© 2009 Nick Hooper Composer Nick Hooper

EXCLUSIVE MUSIC INTERVIEW::

E-Notes: NICHOLAS HOOPER WAVES HIS MAGIC COMPOSING WAND OVER 'HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE'

The composer returns to Hogwarts for his second HARRY POTTER score

By DANIEL SCHWEIGER , Soundtrack Editor
Published 7/23/2009

When you go to a Hogwarts’ school of musical magic, whose previous students have included such wizards as John Williams, William Ross and Patrick Doyle, then you’d better bring your composing ‘A’ game on for your own Quidditch match. Hooper’s name may have gotten a collective, quizzical “Huh?” from Harry Potter fans when his frequent filmmaking collaborator David Yates brought him along to score HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, Nicholas Hooper’s sumptuously eerie, and dramatically powerful score for the new HALF-BLOOD PRINCE more than shows that this Englishman has made Hogwarts his musical own.

Though he’s following up an exhilarating, action-filled score for PHOENIX, Hogwarts’ hallways have become noticeably darker as Lord Voldemort’s game plan comes together in his old stomping grounds- a malefic slow-build of revenge and betrayal that pushes nearly every innocent POTTER character to The Dark Side. But that doesn’t mean kids still can’t be kids, as unspoken love and magical punk’ing still aren’t off the musical curriculum. It’s a resulting potion of plot elements that opens up a vast doorway to a grand, musical world for Hooper, who melodically indulges in chorally cosmic battles, big band rumbas, Irish melodies and a HELLRAISER-level of brooding, awaiting evil.

Though snatches of the music that John Williams pioneered when Harry was a wee innocent lad are still to be heard here, Hooper’s HALF-BLOOD PRINCE score might just be the most distinctively mature score to appear at Hogwarts. And as such, it represents the undoubted highpoint of a partnership begun with Yates on such British TV projects as STATE OF PLAY, THE YOUNG VISITERS and THE GIRL IN THE CAFÉ. Sure it’s small, if noteworthy stuff when you’re talking about the biggest fantasy scoring series outside of LORD OF THE RINGS. But it’s a world of musical Muggles that Hooper will return to now that he’s graduated from Hogwarts with flying musical colors.

Now taking a deserved breather from two particularly frenetic school years, Nicholas Hooper talks about being in the company of a HALF-BLOOD PRINCE.

iF: As the most mysterious of Harry Potter's composers, how did you first want to prove yourself for ORDER OF THE PHOENIX?

NICHOLAS HOOPER: I saw this as a great challenge to enlarge my composing palette, writing on a bigger scale than ever before, and a chance to write music for one of the greatest children's stories ever written. I was a huge fan of the books and I also consider John Williams to be one of the great composers of recent times. It was an awesome opportunity to write almost symphonically for film.

iF: How did you prepare for taking on the Harry Potter films, and did you want to stay within the musical world that John Williams’ had established for them?

HOOPER: Of course I studied John William's music and also some of the composers that may have influenced him in his writing for HARRY POTTER. One particular score I looked at closely was “The Firebird” by Igor Stravinsky. “The Firebird” is in fact a Phoenix, so it seemed very appropriate at the time. Having looked closely at John William's writing I decided that I would be better to find my own route rather than try to imitate such a master. This also met with David Yates' approval as he was looking for the music to take a different direction in these darker films.

iF: How do you convey magic with music?

HOOPER: Music is magic! But if that sounds a bit obtuse then I could say that with my more magical music, it is difficult for the listener to say where the sound has come from. The use of Celeste and Glockenspiel (both tinkly percussion instruments) works very well sometimes with certain magical happenings.  But I felt it was important not to overdo this, as it was more effective used sparingly. Also it is worth noting that the music in both these recent films needed to support emotional scenes even more than magical ones.

iF: How did you decide which themes from your last Potter score to bring into THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, and where did you want to announce Willams' theme?

HOOPER: Although a lot of things seem logical after the event, I tend to write instinctively, allowing things to develop in their own way. It would be easy to say that I meant to use such and such a theme in a "brilliant stroke of genius.” But in fact a lot of what works comes out of trying things out first, and then discussing them later. A bit like throwing paint at the wall one day and coming in to have a look at it the next to see what shape it makes. The use of the Possession theme from HP V (where Voldemort possesses Harry) came back as an idea when Voldemort is first mentioned by the name of Tom Riddle in Dumbledore's speech at the start of the new term. It seemed to work there and gradually worked its way into the movie following Dumbledore's own involvement with Voldemort. This along with a new theme created the DNA for the whole score. Placing John Williams' themes became obvious as we went along. The beginning of the film has to have at least a hint of Hedwig's Theme (look out for the end of it in the brass just before the Death Eaters attack London). Later in the film, Hedwig's theme gave a sense of being back in a POTTER movie, so it was used on the train to Hogwarts and Harry's arrival at the Weasley's home. I also enjoyed using a bit of William's Quidditch theme in the Quidditch match to point up Ron's amazing goal saving.

iF: Tell us about the new themes for THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE.

HOOPER: The main new theme came about through a setting of some words by the scriptwriter Steve Cloves called "In Noctem" for the Hogwarts' choir to sing in a scene intended to come near the end of the film just before Dumbledore's final death scene. As it happened, the choir scene was dropped as it held up the action. But the middle chant-like part became a major theme in the film, underpinning much of Dumbledore's journey, and coming to a climax as he travels to the cave with Harry. Another new and important theme is for Malfoy, who plays a major part in this movie. The aim was to give an air of mystery but also of plaintive sadness for the young Draco who has been caught up in this evil web.

iF: This is the most downbeat of all the HARRY POTTER films. How much light did you want to bring to the darkness that the movie’s story mandated?

HOOPER: I don't think of it as downbeat. It's moving, certainly, but there is plenty of action and the relationships and characters get developed in a deeper way. My take on it was an emotional one as I hinted earlier, so the cues for the love interest, like when Ginny kissed Harry, or the slightly entertaining scene when Hermione is trying to convince Harry she's not upset by Ron and Lavender, have a much lighter, even soloistic, touch.

iF: Are you judicious in what kinds of "modern" instruments and orchestrations that you want to bring to your score, so as to keep within the tone of the scores that came before yours’?

HOOPER: Certainly not, I just follow my nose. Because David and I decided to take a new direction in these movies, the choice of instruments developed within the writing as it unfolded.

iF: Do you have a favorite Harry Potter character to score?

HOOPER: No. I love them all! They all have their own musical potential.

iF: Do you feel the enormous responsibility of scoring the Potter films, or does David Yates keep you protected from the business and fan pressure of the franchise?

HOOPER: Nobody can keep you protected from the responsibility of scoring these films!

iF: How do you think the Potter films have helped you artistically, and professionally progress as a composer?

HOOPER: Of course doing something on this scale, with this amount of responsibility, has given me more musical muscle and a wider palette.

iF: After two POTTER movies, and I imagine the next two, do you hope to bring your own wealth of themes to Harry that will be as memorable as the music that started it all?

HOOPER: I have made the decision not to do the next two HARRY POTTER films. I’ll be handing the baton on to another composer. It has been a roller coaster ride, and, I feel, an enormous privilege to have the opportunity to have scored such great films and such a fantastic story.

Listen to Hogwarts’ HALF-BLOOD composer HERE.

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