Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone [International Edition] [CD+DVD]

Music composed by John Williams.
Recorded at Air Lyndhurst and Abbey Road Studios, London, England. Includes liner notes by Chris Columbus.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Score Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media. "Hedwig's Theme" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Composition.
When Chris Columbus was tapped to direct the eagerly awaited film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's best-selling multi-generational children's book, he made it clear that the legendary John Williams was the only choice to compose music for this magical yarn. Having conjured up mystical moods for timeless tales ranging from STAR WARS to SUPERMAN, it's no wonder Columbus was eager to hand this challenging assignment off to the master.
With the world of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE revolving around a boarding school for warlocks-in-training, the Long Island native uses a full range of symphonic splendor to make this one of his most memorable scores. The use of the delicate music box-like sounds of a celeste in the sweeping intro "Prologue" takes on a different meaning when this fairy-like sound is used with a darker edge on the closing "Hedwig's Theme." Key scenes get infused with Williams' crisp arrangements. "The Quidditch Match" benefits from a bellowing fanfare, abbreviated militaristic cadence and frantic strings, while the sinister aura cloaking "The Face of Voldemort" is defined by a perfect marriage of lower-end orchestration and forceful brass passages. John Williams pulls yet another compositional masterpiece out of his hat.