Introduction

I will examine John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” from the Harry Potter soundtrack and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker ballet. The two musical cultures to be examined are Romantic Russian ballet and twenty-first century film soundtrack. I will compare and contrast the pieces’ uses of the celesta and their structures in terms of theme.

First, let’s look at the background and instrumentation of each piece.

A contemporary American film score composer, John Williams composed “Hedwig’s Theme” to reflect the mysticism of the wizarding world for the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Unlike many of Williams’ other compositions for film, the motif in “Hedwig’s Theme” is not directly linked with one character, but rather a general portrayal of the protagonist’s victories. In contrast, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” portrays the single motif for the Sugar Plum Fairy character in the ballet The Nutcracker.

Unlike most staunchly nationalistic Romantic Russian composers, Tchaikovsky incorporated elements of Western music into his pieces. Tchaikovsky composed “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” in 1892 for his Russian ballet The Nutcracker. Like “Hedwig’s Theme” is based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, The Nutcracker ballet is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (NPR Staff). Both pieces, then, focus on conveying the mood of a particular aspect of their respective book. The ballet is comprised of fifteen musical numbers that lead the audience through the Christmastime story of Clara and her nutcracker doll. “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” accompanies a solo performance by the Sugar Plum Fairy, and its theme conveys her grace and happiness, just as the theme in “Hedwig’s Theme” conveys mystery and magic.

In terms of instrumentation, both pieces are performed by full orchestras, and they both incorporate the iconic celesta, which creates a magical mood appropriate to both stories.

The Music

"Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams

 

 

"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by Tchaikovsky

What is a celesta?

A celesta is a short, upright keyboard instrument similar to a piano. Unlike a piano, though, the celesta’s hammers hit steel bars over wooden resonators rather than strings. The celesta has only one sustain pedal (Hoffman and Orkis).

Image from: (“Celesta”) http://www.glockenspiel-lippert.de/celesta.html

The celesta was invented in 1886 in Paris and was named for its “celestial” sound (Hoffman and Orkis). Tchaikovsky requested a celesta for his compositions, because he wanted his music among the first celesta pieces (Hoffman and Orkis). After Tchaikovsky helped initiate the rise of the celesta, the new instrument rose in popularity through the twentieth century, and today it is used in many Hollywood film scores. Its “other-worldly, magical” sound was perfect for the Harry Potter soundtrack (Hoffman and Orkis).

Use of Celesta: Similarities

Both “Hedwig’s Theme” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” begin with an exposed celesta part that introduces the piece’s main motif. The exposed feature is then built upon as the piece progresses. In “Hedwig’s Theme,” the melody starts in the celesta and is then passed between instrument groups, and in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” increasing accompaniment accentuates the celesta’s constant melody.

Williams uses imitation to create a layered texture in “Hedwig’s Theme.” The piece begins with a celesta solo carrying the melody, which is then taken over by the strings and low brass at 0:48 and repeated at 1:21. This imitation has the effect of building upon the celesta’s lead, and the piece increases in intensity as more instrument groups imitate the melody. The celesta begins as the top “layer” of the piece, and is then supplanted as other instrument groups take over the melody.

Similarly, Tchaikovsky introduces his melody with a celesta solo that is then built upon by the rest of the orchestra in increasing accompaniment. The piece begins with a celesta solo as the main focus and soft violins in the harmony. At 0:34, the woodwinds enter in descending notes as harmony, and their involvement in the piece builds until an accented entrance in the strings at 1:00 serves as a call and response with the celesta. The celesta again plays the original melody at 1:19, this time with increased string accompaniment that progresses the piece to a fuller sound. In this way, Tchaikovsky and Williams both build upon the celesta’s melody with increasing accompaniment and imitation.

Additionally, both pieces have a small break for a celesta solo in the middle. In “Hedwig’s Theme,” the celesta solo comes at 2:03, and in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” it is at 1:09. In both pieces, the celesta solo serves to return to the original focus of the piece—the ethereal sound of the celesta.

Although from different cultures, the pieces are linked by their use of the celesta as a means of introducing and carrying the melody.

Use of Celesta: Differences

Although Williams and Tchaikovsky both make use of the celesta, the differences in tempo, meter, and note emphasis bring about two different overall effects from the instrument.

In terms of tempo, both pieces are slow, yet “Hedwig’s Theme” is more drawn out than “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” giving it a slower feel. Tchaikovsky calls for andante non troppo tempo, which means “slow, but not too slow,” while Williams specifies a misterioso feel (“Italian Musical Terms”).

The meter, too, reflects the composers’ different uses of the celesta. Whereas Tchaikovsky composed in simple duple meter, Williams composed in simple triple. This contributes to the first piece’s more upbeat tempo than the second.

At points in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Tchaikovsky places a slight emphasis on higher notes to project a positive, dancelike mood on the piece. In the beginning, the string accompaniment leads into the celesta motif with soft quarter notes that slightly stress the higher notes falling on the upbeats.

 

Upbeats are not normally stressed, so this element stands out. This stress on normally unstressed notes sets the piece up perfectly for a similar phrase to come:

The staccato sixteenth notes in the second measure above follow the pattern of stressing the normally unstressed parts of the beat. The second and fourth sixteenth notes are stressed over the first and third. When played on the celesta, the stressed, higher notes create a light-hearted, dance-like effect appropriate to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s character and choreography.

In contrast, the celesta feature in “Hedwig’s Theme” is legato and slurred, and played with the sustain pedal.

 

 

“Hedwig’s Theme” is smoother and more connected than “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” This serves to draw out the notes out in a dramatic, mysterious mood that reflects the mystery in the movie.

The difference in note emphasis between the two pieces—staccato in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and legato in “Hedwig’s Theme”—gives the same instrument, the celesta, seemingly two different sounds. The celesta can produce a light dancelike song, or a heavy dramatic song, and each composer writes according to his desired effect.

Theme Structure: Similarities

The theme of each piece is made of up two motifs. In “Hedwig’s Theme,” Motif A (made up of two eight-bar phrases) is:

 

 

Motif B (in terms of the clarinet part) is:

In “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Motif A (in terms of the celesta part) is:

And Motif B is:



 

The pieces are structured similarly, in that the above motifs appear as A-B-A-B in the pieces. In both pieces, there is a break after the first A-B motif. In “Hedwig’s Theme,” this break (from 0:41-0:48) is fast ascending and descending notes in the violins that seemingly interrupts the first A-B motif to usher in the second repetition of the A-B motif. In “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” the celesta solo (1:09-1:18) interrupts the first A-B motif and later transitions into the second repetition of the A-B motif.

Additionally, both pieces end with a break to their themes. From 4:51 to the end of “Hedwig’s Theme,” a final, quick ascending line in the violins ends the piece separate from its theme. The same effect happens in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” as rapid celesta and violin notes from 1:53 to the end offer a break from the theme.

Both pieces are structured with alternating motifs to the theme that is then broken at the very end of the piece.



Theme Structure: Differences

The main difference between the two pieces’ thematic structures is that “Hedwig’s Theme” incorporates more themes than the A and B motifs shown in the previous post, while “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” contains only the A and B motifs as its theme.

Another difference is the role of the break that I mentioned in the previous post. After one repetition of the A-B motifs, both pieces have a short break from the two motifs. In “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” the break reintroduces the celesta with a solo, while in “Hedwig’s Theme,” the break does not reintroduce the celesta, but rather transitions into another, more intense version of the A-B motifs.

 

Additionally, both pieces are composed in the key of G major; however, accidentals cause them to deviate from the original major key. “Hedwig’s Theme” has many E minor chords that contribute to the mysterious mood of the piece (“John Williams Themes”).



Image taken from: (“John Williams Themes”) http://www.filmmusicnotes.com/john-williams-themes-part-6-of-6-hedwigs-theme-from-harry-potter/

Conclusion

Although from different time periods and countries, “Hedwig’s Theme” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” are similar in their use of the celesta and thematic structure. The celesta and motifs in both pieces create the intended moods. “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” has a light-hearted, dance-like mood from the simple motifs and staccato phrases on the celesta. “Hedwig’s Theme” has a darker, mysterious mood from the added themes and the legato celesta phrasing. Both pieces, though, are memorable with their simple melodies played on the iconic celesta.

Sources

Works Cited

Hoffman, Miles, and Lambert Orkis. "The Celesta: The Sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy." Interview by Bob Edwards. Morning Edition. NPR. 24 Dec. 2003. Radio.

"Italian Musical Terms." Italian Musical Terms. Take Note Publishing Ltd., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. <http://www.musictheory.org.uk/res-musical-terms/italian-musical-terms.php>.

"John Williams Themes." Web log post. FIlm Music Notes. N.p., 13 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. <http://www.filmmusicnotes.com/john-williams-themes-part-6-of-6-hedwigs-theme-from-harry-potter/>.

NPR Staff. "No Sugar Plums Here: The Dark, Romantic Roots Of 'The Nutcracker'" NPR. NPR, 25 Dec. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. <http://www.npr.org/2012/12/25/167732828/no-sugar-plums-here-the-dark-romantic-roots-of-the-nutcracker>.

 

Image Sources

"Celesta." Celesta. Musikinstrumentenbau Lippert, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. <http://www.glockenspiel-lippert.de/celesta.html>.

"John Williams Themes." Web log post. FIlm Music Notes. N.p., 13 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. <http://www.filmmusicnotes.com/john-williams-themes-part-6-of-6-hedwigs-theme-from-harry-potter/>.

 

Music Score Sources

“Hedwig’s Theme” celesta part: http://www.jwpepper.com/scores-png/10076341-1.png

“Hedwig’s Theme” clarinet part: http://d29ci68ykuu27r.cloudfront.net/product/Look-Inside/covers/19370369.jpg

“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” celesta part: http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/c/c9/IMSLP37564-PMLP03607-Tchaikovsky-Op71a.Celesta.pdf

 

Discography

Williams, John. “Hedwig’s Theme.” Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Warner Sunset, 2001. MP3.

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr. “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” The Nutcracker. Perf. Utah Symphony Orchestra. Cond. Maurice Abravanel. Vanguard Classics, n.d. MP3.