‘Harry Potter’ soundtracks and music

John Williams’ signature piece of music Hedwig’s Theme is only the tip of the wand when it comes to the music in the Harry Potter films. Over a decade, four different composers wrote a diverse catalogue of music for the film series.

‘Philosophers’s Stone’ soundtrack
‘Chamber of Secrets’ soundtrack
‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ soundtrack
‘Goblet of Fire’ soundtrack
‘Order of the Phoenix’ soundtrack
‘Half-Blood Prince’ soundtrack
‘Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ soundtrack
‘Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ soundtrack

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Famed composer John Williams wrote the score for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Williams actually composed the primary theme (which became the theme for the entire expanded Wizarding World), Hedwig’s Theme, as a piece of promotional music for the film’s trailer.

Composer John Williams
John Williams scored the first three Harry Potter films and wrote the iconic Hedwig’s Theme melody.

Warner Bros. were so impressed with the piece that Williams used it as the basis for the entire score. Hedwig’s Theme is played on a celeste, a type of keyboard. Other noteworthy themes include Harry’s Wondrous World, The Quidditch Match and Leaving Hogwarts.

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Track listing

  1. Prologue (2:12)
  2. Harry’s Wondrous World (5:21)
  3. The Arrival of Baby Harry (4:25)
  4. Visit to the Zoo and Letters from Hogwarts (3:23)
  5. Diagon Alley and the Gringotts Vault (4:06)
  6. Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters and the Journey to Hogwarts (3:14)
  7. Entry into the Great Hall and the Banquet (3:42)
  8. Mr. Longbottom Flies (3:35)
  9. Hogwarts Forever! and the Moving Stairs (3:47)
  10. The Norwegian Ridgeback and a Change of Season (2:47)
  11. The Quidditch Match (8:29)
  12. Christmas at Hogwarts (2:56)
  13. The Invisibility Cloak and the Library Scene (3:16)
  14. Fluffy’s Harp (2:39)
  15. In the Devil’s Snare and the Flying Keys (2:21)
  16. The Chess Game (3:49)
  17. The Face of Voldemort (6:10)
  18. Leaving Hogwarts (2:14)
  19. Hedwig’s Theme (5:11)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

John Williams accepts an award
John Williams wrote the music for Chamber of Secrets in collaboration with William Ross.

Williams returned in 2002 to score Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Due to scheduling conflicts, Williams teamed up with composer William Ross to help adapt his ‘Potter’ themes and flesh out a full score. Borrowing many of the themes from the first film, Chamber of Secrets introduced a number of new musical motifs, including the gorgeous Fawkes the Phoenix, Gilderoy Lockhart and Dobby the House Elf.

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Track listing

  1. Prologue: Book II and the Escape from the Dursleys (3:31)
  2. Fawkes the Phoenix (3:45)
  3. The Chamber of Secrets (3:49)
  4. Gilderoy Lockhart (2:05)
  5. The Flying Car (4:08)
  6. Knockturn Alley (1:47)
  7. Introducing Colin (1:49)
  8. The Dueling Club (4:08)
  9. Dobby the House Elf (3:27)
  10. The Spiders (4:32)
  11. Moaning Myrtle (2:05)
  12. Meeting Aragog (3:18)
  13. Fawkes Is Reborn (3:19)
  14. Meeting Tom Riddle (3:38)
  15. Cornish Pixies (2:13)
  16. Polyjuice Potion (3:52)
  17. Cakes for Crabbe and Goyle (3:30)
  18. Dueling the Basilisk (5:02)
  19. Reunion of Friends (5:08)
  20. Harry’s Wondrous World (5:02)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Williams’ final contribution to the musical world of Harry Potter was 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Williams, in collaboration with director Alfonso Cuarón, decided to take the music in a darker direction — introducing a medieval flavour to the score.

Hogwarts choir singing Double Trouble
Williams’ Double Trouble is a diegetic piece of music performed in the film by the Hogwarts choir.

One of the film’s most prominent themes is Double Trouble, a choral piece written by Williams and borrowing lyrics from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Other highlights include the film’s primary theme A Window to the Past and the soaring Buckbeak’s Flight.

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Track listing

  1. Lumos! (Hedwig’s Theme) (1:38)
  2. Aunt Marge’s Waltz (2:15)
  3. The Knight Bus (2:52)
  4. Apparition on the Train (2:15)
  5. Double Trouble (1:37)
  6. Buckbeak’s Flight (2:08)
  7. A Window to the Past (3:54)
  8. The Whomping Willow and the Snowball Fight (2:22)
  9. Secrets of the Castle (2:32)
  10. The Portrait Gallery (2:05)
  11. Hagrid the Professor (1:59)
  12. Monster Books and Boggarts! (2:26)
  13. Quidditch, Third Year (3:47)
  14. Lupin’s Transformation and Chasing Scabbers (3:01)
  15. The Patronus Light (1:12)
  16. The Werewolf Scene (4:25)
  17. Saving Buckbeak (6:39)
  18. Forward to Time Past (2:33)
  19. The Dementors Converge (3:12)
  20. Finale (3:24)
  21. Mischief Managed! (12:10)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Due to scheduling conflicts, John Williams departed the franchise and handed the reins over to Scottish composer Patrick Doyle. Doyle adapted Williams’ primary theme, Hedwig’s Theme, but composed an entirely new score for Goblet of Fire. Highlights include the sweeping love piece Harry in Winter and the ten-minute epic Voldemort, underscoring the Dark Lord’s rebirth.

Composer Patrick Doyle
Scottish composer Patrick Doyle wrote the score for 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Jarvis Cocker and Jason Buckle also wrote three songs for the film (as the fictional Weird Sisters who perform at the Yule Ball). Doyle provided string arrangements for these songs.

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Track listing

  1. The Story Continues (1:31)
  2. Frank Dies (2:12)
  3. The Quidditch World Cup (1:52)
  4. The Dark Mark (3:27)
  5. Foreign Visitors Arrive (1:30)
  6. The Goblet of Fire (3:23)
  7. Rita Skeeter (1:42)
  8. Sirius Fire (2:00)
  9. Harry Sees Dragons (1:54)
  10. Golden Egg (6:10)
  11. Neville’s Waltz (2:11)
  12. Harry in Winter (2:56)
  13. Potter Waltz (2:19)
  14. Underwater Secrets (2:28)
  15. The Black Lake (4:38)
  16. Hogwarts’ March (2:47)
  17. The Maze (4:44)
  18. Voldemort (9:39)
  19. Death of Cedric (1:59)
  20. Another Year Ends (2:21)
  21. Hogwarts’ Hymn (2:59)
  22. Do the Hippogriff (3:39)
  23. This Is the Night (3:24)
  24. Magic Works (4:02)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

When David Yates was announced as director of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix he brought with him his regular musical collaborator, British composer Nicholas Hooper. Again, Hooper used elements of Williams’ Hedwig’s Theme, taking the piece in a darker direction to match the tone of the film.

Composer Nicholas Hooper
British composer Nicholas Hooper scored both Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince.

Highlights include the jaunty Professor Umbridge, The Ministry of Magic (which, incidentally, Hooper wrote before shooting to convince Warner Bros. he was the musician for the job) and Flight of the Order of the Phoenix.

Listen to the score

Track listing

  1. Fireworks (1:49)
  2. Professor Umbridge (2:35)
  3. Another Story (2:41)
  4. Dementors in the Underpass (1:45)
  5. Dumbledore’s Army (2:42)
  6. The Hall of Prophecies (4:27)
  7. Possession (3:20)
  8. The Room of Requirement (6:09)
  9. The Kiss (1:56)
  10. A Journey to Hogwarts (2:54)
  11. The Sirius Deception (2:36)
  12. Death of Sirius (3:58)
  13. Umbridge Spoils a Beautiful Morning (2:39)
  14. Darkness Takes Over (2:58)
  15. The Ministry of Magic (2:48)
  16. The Sacking of Trelawney (2:15)
  17. Flight of the Order of the Phoenix (1:34)
  18. Loved Ones and Leaving (3:15)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Composer Nicholas Hooper.
Hooper’s classical guitar influences are evident on the Half-Blood Prince score.

Hooper returned in 2009 to score Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In addition to Hedwig’s Theme, this was the first score to borrow another of Williams’ themes — the Quidditch motif from Prisoner of Azkaban. Highlights include the haunting choral piece In Noctem (the sequence this underscores was largely cut from the film), Malfoy’s Mission, Slughorn’s Confession and Farewell Aragog.

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Track listing

  1. Opening (2:53)
  2. In Noctem (2:00)
  3. The Story Begins (2:05)
  4. Ginny (1:30)
  5. Snape & the Unbreakable Vow (2:50)
  6. Wizard Wheezes (1:42)
  7. Dumbledore’s Speech (1:31)
  8. Living Death (1:55)
  9. Into the Pensieve (1:45)
  10. The Book (1:44)
  11. Ron’s Victory (1:44)
  12. Harry & Hermione (2:52)
  13. School! (1:05)
  14. Malfoy’s Mission (2:53)
  15. The Slug Party (2:11)
  16. Into the Rushes (2:33)
  17. Farewell Aragog (2:08)
  18. Dumbledore’s Foreboding (1:18)
  19. Of Love & War (1:17)
  20. When Ginny Kissed Harry (2:38)
  21. Slughorn’s Confession (3:33)
  22. Journey to the Cave (3:08)
  23. The Drink of Despair (2:44)
  24. Inferi in the Firestorm (1:53)
  25. The Killing of Dumbledore (3:34)
  26. Dumbledore’s Farewell (2:22)
  27. The Friends (2:00)
  28. The Weasley Stomp (2:51)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Composer Alexandre Desplat.
Composer Alexandre Desplat scored both Deathly Hallows films.

Since Williams’ departure from the franchise in 2004, rumours had circulated of a return to score the final films in the series. In 2010, producer David Heyman revealed that John Williams was keen to return, but scheduling would not allow it. Instead, French composer Alexandre Desplat took over musical duties for both Deathly Hallows films. Highlights of Desplat’s first ‘Potter’ score include Polyjuice Potion, The Locket, and Lovegood.

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Track listing

  1. Obliviate (3:01)
  2. Snape to Malfoy Manor (1:58)
  3. Polyjuice Potion (3:32)
  4. Sky Battle (3:48)
  5. At the Burrow (2:35)
  6. Harry and Ginny (1:43)
  7. The Will (3:39)
  8. Death Eaters (3:14)
  9. Dobby (3:49)
  10. Ministry of Magic (1:49)
  11. Detonators (2:23)
  12. The Locket (1:52)
  13. Fireplace Escape (2:54)
  14. Ron Leaves (2:35)
  15. The Exodus (1:37)
  16. Godric’s Hollow Graveyard (3:15)
  17. Bathilda Bagshot (3:54)
  18. Hermione’s Parents (5:50)
  19. Destroying the Locket (1:10)
  20. Ron’s Speech (2:16)
  21. Lovegood (3:27)
  22. The Deathly Hallows (3:17)
  23. Captured and Tortured (2:56)
  24. Rescuing Hermione (1:50)
  25. Farewell to Dobby (3:43)
  26. The Elder Wand (1:38)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Desplat returned to score the final film in the Harry Potter series. For Deathly Hallows: Part 2 he incorporated elements of Williams’ earlier themes, as well as nod to Nicholas Hooper. The highlight of this score is arguably Lily’s Theme, the film’s primary motif.

Alexandre Desplat in studio.
Alexandre Desplat used elements of both Williams’ and Hooper’s music in the final Deathly Hallows score.

The epilogue — set nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts — is underscored by John William’s Philosopher’s Stone motif Leaving Hogwarts, bringing the entire musical journey full-circle.

Listen to the score

Track listing

  1. Lily’s Theme (Opening) (2:28)
  2. The Tunnel (1:09)
  3. Underworld (5:24)
  4. Gringotts (2:24)
  5. Dragon Flight (1:43)
  6. Neville (1:40)
  7. A New Headmaster (3:25)
  8. Panic Inside Hogwarts (1:53)
  9. Statues (2:22)
  10. The Grey Lady (5:51)
  11. In the Chamber of Secrets (1:37)
  12. Battlefield (2:13)
  13. The Diadem (3:08)
  14. Broomsticks and Fire (1:24)
  15. Courtyard Apocalypse (2:00)
  16. Snape’s Demise (2:51)
  17. Severus and Lily (6:08)
  18. Harry’s Sacrifice (1:57)
  19. The Resurrection Stone (4:32)
  20. Harry Surrenders (1:30)
  21. Procession (2:07)
  22. Neville the Hero (2:17)
  23. Showdown (3:37)
  24. Voldemort’s End (2:44)
  25. A New Beginning (1:39)