Nicholas Hooper Speaks about the Score to "Order of the Phoenix"
OotP Film
The May 8 edition of Film Music Weekly contains a new interview with Nicholas Hooper about his score he composed for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Recorded in March and April at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London, England, the music for the fifth Harry Potter film will again contain the beautiful Hedwig's Theme originally created by John Williams for Sorcerer's Stone, where we will hear this piece again "first in the film’s opening and then subsequently at particular dramatic moments."
The music will feature a choir, the 90 member Chamber Orchestra of London, electronic sounds, and even a particular drum. "“Worth particular note was a huge Taiko drum from Japan, suggested by my agent Darrell Alexander – it makes a deep sound you can actually feel,†says Nicholas Hooper. Mr. Hooper continues on to describe two of the new themes we will hear in the soundtrack, due to be released on July 10.
â€The themes of the film itself demanded a lot of fresh and different material. Two of the main themes developed were the ‘Umbridge Theme’ and the ‘Possession Theme’,†explains Nicholas Hooper. “Professor Umbridge is a new central character in this fifth story, and is an apparently fluffy but cruel and increasingly mad witch who is planted in the school by the Ministry of Magic. The theme reflects her character in an insistent, irritating way and was great
fun to write – should be a hit with ring tones!The ‘Possession Theme’ is the story of Harry’s gradual possession by Voldemort, who convinces him that Sirius Black, his godfather, is being tortured. It appears in various forms, at times slow but mainly with a sense of panic, and often getting faster and faster. This searing theme was enormously rewarding to write.â€
To read this entire interview, click here (PDF, pg 4) Thanks much to lost duck!
Goodness! This person really knows what he's talking about!
LOL, does anyone else think of the Imperial March when he talks about the Umbridge theme? Haha...
It seems like he got right in to this. Wonderful! I am very much looking forward to hearing Mr Hooper's score. Love John Williams' work on the first three, not so much a fan of Patrick Doyle's GoF score unfortunately. It was decent, but failed to capture me. Can't wait for OotP.
woohoo! top 5 comments!
can't wait to hear it. does anyone know where you can listen to it NOW?
Sounds great. I can't wait to hear the new soundtrack.
He really seems to have got involved in the music and the tone of the film.I can`t wait to hear it,he really seems to know what he`s talking about.
Imagine an Umbridge ring tone,no-one would dare ignore it for fear of being put in detention.
OMG! Yes! Finally, someone who knows what he's talking about. I too think it's essential to use Hedwig's theme, and not Doyle's lame version.
Will this be a version that Cooper does, or are they using the original from John Williams?
Anyhow I am so glad for this, he sounds so right for the job!
Goodness, this really does back up what Michael Goldenberg said in his interview with Melissa - i.e. that everyone involved in the film really does care about it being good.
Hooper certainly sounds like he has taken it all very seriously (which is especially good as there seems to be a high chance of him returning for HBP along with Mr. Yates).
I'd love a sample. :) Can't wait for the soundtrack!
"Will this be a version that Cooper does, or are they using the original from John Williams?"
He will obviously be using the original Hedwig's theme, but scoring it in such a way that it fits with the tone of the current film.
OOTP is a very different film to PS/SS, it is much darker, so you will probably see him doing a "darker" version of the theme at points in the film, although there may be points in the film that the lighter version will be used.
The main point is that the theme itself is kept. Even if you didn't like Doyle's version of it, at least he kept that theme in the film, as a continuity point from the earlier films.
I might be the only one in the world who thinks this, but I bally well hate Hedwig's Theme. It's twee, overblown, saccharine and pretty much encompasses everything that the films lack when compared to the books.
Still, I like Nicholas Hooper's previous stuff, so generally it seems promising.
I like that Hooper seems to not be using the John Williams themes that much, ala Patrick Doyle. The themes are still heard but they're not overused. I like this. Like each movie getting a new director, I like that they've been changing music composers for the last few. I seem to be one of the few that actually loves the Doyle Goblet of Fire score, I think he brought some great new themes to the mix, and I have a feeling Nicholas Hooper will accomplish the same, and probably moreso.
Can't wait to hear the Ministry battle music.
