Settling Mood With Potter, Potions and Patience...
The new Harry Potter film energizes crowds immediately as Death Eaters descend on London, terrorizing as they do, but
the Muggles among us know this particular story is one without a lot of momentous events. The stage is being set for
the great battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort, the epic end of a long road that began so filled with wonder and innocence. Gone are the
thrills of discovery and wondrous firsts: the first trip on Hogwart's Express, the first Quidditch match, the first
look at the Great Hall. What's left is a darkening world of complexity and developing maturity needed to attend to such a world.
Composer Nicholas Hooper is back on scoring duties for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince soundtrack (New Line Records) - he's the first composer since John Williams to have an
opportunity to score subsequent Potter films back-to-back. Thus, he's taken on Harry's world as his own, making
use of themes he penned for Order of the Phoenix in this outing - the biggest being the "Possession" theme. It's
expected most of Hooper's score would be moody and grow ever darker, as exemplified in Malfoy's theme. Yet, there are lighter moments and
a sprinkling of romantic cues that give the overall album a "balanced" dark listening experience. More than sixty minutes comprise
the program's total length, but we're convinced we started the "Opening" (track one) only a few minutes ago... the enhanced
CD includes a free digital download of the 5.1 Surround Sound version of the score, although we think somehow a certain
potion enters the fray, one that just might cause one to lose track of time.... where were we? Oh yes, "The Weasley Stomp."
A fine antidote.
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