“John Powell’s music for (How to Train your) Dragon is object of genuine love among

people who cherish great film music (…)” A. Hill (2017). The symphonic nature of the score
for this film becomes clear from its very first seconds. Powell’s music sounds through the
opening logos, immediately establishing, through a brass chorale, one of the most prominent
musical themes in this film. This opening 4 note motif, represented in figure 1, is a symbol of
the developing relationship between the two main characters of the film, Hiccup and
Toothless. Throughout the film, this theme is used in a variety of ways and situations, often
reharmonised and rearranged. The cue that was written to underscore the opening
monologue functions like a Wagnerian Overture for the film. The composer states most of
the principal themes for the film in the opening 4 minutes of the film. This creates a reference
in the audience’s subconscious making them familiar with each theme so they will recognise
it the next time it’s used. Powell’s use of the Dorian at some points in this cue makes a clear
reference to the Celtic musical tradition, as well as his use of “jig-like” 6/8 time signature.

An interesting use of the very

first 4 note motif comes at 20:45 where
Hiccup is watching Toothless
attempting to fly away. In this
occasion. The same 4 note theme can
Figure 1
be heard harmonised with D Major, Eb
Major and C minor chords over a D
pedal. The pitch collection used by Powell in this cue can be interpreted as the Middle
Eastern mode maqam, starting in D (figure 2). One of its most recognisable features is its
quasi-Phrygian sound with the opening minor second and then deviating from it with the
following augmented 2nd between the 2nd and 3rd degrees. The use of this mode gives the
cue an exotic feel, in keeping with the mysterious nature of the scene in which Hiccup and
Toothless start discovering each other and the possibility of a friendship arising. There is a
grand reprise of this theme which comes at 44:30 during the cue “Test drive” where it’s now
played in Violins I, horn and flutes over a semiquaver pattern which gives the scene its
immense pace. Narratively, this is a skilful placement of the theme as this moment
symbolises a big moment in the relationship between these two characters.

Figure 2

Another example of Powell’s masterful theme placement comes in the very same
cue. The theme played in quavers by bagpipes and celeste at the beginning of this cue
(around 43:26) was first heard at 13:35, in a minor key, in the scene where Hiccup is about
to kill a defenceless Toothless. The music here is highly deceptive as it doesn’t reveal the
character’s choice not to kill Toothless until the last possible moment which keeps the
suspense level high. The descending quality of the theme from 13:44 onwards is a very well-
crafted moment, being representative of the downward motion that Hiccup would make
should he choose to stab the beast, making it extremely suggestive.
 The second film that I will be discussing is Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Much like
the previous example, this score is symphonic in nature. Due to the theme of the film, this
score is darker in sound when compared to others in the franchise. A good example of this is
the cue beginning at 01:21:08 known as Anakin’s Betrayal or the Great Jedi Purge. Here,
John Williams writes a slow-paced minor key chorale-like piece that while very contrasting
with the events happening on screen, perfectly captures the emotional content of the scene.
It is also worth noting that in the final mix, the music in this scene is louder than it typically
would be in this sort of sequence, almost drowning out the sound effects. This suggests that
the filmmakers wanted to emphasise the importance of the emotional context of this scene in
the story, as a whole, rather than pay too much attention to its specifics.
The score for this film, much like most of Williams’ other scores, relies heavily on the
Wagnerian technique of leitmotif. Williams not only writes themes for most main characters
but also themes that represent an institution (like the Imperial March) or an ideal (such as
Duel of the Fates). In this film, one clever use of thematic material comes at 22:33 where
Williams lays the Duel of the Fates theme (fast quaver/ semiquaver pattern played on high
strings and woodwind) over the Force theme, played by trumpets at the unison. This
combines the driving power of the Duel of the Fates theme with the emotional content of the
Force theme which Star Wars fans instantly recognise. Another example of this, even though
small, comes at 01:08:10 when Anakin tells Mace Windu about the discovery of a new
villain. This scene is underscored with mostly low string drones. This makes the reference to
the brief reference to the Imperial March all the more prominent when played by a single
muted trombone. The final sequence of the film, starting at 02:12:31, brings back Princess
Leia’s theme when the audience is shown baby Leia and a softer version, played on strings,
of the main Star Wars theme at 02:12:55, which can also be interpreted as Luke’s theme, as
Obi Wan delivers him to his family. The moment which follows, the iconic binary sunset, is
scored the very same way that it was scored in the original 1977 film with the iconic Force
theme being used with its original orchestration and arrangement – a solo horn accompanied
by high string tremolos. This symbolises the closing of the narrative, making a very strong
allusion to the moment when the epic adventure had begun.
In summary, these two films take a similar approach to scoring, not only in
orchestration but in their use of Leitmotif as a fundamental technique throughout their
duration. The main contrast that can be seen between these two films is their tone, with Star
Wars taking a much darker one than How To train Your Dragon.

Bibliography:
Hill, A. (2017) Scoring the Screen, Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Books An Imprint of Hal Leonard
LLC