The World of Harry Potter, Part 1: John Williams

In this first part of a two-part episode, we look at the variety of ways that John Williams creates the musical world of Harry Potter. From school songs to Quidditch, from dragons to goblins, from ghosts to moving staircases, John Williams combines the rich late-romantic orchestral sound with the slightly odd notes resembling 20th century composers such as Stravinsky and Prokofiev to create a world that seems both familiar and different. He also expands in the second and third film from celeste and choir to adding instruments from the Baroque and Renaissance, combining new sounds with old. This episode focuses solely on the first three movies composed by John Williams.

Host: Ruth Mudge

Music included in podcast:

"The Arrival of Baby Harry" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" - The Sorcerer's Apprentice, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic & James Levine, music by Paul Dukas, 1987

"Diagon Alley/The Gringotts Vault" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Act 1, Scene III, The Street Awakens" - Romeo & Juliet, Op. 64, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Valery Gergiev, music by Sergei Prokofiev, 2010

"Platform Nine-and-three-quarters/The Journey to Hogwarts" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Hogwarts Forever!/The Moving Stairs" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Entry into the Great Hall/The Banquet" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"The Quidditch Match" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Christmas at Hogwarts" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Olympic Fanfare and Theme" - Celebrating John Williams (Live at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles 2019), performed by Los Angeles Philharmonic & Gustavo Dudamel, music by John Williams, 2019

"The Norwegian Ridgeback/A Change of Seasons" - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams, 2001

"Fawkes is Reborn" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams & William Ross, 2002

"Dueling the Basilisk" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams & William Ross, 2002

"Meeting Aragog" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams & William Ross, 2002

"Moaning Myrtle" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams & William Ross, 2002

"Knockturn Alley" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by John Williams & William Ross, 2002

"Pavana la Bataglia (Crumhorns & Ensemble)" - Dictionary of Medieval & Renaissance Instruments, performed by Christian Mendoza & Orchestra Antiqua Musica, music by Anonymous, 2002

"Double Trouble" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Secrets of the Castle" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"The Portrait Gallery" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Quidditch, Third Year" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Apparition on the Train" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"The Patronus Light" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"The Dementors Converge" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Forward to Time Past" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Finale" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"The Knight Bus" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"The Thieving Magpie" - Rossini Overtures, performed by Yehudi Menuhin & Sinfonia Varsovia, music by Gioachino Rossini, 1998

"Aunt Marge's Waltz" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"Buckbeak's Flight" - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, music by John Williams, 2004

"World of Soundtrack" - music by Edith Mudge, graphics by Lindsey Bergsma