The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban original motion picture soundtrack was released on 25 May 2004. The film's score was composed and conducted by John Williams, as was the score for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It introduced two major themes: "Window to the Past" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes", although neither were used in any other films in the series. Other notable themes were the theme used to represent the Time-Turner and to represent Sirius Black's hunt for Harry. The soundtrack was performed at Abbey Road Studios in London. It was the final soundtrack in the series to be composed by Williams, as he chose to leave afterwards due to scheduling conflicts.
The album was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score, the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media and the World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack.
Track listing
- "Lumos! (Hedwig's Theme)" - 1:35
- "Aunt Marge's Waltz" - 2:13
- "The Knight Bus" - 2:49
- "Apparition on the Train" - 2:13
- "Double Trouble" - 1:35
- "Buckbeak's Flight" - 2:07
- "A Window to the Past" - 3:53
- "The Whomping Willow and the Snowball Fight" - 2:20
- "Secrets of the Castle" - 4:35
- "The Portrait Gallery" - 1:58
- "Hagrid the Professor" - 2:23
- "Monster Books and Boggarts!" - 3:44
- "Quidditch, Third Year" - 2:19
- "Lupin's Transformation and Chasing Scabbers" - 2:59
- "The Patronus Light" - 1:10
- "The Werewolf Scene" - 4:24
- "Saving Buckbeak" - 6:37
- "Forward to Time Past" - 2:31
- "The Dementors Converge" - 3:10
- "Finale" - 3:24
- "Mischief Managed!" - 12:06
Track details
Lumos! Hedwig's Theme
This is the final movie in the Harry Potter series to use Hedwig's Theme in its original, gradually building form during the opening (until the credits of Deathly Hallows: Part 2). This includes a slightly more ominous celeste melody, and retains the flute melody, but features a short harp motif at the end.
- Double Trouble
Double Trouble was composed by John Williams during the production of the film as he felt to be a warm welcome back to Hogwarts. The song was sung by the London Oratory School Schola. The lyrics to this song are taken directly from Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Forward to Time Past
The track is heard when Hermione and Harry use the time turner to go back in time. During the whole piece a ticking sound is heard, indicating that time is running out. Loads of flourishing strings over-lap the four note motif that the brass repeat rhythmically, and lastly the little bursts of woodwind throughout enforce the sensation of movement.
The Dementors Converge
This music is heard when Harry is attempting to save Sirius Black from the Dementors. The piece mainly consists of discordant, wavering strings at the beginning, but as it progresses, Williams weaves punctuating piccolos and long notes of brass that gradually build up the menacing tension. This rises to a climax where thunderous clusters of timpani and hair-raising choir are introduced only to die back down, followed by an atmospheric flutter from the harp. The strings then lead into another extremity which uses bits and pieces from John Williams' "The Patronus Light", interjected by harsh, grating brass. The music appears to die off again instantly, however the familiar sound of lush strings and celesta (so prominent in Williams' earlier scores for these films) subdue the tension afore.
Responses and ratings
The soundtrack for this album is the highest rated; moviemusicuk.us rated the soundtrack 5/5 with Goblet of Fire and The Chamber of Secrets. On Filmtracks.com it is rated 4/5. Allmusic.com rated it 4.5/5, also the highest Harry Potter album rated on the site.
See also
- Harry Potter soundtracks
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
| J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosopher's Stone | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Chamber of Secrets | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Prisoner of Azkaban | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Goblet of Fire | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Order of the Phoenix | book | film | game | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Half-Blood Prince | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Deathly Hallows | book | film 1 | games 1 | film soundtrack 1 | game soundtrack 1 |
| film 2 | games 2 | film soundtrack 2 | game soundtrack 2 | ||
| Cursed Child | script | play | |||
| Fantastic Beasts film series | |||||
| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | book | screenplay | film | game | film soundtrack |
| The Crimes of Grindelwald | screenplay | film | film soundtrack | ||
| The Secrets of Dumbledore | screenplay | film | film soundtrack | ||