Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Sorcerer's Stone
The Film | The Music
Audio | Video | Sheet Music
References | Links
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Release date: November 16, 2001
Studio: Warner Bros.
Running time: 152 minutes
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Sean Biggerstaff, Warwick Davis, Julie Walters, Zoë Wanamaker, David Bradley, Tom Felton
Technical information: Super 35, Technicolor
J. K. Rowling's hugely successful children's novel, the first in a planned seven-part series, becomes a hugely successful film starring relatively unknown child actors and seemingly every great British thespian alive.
Sorcerer's Stone
The Film | The Music
Audio | Video | Sheet Music
References | Links
Music: John Williams
Orchestration: John Neufeld, Conrad Pope
Music editor: Peter Myles
Music recorded: September 2001
Williams composed the music for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone during the spring and summer of 2001, mainly at Tanglewood, and recorded the music in London between August 28 and September 12. He had previously composed original music for two of the film's trailers; these utilized a waltz-like theme for Hedwig the owl, which he wove throughout his 142-minute score for the film.
Contrary to his usual practice, Williams read the book on which the film was based and said he "loved it." Williams' contribution to the annual Tanglewood on Parade benefit concert on July 31, 2001 was a preview of music from the film, a performance of "Hedwig's Theme." Williams has also composed a nine-movement concert suite based upon themes from the score, each of which highlights a different section of the orchestra in the manner of Benjamin Britten's A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra; this suite was also recorded at the September sessions at London's Air Lyndhurst recording studios.
Warner 83491-2
The soundtrack album for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Warner Sunset/Nonesuch/Atlantic 83491-2) was released by Warner Bros. records October 30, 2001. The CD contains over 70 minutes of music, approximately half of the music Williams recorded for the film. The album contains music not heard in the film, e.g. the track "Hogwarts Forever!" for horn quartet, one of the nine movements of the "Children's Suite" Williams composed based on themes from the score.
Sorcerer's Stone
The Film | The Music
Audio | Video | Sheet Music
References | Links
Warner Bros. Music has released a nine-selection album of piano arrangements from from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Warner Bros. 0639B). A piano arrangement of "Hedwig's Theme" (included in the album) is also available separately.
Hal Leonard has issued two conductor's scores in the John Williams Signature Edition series. The first is the nine-movement "Children's Suite from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and the other is a four-movement orchestral suite.
References
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling
New York: Scholastic, 1998
"They shoot, he scores," Geoffrey McNab
The Times (London), Sep 25 2001
"John Williams casts spell for Potter score," Richard Dyer
Boston Globe, Nov 11 2001, C, 1
"Director Columbus discovered the right composer for Harry Potter," Richard Dyer
Boston Globe, Nov 11 2001, C, 8
"Williams adds musical magic to Harry Potter," Andy Seiler
USA Today, Nov 13 2001, D, 1
"John Williams: Making Harry Potter's music magic," Matt Wolf
CNN (AP), Nov 19 2001
"Movies' music man has his work cut out," David Lieberman
USA Today, Oct 21 2002, B, 4
Sorcerer's Stone
The Film | The Music
Audio | Video | Sheet Music
References | Links
Internet Movie Database entry for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Cinebooks Database entry for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
All Movie Guide entry for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Official web site for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Page last modified
June 05, 2006
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