Hogwarts Legacy's Music vs. Harry Potter Soundtrack | Jazz Pianist Reacts

[@CharlesCornellStudios]

I have dumped way too many hours into this game and I'm more and more convinced that they NAILED this. Have you played it yet?? What's your take on it? ALSO, be sure to get 3 courses for the price of 1 here: cornellmusicacademy.com/improvessentials/

[@vox5505]

"What's your take on it?" Charles... What are you doing? Have you not been paying attention? There's a pretty well-organized boycott that you just stepped right over.

[@shadowninja569]

Love you Charles don't let the negative comments get you down.❤❤❤I got the improv bundle over Christmas.

[@AMTunLimited]

There's some seriously problematic elements to the game, especially around the goblins. Also JK Rowling's involvement is an issue itself. Sorry Charles but I'm gonna skip this one

[@radiofloyd2359]

@@vox5505 it's not a well organized boycott, but it is at a point where talking about the game, specially in the midst of all the ongoing drama is taking a stance.

[@OhNoTheFace]

@@vox5505 Because it is a group harassing and death threating creators and streamers. Maybe get off the internet sometime . . .

[@RobLandes]

Charles, I personally know some of the artists who who have poured their hearts into writing and recording the music to this game, so to see you cover this so intelligently is a lot of fun to see. I’ve been watching you for years and will continue to do so. Thank you for publishing this!

[@jjmmm515]

Tell those artists that they made my night when I first heard soaring over Hogwarts

[@AlexSchwartzATV]

They did an incredibly detailed and passionate job.

[@IngridComics]

@@jjmmm515 same, it literally makes me emotional whenever i hear the hogwarts legacy music. i love it so much

[@inspector_beyond]

The opening violin in my opinion has a "stereotypical" tone of the Victorian Era England, which actually tells us when this game is taking place. And I like it.

[@tethys17]

Exactly! Sounds exactly like bloodborne

[@Sagacyte]

I *love* how the soundtrack is "almost but not like" the movies. It's familiar, yet new, and it evokes those same feelings. The segment you touch upon around 6:30 onwards also plays early on, during a very cool moment and it's just... well, magical. I love what they did with this OST.

[@tubu1ar86]

Nahhh , if you're going to be better than the original then you have to include the original AND have offshoots of it, not just offshoots, otherwise it feels like you're just in a completely different world (Lore) which they're not.

[@Arthera0]

I am glad they brought back the style of music. the music is so strongly connected to what harry potter universe is.

[@tispre]

a fascist hellhole imagined by a neo-nazi? that about sums it up.

[@Arthera0]

@@tispre you are joking right? please tell its a joke? please Deleted Context: "a fascist hellhole imagined by a neo-nazi? that about sums it up."

[@LukasLindner]

Not just John Williams themes... they also composed relatives of cues from Nicholas Hooper, Alexandre Desplat and Patrick Doyle. :)

[@LukasLindner]

for example, the most obvious comparisons I found after quickly skipping though the Study Themes album right now: HL / Original Contemplation / When Ginny kissed Harry (HP6, Nicholas Hooper) Outside the Castle Walls / The Room of Requirements (HP5, Nicholas Hooper) Central Tower / Loved Ones & Leaving (HP5, Nicholas Hooper) give both a listen :)

[@jazzfreak1040]

Oh i love this work, thanks Lukas. I‘ll listen to all of it

[@pantherdeville]

I’m so happy to see both this video and your comment, Lukas - I was giving the study themes in particular a better listen today and starting picking up on these similarities (mostly in ‘Outside the Castle Walls’) From a cursory listen ‘Gringotts’ also uses similar instrumentation from Alexandre Desplat’s score of the Gringotts scenes in DH2!

[@LukasLindner]

@@pantherdeville oh yeah, that‘s definitely true! It is the same texture / instrumentation style. I am also very certain that somewhere while playing I heard a little fragment that sounded like the much loved „Statues“ cue by Alexandre Desplat. But I did not spot it on the soundtrack albums yet. I will give them a proper listen in the next few days.

[@LukasLindner]

Niamh‘s Lullaby (btw very great cue and very very amazing quest) reminds me a little bit of Lily‘s Theme as well. same start intervals als lily‘s theme and a similar sound palette / texture.

[@vasimania1]

The part where you save the Hippogriffs and fly on them for the first time is so reminiscent of Buckbeak's Flight that I cried like a baby and I loved it! This game is a childhood dream come true.

[@jason7120]

That music and scene gave me goosebumps

[@russellpuff1996]

Yep! I can’t be the only one who decided to get as low as possible to flying over the lake just as Harry and Buckbeak did. Such brilliant art design from both the composers and directors and mission designers.

[@fablewynd7530]

That track is called ‘The Escape’ and it’s on the additional soundtrack to the game, called Hogwarts Legacy: Study Themes - just in case you wanted to listen to it outside of the game. It’s an absolutely beautiful piece of music.

[@sifu7958]

Yeah! I even went down to the lake to make the hippogriff get its paws on the lake just like in the movie xD

[@miri_rth]

The soundtrack (both records) is a pure love letter to the HP movie composers especially John Williams! (Not to mention all the other inspiration secretly woven into it.) It's fresh yet so familiar and like coming home. I felt it from the first note and immediately started scanning the internet for other people who noticed and found the musical quotations and couldn't believe that it had not flooded the internet yet. It is so plainly obvious and my brain just looooves those connections. Thank you for doing this! I need someone to do this with every track 😍

[@arcticfirefly5777]

I love how they've used music and sounds to bring life to the world. Even the school houses have different music, fitting to each house. I find myself just walking around the castle, taking in the music, so, so many times.

[@samkiehl9614]

The amount of nostalgia trips the soundtrack triggers for me is insane. Talk about pulling you into the world. Game and soundtrack of the year imo

[@corpse1244]

fortunately tears of the kingdom came out in 2023 so we know hogwarts legacy wasn't gonna come out on top to begin with. maybe if it had more to offer

[@KaiTakamatsu]

Ppl say magic doesn't exist...but it does, in music. Besides a plane or train, what else can transport us to worlds/places/mental spaces like a really well written score/piece!

[@EverythingIsPhotogenic]

The Mozart Requiem on D minor adaptation played in the library and select areas of Hogwarts is subtle and just stunning

[@danielwoods7325]

Completely agree. The first time that hogwarts legacy title shows up, timed perfectly with a swell of the overture, I was sold. Nose pressed up against the screen, feeling like I was 14 again and seeing Hogwarts for the first time. Fantastic example of how powerful music and our associations with it can be (and just a genuinely wonderful score).

[@CharlieLomer]

The game includes spaces which the character can customise builds and put rescued animals inside and each space (different biomes) have such beautiful compositions I could sit in there and listen for hours!

[@ryo-kai8587]

I often find myself singing the theme that plays in the main room there, either with or without the music playing. Those whimsical and slightly dissonant woodwinds are just so perfect.

[@zicon4]

You should do a video on the Spyro trilogy soundtrack. Unique instrumentation, polyrhythms. May I recommend Cloud Spires, Midday Gardens, Magic Crafters, and Dark Hollow

[@spooky_lights]

I was an intern who worked for J Scott Rakozy and I can honestly say he’s the nicest human being. You really feel his passion for what he does and it was awesome to have learned directly from him.

[@audreydo5904]

That’s awesome!

[@stefaniem.3187]

Yes yes yes! I've noticed it throughout the whole game, how the music gave you those little hints to the original score and it helped so much making this world come to life. One of the tracks that most impressed me was the one they play when you get (spoiler!) to ride Highwigh, the hipogriff. It was such a love letter to Buckbeat's Flight! I got goosebumps!! ❤

[@azaldie]

I was looking for a comment mentioning that part! When I heard that track as we were flying over the lake much like harry did I was like "That's such a perfect nod to that moment in the movies, that's *so* cool!" Had me shivering.

[@matthiasice]

Hi! Developer on HL(not involved with the music). This is being shared around the office. Major props to our composers and audio team. Easily a highlight of our game. I'd be so curious to know what John Williams thinks of the soundtrack, if he's heard it. 🤔

[@TRGOTSVODS]

L

[@lesmcd2281]

Grats the game is awesome! If you could point at any one thing at all you think a player might overlook but shouldn't, what would it be?

[@matthiasice]

@@lesmcd2281 Easy, the kitchens. Not every house has a mission that leads you there, but seak it out anyways.

[@trippingandbrowsing1269]

As a developer, what is your take on the accusations aimed at the game, resulting in the online boycott.

[@matthiasice]

@@trippingandbrowsing1269 I am respectfully declining to discuss that

[@ESquadProductions]

I would love to see more analysis of Hogwarts Legacy! They even referenced some of the older games when roaming hogwarts. :)

[@gonaye1]

100% Agree! The music in this game feels so fresh, yet so reminiscent of all the wonderful music that has come before it. I once created a custom Harry Potter playlist which consisted of themes I would listen to the most (and often put on repeat). After playing Hogwarts Legacy I couldn't help but add several favorites as a PART 4 on my playlist: REVELIO (custom playlist) | PART 1 01 The Patronus Light (Azkaban) 02 Buckbeak's Flight (Azkaban) 03 A Window to the Past (Azkaban) 04 Secrets of the Castle (Azkaban) 05 Finale (Azkaban) 06 Double Trouble (Azkaban) 07 Aunt Marge's Waltz (Azkaban) 08 Neville's Waltz (Goblet of Fire) 09 Another Year Ends (Goblet of Fire) 10 Fawkes the Phoenix (Chamber of Secrets) REVELIO (custom playlist) | PART 2 01 Fireworks (Order of Phoenix) 02 The Ministry of Magic (Order of Phoenix) 03 Professor Umbridge (Order of Phoenix) 04 Dumbledore's Army (Order of Phoenix) 05 The Room of Requirement (Order of Phoenix) 06 The Slug Party (Half-Blood Prince) 07 Harry & Hermoine (Half-Blood Prince) 08 When Ginny Kissed Harry (Half-Blood Prince) 09 The Friends (Half-Blood Prince) 10 Journey to the Cave (Half-Blood Prince) REVELIO (custom playlist) | PART 3 01 Hermoine's Parents (Deathly Hallows, Part One) 02 Farewell to Dobby (Deathly Hallows, Part One) 03 Lily's Theme (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 04 Panic Inside Hogwarts (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 05 Statues (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 06 Courtyard Apocalypse (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 07 Severus and Lily (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 08 Neville the Hero (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) 09 A New Beginning (Deathly Hallows, Part Two) REVELIO (custom playlist) | PART 4 01 Soaring over Hogwarts (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 02 Mysteries of the Cosmos (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 03 Ollivander's Wand Shop (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 04 The Greenhouse (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 05 Dance of the Mooncalves (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 06 Coastal Vivarium (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 07 Morning at Marunweem Lake (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 08 Niamh's Lullaby (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 09 Gryffindor Common Room (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 10 Ravenclaw Common Room (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 11 Hufflepuff Common Room (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 12 Slytherin Common Room (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 13 Your Journey Awaits… (Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes) 14 You've Made Your Choice (Hogwarts Legacy Official) 15 Tribute (Hogwarts Legacy Official) Thank you to all involved in creating this truly magical world. It has brought me so much joy for so long!

[@red5_skywalker]

Where can I find this playlist??

[@Thelaretus]

In my opinion, you should dive further into the full OST and point out the many other pearls which have been seeded throughout that beauty.

[@ryanodriscoll]

This game is beautifully scored. The music of this universe is something that is so integral to the aesthetic, but is often overlooked by the audience once the title credits are over. I thought they didn't great job of evoking the soundtracks that came before, without mimicking them. When I played for the first time, the moment when you first see Hogwarts and get the title screen, the beautiful visuals are obviously part of it, but the biggest emotional rush I got was from the music. It made me so excited to be there in a way I have never experienced in a game before. I felt like such a little boy. I love the soundtrack for that, and I love how music can do that. Even if they had not taken such obvious cues from John Williams and the rest of the HP scores, it speaks to how definitive the scoring of the movies is that the sound of magic is that music. As Holst has become the sound of space, and anything else seems absurd. Williams is the sound of magic.

[@PrismaticaDev]

Amazing breakdown of an amazing score. Really refreshing to hear such melody-driven music as location pieces again.

[@AlexSchwartzATV]

Agreed! Very memorable

[@StudioHannah]

They did an excellent job with the music! There are little riffs that allude to the JW score from the films and then go a slightly different direction, but it FEELS right. It's nostalgic. Though I will say that the original HP games had their own flavor of music that I was fond of and I would kind of love to see bits of that woven in as well. I still get those repeating loops stuck in my head at times!

[@colossusjak2]

This is cool, I went the whole game without noticing they were quoting the movie soundtrack. Super good soundtrack and major props for going for an orchestral approach vs a soundscape. The biggest thing I was surprised by is hearing Chopin's Mazurka in A minor from a piano in the ravenclaw common room (I think in the music store too), one of my favorite pieces but not even that well known. Of course there was the popular nocturne and bach's c major prelude but the mazurka put a big grin on my face. It's very rare for a game nowadays to have you stop and listen to the music but this game did it.

[@ryo-kai8587]

This really is an incredible OST. It just feels so authentic, natural and expressive. I think they really did John Williams and his work justice here. So many elements: grandiose, quaint, mysterious, magical, lilting, soaring... All of the things that feel distinctly Harry Potter while still being new, and all with a level of flair, polish and articulation that is second-to-none.

[@Captain_Diego]

THIS is the video I needed! Glad to hear the praise for this game score... The music in the game truly elevated it and surrounds you in the magic that is the Harry Potter universe. I'm so impressed! It does invoke those feelings of when we were first discovering this awesome world the first time as kids.

[@SaxSpy]

Congrats to the composers Peter, Chuck and J Scott! (You'll hear me on clarinet)

[@tbeaux2319]

How was it to work with them? How long did it take, to finalise this wonderful music?

[@SaxSpy]

@@tbeaux2319 I just did 2 sessions back to back over 2 days around november - they've been working a long time on it though! A lot of samples, mixing sampling and live and some live (namely the overture). J Scott's sample production skill is masterful.

[@JoshCottrell21]

The game and soundtrack both pair so nicely to really transport players into this wonderful whimsical world! Truly a very well-made game

[@CommonSwindler]

Deeper still, Williams’ score is absolutely soaked with endless Prokofiev and Shostakovich influences. That’s what makes it so uniquely inventive and vivid, and that’s what adds a marrow-deep layer into the Hogwarts Legacy score. The real magic is how great musical minds continue to live on in sound decades, or almost a century later-it’s not stealing, it’s conjuring.

[@GreenJay]

What I find interesting is the video game Jedi: Fallen Order did a similar thing to another John Williams score, Star Wars. They basically reverse engineered the score to try and bring a familiar yet new soundtrack to the game. Williams' music works really surprisingly well with video games.

[@jjmmm515]

Hearing "soaring over Hogwarts" while flying on a broom is such a magical moment that it reminded me of listening to hp theme for the first time in the first movie. Such a magical moment

[@DoctorTrombone]

The theme for the final boss in this game is an absolute banger!!!

[@Gothelittle]

Listening to the soundtrack, I kept remarking on how they kept touching - but not quite copying - themes throughout the Hogwarts film series. Then I hit a piece called "Aire on the Side of Love" and it cracked me up. "This whole thing is, like, 'how close can I get without violating copyright'! And now he's doing it to Pachelbel!" Another thing I figured out: If you listen to the four Common Room pieces in the order of Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, you get a really nice "Four Seasons" vibe. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. The composer must have had an absolute blast doing this.

[@Starfish0.]

I love how they even put the composer's Hogwarts house together with their names

[@DESORATE]

The score when you first fly your broom around the castle grounds, totally has the same feel as How to Train Your Dragon

[@lanticocean]

Yess

[@macart5429]

Whoever was responsible for composing the music needs to be recognized around the world. They are genius not only by using that Harry Potter style of music, and the way they “formed” the notes inspired the original music by their respectful composers from the movies, but also using unique instruments like viola especially in the Overture To The Unwritten.

[@bobblebardsley]

Peter Murray, according to IMDb. His other credits appear to mostly be TV romance movies.

[@SaxSpy]

2 are my buddies from college - J Scott and Peter. Incredibly talented - permission from PR to film an interview about it is pretty hard though.

[@bronstein007]

@6:44 that is the EXACT same reaction I had the first time I heard this theme. I have done so many broom races JUST so I can hear this track over and over. It's so so good. Also that horn line, a unison high G-flat? Seriously? That's freaking HIGH!

[@j.j.schlachtfeld9325]

Oh, the irony in "John Williams" and "copying" being used in the same sentence, but in a different order than usual is just *chef's kiss*. I absolutely adore the music in this game.

[@MegaGermanShepherds]

Because John Williams has copied from other scores before him as well. Hahaha! Like Star Wars for example came from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” since Williams conducted it.

[@alex0589]

It’s not irony, williams was asked to “copy” the planets and these guys were asked to get the spirit of the potter scores without ripping them directly. They both did what their directors asked!

[@___David__]

The soundtrack is wonderful but the released version for streaming, probably for legal reasons, cuts out Hedwig's Theme which we DO hear in the game, specially the shiver-inducing opening where it plays and then gives way to the Hogwarts Legacy theme in a wonderful crescendo.

[@BiffGreggle]

Hi Charles, I dunno if you take requests or not, but would you consider doing a video on the music from "The Price Is Right?" Both the "Come On Down" music and the main theme have some surprisingly complex music theory that I think you could really be able to dig into and make an interesting video about. Thanks!

[@mehassharpie]

We absolutely need a Halo Music breakdown.

[@Shad0w5carab]

The music when you first fly the hippogriff almost brought me to tears, took me right back to watching the 3rd movie for the first time.

[@Edward-W]

Yess! That's one of my favorites from the game

[@profoundresolve]

Same... they knew what they were doing.

[@rangerslayer2260]

I think it also helps that the game is set 100 years before the Harry Potter franchise itself. Music of the late 19th Century was different to the music of the 20th Century. The composers perfectly had the platform of melodies from the Harry Potter films, but they were also able to make the VGM stand on its own two feet. My favourite tracks so far are Guardians Awaken, and the unreleased Ranrok's Battle theme.

[@EpicBlackflame07]

love the soundtrack also reccomend looking at Gordy Haab with Jedi Fallen Order. truly feels like a john williams score

[@Maya_Ruinz]

The music in the game is a standout, I found myself humming the Hogsmeade theme while driving to work.

[@Jellysfrickingstuff]

3:53 I can’t be the only one who thought he was gonna play the avengers theme 🤣😭😭

[@kevinarmes9804]

Hahaha oh my gosh he plays E minor to C major (not voiced the same but same chord movement) Great catch! I’m trying to remember a video where he plays it and goes… “Everything is the Avengers!!!” But I don’t remember which video it was in. It was around a year ago. Anyone remember? It was hilarious.

[@leobrennauer]

Does anyone know if there have actually been rights sold of the original Williams theme? I mean there are times it’s so obviously Hedwigs Theme (ie if you get a page). And if not, are there already any law cases filed? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of the soundtrack, I’m just curious.

[@thecosplaycrafter8017]

I really want to play Hogwarts Legacy, but I won't be able to do until it's available for the Switch in July. I'll likely ask for it as a birthday gift.

[@orhochman55]

7:09 the strings are giving 'Dumbledore's army' from the 5th movie

[@ConnorEllisMusic]

Please look at the Fallen Order Score Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab went ham going doing the same thing, emulating Williams.

[@j.r.rothenbusch4438]

Barton and especially Haab do a way better job at emulating Williams imo. While the Hogwarts Legacy composers are good at emulating the orchestral colors of williams, the score seems to lack strong, independent themes and proper development of said themes. Haab and Barton crafted some wonderful themes and showed their ability to develop them masterfully over the course of the game. That is in my opinion just as important as the orchestration when going for the Williams' way of writing.

[@memorexdrc]

I don't get the same feeling from any other film score as I do for HP, and HogLeg makes me feel that same sort of wonder and giddiness interspersed with a darker sort of mystery. Phenomenal scores from both.

[@loafofbullets]

Please take a look at the project wingman sound track. Specifically kings and showdown

[@deanj.9324]

John's the man. Big influence to me growing up. What really sells it for me are those secondary trumpets with the badada! 😆😁

[@chrisdaniel1998]

While playing the game, I can often point out the film score that's being used as inspiration, just like this. It's really cool, but sometimes I wish I was just listening to the original film theme

[@EthanfromEngland-]

im sure there will be mods, if there arent already! :) That kind of audio swap is super easy

[@All_Things_Band]

Same Chris.

[@joehutzlermedia]

Charles, you are my musical spirit personified! I can't play an instrument, but we share the joy and passion from scores and get excited about the minuscule details. Especially John Williams. #TheGOAT Thank you for creating this and putting out there everything that I am feeling while listening to this score!

[@felixtrognitz]

Lovely breakedown Charles. I am a big jazz fan my self and I would love to see a video on one of my favorite pianists. Keith Jarret. He showed me that you don't have to play at break neck speed to show you are good. His phrasing, time, feel and harmonic ideas all in his peformance is mind blowing and other-worldly

[@Woodsboro_mongrel92]

Have you heard their version of lacrimosa? (Hall of the keepers, i believe) I was wondering through the corridors and all the sudden... There it was! Truly haunting and melancholic.

[@lupash]

There's a theme in Slytherin dormitory that's a rearrangament of a Chopin piece. So classy and tasteful.

[@thatsruffdog]

I think John Williams time trawled to now and heard this game’s soundtrack. Then went back to 2000 and scored the movie thus creating a time loop paradox where he was inspired by a composer who took inspiration from him.

[@chigginheadD]

John Williams is my favorite composer of all time, and while his other more famous scores are still great, I will always say that his best overall scores are those from Harry Potter 2 and 3.

[@daviddapper5613]

6:43 For sure thought my pc was dying.

[@Devppp]

Good luck with the video reception charles

[@OhNoTheFace]

Oh no. 1% of the internet is upset

[@Devppp]

@@OhNoTheFace It wasn’t sarcastic I genuinely mean it. Charles is a great content creator

[@polofnbryt4khdfbmcpebutido968]

wdym video reception?

[@fuq_anncoulter4036]

i think cancelling him over this would be a lil crazy but let's not act like actions don't have consequences

[@OhNoTheFace]

@@fuq_anncoulter4036 Like said group harassing and sending death threats to creators and streamers, right?

[@DrKumkar]

The music in the room of requirement is just... other worldly and beautiful. love the sound track throughout this game. Thanks for making this video!

[@niradmenon]

I’m not sure if anyone else has caught this, but I noticed that later on in the game the composers also take inspiration from John Powell’s ‘test drive’ theme in how to train your dragon. In the game the strings are transposed and the theme itself appears with some variation. Pretty interesting considering it’s used for a segment where the main character captures and rides a beast, and this theme definitely evokes the same grand and epic atmosphere for a such a moment in the game!

[@LukasLindner]

Yes, I noticed that as well :)

[@tylerwill7259]

Also John Powell. You can hear “Test Drive” from How to Train Your Dragon in the theme when you first ride the Graphorn. Almost too much. Otherwise I love the soundtrack! They use my favorite Harry Potter tracks as influences. He’s exactly right about the melodies, they are solid throughout! It’s such an amazing score. Probably one of my top 5-10 game soundtracks of all time.

[@jiribek5738]

That “test drive” was an outrageous plagiarism and I hated it that they just blatantly stole such a great piece.

[@Frostycrypton]

Always love seeing your enthusiasm for music; it's contagious!

[@patrickrichard5948]

You should listen to the music of Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2 (EA). It sounds exactly like something John Williams would write

[@gubbinsly]

Another game I think has an INCREDIBLE soundtrack is Sky: Children of the Light! Maybe check it out?

[@bamflyer]

I dont know if you’ve done it before but you should look at how the spider-man playstation game took inspiration from all of the spiderman versions (garfield, holland and mcguire)

[@Jamman88888]

You should take a look at the first two games on PC, they were scored by jeremy soule, and he really puts his all into it.

[@OhNoTheFace]

His heart and . . . soule? :O

[@littlehollow]

The same guy who did Elder Scrolls 5, he's a musical genius

[@mistertwister2000]

I love that you get tiny hints of the original theme while exploring, nothing overbearing but still there

[@charcharbug]

The music in this game is SO PERFECT!!! Still not over Hogsmeade's theme song, started clicking my tongue along to it with each visit

[@jaquan123ism]

i also love the “muggle” classical pieces that play in the school it feels right it feels like a actual place of learning

[@theo2650]

I also love how one of the themes sounds very similar to one of umbridge's themes which was during the 5th film as youre a 5th year student in the game :D

[@MariusMerchiers]

Who else is thinking: that blue thing in the right corner... Is that a hidden thing and did I just do Revelio? 😂

[@profoundresolve]

The intro legit made me cry BECAUSE of this. It was new, but so familiar. Enough make me feel like I was 11 again, where the only worry in the world for me was whether or not the owl with my acceptance letter went to the wrong house that year or not.

[@ScyllaWyrm]

I get some Rains of Castamere vibes from the melody at the start. That one certainly is the most beautiful of them all. It just screams solitude and sweeping, Celtic landscapes for me.

[@DarthJynx115]

That’s exactly what I thought. I’ve heard some music from Harry Potter, Superman, and Star Wars while playing the game. It’s a beautiful game with a beautiful soundtrack. And it’s amazing to hear soundtracks that have inspiration from other composers

[@Davemon115]

Okay, this video's a year old, but now I really want to see you react to Jeremy Soule's (you know, the Elder Scrolls guy?) soundtrack for the first few tie-in games that willfully avoid all of Williams' work.

[@akwel95]

The theme that plays for your Graphorn is a derivative of "Test Drive" from "How to train you Dragon" , the only land-based mount ironically.

[@caimanaraujo479]

I don't think there is any other game that has a similar type of soundtrack. Not even the new fantastic beasts movies have such a tone on their soundtrack, it feels too... modern. The hogwarts legacy just screams john williams, obviously, but it feels so much bigger, it fuels all of your senses with its feel. God of war does have this particular feeling, but it has a lot more vocals and its a bit more modern.

[@lesfuller5984]

Congratulations on a great analysis Charles! I’m not a game player, but will definitely listen to the soundtrack! 🙌

[@DrKumkar]

Also there is an easter egg in this game with one of the bandit camp castles, u find a treasure map with a riddle that includes bells and notes. If you decipher the cypher and play the bells properly u end up playing.. well I won't spoil it. but yeh its great and love the care that some of the musicians and sound directors put into this game.

[@thecolin1185]

I love the soundtrack of all the movies and i was so hyped on the music of Hogwarts Legacy. Maybe you can look on another soundtracks, like Game of Thrones (with House of the dragon) or I would love to see your analytics on the Transformers Movies soundtrack of Steve Jablosnky. Or the new Top Gun soundtrack. I love Movie soundtracks and i love your videos!!!

[@SamuelDJCox]

It can’t be me on my own but the 0:38 musical motif is more “The Chamber of Secrets” theme, it’s the exact same five notes which are usually played much faster together, with an extra 3-4 notes on the end. Great video!

[@omertrajman96]

Really interesting breakdown. Now I know why these all sound familiar. Going to need to to back and re-listen to all these soundtracks.

[@OlstiMusic]

08:00 sounds like star wars 😉

[@unamericano]

Hey Charles! You strike me as a pretty swell guy and would never mean to cause anyone any harm on purpose. I'm probably gonna get a lot of hate comments from this but I really encourage you (and anyone unaware) to look into the transphobic things that J.K. Rowling has said and doubled down on, as well as how giving free marketing that gives people in her position more money with which to invalidate trans voices and existence with can perpetuate further harm. There's a great article by gamespot titled "JK Rowling's Anti-Transgender Stance And Hogwarts Legacy" that gives a good breakdown of the topic for those interested. Keep up the good work!

[@MothyFern]

I was waiting for someone to mention her🤢🤢 I’m glad you did!

[@lesmcd2281]

Shes not transphobic, and you and every other crazy person going around guilting people for aying a game are doing more damage to us than Rowling ever could. Rethink your tactics. A wizard game doesn't harm trans rights. Nasty people attacking others for enjoying a wizard game in the name of a community you don't speak for does. Trans people ate not a monolith. You do not speak for me, and you've done so much more harm.

[@mikeuk666]

Game is great tnx

[@TRGOTSVODS]

@@lesmcd2281 She's not gonna pick you 👍

[@ThornForTheWynn]

​@@lesmcd2281 It is not about the game. It is about supporting the author. You do realize the game is about putting down a slave rebellion, right?

[@pajoshios]

another instance of the “Harry’s Wondrous World” melody is at 0:53 in the track “Hogwarts Best & Brightest” on the Hogwarts Legacy Study Themes Album!!!!

[@itsThan_]

There’s so much more music I want you to breakdown - like The Lord of The Shore’s Theme and the different Vivarium themes

[@tigershark7140]

yes!! the lord of the shore theme made me perk up immediately! huuuge influence from how to train your dragon which was scored by john powell; great stuff

[@GrandMoffSeahorse]

My problem is that while I agree that the music is awesome, it just makes me want to mute the in game music and put on the Harry Potter soundtrack.

[@mr.sedfreer5316]

Could you analyse the music of Mr. Bean Ultimate Disaster? The harmonies with the strings are just so beautiful

[@beetfarmassist6162]

Yesss the influences are so clear but it's so appropriate

[@joshthielenmann]

There is also this song in the game called "Hall of the Keepers" this is pretty much just Mozart's Lacrimosa.

[@Jirizo1]

I'm shocked you didn't cover the Slytherin Common Room music, there is a massive connection to the John Williams HP track 'Reunion with Friends' that absolutely can't be missed!

[@bassbar3239]

I am so happy that they hired real musicians to play this. Not a lot of developers put that much effort in their games!

[@LukasLindner]

It may be wrong, but I thought on some cues that there might be samples as well. I don‘t know exactely what the budget was, but with the amount of music that is in this game, recording sessions would be insanely expensive. Therefore I guess they recorded the most important and prominent cues for real and a few less important cues might be a good hybrid mockup or something like that.

[@PryzmMusic]

What? If by 'real musicians' you mean a real orchestra then most AAA companies do that. If by 'real musicians' you actually mean 'real musicians' and not premade sound packs then literally almost every single video game in existence does that.

[@jakeling7794]

This whole game and soundtrack feel so familiar and warming and welcoming in the most fantastic way, thank you for highlighting why I love this soundtrack so much

[@devonwilliams9576]

Please checkout the OSTs from Halo ODST and Outer Wilds

[@sonyeolovessweaters]

I love the HL also included one of the OSTs in the Deathday Party room