then for
me to try to put him in a dress. That wasn't going to work. And then
there was Hermione-and Hermione is an indispensable part of the books
and how the adventures happen. And she is so much me that I felt no guilt
about keeping the hero who had walked into my head. You know, it was
803 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 211.
804 Christine Schoefer, "Harry Potter's girl trouble," Salon. com, 2000.
http://www.123peop1e.com/extlfrm?ti=person%20fmder&search_term=christine%20schoefer&search_cou
ntry=US&st=person%20finder&target_ur1=http%3A%2F%2Fdir.sa10n.com%2Fstory%2Fbooks%2Ffeatur
e%2F2000%2FO1%2F13%2Fpotter%2F&section=weblink&wrUd=217 (accessed November 16, 2009).
See also Rod Liddle's "Hogwarts is a winner because boys will be sexist neocon boys," Times Newspapers
Ltd. , July 21, 2007. http://www.timeson1ine.co.ukltollcommenticolumnists/rod_liddle/article2116237.ece
(accessed November 16,2009).
805 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 220.
603
uncontrived. It wasn't conscious. That's how he happened. So I kept him
that way.806
Furthermore, Mimi Gladstein points out that the hero of the Rowling's story has equally
one female and one male friend, which is in contrast to many other hero epics which
include only one male sidekick.807
Regarding Hermione, Rowling states that the character "was most consciously
based on a real person, and that person was me. She's a caricature of me when I was
younger."808 In an interview available on The Chamber ofSecrets DVD, Emma
Watson, the young actress who plays Hermione, commented that she enjoyed seeing how
Hermione developed a richer personality during her second year at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft, and that she believes that Hermione thoroughly enjoys being the only girl
among male friends. In a separate printed interview, Watson states,
I have too many friends on the set, and I love Hermione too much. I
couldn't see anyone else playing her. It would have killed me. There's so
much of me in her.... I'm a bit of a feminist. I'm very competitive and
challenging.809
Both Rowling's and Watson's comments regarding the character Hermione support the
potential for the character's individual agency-that is to say, the ability of the character
to extend beyond mere caricature and expected traditional gender roles.
806 Ibid.
807 Mimi R. Gladstein, "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hennione and the Women of Hogwarts" in
Harry Potter and Philosophy: IfAristotle Ran Hogwarts, ed. David Baggett and Shawn E. Klein (Chicago:
Open Court, 2004), 49-60.
808 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 212.
809 Movie Magic, "Harry Potter: Hero of Hogwarts," Life Story, February 6, 2006, 17-18.
604
Potter followers and scholars have observed Rowling's interesting and crafty use
of names for her characters. Considering both naming and gendered identity, Dresang
points to the historic and mythological lineage of strong, brave and otherwise notable
Hermiones from which the name of Rowling's character stems, agreeing with David
Lucking that, "the history of a name will also be the history of an identity."810 This is
not unlike the ways that film music brings in cultural and musical coding from other
usages. When music is perceived as masculine or feminine it is because of the history of
its identity within cultural and/or musical spheres. Susan McClary writes:
Beginning with the rise of opera in the seventeenth century, composers
worked painstakingly to develop a musicial semiotics of gender: a set of
conventions for constructing "masculinity" or "femininity" in music....
These codes change over time-the "meaning" of femininity was not the
same in the eighteenth century as in the late nineteenth, and musical
characterizations differ accordingly. To be sure, many aspects of the
codes are strikingly resilient and have been transmitted in ways that are
quite recognizable up to the present: for instance, musical
representationss of masculine bravura or feminine seductiveness in
Indiana Jones movies resemble in many respects those in Cavalli's
seventeenth-century opera. But if some aspects of the codes prove stable,
it is not because music is a "univerallanguage," but rather because certain
social attitudes concerning gender have remained relatively constant
throughout that stretch of history.811
Additionally, Dresang mentions the elevation of Hermione's given name in comparison
to those of her male compatriots: while Harry and best-friend Ron are often called
"Potter" or "Weasley" respectively, Hermione is rarely called by her surname "Granger"
in Rowling's novels. 812 Similarly, Justin London writes how musical leitmotifs in film
810 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 213.
811 McClary, Feminine Endings, 7-8.
812 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 212.
605
can function as proper pronouns function in language.813 As was discussed in an earlier
chapter, John Williams wrote a leitmotif for the first two Harry Potter films representing
friendship which is applied equally to support the presence of Harry's two best friends,
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. In other words, the background music makes no
distinction between Harry's female and male friends.
Rowling's characterizations in names also spills into the realm of music. In the
following interview excerpt she refers to Professor Dumbledore (who is the headmaster
of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which Harry Potter attends), and to
Hedwig (who is Harry's indispensable-and female-white owl):
I love names, as anyone who has read the books is going to see only too
clearly.... Dumbledore is an old English dialect word for bumblebee,
because he is a musical person. And I imagine him humming to himself
all the time.... Hedwig was a saint, a Medieval saint. I collect them.
You know, if I hear a good name, I have got to write it down. And it will
probably crop up somewhere. 814
Indeed, headmaster Dumbledore does hum, as described on page 298 of the first novel
(Sorcerer's Stone), and also enj oys chamber music, as stated on page 103 of the same
book The medieval Hedwig is also historically recognized for her role as a student and
patron of music.
Feminist theory and gender criticism are sometimes mistakenly understood as
ideas and topics pertaining only to women. In contrast, Terri Doughty's article,
"Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boy's Book' Market," also from The Ivory Tower and
Harry Potter, explores gendered interpretations of male characters in Rowling's books.
813 Justin London, "Leitmotifs and Musical Reference in the Classical Film Score" in Music and Cinema,
ed. James Buhler, Caryl Flinn, and David Neumeyer (Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 2000), 85-98.
814 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 212.
606
She posits that agency for boys and male characters is just as important as it is for girls
and female characters, and that Harry Potter's journey from adolescence to adulthood
provides an excellent model for this.8l5 As an example of such agency in Harry Potter,
Doughty cites Dumbledore's wise response when Harry confesses his fear that he might
truly belong in Slytherin (the Hogwarts house from which most evil wizards historically
emerged).
. . . Dumbledore calmly agrees that he possesses many qualities in
common with Voldemort [a former Slytherin], but then insists that what
distinguishes Harry from the latter is his choice not to be like him: "It is
our choices...that show us for what we truly are, far more than our
abilities." 816
In other words, Rowling, speaking through the character of Professor Dumbledore,
clearly advocates that choice and the ability to choose creates identities-not the body,
natural talents, or anything else that is given at birth. This philosophy clearly fits within
Judith Butler's long-standing, yet still progressive theories that culture (more than "sexed
bodies") shapes the boundaries of one's gender, and that gender agency is achieved
through iteration and reiteration of gendered performance.8l7 Not only are Rowling's
books filled with a colorful variety ofmale characters-irrational Uncle Vernon, wise
Professor Dumbledore, stem Barty Crouch, prissy Percy Weasley, inquisitive Arthur
Weasley, and Harry's godfather Sirius, who is both tender and courageous-but
additionally, each book provides multiple opportunities for Harry and other male (and
815 Terri Doughty, "Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boys Book' Market" in The Ivory Tower and Harry
Potter, ed. by Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 243-260.
816 Doughty, "Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boys Book' Market," 248. Rowling, Harry Potter and the
Chamber a/Secrets, 333.
817 Judith Butler, Bodies that Matter (New York: Routledge, 1993), 129.
607
female) characters to develop and change, to learn from challenges, and to grow in
integrity. Harry develops both stereotypically masculine and feminine characteristics
throughout the series. He exhibits athleticism and bravery in equal amounts as
introspection, thoughtfulness and caring.
The rise of the Potter books reminds us of the need for that work to be
done. We would read the Potter books differently if they were about
Harriet Potter. By celebrating male heroism at a moment when popular
culture fears male violence, indeed when boys are seen as killers, Rowling
has tapped into a kind of collective unconscious need to be reminded that
boys have a path toward maturity to follow, and that they can indeed make
it, both with help and on their own. As a mother of a son, I, too, find
Harry's adventures reassuring.818
As you will remember, we saw how music suported the evolution of Harry's emotional
world in the discussion of musical themes for love, loss and death, and Harry's struggles
against evil in Chapter V.
David Steege chooses to address gender equality in his article regarding Harry
Potter as part of the British boarding school genre of children's novels. While traditional
boarding schools were either all-male or all-female, Harry Potter's Hogwarts School
experience more accurately reflects contemporary co-ed boarding school systems.
Her [Rowling's] school reflects today's Britain, for one: it is a
coeducational institution with an ethnically diverse student body, one
where individuality is important. Looking at much of the online material
for the great public boarding schools, one can see that these are all current
trends. Moreover, because the houses themselves are coed, a female
professor can be house master of male students, such as Professor
McGonagall of Gryffindor, and a male professor can be house master of
female students, such as Snape of Slytherin.819
818 Doughty, "Locating Harry Potter in the 'Boys Book' Market," 257.
819 David K. Steege, "Harry Potter, Tom Brown, and the British School Story" in The Ivory Tower and
Harry Palter, ed. Lana A. Whited (Columbia: University of Missouri, 2002), 153.
608
This is an example of how Rowling draws from recognized British culture when crafting
her magical world. She draws from past traditions, current trends, and her own social
ponderings.
I choose to follow Dresang's interpretations offeminism, and am guided by her
advice for feminist analysis. In her basis for analysis, Dresang writes:
Feminist theory takes as givens the premises that society is patriarchal and
that women do not occupy a position of political, economic, or social
equality, creating difficulties and barriers for both genders. Feminism
advocates for the rights and interests of women unfettered or undeterred
by the patriarchal structure. Feminist theory provides various frameworks
from which to examine, explain, and understand how gender affects all
aspects of life, primarily focusing on females as the more disadvantaged
gender, but also analyzing how the patriarchal structure negatively affects
males.820
Dresang further explains that the theoretical approach to feminist thought that most
readily accepts a variety of perspectives is postmodernist feminism. According to Tong,
Postmodem feminists ...remind us that as bad as it is for a woman to be
bullied into submission by a patriarch's unitary truth, it is even worse for
her to be judged not a real feminist by a matriarch's unitary truth... 821
For my work researching music and gender in Harry Potter, then, I am reminded that
Rowling did not set out to write a feminist novel nor did she overtly present a musical
story. On the contrary, her goal was to express her individual creative idea in the form of
a seven-novel saga. The following sections regarding music and gender explore the ways
820 Dresang, "Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender," 216.
821 Ibid.,218. Rosemarie Putnam Tong, Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction 2nd ed.
(New York: HarperCollins, 1998),279.
609
that Rowling's descriptions and the first five film music scores do and do not provide
gender agency for Rowling's characters.
Musical Events and Descriptions in Books I-V: Written Contexts and Filmed
Re-contextualizations
In contemporary research methods, studying context has become as important as
analyzing content.822 Even without the benefit of written musical notation in the Harry
Potter novels, there are many potentially useful contextual questions to ask regarding
Rowling's descriptions of music throughout the Harry Potter narrative. When does music
happen? Is it a formal or informal event? Who performs music and who does not? Are
there certain expectations describing how the music should be performed and who can
perform it in this way? What kinds of instruments are used and which genders play
them? What kinds of power and/or authority are associated with music making? Who
benefits from the power or authority of the music? By answering these questions, one
can learn more about how Rowling envisioned the music-making culture in the magical
world.
Most musical events in the novels are reminiscent ofeveryday Euro-American
music experiences regarding occasion, transmission, performance and effect. For
instance, music plays both formal and informal roles at certain school ceremonies at
Hogwarts, and is part of active traditions of taunting and cheering, especially during
athletic events. There are also examples of music used ritually for special events and as
822 D. K. Wilgus and Barre Toelken, The Ballad and the Scholars: Approaches to Ballad Study (Los
Angeles: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1986), 31.
610
part of magical transactions (i.e. incantations).823 For instance, on the train to Hogwarts
in Harry's first year (Sorcerer's Stone), Ron attempts to change the appearance of his pet
by casting a magic spell with rhyme and rhythmic lilt:
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow" 824
However, there are no examples of formal music instruction in the books, though
movies number III and V (Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, respectively)
both include a co-ed, formally-instructed choir, conducted by a dwarf-sized wizard,
dressed in concert black attire, and conducting with a baton.825 In the third movie
(Prisoner of Azkaban), this concert master leads an ensemble of twenty-three singers
(eight males and fifteen females, interspersed on three rows of rising steps) and two
female recorder players offto one side. Additionally, two singers play frame drums (a
boy plays a bodhran-like drum while a girl plays a frame drum with her hand), and five
singers (four girls and one boy) hold large croaking toads.826 In the fourth movie, the
same conductor directs English band music played by Seuss-like brass and percussion
instruments in the bleachers during the third task ofthe Tri-Wizard Tournament. In the
823 This relates to Euro-American relgious rites (i.e. liturgical chant), and to phrases and proverbs such as
"Kane hora," "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," or "Knock on wood," that provide protection in
folk belief systems.
824 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 105.
825 Additionally, the third film includes a seemingly well-rehearsed ensemble of carolers singing in
standard, hierarchical, homophonic style.
826 It is unclear why there are more females than males in the choir, as the song was recorded by an all-
male ensemble, The London Oratory School Schola (a Catholic boys choir). It is possible that the movie
makers wished to represent typical school-age choirs in which fewer boys participate due to difficulties
negotiating their maturingpassagios. For similar biological reasons, perhaps more females held toads than
males because all were in the front row, and singers appeared to be arranged by height.
611
fifth movie (Order of the Phoenix), the same conductor (no longer in concert robes, but
instead in white shirt, bow tie, and waistcoat) rehearses a smaller vocal ensemble of six
females and six males who stand in an arc with black music stands in front of them.
Needless to say, the Hogwarts choir and band represented in the films seem modeled
after institutional choirs and bands in the Anglican tradition-aside from the giant
croaking toads. That is to say, the films represent formal music education even though
the books do not.
In contrast, when music is learned in the books (except for magical incantations
such as those rehearsed in Professor Flitwick's Charms class), it is either through oral
transmission, spontaneous performance, and/or trial and error. Much as in many
traditional cultures, some singing is performed by both genders, while musical
instruments are played more frequently by males. I argue that while Rowling's musical
landscape appears to depict a traditional patriarchy, there are some very clear exceptions
suggesting agency for both genders.
While readers cannot be sure what music sounds like in Rowling's imaginary
landscape, two arguments support the claim that the sound of wizarding music is similar
to the sounds of music in the globalized musical economy ofRowling's readership. First,
most aspects of the wizarding world resemble real-world experiences with an added
magical twist. For instance, the athletic game of Quidditch resembles elements of real-
world sports such as soccer, basketball, and baseball, with the added twist that students
fly on brooms while playing. Likewise, the Hogwarts boarding-school structure
resembles real-world British educational institutions with the added twist that Hogwarts
castle and grounds are magically hidden from view, and students in attendance learn
magical skills. I will discuss later the example of an enchanted harp that plays music
without the aid of a musician physically plucking the strings. This example fits within
612
the aforementioned paradigm of a normal experience (i.e. harp music) with an added
magical twist (i.e. the harp is charmed to play by itself). Second, it is Rowling's pattern
to give readers detailed descriptions when an experience in the magical world varies from
normative expectations. Because she never describes magical music as sounding
different from real-world music, it is reasonable to conclude that there are more intended
similarities than differences.
Gender and Poetic Text: the Sorting Hat's Songs
The very first example of music at Hogwarts is the magical Sorting Hat song from
chapter seven in the first novel, The Sorcerer's Stone. 827 The Sorting Hat is a large,
patched, pointed, black hat that was enchanted hundreds of year ago by one of the
founders of Hogwarts School so that it could (when placed on a candidate's head) sort
incoming students into the four school houses (i.e. Ravenclaw, Huffelpuff, Slytherin, or
Gryffindor). The trope of enchanted hats assisting humans with magic is common in
Euro-American folklore traditions.828 In Harry Potter, the Sorting Hat has been
enchanted by one of Hogwarts' founding fathers (Godric Gryffindor) so that it can read
the mind of the wearer, sorting through all her/his thoughts in order to determine her/his
true character, matching each student with the ideals of each school house. In Harry's
first year at Hogwarts, the hat sings a song illuminating its capabilities as a judge of
students' character, and describing the four houses into which the students will be
827Three significant musical events take place in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone-(l) the Sorting
Hat's song, (2) students singing the Hogwarts alma mater, and (3) the music that lulls Fluffy the dog to
sleep. I address the latter two events in different sections, and address the first example in this section.
828 Some examples include hats that grant wishes or power to the wearer, magician's hats that hide or stow
away objects, and hats that signify positions of divined power within conventional organized hierarchies
(e.g. the pope's hat, or the queen's crown).
613
sorted.829 While readers can only imagine what the song actually sounds like, it is clear
that the hat, and its song are powerful-the hat's judgement sets the course for each
Hogwarts student's academic experience, and the hat's song imparts the information
about why and how this is done. As I explain in more detail below, the gender of this
powerful singing hat is somewhat ambiguous in Rowling's text, yet tends toward
masculine attributes. In contrast, the powerful hat is persuasively represented as male in
the Harry Potter movies.
The text for the Sorting Hat's song from The Sorcerer's Stone is printed in
context below. I have underlined accented syllables in the song text in order to illustrate
my argument that will follow.
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall
silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the
stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and
extrememly dirty... For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then
the hat twitched. A rip near the brim openend wide like a mouth-and the
hat began to sing:
"Oh, YOU may not think I'm.J2Ijitty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myselfifyou can.find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall.
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So !lJ!. me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryfjindor.
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chival!J!..
Set GrJ!.(findor apart;
829 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 107.
614
You might belong in Hutfle121!fl
Where they are just and loyal,
Those QQtient HuffleI2J:J.f[§.. are true
And unafraid oftoil;
Or J!!4 in wise old Ravenclaw,
{[you've a ready mind,
Where those ofwit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunningfolk use fl!1Y means
To achieve their ends.
So.Jm1. me on! Don't be aftaid!
And don't get in a.f1gp!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to
each of the four tables and then became quite still again. 830
Although Harry observes the pointy "wizard" style ofthe hat (that indeed had
once belonged to the wizard Godric Gryffindor), notice how Rowling's description of the
hat avoids labeling the hat (or the hat' s voice) with either male or female third person
pronouns.831 Similarly, Harry and Ron refer to the hat as "it" in Rowling's fourth novel
(The Goblet o.lFire) following the hat's opening song:
The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.
"That's not the song it sang when it Sorted us," said Harry,
clapping along with everyone else.
"Sings a different one every year," said Ron. "it's got to be a
pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year
making up the next one."832
830 Row1ing, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 17-18.
831 Furthennore, it is possible that Rowling uses the adjective "wizarding" as a gender-neutral, all-
encompassing descriptor, similar to the ways that critical writers have discussed the mixed-gender, magical
culture as "wizarding society."
832 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 176.
615
Nevertheless, while I have initially referred to the hat as an "it," could other evidence
overrule this gender-neutral assignment? Gendered words in the song text suggest the
Sorting Hat's masculinity. While the text includes one traditionally feminine adjective,
"pretty," there are many more masculine and/or gender neutral comparisons such as
"bowlers black," "top hats," and "thinking cap."833 Arguably, though, even the hat's
comparison with masculine-style hats does not necessarily reflect the Sorting Hat's own
gender834 .
Rowling describes the hat's voice with similar gendered ambiguity on page 121 of
the same book (book one, The Sorcerer's Stone). When the students ahead of Harry put
the Sorting Hat on, Harry hears the hat "bellow" the name of the Hogwarts house into
which each student will go. When Harry puts the hat on his own head, he hears the hat's
"small voice" in his ear before the hat announces aloud that Harry belongs in Gryffindor.
While a "bellowing" voice might be perceived as masculine, and a "small" voice in
contrast might be perceived as feminine, the Sorting Hat uses both. Although the Sorting
Hat does not sing the sorting-song in the movies, the hat does speak, using a low, gruff
voice that is decidedly masculine (SS DVD 43:17).835 Additionally, the Warner
833 While "thinking cap" is not necessarily gender specific in contemporary times, the notion of thinking
has historically been masculinized in comparison with the notion ofjeeling. Furthermore, the term
"thinking cap" historically refers to caps worn by traditional judges (e.g. masculine judges) in the process
of making a ruling decision.
834 The hat also "bows" at the end of the song, which a gender-neautral response in contemporary times.
Had the hat "curtsied," most readers would interpret the hat as female.
835 The voice of the Sorting Hat is provided by Leslie Samuel Phillips, b. 1924.
616
Brothers Harry Potter website once featured a cyberspace version Sorting Hat who speaks
the first book's sorting-song lyrics in the same kind of male voice as used in the film. 836
Investigation of the Sorting Hat's text, regular meter and rhythmic cadences may
likewise support the duality and/or neutrality of the hat's gender. The matters of meter
and rhythm are paramount in the novels' examples because no melodic or harmonic
notation is provided. However, in historical European folk music, some theorize that
vocal melodies were "merely a vehicle for conveying words and never became
autonomous."837 In other words, vocal expression has historically been based on speech
patterns.838 For this reason, I argue the appropriateness of considering the musical
attributes of this song, and others throughout the Harry Potter novels, in spite of the lack
of musical notation, by addressing rhythmic aspects ofpoetic, lyrical speech instead.
In traditional dramatic musical codes dating to the early Baroque, meters have
often been used to represent particular genders and/or gendered ideas. While march-like
duple meters are often used to depict male characters and masculinity, dance-like triple
meters are often used to depict female characters and femininity. Which meter or meters
are represented in the Sorting Hat's song?
Because of the comma following the first word, "Oh," this word functions like an
up beat. Following the force of gravity, the next word, "you," receives a strong beat and
propels the reader forward to the next significant word, "think." If spoken like this, the
836 Found at www.HarryPotter.com(accessedOctober.15.2004).Phillips is not credited for the voice on
the web site, nor on the DVD special features, though it is possible that his voice is used. This example is
no longer available on the website.
837 Curt Sachs, The Rise ofMusic in the Ancient World: East and West, (New York: W. W. Norton and
Company, 1943),308.
838 Jan Ling, A HistOlY ofEuropean Folk Music (Rochester: University of Rochester, 1997), 117. Indeed,
we see echoes of this principle in the organization of church hymns by both text and tune (which may be
interchangeable), and also the categorization of folksongs by both families of texts and families of
melodies.
617
text of the Sorting Hat's song falls into a standard compound duple meter (i.e. 6/8),
somewhat similar to the rhyming patterns oftraditionallimericks839 . Although this
meter contains both a duple pulse and an underlying triple motor, and thus possibly
contains both masculine and femninine metric codes, the overall feeling is triple.
Furthermore, the ending rhythm of each ryhming line may provide clues about the
hat's gender(s) through use ofmasculine and feminine cadences. While limericks (which
scan similary to the hat's song) often use rhythmically feminine cadences on three of the
five pauses in their rhyme scheme (i.e. often ending with a two syllable word extending
beyond the downbeat), the Sorting Hat uses masculine cadences (i.e. often ending with a
one syllable word on the downbeat) almost exclusively. For instance, while the first line,
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty," uses a two- syllable ending word, reducing the
strength of the line's ending and therefore falling into the traditional category of feminine
cadence, most of the following lines such as "but don't judge on what you see," use a
strong, one-syllable, masculine cadence. Indeed, all of the even-numbered concluding
lines use masculine cadences with the exception of the quatrain discussing the Hufflepuff
house, in which the second and fourth lines use feminine cadences (if "toil" is counted as
having two syllables). The change in cadence in this quatrain may signify the feminine
identity of the founder of the HufflepuffHouse (i.e. Helga Hufflepuff). The quatrains
describing male founders Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor use masculine
endings, as does the quatrain describing Rowena Ravenclaw.840
839 It is possible to read the Sorting Hat's text in simple duple meter if one begins with the second line. I
argue that the fIrst line, which is clearly in compound duple meter, sets the meter, therefore motivating
readers (through the musical force of inertia) to continue reading in compound duple meter.
840 Perhaps only Helga Hufflepuff is described with feminine cadences because she seems to have had the
most stereotypically (so-called) feminine qualities of the four founders. There is also a feminine ending in
the odd-numbered, third line of the quatrain describing the house of Rowena Ravenclaw. This list of names
also suggests Rowling's attention to organized sound in the novels through use of alliteration.
618
To summarize, as portrayed in the books, the Sorting Hat's appearance may be
perceived as masculine or gender neutral. Characters refer to the Sorting Hat as a gender-
neutral "it." The compound duple meter of the Sorting Hat's song may be perceived as
feminine, but many of the strong cadences may be perceived as masculine. However,
this is not the only song that the Sorting Hat sings (nor the only powerful association
involving the hat). What do the other songs and powers tell us about the gender of this
powerful being?
Because Harry's arrival to Hogwarts is delayed at the beginning of his second
year (The Chamber ofSecrets) , neither he nor Rowling's readers attend the Sorting
ceremony or hear the Sorting Hat's new song. However, the Hat makes a very powerful
appearance at the climax of the second-year narrative when it is brought by Fawkes the
Phoenix to Harry's aid (in Deus ex Machina style) containing Godric Gryffindor's sword
(i.e. the Sword of Gryffindor) within its cavity. The sword, an instrument of war first
belonging to the Hogwarts forefather who founded Harry's school house, helps Harry
vanquish both a deadly Basilisk and an even deadlier memory-preserved manifestation of
the dark lord, Voldemort. While the sword itself signifies Harry's masculine heritage, the
hat as a vessel for the sword's transport has a womb association.
In Harry's fourth and fifth years at Hogwarts (The Goblet ofFire and The Order
ofthe Phoenix), the Sorting Hat's song exhibits dramatic changes.841 Most noticeably,
the genre of the hat's songs changes. Instead of using lyric and dialogic texts-
expressing the hat's gifts at sorting, engaging the listener with incipits, and explaining the
desired characteristics for members of each school house, the new texts are in ballad
841 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet o/Fire, 176--177. Rawling, Harry Potter and the Order o/the
Phoenix, 204.
619
form-a narrative song with a beginning, middle, and end.842 The Sorting Hat's ballad
for Harry's fourth year provides information about the educational motives of the four
Hogwarts Founders (two male and two female sorcerers), and explains how the Sorting
Hat itself came to its enchanted role of sorting students into school houses. In other
words, this ballad explains the past, and brings listeners up to date with current Hogwarts
practice. When the cooperation of the four founders is discussed in this ballad, the
similarly concordant, strong rhythmic lines have masculine endings. An excerpt of this
song is printed below. Again, I have underlined accented syllables to support the
discussion to follow.
A thousand years or more agQ
When [was newly sewn,
There livedfour wizards Q[renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gry.ffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hu({le121!f.[, from valley broad,
Shrewd Sb!.therin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
As one can see, each line of this excerpt ends with a one-syllable word, and rhyming
words resolve each pair of lines. Following historical codes, these lines exhibit
masculine cadences. The meter of the excerpt is not clear--either a simple duple (i.e.,
4/4) or compound duple (i.e., 6/8) reading is possible.
In contrast, the middle section of the ballad, which acknowledges disagreement
between the founders, uses wobbly rhythms (mixing duple and triple), weaker alignments
842 Leslie Shepard, The Broadside Ballad: A Study in Origins and Meaning (Hatboro: Legacy, 1978),33.
Alan Bold, The Ballad, (London: Methuen, 1979). Roger Abrahams and George Foss, Anglo-American
Folksong Style (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1968).
620
between grammar and line length, and lines sometimes end in feminine cadences. An
excerpt showing this is printed below:
Now each ofthese four fOunders
Formed their own House, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By GrJJ.{findor, the bravest were
Prized./iJr. beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hu(fle.mdI hard workers were
Most worthy gfadmision;
And power-hungry S1J!..therin
Loved those ofgreat ambition.
For instance, the first line ends in a feminine cadence. The second line, "Formed their
own House, for each" is awkward in that information following the comma really belongs
with the information on the next (third) line. In the fifth and ninth lines, the weaker word
"were" is given a strong syllable at the end of each line. Most of the lines begin with
iambic rhythms, though lines two and four use triple rhythms beginning with a strong
pulse.
When the ballad describes how the founders resolved their dilemma, thus
returning balance and order to their worry, the text also returns to using orderly, balanced
rhythms, and (not surprisingly), masculine endings. An excerpt showing this is printed
below:
While still alive they did divide.
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas GrY.ffindor who found the way,
He whipped me Q/Ihis head
621
The founders .l21!1.-some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears.
I've never J!ft been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where yoU belong!843
The over-all form of the song above shows masculine tendencies. The three-part
narrative trope of concord-discord-concord is metaphorically represented with rhyming
text that is orderly-disorderly-orderly. Similarly, the sequence of ending cadences is
masculine-mixed-masculinel feminine-masculine. This follows traditional rhetorical
forms in which so-called masculine stability conquers so-called feminine instability.
However, while I argue that the song above uses masculine characteristics, the Hat's
musical story is not finished.
The next Sorting Hat ballad from Harry's fifth year (The Order ofthe Phoenix),
like a first-person broadside ballad, describes the early history of Hogwarts and the rise
and fall of the four founding house leaders, leading to the critical present-time in
Hogwarts history.844 Also similar to the broadside ballad, the Sorting Hat's song
includes a moralistic warning at the end-advising Hogwarts students about how they
should be (instead of merely assessing them for who they are). That is to say, this ballad
explains the past, acknowledges the present, and speaks to the future. This is in contrast
to the Sorting Hat's first song, which only acknowledged the present, and in contrast to
the Hat's second song, which explains the present by acknowledging the past. According
to Ling, the history of ballad singing may be tied to women's performance traditions. "In
contrast to the epic song tradition, where the performers were men, the art of the ballad
843 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 176-177.
844 Shepard, The Broadside Ballad, 48.
622
belongs mainly to women, who were also the composers of most of its traditional
songs."845 While more recent scholars challenge Ling's assertions about exclusively
feminine associations with ballads, many folklorists have remarked that, at least in recent
years, women (more than men) have been the cultural transmitters of ballads (though
men certainly had prominent historic roles performing broadside ballads as part of
commercial enterprise).
In addition to the feminine culture-coding that may exist with the ballad genre, the
new song's performance style also changes to include more feminine text and music
codes. For instance, there is more frequent use of rhythmically feminine cadences.
Rhyming lines in the first section of the ballad uses feminine rhythmic cadences
exclusively. Although the song may be recited in either simple or compound duple, it
flows more easily in compound duple because of the feminine cadences. An excerpt,
with underlines for accented syllables, is shown below:
In times ofold when.] was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The fOunders Qiour noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United!n'.. a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magical school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The Four goodfriends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided, 846
Similar to the Hat's second song, this third song has a narrative form of concord-
discord-conclusion (though not exactly concord). However, in contrast to the second
845 Ling, A History ofEuropean Folk Music, 94.
846 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix, 204.
623
song, cadences in this third song are (by section) feminine-masculine-mixed. An excerpt
below illustrates both the discordant narrative of the song's middle section, and the
masculine cadences used for this description. Also notice that the lines' rhythm is not as
regular, nor are the word choices as fluid as during the first section printed above. In
other words, the orderly text above uses feminine cadences while the less-orderly text
below uses masculine cadences. This is different from the previous song in which order
and masculine endings paired, as did disorder and feminine endings:
So Hogwarts worked in harmo!JJ!..
For several !Jgppy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our/aults andfears.
The Houses that, like Jilliars {our,
Had once held Y12 our school.
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule. 847
The disorder that is described in the text is also experienced in the awkard scanning of the
third through fifth lines. It is difficult to place important syllables on strong beats. Some
lines begin with a one-syllable upbeat while others begin with a two-syllable upbeat.
However, as most ending words are one-syllable in length, these syllables tend to fall
intuitively on the beat, creating a masculine cadence.
As previously stated, the narrative comes to its conclusion with a moralistic
warning. 848 In the excerpt below, the Sorting Hat returns to using orderly phrases and
feminine cadences in alternation with rhyming masculine cadences lines. I have
847 Ibid.
848 By moralistic, I mean that the Hat takes a subjective point of view and gives advice to others about
how to proceed in their lives. This is siimilar to the endings of ballads such as Barbara Allen in which the
singer warns young girls not to follow the fate of the song's namesake.
624
underlined accented syllables to illustrate this. Additionally, the extra syllables in many
lines suggest a compound duple meter.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
Because that is what I'm fs!L [or Because that is what I'm fs!L]
But this year I'll gokther,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fuljjJ1 my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end Ifear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly fOes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you. ...
Let the Sorting now begin.849
In addition to changes in genre and gendered cadencees, the power of the hat is
represented differently during the fifth year than in Harry's first year. One power of this
song is in the historical knowledge it imparts to the listeners through song. Another
power is the Hat's wise advice to students given through song when it argues for the
school houses to work together with renewed cooperation. Another power of the Sorting
Hat is its ability to transcend its stereotyped role and function (i.e. as merely a sorting
Hat) through Rowling's written agency (i.e. an advocate for social change). This is
indicated when the hat acknowledges its role as history bearer at Hogwarts, and its
function as a Sorter of students, and then states its intention to go "further" based on its
849 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Order a/the Phoenix, 206-207.
625
own critical thinking skills and moral reaction to the crisis at hand. Like the song
examples from the first and fourth narratives (The Sorcerer's Stone and The Goblet of
Fire), none of this appears in the fifth movie (The Order ofthe Phoenix).
In summary, Rowling is ambiguous in her writing of the Sorting Hat's gender
identity in rhythm by using both feminine and masculine words in the hat's text, using
both duple and triple pulses in the meter, ending with both feminine and masculine
rhythmic cadences, and changing genres of song text performance traditions (i.e. lyric to
ballad) with both masculine and feminine associations. Additionally, she refers to the
hat as an "it" without ever assigning gender through pronouns---expressing clearly to
readers that the hat has no gender.850 However, she tends toward masculine-coded
cultural traits by distinguishing the hat's appearance as a "wizard's" hat that once
belonged to a (male) wizard, narratively associating the hat with male characters (i.e.
Godric Gryffindor, Dumbledore, and Fawkes the Phoenix) and masculine objects (i.e. the
sword of Godric Gryffindor), and toward masculine-coded musical traits by using
masculine rhythmic cadences in greater quantity than feminine cadences. Furthermore,
the form of the Hat's second song follows the rhetorical pattern of masculine dominance,
though this is mitigated by an alternative form in the Hat's third song. Though all
students, both male and female, benefit from the Sorting Hat's powers,851 the tendency
toward masculinization of the powerful Sorting Hat is also congruent with traditional
patriarchal roles in which fathers and other male authorities control young persons'
immediate opportunities.
850 In conversation, Josie Dietel, a teenage piano student, stated that she tends to assume literal
interpretations while reading, and therefore believed the hat was an "it" because Rowling did not specify
otherwise. In contrast, other students assumed the hat was a male because the movies represent the hat as
male.
851 Perhaps because Harry is the narrative's hero, Rowling continues to show how he (e.g. a male
character) benefits from the hat's powers throughout the series.
626
In contrast to Rowling's somewhat masculine, yet arguably androgynous
description of the Sorting Hat, the first film represents the Hat with an unmistakably
masculine-sounding voice. Unlike Rowling who gives the Hat musical ability as part of
its great power, the film Hat has no musical role as part of his power. When the Sorting
Hat speaks in the second film, it is with the same deep, masculine voice. Although the
Sorting Hat sings in the fourth and fifth novels (The Goblet ofFire and The Order ofthe
Phoenix) the hat neither speaks nor sings in the fourth and fifth films.
Gender and Musical Participation: the Hogwarts Alma Mater, Choir, and School
Band
A second significant musical event in Harry's first year (Sorcerer's Stone) takes
place in the same chapter with the first Sorting Hat song (chapter seven) when the
students, faculty and staff at Hogwarts sing the school song.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a
fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high
above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick
their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school
bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare andfull ofair,
Deadflies and bits offlufJ,
So teach us what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
627
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last only the Weasley
twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore
conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished,
he was one of those who clapped loudest. "Ah, music," he said, wiping
his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!. .." 852
This example provides at least two useful insights. First, the description of the
performance suggests a radical level of tolerance for individual creativity and identity-
not to mention musical chaos! Not only are all students and staff allowed to choose their
own tunes, they are encouraged to do so even at the expense of the traditionally
motivational and unifying intentions of the school's spirit song. The Weasley twins, as
notorious pranksters, undoubtedly choose to sing a dirge out of irony for the occasion.
Along with their individually chosen tunes, students are clearly allowed to choose their
own meters and tempi. Indeed, the text itself is inconsistent with regard to meter and
syllabic pulse. Perhaps this spurs greater creativity among performers because meter and
syllabic scanning may have multiple interpretations. Still, the headmaster himself
participates in this creative expression by play-conducting along with their final phrases.
Dumbledore directs the event at only minor levels by providing the text, announcing the
beginning, and waving his wand like a baton at the end. Even so, the roles of direction,
creation, participation, and observant appreciation are significantly mixed in this
example. Dumbledore himself conducts as a leader, sings as a participant, and claps as
an observer. Since all students were invited to participate, and it is stated that all who
participated "bellowed" out their song without reserve, it must be assumed that both
genders were given equal opportunity for individual expression. 853
852 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 128.
853 In this case, the description of "bellowing" applies to both male and female characters, and therefore
informs the previous discussion of whether the Sorting Hat "bellows" as an indication of masculinity.
School spirit songs are, however, typically demonstrative of competitive and/or militaristic institutions
within the historically male spheres of society-though often sung by girls and women.
628
Second, Dumbledore's post-perfonnance comment reveals that music is a
powerful magic in the Wizarding world. One cannot know for certain whether
Dumbledore wipes tears of seriousness or folly from his eyes, but the reader can be sure
that music moved him. Perhaps emotional response is music's implied power. This
argument is also defended by film music theorists such as Eisler and Adorno who posit
that cinematic music has an inherently magical function that breathes life into cinema's
ghostliness, and serves as an antidote to audience members' discomfort at seeing the
unnaturalness of human effigies that are simultaneously present and not present.854 The
belief that music has magical powers also comes from European folk traditions. Ling
reports that different kinds of sounds have historically held magical implications in
cultural folklore. 855 "In the early world of imagination, sound was a powerful force"856
Loud sounds, such as bold singing, could cause either helpful or hurtful events to happen
depending on context.857 Perhaps there is musical power in the experience of singing
the Hogwarts song. It is unclear whether participants "bellow" in order to gain attention
from others, to fortify school pride with strong singing, or to satisfy their own egos. In
any scenario, it appears that characters benefit equally from the musical experience
regardless of gender.
Although the school song is not sung in the movie version of The Sorcerer's
Stone, John Williams's score includes an instrumental theme named "Hogwarts Forever!"
(previously discussed) which occurs during the banquet scene during the precise moment
854 Garbman, Unheard Melodies, 39.
855 Ling, A History ofEuropean Folk Music, 128.
856 Ibid.
857 Ibid.
629
in the narrative at which the school song was described in the book (SS DVD 45:47).858
Unlike the hodge-podge chance-music style performance described by Rowling,
Williams's non-diegetic version of the school song is filled with symmetry, repetition,
pomp and circumstance, and prominent use of brass (i.e. culturally-coded masculine
instruments) playing a normative diatonic melody much like traditional school "fight" or
"spirit" songs. A transcription of "Hogwarts Forever!" is provided in Figure 7.1.859
Figure 7.1. "Hogwarts Forever!"
2 J 4
Key: G I Imaj7 vi7 IV #vidim7 I IV I IV VN IN
lIiv vi Hvidim7 I bV9 ivdim bll ivdim717 bVI
9 10
~ Co R J § J W ~
IV iv IV
For instance, the symmetric contour of the melody ascends for two measures then,
descends for two measures. The martial-sounding, one-measure rhythmic motive
858 The school song is represented in the extended scenes from the fourth HP movie, The Goblet ofFire
(included in special features on the DVD). Students sing a unified duple meter melody in two-part canon to
welcome visiting students from other schools. The extended scene is only available as part of the special
features, and is not represented in context of the entire film. As well, Hermione and Hagrid sing a phrase
of the song in unison while walking in the woods, some distance from Harry and the main visual focus.
859
Adapted from published materials. John Williams, Themes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone (piano solos), arr. Gail Lew (Miami: Warner Brothers, 2001).
630
(including a quarter note followed by a dotted eighth and sixteenth note grouping) is
repeated frequently. Although some creative harmonies seem to undermine the melody's
surface-level decorum with a sneer-like cadence (e.g. the diminished #vi7 to I chord in
measures two and six), the harmonic progressions return to the tonic (G major) in nine
out often measures. The entire theme is one period in length including a four-measure
antecendent phrase followed by a symmetrical consequent phrase with two inserted one-
measure repetitions (at measures eight and nine-perhaps to mimic "Three cheers for
Hogwarts!") for a total often measures860 .
This alma mater leitmotif is also used later in the same movie (The Sorcerer's
Stone) when first-year students are led through the moving staircases in Hogwarts castle
(SS DVD 47:59), then again when Harry sees a plaque honoring his father as a Quidditch
player (SS DVD 1:00:43), and again when Harry begins his first Quidditch match as the
youngest seeker (a player position on the team) in a century (SS DVD 1:16:22, as
discussed previously). In this way (i.e. through musical coding and connections to visual
elements in the film) Williams's leitmotif seems to represent the historical patriarchy of
Hogwarts.861 It is heard as students sit in and walk through the hallowed halls of their
forefathers, as Harry sees remembrances of his own father, and when Harry plays a male-
dominated sport representative of the school's physical prowess862
860 One element of this theme that softens the so-called masculine characteristics of the march is the
repeated use of pIagal cadences in lieu of standard perfect cadences. Although the fIrst phrase ends with a
traditional half cadence, measure numbers 2, 3, 6, and 10 include plagal cadences. Only in measure
numbers 7 and 8, the inserted measures that visually seem to modulate to bII (Ab major), are there cadences
resembling standard tonal cadences when VII ofbII is followed by the bII tonic. Aurally, however, the
tonic of these measures is still the original G major chord. Furthermore, the use of pIagal cadences may
plausibly reflect the composer's efforts to signify music of the middle ages-an era relevant to the historic
ancientness and scenic atmosphere of the Hogwarts institution.
861 Hogwarts itself is referred to in feminine terms by the Sorting Hat in its third song (from the fIfth book,
The Order a/the Phoenix).
862 Although a few female students play Quidditch, the four house teams are mainly made up of male
players. While Rowling's inclusion offemale players in an agressively played team sport implies a trend
631
As you will remember from previous chapters, Patrick Doyle, the second
composer to work on the Harry Potter films, also composed an alma mater tune, named
"Hogwarts March," for movie IV, Harry Potter and The Goblet ofFire. This theme is
played diegetically by what the filmgoer assumes is the school pep band (an ensemble
that was not described in Rowling's original novel) on wind and percussion instruments
sounding typical of English bands (though visually represented as children's author Dr.
Seuss might have envisioned them-with extra pipes and bells). The twelve-member
male-dominant ensemble (nine males and three females), led by a male conductor, plays
this theme while seated in the bleachers as part of the cheerleading aspect of the Tri-
Wizard Tournament challenges (GoP DVD 1:50:12). This tune repetitiously employs the
tonic in both melody and harmony, features unyielding symmetrical, eight-beat question
and answer phrases, and keeps a standard ABA form. The introduction and A section are
'd d' P' 7 2 863provl e III Igure . .
Por instance, the melody begins with the driving rhythm of a military bugle call
(for four measures), followed by a melodic theme that repeats the dominant for a total of
five utterances before ascending in pitch (only to return to the dominant after only three
notes). The tempo is march-like, and all subdivisions of the main pulse are duple. Again,
these are traditional characteristics of masculine music-coding. Similarly in social
coding, military bands and civilian wind ensembles have historically been associated
with masculine activites (e.g. military events and competitive athletics) and typically
have all-male or mostly-male membership, even in contemporary times.
toward gender equality, I argue that Williams's masculine-coded alma mater motif more clearly aligns with
the masculine-dominant qualities of Quidditch (e.g., nearly all-male teams, and a male-centric game
history).
863
Adapted from published materials. Patrick Doyle, Selections from Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire
(piano solos), arr. Dan Coates (Van Nuys: Warner Brothers: Alfred Publishing, 2005).
632
Figure 7.2. "Hogwarts March"
. . . . . . . .
Key:F V6
V6
IV 6
IV6 611m V 5
V7
11m V7
Likewise, the "Hogwarts Hymn," another alma mater piece composed by Doyle
for the same fourth film (The Goblet ofFire, GoF DVD 33 :02), features brass
instruments, predictable melodic sequences, and standard harmonies that fit easily into
the paradigm of hegemonic victory in which "strong, normal, and objective" is perceived
as "masculine."864 This is similar to Williams's "Hogwarts Forever!" march, but is in
contrast to many of Williams's other musical themes for the first three films (that have
been discussed throughout the previous chapters), which evade predictability in both
melody and harmony as part of their musical representation of a topsy-turvy magical
world.
In summary, while Rowling's school song implies gendered agency (as well as
relative egalitarianism with regard to rank) by allowing choice for all involved, regardless
of gender, Williams's "Hogwarts Forever," and Doyle's "Hogwarts March" and
"Hogwarts Hymn" suggest status-quo masculine hegemony through use of musical and
social coding. These codes include overtly normative melodic contours and harmonic
864 McClary, Feminine endings, 10.
633
progressions, repetitve and martial-sounding rhythms, and instrumental ensembles with
masculine assocations. However, to be clear, I am not arguing intention, but rather
effect. As classic-style film composers, Williams and Doyle likely used traditional
musical codes to support traditional notions of "school spirit," and in so doing, also
reinforced status-quo gender paradigms. In contrast, Rowling's representation of "school
spirit" is less predictable, in a context of an unpredictable magic culture, and therefore
implies disruption oftraditional gender paradigms.
Gender and Musical Authority: Command and Seduction in the Magic of Orpheus
and the Weird Sisters
The Authority of Orpheus
Another example of music in The Sorcerer's Stone (Harry's first year) concerns
the ability of music to lull Fluffy, the three-headed watchdog, into sleep. As Professor
Dumbledore suggests earlier in the same novel, music has great power. In this case, the
power of music is used to control the dog's behavior similar to the way in which in Greek
mythology Orpheus was able to charm the creatures of the forest with his lute and voice.
This allusion to Orpheus draws attention to matters of gender on its own because, as
musicologist Susan McClary argues, Orpheus performed music using both masculine
and feminine rhetorical skills (i.e. both command and seduction).865 In other words,
Orpheus had the ability to raise intrigue, then channel the interests of the listeners.866
Similarly, the controlling magical skills at Hogwarts are used to soothe the dog, rather
865 McClary, Feminine Endings, 39-40.
866 Ibid.
634
than strong-ann him, into a restful state. However, unlike the Greco-Roman story in
which the powerful musician Orpheus is male, Rowling writes that both male and female
perfonners have the ability to affect the three-headed dog at Hogwarts. In other words,
both male and female characters have authority to use music in powerfully magical ways.
When Harry, Ron, and Hennione arrive in the room where Fluffy sits at guard
atop an important trap door, they deduce that their rival (Professor Snape, they think,
though it is really Professor Quirrell) has already soothed the dog to sleep with harp
music:
"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."
"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry.
"Well, here goes..." He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't
really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop....
Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention
and pointed at himself.
"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know
how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him
asleep." Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog
growled and twitched, but the moment Hennione began to play, it fell
back into its deep sleep.867
Both harps and flutes are traditional folk instruments in Great Britain. Although
historically, men played these folk instruments more commonly than women, women
play more frequently in contemporary times than they did in the past. In the example
above, the reader does not know how their rival plays the harp before the three friends
arrive, but assumes that he either plucked the strings to make music, or channed the harp
to play by itself. When the students arrive, both a male (Harry) and a female (Hennione)
use music as a tool to exert power over the magical dog. This is a significant gesture on
867 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 275-276.
635
Rowling's part because the reader is already aware that music holds important magical
powers, and because Rowling has given this power almost equally to both genders.868
Rowling suggests that Harry plays unskillfully by writing, "He put Hagrid's flute
to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune...." While skilled male musicians have
dominated traditional public music-making roles in Britain, women have traditionally
been associated with the domestic, amateur realm of music-making in Euro-American
culture.869 For the purpose of making a close reading of gender agency in Rowling's
narrative, it is useful to compare how public music-making roles relate to a historical
stereotype stating that males are governed by their brains and thoughts, while women are
governed by their bodies and emotions. Similarly, the stereotype of formal music-
making is of someone who has learned music institutionally, that is to say cerebrally,
while informal and/or amateur musicians are those who experience music more bodily
through trial and error. In this particular music example, Rowling writes Harry's musical
experience as clearly embodied-he must physically act upon the flute, presumably
without prior training, in order to make music, thus creating a "tune" born from within
himself. In this way, Rowling's description is counterintuitive to traditional expectations
of males and their so-called cerebral experience. Still, Harry's "tune" is enough to do the
trick. As cited above:
He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune,
but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew
868 I choose to say "almost equally" because two out of the three music makers are male, because the harp
and the flute both belong to male characters, and because more textual emphasis is placed on Harry's
playing than on Hermione's. This is not, however, intended to undermine the gender equality that is
present.
869 Judith Tick, "Passed Away is the Piano Girl: Changes in American Musical Life 1870-1990" in
Women Making Music: the Western art tradition, 1150-1950, ed. Jane Bowers and Judith Tick (Urbana:
University of Illinois Press, 1986), 327.
636
breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased-it tottered on its paws and fell
to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.870
Similarly, when Rowling describes how Hermione's cerebrally-driven character plays the
flute, the result contradicts traditional stereotypes of women. Hermione doesn't wax
emotional about how to playa lullaby for Fluffy, nor does she throw her bodily heart and
soul into it. She simply accepts the flute and plays it. The speed at which the three-
headed dog returns to sleep implies that Hermione's pragmatic approach is even more
successful than that of her male friend:
Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog
growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell
back into its deep sleep.871
Furthermore, when Harry beckons Hermione to follow him and Ron through the
trapdoor, her playing is described as "distant music," which stops just prior to her jump.
This is different from the way Rowling describes Harry's playing when she writes that "it
wasn't really a tune."
"... Corne on, Hermione!"
The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog,
but Hermione had already jumped....872
In summary, one male and one female take turns playing a flute, that, like any
musical instrument, has the power to lull Fluffy to sleep. The roles of both music and of
870 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 275.
871 Ibid., 276.
872 Ibid., 277.
637
musician are given power, and both male and female characters are given the opportunity
to wield this power. While Harry plays the flute first with little skill, Hermione plays the
flute after him with seemingly greater skill, and continues to play it for the duration of
their actual escape through the trap door. Furthermore, both male and female characters
benefit equally from the power.
The film representation of the latter scene is significantly different. Hagrid, the
original owner of the flute, is seen and heard playing a recorder tune recognizable as John
Williams's composition "Hedwig's Theme," but he does not lend the flute to Harry, who
in tum, does not play it (SS DVD 1:50:24). When Harry, Ron and Hermione enter
Fluffy's room, the dog has already been lulled to sleep by an enchanted harp that is
playing a smooth, yet nondescript, atonal melody (SS DVD 1:54:31).873 In other words,
only one male is observed playing an instrument in the movie version, and neither witch
nor wizard is directly observed playing music in order to control the dog's consciousness.
While the harp music itself has power over Fluffy, no character explicity wields that
power. Furthermore, there is no power directly related to Hagrid's ability to play the
flute. Even so, the power of the harp music in Fluffy's room potentially benefits all
genders equally.
What do other examples of musical authority tell us about gender and power at
Hogwarts? Several musical descriptions from the second and fourth novels, Chamber of
Secrets and Goblet of Fire, respectively exemplify clear connections between the
imagined music-making of the wizard culture and traditional European folk cultures.874
In most cases, Rowling's descriptions emphasize male music-makers over female music-
873 This cue is titled "Fluffy's Harp" on the The Sorcerer's Stone soundtrack.
874 I found no significant musical examples in the third novel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
(though significant excerpts from Williams's third Harry Potter film score, including several musical set-
pieces, have been discussed in previous chapters).
638
makers. Importantly, however, these folkloric forms of music-making do not reveal any
clear power or benefit for either gender. For instance, in chapter eleven of The Chamber
ofSecrets, a poltergeist named Peeves improvises a taunting song directed at Harry
Potter,
"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done,
You're killing offstudents, you think it's goodfun."875
Peeves the poltergeist, with a mentality similar to that of a naughty child, uses a
consistent compound duple meter similar to children's taunting songs, using simple
rhymes that end in masculine rhythmic cadences. 876 During chapter twelve of the same
book, Dumbledore leads students and staff in singing carols during the Christmas feast.
Hagrid is described as singing more boisterously with each glass of eggnog.877 Euro-
American readers might compare this scene to their own vernacular holiday traditions
(especially those at which singing and alcohol consumption are mixed). Similarly,
Peeves the Poltergeist assists in singing Christmas carols during the holidays of Harry's
fourth year (The Goblet ofFire):
... the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were
bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting,
golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols
whenever anyone passed them. It was quite something to hear "0 Come,
All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words.
Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the
875 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets, 203.
876 Likewise, members of the house of Slytherin taunt Ron Weasley with chants and songs in a similar
meter and similar simple rhyming words during Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts-The Order a/the Phoenix
(page 407).
877 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber 0/Secrets, 212.
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armor, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with
lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.878
In honor of Valentine's Day, in chapter thirteen of The Chamber ofSecrets, surly-
looking, male, winged cupids with harps deliver singing telegrams around Hogwarts. A
secret admirer sends one to Harry with the following lyrics:
"His eyes are as green as afresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."879
Readers familiar with British-Irish folksongs might recognize similar qualities between
Harry's love-gram and formulaic texts of traditional ballads and lyric songs.880 For
instance, several Irish traditional folksongs (i.e. "Shule Agra" and "Siuil A Ruin") begin
with descriptions of the desired man's hair and eyes followed by an exclamation of his
bravery. Traditionally, these kinds of romantic, lyric songs were sung by women. In the
example above, the sender of the love-gram is likely female, though the messenger and
actual performer of the song is male. Take note that all three of these examples (i.e.
Peeves's rhyme, carols at Christmas time, and the cherub's love-gram) include male
characters singing songs of (only) normal power-Peeves' s songs do no more damage
than children's taunts, the carols are no more boisterous than when inebriated men sing,
and the cupid messenger has no more power than a traveling bard. Nevertheless, in terms
878 Rowling, Hany Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 395.
879 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets, 238.
880 Similarly, a fictictious eleventh-century Gaelic poem about a tragic event in Quidditch (wizard sport)
history mimics historic ballad style texts (on page five of Rowling's Quidditch: Through the Ages, a
companion book to the Potter series).
640
of gender, male music performers are gathering in number. None of these examples,
however, are represented in the film versions of the narrative.
The Authority of the Weird Sisters
Another very prominent group of music-makers is described by Rowling in such
ambiguous terms that their gender, as originally intended by Rowling, remains
mysterious. However, their musical authority-in social terms at least-is very strong.
During the fourth novel (Goblet of Fire), Harry and his friends attend the first Yule
Ball-a formal dance event for older students in honor of inter-school wizard cooperation
(i.e. between Hogwarts School, Beauxbatons Academy, and Durmstrang). Music for
dancing is provided by an instrumental ensemble called "The Weird Sisters" described as
"extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn."
While "The Weird Sisters" don't seem to exhibit special magical powers (as do their
namesake in Shakespeare's Macbeth, and Norse mythology), they hold socio-cultural
power and credibility as revered and sought after musicians among wizarding youth.
Since this band holds power and authority in music-making, then it may be valuable to
investigate the gender aspects of their role within Rowling's wizard society. In the
following paragraphs, I show how Rowling emphasizes gender ambiguity in her
description of the band, and sexual ambiguity in some of the experiences of the students
who attend the ball. In contrast the film's depiction of the "Weird Sisters" band
represents all members as male, and some aspects of sexuality in the experiences of the
dancers at the ball emphasized (rather than mitigated).
First, let us consider the way that Rowling writes of the band's appearance:
"extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn." Is
641
this a gendered description? Both male and female magical folk wear black robes in
Rowling's world, and, while male characters such as Hagrid, are described as "hairy,"
other female characters such as Hermione, who's hair is frequently written as "bushy,"
and Professor Trelawney, who seems to maintain a sloppy personal appearance, might
also qualify. When Harry first learns ofthe band, Rowling writes:
Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Harry
didn't believe half of them ... It seemed to be fact, however, that
[Dumbledore] had booked the Weird Sisters. Exactly who or what the
Weird Sisters were Harry didn't know, never having had access to a
wizard's wireless, but he deduced from the wild excitement of those who
had grown up listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) that
they were a very famous musical group.881
Because readers learn about the wizarding world through Harry's eyes and ears, they are
also left to wonder about and imagine the anticipated arrival of the band. When the
Weird Sisters appear in person, the description is given again through Harry's eyes,
though he (again) does not acknowledge his original question of "who or what the Weird
Sisters" are:
When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and
asked the students to do the same. Then with a wave of his wand, all the
tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he
conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of
drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.
The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly
enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black
robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their
instruments, and Harry, who had been so interested in watching them that
he had almost forgotten what was coming, suddenly realized that the
881 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 391.
------------ _.. - ----------_._- ---
642
lanterns on all the other tables had gone out, and that the other champions
and their partners were standing up.
"Come on!" Parvati hissed. "We're supposed to dance!"882
This is an example of how Rowling's descriptions leave interpretations open to
the reader, and shows the advantage of vagueness with regard to assigning gender to
beings (and therefore matters) of authority. What does this mean in terms of different
readers bringing in their own interpretations, especially when Harry Potter followers
come from so many age groups and cultures? Because the musicians have a feminine
title, I originally thought that the band must be all female. However, contemporary
popular music trends provide several examples of similarly named ensembles such as
"Twisted Sister," and "Cinderella" which are exclusively formed by males. Through
conversations with students in my private music studio, I learned some of their
approaches for interpreting the Weird Sisters' gender(s). Teenagers Karl and Stefan
believe that the band members are male because of a Harry Potter video game they have
played that shows the Weird Sisters as bearded men in drag. Similarly, elementary-
school-aged Ada read Rowling's description in masculine terms, drawing a parallel
between the feminine band name and the contemporary all-male Canadian band
"Barenaked Ladies." In contrast, teenage Josie explained that she is a literalist, and
therefore, if the band is named "Sisters," the members must be female siblings. Another
friend suggested that because the band name refers to the three witches in Shakespeare's
Macbeth, the band is likely female. Furthermore, others trace Rowling's (and
Shakespeare's) Weird Sisters to the female Noms of Norse Mythology (who are also
known as the Weird Sisters), and therefore interpret the band as female. Offering new
insight, Rowling's companion book to the Harry Potter novels, Quidditch Through the
882 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet a/Fire, 419.
643
Ages, discusses a notable Scottish female quidditch player who's "son Kirley is lead
guitarist with the popular wizarding band The Weird Sisters."883 This latter book,
however, was published in 2001 (that is to say a year after the release of The Goblet of
Fire, the novel), was not part of her original seven-novel design, and this new
information doesn't exclude the possibility of co-ed membership by using the potentially
all-gender encompassing term "wizarding." In 2003, Rowling recorded an interview with
Stephen Fry in which she maintains a gender-neutral approach when discussing the
Weird Sisters.
Stephen Fry: And now here is a question from Amit Ben David from
Roshon Israel.
Video: "What music does Harry Potter listen to?"
JK Rowling: That's a very good question. WelL .. He has recently heard
the wizard super group the Weird Sisters who came to the Yule Ball who
had an odd assortment of instruments: bagpipes, cello, and the electric
guitar of course so 1'd have to say they are his favourite group.
Stephen Fry: Is there no Wizard Rap or House or Hip Hop in the wizard
world?
JK Rowling: That would have got to be too complicated. He's sticking
with the Weird Sisters and you can make ofthem what you will [emphasis
mine].884
So, while the gender of the lead guitarist is confirmed male (in Rowling's
Quidditch through the Ages), the originally intended number and gender of the other
883 Rowling, Quidditch: Through the Ages, 36.
884 Stephen Fry, "1. K. Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall," June 26, 2003.
http://www.msn.co.uklliveevents/harrypotter/transcriptlDefault. asp?Ath=f (accessed July 7, 2004).
644
band members remains mysterious. 885 This ambiguity aligns with Judith Butler's
theories of gender when she writes
If the inner truth of gender is a fabrication and if a true gender is a fantasy
institued and inscribed on the surface of bodies, then it seems that gender
can be neither true nor false, but are only produced as the truth effects of a
discourse of primary and stable identity.886
In other words, each reader interprets the gender(s) of the Weird Sisters only as a
function of framing their identity within stable categories. Or, without subjectivity, one
might follow Rowling's latter statement to "make of them what you will." Like Butler,
who proclaims, "If gender attributes, however, are not expressive but performative then
these attributes effectively constitute the identity they are said to express or reveal."887
In other words, they are what they are-whoever they are.
Perhaps the type of ensemble, or the genre of music they play could shed more
light on the band's gendered presentation. The musicians' instruments include, "A set of
drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes...." 888 Like most
instruments, this list belongs among those that were historically played by men, though
Rowling has already shown through the Hogwarts spirit song and the lullaby for Fluffy
that music-making in the wizarding world is open to equal opportunity for all genders.
885 According to the article, "The Weird Sisters" (retrieved from Wikipedia, September 5, 2008), the
eight-member band is all male. The article (which doesn't otherwise give citations) cites the Wizards of
the Coast Famous Wizard cards for a list of all-male players, inluding lead guitartist Kirley Duke (nee
McCormack), all born in the nineteen-seventies. Their instrumentation is listed slightly differently from
Rowling's to include lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, lute, cello, bagpipes, drums and lead singer. I
have not included this information in the analysis above because it isn't clear when these cards were
produced and whether these cards were created by Rowling, Warner Brothers, or another producer.
886 Judith Butler, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion ofIdentity, (Routledge, 1990), 136.
887 Ibid., 141.
888 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 419.
645
With regard to sound and instrumental genre, there are many interpretive choices
for readers to make. For instance, it is not clear whether their "set of drums" is a
contemporary drum kit intended for popular music, or a collection of kettle and/or frame
drums typical of many traditional cultures (e.g. the British Isles). There are also no
specifications regarding the guitars (other than in Rowling's subsequent interview shown
above), which might be accoustic, amplified, or electric style889. Although we know that
the quidditch player's son Kirley plays lead guitar we do not know if there are other
guitarists (rather than one guitarist who plays many guitars, as often happens in
contemporary ensembles), or whether someone plays bass guitar (i.e., a different
sounding instrument with a different musical role). Likewise, there are many types of
bagpipes in the British Isles, and the phrasing "some bagpipes" might mean either "a set
of," or "an assortment of."890 Furthermore, the arrangement of performing forces (e.g.
how many play together at one time, and in which combinations of instruments) is left to
readers' imaginations. Perhaps all of the instruments mentioned are played
simultaneously. Although the musical genre suggested by this motley assortment of
instruments and players is ambiguous, readers might imagine the band's music as an
eclectic recontextualization of folk and popular music in which older British Isles
889 Although Rowling establishes that the wizarding world does not use electricity, matters of
amplification are addressed when announcements are amplified magically (though as if through a loud
speaker) at the Quidditch World Cup.
890 Though readers can not be sure, it is possible that the bagpipes are Scottish pipes because (1) the lead
guitarist is Scottish according to Quidditch Through the Ages (and therefore perhaps other members too),
(2) Hogwarts may be located in Scotland, according to some (and some of the movies were shot there), and
(3) Professor Dumbledore (who hired the band) is thought to be Scottish by some (though both Harris and
Gambon use Irish accents in the films). A musical colleague from Great Britain, Chris Nex, explained that
while there are three main types of bagpipes in Scotland (including the highland pipes, lowland pipes, and
the recently added chamber style English pipes), usually people mean and are understood to mean the
highland pipes if they use the general term "bagpipes." This is the loudest of the three main kinds, and was
historical used for war (until and including World War I), in addition to outdoor music making.
646
instruments play contemporary youth-oriented musical styles (as indicated by their
counter-cultural, "artfully-torn" wizard robes).891
Let us also consider how the Weird Sisters' music functions in the context of the
Yule Ball. Perhaps the androgynous description of the band and oddly compatible
grouping of instruments parallels Harry's romantically awkward and sexually ambiguous
experience on his first official date at the formal dance event at which the Weird Sisters
play:
Harry tripped over his dress robes as he stood up. The Weird
Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune: Harry walked onto the brightly lit
dance floor, carefully avoiding catching anyone's eye (he could see
Seamus and Dean waving at him and sniggering), and next moment,
Parvati had seized his hands, placed one around her waist, and was
holding the other tightly in hers.
It wasn't as bad as it could have been, Harry thought, revolving
slowly on the spot (Parvati was steering).
. . . Harry heard the final, quavering note from the bagpipe with relief.
The Weird Sisters stopped playing, applause filled the hall once more, and
Harry let go of Parvati at once.
"Let's sit down, shall we?"892
In an interview included in "Preparing for the Yule Ball" (a special feature on the DVD
set), Emma Watson (who plays Hermione Granger) explains that while the student
characters become interested in each other as boys and girls, neither sex has learned how
to relate to one another at their awkward stage of adolescence.
In addition to the newness of potentially romance-laden boy and girl pairings,
some of the awkwardness that Harry experiences is certainly due to the formality of the
891 There are, in contemporary times, many real-life ensembles in the category of "Celtic rock" that
combine electric rock instruments with traditional British Isles instruments. Additionally, outside of Celtic
rock, artists such as Enya have used synthesizers and bagpipes, and televised concert programs such as
"Celtic women" and "Celtic Thunder" have included ensembles of classical and rock instruments with
traditional pipes and drums.
892 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 419-420.
647
occasion, including the formal attire he must wear. His dress robes, however, are (at
least) "more or less the same as his school ones, except that they are bottle green instead
of black," and therefore pale in comparison to the uncomfortable, socially awkward,
second-hand dress robes that Mrs. Weasley purchases for Ron.893 In fact, when Ron
first receives them, he mistakes them as belonging to his younger sister! Later, when he
dons this formal costume for the Yule Ball, he is appalled at the sight of himself in the
mIrror:
There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked
more like a dress than anything else. In a desperate attempt to make them
look more manly, he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs. It
worked fairly well; at least he was now lace-free, although he hadn't done
a very neat job, and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as the boys
set off downstairs.894
Pardoxically, then, the very sort of "tom and frayed" androgynous trademark that visually
signifies the Weird Sisters' musical authority brings great discomfort to the young men at
Hogwarts (especially Ron) who have yet to mature into their adult masculinity. On the
contrary, the performers in the Weird Sisters, whether all male or of mixed gender, seem
confident enough in their genderered identities to perform their bodies without overtly
committing to specific gender(s). In other words, Rowling emphasizes both the
awkwardness of perceived gender slippage inherent in children's passage through
adolescence and the privilege of gender mobility exercised by the popular musicians.
Musicologist Lawrence Kramer, in his discussion of cross-dressing as a part of
the historic tradition of Carnival, explains how playing with performative costume has
893 Ibid., 156.
894 Ibid., 411.
648
historically been used by members of society to subvert social gender codes and affirm
the mobility of gender.
[First]. .. Carnival festivity frees its participants from the demand that
they organize their physical and emotional lives into a coherent (and
restrained) tonality. The general outbreak of buffoonery, playacting, and
masquerade splinters this normative self; its component parts assume the
guise of separate characters, or, more exactly, caricatures, personificatios
of excess or impulse... [Second} ... Carnival free play, particularly in
masquerade, invites the free crossing of gender boundaries. Cross-
dressing by both men and women allows each gender to appropriatethe
qualities culturally ascribed to the other-forbidden qualities, which in the
case of the male masker would normatively be shunned as degrading.895
Similar to the carnival participants that Kramer describes, the members of "The Weird
Sisters" seem to masquerade (when performing as a group) as someone and/or something
different from their normative selves. We can't be sure of what their normative genders
are, yet we know that they perform gender differently than others because they are the
only human characters that Rowling describes with such gender ambiguity. Secondly,
their ability and, importantly, their choice to perform fluidly across gender bounderies
(i.e., to the extent that Harry does not overtly recognize them as male or female) is in
contrast to Ron's experience in which the mere implication of cross-dressing, due to his
attire's extra ruffles and frills, causes him anxiety and fear ofdegradation.
Musicologist Judith Peraino provides further information about how carnival-
esque cross-dressing was appropriated by contemporary, youth-oriented music
ensembles, known as Glam rockers, beginning in the era of Rowling's own childhood,
the 1970s.
895 Lawrence Kramer, "Carnaval, Cross-Dressing, and the Woman in the Mirror" in Musicology and
Difference: Gender and Sexuality in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth A. Solie (Berkeley: University of
California, 1993),306.
649
Glam rock began to rewrite ... the story by imagining that the male
subject undergoes a metamorphic corruption of masculinity. Emerging in
the early 1970s in the wake of the 'sexual revolution,' glam rock
incorporated aspects of gay subcultures-drag, camp, androgyny,
bisexuality-as an antagonistic response to the commercialized sincerity
of blues- and folk-based hippie bands, the machismo of heavy metal, and
the pretentiousness of 'art rock.' The pioneering glam rocker Marc Bolan
of T. Rex affected an eighteenth-century fop style, with long curly hair,
women's frilly shirts, makeup, and a sprinkling of glitter on his face. His
music combined effeminate low-volume vocals, a slow funky beat, fuzzy
guitar timbres and image-rich lyrics full of sexual innuendo.896
Without more specific information about the Weird Sisters' projected image, it is
uncertain whether or not the members fall neatly into glam rock's visual genre.
However, the Weird Sisters clearly align with the gender-bending, counter-cultural image
that is descrbed by Peraino. Furthermore, the band represented in film version of The
Goblet ofFire (GoF DVD 1: 19:20) exhibits modem-day glam rock signifiers (e.g. long
hair, glamorous clothing, and overt/extreme displays of face makeup).897 Likewise, an
analysis ofthe band's music-as described in the novel, and represented by the real-
world contemporary all-male band in the The Goblet ofFire movie (played by real-life
rockers from bands such as Radiohead and Pulp), provides further evidence that Rowling
created a subversively mixed-gendered text regarding this culturally powerful ensemble.
896 Judith A. Peraino, Listening to the Sirens: Musical Technologies ofQueer Identity from Homer to
Hedwig (Berkeley: University of California, 2006), 229.
897 The band members in the film include Jarvis Cocker (vocals) and Steve Mackey (bass) of the band
Pulp; Johnny Greenwood (lead guitar) and Phil Selway (drums) of the band Radiohead; Jason Buckle
(rhythm guitar) of the band All Seeing I; and Steven Claydon (keyboards and bagpipes) of the band Add N
to (X). Another Scottish rocker band "Franz Ferdinand," may have originally been courted to play the
Weird Sisters. "We've been asked to write some music for [the upcoming 'Harry Potter' film]," singer
Alex Kapranos said. "There's a section where there's a band of ugly sisters playing and I think, well ...
some member of Franz Ferdinand may be the ugly sister in the band," he noted coyly. Notice that even
potential performers refer to the Weird Sisters as females, which is in contrast to the way that the band was
eventually represented in the film. Rodrigo Perez, "Franz Ferdinand to play Ugly Sisters in Next 'Harry
Potter' Flick?" MTV Networks, 2008.
650
In the novel, the first of the band's tunes is described as "slow and mournful," to
which dancers assume ballroom-style positions. Without further description, readers
must assume that all couples are paired heterosexually (as is true of the champions and
their partners, and as is typical of ballroom-style positionings), and that these mixed-
gender couples participate in ballroom-style dancing (e.g. foxtrot, waltz, tango, or other).
One might assume, oddly enough then, that the overtly counter-cultural Weird Sisters
band plays mainly conventional music for status-quo, heterosexually-paired dancing,
based on a male-dominant model in which males lead and women follow. Further
reading, however, reveals that different dance couples choose different dances that would
be mutually incompatible with a single piece of music under normal circumstances.
Neville and Ginny were dancing nearby-[Harry] could see Ginny
wincing frequently as Neville trod on her feet - and Dumbledore was
waltzing with Madame Maxime.... Mad-Eye Moody was doing an
extremely ungainly two-step with Professor Sinistra, who was nervously
avoiding his wooden leg.898
Dumbledore's waltz with Madame Maxime should accompany music in triple meter,
while Mad-Eye Moody's two-step with Professor Sinistra should follow music in duple
meter. It is unclear whether the dancers are arbitrarily choosing dances without heeding
the meter of the music, or whether the interpretation of the tune's meter is so arbitrary
that any dancer's guess will do. If the latter is the case, then it is no wonder that Neville
steps on Ginny's feet so often.
The scenario Rowling describes also relates to gender discourse with regard to the
relationship between music and dance. Inger Damsholt explains that traditionally, dance
fulfilled a feminine role while music fulfilled a masculine one because dance movements
898 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 419--420.
651
and figures submitted to the guidance of the music. As performers and choreographers of
classical dance sought to establish equal status for their art, dance movements and figures
became less dependent upon the accompanying music (or lack of music in some
cases).899 In Rowling's text, it is unclear whether the dancers follow the music, the
music follows the dancers, both, or neither.
The band's second number, described as a "song," is faster and might have been
more familiar to Hogwarts' wizarding youth. Though, technically, a "song" is music
with words while a tune has none, people often describe all rock tunes as "songs."
"Oh-but-this is a really good one!" Parvati said as the Weird
Sisters struck up a new song, which was much faster.
"No, I don't like it," Harry lied, and he led her away from the
dance floor, past Fred and Angelina, who were dancing so exuberantly
that people around them were backing away in fear of injury ....900
This faster song later leaves Hermione "a bit pink in the face from dancing."901
Perhaps dancers continue to dance in couples-such as Fred and Angelina-though we
do not know whether these couples are connected, as in swing-dancing or jitterbug, or not
connected, as in many other popular youth dance styles from the last century. A third
dance song is mentioned when "Professor Dumbledore was dancing with Professor
Sprout, Ludo Bagman with Professor McGonagall; [and] Madame Maxime and Hagrid
were cutting a wide path around the dance floor as they waltzed through the students...
."902 No tempo is given for this piece (e.g. fast or slow), though most waltzes are at a
899 Inger Damsholt, "Choreomusical Discourse: The Relationship between Dance and Music" (PhD diss.,
University of Copenhagen, 1999).
900 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 420.
901 Ibid., 421.
902 Ibid., 424.
652
medium tempo, especially those allowing dancers to "cut a wide path" as is stated above.
Although Madame Maxime and Hagrid are waltzing, we do not know what dance
patterns the others follow. For all we know, the giant-sized, French headmistress
Madame Maxime (who also waltzed with Dumbledore) might lead all of her dance
partners, whoever they are, in a waltz, whatever the music is. If so, she would not be the
only woman leading her male partner in dance-remember that Parvati took charge of
Harry at the beginning of their dance together, and continued to steer him throughout the
duration of the music. Along with these small glimpses into an upturned version of
traditional social dance, the reader gains again and again from Rowling's vagueness the
opportunity to interpret these ambiguously gendered scenerios.
Many of these choreo-musical events are normalized in the films, though some of
the gender-bending subtext is still represented. Preceding the Yule Ball (in The Goblet of
Fire), a saxophonist plays the main theme of a foxtrot (titled "Foxtrot Fleur" in published
scores) accompanied by an orchestra while students are getting ready and arriving at the
event (GoF DVD 1:14:38). The title of this dance refers to the beautiful character Fleur
Delecour from the Beauxbatons Academy (to be discussed again, in more detail), and
clearly refers to her sensuality and visual appeal. As one can hear in the film cue, this
tune combines duple meter with frequent use of triplet rhythms, thus blurring the lines
between duple meter and compound-duple meter. Then, a trumpet fanfare (including the
main musical theme for the tournament) accompanies the champions and their
companions as they formally process into the hall (GoF DVD 1:17:20).
Once all have arrived in the elaborately decorated Great Hall, only the first tune
(an orchestral waltz) implies ballroom dancing (GoF DVD 1:18:07). The dwarf-sized
male conductor (who also leads the school choir and pep band in other scenes) leads a
school-age, mixed-gender ensemble playing conventional Western-classical instruments.
653
Students and staff waltz accordingly to the triple meter tune in heterogenous pairs. In
other words, aside from the size of the conductor, there is nothing out ofthe ordinary
about either the music or the dancing.
Furthermore, this waltz tune for the Yule Ball shares a similar light symphonic
color with another waltz tune used earlier in the film when Professor McGonagall teaches
students to dance with the aid of an oversized Victrola-style record player (previously
discussed in the context of music and humor). Additionally, as one can hear from the two
film cues, the melodic contours of the practice waltz and the Yule Ball waltz are mirror
images of one another-the practice waltz theme starts low and ends high (GoF DVD
1:08:25), perhaps building anticipation for the formal event; while the Yule Ball waltz
theme begins high and ends low (GoF DVD 1:18:07), perhaps fulfilling the expectation
set by the first waltz.903 In other words, social dancing and dance music are presented in
conventional terms throughout the film, and the pair of waltz tunes create poetic
symmetry.
The dancing in the film version of the Yule Ball is organized much more formally
than in Rowling's description, but significantly, the choreography exhibits some gender
twists of a different design. As an example of formality, the students perform a
choreographed waltz in time with the music for which all couples seem to execute the
same maneuvers at the same time. I say "seem to" because the camera sometimes
focuses on only one couple at a time, but shows uniformity when the camera angle
expands to show the group again. The couples' dance patterns are unified in phrase
lengths equal to the phrase lengths of the music and are also aligned spatially in
geometric patterns (such as equally-spaced parallel lines and diagonals) on the dance
903 The practice waltz is named "Neville's Waltz" in the piano reduction scores, while the Yule Ball waltz·
is called "Potter waltz."
654
floor. Additionally, the choreography aligns metaphorically with the melodic contours of
the music (and vice-versa) at moments such as when female dancers are lifted in the air
by their male partners and the musical accompaniment provides an ascending then
descending flourish from the orchestra904 .
However, the choreography is also different from traditional gender expectations
in the way that male and female students lead each other in the dance. First, gender roles
are sometimes reversed in the ballroom-style embrace. Generally speaking, in standard-
practice waltz-position, male dancers (i.e. the leaders) take their female partners by the
waist with their right hand, and support their partner's right hand with their extended left
hand. Conversely, female dancers (i.e. the followers) rest their left hand on their
partner's right shoulder, and rest their right hand on their partner's extended left hand. In
the film choreography (beginning GoF DVD 1:18:07), couples begin the dance in this
male-lead position described above, but then switch arms and hands throughout their
dance sequence so that the female dancers are in the leading position (and role). This
may be a way that film directors chose to include some of the gender role ambiguity and
equality that is so often present in Rowling's music-related scenes.
However, as an aside, it is noticeable that while the choreography is quite formal
and clearly striving for a polished look, the students (i.e. the actors playing the students)
perform with little skill and savvy compared with modem trends and expectations of
dancing (e.g. at real-life recreational ballroom events, and as seen on various television
shows revitalizing ballroom dance). Although meant to be graceful (as depicted in the
smooth orchestral music), the actors' footwork is rather clunky. Arm positions meant to
frame the dance are held without rigor, and female students brace themselves heavily on
904 There is a similar mimetic flourish when Professor Mad-Eye Moody takes a swig from his hip flask.
At a surface level, this is a funny gesture. In hindsight, it is revealed that this is a clue to solving one of this
narrative's mysteries.
655
their male partners during the lift rather than using their own muscular integrity to assist
in the maneuver. Therefore, it is somewhat possible that the choreography of changing
positions simply represents remedial movements for novice actor-dancers. According to
interviews in "Preparing for the Yule Ball" (a special feature on The Goblet ofFire 2-
DVD set) most actors had three weeks to work on the choreography, while Daniel
Radcliffe states that he only had four days to learn to dance formally. In the same special
feature, Mike Newell (the director of The Goblet ofFire movie) admits that while some
actors learned dancing quickly and well, others had a difficult time, including Daniel
Radcliffe, who danced as awkwardly in real-life as his character Harry Potter was
supposed to feel. This provides an example of art imitating life. In the narrative, the
Yule Ball provides Hogwarts students with their first exposure to formal dance, and in
real life, it was also the first exposure for many of the actors. When there is a group of
characters who progress from childhood to adulthood, it blurs divisions between actors
and characters. Speaking to this matter, Harry Potter producer David Barron stated:
It is indeed [a unique opportunity to present a group of characters from
childhood to adulthood]. It's the most expensive home movie ever made,
as they can look back and see their complete adolescence on film. It's
extraordinary as characters, actors, and people, and it's kind of
thrilling.905
Second, with regard to switched gender roles, an aerial view of the dancers shows
a Busby Berkeley style sequence with a gender twist (GoF DVD 1:19:15). Looking
down upon the dancers, the camera shows evenly-spaced couples turning around on the
spot with billowing fabric from their outfits emphasizing their turn. This Bigsby-style
camera shot is standard in film for showing the geometry of choreographed dance, and
905 Movie Magic, "Countdown to The Half-Blood Prince!" Life Story, October 6,2008, 15.
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the way it highlights the flowing fabric is typical of Viennese and other styles of
European waltz performances. The difference is that in traditional examples the flowing
fabric belongs to the ball gowns worn by the females. In contrast, the female dancers at
Hogwarts wear slender, curvey gowns, and the billowing materal seen in the shot from
above comes from the male dancers' formal wizard capes.906 While the curve-defining
gowns may emphasize budding sexuality in the female students' bodies, the male
students' billowing capes seen from above change a conventional choreographed image
into something unexpected with regard to gender.
Furthermore, a moment of slapstick humor in the movie shows Hagrid lowering
his waltz hold on Madame Maxime so that his right hand can feel her behind (previously
mentioned in the discussion of humor). 907 She promptly moves his hand back to her
waist, and he shrugs in response as if to say, "ya' can't blame a bloke for tryin' ...."
This scene was not written in Rowling's original work, and the way it overtly addresses a
character's desires for physical intimacy is also different from the way Rowling
emphasized characters' feelings of ambiguity toward members of the opposite sex.
Subsequent music at the Yule Ball in the movie sounds like conventional rock
music and is provided by a normal male rock band dressed in black clothing (much of it
shiny, though other textures are used also). For instance, the lead singer wears shiny
black pants (leather, perhaps), a black mohair coat, and a black bow tie (but no shirt).
The latter description fits contemporary expressions of glam rock, as does the dark
lipstick and eyeshadow worn by some of the band members.908 While several
906 This is also different from Rowling's written description in which both male and female participants
wear dress robes.
907 This sequence of movements does not happen during the waltz, but rather during the slow rock ballad
later in the scene (OoF DVD 1:22: 15). Nevertheless, Hagrid and Maxime use a casual waltz hold.
908 I do not claim that this band is part of the original1970s glam rock scene affiliated with New York
fashion, but rather that the presentation ofband members' bodies alludes to glam rock practices.
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instruments are listed in the The Goblet ofFire book, only three guitarists (lead, rhythm,
and bass) and the lead singer are shown in the film version of the same narrative.
Although bagpipes are listed in the audio version, they are neither seen on stage in the
film, nor are they distinguishable from the rest of the amplified sound.909
This filmed "Weird Sisters" band plays three songs (all with words) written by
Jarvis Cocker ofthe real-life band Pulp. The first song is fast and in duple, and students
are shown dancing wildly in a tight group, without partners (except for Hermione who
continues to dance with her escort Viktor Krum), many ofthem with hands up in the air,
reaching toward the band. The second song is equally fast and also in duple, though the
camera focuses on characters' conversations separate from the dancing. The third song is
quite slow (perhaps "slow and mournful," as Rowling describes the opening dance), still
in duple meter, and the camera shows couples dancing in contemporary slow dance style,
with arms draped around their partner's shoulders and necks. The speed and order of
songs is similar to, yet different from the speed and order described in the book. In the
book, the first tune was slow, and marked by a bagpipe ending, while the second two
songs were presumably sung, and were faster. In the movie, the Weird Sisters play two
fast songs followed by a slow song, and all three are sung. This is more similar to the
form of real-life school-age formal dances at which the frequency of slower songs
increases as the evening comes to a close. These examples support my hypothesis that
movie directors normalized elements of Rowling's non-normative (and magical)
narrative in order to bear closer resemblance to real-life experiences.
Likewise, the lyrics for the Weird Sisters' songs, written by Jarvis Cocker ofthe
band Pulp, are related to glam rock practices and allude to general magical experiences,
but are only indirectly related to Rowling's text and narrative. For instance, the first
909 They are heard clearly on the CD, and are seen briefly in the extended scene on the DVD extras.
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song, "Can You Dance the Hippogriff?" relates to Harry's wizarding experiences by
addressing "Hogwarts" by name, and using familiar magical creature names such as
"hippogriff, elf, unicorn, ogre, ghost, spectre, and leprechaun" to describe how the
students should dance. An example of a verse and chorus are printed below:
Move your body like a hairy troll,
learning to rock and roll.
Spin around like a crazy elf
dancing by himself
Boogie down like a unicorn -
don't stop until the break ofdawn.
Put your hands up in the air
like an ogre, just don't care.
Can you dance like a hippogrifj? mamama mamama mamama
Flying offfrom a cliff- mamama mamama mamama
Swooping down to the ground - mamama mamama mamama
Wiggle around and around and around and around . ..
While the text references ideas from Rowling's tale, it is not directly related to the
narrative. Like standard rock lyrics, each set of two lines shares a rhyme, but not
necessarily a regular poetic meter. Also in standard rock form, the order of the song is:
verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, and final chorus. Like Peraino's description ofglam
rock texts that include "image-rich lyrics full of sexual innuendo,"910 the collection of
magical creature names is paired with directions for movement and commentary on the
movement (both of which may be interpreted sexually) including (but not limited to) the
lyrics, "move your body, don't stop until the break of dawn, wiggle around, shake your
booty, get it on - get it on - get it on, ooh you gotta move it, well do you feel alright?, I
feel all right," and performer's howl.
910 Peraino, Listening to the Sirens, 229.
659
Lastly, in the film version, the dwarf-sized orchestra conductor (who also
conducts the school choir and pep band in the movies) is shown being carried away
across the top of the crowd while students dance to the music of "The Weird Sisters."
This scene does not happen in Rowling's narrative because no formal conductor exists in
the books. While this event does not directly relate to gender, it does relate to issues of
power and musical authority, and says something different about these matters than is
represented in Rowling's books. At Rowling's Hogwarts, there is no formal music
learning, and Professor Dumbledore (Le. the headmaster himself) not only negotiates the
Weird Sisters hired performance, he also dances to their music along with other
professors, and along with other students.911 In the movie, Dumbledore and other
professors only dance to the music provided by the Hogwarts orchestra, while only
students dance to the faster rock music of the Weird Sisters. When the orchestra
conductor is passed among hands along the top of the students' mosh pit, it implies
ejecting him-and the formal establishment he represents-from their youthful event. At
Rowling's Hogwarts, the lines separating youth from establishment are not so clearly
drawn, especially with regard to music. In addition to ways discussed in this paragraph,
this was shown in the previous discussion of musical participation when I showed how
Hogwarts students and faculty contributed to the performance of the school song, and in
the discussion of Fluffy's lullaby when professors and students (male and female) enact
musical power to make the dog sleep.
In summary, both the powers of Orpheus (as used by the students over Fluffy the
Three-headed dog) and the powers of Weird Sisters simultaneously use so-called
masculine and feminine rhetorical skills of command and seduction. Like a seduction,
the flute and harp music used in Fluffy's room invites, rather than overpowers, the dog
911 Though students and professors do not dance together in pairs, this otherwise shows Row1ing's
intentions for integrating professors and students in non-hierarchical ways.
660
into sleep. Like a command, the music is an invitation for which there is only one
response-acceptance. Similarly, the Weird Sisters use the power of their cultural appeal
to lure students into the enjoyment of the dance. Although Harry and Ron separate
themselves from the event because of their awkward feelings, most other students fall
under the spell of the popular band, dancing energetically to the point of breathlessness.
This is shown when Parvati wants to dance (though Harry doesn't), when Fred and
Angelina (as well as others) are dancing excitedly, and when Hermione becomes out of
breath from dancing. Furthermore, Rowling awards musical authority with gender
equality and/or ambiguity in these two main examples. For instance, flute music played
equally by male and female students results in a sleeping dog (who originally intended on
staying awake), and dance music played by the ambiguously-gendered Weird Sisters
results in dancing students, many of whom had not attended a dance before.
These remarks change somewhat when considering the film versions of these
narrative scenes. The music for Fluffy still exhibits a soothing command over the dog,
but no character, either male or female, is seen playing the music. The only musician
known to have played the harp in the movie is their male rival (who they intially believe
to be Professor Snape, though it turns out to be Professor Quirrell). The music by the
Weird Sisters still elicits excitement and participation from the students, but all the
musicians are clearly male. In other words, that which Rowling wrote as gender equality
and gender ambiguity is re-interpreted in the films with male-centric bias. Though also-
mentioned examples such as Peeves' sung rhymes, Christmas carols, and love-grams
sung by cherubs included more male performers, the music involved in these examples
did not show clear power with chartable effects.
Dancing at the Yule Ball, as described by Rowling and as depicted in the movie,
also implies different messages about gender, sexuality, power, and authority. At
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Rowling's Yule Ball, male students Harry and Ron experience feelings of awkwardness,
and, while Harry might appear to lead Parvati in theory, she leads him through the dance
in practice. In the movie, also, Harry and Ron appear to feel awkard at the dance, but
choreography dictates that male and female dancers (such as Harry and Parvati) switch
lead-follow ann positions at regular intervals. In Rowling's text, dance couples have
freedom to choose their own dances-which mayor may not relate to the music being
played. In the movie version, students open the event with a choreographed, unified
dance, and only improvise during the subsequent Weird Sisters perfonnance (though their
improvised dancing is all within one genre of contemporary social dance). At Rowling's
Yule Ball, hierarchies of professors and students, and of establishment and youth are
integrated, while the movie represents these hierarchies as separate and exclusive.
Gender and Choreo-musical Performance: Dancing Veela, the Lovely Ladies from
Beauxbatons, and the Proud Sons from Durmstrang
The Dancing Veela
In chapters eight and nine of The Goblet ofFire, there are several musical and
sound-event examples relating to the folklore and institutional practices of athletic
events-in this case, the Quidditch World Cup. For instance, souvenirs sold at the event
are bewitched so that there are "luminous rosettes-green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria-
which were squealing the names of the players, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing
shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, [and] flags from both
countries that played their national anthems as they waved ...."912 Fans sing and call
912 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet o/Fire, 93.
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out cheers, team mascots perform to music, national anthems play following a victory,
and folksinging commences along with heavy drinking after the game.913
One notable choreo-musical example concerns the stadium performance by the
vee1a, known in folklore as intoxicatingly seductive female woodland faeries from
Central and Eastern Europe, who Rowling includes as mascots for the Bulgarian sports
team-the Vratsa Vultures.914 The following is Rowling's description oftheir
introduction and their performance that follows.
"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce ... the
Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"
The right hand-side of the stands, which was a solid block of
scarlet, roared its approval.
"I wonder what they've brought," said Mr Weasley, leaning
forward in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and
polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!"
"What are veel - 7"
But a hundred veela were now gliding out onto the field, and
Harry's question was answered for him. Veela were women ... the most
beautiful women Harry had ever seen ... except that they weren't-they
couldn't be-human. This puzzled Harry for a moment while he tried to
guess what exactly they could be: what could make their skin shine
moon-bright like that, or their white-gold hair fan out behind them without
wind ... but then the music started, and Harry stopped worrying about
anything at all.
The veela had started to dance, and Harry's mind had gone
completely and blissfully blank. All that mattered in the world was that he
kept watching the veela, because if they stopped dancing, terrible things
would happen.... 915
913 Ibid., 95.
914 Rowling, Quidditch: Through the Ages, 40.
915 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet a/Fire, 103.
663
In contrast to the previous example of the Weird Sisters, for which Harry's questions of
"who or what" are never convincingly answered, Harry's introduction to vee1a resolves in
greater awareness of who they are. Veela are magical women in European folk beliefs.
According to lore, these incredibly beautiful, silken-haired sirens congregate in forest
groves during the night to sing and dance. In legend, traveling men are lured by their
singing, mesmerized by their dancing, and are magically held in liminal time like Rip
Van Winkle, never to return home again.916 In Rowling's version, the vee1a dance as an
ensemble as part of the evening's festivities. It isn't clear from Rowling's description
whether the music for the vee1a's dance comes from the vee1a themselves or from another
source. While the vee1a's dancing is emphasized more than their singing, it is clear that
there is music relating to their performance.
And as the vee1a danced faster and faster, wild, half-formed
thoughts started chasing through Harry's dazed mind. He wanted to do
something impressive, right now. Jumping from the box into the stadium
seemed a good idea ... but would it be good enough?
"Harry, what are you doing?" said Hermione's voice from a long
way off. The music stopped. Harry blinked. He was standing up,
and one of his legs was resting on the wall of the box. Next to him, Ron
was frozen in an attitude that looked as though he were about to dive from
a springboard.917
As in folklore legends, the men in attendance (but not women) are mesmerized by the
performance, and begin to behave strangely as their thoughts become disoriented. Unlike
the men of European lore, the wizards at the Quidditch World Cup are not lured to their
916 This infonnation comes from a conversation with Roxanne Westra, a native of Romania who is
knowledgable about East European folklore.
917 Row1ing, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 103.
664
demise, nor are they irretrievably seduced away from their loved ones. In this musical
example however, Rowling's female vee1a characters clearly wield musical power.
Angry yells were filling the stadium. The crowd didn't want the
veela to go. Harry was with them; he would, of course, be supporting
Bulgaria, and he wondered vaguely why he had a large green shamrock
pinned to his chest. Ron, meanwhile, was absentmindedly shredding the
shamrocks on his hat. Mr. Weasley, smiling slightly, leaned over to Ron
and tugged the hat out his hands.
"You'll be wanting that," he said, "once Ireland have had their
say." 918
Although these female characters use choreo-musical power, they perform on behalf (or
at least at the bequest) of the nearly all-male Bulgarian Quidditch team.919 While the
veela perform as mascots for the Bulgarian team, it isn't completely clear how the veela
women or the Bulgarian team members personally benefit from this power other than by
discombobulating the concentration of their competitors' male fan-base (who benefit by
experiencing pleasure).
When taken at face value, this choreo-musical performance example might
prickle average feminist sensibilities. Is this not a quintessential example of the worst of
gendered stereotypes in which the dominant, male gaze is fixed on objectified females,
while conversely, the females put their stereotypically treacherous powers of seduction to
ill-use by turning those who helplessly gaze at them into objects of ridicule? When the
event of powerful women performing music in powerful ways finally appears in
Rowling's text, as it does in this example, the performance seems to excite only male
918 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 103-104.
919 One player from the Bulgarian team is anounced as "Ivanova"-a last name with a feminine ending
denoting a daughter of the family of Ivan. Later in the text, a player for the Irish team is also referred to
with a feminine pronoun.
665
characters in an overtly sexual, or at least romantically gendered way. The veela
performance seems so embodied and emotional, translating the women performers into a
perceived danger-vixens who compete with other women for male attention, and
threaten the integrity of men. As such, this example seems to play into the very
stereotypes of both men and women that feminists wish to avoid.
According to Laing, "The relationship of women and music has always proved
problematic to patriarchal society."920 She further writes:
Charles Segal traces this difficulty back to ancient Greek mythology,
where female characters are divided according to archetypal polarities of
physicality, sexualtiy, the voice, music, social positioning and agency
within such a society. His suggestion that this division is informed by a
fear of female sexuality, or perhaps the male fear of his own sexuality and
a resultant desire to exercise control over women, is crystallized in the
female musical archetypes that he invokes-and that indeed rung down
through the ages in this capacity ---of the Siren and the Muse. Each of
these certainly bears out Segals' theory. The terrifyingly strong and
irresistible sexuality and musicality of the Siren exist solely for the
purpose of seducing and destroying men. The physically subdued but
nevertheless ethereally beautiful Muse dedicates her motive and music to
the glory and inspiration of men... Indeed, the terms 'siren' and 'muse'
have passed into common parlance as a means of describing the sexual
demeanour and social significance of women even without any musical
reference." 921
It is no wonder, then, that Rowling's veela elicit such extreme responses-both positive
and negative-from their audience.
Incidentally, the mascots for the Irish team (the Kenmore Kestrals, founded in
1291) are a team ofthousands of "tiny bearded men in red vests, each carrying a minute
920 Heather Laing, The Gendered Score: Music in 1940s Melodrama and the Woman's Film (Burlington:
Ashgate, 2007), 11.
921 Ibid.
666
lamp of gold or green" (i.e. leprechauns) who make a field-show style shamrock
formation in the sky, and shower spectators with gold coins.922 Like many pleas for
support, the mascots for the Bulgarian and Irish Quidditch teams tempt their fans with
promising spectacles representing sexual and monetary fortune. In light of Edward
Said's and Dorinne Kondo's discussions of how west-European cultures have historically
feminized so-called eastern cultures, it follows historic pattern that the mascots for the
east-European Bulgarian team are sexualized females while the mascots for the west-
European Irish team are monetarily powerful males.923
Nevertheless, there are ways that Rowling's portrayal of the vee1a provides
agency that is not available in the traditional folk beliefs. First, Rowling's description
allows the vee1a to perform publicly, thus varying the legends that vee1a dance only in
secret. The veela are freed from the isolation of wooded groves and are provided
opportunities for expression within the greater, international magical society. Second, the
male viewers are allowed both the opportunity to be romantically attracted to the vee1a-
an attraction that seems to both remind them of their bodies' sensations and disconnect
them from their bodies' limitations (as witnessed by Rowling's description of the boys'
attempts to do something "impressive"), and also the opportunity to return to themselves
(and their senses) when the music stops. In fact, the older (and therefore perhaps wiser)
Mr. Weasley seems capable of enjoying the performance without losing his head at all.
Third, ordinary women have some authority over the situation as well, as witnessed by
Hermione's ability to help Harry out of his vee1a-invoked stupor. Although the vee1a are
922 Rowling, Quidditch: Through the Ages, 35. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 104.
923 Although Ireland has until recently been perceived as an outsider nation within Western Europe,
Rowling's narrative establishes Ireland as an insider region in her magical world through Ron Weasley's
loyalty to the Irish team early on in the series.
667
still objectified, it is clear that Rowling has provided some agency beyond what
traditional beliefs prescribed for both those who view and those who are viewed924 .
How is the veela's performance represented in the film? Another athletic event
(the Tri-Wizard Tournament rather than the Quidditch World Cup) provides other
examples of gendered choreo-musical performance. While the latter written example of
the veela's dance is not represented in the film version of the novel, a choreographed
performance of the similarly objectified female students from Beauxbatons Academy
(who are visitors to Hogwarts) is represented. While there is no music or choreographic
presentation of the Beauxbatons entrance scene in the books, I argue that the dance
performed by these young ladies in the fourth movie (The Goblet ofFire) is a conflation
of Rowling's written descriptions of the veela dance and the Beauxbatons students'
entrance to Hogwarts. An obvious narrative motivation for this conflation in The Goblet
ofFire movie is that the head girl of the Beauxbatons Academy, Fleur Delacour, is part
veela (and has a veela-like effect on the boys at Hogwarts). The film's creators also took
liberties in representing the entrance of the visiting Durmstrang male students to
Hogwarts. The acrobatic feats performed in the same movie by the young men of
Durmstrang conflate their entrance to Hogwarts (as written in the novel) with the
masculinity and bravado that would have been portrayed had the same movie shown
more ofthe athletic feats in the Quidditch world cup. A likely motivation for this
conflation is that the head boy of Durmstrang, Viktor Krum, is also the star player of the
Bulgarian Quidditch Team.
924 A similar example exists on a variation of Merpeople singing in chapter nineteen of the same book
(406). While folk belief dictates that mermaids lured sailors to their deaths with their siren song, Rowling's
version includes both male and female Merpeople who help characters to their victory with their siren song.
668
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang
In the fourth book (The Goblet ofFire), the Beauxbatons school visitors include
male and female students. In the same book, the Durmstrang students are described as
being bundled in fur cloaks without reference to gender.925 In contrast, the Beauxbatons
pegasus-flown carriage represented in the movie brings only female students, and the
movie-version Durmstrang ship that rises from the lake brings only male students.
Moreover, the representation of the different genders is distinct. As film reviewer Paul
Clinton notes, "The boys from Durmstrang all look like throwbacks from a Hitler youth
group and the girls from Beauxbatons, devoid of expression, float around like butterflies
trying to escape a net."926
In the film, students from both visiting schools (Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
and Durmstrang) give sexually-charged choreo-musical performances in which the
students' sexuality is presented, acknowledged, and metaphorically manifested.927 This
is in contrast to the Yule Ball scene, previously discussed (though I have addressed them
in reverse chronology with respect to Rowling's narrative) and the bubblebath scene to be
discussed later, in which sexuality as a notion is acknowledged, but Harry's own
925 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 247.
926 Paul Clinton, "Review: New 'Potter' tries to do too much," CNN.com, November 21,2005.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/l1/ I8/review.potter/index.htm1(accessed December 17,
2005).
927 Though not present in the novel, Hogwarts students show their school spirit to the visitors in the movie
by singing the Hogwarts alma mater (discussed in a previous section of this paper, and described in
Rowling's fIrst book, Sorcerer's Stone). The jubilant, yet naively mundane performance of the Hogwarts
song sung unceremoniously in canon (and with informal, elementary level movements by the chorus) by all
Hogwarts students causes discomfort among the visiting students who have just given fInessed
performances of magic and physical skill. This scene, however, was not included in the through-running
version of the Goblet of Fire movie, and is only accessible in the additional scenes on the special features
disc of the DVD set.
669
sexuality is diminished. Additionally, I discuss how the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang
choreographed performances from the film, including the accompanying sound elements,
combine to metaphorically suggest sexual seduction and conquest.
As already discussed, the desire to portray characters in gendered ways has a
long-standing history within dramatic music. McClary writes, "In staged
'representations' of the social world, the identification of characters as either male or
female is fundamental. The seventeenth-century comoposer writing dramatic music
immediately confronted the problem of gender construction-that is, how to depict men
and women in the medium ofmusic."928 In fact, gendered characterizations in music
may find roots as historically removed as the Renaissance. McClary continues by writing
that "it may be possible to trace some of the musical signs for 'masculinity' or
'femininity' that are displayed in opera back into earlier genres such as the madrigal.
Erotic desire undeniably ranks among the central themes of Italian madrigals, and vivid
musical images simulating longing, frustration, or fulfillment occur in abundance in this
repertory."929 Film music, and music from the Harry Potter films in particular, follow
these precedents set by early musical dramatists. Furthermore, this particular case-study
shows how both sexual seduction and conquest are portrayed choreo-musically.
According to McClary,
Sexuality is one of the most intensely pleasurable and yet troubling
aspects of the human experirence... Literature and visual art are almost
always concerned (at least in part) with the organizaiton of sexuality, the
construction of gender, the arousal and channeling of desire. So is music
except that music may perform these functions even more effectively than
other media. Since few listeners know how to explain how it creates its
928 McClary, Feminine Endings, 36.
929 Ibid.
670
effects, music gives the illusion of operating independently of cultural
mediation.930
The following exploration of the music used to accompany the Beauxbatons and
Durmstrang choreographies, which will be discussed further throughout this analysis,
reveals how gender and sexuality is represented with elements of sound and music.
The two performances (i.e., Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) share the same basic
form which is divided into two musical and choreographic parts. I also include
information about the camera angles. This is represented below in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1. Commonalities in the formal choreo-musical elements of the Beauxbatons and
Durmstrang performances in The Goblet ofFire
Music:
Movement:
Camera:
Part One
moderate tempo
students enter
camera focus on group
Part Two
faster
students perform magical feats
ending focus on star pupil
This chart shows how both performances share aform consisting oftwo parts with
similar musical, choreographic, and visual elements.
In Part One of each choreography, each set of student visitors enters Hogwarts Great Hall
at a normal, moderate pace with choreographed gestures to the right and left. Movements
follow main pulses provided by musical rhythms and phrases. Additionally, the music
for each visiting school's choreography (Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) includes
orchestral punctuation and diegetic vocalizations ("ahhh" and "huh!")931 Generally
speaking, the music for these performances include standard orchestral instruments and
930 Ibid., 53.
931 These sounds have sexual connotations as well. "Ahhh," is representative of woman's acquiesant
pleasure expressed in a sigh, while "huh!" is representative of man's pleasure expressed in a powerful
thrust.
-------------------------,-- - ._----
671
uses conventional harmonies, rhythms, timbres and meters in standard ways. In Part
Two of each performance, the music changes to a new melodic theme and rhythm
(though not meter), students travel faster from the middle ofthe hall to the front, and
students perform magical feats culminating in a grand display of ability that resolves with
visual focus on each school's respective star pupils, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum
(who will later be chosen as Tri-wizard champions). Additionally, camera angles change
regularly in both sections (and for both schools) as the students move steadily forward. I
will address the Durmstrang movement in more detail following a discussion of the
Beauxbatons choreography.
The Lovely Ladiesfrom Beauxbatons
The "lovely ladies from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic" are the first to enter
the Great Hall, dressed all in blue, from their hats and capes, to their dresses, and ribbon-
tied high-heeled shoes.932 lany Temime, the film's costume designer explained her
approach to their gender-specific physical appearance:
The Beauxbaton girls are sophisticated and self-aware, so I draped them in
the most sensual and feminine fabric I could find, a delicate silk in the
blue color of the French flag. The fabric clings to their form, in complete
contrast to the restrictive uniforms the Hogwarts girls wear. 933
932 This is how they are introduced by Professor Dumbledore in The Goblet ofFire film. In the novel,
Dumbledore refers to them as the "delegation from Beauxbatons" (p. 242).
933Movie Magic, "Countdown to The Half-Blood Prince!" Life Story, October 6, 2008, 23.
672
The prominent treble, and soft timbre of their music is in triple meter (3/8), with
generally four pulses to each phrase.934 There are nine musical phrases in total. The
musical phrases are periodically joined in antecedent-consequent pairings, except for the
final phrase which functions as a coda. The periods (though not number of measures) are
divided equally between the two main parts of their performance. This is represented
below.
Table 7.2. Musical phrases and phrase lengths in music for the Beauxbatons
choreography
Part One:
Musical phrase: A - A
Musical phrase length: 4 4
(in number of measures)
A' - A"
4 4
Part Two:
B - B
6 4
C - C
4 4
Coda
4
This comparison shows the regularity and symmetry ofthe number, type, and length ofphrases in the music
for the Beauxbatons choreography.
The orchestration for part one emphasizes instruments such as strings and woodwinds
(though no brass) in the middle and higher registers. Strings, F-homs, and flutes play the
[A] theme, which is recognizable more as a motivic gesture with a rising contour than as
a lyric melody (GoF DVD 17:35). Figure 7.3 provides a transcription of the first section.
The [B] phrase which begins part two combines flutes with the strings, cascading
together in a rolling melodic contour (GoF DVD 17:52). Figure 7.4 provides a
transcription of this section. Section [C] includes an orchestral harp playing an ostinato
arpeggiated pattem (GoF DVD 17:59). A trascription is provided in Figure 7.5.
934 The name, "Beauxbatons Academy" itself, if pronounced as in French, is in tipIe meter (e.g.
Beauxbatons Academy}, but as pronounced in the movie by the Anglophone Dumbledore, does not (e.g.
Beaux-batons Academy).
673
Figure 7.3. The A phrases of the "Beauxbatons" theme
WBl
9 E~ F E~ F C m F C III
------"
-------
Figure 7.4. The B phrases of the "Beauxbatons" theme
n.c. F Cm F Cm n.c. F em F em
-----/
--------------
Figure 7.5. The C phrase of the "Beauxbatons" theme
~ J.l,
·k .. e: • t:'\. .. .
~J rl I I rl 1 I ••
Key: D 1 16 6I4 I
Musical events within the piece tend to happen on each beat of the triple meter. That is
to say that the piece flows steadily without either marked pauses or rhythmic accents.
There is an ever-present shimmer in the orchestral color provided by alternations of high
tremolo strings, trilling flutes, the twinkle of the harp's high register strings, and the
674
occasional chirping of songbirds. This shimmer of sound parallels Rowling's description
of Fleur Delacour's moonbeam-like beautiful appearance.
The Beauxbatons music starts as the doors to the Great Hall open (GoF DVD
17:35), revealing the girls in paired lines below as seen from a camera above (i.e. as seen
from the so-called privileged male gaze). The camera angle lowers until it is eye-level
with girls as they begin their choreography. The young ladies from Beauxbatons gesture
with their arms to the right and left. Sighs of "ahhh" fall close to the rhythm of their
physical gestures. They then travel hurriedly forward, gesturing with both arms and
releasing blue butterflies from their bosoms. Their paired lines, like legs of the academy
corps, cross, then part from each other to reveal Fleur (the flower of their ranks)
blossoming forth in pirouettes. A charted representation of the Beauxbatons choreo-
musical performance, phrase by phrase, is located below. Their performance, as a
whole, seems to be an exercise in delayed gratification-which is a trope of dramatic
feminine sexuality and seduction according to McClary.935 A close description and
analysis follows the following chart. Abbreviations used in the chart represent (1)
musical measures, (2) spoken text, (3) camera angles, and (4) choreography. Each
horizontal line represents one phrase of music (in antecedent consequent alternation).
The first musical phrase allows the camera to introduce the girls visually in paired
lines as they wait to enter the hall. This first phrase also introduces the first part of their
choreographic performance, which consists of walking forward, with arms performing
casual, yet graceful, Port de bras movements to the right and left. Though the
choreography does not require the dancers to use classical technique, the movements
reference vocabulary from ballet, which has a long history within France, and an integral
role within French culture-the implied cradle of the Beauxbatons Academy.
935 This was discussed in greater detail in the previous explored arguments on the powers of Orpheus, and
Moaning Myrtle's musical theme (to be discussed in the next section) in The Goblet ofFire film.
Table 7.3. Musical measures, spoken text, camera angles and choreography in the
Beauxbatons Academy performance
675
shifts from above to eye-level; focus on girls, heads and torsos
girls progress forward in group
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
2 3 4
from behind, heads and torsos;
progress forward;
8Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
5 6 7
"Aah"
shot from Right, heads and torsos
girls extend R. arms, arch backs, and look over R. shoulders
girls extend L. arms as above; switch to Ron's face
focus on Ron
girls a blur as they pass
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
9
(cont. from R.)
progress forward;
13
10
from behind
14
II
15
12
"Aah"
16
focus on faces and torsos;
both arms extend, butterflies fly
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
17 18
Ron:"Bloody Hell!"
from behind, focus on behinds;
running
19 20 21
full, wide angle
22
focus on Madame Maxime, her head and shoulders
(unseen)
Mm.: 23 24
Text:
Camera: cont. wide angle
Chor:
25 26
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
27 28
Seamus: "Blimey! That's
focus on boys from above
29
one big
30
woman!"
from above girls;
Fleur pirouettes, girl backflips;
from behind Fleur
4th position pose, arms lower
Fleur's face. . . and shoulders
Fleur's pose with sister
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
31
35
32
36
33
37
Fleur's bow
34
38
Applause and cheers.
This table shows the alignment ofmusical phrases, musical measures, spoken text, camera focus and angle, and
choreography in the Beausbatons choreographed set-piece.
676
Indeed, in some ways, the choreographed performances by the Beauxbatons
sorceressess and the Durmstrang sorcerers reflect the historical tradition of including
danced divertissements in opera and ballet.936 While the placement of the
choreographies explored here do not mark the center point of the film (as they might
mark a center point in a ballet or opera), they do mark a division between what has
happened before the Hogwarts school term (i.e. the Quidditch World Cup) and the main
events ofthe Hogwarts school year (e.g. the Tri-Wizard Tournament). In historical
drama, these divertissements often depicted national dances from foreign lands, and,
though they weren't bound to portray them with authenticity, there were often physical
gestures and musical markers that would suggest specific regions or countries.937 While
in this case, there are no clear musical markers indicating "Frenchness," the physical
gestures suggest ballet movements (which relate to French culture). However, Rowling
only implies that the Beauxbatons Academy is in France by using French names for the
school, the headmistress, and the character Fleur (she otherwise writes that the
geographic location is hidden). This implication is also supported by Fleur's accent when
she says things such as:
"Zis is nothing," she said dismissively, looking around at the
sparkling walls ofthe Great Hall. "At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave
ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas."938
In other words, Fleur's stereotypical French snobbery for aesthetics and her frequent use
of the word "ze" give the location of her school away.
936 Lisa C. Arkin and Marian Smith, "National Dance in the Romantic Ballet," in Rethinking the Sylph:
Perspectives on the Romantic Ballet, ed. Lynn Garafolo (Middletown: Wesleyan University, 1997).
937 Ibid.
938 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 418.
677
In the second musical phrase (measures 5-8), the girls continue forward,
extending their right arms back at a diagonal on measure three of the phrase while
arching their backs slightly to look over their right shoulder. The girls' soft-sounding
vocalization on the syllable "ah", like a sigh with a slight descending contour,
accompanies the arm movement. For the third phrase, they repeat the same choreography
to the left, but delay their arm movement and sighing "ah" until the fourth measure. In
the next, fourth phrase, the camera focuses on Ron (that is to say, reminding the viewing
audience of the male gaze) as the Beauxbatons girls continue forward into the hall. This
begins part two of the choreography in which the melodic theme changes and the
movements become faster.
Their choreographic phrase seems to continue into the fifth, longer phrase (six
measures), though the camera focuses on observers as well as the performers. In this
section, the camera angle leaves the character Ron in order to focus on the Beauxbatons
students from behind, centering on the girls' waists, buttock, and legs as they begin to
move more quickly and lightly forward939 . Ron exclaims "Bloody hell!" during the two
measures of this camera angle, verbally emphasizing the visual stimulation he
experiences. When the camera angle changes to face the girls, focusing on their faces
and torsos on measure three of this prolonged phrase, they extend both arms forward and
then to the sides, revealing a host of magical blue butterflies that fly out from their
bosoms (while the audio erupts with chirping songbirds). This choreography provides
both continuation of the earlier Port de bras movement (i.e. gestures with the right then
left arms followed by a gesture with both arms), and also a continuation of delayed
gratification. That is to say, each gesture takes longer and longer to happen within the
939 This is one of three camera angles focusing on the girls from behind during their performance. In
contrast, the camera sometimes views the Durmstrang boys from the side, or even below, but never from
behind.
678
musical phrases, therefore setting expectation, building anticipation, and delaying
gratification. Furthermore, the pattern of three repeating statements which increase in
intensity, as do the three Port de bras gestures during three musical phrases, follows in
the tradition of rhetorical argument. On the role of rhetoric within women's traditional
spheres of influence, McClary writes:
[Historic] attitudes concerning women and rhetoric were divided...
Castiglione advocated the same humanist education for female as for male
children, although he also made it clear that ... females were to exercise
their abilities in order to enhance their charm in the private sphere....A
man skilled in oratory was powerful, effective in imposing his will in
society at large. A woman's rhetoric was usually understood as seduction,
as a manifestation not of intellectual, but of sexual power.940
Additionally, the sensually-charged metaphor (suggested by the revelation) that the girls
contain beauty and magic (as shown by the butterflies) where their physical breasts are is
easy to interpret.
The wide camera angle continues into the sixth musical phrase, then cuts to the
towering figure of Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons headmistress (dressed in a dark
red gown trimmed in feathery fur) focusing on her head and shoulders in measure three
of that phrase. Perhaps the paradigm of the male gaze from above is reversed when the
camera changes to view the boys from her extreme height in the seventh musical phrase.
During this phrase, Seamus (a Hogwarts student) exclaims, "Blimey, that's one big
woman!" Although the camera generally emphasizes the male gaze on the women, the
observer is reminded ofthe youth of the male gaze through the towering figure and
female gaze ofMadame Maxime. At this moment, Madame Maxime's role as head
mistress and chaperone seems similar to the role of a madam of illicit activities who
940 McClary, Feminine Endings, 38.
679
oversees how young ladies affect young men's first romantic fantasies. Although the so-
called male gaze upon the Beauxbatons girls seems to objectify and feminize, the visual
experience of Madame Maxime's gaze over the Hogwarts student body (as a whole)
more neutrally serves as an alternative lens viewing the panopticon of those who view
others (i.e. the Hogwarts boys ogling the Beauxbatons girls).
The Beauxbatons choreography comes to a climax during the eighth musical
phrase. The camera focus returns to the dancing girls whose parallel lines alternately
cross one another then divide. They run balletically, with the right-side line going to the
left side ofthe hall, and the left-side running to the right. Fleur, the beautiful student
remaining in the middle, performs two travelling pirouettes (one each during the first two
measures) that bring her front and center at the head of the Great hall. Another student,
presumably Fleur's younger sister, performs backflips dressed in a feather-bedecked
unitard (perhaps reminiscent of costumes from the French Ballet Russes).941 Fleur ends
her routine facing the Hogwarts students in ballet's fourth position (perhaps the most
jaunty of the ballet positions) on measure three of the eighth phrase, and lowers her arms
during measure four. During the final phrase, a coda of sorts, the camera focuses on
Fleur's face as she bows slightly with her sister off to the side. The audience erupts in
applause and cheers.
As previously stated, the musical piece accompanying the choreography is thirty-
eight measures long, and consists mainly of four-measure phrases (the fifth phrase has six
measures). There are nine musical phrases in total. The length of choreographic phrases
and musical phrases tend to align, though some choreography is not seen due to camera
focus on particular characters (this is represented with the symbol [7] in the chart below).
However, the form of the choreographic phrases does not completely align with the form
941 This is also the second example of birds in the Beauxbatons performance, which is perhaps an allusion
to the slang term "bird" to describe a desirable female.
680
of the musical phrases. Instead, it is if the choreographic phrases are offset from the
musical phrases. This is represented below.
Table 7.4. A comparison of musical form and choreographic form in the Beauxbatons
performance
Musical phrases: A - A
Choreographic phrases: Pose A
A' - A"
A' B
B - B
A" 7
C - C
7 C
Coda
Coda
This chart shows how the musical and choreographic phrases align, but do not follow the same form. The
effect is as if the choreographic phrases are offiet from the musicalphrases, thus creating a type ofdelayed
gratification.
Two main differences in the treatment of the choreographic form versus the musical form
are that (I) choreographed movement does not begin until the second phrase of the music
(only the camera moves on the antecedent phrase, while the characters themselves do not
move until the consequent of the first musical period), and (2) the sections [A"] and [B]
are reversed in the choreography from their positions in the music. Though two
choreographed phrases go unseen while the camera focuses on other characters, and
therefore one cannot be sure of the originally intended choreographic form, the
experience of the two forms (musical and choreographic) is as follows, showing a lack of
alignment between the form of musical and choreographic phrases.
Table 7.5. The experience of musical form and choreographic form in the Beauxbatons
performance
Musical phrases: A-------- A A'----- A" B------ B C------ C Coda
Choreographic phrases: Pose A------ A' B------ A" 7------- 7 C------ Coda
This table represents the audio-visual experience ofthe alignment between musical and choregraphicform
in the Beauxbatons performance.
681
These interwoven periodicities create a fluidity within the performance that helps to
emphasize the graceful, smooth movements of the dancers. Additionally, this kind of
offset periodicity functions as a form of seduction, in which the sound and visual
elements successively lure the observer toward the resolution of the performance
In contrast, the camera angle lengths do not align with either the musical (or
choreographic) phrases until the last three phrases of the performance. Thus, the
periodicity of camera angles has a distinct form separate from the form of the music (and
that of the choreography). The musical phrase lengths (which show bi-Iateral symmetry)
in numbers of measures are:
444464444
The camera angle phrase lengths (which do not show bi-Iateral symmetry) in numbers of
measures are:
423342332444
As one can see in the camera angle lengths above, the pattern 4 2 3 3 is repeated,
followed by another phrase of two measures which allows for culmination of alignment
between music, choreography, and camera length in the last three phrases. This provides
another example of delayed gratification. The two sets of phrases (choreo-musical and
camera angle, respectively) are reprinted below in order to show how each is parsed
throughout the thirty-eight measure musical piece:
mm. 1 2 3 4 5 6.2 8 9 10 11l£.1 3 14 15 16 17 18 192021 2223 24252627 28 29 30 31 3233 3435363738
44 4 4 6 4 4 4 4
4233 4 23 3 24 4 4
682
The placement of vocal utterances is represented with underlines in the sequence of
measures (the top row above). Vocables and texts roughly match the pulse of measures,
and fit neatly within musical phrases (i.e. they never cross musical phrase boundaries).
The Beauxbatons females vocalize an extended, sighing "ahhh" syllable during the
second and third phrases. Ron and Seamus, two male students from Hogwarts, speak
texts during phrases five and seven. Notice, again, the expanding time elapsing between
each subsequent vocal utterance (i.e. the pattern of expectation set at the beginning is
expanded to build anticipation). Finally, the entire audience at Hogwarts, male and
female, cheer and applaud at the end ofthe ninth phrase (not shown above). The
periodicity of vocal utterances is similar to the periodicity ofthe choreographed arm
movements in that one half of the resources are expressed before the other (i.e. right arms
before left in choreography, females before males in vocalizations), then all resources are
expressed together (e.g. both arms in choreography, both genders in applause). Also
similar to the choreography is the setting of expectation in the pacing of utterances
followed by increased anticipation as further vocal events are delayed.
Camera angles for this Beauxbatons scene align every three phrases. However,
because the musical phrases are in pairs, the periodicity is offset. While musical phrases
one and four have alignment between the length of the musical phrase and the length of
the camera angle, musical phrases two, three, five, and six are not aligned. Only the last
three musical phrases (seven, eight, and nine) are aligned for each consecutive choreo-
musical phrase and camera shot length. While the first and second sets of three musical
phrases do not conclude with camera length alignment, the periodicity of the music and
visual changes reaches resolution in the final three phrases. In other words, the mis-
alignment between camera angle lengths and musical phrase lengths can also be
experienced in terms of delayed gratification in which the possibility of alignment is
------------------
683
suggested twice in the beginning of the perfonnance without being fulfilled. Finally, the
perfect alignment between choreo-musical and camera angle phrases is consummated
during the last three phrases when Fleur is revealed and perfonns her pirouettes.
The Proud Sons ofDurmstrang
The "proud sons of Durmstrang"942 are the next to arrive at the Hogwarts Great
Hall. The Durmstrang males, dressed all in dark hues from their collarless military-style
blouses and pants to their traditional European military-style boots, enter with the
musical phrase at a traditional moderate marching pace, and carrying staffs in their left
hands. lany Temime, the film's costume designer stated that she intended for the
"Dunnstrang boys [to] radiate a masculinity the girls have never seen before with their
rough, almost primitive thick wool clothing, heavy boots and wool coats." 943
Their bass-heavy, explosively dark-timbred music is in duple meter. Similar to
the Beauxbatons music, there are nine musical phrases including the last phrase "coda."
Unlike the Beauxbatons music, each phrase is the same eight-beat length. The musical
phrases are joined in antecedent-consequent pairings, except for the final phrase which
functions as a coda. The periods (though not number of measures) are divided equally
between the two main parts of their perfonnance. This is represented in Table 7.6.
The orchestration emphasizes instruments such as bass drums, low strings, and
low brass. Ostinato bass strings and accenting drums play the first phrases (A through
A" ') which include motivic gestures characterized by driving rhythms, with neither
melodic contour nor harmonic cadence (GoF DVD 18:31). Additionally, a choir of men
942 This is how Professor Dumbledore introduces them in The Goblet ofFire film. In the novel,
Dumbledore uses the gender-neutral term "delegation" (p. 235).
943Movie Magic, "Countdown to The Half-Blood Prince!" Life Story, October 6, 2008, 23.
684
vocalize the shout, "huh!"-a diegetic sound from the Durrnstrang males at various
intervals. A transcription for part one is provided in Figure 7.6.
Table 7.6. Phrases and phrase lengths in the music for the Durrnstrang choreography
Part One:
Musical phrase: A - A'
Musical phrase length: 8 8
(in number of pulses)
A" - A'"
8 8
Part Two:
B - B'
8 8
B" - B'"
8 8
Coda
8
This chart shows the symmetry and regularity ofphrase types and lengths in the music for the Durmstrang
choreography.
Figure 7.6. The A phrases of the "Durrnstrang" theme
The [B] theme which begins Part Two combines a menacing, sputtering blast ofrhythrn
from the low brass with the continuing strings and drums (GoF DVD 18:46). A
transcription of this second part is provided in Figure 7.7.
685
Figure 7.7. The B phrases of the "Durmstrang" theme
"Huh!"fi? ~ - 1- ~"$ ~ J i 1- ~"A
tUtUrrtUtUrrtUtUrrtUtUrr
"Ha!"
~ ~ i @ i i )~ i i" ,fi( ';; I
tUtUU tUtUU tUtUU
While musical events within the piece (especially those played by stringed
instruments) tend to happen on each half beat of the duple meter, other driving rhythms
change from phrase to phrase, accenting different beats with silence or sound. That is to
say that the piece progresses jaggedly, perhaps emphasizing that Durmstrang owns the
power of surprise, and is always on the attack. Additionally, there is an ever-present low
rumbling in the timbre and texture of the piece. This is clearly in contrast to the
Beauxbatons music which progresses fluidly without rhythmic markers, and has an ever-
present treble shimmer.
Choreographic phrases align in length and in form with the musical phrases.
This is different from the Beauxbatons performance in which choreographic and musical
phrases align in length, but not form. A comparison of the forms of Durmstrang
choreographic and musical phrases is shown below. In the chart below, question marks,
[7], indicate where camera angles draw the viewer away from the choreography in order
to register other characters' responses to the performance.
686
Table 7.7. A comparison of musical form and choreographic form in the Durmstrang
performance
Part One: Part Two:
Musical phrases: A
Choreography phrases: A
A'
A'
A"
A"
A'"
A'"
B
B
B'
B'
B"
?
B'"
?
Coda
Coda
This comparison shows how musical and choreographic phrases for the Durmstrang performance align in
length andform. This is differentfrom the offset alignment ofmusic and choreography in the Beauxbatons
performance.
In summary, the Durmstrang performance is as follows: A rumbling sound
precedes the visual realization of the Durmstrang males, though the rhythmic ostinato
begins when the camera focuses on the Durmstrang choreographed entrance through the
doors in the Great Hall (which remain open following the Beauxbatons performance).
During this first part of their choreography, they present themselves and their weapons to
the observers (who, in this case, seem to be the high table of professors at Hogwarts,
rather than the young male students). Similar in choreography to the Beauxbatons girls,
the Durmstrang boys make gestures to each side with their staffs before gesturing with
both arms to the front during part one. Also similar to the Beauxbatons utterances, the
Durmstrang students vocalize the syllable "huh!" on certain beats of their choreography.
During the second part of their performance, students in the Durmstrang ranks sprint and
acrobatically tumble down the hall with a Cossack-like display of masculine physical
prowess. When they reach the front of Hogwarts hall, they claim their space with the
fire-breathing image of a falcon (not dissimilar from the Teutonic symbol on their ship's
flag). Viktor Krum, the Quidditch sport hero and future Durmstrang champion, strolls
quickly behind the larger student entourage, carrying his wooden rod parallel to the
ground (i.e. with half its long length pointing in front of him, perpendicular to his body,
687
creating a phallic image), followed by two Durmstrang officials (Durmstrang headmaster
Igor Karkaroff and an assistant).
A charted representation of the Durmstrang choreo-musical performance, phrase
by phrase, is located below in Figure 7.8. As I will show throughout the more detailed
discussion to follow, the Durmstrang performance, as a whole, seems to depict a military-
style victory with overtones of male sexual prowess and conquest. Each horizontal line
in the chart represents one phrase of music. As before, abbreviations in the left column
stand for (1) musical measures, (2) spoken text, (3) camera angle, and (4) choreography.
During the first musical phrase, the camera gives a full side view of the
Durmstrang males as they process forward in paired lines, striking their sticks on the
floor on pulses one, four, and five of the eight beat phrase, and vocalizing "huh!" as they
transfer their sticks to their right hands on pulse number seven at which time the camera
angle changes to a full front view. The rhythm of their rods striking the ground helps to
propel the metric energy forward in each phrase. Instead of simply sounding at the
beginning and mid-points of each phrase, the leading rhythm from beats four to five
anticipates the stronger beat, then pulls the listener into the second half of the phrase
through inertia and gravitational pull.
The camera shots change for the second musical phrase, though the camera
continues to show the boys from the front as they strike their sticks to their right side on
the same pulses (e.g. beats number one, four, and five of the phrase). On the seventh
beat, the camera focus changes to a side-angled close-up of the boys' heads and torsos as
they take their staffs in both hands, thrusting them forward and back on beat eight along
with their re-vocalization of the syllable, "huh!" Although the listener hears the staffs
strike the floor on beat one of the third phrase, the camera focuses on the heads and torsos
of the Hogwarts teachers at the front of the Great hall. When the camera returns to the
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Durmstrang performers on the last three beats of the third phrase, they are twirling their
staffs like weapons.
Figure 7.8 The alignment of musical measures, spoken text, camera angles, and
choreography in the Durmstrang performance
Mm.: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Text: "Huh!"
Camera: side view, full front view, full
Chor: X(staffs strike) X X switch staffs to screen R.
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
9 10
front view
X
II 12
X
13
X
14 15 16
"Ha!"
side, close-up; heads and torsos
switch staffs to both hands, horizontal
focus to teachers, heads and shoulders
X (X
front/side view of Durmstrang boys
X) sound only, twirling staffs
staffs and boots, angles
X
side view, long/full
X twirling staffs
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
17
25
18
26
19
27
20
28
X
21
29
22
30
23
31
24
32
front view
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
33 34
front view cont.
X, running forward
35 36 37
shot from above
student reactions
38 39 40
Durmstrang boys from underneath
acrobatics
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
41 42 43 44 45 46
"Huh!"
closer up, toward front of hall
coffee-grinder, flip
47 48
close up on Viktor arriving
Viktor Krum arrives
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
49 50 51
"'Ha!"
52 53 54 55 56
"Blimey, it's him ..."
focus on Ron
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
57 58 59 60
"Viktor Krum"
switch to Viktor Krum,
61 62 63 64
focus on fire breather
fire breathing
fcous on student, close up offire breathing
fire breathing
Mm.:
Text:
Camera:
Chor:
65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72
focus on Igo Karkaroff
This chart shows the alignment between musical measures, spoken text, camera angles, and choreography within the
musical phrases ofthe Durmstrang performance.
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Stick fighting is a historic part of many East European traditions, and is
sometimes represented in folklore through dance. Similar to the ways that the
Beauxbatons choreography references ballet vocabulary without using codified ballet
technique, the Durmstrang stick-fighting maneuvers reference Central and East European
folklore without defining a region or culture more specifically. Rowling, herself, is
purposefully ambiguous when writing about the geographic whereabouts of the
Durmstrang school. When Viktor Krum begins to describe the school grounds to
Hermione during the Yule Ball, he is promptly interrupted by Durmstrangs's headmaster,
Igor Karkaroff:
"Vell, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I
am thinking," he was telling Hermione. "Ve have just four floors, and the
fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even
than these-though in vinter, ve have very little day-light, so ve are not
enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and
the mountains-"
"Now, now, Viktor!" said Karkaroffwith a laugh that didn't reach
his cold eyes, "don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming
friend will know exactly where to find us!."944
Durmstrang might be considered German because of the play of words on "Sturm und
drang" and the by the way Viktor Krum pronounces the letter "w" with the sound of a
"v," or thought of as Russian because the name of their headmaster is "Karkaroff."
While the Durmstrang visitors are referred to as friends from the "north" and arrive
bundled in furs, their student champion, Viktor Krum, is Bulgarian and plays for the
Bulgarian Quidditch team-that is to say they have a connection with a culture that is
from the south. Film directors continue this ambiguity by suggesting cultural generalities
with costume, choreography, and characters' foreign language accents. However, the
944 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 417.
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music does not reflect specific ethnic background, but does reflect musical codes for
gender.945
At the beginning of the fourth musical phrase, the camera focuses closely on the
boys' boots in wide stance as they strike their rods powerfully against the floor, again on
beats one, four and five of the phrase, before twirling them again during beats six, seven,
and eight. The boys' sticks as presented in the previous camera shots, in addition to the
overt allusion to folkloric fighting traditions, also seem to function as phallic symbols and
metaphors for virility. In the overall form of the choreography, the focus on the sticks
as phallic symbols is in a similar place to the point in the Beauxbatons piece at which the
camera focuses first on the girls' rear-ends, then on their butterfly-blossoming breasts.
Similar to the choreography for the Beauxbatons girls, the Durmstrang boys travel
faster during the second half of the musical piece (beginning with phrase five) by running
toward the front ofthe hall. During beats four through six of this phrase, the camera
focuses (from above) on the awe-struck reaction of Hogwarts students sitting at the
Gryffindor table. When the camera returns to the Durmstrang boys, it is from
underneath them as they perform Ukrainian-style tumbling tricks, legs flying through the
air, toward the front of the hall. The latter two camera angles (i.e. Hogwarts students as
seen from above, and Durmstrang students as seen from below) help to emphasize the
potentially greater power and masculinity of the Durmstrang boys over their colleagues
at Hogwarts.
During the sixth musical phrase, the occurrence of events becomes more dense.
On beat three of this phrase, one hears the Durmstrang vocalization "huh!" for the first
time since the opening phrases. On the same beat, the camera closes in to focus on one of
945 This is different from the costuming, choreography, and music used for the Irish team mascots at the
Quidditch World Cup. In The Goblet ofFire movie, the Irish team mascots form a field-style formation
giant leprechaun in a stereotypical green outfit. The giant leprachaun performs Irish step-dancing style
choreography to Irish-sounding fiddle music in duple meter.
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the boys performing a Ukranian-style "coffee-grinder," followed by a one-armed
forward cartwheel flip.946 The next camera shot, a close-up on Viktor Krumjust
arriving through the doors and still wearing his fur coat, begins on beat seven of the sixth
phrase, and continues through the first three beats of the following phrase (phrase seven),
which also contains the utterance, "huh!" on the second beat (this one arrives earlier, not
later). On beat four of the seventh phrase, the camera changes again to focus on Ron,
who exclaims on beats five through seven of the same phrase, "Blimey, it's him!" The
camera remains on Ron until beat three of the eighth phrase, changing to focus on Viktor
between the moments when Ron says "Viktor" (on beat two), and finishes with "Krum"
(on beat three). The camera remains on Viktor for the remainder of the musical phrase.
On the downbeat of the following phrase, the camera changes to focus on another
Durmstrang student who blows fire into the shape of a hunting falcon. No one cheers for
Durmstrang (as they did for the Beauxbatons delegation) as the camera changes to focus
on Igor Karkarov, the headmaster of Durmstrang who has entered with Viktor Krum.
Analysis of the Durmstrang vocalizations show gender differences in comparison
to the Beauxbatons vocalizations. The chart included in Table 7.9 will be used for
comparison. Numbers underlined below indicate beats on which Durmstrang utterances
accompany the instrumentation. Unlike the Beauxbatons "ahhh" vocalization (and the
other spoken commentary within their performance) which supported my claim that the
Beauxbatons girls' performance depicted seduction in part through delayed gratification,
the Durmstrang "huh!" vocalization (and other spoken commentary) is all bunched up
toward the two-thirds marker of their seventy-two beat performance. While there are
only two utterances during the first, presentation-style part of the performance, there are
946 The tenn "coffee-grinder" refers to the athletic maneuver for which a crouching dancer alternates
balance between his hands and one foot while his other leg swings around in a circle underneath him.
692
four, longer utterances during the second, more athletic and magical part of the
performance.947
Table 7.9 The alignment of spoken text with measure numbers in the two parts of the
Durmstrang performance
Part One: 123456 L8 91011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132
Part Two: 33343536373839404142 43444546474849 50 515253 5455565758 59 60 61626364
Coda: 65666768697071 72
This chart indicates when vocal utterances align with measures in the two parts ofthe Durmstrang
performance. Measures that include either a voaalization or dialogue are indicated with an underline.
Additionally, the Durmtsrang boys' staffs make regularized rhythmic, percussive
sounds as they strike the floor of the great hall, creating sparks of electricity with every
hit. Sometimes these percussive strikes are seen and heard, sometimes just heard. Table
7.10 shows how most of the strikes occur during the first part of the performance (along
with two vocal utterances), while very few strikes are heard during the second part of the
performance (along with more, longer utterances, and a greater show of athleticism).
Underlined numbers below indicate when strikes are heard, while those in bold
emphasize when strikes are also seen (strikes are only seen during the first part). In other
words, the sound of striking sticks is more prevalent during the first part of the
Durmstrang form, while vocal utterances and commentary are more prevalent during the
second part of the form. This supports an analogy of battle in which soldiers pound their
weapons menacingly before before heading into the combat itself.
947 Also notable is that commentary for both the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang performances is given by
Hogwarts males, but not females.
693
Table 7.10 The alignment of staff hits and strike sounds with measures of music in the
two parts of the Durmstrang performance
Part One: ! 2 3 1 ~ 6 1 8 .2 10 II 12 13 1412 16 17 18 19 20 2! 22 23 24 25 26 2728293031 32
Part Two: 3334353637383940 :!l42 434445464748 49 50 51 5253545556 57 58 596061 626364
Coda: 65666768697071 72
The chart above shows when audio and visuals acknowledge when the Durmstrang staffs hit the ground.
Underlined measure numbers indicate audio strikes, while bold numbers indicate when the staffs
themselves are shown hitting the ground.
Camera angles for Durmstrang start out somewhat aligned, then become non-
patterned-like a musical metaphor for Viktor Krum and Igor Karkarov (and military-
style units in general) who present a face of discipline, but then do not always play by the
expected rules. Table 7.11 below compares the periodicity of the eight-beat phrases to the
length (in beats) of each camera angle. During Part One, beginnings of musical phrases
and camera angles align every eight beats. This alignment is emphasized by shorter
camera angle lengths preceding three out of four of these alignments. The second camera
angles in between the first three alignments (i.e. two beats in length, on the sixth and
fifteenth beat of the performance) are experienced visually as pick-up beats function
aurally, that is to say, leading the observer directly to the next alignment on the downbeat
of the musical phrase (this is similarly experienced aurally when the boys' sticks strike on
beat four leading to beat five). This visual pick-up cue is similarly experienced between
the camera angle change on the twenty-second beat of the performance and the following
alignment on the twenty-fifth beat.
694
Table 7.11 The alignment of musical phrases and camera angle (visual) phrases with
measures of music in the Durmstrang performance
Part One:
Music:
Camera:
12345 6789 1011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132
8 8 8 8
6 26 25 3 4 3 4
3334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758596061626364
8 8 8 8
Part Two:
Music:
Camera: 3 4 4 5 7 6
Coda:
Music:
Camera:
65 66 67 68 697071 72
8
2 4 2
This chart shows the alignment ofmusical phrases and camera angle phrases against the measures of
music in the three sections ofthe Durmstrang piece. As one can see, musical and visual phrases are
relatively aligned during part one, but become mis-aligned during part two. This is in contrast to the
Beauxbatons performance, in which musical and visual phrases become more aligned.
Camera angle lengths do not align with musical phrases during Part Two of the
performance until the coda. Except for a repeating [4343] pattern in camera lengths
beginning on beat twenty-five (which may also be interpreted as a [3434] pattern
beginning on beat twenty-nine), and the general increase in camera angle lengths that
proceeds from this point in the performance, there is no clear pattern to the length of
camera shots in part two. Combined with information discussed regarding the boys'
utterances, percussive sticks, movements, and music, the analysis of camera angle lengths
supports my claim that the Durmstrang make a commanding, military-style presentation
of their orderly might during the first part of their performance, followed by an
aggressive show of power, physical prowess, and surprise tactics that culminate in a
mock victory (including the entrance oftheir very own victor, Viktor Krum) in front of
Hogwarts teachers and students in the Hogwarts hall.
Yet, is there also a sexualized aspect to this? For instance, when the Durmstrang
boys shoot forward, depicting the potency of Durmstrang strength-with one-legged
695
circles, one-armed suspensions, and breathing fire-and making way for their most
potent champion (i.e., Viktor Krum)? At the beginning, the three longest camera shots
are of Durmstrang boys holding their rods which they pound and thrust aggressively. At
the end, the three longest shots are of (l) Viktor Krum who arrives in princely style and
swinging his own rod as he penetrates the room, (2) the Hogwarts boys' intimidated
reaction to Viktor, then (3) Viktor, victoriously acknowledged at the head of Hogwarts.
Although the young ladies of Beauxbatons are the first to enter, the performance
that follows by the young men of Durmstrang is more intense. While the Beauxbatons
performance is interesting and captivating, the Durmstrang performance is longer and
much more energetic. This order follows the hierarchy of a royal entourage in which
lovely girls enter first, then the men-at-arms, and finally the prince or king himself (i.e.,
Viktor Krum and his advisor Igor Karkaroff). The order of performances (as a whole)
also follows a timeline for sexual seduction and conquest in which women of beauty
reveal themselves in alluring amounts, before capitulating to consummation by spreading
their ranks to expose their flower within, thus allowing the men of physical prowess,
who arrive with their stiff rods, to penetrate, spewing fiery potency at the climax.
The music for the Beauxbatons students changes more dramatically at the half-
way point than does the music for Durmstrang. For Beauxbatons, it is perhaps marking
the change from light-hearted seduction to eventual capitulation. This is in contrast to the
music and movement for Durmstrang students who arrive strong and stay strong. The
periodicity of camera lengths to musical phrase lengths becomes increasingly aligned for
Beauxbatons, while it becomes increasingly mis-aligned for Durmstrang. This might
represent how the Beauxbatons Academy holds the appearance of playing by the rules
more than Durmstrang, or it could serve as a sexual metaphor-that is to say, the camera
assists in seduction toward the consummating alignment of choreography, music, and
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camera focus. In contrast, the Durmstrang choreography begins with more synchronicity
than it ends with. Though the pacing of the camera angles is asymmetrical when
Durmstrang begins (with ritual-like movement of boys wielding wooden rods), it stays
within the confines of the musical phrase for the three phrases. At the point at which the
camera focuses on the phallic staffs, the camera angle pacing becomes more erratic, and
not at all defined by the musical phrase. If one were to attempt to breath in and out to the
pattern ofthe camera angles, the experience might mimic sexual climax in which
breathing is at first slightly uneven, then faster-paced, then suspended at the apex of
climax, before returning again to the shorter, yet recovering breaths (as does the final
phrase when camera lengths again fall within-not outside of-musical phrase). As the
camera angles become shorter in the middle of the piece, the actions of Durmstrang boys
become faster and more athletic as they rush toward their goal. At what I have referred to
as the "apex of the climax," Viktor Krum arrives, penetrating the walkway between the
Hogwarts tables (perhaps femininizing Hogwarts), and penetrating the group of his
comrades at the front of the hall---eulminating in the breathing of fiery falcon-like a
visual metaphor for semen/male potency.
This analysis clearly shows that the schools, divided female and male, are also
represented in gender-divided ways. Viewers would respond much differently had the
Beauxbatons ladies arrived with wooden staffs, shouting "huh!" as they marched down
the Hogwarts aisle. A Durmstrang performance including sighs, sashays, and fluttering
butterflies would be similarly confounding. Instead, the Beauxbatons ladies wear
flowing dresses in soft blue that are matched in timbre by the light, flowing orchestration
of their musical theme, and their casually graceful movements. Additionally, analysis
comparing the periodicity of their musical phrases, utterances, choreographic phrases,
and camera angle lengths shows a repeating pattern of expectation followed by delayed
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gratification, easily recognized as the rhetoric of seduction. Furthermore, visual
metaphors within their Beauxbatons choreography suggest imagery of seduction and
sexual consummation. As presented in the film, the Durmstrang lads wear stark, dark,
military-stye uniforms that are matched in timbre by their dark-sounding, percussive,
drum, bass, and brass-heavy musical theme, and their aggressive, sometimes jagged
movements. Additionally, analysis comparing the periodicity of their musical phrases,
utterances, choreographic phrases, and camera angles shows a clear pattern of orderly
command followed by erratic, bold, pleasure-seeking, symbolic display of victory,
relating to the historically masculine aspects of rhetoric. Furthermore, visual metaphors
within the Durmstrang choreography as a whole suggest imagery of erotic male pleasure
and conquest.
Music and Gendering of the "Other": The Merpeople's Message and Moaning
Myrtle's Habanera
Another example of music in The Goblet ofFire that is prominent in both the
book and the film is a riddle song provided by a chorus of Merpeople. Singing mermaids
are a frequent trope in folklore from Homer's Illiad to Anderson's Merfrau, so Rowling's
inclusion of this riddle song both propels the Harry Potter narrative and alludes to other
well known stories.948 Merpeople in folklore are also representative of a number of
mythological creatures who share some physical attributes with humankind while also
having a non-human aspect to their appearance. Some of these creatures included in
Rowling's text have human-like bodies with grotesque or diminuitive features (e.g. big-
nosed trolls, pointy-eared goblins, or pint-sized leprechauns), while others appear as
948 The occurrance of riddles in folklore is also frequent, such as in the story of the sphynx in Greek
mythology and some versions of Rumpelstiltskin in western European folklore.
698
humans from the waist up and as animals from the waist down (e.g. centaurs and
Merpeople). In folklore, these latter creatures are categorized as non-human (despite
their typically pleasing features and life-size torsos), and are depicted in either exotic or
threatening ways.949 However, Rowling uses this tradition of Othering as an opportunity
to show understanding and cooperation between species.
There is a parallel between the way that mythological species are "Othered" in
folklore and the ways that people are "Othered" in global society. Although in
mythology, the perceived dichotomy is between humans and non-humans, similar
perceived dichotomies function in society between members of a dominant cultural group
and those outside of that group, either through ethnic affiliation, geographic location, or
social standing.950 Stereotypes attached to the latter so-called "us" and "them"
categories parallel historic stereotypes of gender difference. Words such as self-
controlled, straightforward, articulate, trustworthy, and masculine have been historically
attached to Western cultures while words such as sensual, exotic, mysterious,
untrustworthy, and feminine have been historically attached to non-Western cultures.951
It is with this perspective that I include discussion of social othering as a subcategory of
gender studies with regard to the Rowling's description of the Merpeople's song.
949 For instance, mermaids in Anglo-Saxon folklore often lure fishermen to their watery deaths, while
centaurs and fauns are depicted as lusty, pleasure-seeking beasts in contemporary interpretations of Greek
mythology. Though the centaurs are not involved in music in Rowling's novels, they are represented by
different styles of background music in two of the films. In The Chamber ofSecrets, Williams
accompanies the centaur with conventional orchestral instruments, while in The Order ofthe Phoenix,
Hooper accompanies the group of centaurs with primitive-sounding forest drums (CoS DVD 1:47:32 and
OotP DVD 1:42:34 respectively). Because of Hooper's musical Othering, the centaurs in The Order ofthe
Phoenix seem more threatening.
950 This also relates to the ways that the foreign students from Durmstrang were represented as
"threatening" while the foreign students from Beauxbatons were represented as "exotic."
951 Adapted from Edward W. Said, Orientalism (New York: Random House, 1979).
---------. _. ._._._-_.._....
699
As I will show, Rowling omits some of the traditional stereotypes of so-called
mysterious, feminized mer folk in the text of the merpeople's song that would suggest
othering in the wizarding world (akin to Orientalism in the real world). Additionally, I
argue that while the meaning of the Merpeople's song could imply a position of the
Other, Rowling's narrative overtly plays with the Merpeople's dual roles as collaborators
and opponents (e.g., whether they are trustworthy or not) during the second task. In
contrast, movie producers alter the presentation of the text to include musical codes for
the feminine, seductive, and exotic, and alter representation of the Merpeople to include
exotic and threatening characteristics that imply feminizing and othering. Furthermore,
(and similarly) I show that while the context of hearing the Mer song and retrieving
treasured people from the Merpeople's keeping is laden with signifiers for budding
sexuality, Rowling's narrative overtly shows how Harry is still in transition from his
childhood to his maturity, and not yet ready or able to participate in romantic discourse.
In contrast, movie producers reframe these scenes (including the aural framing of the film
music) to suggest that Harry is already a participant in romantic discourse.
In Rowling's narrative, the Mer song occurs as part of the second Tri-Wizard task
in The Goblet ofFire. Each of the contestants (Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory-also from
Hogwarts, Viktor Krum of Durmstrang, and Fleur Delecour of Beauxbatons) receives a
golden egg that will help him or her prepare for the second task. When opened above
water, the eggs scream and wail unintelligibly, but when opened underwater, the eggs
produce an articulate song sung by a chorus of Merpeople. The text of the song is a
riddle. When deciphered, the riddle text helps the contestants figure out what the second
tournament task will be and what they must do to participate in it effectively.
In fact, the combination of the egg and the mersong itself makes a two-layered
puzzle. First, Harry must learn how to listen to the egg (i.e. to put it and himself
700
underwater), then second, he must learn how to understand the song. When deciphered,
the riddle song tells him two things: (1) to seek out the Merpeople in the lake, and (2) to
retrieve what they have taken from him (his friend Ron Weasley, as it turns out). By
learning how to listen to the egg underwater, he is close to understanding the first part of
the Merpeople's message (Le. seek out the Merpeople who live under water). Then,
when he understands the message, he can prepare for the journey which will lead him to
rescue that which he values.
Learning how to listen to the egg is not an intuitive process or a foregone
conclusion for Harry. When he first opens the egg, he doesn't even realize that there is a
text to understand. The following passage represents Harry's first opening and hearing of
the egg in the Gryffindor common room.
"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden
egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open
it, Harry, go on! Let's see what's inside it!"
"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed.
Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the
groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open.
It was hollow and completely empty-but the moment Harry
opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the
room. The nearest thing to it Harry had ever heard was the ghost orchestra
at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the
musical saw.
"Shut it!" Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears.952
In other words, when Harry and his colleagues first hear the egg, they dismiss the sound
as unpleasant, incomprehensible noise rather than language. Although the message the
egg provides will eventually empower Harry, the language the egg contains is not
universal. This is similar to the way that music itself is a universal phenomenon, but not
952 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 365.
701
a universal language. Just as Harry dismisses the egg's song as too different to
comprehend (without initially recognizing its power), John Shepherd discusses how
music itself has been categorized as different without acknowledgment of its power.
Music has been conceptualized and positioned within modem societies in
ways that have hidden from view its importance as a basis for the exercise
of power. There has been a tendency to diminish music by categorizing it
as "different," that is, by privileging other forms of human expression and
activity as more important and more fundamental to social and individual
existence. Paradoxically, the ability of music to position and empower
individuals, groups, and cultures rests significantly on the limited extent to
which that power is understood. Music, in its reception and analysis,
tends not to encounter the kind of developed frameworks brought to bear
in academic and commonsense settings on other forms of human
expression and activity. Music has been constitued as an Other to
dominant forms of intellectual discourse and social practice and has
thereby been rendered more manipulable through them.953
There are also similarities with how music of the so-called Other has been further
Othered in Western societies. Without an understanding of contextual cultural values,
many Westerners historically could not (and often still cannot) appreciate music from less
dominant cultures when it sounds too different from their own.954 In other words, if
music (as Shepherd relates) has been historically dismissed as a sub-standard form of
discourse, then music of the so-called Other has been dismissed that much more. Much
as those who learn about music from around the real world, Harry must figure out the
context of the Mer song in order to appreciate its message.
953 John Shepherd, "Difference and Power in Music" in Musicology and Difference: Gender and
Sexuality in Music Scholarship, ed. Ruth A. Solie (Berkeley: University of California, 1993),49.
954 Though I agree that many Westerners enjoy listening to world music, my experiences teaching world
music courses confIrm that less globalized music traditions such as Bosnian "ganga" and Javanese soft-
style gamelan are still difficult for Westerners to grasp aesthetically or comprehend.
702
It may be significant that Rowling chose characters from another species (i.e. an
Other) to deliver a message using music-an othered form of discourse.955 Though all
three of the tasks in the Tri-Wizard tournament require students to exhibit magical skill,
physical fitness, intellectual creativity, and emotional integrity, the second task in
particular requires intellectual creativity and critical thinking skills. This is different
from the first task which requires students to capture a golden egg from the protection of
a dangerous dragon (i.e. requiring athletic skill and strategy), and from the third task,
which requires students to overcome threatening creatures, menacing forces, and personal
fears as they seek the Tournament trophy in the isolation of an overgrown maze (i.e.
requiring emotional integrity and defensive magical skills). Significantly, the second task
(beginning with the Merpeople's song) is the only task involving music in Rowling's The
Goblet ofFire. In other words, Rowling uses an "Othered" form (i.e. a "feminine" form)
of intellectual discourse in order to faciliate the task requiring the most intellectual (i.e.
masculine) skill. Furthermore, she entrusts a stereotypically mysterious and
untrustworthy species to articulate the message. Even with this opening premise,
Rowling mixes and subverts stereotypes so that they are no longer intact.
A second point worth exploring is how the process of deciphering the riddle (both
layers) is filled with sexual imagery. The previous discussion of the Weird Sisters in
Rowling's novel explored how gender is conspicuously absent in the way that the Weird
Sisters are described (and by implication, perceived), and how students are (equally)
conspicuously aware of how they are received as gendered bodies within the context of
the Weird Sisters' performance and the formal dance at Hogwarts. The topic of the
Merpeople's song continues this thread by discussing how gendered beings relate to one
another within the context ofanother musical event. When Cedric Diggory (Harry's
955 We also see this in the example of the love-gram bearing cherub, previously mentioned.
703
Hogwarts colleague and Tri-Wizard opponent) gives Harry a hint for figuring out the egg,
Harry is at first hesitant to take his suggestion to
"Take a bath, and -er-take the egg with you, and--er-just mull
things over in the hot water. It'll help you think.... Trust me."
Harry stared at him.
"Tell you what," Cedric said, "use the prefects' bathroom. Fourth
door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor,
Password's 'pine fresh."'956
What could Cedric have been thinking? Take a bath with the egg? What would Harry's
peers think of him bathing with the egg? Who cannot imagine the number of suggestive,
snide remarks he would receive from his fourteen-year-old peers?! The way Cedric stalls
when giving the hint implies that he also feels awkward revealing that he took a long hot
bath with the egg. Furthermore, he senses Harry's discomfort, and offers a way for Harry
to bathe in privacy.
When Harry arrives in the prefects' bathroom, he discovers a room offering spa-
like conditions with romantic ambience:
It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and
everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an
empty rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor.
About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pool's edges, each with
a differentl colored jewel set into its handle.... Long white linen curtains
hung at the windows; a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner,
and there was a single golden-framed painting on the wall. It featured a
blonde mermaid who was fast asleep on a rock, her long hair over her
face. It fluttered every time she snored.957
956 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 431.
957 Rawling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 459---460.
-------- ----------_ .._.. _--
704
The description of the bathroom also includes the first description of a mermaid in
Rowling's narrative. This mermaid has long, blonde hair, signifying alluring beauty, and
she sleeps on a rock, which is consistent with traditional folklore. The fact that she is
female, and the circumstances that she appears exotic and silent (i.e. non-articulate) are
consistent with othering in folklore as it parallels othering in discourse of West and non-
Western cultures. Later, I will show how the Merpeople's song text is not consistent
with traditional gendering and othering in folklore.
Though Harry marvels at the room, he suspects that "Cedric might have been
having him on" in telling him to go there with the egg.958 Nevertheless, he turns on
various taps which fill the bath with "hot water, foam, and bubbles," then "[pulls] offhis
pajamas, slippers, and dressing gown," before "[sliding] into the water."959 Thus, Harry
is naked in the process of decoding the egg's secrets. This is the first time that Rowling
draws attention to Harry's adolescent body in this way. Once in the water, Harry does
not immediately understand what to do with the egg.
Harry stretched out his arms, lifted the egg in his wet hands, and
opened it. The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, echoing and
reverberating off the marble walls, but it sounded just as incomprehensible
as ever, if not more so with all the echoes. He snapped it shut again ... -
and then, making him jump so badly that he dropped the egg, ...
someone spoke.
"I'd try putting it in the water, if! were you."960
958 Ibid., 460.
959 Ibid.
960Ibid., 461.
705
The voice comes from the adolescent ghost Moaning Myrtle who haunts the Hogwarts
bathrooms and waterways.961 Harry spies her "sitting cross-legged on top of one of the
taps."962
"Myrtle!" Harry said in outrage, "I'm-I'm not wearing
anything!"
The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but he had a
nasty feeling that Myrtle had been spying on him from out of one of the
taps ever since he had arrived.
"I closed my eyes when you got in," she said, blinking at him
through her thick spectacles.963
Notice how Rowling first establishes that Harry has taken off his clothes, then suggests
that he has been a victim of voyeurism and confirms that he is aware of his own
nakedness, then diffuses the situation quickly by saying that the "foam was so dense that
[it] hardly mattered," and stating Myrtle's matter-of-fact response that she "closed [her]
eyes when [Harry] got in." This is an example of how Rowling establishes Harry's
awareness of gender and sexuality while simultaneously showing that he is not yet a part
of this discourse. Additionally this is shown in the ways that Myrtle relates to him during
their conversation - by "bossing Harry around" and "picking at a spot on her chin in a
morose sort ofway."964 This is different from the way that Rowling writes about
Myrtle's voyeuristic pursuits while Cedric Diggory took his bath.
961 Ghosts in toilets are also prevalent in folklore, especially in children's jokes including a series of
travelers who encounter hotels with haunted bathrooms. This example (as represented in the film) was also
mentioned in the context of music and humor.
962 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 461.
963 Ibid.
964 Ibid., 462--463.
706
"Have you been spying on him tooT' said Harry indignantly.
"What d'you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the prefects take
baths?"
"Sometimes," said Myrtle, rather slyly, "but I've never come out to
speak to anyone before.... [Cedric] lay there talking to himself for ages
about [the egg]. Ages and ages ... nearly all the bubbles had gone ..."
965
Although Cedric is an object of Myrtle's adolescent intrigue, she passes on information
from watching Cedric to Harry based on her friendship with him (that developed
previously in The Chamber ofSecrets).
"Well ... anyway ... I'd try the egg in the water. That's what
Cedric Diggory did.... Go on then, ... open it under the water!"
Harry lowered the egg beneath the foamy surface and opened it ...
and this time, it did not wail. A gurgling song was coming out of it, a
song whose words he couldn't distinguish through the water.
"You need to put your head under too," said Myrtle, who seemed
to be
thoroughly enjoying bossing him around. "Go on!"
Harry toook a great breath and slid under the surface-and now,
sitting on the marble bottom of the bubble-filled bath, he heard a chorus of
eerie voices singing to him from the open egg in his hands:
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching, ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour-the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."966
After hearing the Merpeople's text in English, Harry begins to figure out what it means.
In the process, he glances at the picture of the mermaid and comes to a right conclusion.
965 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet a/Fire, 463-464.
966 Ibid., 462-463.
707
"I've got to go and look for people who can't use their voice above
the ground...." he said slowly. "Er who could that be?" ... Harry
stared around the bathroom, thinking if the voices could only be heard
underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to underwater creatures.
"Underwater ..." Harry said slowly. "Myrtle ... what lives in the
lake, apart from the giant squid?" ... "Well, does anything in there have a
human voice? Hang on -"
Harry's eyes had fallen on the picture of the snoozing mennaid on
the wall.
"Myrtle, there aren't merpeople in there are there?"967
Much like the difference between Myrtle's casual interaction with Harry and her
unannounced voyeurism of Cedric, the mennaid also relates differently to the two boys.
Although the mennaid "snoozes" while Harry bathes, Myrtle reports that the mennaid
was wide-awake during Cedric's bath, "giggling and showing off and flashing her fins ..
. ."968 The voyeuristic behavior of Myrtle and the flirting behavior of the picture
mermaid indicate that the older and more handsome Cedric Diggory is an object of sexual
desire, while the absence of their voyeurism and flirtation toward Harry indicates, by
implication, that he is not. Unlike the stereotype of the so-called male gaze upon
females, Rowling includes this example of the female gaze upon male characters.
Furthennore, this example provides contrast to stereotypical orientalist discourse in
which those in the dominant culture gaze upon the "other."969 At the same time,
however, Harry is both in the midst of the voyeuristic opportunity and separate from it.
Neither Myrtle nor the mennaid in the picture gaze at him as they gaze at Cedric, and he
does not gaze at them either. In other words, this is another example of how Rowling
967 Ibid.
968 Ibid., 464.
969 Dorinne Kondo, About Face: Performing Race in Fashion and Theater (New York: Routledge, 1997).
708
places Harry in a sexually-charged situation, then shows that his sexuality does not
register with those who might pay attention.
As discussed in the previous chapter, this is different in The Goblet ofFire movie
(GoF DVD 25:57). In the movie version of Harry's bathtub scene, The beautiful picture
mermaid (who snoozes in the book) is wide awake and flirts with Harry, thus
acknowledging him as an object of intrigue. Similarly, Moaning Myrtle cozies up to
Harry in a physical way (much to his embarrassment) with the support of a musical
theme reminiscent ofthe Habanera from Bizet's Carmen. Like Carmen's seductive song,
Myrtle's theme uses what McClary calls a "physical" rhythm with the "physical impulses
of exotic pseudogypsy dance."970 Following instrumental markers for the "exotic" in
representations of national dance as outlined by Arkin and Smith, these rhythms are
punctuated with bells and tambourine.971 Likewise, Myrtle's melodic lines, played on
oboe, "tease and taunt, forcing the attention to dwell on the moment----on the erogenous
zones of her inflected melodies."972 This is paradoxical, because Myrtle is acting
sexually charged (like the character Carmen), even though as a ghost, her impulses are
completely futile. However, her musical theme logically signifies her supernatural
otherness among the living world by alluding metaphorically to foreign otherness in the
real world. A transcription is provided in Figure 7.8.
970 McClary, Feminine Endings, 57.
971 Arkin and Smith, "National Dance in the Romantic Ballet."
972 Ibid.
709
Figure 7.8. "Moaning Myrtle's Habafiera"
1'1
.
t.. .. ... .. ?J ~ !J--
I I I
.
.
-..J:. -..J:. -;i. .... I
Similarly, the Merpeople's song itself is altered in The Goblet ofFire movie from
what is implied in Rowling's text. I claim that Rowling's description subverts folklore
stereotypes of gender and "Otherness," while film choices re-establish the traditional
stereotypes. First, let me explain what I mean by folklore stereotypes. In folklore,
Merpeople are most commonly mermaids (i.e. females) whose mysteriously sensual siren
voices have the dangerous power of seduction to lure sailors to their watery deaths.973 In
addition to including gendered qualities, the latter description from traditional folklore
also parallels the perceived threat of "other" cultures (or in this case, other species). In
Rowling's version it is implied that the Merpeople singing are of mixed gender when she
defines them as "a chorus," their voices are described as "eerie" rather than seductive,
973 While the mennaids do not always exert this power, as in Hans Christian Anderson's The Little
Mermaid, their power to kill is often a premise of the story.
710
their message helps Harry and the other contestants rather than hindering them, and their
role in the second tournament task turns out to be cooperative rather than threatening.
Harry enters the Black Lake in order to compete in the second tournament task
with the help of magical gillyweed which causes him to grow gills so that he can breath
under water. Because of the Merpeople's song heard in the egg, he knows that the
Merpeople have taken something from him that he must retrieve. Another character clues
him in just before the contest that, in fact, the Merpeople have taken his friend Ron
Weasley hostage. At surface level, this scenario is somewhat consistent with folklore in
that at least one male's life is at stake at the hands ofMerpeople. However, the situation
is much different as one learns from reading on. After swimming for some time, Harry
hears the Merpeople's helpful song again with different words that inform him of his
standing within the contest's time limit.
"An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took . ..
. . . your time's halfgone so tarry not
Lest what you seek stays here to rot. ..."974
When Harry comes to the Merpeople's village, he sees that the Merpeople appear much
different from their appearance in traditional folklore. While the following description
might seem threatening, these Merpeople are hardly the dangerously seductive sirens one
might expect.
Harry saw faces ... faces that bore no resemblance at all to the
painting of the mermaid in the prefects' bathroom....
The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair.
Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore thick
974 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 497.
711
ropes of pebbles around their necks. They leered at Harry as he swam
past; one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better,
their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched in their
hands.975
In other words, Rowling's description of their physical appearance is in contrast
to gendered folklore stereotypes, and Rowling acknowledges this contrast when she
explains that they "bore no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the
prefects' bathroom." Additionally, she describes that they are armed. While this may
show contrast to stereotypes of the feminized Other in which a binary of strong/weak
applies respectively to the binary of normative/non-normative, it may also suggest that
the Mer folk are threatening or untrustworthy-which aligns with stereotypes of the
Other. However, Rowling's continued descriptions of the Mer folk confirm that they do
not present a threat to Harry, to the "hostages," of to the wizarding humans at all. In fact,
their role in the tournament is cooperative, implying that they have participated as a favor
to Professor Dumbledore.
A whole crowd ofmerpeople was floating in front of the houses
that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of
merpeople was singing in the middle, calling the champions toward them,
and behind them rose a crude sort of staute, a gigantic merperson hewn
from a boulder. Four people were bound tightly to the stone merperson...
Harry sped toward the hostages, half expecting the merpeople to
lower their spears and charge at him, but they did nothing....
He looked around. Many of the merpeople surrounding them were
carrying spears. He swam swiftly toward a seven-foot-tall merman with a
long green beard and a choker of shark fangs and tried to mime a request
to borrow the spear. The merman laughed and shook his head.
"We do not help," he said in a harsh, croaky voice.976
975 Ibid., 498.
976 Ibid., 498-499.
712
The Merpeople do not hinder Harry's rescue mission, but, as autonomous beings,
they also do not serve him or his mission. Harry finds a jagged rock to help him break
through the ropes holding his friend Ron. When he has finished, he begins to worry that
the others will not be rescued in time because the other champions have not yet appeared.
When he attempts to cut Hermione free (who has been brought there to be rescued by
Viktor Krum), several Mermen pull him away, laughing. Again, they do not hinder him
in his task, but also do not help him to do more than his task. In other words, Rowling
plays with the Merpeople's roles as collaborators and opponents, yet clearly shows them
as a non-violent group who follow the rules of the Tri-Wizard tournament task with logic,
rationality, and good humor. At the conclusion ofthe task it is revealed that no lives
were truly in danger, and any language used in the Mer song to suggest so was only
meant to frame the challenge of the competition.
In this case, Rowling's intent to subvert stereotypes ofthe Other seem clear. In
the Harry Potter text, she contrasts folklore stereotypes by distinguishing the picture of
the mermaid from the actual Merpeople in the Black Lake. Additionally, while Harry
asks Myrtle about "creatures" in the Black Lake, the Mer folk are referred to as "people"
from then on. Furthermore, in an interview with Stephen Fry, Rowling confirms her
intention to include subtext against racism and intolerance. Although she does not
specifically mention the Merpeople, the characters and types of characters that are
mentioned are those that have been Othered by various groups of witches and wizards.
Stephen Fry: It is another one ofthe most horrible and brilliant inventions
of the books is this snobbery, this idea of purebloods and mudbloods and
this idea of mingling, mixed breeding, which is a reflection of some of the
things like racism and intolerance that we have in our world. Is that
deliberate or did it come to you in a flash again or did it just suddenly ...
.T. K. Rowling: That was deliberate. It was always there from the
beginning as you saw with Draco-even from the first book with Draco,
713
Harry discovers him first being rude about Muggles. I was also playing
with that when I created Professor Lupin having a contagious disease so
people are frightened of him....977
The process of descending into waters in which humans cannot breath in order to
rescue someone alludes to both baptism and standard-form hero journeys. Like baptism,
Harry enters the water, leaving behind his earthly breath, and emerges later with new
perspective, having passed a rite of passage. This episode in Harry's hero journey is
similar to other journeys such as Orpheus's descent into Hades to rescue Euridice. Much
like the myth of Orpheus and Euridice (and also of Persephone), there is also a romantic
component to the task of retrieving what has been taken by the Merpeople. The
competitors enter the water one way (as pre-heroes), and exit the water (having rescued
their loved ones) as heroes and romantic victors. For instance, Viktor Krum fetches his
girlfriend Hermione and Cedric Diggory fetches his girlfriend Cho. Fleur Delacour,
however, is unsuccessful at fetching her sister, and this seems to be a double feminization
of her character-that is to say that her sister is not her romantic interest, and she is not
successful in rescuing her. However, because the stereotype ofveela like Fleur is that
they are regularly engaged in seduction, the fact that she exhibits closeness with a female
family member above any romantic intrigue provides potential agency for her character.
Only Harry goes to rescue his male friend-again emphasizing that he is not yet equal to
the others in his skills of seduction and romantic prowess. However, Harry ends up
rescuing both Ron and Fleur's sister, and waits with Hermione until Viktor Krum arrives.
977 Stephen Fry, "J. K. Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall," June 26,2003.
http://www.msn.co.uk/liveevents/harrypotter/transcript/Default. asp?Ath=f (accessed July 7, 2004).
714
In this way, he has passed a small rite of passage in a series of experiences that will lead
him to a level of maturity not yet attained.978
It is also useful to compare the text of Rowling's Mer song with the way it is
represented in the film. Although this text was already printed earlier in the discussion, it
is given again below for ease of reference.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching, ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour lsmgyou 'll have to look.
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour - the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."979
Later, they sing:
"An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took . ..
. . . your time's halfgone so tarry not
Lest what you seek stays here to rot. ..."980
The Mer song text is quite symmetrical and regular. The first song text has eight lines of
paired rhymes (i.e. AA BB CC DD). The next text, heard while the contestants swim in
the lake, has four similar lines of paired rhymes. Each line has four iambic pulses and
ends with a masculine rhythmic cadence. This regularity in form sends a rhetorical
message of rational clarity which is in contrast to the stereotype of irrational mystery that
978 I have already shown in sections discussing the Yule Ball and the bubblebath how Rowling emphasizes
that Harry is not yet perceived by others as a mature male.
979 Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, 462--463.
980 Ibid., 497.
715
would typify traditional representations of Merpeople. This regularity is also in contrast
to other songs in Rowling's text which exhibit irregularity such as the Sorting Hat's
songs. However, while the Mer song text exhibits the controlled, straightforward and
articulate form that contrasts stereotypes of the Other, it does not include metaphors of
dominant conquest as is present in one of the Sorting Hat's songs (that uses masculine
endings, then feminine endings, then masculine endings again). In other words, Rowling
alludes to stereotypical folklore Othering when she describes the picture mermaid in the
prefects' bathroom, but subverts these stereotypes when she describes the Merpeople in
the Black Lake and represents the Merpeople in song text.
In contrast, the film representation of the Mer song reverts to metaphors for the
Other (GoF DVD 1:27:44). Although the film uses Rowling's text, Doyle's setting of the
text and the performing forces used to produce the text suggest exoticism and seductive
femininity rather than rational clarity. The melody for the song is given in Figure 7.9.
Patrick Doyle's setting matches musical phrases with the the lines of text, but
disrupts the four iambic pulse pattern by elongating each phrase to either five, five and
one-half, or six and one-half beats. This mimetically represents the floating and drifting
of swimming Merpeople, but also emphasizes the non-normative (i.e. Other) perception
of Merpeople. The melody outlines a major tonic triad, and melodic phrase endings
alternate between the second scale degree and the tonic. The harmonic limitations
prescribed by the melody mimetically reflect the limited watery sphere within which the
Merpeople exist. These limitations may also have gendered effects. Theorist David
Lewin argues that traditional Ramellian theories of tonality use metaphors linking
melody with femininity and harmonic grounding with masculinity. Furthemore, harmony
is the "generator-indeed, the progenitor--of musical reason, as that which keeps unruly,
716
wanton melodies in check."981 Thus, without conventional so-called masculine
harmonic cadences, the virtually monophonic song is non-normative, feminized, and
therefore, further Othered. As I have mentioned in a previous section, I do not argue
intent but rather effect. In choosing to reflect watery life, Doyle's music lacks the
groundedness that would reflect normative dominant culture. Instead, the theme includes
markers of exotic mystery.
Figure 7.9. "Mer Song"
Come seek us where our voi - ces_ sound, We can-notsing a-bove the ground. _ An
long you'll have to look _ to re-cov - er what we took. An
hour long you'll have to !(x)k__ to__ re -cov-er what we_ took. Your
time's half gone so tar - ry not, __ lest what you_ seek stays here to rot.
981 David Lewin, "Women's Voices and the Fundamental Bass," as represented in Susan McClary,
Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (Minneapolis: University ofMinnesota, 1991), xv.
717
These markers are also observed in the performance of the theme. At three points
within Rowling's narrative, she describes the Mer folk performing forces as a "chorus"
(first, when Harry listens to the egg in the bathtub, second, while he searches underwater
in the Black Lake, and third, when the Merpeople beckon him to the stone statue where
the hostages are). Because the Merpeople are both male and female, the implication of
the word "chorus" is that the singers are from both genders. In contrast, Patrick Doyle's
setting includes a female soloist (his daughter, Abigail, incidently) with a distantly heard
mixed gender chorus. She sings in a traditional Celtic folk way (that is to say with a
pleasant, smooth tone, and little if any vibrato) yet the setting includes no ornamentation
(as might be typical if the song were performed as a new Celtic folk song). The
implication of a solo female voice is obvious-that Mer singing is a feminine art.
Because the mixed-gender chorus sounds so distant for most of the theme, and because
the Merpeople are never seen singing, the effect parallels other uses of non-diegetic
choruses (e.g., those used in background music in the other films), that is to say, the
metaphorical representation of "Otherworldly" creatures and the supernatural.
Furthermore, when Mer folk are seen in the film, they are depicted with scowls, shrieking
speaking voices, and brandishing spears, but are never depicted laughing or communing
around their village as they are described by Rowling. Thus, the cinematic visuals and
dialogue emphasize the threatening, mysterious, Othered aspects of the Merpeople, rather
than the familiar aspects that might have been shown through laughing or village life.
In summary, Rowling acknowledges gendered folklore stereotypes about
Merpeople when she describes the beautiful picture mermaid, and when she plays with
Harry's perceptions of the Mer folk as either benign or threatening. However, she
subverts gendered stereotypes by describing them as different-yet not exotic, clarifying
their actions as rational and cooperative within the challenge of the tournament, and
718
emphasizing familiar aspects of their social organization-such as a mixed gender
community and conventional village life. Musically, she shows that they are different
(e.g. Harry and the others cannot understand the song at first) but not exotic or
mysterious (i.e. the song text is organized logically and decisively). It is implied that
genders contribute equally to the chorus. In the film, in contrast, the Mer folk appear
threatening, their actions in the lake seem irrational and uncooperative within the
challenge ofthe tournament (e.g. unnecessary brandishing of spears), and no familiar
aspects of their social organization are highlighted. Musically, their song is performed by
an unseen female soloist, and thus emphasizes the feminine quality that aligns with
folklore stereotype. Furthermore, Doyle's musical setting of the text uses a less stable
meter, and does not ground the melody with harmony, thus feminizing the piece with
respect to traditional musical codes.
In the greater context of the Mer song, Rowling's text suggests a growing
awareness of gender and sexuality (l) alerting readers to Harry's nakedness, (2) reporting
on others' interests in Cedric Diggory, and (3) including romantic interest for some of the
Tri-Wizard Tournament contestants in the second task (i.e., retrieving their loved ones);
but also shows that Harry is not yet part of this sphere by (l) showing how Myrtle and the
picture mermaid dismiss his nakedness, (2) writing that he rescues a platonic friend and a
colleague's young sister. In contrast, the film emphasizes awareness of Harry's sexuality
by showing the picture mermaid and Moaning Myrtle flirting with him.
Summary and Conclusions
This chapter continued in the vein of academic dialogue concerning gender and
Harry Potter. Musical analysis adds insights about musical cultures and events in Harry
719
Potter's Wizarding world. Although males and females fill traditional roles in Wizard
music-making, as described in Rowling's novels, there are also some clear examples of
individual agency. Musical examples in the Harry Potter novels often refer to
recognizable events of Euro-American patriarchal music culture, but characters (and
groups of characters) are often provided a way to mitigate social and gender stereotypes
through their musical performances and experiences in these events. Although most
forms of feminism advocate gender egalitarianism as an ideal, post-feminist attitudes
allow for proactive feminism to exist through agency in a true-to-life patriarchy, such as
is witnessed in the musical examples from Rowling's books.
This chapter also continues musical discourse regarding the representation of
gender and sexuality in music for drama. Most often, Harry Potter composers represent
gender and sexuality using traditional codes that were developed during previous
centuries and have since been integrated into the film score style known as the Classical
Hollywood style. Because soundtrack music tends to support characters in familiar,
traditional ways in order to facilitate immediate audience comprehension, some
ideological metaphors suggested by the music are in contrast to Rowling's original
emphasis. This is significant in that music often supports specific interpretations of the
narrative. That is to say, when a musical perspective is different from Rowling's
original, then the film perspective as a whole is also different.
In short, many of the musical descriptions included in Rowling's text mirror
readers' experiences with music either in past or present folklore and/or verancular
traditions. Because historic and current Euro-American gender systems were and are
patriarchal, and therefore, imperfect according to most feminist ideologies, the reader is
shown ways in which the Wizarding world reflects the same strengths and weaknesses
through musical events and experiences. Despite this, Rowling's creative interpretations
720
of the "familiar" also allow for slippage regarding gender boundaries. For example, the
powerful, magical, and authoritative wizard-style Sorting Hat is given both feminine and
masculine attributes in its text and poetic style. Additionally, school students have direct
creative power over their alma mater song. Within a patriarchal framework, both male
and female characters are able to experience elements of music-making not traditionally
associated with stereotypes of their own gender. Similarly, characters of both genders are
provided opportunities to resist or sidestep stereotypical expectations of their gender
through musical experiences. For example, both male and female characters playa flute
with Orpheus-like powers, though the male character (Harry) seems to play it with some
so-called feminine characteristics, while the female character (Hermione) seems to play it
with some so-caled masculine characteristics. Additionally, the Weird Sisters seem to
side~step any defining elements of gender within Rowling's text. Furthermore, the
dancing vee1a performance allows variation from folkloric expectations for both males
and female characters. Similarly, the Mer song depicts Mer folk without emphasizing
gendered stereotypes of the Other that stem from folkloric expectations of non-human
beings. These examples fit within Dresang's model of post-modemist feminism in which
members of both genders (and all social groups) have agency beyond normative gendered
(and social) expectations.
In contrast, film versions of these events tend to revert to contemporary gender
stereotypes rather than challenging them. The Sorting Hat is represented as male, and
institutional, male-directed music replaces egalitarian music creativity. Neither male nor
female students are allowed Orpheus-like musical power over Fluffy the dog, and the
Weird Sisters are represented as an all-male (albeit gender-bending) rock band. While
Rowling's narrative emphasizes the awkwardness and ambiguity of sexual awareness in
the scenes involving the Merpeople's message, and the Yule Ball, film directors elevate
721
awareness over ambiguity. This is also shown in the representations of the overtly
feminized and sexualized Beauxbatons students, the overtly masculinized and sexualized
Durmstrang students, and the flirtatious characterizations of Moaning Myrtle and the
picture mermaid.
Throughout this exploration, I claim proof of effect rather than intent. Certainly,
different artistic mediums require different priorities in order to tell stories effectively.
Furthermore, films need not follow works of literature with exact fidelity in order to be
successful. However, exploring the differences between the way music functions within
a work of literature and the way music is represented within the filmed interpretations of
the same literature can provide significant information about the role of music in
conveying subtextual arguments about social organization. Exploring the functions of
vernacular and folk music traditions in the Harry Potter novels revealed a nexus of music,
gender, and power that provides multiple opportunities for female and male characters
and groups of characters to behave and think outside of stereotypical, culturally defined
limitations. The exploration of the way that music is represented in the Harry Potter
films reveals a competing ideological subtext in which music has little association with
power, and in which music and notions of gender are most often linked in order to
emphasize gender-specific sexuality.
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CHAPTER VIII
CONCLUDING STATEMENTS
The appeal of the Harry Potter films is far-reaching, and the soundtracks guide the
interpretation of the films that have influenced so many viewers. Political philosopher
Suman Gupta argues that the Harry Potter narrative deserves critical study because "the
Harry Potter books and their offspring have apparently transcended cultural boundaries
more effortlessly than any other fictional work of recent years," and paradoxically "the
Harry Potter books are the most challenged ... and banned books of our time."982 That
is to say, the narrative has sparked debate as much as it has sparked imagination. As I
have argued in this dissertation, one must consider how the Harry Potter film music
sparks imaginations and informs viewer interpretations in order to truly understand how
the narrative plays out in film.
While scholars joined the discussion of Rowling' s narrative soon after the
publication of the first book (often addressing topics such as philosophy, gender, and
comparative literature) and critics and reviewers made strong statements about the music
for the films as each one was released (addressing such topics as musical beauty,
innovation, and soundtrack cohesiveness), very few acknowledged the role of music in
shaping the Harry Potter series that so many people connect with through film. As
982 Swnan Gupta, Re-reading Harry Potter (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) 17-18. The books
were at the top of"most challenged books" list from 1999-2001 according to the American Library
Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom. As Gupta points out, this is quite an achievement for a
series first published in 1997.
723
Bruce Jackson has argued, film is important, and, as we saw over the course ofthis
examination (following the theories and methods of Gorbman, Kalinak, Kassabian, and
Chion), the movie music that creates the stories that we imagine in film is a significant
but often over-looked piece of the audio-visual experience.
When a musical film score works "inaudibly" (as Gorbman argues that the
conventional Classical Hollywood soundtrack ought to do), the power of the music to
convey ideas is typically subliminal. However, the fact that viewers may not be
conscious of the soundtrack does not make the music any less powerful. Indeed, on
many of the occasions when the music and visuals are at odds in some way in the Harry
Potter films, the interpretation provided by the music wins out. When the music tells us
that the bus stops for a third time in the Knight bus scene, we perceive that the bus has
stopped even though the visuals show us that the bus actually stops a moment later.
When the music depicts chirping birds during the Beauxbatons choreographed dance, we
are more likely to perceive bluebirds flying up from the dancers rather than the blue
butterflies that the visuals depict. These examples serve as tangible reminders of Chion's
main argument: that sythesis of musical and visual meaning does not happen "out there"
on the screen but rather in our minds, often effortlessly as the audio-visual elements are
presented to us. Although music is a powerful interpretor even when music and visuals
are somehow incongruent, the majority of the music for the Harry Potter films is
congruent with visuals and is so frequently applied that the music effectively steers the
interpretive course for the entire film.
While there are many interpretations about the true meanings of Rowling's
original Harry Potter narrative, the examination of Williams's, Doyle's, and Hooper's
film music provides a distinct picture of what the Harry Potter films are about. However,
the audio-visual approach of each of the four teams of filmmakers focuses on different
724
aspects of the narrative, framing each part of the story in a new way. The content of this
dissertation serves as a reminder that relatively similar~sounding instrumental music can
be used to signify and convey significantly different ideas.
Over the course of this study, we explored how the Harry Potter film music
relates to film visuals, to dialogue, and to other music-including the other music in the
film, the music described in the books, and the musical body ofknowledge that viewers
bring with them to their viewing experience. In the process, we saw how an examination
of the Harry Potter music relates to a wealth of current research topics and
methodologies, most significant of which are those from the areas of western music
history, film-music, music for dance and drama, and music ethnography. Other research
theories and methodologies from the disciplines of music theory, gender studies, literary
criticism, anthropology, folklore, philosophy, and humor studies also provided valuable
guiding information. To put it another way, this analysis of music from Harry Potter
films informs our perspective on how the Harry Potter narrative relates to topics of
gender, folklore, philosophy, humor, and so on. Furthermore, when the film-music
changes, these perspectives change.
The examination of production processes, aesthetics, and reception in Chapter II
established that the Harry Potter films were intended to be different from one another and
that fans and critics felt these differences. Although some film elements remained
constant (e.g., most of the actors, and many ofthe sets), the filmmakers often chose
innovation over continuity in part to keep the series "fresh," but more importantly to tell
each chapter of the series as they saw fit. While the effect of artistic choices need not be
directly aligned with intent, and indeed, I have based the majority ofmy analysis on
effect rather than intent, it is useful to re-acknowledge the success of each team of
725
filmmakers for the reason that the story each wished to tell was received in kind by
Viewers.
We examined each film production as a whole in Chapter II, but then explored
only sections ofthe films during the topical explorations in Chapters III-VII. For this
reason, let us briefly reconsider the ways that critics and fans perceived the films and film
music in the context of what we have examined in the previous chapters, and in so doing,
synoptically synthesize what we have learned about the roles of music in the first five
films. While I have endeavored to use an even hand in the presentation of research in the
previous chapters, I take this opportunity to show my own preferences and biases-
including my first responses to the soundtracks and my more tempered responses after
the exercise of research.
As I have watched and re-watched the first two films in the course ofthis
research, I am most struck by the exactness with which music follows the form of each
scene and of each of the first two films as a whole. I do not always feel thoroughly
engaged with the music, but I never cease to be impressed with the detailed attention
given to aligning musical events and ideas with visuals. This is significantly due to the
network of leitmotivic material that Williams organizes like a sequence of tiny tiles in
order to create a grand mosaic that becomes each film's score (and indeed, becomes each
film's interpretive element). Much like a work of visual fine art, no "tile" (i.e., leitmotif)
is out of place.
While critics often use the words "faithful," "classic," and "magical" to describe
the first two films and their music, I used the analogy of a musical pair of eyes to
describe the effect of John Williams's music in the first collaboration. These "eyes" are
all-seeing and all-knowing. In collaboration with director Chris Columbus (Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber a/Secrets), Williams's
726
music saturates the film, and organizes and clarifies Harry's introduction to the magical
world by using a complex system of contrasting leitmotifs that distills the relationships
between characters, events, places and ideas. The musical attributes of Williams's
themes are consistent with traditional musical codes and metaphors for the ideas that the
music signifies, and the placement of the themes with film visuals is thorough and
consistent (i.e., "truthful").
For instance, the music clarifies the distinctions between the muggle and magical
worlds and indicates different kinds of music are used for different aspects of the
wizarding world. Diatonic music with occasional chromaticism accompanies acts of
benevolence, while dissonant or angular music accompanies acts of malevolence.
Trumpets and horns accompany heroic characters and institutions, while low brass and
basses accompany adversarial characters and ideas. Leitmotifs for emotions have soft
contours while leitmotifs for the wonky wizard world have unexpected twists and turns
(i.e., regarding rhythm, melodic contour, chromaticism). Themes for flight, magic, and
whimsy are in triple meter, while music for dark and threatening circumstances are in
duple.
Even though the wizard world is presented as an unfamiliar, topsy-turvy place
(e.g. in film visuals and in specific music codes and metaphors for magic and the
supernatural), the organization of leitmotifs used for musically representing the wizard
world is familiar, traditional, and orderly. The audio landscape consists of conventional
orchestral instruments, playing conventional styles of music. The relationships between
characters and narrative ideas are clarified through musical contrasts that emphasize
simple, black-and-white interpretations-muggle vs. magic, good vs. evil, conflict vs.
resolution, and so on. The rational approach to this organizational system contributes to
the interpretation that Harry has entered a magical world which is essentially benevolent
727
and safe. Indeed, the safety of Harry's new world is further emphasized by the lack of
musical themes for loss and death. The implication for viewers is that the fantasy world
is more colorful and emotionally rewarding than the world of muggles.
While this approach is helpful for many viewers (especially younger viewers and
those unfamiliar with the original novels), it may also be the reason that some critics were
disappointed with the first two productions. That is to say, there is nothing unexpected
either in the music (i.e., as an example of John Williams's signature style) or because of
the music (i.e., the way the music regularly foreshadows the coming events), and
therefore the film may not draw these viewers in as much as it spells the narrative out.
Moreover, by so thoroughly interpreting the visuals for the viewer, the music for the first
two films supports a narrower range of interpretations for the narrative as a whole than
does the music for the later films. Furthermore, the theatrical codes that so effectively
serve the purpose of following form and of cueing important narrative ideas in the
background music do not effectively represent the more unusual, fantastical, and socially
varied musical situations that Row1ing describes in the first to books (as we saw in
Chapter VII).
While Williams's music for the first two films provides a show-and-tell
atmosphere, Williams's music for the third film provides an emotional experience for the
viewer. Although critics often use the words "tender," "wacky," and "artistic" to
describe Cuaron's and Williams's transformational approach to Harry Potter and the
Prisoner ofAzkaban, I analogously compared the approach to an emotional heart and its
blood vessels, in which no part of the body (i.e., the film) is left untouched or unaltered
by the presence ofthe flowing blood (i.e., the music). Not only does Williams's music
saturate the film, it is often interconnected with (rather than merely reflective of) the
visuals. While it has become a cliche to say that a film cannot be separated from its
728
accompanying score, this belief holds even more weight with The Prisoner ofAzkaban,
in which visuals and music are so often in an audio-visual dance both inside the story and
in the background score. Much as the "pound of flesh" is problematized in
Shakespeare's Merchant ofVenice, so too, the viewer experiences how music and visuals
in The Prisoner ofAzkaban are truly entangled beyond separation.983
As I have watched and re-watched the third film in the course of research, I am
most struck by how the nuanced application of music creates so many layers of meaning
that enrich and deepen our understanding of the story. The more I watch and listen, the
more layers I find. The main contributing factors seem to be (1) the way that
Williams's music creates dramatic truth with both simple and more complex musical
metaphors for narrative ideas and (2) the interconnectedness of music and visuals through
source-scoring and audio-visual segues and sutures that Williams created in collaboration
with Cuaron. The interpretation that I perceive from the film music is not always the
same as my reader's interpretation of The Prisoner ofAzkaban book, but it is always as
intriguing (if not more) for me to consider the interpretation that Williams's music
suggests.
In each circumstance that the presence of music fulfills a conventional role (e.g.,
narrative cueing, following form, or continuity) the elements of each music cue also
provide rich layers of connotative cueing (i.e., cueing the implicit, including the
emotional world). When the segue of dance music sutures the visuals of the inflated
Aunt Marge to Dudley's television tango, and then to Harry's gaze at his parents' waltz-
pose photo, it informs our perspective on the spectrum ofabsurdity and tenderness in
Harry's world. When the Egyptian oboe music in the Leaky Cauldron Inn turns out to be
source music instead of background music, it informs our perspective on reality, and
983 Even if one turned off the sound, there would still be visuals of music-makers and rhythmic
presentations of movement.
729
warns us not to assume anything. When Harry's "Love/Reflection/Longing" theme is
transformed from a melancholy recorder melody to a magnificent hom anthem, we learn
that the power oflove is transformative. Moreover, music expresses Harry's world in a
way that viewers are able to experience it much as Harry does (rather than merely witness
it).
This new organization of music seems to present the unfamiliar, topsy-turvy
wizard world with an appopriate level of eclecticism and unexpectedness. Instead of
using orderly sequences of shorter leitmotifs, Williams's uses longer themes that are
sometimes unruly in their construction (e.g., the chaotic organization of music for Aunt
Marge and the Knight Bus ride, or the jagged-sounding theme for the Quidditch game).
Instead of limiting timbres to those of conventional orchestral instruments, Williams
weaves in pieces for early music instruments and modem jazz ensemble instruments.
Additionally, Williams opts for dramatic truth over musical beauty when he uses
orchestral instruments in unusual ways (e.g. the frisson effect created by collegno strings
for the Dementors). The relationships between characters and narrative ideas are
purposefully made uncertain by some leitmotifs for mystery that "tell the truth" and one
that does not. This less "rational" approach to the organization of music contributes to
the interpretation that the magical world harbors secrets yet to be revealed, and is not as
clear-cut as the first two films might have us believe. The implication for viewers is that
the fantasy world is both emotionally rewarding and also mysterious and dangerous.
There are many ways that the organization of music creates a more complex
organizational structure for the film than was used for the first two films. The recurring
audio-visual motif of the Headless Horsemen crashing through the Hogwarts windows
accompanied by a Renaissance ensemble marks the beginning and end of the school year,
while the audio-visual motifs of birds and trees mark the seasonal changes in weather
730
during the school year. Similarly, the alternation of source and background music in
Lupin's classroom provides a new organizational perspective on reality and fantasy in the
magical world.
While there are few source music events from Rowling's third novel to compare
with the film interpretation, the music in the third film nevertheless provides a
compelling picture of Harry's gendered world--especially concerning the varied roles of
men in Harry's life. Music for Professor Lupin reveals that he is one who loves fun, has
been emotionally wounded, and yet perserveres with the strength of love. Music for
Sirius Black depicts his character as dangerous, heroic, and full of tenderness. As
previously mentioned, the changing instrumentation for Harry's
"Love/Reflection/Longing" theme reveals how Harry matures as his emotions develop
under the guidance of Professor Lupin, and how he sincerely recognizes the gift of love
that Sirius extends to him. The abilities of characters to represent and/or express varied
and complex human qualities beyond gender stereotypes, and to experience evolutions of
identity are consistent with contemporary feminist theories which advocate for gendered
agency (i.e., mobility, freedom of choice and expression) for all genders.
The new musical approach engages the viewer in the process of interpretation
more than that of the first two films does, and because of this, there are more varied
interpretations of this film. This may provide a reason for the different critical
assessments of the film-that is, why some perceive the film as the payoff for that which
was established by the first two films, and why others perceive the film as incongruous
with that which was established by the first two films. I maintain that the new musical
approach also draws the viewer into the story (rather than merely telling the viewer what
the story is about), which is a valuable aesthetic approach in the sphere of music for
drama.
731
Doyle's music for the fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire, turns
away from the patterns established in the first films and explains the narrative in its own
new terms. While critics often use the words "ominous," "less magical," and "more
regal" to describe the film and film music, and I used the analogy of the philosophical
mind to describe how the background music uses broad strokes to suggest atmospheres,
but rarely defines the story at the level of the specific---ehoosing instead to deconstruct
the black-and-white contrasts that had been emphasized in the earlier films. In
collaboration with director Mike Newell, composer Patrick Doyle uses music to
interrogate the notion of good and evil and suture the duality ofHarry's inner and outer
experiences (though he uses music less often and less loudly than Williams does in the
previous films). In his music, he all but ignores the role of magic in the wizard world in
order to focus on more realistic human struggles. This approach contributes to the
interpretation that Harry's magical world is as real and tangible as the muggle world, and
the main concerns of the wizard world have less to do with magic, and more to do with
matters of conscience. The implication for the viewers is that the fantasy world is merely
a literary/cinematic backdrop for exploring the philosophical similarities between good
and evil, and the choices that lead human beings to one or the other.
As I have watched and re-watched the fourth film in the course of research, I have
endeavored to like it more than I did on first viewing. I have succeeded only to a degree.
The CD, when divorced from film visuals, is full of beautiful, grand, and playful themes.
Within the film, there are some scenes that are accompanied with music in very satisfying
ways. However, my viewer relationship with this film remains fraught with frustration.
As the reviewer for Film Tracks noted,
No matter how strong his underscore, no matter how beautiful his themes,
and no matter how effective his comedy, [Patrick Doyle] stepped onto a
moving train and suddenly diverted it onto a new track. ... Changing the
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title themes this late in the game is as awkward as if one of the three main
984
characters were to be rotated out.
Indeed, as we saw throughout the examination, Doyle not only changed the themes, he
completely altered the musical approach to drama that had been established on the
"moving train." While I do not argue against Doyle and director Newell's perogative to
make the new film their own, I suggest that the lack of continuity between the application
of music in the third and fourth films is disruptive to the main goals of film-music-
among them, to guide the meaning of the film-and the film series-for the viewer.985
The main transgressions in this discontinuity seem to be (1) the many "untruthful"
alignments between leitmotifs and visuals, and (2) the way music is used to describe the
story indirectly rather than directly (e.g., music for Rita's pen rather than for Rita; music
for Harry's adrenaline rather than for the dragon who chases him). Because of these
approaches, the music draws me away from visuals rather than into them in order to
consider why seemingly incongruent music has been applied to the scene. Had Doyle's
approach been the first in the series, my perspective might be different. However, Doyle
and Newell may have failed to realize the degree to which viewer expectations built on
the first films might negatively affect perceptions of new approaches in the fourth film.
In contrast to the previous films, there are many examples of diegetic music (but
not slippage between source and background music). This change alone makes
distinctive differences in the way music relates to characters and in the way viewers
984
Film Tracks, "Hany Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Filmtracks.com, June 27, 2007.
http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/order--'phoenix.html (accessed July 7, 2007).
985
Throughout this dissertation, I have followed Chion's assessment that film music creates meaning for
the viewer. I do not suggest that filmmakers must choose to create meaning in a singular way, but do argue
that a major measure of effectiveness of a composer's approach is the consistency with which music
conveys the story in a given film.
733
engage in the scenes that include these examples. While Doyle's source music often
establishes a realistic cultural backdrop for the story (rather than the establishing the
realm of magic and the unknown), it does not often interpret the emotional elements of
the scenes in which these examples occur. As well, these musical cues rarely provide the
viewer with a deeper understanding of the narrative as a whole (e.g., through musical
metaphors or symbolic alignments with visuals). Moreover, the source-music re-
contextualizations of music from the novel revert to stereotypes of gender and the Other
(with the possible exception of the changing lead positions during the Yule waltz).
The widespread use of the "EvilNoldemort" theme in the background music of
the film informs us that mystery and evil pervade the magical world. However, because
Harry's "Inner Emotions" theme is only about Harry, and because there is little musical
emphasis on the benevolent aspects of the magical world, the musical score provides little
emotional payoff for (or even relief from) the impending doom and gloom. While the
family tree of musical themes (i.e., that reveals the relationship between Harry's inner
and outer experiences, and the relationship between the paths of good and evil) creates
one of the most provocative, philosophical musical messages of all the approaches, the
lack of strict and truthful alignments between these motifs and the visuals that each
represents may hinder viewers' awareness of this important narrative perspective.
Furthermore, these themes do not develop during the fourth film (as some do during the
third film), and therefore do not give us a sense that the characters are evolving during
the film (though narrative progress is emphasized visually).
This film has been described as a "lean, mean, story machine," and indeed, the
filmmakers favor markers of narrative progress over the poetics of emotion and meaning.
Of all the films in the series, this one requires the most interpretive participation from
viewers because so few narrative relationships and back-story elements are addressed
734
with film music during the course of the movie. The pervasive, yet erratic use of some of
the leitmotifs effectively creates narrative tension, yet conversely, casts more shadow
than light on the true path of the story that filmmakers might have us follow. In contrast
to Williams's first Harry Potter scores in which the application of music clarifies nearly
every aspect of the story, the application of Doyle's music for the fourth Potter film
rarely clarifies anything.
I have tried to guess at what Doyle's intentions might have been in order to gain
appreciation for his approach, and have surely arrived at some useful conclusions: the
ubiquitous use of source music clearly acknowledges director Newell's emphasis on
realism, and the family tree of themes relates to Newell's concept of the story's central
spine with nerve endings. Still, these insights only allow me to enjoy the film in theory,
not in practice. Had I been granted the opportunity to speak with Mr. Doyle, I certainly
would have asked him to tell me what I might be missing such that I keep puzzling over
rather than enjoying The Goblet ofFire. At the end of this long examination of the music
of Harry Potter films, I return to a hypothesis based on first impressions: if the music
does not tell the story well on first viewing (or the first three viewings,
as Cone suggests)986, then it is not fulfilling the role for which it was composed. I have
given extra consideration to the application of music in this film in the course of this
dissertation perhaps as a way to compensate for my bias, and also in the endeavor to
more fully understand what the score has to offer. Of course, as others have pointed out,
Doyle did not compose music for the film he wanted to make, but rather, for the film that
Newell wanted to make. As well, many musical editing decisions may have been made
beyond Doyle's authority. My lack of enjoyment for this score does not extend to
986 Edward T. Cone, Music: A View from Delft (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1989).
735
Doyle's other work. I have the utmost appreciation for Doyle's music for other films in
collaboration with other directors.
Although Doyle's melodies sound more like Williams's melodies than Nicholas
Hooper's do, Hooper's musical approach to drama is more like Williams's approach than
Doyle's is. The end result is an effective combination of continuity and innovation in the
musical approach to drama in the Harry Potter films. Hooper's music re-creates an
emotional, almost sensory feeling for the fifth film (Harry Potter and the Order ofthe
Phoenix, by director David Yates) similar to that which Williams created for the third
film, though Hooper achieves this effect by emphasizing texture and harmony instead of
melody. Additionally, Hooper's music energizes and reconstructs Harry's experience in
the magical world (i.e., that had been previously deconstructed with Doyle's approach)
by using driving polyrhythms and polyphonic ostinati that propel and revitalize the drama
in parallel with Harry's empowerment as a leader in the underground rebellion against
Voldemort and those who turn a blind eye to the rise of evil.
While critics use words such as "delicious," "elegant," and "rousing" to describe
the fifth film and its film-music, I used the analogy of skin and nerve-endings to describe
how the music allows us to feel the emotions and sensations of the story, almost as if
these elements are at our own fingertips. Rather than emphasizing melody (as Williams
and Doyle do), Hooper emphasizes harmonic and rhythmic tensions and releases that
metaphorically tug, pull, and push us into the drama. While the musical attributes and
applications of Hooper's themes are consistent with musical codes and metaphors for the
ideas that the music signifies, his choices are less predictable than Williams's choices,
and may move us more emotionally because of his unique and surprising style. In
collaboration, Hooper and Yates developed the most compelling dramatic relationship
736
between music and visuals of the series thus far-not only knowing when to let the music
speak for visuals, but also knowing how to let the music speak.
For instance, instead of using a soaring romantic melody for Harry's relationship
with Cho, Hooper represents the romance with harmonic progressions that create tension
and release (much as the sensation of first love often includes tension and pleasure).
Indeed, the music for most scenes is built on the principle of harmonic tension resolving
in harmonic consonance. Instead of using a heroic victory theme to indicate Harry's
successful defense against Voldemort's power, Hooper uses polyphonic texture to
illustrate the largely unseen struggle between their two minds. Music also represents
magical spaces with effervescent textures and timbres. Instead of using traditional
marches and hymns, Hooper energizes the activities of the underground rebellion
organizations with global rhythms (such as 3+3+2). Music depicts evil as a seductive
force with a melody (i.e., "Possession") so slow and slippery that we may not even be
aware that it has taken root in the background music-that is, we are seduced much as
Harry is seduced. The melody of "Loved Ones" seems to musicalize the text ofHarry's
letter to Sirius, while Harry's voice-over provides a text for the music. Another notable
aspect ofHooper's approach is the seamless integration of source-scoring and sound
effects which make the landscape both real and supernatural at the same time.
In all of these cases, the music does not "tell" us what to perceive (as Williams's
music does for the first two films), or call into question what we might perceive (as
Doyle's music does for the fourth film). Instead, the score effectively provides a
dimension of emotion that is simultaneously congruent with visuals and also
representative of the elements of the story that are unseen, such that we experience the
same atmospheres and circumstances that Harry experiences (which is different from
experiencing Harry's emotions themselves). While this approach effectively brings us
737
into the drama, it does not necessarily clarify the drama (as more traditional melodic
tropes might do). This explains why some reviewers find the film "delicious," while
others criticize that there is a dearth of grand themes to take away after seeing the
film. 987
There are too few examples of source music in this film to make an objective
examination of how these examples compare with Rowling's original descriptions, but
the lack of stock musical tropes throughout the film (such as those used in Williams's
predictable but effective scores for the first two films) gives the impression that the
musical approach moves beyond stereotypes. I have also argued that Hooper synthesizes
the approaches of his predecessors, and this is easily heard in the approaches to meter-
that is, a musical element that some argue has a gendered significance. While the most
prominent and most often heard of Williams's themes for the magical world are in lilting
triple meter, the most prominent and most often heard of Doyle's themes are in march-
like duple meter. In a form of metric synthesis, the most prominent and often heard of
Hooper's themes are in compound duple-which includes elements of both triple and
duple meters.
As I have watched and re-watched the fifth film in the course of this research, I
am continually reminded of how simultaneously unusual and effective Hooper's subtle,
elegant, and energizing musical approaches to drama are in collaboration with David
Yates. Additionally, Hooper and Yates seem to have been able to create a very balanced
relationship between music and visuals in spite of many challenges-including balancing
the expectations set by the approaches of the previous filmmakers with their desire to
make a new story with the new film. My admiration for this collaboration extends to
their work on the sixth Harry Potter film, The Half-Blood Prince, in which I perceive
987 This seems to be film-music metaphor for the proverb that "you can't have your cake and eat it too!"
738
many of the same audio-visual strategies at play. It is unfortunate that Hooper decided to
leave the series. If John Williams does indeed return to compose for the final two film
installments (directed by David Yates), it will be interesting to see ifhe combines the
approaches of his predecessors as effectively as Hooper combined the approaches of
Hooper's predecessors.
Based on Williams's different approaches with Columbus and Cuaron, we may
very well hear different aspects of Williams's film music style in the final, split-chapter
installments with David Yates from what we heard in the first three films. As well, we
know from Hooper's published interviews that Yates likes to work very closely with
composers, and plays a strong role in shaping the soundscape for the film. Because
Williams and Yates have not worked together before, the musical result of this new
collaboration may be different from any of Williams's previous work. Furthermore, the
fact that so many changes have occurred in the music thus far means that Williams may
have more freedom to experiment with music for the last films than he had when
composing for the first films.
As we can see from this examination, a transition is occurring in the kinds of film-
music and film-music approaches that directors and audiences of these multi-movie
fantasy films are desiring. The first five Harry Potter films show us a microcosm of this
transition. While audiences appreciate the straightforward Classical Hollywood approach
that Williams brings from mid-twentieth-century practices, audiences are also desiring
something more than that which this straightforward, somewhat predictable approach can
provide. The quandary is that attempts to break away from and/or re-define the classic
model in a new way are not always understood or well-received by audiences. It may be
that film directors are desiring musical scores with more atmospheric styles and nuanced,
energizing approaches, such as was desired by David Yates and created by Nicholas
739
Hooper in the fifth and sixth films. To be sure, Hooper's style provides one example of
the post-classical Hollywood style, yet it is a different version of the post-classical style
than that used by Howard Shore, who recently won the best-music Academy Award for
another fantasy film series, The Lord ofthe Rings (i.e., an award not claimed for any of
the Harry Potter scores). Having said that, a different version of the post-classical style
(integrating rock instruments and popular songs) was used in Carter Burwell's score for
the first Twilight movie, though this style was replaced by Alexandre Desplat's
straightforward Classical Hollywood approach in the second Twilight movie, New Moon.
This is to say that the transition is still in process, continues to alternate between
innovation and classic models, and we may not have yet seen/heard where it will lead.
At the same time, the decision to have different directors and composers for the
sequence ofHarry Potter films indicates a completely new model in itself. As I have
frequently noted, Harry Potter is the first film series of its magnitude to switch leadership
mid-stream, again and again. However, other film series, such as the Twilight Saga, are
following suit. In fact, we will see a different contour of approaches (from that which we
see in Harry Potter) as the Twilight films continue to be produced: the first installment
was created by independent director Catherine Hardwicke and the vivid
dramatist/composer Carter Burwell; and the second installment was created by
Hollywood director Chris Weitz and French, traditional, classical-style composer
Alexandre Desplat.988 When these composers (in both the Harry Potter and Twilight
series) use their own approaches for each film rather than adopting the practices oftheir
988
Desplat told interviewer Mark Morton that he decided not to listen to Burwell's Twilight score in order
to ensure that his approach would be completely new. Much as Doyle chose in the Harry Potter series,
Desplat boarded the moving train that is the Twilight series and decided to change its direction. Mark
Morton, "Exclusive Interview: Waxing NEW MOON with Oscar-nominated composer Alexandre
Desplat," Seattle Examiner. com, November 19, 2009. http://www.examiner.com/x-12873-Soundtracks-
Examiner~y2009mII d19-Exclusive-Interview-Waxing-NEW-MOON-with-Oscarnominated-composer-
Alexandre-Desplat (accessed November 20,2009).
740
predecessors, their choice acknowledges the value of film music as art and the role of
film music in shaping new interpretations. Conversely, when composers favor their own
approaches without consideration for the work of their predecessors (as all have done to
varying degrees; see also the previous footnote) this choice seems to ignore the powerful
role of music in shaping the film series as a whole. When the music changes, the story
changes, and so new approaches gain a fresh perspective but lose the valuable narrative
foundation that following a precedent provides.
At the beginning of this dissertation, I suggested to viewers that the varied
approaches from each filmmaker collaboration might bring us more of the story than any
one approach can do on its own. While I stand by this argument in the case of the Harry
Potter films, I would also warn film composers that new approaches can also bring us less
of the story than a more continuous approach can do. We can see this potential problem
in the work of composer Patrick Doyle with director Mike Newell for the fourth Harry
Potter film as well as in the work of composer Alexandre Desplat with director Chris
Weitz for the second Twilight film. In each of these film series, the story is introduced
equally by dialogue, visuals, and music in the first film. But then, when the musical
themes and the musical approach to drama change in later films, the ability of music to
shape a new understanding of the narrative is diminished while the score plays catch-up
with the more continuous presentation of visuals and dialogue-that is, by re-introducing
the story with new musical vocabulary and on new dramatic terms, and cancelling out
audience expectations (whether acknowledged or not) set by the music in the first film(s).
As we saw in the Harry Potter films, the most effective strategies for musical change kept
either the musical themes or the musical approaches from the previous films (as was done
in the third and fifth movie respectively), but did not change both at once. As well,
allowing musical themes and ideas to evolve and expand over the course of a film (rather
741
than changing abruptly at the beginning) proved to be another effective strategy for
creating change in the series, as we saw in the discussion of Harry's emotional and
philosophical world in Chapter V.
Certainly, the choice to hire new directors and composers in the course of a film
series is not only an aesthetic decision, it is also a commercial decision. As I established
in Chapter II, Warner Brothers producers were well aware of the different backgrounds
and strengths of the filmmakers they hired, and supported the filmmakers in their
endeavors to make each film unique. This approach helps the appeal of the film series
for viewers interested in different film genres-family-friendly, macabre, action-
adventure, fantasy, romance, and drama, for instance-and also helps to impart the
perception that the series is as much "classical," "artistic," and "serious" as it is popular
and commercial.
From another perspective, very little of what we see and hear in the Harry Potter
series is new. In fact, the series of approaches serves as a clear reminder of the dramatic
choices that composers have faced for hundreds of years---ehoices that are still at play in
modem film. The music in Harry Potter films defines aspects of love, shows us the roles
of loss, creates atmospheres of both fear and wholeness, manifests philosophies about the
nature of evil, and reveals paths ofjustice, righteousness, and enlightenment. The music
takes us to faraway, imagined places, turns our expectations upside down in humorous
ways, and reminds us of those ideas whose reality and truth is assured. While the
traditional musical codes for drama seem to provide a variety of perspectives on these
latter matters, there is a need to consider how these tropes (or newly developed musical
signs) might better represent modem understandings of gender, difference (or sameness),
and social organization for multi-movie fantasy stories such as Harry Potter.
742
These types of choices are of a kind that remind us why the study of music is
important, even for individuals who do not consider themselves to be musically inclined
or particularly knowledgable about music. Film music organizes the emotions of film
stories, and also organizes our emotions around those stories. As Karl Paulnack (pianist
and director of music division at the Boston Conservatory) wrote in his address to
incoming students,
Music has a way of finding the big, invisible moving pieces inside our
hearts and souls and helping us figure out the position of things inside us..
. . I have come to understand that music is not part of 'arts and
entertainment' as the newspaper section would have us believe. It's not a
luxury, a lavish thing that we fund from leftovers of our budgets....Music
is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, one of the ways in which
we express feelings when we have no words, a way for us to understand
with our hearts when we can't with our minds... .If there is a future wave
of wellness on this planet, of harmony, of peace, of an end to war, of
mutual understanding, or equality, of fairness, I don't expect it will come
from a government, a military force or a corporation. I no longer even
expect it to come from the religions of the world, which together seem to
have brought us as much war as they have peace. If there is a future of
peace for humankind, if there is to be an understanding of how these
invisibile, internal things should fit together, I expect it will come from the
artists, because that's what [musicians] do.989
Indeed, though neither the Harry Potter film directors nor composers stated their
intention to faciliate world peace or universal understanding with their art, their art
nevertheless participates in a dialogue about good and evil, war and peace, justice, the
roles of males and females (and adults and children) in organized society, what it means
to love, and what it means to experience loss. According to Gupta, the "extent to which
989
Karl Paunack, "Karl Paulnack to the Boston Conservatory Freshman Class," September 1,2004.
http://greenroom.fromthetop.org/2009/03/11 /karl-paulnack-to-the-boston-conservatory-freshman-classl
(accessed November 22, 2009).
743
[the] books get absorbed and accommodated in different cultures ... [and] the extent to
which different ideological positions seek to negate or silence oppositional perspectives,
or (more importantly) construct certain subjects and objects in their own terms" speaks to
the "substantial social and political effect of the Harry Potter books, and circumscribe[s]
the so-called Harry Potter phenomenon.,,990 As we have examined how film-music
guides the interpretation of Harry's emotional journey, so too do we better understand the
ideological messages conveyed by the films. When music organizes the narrative for us,
it also helps to organize our emotions and beliefs about matters that are important in our
own world.
In some ways, the breadth (and certainly the length) of this dissertation feels like
two dissertations, and yet there is still more to examine. With so little research published
on the topic of the Harry Potter film music, yet so much published on Harry Potter in
general, it seemed necessary to both build a foundation for the research (as presented in
Chapters II-IV) and present compelling analysis that would match the levels of interest
expressed for Harry Potter and film-music in general (as presented in Chapters V-VII).
Even so, there is more to be explored in the Harry Potter films than is presented here-
perhaps most importantly, the question of how the film-music will guide interpretations
of the final installments (The Deathly Hallows, parts I and II). As well, we have yet to
see whether a newer approach to film-music will completely usurp preferences for the
Classical Hollywood style, or whether the Harry Potter series has indeed set a trend of
different filmmaker collaborations for one continuing narrative. While the future holds
the answers to these questions, we know even now that the Harry Potter films have
gained world-wide appeal, and we have seen throughout this dissertation the ways that
990
Suman Gupta, Re-reading Harry Potter (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003), 20.
744
the film music by Williams, Doyle, and Hooper has guided the interpretation of these
films for present-day audiences.
Additionally, it was necessary to draw from a spectrum of musical theories and
research methods in order to achieve a meaningful picture of the music in the Harry
Potter films. By following Gorbman's principles, we are able to see how film music is
organized and how it works. By addressing metaphors of music with music theory
principles, we can better understand how the film music represents ideas. By considering
how other metaphors are created with the alignment of music with visuals (using
methodologies from music for dance), we can better see how music creates
interpretations. When we compare how these approaches change over the course of the
films, we understand how the music changes the story. When we compare musical re-
contextualizations of source-music events with Rowling's original descriptions, we see
how the lack of literary of fidelity can significantly impact the story. While the process
of integrating research theories and methodologies has its own rewards, the need to
engage with interdisciplinary perspectives suggests that scholars are also not through
with discovering how music works effectively in film. The approaches I follow may
serve others well who wish to examine how fantasy literature is transformed into a film
series. In the grand scheme of film music aesthetics, the changes we observe over the
course of the Harry Potter films are small, yet these changes significantly affect the
continuity of the series as a whole.
745
APPENDIX A
COMPOSER AND DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHIES
Although some Harry Potter fans may be familiar with the backgrounds of the
directors and composers for the Harry Potter films, many classical music scholars and
casual viewers of the films may not be as familiar with these filmmakers. While I
provided some biographical information on the Harry Potter composers in Chapter II, this
appendix provides a more detailed account of the education, interests, and experience that
each of the composers and directors brought to the series. The majority of information
presented here is readily available through internet sources (including but not limited to
IMDb and each filmmaker's agency website), but is organized here to guide a
comparison between the aesthetic ideals that each brought to the table when working on
the Harry Potter films. The discussion of the filmmakers is organized by the
chronological sequence of the films.
Composer John Williams
John Towner Williams was born to Esther and Johnny Williams in Floral Park,
near New York City, New York, on February 8,1932. He, along with four siblings, was
exposed to the world of popular music, jazz, and film music at a young age due to his
746
father's professional associations. Johnny Williams (Sr.) was ajazz drummer who
played for the Randolph Scott Quintet, and in radio ensembles for NBC and CBS. In
1948 (when Williams was sixteen years old) the family moved to California where
Johnny Sr. freelanced for Hollywood orchestras including Twentieth-Century Fox.
John Williams (the younger) began his formal music study with piano lessons
starting at age seven. He later took up playing trumpet, trombone and clarinet. He
participated in band ensembles during high school, and composed and arranged some of
the music his class performed. After graduating from North Hollywood High School in
1950, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied piano and
composition. During this time, he obtained private lessons with Mario Castelnuovo-
Tedesco, a classically trained Italian composer who wrote film scores for MGM.991
Following his studies at UCLA, Williams served in the Air Force during the Korean War
by composing and arranging music for military bands. After his service was completed,
he entered the Juilliard School of Music in 1954, where he studied piano with Rosina
Lhevinne. Williams's instrumental background is relevant to his compositional style in
at least two ways. First, his practice is to compose film scores from the piano, and
second, his film music often includes liberal use of brass and other wind instruments.
Williams's early introduction to Hollywood-style film music is also relevant in that
Williams is known for carrying on the tradition of mid-century, classical Hollywood
style.
In addition to Williams's academic experiences in music and his associations as a
composer and arranger for school and military bands, he also gained performing
experiences as ajazz pianist in New York night clubs. Though much of his film music
991 Castelnuovo-Tedesco's family background was Jewish, and he, like many other European Jewish
composers of the mid-century time, sought asylum in the United States. Under sponsorship from Arturo
Toscanini, Castelnuovo-Tedesco immigrated from Italy to Hollywood in 1939.
747
tends toward classical music, he has also included jazz or jazz-like pieces as
appropriate.992 He returned to the West coast following his graduation from Julliard,
and began his work in the late 1950s for and with composers in the television and film
music industry such as Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Hermann, and Alfred Newman.993 His
first movie credit was for the 1960 film, Because They're Young.
Williams has worked as composer and music director on more than one hundred
major films since his entry into the film industry. He has provided music for nearly all
genres of film including romantic comedies (e.g. Sabrina), epic adventures (e.g. Seven
Year in Tibet), science fiction (e.g. A. I-Artificial Intelligence), family (e.g. Home
Alone), historical drama (Saving Private Ryan), disaster (e.g. The Poseidon Adventure),
and so on. That is to say that Williams brought both a depth and breadth of film
composition experience to his work on the Harry Porter films.
He is also famous for several notable collaborations. For instance, he wrote all of
the theme songs for Irwin Allen's 1960s sci-fi programs (e.g. Lost in Space, Time Tunnel,
and Land ofthe Giants), and has scored all of Steven Spielberg's films since 1974 (with
the exception of The Color Purple).994 His partnership with George Lucas most
famously includes the Star Wars series. Williams first collaborated with director Chris
992 One of the most famous examples of this is the "Cantina Theme" from Star Wars: A New Hope.
993 Jerry Goldsmith's Hollywood award-winning scores include Poltergeist (1982), Basic Instinct (1992),
Mulan (1998), and a number of Star Trek films. Bernard Hermann is famously known for his
collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock on films such as North by Northwest (1959) and Psycho (1960).
Other credits include The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), Citizen Kane (1941), Vertigo (1958), and Cape
Fear (1962). Alfred Newman composed over two-hundred film scores between 1930 and his death in
1970, forty-five of which received academy award nominations, including The Prisoner o/Zenda (1937),
Captain/rom Castile (1947), The Diary 0/Anne Frank (1959), and several stage musical adaptations for
screen such as State Fair, Camelot, and The King and I.
994 Some Spielberg/Williams collaborations incude Jaws, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Close Encounters 0/
the Third Kind, Jurassic Park I and JJ, E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List and Saving Private
Ryan.
748
Columbus (ten years prior to their association on the Harry Potter project) on two
blockbuster family films, Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone II (1992). Williams's first
collaboration with Harry Potter director Alfonso Cuar6n was on the Harry Potter film The
Prisoner ofAzkaban.
In recent years, at least, Williams has worked on more than one film within a
year. For instance, in 2002 and 2003, he worked on five films: The Chamber ofSecrets
(with director Chris Columbus), The Prisoner ofAzkaban (with Alfonso Cuar6n), Star
Wars: Episode II-Attack ofthe Clones (with George Lucas), Minority Report (with
Steven Spielberg), and Catch Me {ryou Can (with Steven Spielberg). In fact, scheduling
conflicts are the reported cause of Williams's inability to continue with the Harry Potter
series following the third film (The Prisoner ofAzkaban).995
In addition to his prolific work in the film music industry, Williams has continued
to compose classical music (i.e. without film associations) such as symphonies, concerti,
and most famously, the themes for four Olympic Games (summer, 1984; summer 1988;
summer 1996; and winter 2002), and a variation on the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" for
the recent presidential inauguration of Barack Obama (2009). As a performer, Williams
retains his affiliation with the Boston Pops Orchestra (for whom he served as conductor
between 1980-1992) as their Laureate conductor, as well as keeping ties with their parent
organization, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Furthermore, Williams often conducts his
own music, and continues ties with the London Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has
recorded several of his film scores. This is to say that Williams's association with a film
project may signify many commercially relevant ideas for different people: he is a long-
standing and successful film composer, a nationally recognized American composer, a
classical composer, a world re-knowned composer, and so on.
995 John Williams chose to work on Memoirs ofa Geisha in lieu of the fourth Potter film, The Goblet of
Fire.
749
Official recognition of John Williams's film music has been overwhelmingly
favorable. Over the course of his musical career, he has amassed 119 award nominations,
seventy of which have resulted in wins.996 His work has garnered forty-five Academy
Award nominations, making him the second most nominated individual (behind Walt
Disney, and tied with his mentor Alfred Newman). He received his first of five Academy
Awards for his adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof(1972), followed by his original score
for Jaws (1976). He was also awarded for Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope (1977),
E. T (1982), and Schindler's List (1993). Williams received BAFTA awards for the latter
five film scores as well as Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1981),
Empire ofthe Sun (1987), and Memoirs ofa Geisha (2005). He also received ten
Grammy Awards for "Best Score Soundtrack Album" between 1976 (for Jaws) and 2007
(for Memoirs ofa Geisha). Williams was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of
Fame in 2000, and became a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004. His
composer score on Rotten Tomatoes, a critics website, is %78, the highest among the
three Harry Potter composers. With regard to his work on Harry Potter, his scores for
both The Sorcerer's Stone and The Prisoner ofAzkaban were nominated for an Oscar,
and all three of his Harry Potter soundtracks (The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of
Secrets, and The Prisoner ofAzkaban) were nominated for Grammy Awards.997
Williams's style is often described as "easily identifiable" by various formal and
informal reviewers as well as in casual conversations about his work, and is typified by
traditional application of dramatic musical language (or codes, as Gorbman would say),
996 This is far better than the relative ratio between nominations and wins for the Harry Potter films in
general-all of which received roughly forty nominations, onlly a quarter of which resulted in wins.
997 Williams's score for The Sorcerer's Stone lost to Howard Shore's score for The Lord ofthe Rings: The
Fellowship ofthe Ring, and Williams's Prisoner ofAzkaban lost to Finding Neverlandby Polish composer
Jan A. P. Kaczmarek.
750
using a late-romantic (or neo-romantic) vocabulary of melodies, harmonies, and
instrumental timbres and textures.998 More directly stated, his music is known for
"thundering theme pieces for major science fiction and fantasy films [and] extensive use
of leitmotifs in scores."999 As Darby and Dubois write, "Among contemporary film
composers John Williams is probably the most traditional in terms ofthe orchestral
forces he employs and the dramatic uses to which he puts the music... employing full
orchestra for most of his scores."IOOO Like late-romantic European composers (such as
Verdi and Wagner), Williams often writes memorable melodies that provide information
(beyond their pleasantness) through reference to musical codes and metaphors. Like
other American composers of orchestral works (such as rves, Copland, and Bernstein)
Williams often uses brass and woodwinds in striking, prominent ways (e.g. in ranges with
the most resonant clarity, and in textural combinations that highlight brass and woodwind
lines). Like late-romantic nationalist Russian composers (such as Rimsky-Korsakov and
Mussorgsky), Williams often uses lush combinations of strings and winds to suggest the
epic nature of a narrative, and to elicit strong emotions. Reviewer John Mansell
commented on Williams's trademark style:
John Williams has often been referred to as the Korngold of present day
Hollywood, and his robust and extraordinarily melodic works for the
cinema have amazed and astounded many, it was John Williams too that
998 There are differing definitions of the tenns late-romantic and neo-romantic. I mean to say that
Williams's music is generally tonal and follows the principals ofromantic composition as it continued in
the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. I use the metaphors oflanguage and vocabulary as a way to
discuss, compare, and contrast the approaches of the different Harry Potter composers. In later sections, I
claim that the other composers use either the same language, or the same vocabulary as John Williams, but
not both at the same time.
999 "John Williams," http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002354/bio (accessed July 7, 2007).
1000 William Darby and Jack Du Bois, American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques, Trends,
1915-1990 (Jefferson: MacFarland, 1990),521.
751
was given the credit for reintroducing the use of a large symphonic score
for films, when his now classic music for Star Wars, first burst forth from
cinema screens during 1977. 1001
An aspect of dramatic irony in Williams's signature style is that it is not meant to
represent himself and his singular artistic vision in the context of film music. That is to
say, the very composer who seeks to write music subordinate to the film is the very
composer to be singled out as having an identifiable style. Early in his career, Williams
acknowledged that "Film scoring may be very rewarding, but it's also agony. Film
composers are not their own masters. They are working for corporations. You accept that
as part of the job. "I 002 As such, Williams believes that film music is secondary to the
visual and textual aspects of moviemaking. I003 Furthermore, Williams underscores his
understanding of the role of music as a mediator for audiences through his approach to
applying music to film in general:
Williams prefers not to read a script before seeing the rough cut from
which he must work to supply cues. He feels... that too much literary
preparation can create too sophisticated an understanding and so diminish
the spontaneity and "feel for the audience" that he needs to create
effectively. 1004
In other words, Williams simultaneously contributes a brand-name style, recognition, and
pedigree, and also a working philosophy that his film music should always follow the
1001 John Mansell, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, review." Musicfrom the Movies.
http://www.musicfromthemovies.comlreview.asp?letter=h&offset=30&ID=838 (accessed September 5,
2008).
1002 "John Williams (composer)," Angel Fire. http://www.angelfire.comlmi3/cookarama/williams.html
(accessed December 5, 2005).
1003 William Darby and Jack Du Bois, American Film Music: Major Composers, Techniques, Trends,
1915-1990 (Jefferson: MacFarland, 1990),521.
1004 Ibid., 523.
752
narrative, rather than lead it. In his own words (regarding Harry Potter), "I remember
seeing the film and reacting to its atmospheres and energies and rhythms. That for me is
always the best way to pick up a film-from the visual image itself and without any
preconceptions that might have been put there by the script."1005
Although Williams delegated part of his work on the second Potter film to
orchestrator William Ross, he returned to write music for the third Harry Potter film. In
the interim between his full involvement on the first Potter film and his return to full
involvement on the third Potter film, Williams participated in other soundtrack-
conducting and film-composing projects, and orchestrated music for The 74th Annual
Academy Awards (2002) for television.
Director Chris Columbus
American director Chris Columbus was born "Christopher Columbus" on
September 10, 1958, in Spangler, Pennsylvania. He was raised in Ohio, and later lived in
Illinois. He became inspired to work in film as a teenager after seeing Coppola's The
Godfather (1972). He attended film school at The Tisch School of the Arts at New York
University, and sold his first screenplay while a student there.
His big break came after graduation, when his fourth script, "Gremlins," was
optioned by Steven Spielberg (film released in 1984). Columbus moved to Los Angeles
and continued to write for Spielberg-including scripts for family films with
horror/adventure/mystery twists, The Goonies (1985) and Young Sherlock Holmes
(1985). Columbus believes that the plot for Young Sherlock Holmes shares cultural
1005 Craig L. Byrd, "John Williams: Interview by Craig L. Byrd," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.fi1mscoremonthly.com/features/williams.asp (accessed November 24,2009).
753
elements with the Harry Potter films in that "it [is] about two young boys and a girl in a
British boarding school who had to fight a supernatural force." 1006 His directorial debut
came with another family film, Adventures in Babysitting (1987). Box office hits under
his direction have included family films Home Alone (1990), Home Alone 2: Lost in New
York (1992), and Mrs. Doubtjire (1993). In addition to his role as director for the first
two Harry Potter films, he also served as executive producer for The Sorcerer's Stone
(2001) and The Chamber ofSecrets (2002), and producer for The Prisoner ofAzkaban
(2004, directed by Alfonso Cuar6n).
His scripts for Gremlins and Young Sherlock Holmes received Saturn Award
nominations, though his work as a director was not acknowledged by critics associations
until his involvement in the Harry Potter films-a contract he secured after Steven
Spielberg backed out. His direction of The Sorcerer's Stone was positively
acknowledged with four nominations among the Saturn Awards, BAFTA Awards (two
nominations), and the Norwegian Amanda Awards. Similarly, his work on The Chamber
ofSecrets received four nominations (including a win) among the Saturn Awards,
Norwegian Amanda Awards, BAFTA Children's Award, and the Mainichi Film
Concours (winner). The Prisoner ofAzkaban, for which he collaborated as a producer,
was also acknowledged by the BAFTA Awards. At best, Columbus's work has been
described as "golden," "A-list," and "blockbuster;" though at worst, his direction has
been described as bland, "sub-Spielbergian schmaltz." He follows a traditional approach
to filming, which includes both broad and close-up camera shots, and alternating camera
angles for providing narrative perspective. This approach relies heavily on editing for
narrative clarity and rhythmic continuity.
1006 BBC "The Potter Phenomenon," BBC.com, February 18,2003.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/820885.stm (accessed March 16,2008).
754
Director Alfonso Cuar6n
Alfonso Cuar6n Orozco was born November 28, 1961, in Mexico City, Distrito
Federal, Mexico. According to biographical statements, he remembers desiring to be a
director since childhood. 1007 He received a camera on his twelfth birthday, and used it
to practice diligently, shooting everything he saw, and showing it to everyone he
could. 1008 He sometimes chose his filmmaking hobby over school friendships, and
sneaked out to see the movies under the guise of visiting a friend. He made a point to see
as many films as possible, seeing "hundreds of films before [he] ever picked up a
camera," and taking something away from each one. 1009 Instead of following the model
of one director, he tended to change stylistic allegiance as he learned more and more
about film techniques and aesthetics. 1010
As a young man, he applied to the CCC (Centro de Capacitaci6n
Cinematognifica), but was turned away due to an age requirement (they did not accept
students under the age of twenty-four). Instead, he studied philosophy in the morning,
and attended the CUEC (Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematognificos) in the
afternoon. While there, he made connections with other film students with whom he later
collaborated, such as Luis Estrada, Carlos Marcovich, and Emmanuel Lubezki (with
whom he continues to collaborate). An early collegial project caused controversy that
negatively affected Cuar6n's academic career. When Estrada directed an English-
1007 IMDb, "Alfonso Cuar6n," The Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.comlname/nmOI90859/bio
(accessed July 7, 2007).
1008 Ibid.
1009 Ibid.
1010 Ibid.
755
language short called, "Vengeance is Mine" (released later, in 1983) in collaboration with
Cuaron and Lubezki, arguments erupted between the collaborators and teachers at the
CUEC that resulted in Cuaron's expulsion from the university. 101 I
With a young family, and without immediate film prospects, Cuaron took ajob
with a museum. While there, a film industry professional, Jose Luis Garcia Agraz,
sought him out to offer him ajob on the set of Vfspera, La (1982)-ajob which led to his
work as assistant director with Garcia Agraz on Nocaut (1984) and other films. He
continued to work in supporting directorial roles and as a script writer through the 1980s.
His first solo full-length film, S610 con tu pareja (1992), "Love in the time of Hysteria," a
comedy about AIDS) was co-written with his brother Carlos Cuaron. According to his
biography, "there was a lot of tension between Alfonso and the [producing company's]
IMCINE executives but after [the film] was finished, it was a huge success," winning
awards at the Toronto Film Festival and attracting the attention of Hollywood producers.
This biographical information from Cuaron's time at the university and from his
first solo directing position reveals a history of success in spite of conflict. It also
supports the claim that Cuaron is a more individualistic and perhaps a more idealistic
director than Chris Columbus-who took a commercially safer, more straightforward
journey into film work, and does not have a history of conflict. Additionally, while
Columbus's first scripts and films were geared toward young people, Cuaron's first films
addressed more mature topics.
After the success of his first film, Cuaron signed a contract with Warner Bros. that
resulted in a remake adaptation ofA Little Princess (1995), a boarding school story based
on the novel of the same name by English-American author Frances Hodgson Burnett,
1011 Ibid.
756
and influenced by the classic 1939 cinematic version with Shirley Temple. 1012 Though
not a clear box office success, the film was regarded favorably by critics associations, and
won several awards. His next high-profile film was a modernization of Charles
Dickens's Great Expectations (1998) for Twentieth Century Fox. 1013 Critical reviews
were mixed, and the film received only two award nominations (one win), but viewer
comments on the IMDB site portray the film in terms that have come to describe
Cuaron's work in general: "breathtaking," "rich in color and scope," "beautiful on the
eyes, ears, heart, and mind," "spellbinding."1014 In collaboration with producer Jorge
Vergara, Cuaron founded the independent company, Anhelo Productions, for which
Cuaron directed the first film, a coming-of-age road movie with a political backdrop, Y tu
mama tambien (2001). The film was both a box office and critical success. His next
high-profile, and most commercial project, Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban
(2004) was his greatest box office success.
There are some parallels between Cuaron's biography and the Harry Potter
narrative. For instance, both Alfonso's and Harry's biography share a Cinderella
element-seen in Alfonso's journey from young Mexican outsider to Hollywood insider,
and Harry's journey from young muggle-family outsider to Wizard world V.I.P. This is
different from Chris Columbus's more straightforward progression into Hollywood film
through an American film school, a Hollywood mentor (i.e. Spielberg), and a relatively
smooth transition to his role as feature-film director. Cuaron's experiences as a director
have also been marked equally with individuality and controversy, which closely
1012 Both the 1939 and the 1995 version are set in New York during WWI, though the original novel was
published in 1905.
1013 Patrick Doyle, the composer for the fourth Potter film, composed the music for this film.
1014 IMDb, "IMDb user comments for Great Expectations," Internet Movie Data Base.
http://www.imdb.com/title/ttOl19223/usercomments (accessed November 24,2009).
757
parallels attributes of Harry Potter and the most important new character in The Prisoner
ofAzkaban, Sirius Black.
Formal recognition from critics' associations followed Cuaron's work beginning
with his first feature film, S610 can tu pareja (1991). The overwhelmingly successful Y tu
mama tambien (2001) received at least eighteen critical nominations, at least eleven of
which resulted in wins. 1015 He received an Oscar nomination for best director for his
work on the third Harry Potter film. 1016
Trademarks ofCuaron's directing include restlessly moving camera work, hand-
held cameras, and wide angle and long continuous shots. This is different from
Columbus's more traditional, straightforward approach to camera work that uses
stationary cameras, smooth movement, close-ups, and shorter shots. According to a
published statement by Cuaron, he endeavors to shoot scenes in accordance with his
mental picture of them, thus relying less on the editing process. This is in contrast to the
mainstream approach, which tends to rely more on the process of cutting-and-pasting in
the editing room for achieving a final vision.
Composer Patrick Doyle
Patrick Doyle was born April 6, 1953, in Uddingston (near Glasgow), South
Lanarkshire, Scotland. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, in
Glasgow, where he studied piano and singing. He worked as a piano teacher following
his graduation in 1978. His subsequent experiences in dramatic media have encompassed
1015 IMDb, "Awards for Alfonso Cuar6n," Internet Movie Database.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nmOI90859/awards (accessed November 24,2009).
1016 Two later films, The Children ofMen (2006), and The Labyrinth (2006, for which Cuar6n served as
producer) also received favorable critical acclaim.
758
different aspects of dramatic creativity and stages of production-including roles as a
stagehand, actor, singer, music director, composer, orchestrator, and producer-both for
live and filmed drama. He is credited as Pat Doyle in his film-acting debut in Chariots of
Fire (1981).
Similar to Williams, who had experiences as a jazz performer prior to his work in
film, Doyle's resume also includes experience in live performance. Also like Williams,
Doyle brings a strong background in piano to his work in film music. In contrast to
Williams, who has a background in wind ensembles and thus often saturates his film
music with wind instruments, Doyle has a strong background in vocal music and often
includes vocal music in his soundtracks.
Doyle wrote his first score in 1978 (i.e. nearly twenty years after Williams's first
film credit) for the stage production Glasvegas, and has since written for radio, television,
theatre, and film productions. 1017 His first major film score was written roughly ten
years later for Kenneth Branagh's Henry V (1989). His subsequent film work has
encompassed several, but not all genres of film including Disney (e.g. Shipwrecked),
gangster drama (e.g. Carlito's Way), and thriller (e.g. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and
Dead Again), though most of his work has been in the drama genre (Donnie Brasco and
Gosford Park), Shakespearean revival (Hamlet, Henry V, and Much Ado About Nothing),
and fantasy (Quest for Camelot, The Goblet ofFire, and Eragon). Many of Doyle's
works (including those above) might also be categorized as historical or heritage dramas
(which also includes his acclaimed music for Ang Lee's hybrid adaptation of Austin's
1017 I wish to make two points with this statement. First, Doyle entered the industry during a significantly
different cultural time period than Williams~a time period in film music composition when orchestral
scores were returning to favor after falling out of fashion in the 1960s and 1970s (in favor of popular
music). Second, Doyle (who is roughly twenty years younger than Williams) entered his compositional
career at a similar age as Williams did.
759
Sense and Sensibility). 1018 Doyle himself reports that "while others have been typecast
into drama or comedy or musicals, I have not [and] I never stop being grateful for it."1019
He had written approximately thirty significant scores (in contrast to Williams's one
hundred or so film scores) when he was approached to compose for Harry Potter and the
Goblet ofFire. 1020
Doyle began his most long and notable collaborative partnership with Kenneth
Branagh and the Shakespearean community when he became the composer and musical
director for the Renaissance Theatre Company in 1987. As previously mentioned, Doyle
wrote the film score for the Renaissance Film Company production Henry V in 1989,
directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh. The memorable chorus from this score, "Non
nobis Domine" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Theme. Other collaborations
with Branagh include the thriller Dead Again (1991) and Shakespearean revivals Much
Ado About Nothing (1993) and Hamlet (1996). Doyle collaborated with former Potter
director, Alfonso Cuar6n on the literary adaptations A Little Princess (1995), and Great
Expectations (1998), though they did not work together on any Harry Potter films. Doyle
first collaborated with director Mike Newell in 1992 (Into the West).
Doyle has also served as a performer ofhis own vocal works for film. He plays
the role of the first soldier to sing "Non nobis Domine" in Henry V and also sings the
thematic song for Much Ado About Nothing (i.e. "Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more"
1018 I will discuss later how some ofthese films follow both "heritage" style (i.e. film's driven by
authenticity and accuracy) and Hollywood style (films driven by entertainment value).
1019 Anna Millar, "Never lose composure-Patrick Doyle interview," Scotland.com, October 5, 2008.
http://scotiandonsunday.scotsman.com/sos-reviewlNever-lose-composure--Patrick.4557869 .jP (accessed
November I, 2008).
1020 I do not argue that fewer film scores equates less skill, but rather intend to point out that the different
composers brought different quantities of experience, and were at different points in their respective careers
at the time of their involvement with Potter films.
760
based on the Shakespearean text). Additionally, his daughter Abigail sings the mermaid
song in The Goblet ofFire.
Like Williams, Doyle is also respected as a classical composer of works outside
of the film industry. Many of his vocal works for film could pass for art song (or choral
work) outside of their film context-including but not limited to the previously
mentioned "Non nobis Domine" (Henry V), "Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more" (Much
Ado about Nothing), and two vocal works for Sense and Sensibility, "Weep you no more,
sad fountains," (to an anonymous text) and "The Dreame" (text by Ben Johnson). 1021
Similar to Williams's national significance as an American composer, Doyle is heralded
as an individual voice signifying British music. Similar to Williams's role as composer
for the 2009 presidential inauguration, Doyle has served as a composer for the British
Royal Family-in 1990 he was commissioned by Prince Charles to write a song cycle for
full choir called The Thistle and The Rose in honor of the (now late) Queen Mother's
ninetieth birthday.
Patrick Doyle's nearly twenty-five year film career (largely outside of
Hollywood) has not received the same overwhelming public attention and official
recognition that Williams's fifty-year career (largely inside Hollywood) has had. Doyle
himself jokes that, "composing for Harry Potter And The Goblet OfFire made me
marginally cooler, but [still]. .. my kids find the whole celebrity thing, refreshingly,
under-whelming,"1022 His composer rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 44%, the lowest of
the three Potter composers. However, his work has attracted favorable attention from
several critics' associations. In addition to the Ivor Novello Award for "Non nobis
1021 The two latter songs are performed by classical singer Jane Eagan on the film soundtrack.
1022 Anna Millar, "Never lose composure-Patrick Doyle interview," Scotland.com, October 5, 2008.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sos-reviewlNever-lose-composure--PatrickA557869.jP (accessed
November 1,2008).
761
Domine" (already mentioned) Doyle received two Oscar nominations in the mid-1990s-
one for his work on Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (1995) and one for Branagh's
Hamlet (1996). Furthermore, the score for Sense and Sensibility also received
nominations from BAFTA and Golden Globe. The score of Dead Again (1991) received
a Golden Globe nomination. Additionally, his score for the remake ofA Little Princess
won the 1995 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award. 1023 Patrick Doyle's
compositional productivity was hampered in the late 1990s while he fought against and
recovered fully from leukemia. When he returned to work, his music was again favored
with official recognition. His scores for British films Bridget Jones' Diary (2001) and
Gosford Park (2001) won World Soundtrack Awards for 2001 and 2002 respectively.
Additionally, the ASCAP, the International Film Music Critics Association, and the
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films (Saturn) awarded him in 2006 for
his music for Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire (2005). Doyle's Goblet ofFire film
score was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Williams's music for Memoirs ofa Geisha.
Doyle's work seems to have garnered more official recognition than that of his
Harry Potter collaborator, director Mike Newell. As such, there is a pattern among the
first three Potter collaborations (i.e. between Williams and Columbus, Williams and
Cuar6n, and Doyle and Newell) in which the composer brings more official recognition
(though not necessarily name recognition) than the respective collaborating director.
Although beyond the scope of this research to examine the potential ramifications of this
dynamic, it suggests an irony that the Potter film composers may have attained greater
relative success among their peers, yet their work must follow the motivations of
directors who may have attained less relative success.
1023 This film was directed by former Porter director, Alfonso Cuar6n.
762
Patrick Doyle is known for writing charming and romantic, historic-sounding
music with an accessible classical tone. 1024 According to D'Lynn Waldron's biography
of the composer, "Patrick Doyle comes from the theatre where putting on a play is a team
effort, and has brought that approach to his film scoring, where he considers himself one
part of a collaboration." 1025 On this topic, Doyle stated his point of view in an
interview:
I believe a score should be there to bring another element to the whole
artistic output. But a score shouldn't stand-alone and should be created to
collaborate with everything else going on and to morph its way into all the
different ingredients of a film. Of course, there are occasions where there
may be a flying sequence or a battle sequence, and it's in those moments
where a composer can come out and have some fun and sing an aria or
something. The thrill of writing is to have those moments. But it's equally
satisfying to ease your way in, to provide a tone and a quality and colour
that only music can provide.
In a thriller, for example, music plays a huge part, most obviously in
creating tension. Silence can be powerful but with music it can be twice as
powerful. I've done movies when the score sits there and sometimes it just
pulls you away. The job for the composer is to integrate him or herself
into the heart of the picture and help to bring out the best in all the other
parts; design, editing, direction and performance. 1026
1024 Filmtracks, "Shakespeare and Patrick Doyle," Filmtracks.com, May 1998.
http://www.filmtracks.com/speciaVdoyle/ (accessed November 24,2009).
1025 D'Lynn Waldron, "Patrick Doyle: Commposer of Music for the Movies," D'Lynn Waldron, PhD,
2006. http://www.dlwaldron.comlPatrickDoyle.html (accessed November 24,2009). Though Doyle
considers himself"onee part of a collaboration," only director Mike Newell wrote liner notes for The
Goblet ofFire CD. As will be discussed later, this is different than the collaboration between director
David Yates and Nicholas Hooper, in which both wrote liner notes for the CD.
1026 Joe Utichi, "Composer Patrick Doyle: The RT Interview," Rotten Tomatoes, December 19,2007.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry--potter_and_the_goblet_oCfrre/news/1698240/composer--patrick_
doyle_the_rt_interview (accessed January 11,2008).
763
Reviews regarding Doyle's work on Kenneth Branagh's films suggest that his music
(such as for Much Ado About Nothing) is most successful when it engages participatorily
in the fast-paced narrative, but is least successful when it contributes to confusion rather
than clarity (such as in Henry V).1027 That is to say that Doyle sometimes succeeds in
reinforcing the interpretations of the director "but fai1[s] to use his themes to relate these
interpretations to modem audiences as well as he could have."1028 This is different from
Williams's reputation for using leitmotifs that interpret and clarify film narratives for
audiences. Furthermore, as a self-proclaimed composer of "underscore," sometimes
Doyle's music is less memorable than music by other composers.1029 This is also much
different than the perception of Williams's so-called signature melody style.
Director Mike Newell
Michael Cormac Newell was born March 28, 1942 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire,
England. He is the oldest of the five Potter film directors. As a child, he attended St.
Albans School. His parents were amateur actors, and thus, he, like composer Patrick
Doyle, came to the world of film later in his career with strong background experiences
in live theatre. This is different from Columbus's and Cuaron's backgrounds as
screenwriters then film directors. As an adult, he attended Magdalene College in
Cambridge. This was followed by a three-year training course at Granada Television,
which launched his career in television in the 19605.
1027 Filmtracks, "Shakespeare and Patrick Doyle," Filmtracks.com, May 1998.
http://www.fiImtracks.com/specialldoyle/ (accessed November 24,2009).
1028 Ibid. I revealed in Chapter IV how this is also true of Doyle's work for The Goblet ofFire.
1029 Ibid.
764
Newell began directing feature-length films in the early 1980s. When he came to
the Potter films, his experience (like Cuaron's) had included films with edgier, more
mature themes, and (like Columbus's) some mainstream Hollywood films. His first films
were in the horror and drama genres-such as The Awakening (1980) and Dance with a
Stranger (1985), respectively. He became well known in the 1990s for his costume
dramas and comedies such as Enchanted April (1992) and Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1994), respectively. Continuing in these genres, he directed a number of Hollywood
films with American actors in the late 1990s and early 2000s including the crime drama
Donnie Brasco (1997)-for which Patrick Doyle composed the music, the comedy
Pushing Tin (1999), and the costume/romantic comedy Mona Lisa Smile (2003).
Similarly, he interpreted Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire (2007) as a thriller and
school drama with comedic elements. 1030
Newell has received official recognition in portions of his twenty-five years in
cinema. In 1985, he won the Award of the Youth at the Cannes Film Festival. Ten years
later, his work on Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) garnered him a London Critics
Film Award for best director, and a Cesar Award for best foreign film. In 2005, Newell
was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Arts by the University of Hertfordshire,
located in his birth town of St. Albans.
As a director who is older than both Columbus and Cuaron, Newell brought a
more historically extended resume to his direction of the fourth Potter film, though his
years specifically in film are roughly equal in number to Columbus's. Somewhat inverse
to Columbus's approach as an American director interested in representing Britishness in
film, Newell is a British director who has more recently dabbled in American
1030 I have continued this thread in Chapter V when I address the significant narratives are represented
musically in each film.
765
Hollywood-style films. Importantly, Newell was the first British director to direct a
Han'y Potter film.
Composer Nicholas Hooper
Little has been published about Hollywood newcomer, Nicholas Hooper,
including relevant information about his family background and musical education. In an
un-transcribed audio interview, Hooper describes how he began composing dramatic
music as a child, explaining that it is "something I've always done."1031 He continues:
When I was very little I used to play with toy soldiers, [short laugh] and I
used to imagine music in the background that would be like film music for
a war film, you know....so I've always sort of had music in the
background of action, or I'd read a book and I'd have, um, you know,
classical music on while I read it, and actually all that music has gone in
very deep, but it was always with some sort of visual going on in my
head. 1032
In a separate un-transcribed interview, Hooper mentions piano as his first
instrument, but states that he did not become fully invested in his music education until
he discovered classical guitar at age fifteen. 1033 The subsequent timing of his college
education at the Royal College of Music (London) in the mid-1970s suggests that he is
1031 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.com/interviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22,2009).
1032 Ibid.
1033 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but first, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3VI2N7/FEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11,
2009).
766
the youngest of the three composers to work on the Harry Potter series. 1034 He is the
second British composer to work on the project.
In contrast to Williams's early musical training and career (which included wind
ensembles, piano jazz, and composition), and in contrast to Doyle's early musical
training and career (which included singing, teaching piano, and composing/performing
for live theater), Hooper focused on classical guitar, classical composition, and the use of
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). Although Hooper has not cited it himself in
published interviews, we may be able to hear the influence of his guitar background in his
frequent use of harmonically driven polyphony and polyrhythms. Additionally, the score
for the sixth Harry Potter film (not covered here) features accoustic guitar. He turned to
western classical composition in college when he realized that his guitar teacher (the
other John Williams) had too little time for lessons in between travel commitments. He
turned to composition as a career when he became dissatisfied with trying to make a
living as a performing guitarist.
Although very little information is available at this time regarding Hooper's
comprehensive instrumental or vocal training, his scores tend to include more digital,
experimental, and global sounds (along with standard orchestral instruments) than do the
scores of his Harry Potter predecessors. This is different from Williams's emphasis on
winds and brass, and also different from Doyle's ease with vocal scoring. Ofthe three
composers, then, Hooper's previous work is the closest to what Joseph Horowitz
describes as "post-classical" writing. 1035 However, this is not to say that Hooper works
1034 Ibid. Hooper mentions the years 1975 and 1976 as the time he began college as a guitarist and then
decided to pursue composition.
1035 Joseph Horowitz, The Post-Classical Predicament: Essays on Music and Society (Boston:
Northeastern University Press, 1995).
767
only in a modem medium. Indeed, two of his most often-cited film scores (The
Tichborne Claimant, and The Heart ofMe) are for period/costume films.
CD liner notes from director David Yates (with whom Hooper collaborated on
The Order ofthe Phoenix) suggest that Yates and Hooper were colleagues at the National
Film and Television School in the early 1990s, but in fact, Hooper did not attend the film
school-only Yates attended the film school. 1036 In any case, the immediate artistic
chemistry they experienced suggests that they are contemporaries in style if not also in
generation. Published photographs, as well as the timing of his entrance into the British
film industry, suggest that he is younger than his Harry Potter predecessor Patrick Doyle
by roughly ten years, and this information supports the prior claim.
Hooper has amassed dozens of credits in composer and producer roles since the
1980s, though filmography websites such as Soundtrack.net list only twenty-three
significant films, television movies and television series from 1982 leading up to his 2007
involvement on Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix, which was his first
blockbuster movie. Two other notable films include The Tichborne Claimant (1998)-a
period piece with a farcical premise, directed by David Yates, and The Heart ofMe
(2002)-a costume drama tragedy. Following the success of The Tichborne Claimant,
Hooper and Yates later collaborated on "The Way We Live Now" (2001), "State of Play"
(2003), "The Young Visitors" (2003), and The Girl in the Cafe (2005)-prior to their
collaboration on The Order ofthe Phoenix (2007).1037 Unique to Hooper's filmography
of recent works preceding Harry Potter are a number of documentaries and nature
1036 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but fIrst, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3V12N7IFEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11, 2009).
1037 Hooper and Yates also collaborated on the sixth Harry Potter fIlm, The Half-Blood Prince which is
yet to be released on DVD, and which is beyond the scope of this study.
768
programs. This is different from either of his Potter predecessors who have written
exclusively for theatrical endeavors and concert events.
In contrast to Williams (whose scoring career began in Hollywood) and in
contrast to Doyle (whose scoring career began with live theater), Hooper's early work
was for animal documentaries. He approached these projects as works of drama,
endeavoring to capture the tension and energy of hunting, mating and family
relationships, chasing, killing and so on. Hooper explains in an un-transcribed audio
interview that his first film-scoring projects were for low-budget documentaries in the
early 1980s.1038 Although he would sometimes perform guitar himself on these early
soundtracks with a few other live performers, he often used MIDI to negotiate his interest
in having a particular sound quality in spite of his lack of funding to pay for live
musicians. Later, when higher budget projects came along, he continued to use MIDI
samples along with the conventional sounds of live orchestra. Some of the samples used
for Harry Potter and the Order a/the Phoenix are his own.
Struck by the challenge of representing time in his early assignments, Hooper was
inspired by the work of Philip Glass and the type ofminimalism that Glass's work
represents to many listeners. 1039 This is different from Williams's reputation for writing
scores in the nineteenth-century romantic style, and Doyle's reputation for writing
historically-evocative scores (sometimes harkening back to Renaissance, Baroque, and
Classical eras in music). As Hooper prepared to write the score for the BBC
documentary, Land a/the Tiger, he was sent by the BBC to study in India for four weeks,
1038 Saul Pincus, "More Than Meets the Wand: Nicholas Hooper scores the latest Potter flick-but fIrst, a
little about how he got there," Film Score Monthly.
http://www.fIlmscoremonthly.com/fsmonline/mp3V12N7IFEATURES/Fsm_Hooper.mp3 (accessed
September 11,2009).
1039 Ibid.
769
during which time he learned about Indian musical ornamentation, instrumental
techniques, and singing styles (which he incorporated into the score). In general, he
stated in an audio interview, he incorporates the musics of world cultures when he
represents a corresponding geographic region in a documentary. 1040 He also included
more globalized instruments in his score for the fifth Harry Potter film-including a
Taiko drum, accordion, and electric guitar. This is different from the conventional and
theatrical orchestral instruments that are used by Williams and Doyle in the previous
Harry Potter scores.
For his first human drama in film, Hooper contacted David Yates, who was
finishing a degree at the National Film and Television School in the early 1990s. He and
Yates have collaborated regularly ever since. Thus, the collaboration between Yates and
Hooper on the fifth (and sixth) Harry Potter films is notable in that they are the only
Harry Potter team to have worked very closely together in recent years. According to
Hooper, Yates is not a skilled musician, but knows what he likes. Hooper tends to
present Yates with a variety of material, then Yates picks and chooses what he would like
to use in the film. 1041 Significantly, Yates expressed his preference for Hooper over
other more well-known composers (as suggested by his calculated endeavors to get
producer consent to hire Hooper). This is similar to other notable longstanding
collaborations (e.g., John Williams and Steven Spielberg, or Carter Burwell and the Coen
brothers), but different from the other collaborator teams who had worked on Harry
Potter.
1040 Ibid.
1041 Ibid.
770
As a newcomer to Hollywood, Hooper has not yet received the Hollywood
recognition that his Harry Potter colleagues have experienced. Rotten Tomatoes lists
Hooper's composer score as 50%, the middle score among the three Potter composers.
However, Hooper has been recognized by some critics associations for his work in the
recent decade. He won the 2007 BAFTA Award for Prime Suspect VII: The Final Act
(starring Helen Mirren) and the 2004 BAFTA Award for the BBC film The Young
Visitors (he was simultaneously nominated for the TV series "State of Play"). Other
BAFTA nominations include The Girl in the Cafe (a BBC movie, 2005, starring Bill
Nighy), and The Way We Live Now (TV miniseries, 2001). Four scores for BBC
documentaries (Tiger Special, Elephants ofthe Sand River, Warrior Monkeys and Land
ofthe Tiger) won Golden Panda awards in 1998 and 2000. Hooper's score for The Order
ofthe Phoenix was nominated for both a World Soundtrack Award and a Saturn Award
in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
The assignment to The Order ofthe Phoenix was Hooper's first high profile work,
and is followed by his work for the forthcoming Harry Potter film, The Half-Blood
Prince. According to his interview with Score Notes, Hooper approached his work on
the Potter films as both a composer and a fan who had followed the novels prior to his
involvement with the films. 1042 His musical style is described as energetic, charming,
enthusiastic, symphonic, pristine, fresh, and thirst-quenching. 1043
1042 Nicholas Hooper, "A Discussion with Nicholas Hooper," Score Notes.
http://scorenotes.comJinterviewArchive/nicholas_hooper.html (accessed October 22, 2009).
1043 Ibid.
771
Director David Yates
David Yates was born in 1963, in St. Helens, Merseyside, England. Like Cuaron, he
began making films at a young age (fourteen) with a camera purchased by his family, and
enlisting the help of friends and family for no budget films. Hand-held camera work
remains one of his signature practices in commercial films. Like director Chris
Columbus, Yates followed the work of David Lean, and also states admiration for the
work ofMartin Scorsese and British director Ken Loach in published interviews.
Additionally, Yates lists Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1974, scored by John Williams) as one
of his favorite films, claiming to have watched it thirty-five times, at least a dozen of
which were in the theater. 1044 In other words, the fourth director to work on the Harry
Potter films learned about filmmaking in childhood by watching films with musical
scores by the first composer to work on the Harry Potter films.
Yates studied sociology, political studies, and literature at St. Helens College,
then attended the University of Essex. These studies may have influenced his work on
the fifth Harry Potter film, which includes political and sociological overtones. He
worked as a freelancer for Create Studios in the 1980s, during which time (aided by
grants from Southern Arts) he made his first significant film, a coming-of-age dramatic
short called "When I Was a Girl" (1988). This short marked a turning point in Yates's
career: the film entered the festival circuit, gained an audience from BBC (who later
hired Yates), and assisted his entry into the directing program at the National Film and
Television School in Beaconsfield. This early work experience may also have influenced
his approach to the Harry Potter films, which are also part of a coming-of-age narrative.
1044 Yahoo! Movies, "David Yates," yahoo.com.
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1807432789 (accessed November 24, 2009).
772
Once settled on his chosen profession, Yates worked as a producer and director in
TV and film. According to his biographical entry, he was able to make "the rare jump
from working on acclaimed, edgy television projects in his native England to overseeing
one of the world's most anticipated Hollywood blockbusters."1045 His first feature film,
The Tichborne Claimant (1998, with music by Harry Potter collaborator Nicholas
Hooper) was a low-budget independent version of a true story about a Victorian servant
sent to Australia to find the lost Tichborne heir. It was filmed in his home region of
Merseyside and on the Isle of Man. However, Yates hasn't forsaken TV for film. After
breaking into feature film, he continued to direct television mini-series such as the drama
"The Sins" (2000), the satirical drama "The Way We Live Now" (2001), the thriller
"State of Play" (2003), the romantic comedy "The Young Visitors" (2003), and the
complexly plotted "Sex Traffic" (2004). His 2005 feature film The Girl in the Cafe (with
music by Nicholas Hooper), a subtle romantic comedy with "State of Play" star Bill
Nighy, garnered an Emmy award for best director. His involvement with the Harry
Potter movies (beginning with movie V, The Order ofthe Phoenix, and continuing
through the end of the series) is his highest profile assignment to date. He and Chris
Columbus are the only directors to head more than one Harry Potter film. He is the only
director to direct more than two Harry Potter films. 1046 Although he had not read
Rowling's work previously, Yates read through the Harry Potter books as part of his
preparation for directing the films.
Official recognition of Yates's work has followed from his first feature film, The
Tichborne Claimant, for which he received an Emden International Film Festival
nomination. His television programs "The Way We Live Now" and "Sex Traffic" both
1045 Ibid.
1046 However, his work on The Half-Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows (Parts I and II) are beyond
the scope of this paper.
773
won BAFTA awards for best drama serial. His short film Rank (2002) and drama serial
"State of Play" were also recognized with BAFTA Film and TV nominations
respectively. "State of Play" also garnered awards for outstanding directorial
achievement from the Directors Guild of Great Britain, and for best fiction program from
the Cologne Conference. He was nominated in the Emmy category of outstanding
directing for The Girl in the Cafe. His work on Harry Potter and the Order ofthe
Phoenix won best director from the Empire Awards, UK, and best film from the
European Film Awards.
Yates is called a "skilled craftsman, creating stories of modem intrigue and
corruption."1047 According to an interview with Film London1048 Yates states his equal
appreciation for experiences directing television and films, saying,
At the end of the day, whatever medium you work in, it is about story
telling and holding your audience.... the attention to craft, to acting, to
telling the story as vitally and as interestingly and surprisingly as possible,
is the same... .I approach it in the same way. How do I take the audience
with me, in the most compelling way possible.
Furthermore, Yates confirms the importance of working with friends-it was Yates's
decision to collaborate with composer Nicholas Hooper, taking his colleague (from other
successful projects such as The Tichbourne Claimant and The Girl in the Cafe,) along
with him to the production of Harry Potter movies.
1047 According to his biography page on Yahoomovies.com.
1048 "David Yates on Harry Potter," Film London, December 23,2004, www.filmlondon.org (accessed
February16, 2009).
774
APPENDIXB
BUCKBEAK'S FLIGHT: A NEG-RIEMANNIAN ANALYSIS
The following four graphs provide an alternate form of harmonic analysis for
Buckbeak's Flight than the traditional analysis provided in Chapter III. The type of
analysis shown in the graphs was developed by neo-Riemannian (i.e., music theory)
scholars in order to better understand the harmonies of modem compositions that do not
follow traditional, functional harmonic progressions (e.g., dominant to tonic cadences).
Each of the following graphs includes a chordal tonnetz: letters represent pitch names and
are organized from left to right on each line in an intervallic sequence of fifths; chords are
represented by triangles connecting three pitches together. I plot the progression of
chords in Buckbeak's Flight on the chordal tonnetz. The first graph represents the
harmonic progression in the first phrase ofBuckbeak's Flight (measures 1-10); the
second graph adds in the harmonic progression for the second phrase (measures 11-26);
the third graph adds in the harmonic progression for the third phrase (measures 27-38);
and the fourth graph adds in the harmonic progression for the fourth phrase (measures 39-
59). The visuals created by this analysis provide a clearer picture of how the harmonies
for Buckbeak's Flight alternate in the beginning while Buckbeak gets a running start,
then take off "in flight" through a series of parallel harmonies.
Buckbeak's Flight: Graph 1, Measures 1-10
775
Buckbeak's Flight: Graph 2, Measures 1-10 and 11-26
776
..
~
.~
LL.
~~2·
~
Buckbeak's Flight: Graph 3, Measures 1-10, 11-26, and 27-38
777
~
-cJ
o
E
-£
~
..d~
s;:
s:
~
d
""E
o
...s:.
U
Buckbeak's Flight: Graph 4, Measures 1-10, 11-26,27-38, and 39-59
778
779
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