CHAMBER MUSIC

A publishing sensation is destined to become a major film franchise. Almost every notable British actor has a part and three charismatic young actors have been cast as the child protagonists. Who you gonna call for the orchestral soundtrack for what is certain to be a world-wide hit both within and outside the wizarding world? Who else but film score magician John Williams.

With a career stretching back to the early 1960s Williams’ name has been synonymous with some of the biggest screen success stories in the history of cinema. In the 1970s he gave us Jaws, The Towering Inferno, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Then came Star Wars and even greater acclaim. The credits kept rolling through the 1980s: ET, Indiana Jones, Empire of the Sun. Williams then took the 1990s off. Just kidding! Home Alone, JFK, Jurassic Park… commissions flowed quicker than a popcorn machine fills a super-sized bucket.

When the Harry Potter film series began in 2001, director Chris Columbus first approached James Horner to compose the film score. Horner declined the commission so Columbus contacted John Williams with whom he had worked on Home Alone. Williams agreed, and thus began a collaboration spanning films one, two and three*.

The second of the Williams-scored films is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which appeared in cinemas in November 2002. This score features Williams signature blend of grandeur, lyricism and thematic clarity. Partially drawing on themes he composed for the first film, Williams did not simply rearrange the pieces but added even more drama and depth to the music.

"Hedwig’s Theme" is the most iconic of all the Harry Potter motifs, having become the de facto main theme of the entire series. Not unreasonably, it opens this double album with that special mix of mystery and excitement characterising the best film music. At the other end of the adventure, "Harry’s Wondrous World" reprises a sweeping, heroic theme from the first film for the end credits.

In between bubbles a cauldron of musical magic. From the light, almost comedic motif that accompanies Gilderoy Lockhart to the powerful dynamics of "The Spiders" the music evolves with the narrative, supporting and enriching it. Those with sharp ears will pick up quotes and variations of familiar themes. "Hedwig’s Theme," in particular, is alluded to several times. One that works neatly is "Meeting Tom Riddle" where a fragment of the well-known melody infiltrates a scene about memory and revelation. Elsewhere, a ghostly chorale in "Moaning Myrtle" sets a suitably spooky tone.

The 2025 RSD re-issue of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be welcomed by vinyl fans who previously only had access to a picture disc version. Pressed on clear vinyl, the double album has all the analogue warmth one could hope for plus a soundstage revealing all the nuances of the London Symphony Orchestra’s rich performance. Both a rewarding listening experience and a fine souvenir of the second film, this is a release to delight Harry Potter fans.

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* Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. But of course you already knew that. All three John Williams soundtrack albums had RSD 2025 clear vinyl re-issues.

© Bruce Jenkins—June 2025