Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone [Import, Soundtrack]

This score is...amazing? Wonderful? Awe-inspiring? Take your pick of words, but none of them fit this stunning piece of work performed beautifully by the London Symphoney Orchastra. Magical is the only word for it.

It succeeds in many areas where the movie it was created for fails. Williams has created a score that is perfectly tuned to the changing moods of the book and movie. At times warm and inviting, while later eerie, dark, and forbidding; at times happy, at other times sad, and sometimes all out thrilling. The strong diversity of this score is most perfectly reflected in the beautiful meadly "Harry's Wonderous World." track two (and my favorite track) on the CD.

Furthermore, the strong use of motifs enhances the score and film, and the eerie Harry Potter theme is destined to earn its place among John Williams' most famous works, right up there next to the Star Wars Main Title Theme and the Flying Theme from E.T. This score is clearly the best of its year, and the MPAA is [bad] not to hae awarded it the Oscar for Best Score. It is in my mind. My only complaint about this release is that it is an abridgement, and hope that someday the complete score will be issued.

Of John William's score for "The Phantom Menace," George Lucas said "Every fan of Star Wars -- and of great music -- is in his [John Williams] debt." Changing "Star Wars" in the quote to Harry Potter, the same applies here. This is a wonderful score, and it is truly magical -- one of the most magical of all time --and should not be missed for all the gold in Gringotts!

This is a truly five-star score in every way, shape, and form. ***** ...

One thing to keep in mind about the music, though, however great it is, is that it was composed to complement the movie and not necessarily as an independent listening experience. That said, the soundtrack does, in fact, make a great listening experience, though a few of the tracks do seem to go on for a while without a lot of direction. Williams seems to be big on providing a constant musical wallpaper--or perhaps Columbus requested this, and that means there is simply a LOT of music that went with this film, and much of it is simply atmospheric.

That said, the entire sountrack is worth buying for the trailer music, opening theme, and end titles alone. These pieces bring the main themes of the entire album together (including the excellent Hedwig theme) and integrate them into coherant stand-alone pieces. Also, even the "atmospheric" tracks provide an excellent ambience for exercising or jogging or just working around the house.