By Peter Trimming from Croydon, England - 'Hedwig', CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70493065
Hedwig’s Theme (from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) John Williams Grade 2 ABRSM 2025 – 2026
Story/character of the piece – little introduction is required concerning the title of this piece as most players will know the story and Hedwig’s part in the Harry Potter books. Here she is delivering Harry’s mail; the player should imagine the owl swooping and soaring in flight. The player could think of the R.H. representing the owl and the L.H. represents the air currents the owl is using to fly. Throughout this piece there are areas where there is more energy than others. For example, in the first phrase the owl has picked up the letter but in the second phrase, she takes a small break before continuing. In the following two phrases Hedwig is looking for the recipient of the letter. At the start of the subsequent phrases Hedwig is floating on the air currents before flying off in a different direction. During the penultimate phrase Hedwig locates the recipient of the letter before flying to a tree for a rest.
Form – this piece has a fluid form although there are two clearly defined sections with the first of these sections ending at bar 17. The second section, which is of similar length to the first section, continues until the end of the piece. This piece is in E minor and there are no apparent modulations contained in the music. However, the composer has made considerable use of chromatic notes thus providing the music with an uneasiness regarding the key.
Main part of the music – this should occur at a forte level at the beginning of bar 28. The player of this piece should employ a wide range of dynamics from pianissimo to the forte already mentioned.
Phrasing – it is hard to precisely distinguish the phrasing in this piece, so to a certain extent it is arbitrary. The first tow sets of phrases have a question-and-answer character to them, however some of the phrases commence on an upbeat whereas others do not. The fifth phrase, from bars 17 to 25 is long in comparison to the others. The final two phrases stand as a pair, again with a question-and-answer theme to them.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – the suggested tempo of 150 crotchet beats per minute is appropriate for this music. This tempo provides the music with the momentum and energy that it requires to portray the character of the music. One wonders if it would have been useful to express the tempo as a dotted minim rather than a crotchet. The player should consider the use of the triple signature and how this applies to the character of the music. The use of a duple or quadruple time signature would have furnished the music with a completely different character, one that most probably would not have been appropriate. There are, however, instances where the music should feel as if some of the bar lines have been removed, because too much accentuation must be avoided. Throughout this piece the player must be aware of how the dotted crotchet/quaver pattern is played. Although it may be played correctly but by playing the quaver too loudly in comparison with the remaining sound of the dotted crotchet, the rhythm may sound incorrect. Careful observation of the R.H. rests, for example in bar 9, will enable the melodic line to continue in the L.H.
By Peter Trimming from Croydon, England - 'Hedwig', CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70493526
Touch/articulation – the player must play both hands in this piece with a legato touch throughout. The use of a slightly intense touch in the R.H. will help to convey Hedwig’s flying patterns and the height at which she is flying. The R.H. must be felt as if it is being directed by the shoulder. As a contrast the L.H. should be played with a resonant touch as many of the L.H. notes are either dotted minims or minims. The player must ensure that they join the L.H. chords from one to the other, so carefully though out fingering and adherence to this fingering, is crucial.
Balance between the hands – considering the melodic material contained in this piece, the balance should be to the R.H. However, as already mentioned, the L.H. continues the melodic line in bars such as 8 - 9, 16 – 17 and 24 – 25. Depending on the dynamics of the phrase, some phrases will have greater R.H. balance than others.
Dynamics – as already discussed, this piece will benefit from the application of a wide range of dynamics. Nevertheless, the dynamics must sound restrained; constant use of louder dynamics will not be appropriate in this music. As is always the case, changes in the L.H.’s dynamics will make a considerable difference to the overall dynamic of the music. There are a few instances where the hands are equal partners such as bars 17 – 20 and bars 25 – 26 considering the similarity of the melodic material. The L.H. Es at the start of the piece require dynamic shape.
Pedal – although an aspect that is desired when playing this piece, some Grade 2 candidates may find this difficult to achieve with success. Nevertheless, the use of pedal will considerably enhance the character and mood of the piece. All upbeats should be left unpedalled. The pedal must not overpower the music.
Rubato – only a few touches of rubato should be used in this piece, and these should occur nearer the end of the piece, not at the beginning.
Considerations when playing this piece –
· The player should consider where the hands are in similar motion and contrary motion.
· Tone-matching is an important skill for the playing of this piece; the third beats of each bar require special care because if played too loudly they will disturb the rhythmic feel of the bar.
· The highest note of a melodic pattern is not necessarily the loudest.
· It is quite a difficult piece to play with the quantity of large leaps, that are often, descending in shape. Often these notes are played with the thumb which adds another layer of complexity to the playing.
· The player must consider how long to wait at the end, some of the sound must have died away prior to the hands being lifted gently off the keys along with the pedal, if used.
· The player should consider how the use of the upbeat affects the character of the music.
· There are many dissonances in this music; the player should allow the listener to appreciate these dissonances however subtlety is called for when playing in these areas.
· There could be splitting in the playing of some of the L.H. chords.
· Often there are awkward movements. To help with the playing of these ‘tricky corners’, the player should ensure that their hand is placed well-forward on the keys, and that the thumb is in an ideal position to play a black note, if necessary.
· There is a danger that not all the L.H. notes are heard.
· And, there is a danger that some of the L.H. chords could be played with a thump and/or bang.
· The player could lift off from the L.H. chords too soon, thus not holding them for their correct value.
· The interval of a ninth in bar 21 is difficult; very few Grade 2 players would be able to play this interval legato.