The Magic made manifest: The Themes of Harry Potter and Philosophers

Stone
The HPPS score is build upon several recurring themes for various elements of the tale. From the
start the composer saw the film as an opportunity to create a whole host of these themes to
illustrate this story, which would then in leitmotivic fashion be developed and varied through the
movie as the events unfold. It could be said that more than any of his modern peers Williams has
relied on strong themes to carry the message of the film and to help the audience to identify with
the characters and the story. This applied to the world of Harry Potter as well: So much of
successful film scoring relies on a gratifying melodic identification for the characters," Williams
says. "I try to draw on something that marries very well with what I'm seeing.[15] His skill at writing
clear and easily identifiable musical ideas is one of his greatest strengths and for Harry Potter
and the Philosophers Stone he composed no less than 7 major thematic ideas and several
smaller motifs, which many interrelate to each other forming small thematic families as they share
some common musical traits, another strong and typical feature in Williams thematic constructs.
1. Hedwigs Theme
Despite its name this theme could be said to be a musical depiction for the whole world of Harry
Potter and its magic, not just for Harrys pet Snowy Owl , though it may have been in the
composers mind the initial inspiration for the musical idea. The celesta is the central instrument
of this theme which as much as it describes pure magic, conjures thoughts of flight. A whimsical
waltz, slightly mischievous and projecting childlike wonder, it receives numerous variations
throughout the story, each time offering another accent to the events, the action reflected in its
myriad orchestrations. The melody of this theme can be divided into two sections:
The A phrase presents the main melody of the waltz (example OST CD track 19 Hedwigs theme
0:00-0:17), lilting on celesta with an air of mystery, magic, mischief and anticipation. It works as a
sort of musical trigger that announces to the audience that something extraordinary is about to
happen, the scene where owls begin to bring letters from Hogwarts being a prime example of
this, the music rising into a grand statement of the full Hedwigs theme after the A phrase
opening.
Frank Lehman expounds on the musical idea in his thematic analysis thus:
In its first guise, this theme begins on a pickup on the fifth scale degree, which moves to the tonic,
and proceeds up to third scale degree, outlining a minor chord in 2nd inversion. The second guise
begins with a pickup on the third, and sways between the fifth and the third of the minor tonic
chord.[16]
The B phrase (example OST CD track 19 Hedwigs theme 0:18-0:36) continues the waltz idea
with a rising and falling back-and-forth figure and a sense determination and closure, the phrase
being regularly used e.g. for various transitional and approach shots in the film. This section
finishes the melody began by the A phrase and thus completes the whole main melody of the
theme.
As parts of a longer theme these phrases are most frequently used in conjunction but with twopart melody Williams has provided himself with musical idea that can