THE MUSIC OF HARRY POTTER: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE FIRST FIVE FILMS by JAMIE LYNN WEBSTER A DISSERTATION Presented to the School ofMusic and Dance and the Graduate School ofthe University of Oregon in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy December 2009 11 University of Oregon Graduate School Confirmation of Approval and Acceptance of Dissertation prepared by: Jamie Webster Title: "The Music ofHarry Potter: Continuity and Change in the First Five Films" This dissertation has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the Doctor ofPhilosophy degree in the Department ofMusic by: Marian Smith, Chairperson, Music Anne McLucas, Member, Music Mark Levy, Member, Music Carl Bybee, Outside Member, Journalism and Communication and Richard Linton, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies/Dean ofthe Graduate School for the University of Oregon. December 12, 2009 Original approval signatures are on file with the Graduate School and the University of Oregon Libraries. III © 2009 Jamie Lynn Webster IV An Abstract ofthe Dissertation of Jamie Lynn Webster for the degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy in the School ofMusic and Dance to be taken December 2009 Title: THE MUSIC OF HARRY POTTER: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE FIRST FIVE FILMS Approved: _ Marian Smith Despite the immense popular and critical response given to the Harry Potter narrative and phenomenon, little has been written about the music for the Harry Potter films. I establish that the aesthetic differences that viewers perceive between the different Harry Potter films are largely due to the musical approaches ofcomposers John Williams, Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper over the course offour director/composer collaborations for the first five films. This study provides a rare opportunity to examine the work ofdifferent composers for a continuing narrative. Moreover, when we explore how music is used in varied ways within the films, we see how each musical approach shapes film visuals into the narrative that the filmmakers sought to convey; when the music changes, the story changes. Music creates the geographic, cultural, and temporal landscapes that draw us in to Harry's 'muggle' and magical worlds. Music defines the way we perceive Harry's emotional experiences oflove, joy, loss, and death, and also defines v the philosophical perspectives on the nature ofevil and its conquest. Sometimes, the music provides clues to the mystery long before visuals and dialogue address them, and musical relationships (with visuals and within the music itself) allow us to perceive the properties and powers ofmagic and humanity that may otherwise transpire unseen. Music also plays a role in the types ofhumor that are represented in the films-from socially-sanctioned transgressions, to macabre, to bawdy, deadpan, and caricature. However, while the core narrative themes in the films are closely related to the main themes in Rowling's original novels, an examination ofhow Rowling's descriptions ofmusical events compare with representations ofthese events in the films reveals that Rowling created a more nuanced social landscape (especially with regard to gender) than is re-contextualized with music in the films. VI CURRICULUM VITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: Jamie Lynn Webster PLACE OF BIRTH: Oroville, California DATE OF BIRTH: July 7,1974 GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon, Eugene California State University, Chico DEGREES AWARDED: Doctor ofPhilosophy, Musicology, 2009, University of Oregon Secondary area in Ethnomusicology Master ofArts, Folklore Interdisciplinary, 2003, University of Oregon Folklore, Anthropology, and Music Bachelor ofArts, Vocal Performance, 1998, California State University, Chico Bachelor ofArts, Music Education, 1998, California State University, Chico Minor in French AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Music ofthe Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries Music for Drama in Stage and Film Vocal and Dance Music ofthe Balkans and Eastern Europe Music and Gender PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Artistic Director, Svila Women's Balkan Ensemble, 2009 Vocal Coach, East European Folk Ensemble, University of Oregon, 2007-2008 Vll Instructor, University ofOregon, 2006-2007 Music in World Cultures Music in International Film Graduate Teaching Fellow, School ofMusic, University of Oregon, 2003-2007 Music in World Cultures Music of the Americas Understanding Music Graduate Teaching Fellow, Folklore, University ofOregon, 2001-2003 Introduction to Folklore Randall Mills Archive PUBLICATIONS: Webster, Jamie Lynn. "Creating Magic with Music: The Changing Dramatic Relationship between Music and Magic in Harry Potter Films," In Fantasy, Cinema, Sound and Music, edited by Janet K. Halfyard, London: Equinox, forthcoming, June 2010. Webster, Jamie Lynn. "Hai lajoc! Periodicity at Play in Romanian Dance Music," In Balkan Dance: Essays on Characteristics, Performance and Teaching, edited by Anthony Shay, 213-238. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2008. Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Budapest Ensemble's 'Csardas! The Tango ofthe East': Representational Mirrors ofTraditional Music and Dance in a Post-socialist, Post­ modem Landscape." In Congress on Research in Dance: 2007 Conference Proceedings, edited by Tresa Randall, 219-224. N.p.: Congress on Research in Dance, 2007. Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Politics ofPassion and Purity: Cultural Idealism and the Choreography ofCrypt Scenes from Prokofiev's Romeo andJuliet." In Society of Dance History Scholars: Proceedings 2006, compiled by Allana Lindgren, 151-156. N.p.: Society ofDance History Scholars, 2006. Webster, Jamie Lynn. "The Mysterious Voice!: American Women Singing Bulgarian Songs." In "Dance and Music in Eastern Europe," ed. Lynn Maners. Special issue, The Anthropology ofEast Europe Review 22, no. 1 (2004): 155-169. Vlll ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express sincere appreciation to Professors Anne Dhu McLucas, Marian Smith, Mark Levy, and Carl Bybee for their assistance in the preparation ofthis manuscript. In addition, special thanks are due to Professors Steve Larson and Jack Boss whose assistance with different music analysis methods was helpful during the early research stage ofthis undertaking. I also wish to acknowledge Susan Peck for the engraving ofmy musical transcriptions used as examples throughout this document. IX For John, the cats, and my family; especially for my mother-who sent me on my musical path-and for Jacques and Musette-who accompanied me on much ofthe journey-but who could not be here today. x TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction to the Topic................................................................................... 1 Research Goal 11 Relevance ofthe Topic 18 Important Publications in the Field.................................................................... 23 Sources.............................................................................................................. 52 Scope ofthe Project........................................................................................... 55 Methodology 58 Chapter Outline................................................................................................. 60 II. TRANSFERRING AND TRANSFORMING VISIONS FROM PAGE TO SCREEN: A HISTORY OF PRODUCTION, AESTHETICS, AND RECEPTION IN THE HARRY POTTER FILMS. 65 Introduction....................................................................................................... 65 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 79 Harry Potter and the Chamber ofSecrets 95 Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban 104 Harry Potter and the Goblet ofFire....... 119 Harry Potter and the Order ofthe Phoenix 150 Summary and Conclusions................................................................................ 179 Xl Chapter Page III. APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUISC IN FILM, PART ONE: CREATING CINEMATIC SPACE 186 Introduction............................................................................................................ 186 Gorbman's First Principle: Invisibility.................................................................. 196 Gorbman's Second Principle: Inaudibility 222 Gorbman's Third Principle: Music as a Signifier ofEmotion: the Representation ofthe Irrational, Romantic, or Intuitive Dimension 259 Summary and Conclusions 282 IV. APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD STYLE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS: THE ROLES OF MUSIC IN FILM, PART TWO: FROM BEGINNING TO END 289 Introduction 289 Gorbman's Fourth Principle: Narrative Cueing 292 Gorbman's Fifth Principle: Formal and Rhythmic Continuity 317 Gorbman's Sixth Principle: Unity 338 Gorbman's Seventh Principle: Breaking the Rules 347 Summary and Conclusions 350 V. HARRY'S EMOTIONAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL WORLD: MUSICAL APPROACHES TO NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART ONE ...... 354 Introduction 354 Harry's Emotional World: Love and Friendship 369 Harry's Emotional World: Loss and Death 398 Xll Chapter Page Harry's Philosophical World: Mystery and the Rise ofEvil 420 Harry's Philosophical World: Victory, Solidarity, and the Conquest ofEvil...... 457 Conclusions....................................................................................................... 483 VI. HARRY'S MAGICAL AND HUMOROUS WORLD: MUSICAL APPROACHES TO NARRATIVE IN HARRY POTTER FILMS, PART TWO..... 492 Harry's Magical World: Magic and Fantasy 492 Harry's Humorous World: Styles ofHumor, including Spectacle and Set-pieces 528 Summary and Conclusions 587 VII.