Harry Potter Soundtrack!

Harry Potter 7 Part 1 came out today, WOOOOOOO!!!!!! I'm a bit of a nut, and along with several of my music library coworkers, I went and saw the movie at the midnight release last night (and then subsequently slept through all my classes this morning. Worth it.) So I thought in honor of this momentous day for our generation, I would blog about the soundtrack.

Now we're all familiar with the hauntingly delicious "Hedwig's Theme" originally composed by John Williams. HP7 director David Yates had wanted to bring John Williams back for the final movie, but apparently their schedules just didn't fit (ummm John Williams I know you are the richest composer in the world and all, but when the greatest franchise in history comes a knockin' you better MAKE time to answer). So they got Andres Desplat instead, still a very well-known and respected soundtrack composer. You might have heard his work before in The Golden Compass, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, or The Case of Mr. Benjamin Button.

When he first began the scoring process, Desplat stated, "We will start this summer, it will take me all summer. I will not have many holidays, but again it's for good reason - for the soundtrack. I would take every opportunity to use the fabulous theme composed by John Williams. I'd say it has not sufficiently been used in the latest movies, so if I have the opportunity and if the footage allows me, I'm going to arrange it...I shall make it with great honour and pleasure." The recording sessions started on 14 August 2010. Conrad Pope, one of the orchestrators on the first three Potter films and the supervising orchestrator on Deathly Hallows, commented that Desplat's music is "exciting and vigorous" and "those who love melodies, harmonies and emotions in their film scores should be pleased. Reminds one of the old days."

I was a little too busy having a spaz attack to analyze the nuances of Desplat's score during the film, but I think he did an amazing job. I'm really looking forward to Part 2, although also dreading the end of the series/my childhood. When the final book came out, the term "Post-Potter Syndrome" was coined for fans who realized there was never going to be another book to look forward to (as we have all our lives). When Part 2 of the movie comes out, it will truly be the end and I think even those I'm-too-cool-to-dress-in-costume-for-the-movie-premier-ers will be feeling some PPS, to a degree.

Part 1

The track listing for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 soundtrack was released on Amazon UK.

1. "Obliviate" – 3:01
2. "Snape to Malfoy Manor" – 1:58
3. "Polyjuice Potion" – 3:32
4. "Sky Battle" – 3:48
5. "At the Burrow" – 2:35
6. "Harry and Ginny" – 1:43
7. "The Will" – 3:39
8. "Death Eaters" – 3:14
9. "Dobby" – 3:48
10. "Ministry of Magic" – 1:46
11. "Detonators" – 2:23
12. "The Locket" – 1:52
13. "Fireplaces Escape" – 2:53
14. "Ron Leaves" – 2:35
15. "The Exodus" – 1:37
16. "Godric's Hollow Graveyard" – 3:15
17. "Bathilda Bagshot" – 3:54
18. "Hermione's Parents" – 5:50
19. "Destroying the Locket" – 1:10
20. "Ron's Speech" – 2:16
21. "Lovegood" – 3:27
22. "The Deathly Hallows" – 3:17
23. "Captured and Tortured" – 2:56
24. "Rescuing Hermione" – 1:50
25. "Farewell to Dobby" – 3:43
26. "The Elder Wand" – 1:36

iTunes bonus tracks

1. "Voldemort"
2. "The Dumbledores"
3. "Bellatrix"
4. "Making of the Soundtrack" (video)

Limited Edition bonus disc

1. "Voldemort"
2. "Grimmauld Place"
3. "The Dumbledores"
4. "The Tale of the Three Brothers"
5. "Bellatrix"
6. "My Love Is Always Here"