News articles tagged 'Soundtracks'
Composer Alexandre Desplat talks to fan sites, Harry Potter Fan Zone 
By Andy on 6 July 2011 at 13:51 GMT
Recently, Harry Potter Fan Zone, along with a number of other fan sites, spoke with composer Alexandre Desplat.
Desplat recently scored Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (he also scored part one last year).
Harry Potter Fan Zone: When you wrote the score for the film, did you find that your ideas came to you very quickly in short bursts, or did they take a long time to develop?
Alexandre Desplat: You know these films are such huge machines–there’s such a huge expectation and so much pressure from the past because its the biggest series of the last 10 years–that you have to be very careful and double-check, triple-check that every note you write is accurate and fine, and you want to challenge yourself to be, if not as good, to approach the talent of the master that John Williams is, so it requires a little bit of attention. You can’t write a score of that kind in a short amount of time so you need to really try things over and over again. Also on these big machines now, the editing keeps changing and you have to adapt to that, so you need that time to be able to write properly and accurately.
Did you compose the soundtrack for Part 2 as a follow up for Part 1 or did you treat them as separate projects?
When I first was asked to write Part 1, it was not yet signed that I would write Part 2, so, unfortunately, I could not write thinking of the two episodes at the same time. However, there are still some themes of Part 1 which continue in Part 2 like what I call the “Band of Brothers” theme when all the friends reunite at the beginning of Part 1. We hear this theme again in Part 2 and also some of the themes and motifs of “Obliviate,” the thing that opens Part 2, that comes back also in Part 2, so there is some continuity.
Did you get to see the first half of the final film with your score added to it, and how did you feel about seeing everything put together?
I saw Part 1 finished a long time again, and it was great. I think the essence of what it portrayed–the sense of loneliness and a loss of childhood–were very strong, and I think it was a great first part.
Since Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was filmed way before it normally would be, did you got more time to score the film, and if so, did that affect your scoring process at all?
I think I had a lot of time to write, a very comfortable amount of time to write, because all together writing it and composing took about three and a half to four months for each episode. When you're filming on set, you can decide on shooting all the scenes that belong to this set and then you can still change them. It's very different with the score. I had to wait until I saw Part 2 edited to be able to start putting ideas together and try to find a sense of an arc and a dramatic sense for the film. There was enough time, and it was hard work for many months but also still very inspiring.
There are quite a few deaths in this film. Which was the most difficult to write, for and were there any that hit you harder than the others?
Death is very present in the Harry Potter story from the beginning because it starts with an orphan who lost his parents, and, actually, the theme of death is very present in this episode, since Lily, Harry's mother, is the lead character of this episode. We start the film with hearing Lily’s theme, which will kind of ghost the film all along and be the music thread that will take us from the beginning to the end of the film. So that's one element of death, the people that you miss, the people that you long for, the sorrow, and the question about death and the resurrection stone and how you cope with the death of the people you love. That’s very present in the themes that are used and you see it when you see the film and hear the soundtrack that I’ve tried to be very sensitive and emotional on these matters. The other side of death is, of course, also the battles, the duels, the final battle between Harry and Voldemort, and they are both fighting for death, and there’s no mercy. So I wrote some epic and lyrical pieces for these battle moments.
Desplat conducts the score to Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Tags: Alexandre Desplat, Deathly Hallows Movies, Harry Potter Fan Zone, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Check out this amazing Harry Potter piano medley
By Andy on 29 January 2011 at 04:43 GMT
I stumbled upon this video earlier today of a rather talented YouTuber playing a medley of pieces from the first four Harry Potter films on piano; it's definitely worth a watch!
Tags: John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
'Deathly Hallows: Part 1' score track names revealed
By Andy on 25 October 2010 at 07:04 GMT
The track titles for Alexandre Desplat's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 score have been published online. You can pre-order the soundtrack at Amazon. A limited edition release will also be available in December.
- Obliviate
- Snape to Malfoy Manor
- Polyjuice Potion
- Sky Battle
- At The Burrow
- Harry and Ginny
- The Will
- Death Eaters
- Dobby
- Ministry of Magic
- Detonators
- The Locket
- Fireplaces Escape
- Ron Leaves
- The Exodus
- Godric's Hollow Graveyard
- Bathilda Bagshot
- Hermione's Parents
- Destroying the Locket
- Ron's Speech
- Lovegood
- The Deathly Hallows
- Captured and Tortured
- Rescuing Hermione
- Farewell to Dobby
- The Elder Wand
Tags: Alexandre Desplat, Deathly Hallows Movies, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Alexandre Desplat to score 'Deathly Hallows: Part I'
By Andy on 23 January 2010 at 11:54 GMT
Composer Alexandre Desplat will score Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. While reports surfaced last year that composer John Williams would score the final two films, Desplat's involvement in the franchise is now confirmed. It is unknown whether Williams, Desplat or another composer will score Deathly Hallows: Part II.
Recently, Desplat wrote the scores for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I will be released in November.
Tags: Alexandre Desplat, Deathly Hallows Movies, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
John Williams reportedly in talks to score 'Deathly Hallows' films
By Andy on 16 July 2009 at 14:18 GMT
Scheduling dilemmas pending, composer John Williams will score the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films, according to a new interview with Harry Potter producer David Heyman. At a recent press event Heyman noted that Warner Bros. were in talks with Williams, and that the barring any scheduling conflicts, the composer would return to the franchise.
Maestro composer John Williams scored the first three 'Potter' films, while Patrick Doyle scored the fourth, and Nicholas Hooper the fifth and sixth. Reports have also surfaced that Nicholas Hooper has chosen to leave the franchise, and wishes for Williams to return.
Williams is slated to score Steven Spielberg's 2011 films, Tintin (currently in post-production) and Lincoln. Please note that at this stage, nothing is confirmed. We will endeavour to update you with any new information.
Tags: Deathly Hallows Movies, John Williams, Nicholas Hooper, Patrick Doyle, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
AOL offering 'Half-Blood Prince' soundtrack previews
By Andy on 30 June 2009 at 06:39 GMT
AOL Radio are currently previewing tracks from the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince score. A track is being played every hour, on the hour.
The score is composed by Nicholas Hooper, who also scored Order of the Phoenix, and will be released on July 14.
To listen to the soundtrack previews, click here and select "Listen to Movie Scores on AOL Radio".
Tags: Half-Blood Prince Movie, Nicholas Hooper, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
'Half-Blood Prince' soundtrack, enhanced edition out July 14
By Andy on 25 June 2009 at 02:46 GMT
Warner Bros. has today confirmed that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince soundtrack, composed by Nicholas Hooper, will be available on July 14. The score includes twenty-eight tracks (the longest 'Potter' soundtrack yet), with over an hour of material.
An enhanced edition of the soundtrack will also be released, "giving fans a free digital download of the entire soundtrack in 5.1 Surround Sound audio, along with bonus exclusive content".
The soundtrack can currently be pre-ordered over at Amazon.
Tags: Half-Blood Prince Movie, Nicholas Hooper, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Track list for 'Half-Blood Prince' soundtrack revealed
By Andy on 7 June 2009 at 22:23 GMT
Track listings for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince soundtrack have been posted on Amazon. Twenty-eight tracks will be featured on the album, making it the longest Harry Potter soundtrack to date. The score is composed by Nicholas Hooper and will be available on July 14.
You can view the tracklisting below, however be aware of spoilers.
Tags: Half-Blood Prince Movie, Nicholas Hooper, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
'Half-Blood Prince' soundtrack to be released July 7th
By Andy on 12 May 2009 at 19:58 GMT
The soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be released on July 7, 2009. The soundtrack, scored by Nicholas Hooper, is available for pre-order on Amazon right here.
Tags: Nicholas Hooper, Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
'Half-Blood Prince' video game soundtrack now online
By Matt on 29 April 2009 at 02:20 GMT
Tags: Soundtracks - Add Comment - Permanent Link
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