Harry Potter in Concert: A Magical Musical Evening
5 stars
Imagine your favourite movie – any movie. Now, imagine it again without the music and its iconic soundtrack: it would simply not be the same. Music is a huge part of creating a film’s atmosphere, creating the right ambience and enhancing the emotional tug of the moment. And what better way to experience the spellbinding magic of J.K. Rowling’s classic saga by watching it on the big screen, accompanied by a live orchestra playing through the entire film’s soundtrack? The Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert series gave the audience a truly magical experience as we rediscovered the 4th instalment of the Harry Potter series, all in the stunning surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall.
The evening was ideal in every way. The live orchestra added a special quality to the film, making the soundtrack have more presence than in the usual recorded playback. Yet it did not detract from or distract us from the plot. Every note was precise, flawlessly executed to the point where you almost forgot that it wasn’t just the soundtrack, but in fact a live orchestra in front of our very noses. It also helped us to appreciate exactly which instruments were responsible for various themes through the film, from the brass-led theme of the Durmstrang boys to the triumphant iconic theme. The levels of sound in the hall were just right as well: the orchestra was never overwhelmingly loud, nor was the recorded audio too soft, with just the right amount of emphasis on the music. It was so nostalgic to be thrown back into the younger years of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, and relive those trepidation-filled moments as Harry fought the drain, swam with merpeople and met with Voldemort face-to-face for the first time.
After the show, I got to attend a Q+A session with the Oscar-nominated composer of the film Patrick Doyle. It was fascinating to uncover his thought process as he wrote the music. Doyle explained that he composed with the actors’ range of pitch and vocal timbre in mind, and had to constantly be aware of the dialogue, sound effects and visuals going on. His proudest composition of the film was for Cedric Diggory’s death. Written by hand on a bit of a napkin, Doyle composed the music to capture the concurrent contrast between the happy festivities and the grief of death. Using a wide spatial range and harmonies of suspense, all in time with the dialogue, I am certain we can agree that the music emphasised the reactions of the characters whilst keeping the emotion pumping through the moment.
Overall, it was wonderful to relive the 4th instalment of the iconic Harry Potter films on the big screen, with a flawless live orchestra. I would highly recommend experiencing a film live in concert for everyone.
The Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert series continues with E.T (8 Dec 2019), Terminator (28 May 2020) and Titanic (30 May 2020).
