"Magic Is Might" - The Music of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

by Brian | Nov 23, 2010

Here we are at the final act of this seven part epic. The stakes have never been higher: the greatest wizard of a generation, Albus Dumbledore, has been killed and the Death Eaters control Hogwarts. Wizards and witches that will not bend to Voldermort’s will are on the run. The Ministry of Magic has fallen and – pure blood or not – any act of defiance will be your last. No one is safe. Thus is the stage for The Deathly Hallows. This is a story about family, loss, forgiveness, fear, hate, redemption and above all, the power of love and friendship. The themes explored in the book are as old as time itself, all turning toward a conclusion that frankly, is epic.

It has been no secret that my opinion on Hooper’s last two scores have been less then enthusiastic. As such, my expectations for The Deathly Hallows were high. This is a series that demands a musical identity, on screen activity be damned, and we needed more then just “Hedwig’s Theme” and the first three Williams scores. When I heard that Alexandre Desplat was signed to score Part I, I was excited about it. While not being all that exposed to his music, I had heard and was generally a fan of some of his newer American films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and surprisingly, New Moon. I felt surely if anyone would bring this series back to the type of thematic cohesion that Williams had started, Desplat could.

I equate this score to what Doyle delivered for Goblet of Fire, sans the strong thematic content. While Desplat might not give the film the thematic cohesion they have been missing, he does indeed give the film something the last two lacked. This is a score worthy of the growing up that Harry, Ron and Hermione have done over the past seven years. This score runs the gambit over its 73 minutes: from the tragic and somber, to the heights of orchestral glory, all the way to the depths of atmosphere and texture. Desplat has laid some interesting ground work here, and I hope he delivers on the lack of large thematic set pieces in Part II.

Beginning with “Oblivate,” and “Snape To Malfoy Manor,” Desplat quickly distances himself from the other films by kicking the film off with some very strong string and woodwind ensemble pieces. The film kicks off as if in mid thought with a lot of things happening at once. Desplat uses a driving (primarily string) motif heard throughout the first two cues in the film, quickly establishing it’s not business as usual. While slightly off putting, the music, juxtaposed with the film, is undeniably masterful. The strings propel the motifs along and carry the film at a brisk pace from the first montage sequence to Snape’s arrival at Malfoy Manor.

The score is dotted with heart-tugging motifs, and they all sound like the beginning of bigger ideas that hopefully will play out in Part II. “Polyjuice Potion” is really the only piece in the score that has a tone of happiness and flourishes of string “magic” throughout the score. Performed mostly by strings, woodwinds and light choir, the music hearkens back to a simpler time in the characters lives. The music is a reminder of how far these characters have come and some of the darker aspects of the cue unconscionably inform us of where they’re going. “Hedwig’s Theme” comes in at the end of the cue; It’s performed by a light celesta and feels like a distant memory. “At The Borrow” and “Harry and Ginny” touch on a few of the more gentle emotional moments of the score. Again, lots of strings here, and some light choral conveying the sense of loss and tragedy. Desplat hints at a new motif for Harry and Ginny in their self titled cue. Again, strings and now piano create the cue. The motif is really beautiful and hopefully he’ll flesh it out in Part II.

“Ron Leaves” is a very poignant cue. For the first time, the trio is two. The string and light choral backing gives the cue a weight and the great sense of sadness. “Godric’s Hollow Graveyard” is one of my favorites on the CD. A light piano starts the cue, and then Desplat descends into strings and again, light piano. The cue then goes further and creates a motif for Harry’s parents. The cues end with an ominous tone as Harry and Hermione find that they are being followed. In “Farewell to Dobby,” Desplat delivers the most emotional cue of the score. Performed by light woodwinds and a light string backing, this cue does more then jerk a few tears loose. The cue embodies the soul of Dobby. The motif is light and small, but will of its own inner strength propels it along. It’s my favorite cue on the disc.

In terms of action set pieces, they are few and far between. “Sky Battle,” “Fireplace Escape,” and “Rescuing Hermione” are the big ones that stand out. “Sky Battle” fires up with some slow building strings and light brass, and then just takes off. The sheer size of the orchestra can be heard in this cue. With some great string and brass writing, the use of “Hedwig’s Theme,” and a new motif for Voldermort, this cue is a highlight of the album. I also think it offers a glimpse into what Desplat might do for the action set pieces in Part II. In “Fireplace Escape,” much of the action occupies the later part of the cue. Again with the strings, and even more for the brass to do, Desplat creates high tension and action as the trio runs from the Ministry. Finally, with “Rescuing Hermione,” frenetic strings kick this cue into high gear; The orchestra is quickly restrained to a light string performance and then right back again into the string style of “Sky Battle.” The cue has a few soft moments before giving us crescendo ending. The final cue on the disc, “The Elder Wand,” is a slow building cue that quickly establishes not only the end of the film, but that bigger things are coming for Part II. The cue hits the ground running and builds with strings and brass to a grand crescendo. Desplat wraps up his score with a perfect finale cliffhanger. The performance of the music is second to none. At 105 players, the London Symphony sounds fantastic. Orchestrator Conrad Pope and his team, Nan Schwartz, Clifford Tasner, Jean-Pascal Beintus, and of course Desplat himself, knock the ball out of the park and with score mixers and recorders Peter Cobbin and Sam Okell in terms of the depth of sonic beauty. This is how an orchestra should sound.

This score has a different sound then it did when I first listened. Context is absolutely required to appreciate this score. I really wanted to give this one a higher rating, but looking at other scores in the series, and the lack of any strong thematic cohesion, 3.5 is what I feel it earns, even within the context of the film. As I said earlier, this is a score worthy of the growing up that Harry, Ron, and Hermione have done over the past seven years. It is smarter and more grown up like them – and the films and music must reflect that, however, it’s missing that over arching thematic cohesion that the score (and series) desperately need, and that’s what keeps it from greatness. Personally, I’m quite anxious to hear how Desplat ends the series. Part II has some very big moments, and I think he’ll deliver.

Like Avatar last year, I hear the score in a whole new way after seeing the picture. It also helps that the film is absolutely solid in terms of the filmmaking aspects. This truly is the best Harry Potter film yet, and with Part II simply being the other half, I think when it’s all said and done, The Deathly Hallows will reign supreme as the best film of the series.

I’m off to Hogwarts to help them prep for what’s coming.

Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Track: 25

Special Thanks to Stephen Weber, JJ Hinrichs, and Alex Bornstein.