Episode 23: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Part 1

11/19/18 • -1 min

In Episode 23 we return to the wizarding world with the first of a two part listen to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Far from resting on prior achievements, the final John Williams Potter score knocks it out of the park, giving us everything from medieval music to waltzes, bebop jazz, and some of the most majestic flight music ever written. Join us, as we solemnly swear we are up to no good and journey with Harry and co for their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Episode notes: 2:32 – Dan makes a big claim 6:35 – Some Azkaban homework 14:45 – Hedwig’s theme goes on holiday 16:23 – Something wicked this way hums 27:50 – Crumhorn, Sackbut, and Azkaban’s medieval sound 30:51 – Meeting Buckbeak 33:04 – Searching for the Fat Lady 35:33 – Some sleeping celeste 39:09 – The renaissance fair 46:49 – A Window to the Past 1:00:00 – Some serious Sirius 1:04:13 – Pettigrew’s motif 1:07:12 – Buckbeak’s brilliant flight 1:13:15 – Buckbeak’s equally brilliant second flight 1:17:26 – The Dementor’s dialectic. Thesis: aleatoric horror 1:21:39 – Antithesis: the angelic Patronus 1:23:06 – Synthesis: the Dementors converge We love to hear from our listeners – get in touch via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and if you like The Art of the Score, please take a moment to subscribe, rate and comment.

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Episode 22: Conan the Barbarian

In Episode 22 we travel to the distant Hyborian era with Basil Poledouris’ muscular score for 1982’s Conan the Barbarian. As the gold standard for high fantasy prior to Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings epics, Poledouris’ lush and orchestral score creates entire musical worlds and carries much of the emotion in this sparsely-dialogued film. Join us as we take a journey with the Riders of Doom and listen to this fantastic work of musical fantasy. Episode notes: 5:35 – The secrets to Conan’s success 9:22 – John Milius’s machismo 13:38 – Basil Poledouris’ score 19:54 – Conan’s canon – what era does the music come from? 22:45 – Anvil of Crom: the Hyborian rhythm and Nick’s rave remake 30:20 – Twenty-four French Horns and Total Recall’s Barbaric Recall 38:28 – Conan’s theme 48:10 – Double reeds and the passing of time 58:21 – The love theme, and saying more than Arnold through music 1:10:00 – The Riders of Doom theme 1:14:55 – O Fortuna’s influence on Conan (and film music generally) 1:19:34 – Conan’s Battle on the Ice 1:21:44 – The Wheel of Fifths 1:24:51 – Doom’s Dies Irae 1:38:16 – The Wheel of Pain’s ostinato 1:43:06 – Waltzing through theology 1:47:42 – The villain’s music for the hero’s journey – in the kitchen 1:49:28 – Waltzing through an orgy 1:57:07 – The Pit Fights and the Mountain of Power, via 1950s sword and sandal epics 2:03:49 – Conan’s Firebird finale We love to hear from our listeners – get in touch via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and if you like The Art of the Score, please take a moment to subscribe, rate and comment.

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Episode 24: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Part 2

In Episode 24 we end our journey through Harry’s third year at Hogwarts with a deep listen to the unparalleled variety in John Williams’ score for Prisoner of Azkaban. We breakdown bebop, compare Italian waltzes, play with fugues, minimalism, swing, and some of the most dangerous flute music you’ve ever heard. Mischief most definitely managed. Episode notes: 2:51 – Aunt Marge’s waltz 12:20 – The jazz bus 14:31 – A short ride in a magical machine 17:28 – Bebop patronum 24:48 – A stretchy middle eight 29:51 – A fugue for quidditch 35:07 – Willow whomps 40:10 – A danger to birds and flute players 45:23 – Snowfights and woodwind bites 48:02 – Swing, swing, boggart 54:05 – Carried on the voices 57:50 – Book cranks and classic horror 1:01:28 – Sirius Black to the future 1:10:12 – Watch me if you can 1:14:51 – The John Williams greatest hits album We love to hear from our listeners – get in touch via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and if you like The Art of the Score, please take a moment to subscribe, rate and comment.