Warner releases 'Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban' original soundtrack

NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) - Warner Sunset/Nonesuch/Atlantic has announced the release of 'Harry potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' (music composed and contucted by legendary composer John Williams). The eagerly awaited Warner Bros. Pictures film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, opens in theatres across North America on June 4th.

The score was recorded in March 2004 at London's famed Abbey Road Studios, with Williams also serving as producer. One track, "Double Trouble," features the world-renowned London Sinfonietta - hailed by the New York Times as "Britain's premiere contemporary music ensemble." The legendary composer - whose record of achievements includes five Academy Awards and 15 Grammy Awards - penned the song during the film's production in order to incorporate a children's choir into the score. The "Double Trouble" theme, composed around text from Shakespeare's Macbeth, then became the foundation for the rest of the film's music.

"(The song's) medieval color became the musical identity of the wizarding world in this third installment of Harry Potter," writes the film's director, Alfonso Cuarón, in the CD's liner notes. "John juggled these medieval motifs with a late 19th century Rossini-esque narrative, a delirious big band jazz number, and 20th century music (which we both share a love for). How he managed to create a unity out of it all beats me! It was a great privilege to witness, as the scoring sessions unfolded, music breathing life into what has become a much better film."

In addition to the score, the 'Harry potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' CD is enhanced with special features, including wallpaper, a screensaver, and a photo gallery of stills from the film. In addition, the CD features a Golden Snitch Ticket contest, with the winner receiving a trip to Hollywood to tour the Warner Bros. lot and museum.