Comments on: John Williams Themes, Part 6 of 6: Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter

By: Vit

Vit — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 23:52:01 +0000

In reply to Felipe Essy. Hi Mark! I believe that “Hedwige Theme” is plagiarism. Please listen to Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns "Animal Carnival" part of the “Aquarium”. May be will analyze these two works on the subject of plagiarism?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 23:10:21 +0000

In reply to Clare. The theme sound to me an awful lot like Burial of Kije from Sergei Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije."

By: Susie

Susie — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:16:07 +0000

Hi Mark,
I’ve just found this site after reading about John William’s inspirations for his music. Yesterday I went to an organ recital where Viernes Symphony no 4 was one of the highlights. Although the mood and tempo were very different, there was something in the intervals of the notes on the recurring theme which reminded me of Hedwig’s Theme. I was curious enough to see if anyone else had thought the same.

By: Mark Richards

Mark Richards — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 04:23:37 +0000

In reply to Bj mckay.

Hi BJ,

Glad you enjoyed the analysis. You mean Secret of the Blue Room. That end credits piece is the big theme from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Personally, I have a hard time hearing Williams’ Harry Potter theme is a rehash of Swan Lake. To me they sound entirely different and I wouldn’t say they are in any way connected. For an excellent demythification of criticisms of Williams’ film music, particularly with regard to what others hear as plagiarism, see chapter 8 of Emilio Audissino’s John Williams’s Film Music, a great read all the way through as well.

But I do think it’s interesting that the Tchaikovsky is appropriated for the Secret of the Blue Room. As you point out, the film is from 1933, which was just a few years after the introduction of sound film, or the “talkie”. In the years leading up to the talkie, music for movies was often played from anthologies full of cues composed for various emotions and images. What’s interesting is that the demand became so high for anthology music from a publisher named Belwin that, as one composer employed for the company colourfully wrote, ““in desperation [Belwin] turned to crime. We began to dismember the great masters. We began to murder ruthlessly the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Grieg, J.S. Bach, Verdi, Bizet, Tschaikovsky and Wagner — everything that wasn’t protected from our pilfering by copyright.”

So the Tchaikovsky in Blue Room is likely a kind of sustaining of an earlier standard at a time when that standard was in flux and over the next few years to turn confidently towards the original score.

By: Bj mckay

Bj mckay — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 03:03:56 +0000

Interesting that AMC is playing secret of the blue moon this evening and the end song during the credits is the harry potter theme…although the former film was released in 1933…love to see your analysis and then it begs the question is John Williams just rehashing the precursor and took it to the bank? Methinks so. Curiouser and curiouser…

By: cody

cody — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 23:11:00 +0000

In reply to Clare. ?

By: cody

cody — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 23:09:47 +0000

what is the scale of the notes in HEDWIGS theme

By: mk

mk — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 13:39:45 +0000

In reply to Clare.

Svan Lake?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1QhNz117CQ

Safe to say it was an inspiration at least.

By: John Williams & The Philosopher’s Prisoner of Secrets – Peter's Site!

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:34:03 +0000

[…] music most often identified with Harry Potter. Regarding “Hedwig’s Theme”, here is an analysis which is as fascinating as it is deep and knowledgeable. I wish I had such an understanding of this […]

By: Mark Richards

Mark Richards — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 12:48:51 +0000

In reply to Clare. The tune doesn't ring any bells with other pieces for me. Do you know if you're thinking of a classical piece or something else?