Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

One year has passed and we are back on the money making train of Hollywood. The two biggest money making machines Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings are back with their chapters to make audiences nuts of their initial different fantasy stories. And just as with The Lord of the Rings, we have the same composer on board. Yet here, John Williams is aided through composer William Ross, a name yet to break through on the forefront. Yet what exactly who composed what is somewhat foggy. We surely feel the stamp of John Williams on this, and the themes are his. But I'm also sure that William Ross adapted his own voice so pure that there are occasions you start doubting several things to start with. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is by that different from the first. Secondly, as stories continue, the themes expand in number which also makes it good to consider what else is coming our way. As Harry Potter contained a wash of themes, there are also here several which are added to the playlist. And third is what itself would be different from the first and what would not be. All in all Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a close cousin since it captures the same witty flair, dark menace as sprightly fanfares that made the first so good in its moments. But just as the other one, the listening experience is one I'm having a lot of problems with, making me sometimes wonder if I rate the score with the right quotation to begin with.

The second Potter score starts with a wonderful almost suite like of the familiar themes in 'Prologue Book II and the Escape from the Dursleys', containing Potter's theme, Hedwig's theme as the fanfare itself. The new theme which is by far the most interesting one is found right after that, 'Fawkes the Phoenix'. A wonderful serene one to begin with but it gets here a sole concert performance which is great on itself. From then on the score begins to show the multiple new themes and the returning ones of course. 'The Chamber of Secrets' has good suspense building mainly through serious heavy brass and strings a la ET and Close Encounters and 'Gilderoy Lockhart' is a wonderful variation on the "No Ticket" theme of the third Indiana Jones score, which is another new theme to begin with. 'The Flying Car' has another bonus for you ready, with a rhythm resembling the speed of "Bachianas Brasileiras: Tocatta" by Heitor Villa-Lobos, it really is good to follow and the choral glow at occasion is welcome indeed. 'Knockturn Alley' even introduces another old motif from the first film which is the theme for the Wizard street itself. Yet from here I sense overall that the weaker part is coming, just like on occasions in the first score. I can not call it boring underscore (yet that summarizes tracks 16 and 17 well) but it doesn't really capture my attention, just as in the first it are the moments that keep the score alive. 'The Dueling Club' uses Lockhart's theme and 'Dobby the House Elf' is mixing his own theme with a spunky display of Fawkes theme.

And so it continues. 'The Spiders' is an example of a track that doesn't capture me until for several seconds a pure amazing moment is heard. This is a very bombastic piece which doesn't contain real melody but on 3.29 a short but mesmerizing piece of furious action writing is heard, reminding me with its pace of Mulan's promo tracks. As said, this is one of those moments that make even a rather difficult track a try worth. While 'Meeting Aragog' is full of dissonant flutes and dark brass like in Jurassic Park, it are tracks 13 and 14 bringing new injection into the proceedings. 'Fawkes is Reborn' uses a fantastic version of Fawkes theme on the end and 'Meeting Tom Riddle' a climatic last finale containing the ever growling menacing theme. And then we have to seize the last moments in the score at the end, starting with 'Dueling the Basilisk'. This is another furious action track mixing short signs of themes through it, but most importantly a heroic Fawkes theme performance, glorious choir through all the mix on two occasions (especially notice the one after 3.11) and a furious pace a la Minority Report. 'Reunion of Friends' uses the same method as ending the first film and score, with the family love theme performance yet this time longer, bigger in all its glory and even if it feels too much, you can't help but enjoy the pants of it. And 'Harry's Wondrous World' returns from the original to close out this score.

All together, you have got many new themes and old themes, returning highlights and new ones in the proceeding. Yet, also together is the fact that the listening experience, something John Williams takes great pride in is again failing in my book. Place several highlights from the begin and end into the middle and you wouldn't have such a middle part which only has the moments. This counted for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and it counts now again for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This makes it such a score I do not return to for the overall effect, but one I listen to for the moments. And just to tell you again, the moments are once more present. The one theme that people will love is Fawkes theme and it is a keeper all right. Yet sadly, the choir isn't used as often as I had hoped because its few appearances (especially in track 18) are worth it. The score overall is again just 10 minutes too long and the sudden highlights in tracks don't make up for a somewhat flawed listening experience. Still, in all the commotion Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is just like the first, fun and memorable in its moments and just like the first, it is equal in its effect after the listen.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Prologue Book II & The Escape From The Dursleys (3.31) Excellent Track

2. Fawkes The Phoenix (3.45) Excellent Track

3. The Chamber Of Secrets (3.49)

4. Gilderoy Lockhart (2.05)

5. The Flying Car (4.08)

6. Knockturn Alley (1.47)

7. Introducing Colin (1.49)

8. The Dueling Club (4.07)

9. Dobby The House Elf (3.27)

10. The Spiders (4.32)

11. Moaning Myrtle (2.05)

12. Meeting Aragog (3.18)

13. Fawkes Is Reborn (3.19)

14. Meeting Tom Riddle (3.37)

15. Cornish Pixies (2.12)

16. Polyjuice Potion (3.51)

17. Cakes For Crabbe And Goyle (3.30)

18. Dueling The Basilisk (5.01) Excellent Track

19. Reunion Of Friends (5.07) Excellent Track

20. Harry's Wondrous World (5.02) Excellent Track

Total Length: 70.19

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=== Link to Composer Sites: John Williams & William Ross ===