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‘He’s Listening to You Tina’
Read more: ‘He’s Listening to You Tina’Opening with a slow-moving, languorous string passage, built on suspensions, this cue spans the lull in the storm of the finale of the first film, as Tina and Newt try to quell Credence’s rage. This beautiful figure modulates and develops before opening out into a fragmented rendition of the ‘Obscurus Theme (A)’. This vanishes as…
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‘The Obscurus / Rooftop Chase’
Read more: ‘The Obscurus / Rooftop Chase’A flaring bass foundation opens this cue, which covers a very tense portion of the film in the build-up to the climax. The A idea of the ‘Obscurus Theme’ enters, acting as an ostinato which builds in dynamics and orchestration before diverging into an arpeggioic idea in the same rhythm. With more harmonic exploration in…
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‘A Close Friend’
Read more: ‘A Close Friend’A beautiful, calm, and romantic cue, ‘A Close Friend’ is the first full exposition of the ‘Love Theme’ orchestrated stunningly for strings and voices. The infamous melody is for the most part conjunct, with diatonic harmony employed so as not to distract from the beauty of the melody. Howard’s use of suspensions here is masterful…
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‘The Demiguise and the Occamy’
Read more: ‘The Demiguise and the Occamy’This cue opens with a very jaunty, Eastern sounding idea, representing the Demiguise and its origin, with unusual wind instruments and percussion used, in conjunction with orchestral winds and strings to create this rich, atmospheric tone. This reduces to just a bare, chromatic string and percussion idea before the strings continue into a lush, warm,…
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‘In the Cells’
Read more: ‘In the Cells’A very brief, yet touching and melancholy cue, ‘In the Cells’ starts with a bare open chord in the strings, as tolling percussion enters. This stagnant opening perfectly sets the scene for what’s happening on screen, as Jacob, Newt and Tina are in a cell in MACUSA, discussing the Obscurus. The cue slowly gets faster,…
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‘The Erumpent’
Read more: ‘The Erumpent’This comedic cue opens with a chromatic, semitonal string idea, which is developed later and already has a cheeky, humourous nature due to the sliding semitones used. A percussion pattern and plucked strings enter, with an ornamental flute line superimposed on top, all giving quite an Eastern feel, with typical non-Western percussion and wind instruments…
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‘Inside the Case’
Read more: ‘Inside the Case’One of the better known cues from the first film, ‘Inside the Case’ follows Newt and Jacob upon their first trip inside Newt’s suitcase. Opening with a rippling broken chord figure in the brass with string tremolos and flourishes, it bursts out into the ‘Thunderbird Theme’ as Jacob turns to see Frank in all his…
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‘Credence Hands Out Leaflets’
Read more: ‘Credence Hands Out Leaflets’This very short and eerie cue starts with a growling bass pedal and a metallic glare, before a constant ticking idea starts; ‘Credence’s Ticking Motif’, perhaps hinting at his limited time left as an Obscurial, as the Obscurus slowly consumes him. A syncopated string line is layered on top, as the ticking idea builds up…
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‘Pie or Strudel / Escaping Queenie and Tina’s Place’
Read more: ‘Pie or Strudel / Escaping Queenie and Tina’s Place’One of the sweetest, and definitely the cosiest scene in the film, this cue spans the meal our four protagonists share up until Jacob and Newt climb down into the case. Quite a short piece, ‘Pie or Strudel / Escaping Queenie and Tina’s Place’ opens with a string, choral and glockenspiel version of the syncopated…
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‘Tina Takes Newt In / MACUSA Headquarters’
Read more: ‘Tina Takes Newt In / MACUSA Headquarters’Short, yet nonetheless one of my favourite cues, ‘Tina Takes Newt In / MACUSA Headquarters’ displays the full glory of the ‘Fantastic Beasts Main Theme.’ Starting with a bare solo clarinet, string flourishes and staccato choir accompaniment, a bouncier variation of the theme is heard as Tina drags Newt towards the Woolworth Building, with some…
The Music Of The Wizarding World 