The magic of Harry Potter left the confines of paper and became a live-action favorite on November 14th, 2001. From its first debut to its final moments on screen, this eight-movie series has developed into a global phenomenon, and although its screenplay has been translated into hundreds of languages, there is one sound that connects audiences from around the world: an unaccompanied, 30 bar theme in E minor- the haunting sound of a celesta.
Easily one of the most recognizable musical motifs in movie history, “Hedwig’s Theme”, composed by John Williams, has marked the beginning of every Harry Potter movie and provided the foundation upon which the skyscrapers of scores developed. Each movie, often orchestrated by a new architect, has its own unique structure and quirks, but each new track paid homage to its original creator- often hailed as the “Master of Themes”, John Williams.
John Williams’ popularity as a film composer is nearly universal. His first work in film scoring, writing for the movie Daddy-O, began in 1959, and has continued nearly every year since. His most popular works include Jaws, Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, and the Home Alone series, just to name a few. Williams, born in New York, moved to Los Angeles in 1948 and began studying composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, one of the most prominent composers for guitar in the twentieth century. He served in the Air Force, and upon returning home, began studying piano at