Device Lexicon: Part 7 - Menacing Orchestra Unison (feat. Harry Potter 3)

Accumulating many or even all orchestral forces on one unison line or an unison line in octaves is an extremely simple and in its simplicity radical concept. In fact it is so simple and radical that many composers/orchestrators don't even see it as a possibility to use it. The urge to "fill up" the idea with something else often is overwhelming.

But in the right context, focussing the entire orchestra on a single line can have a spectacular effect. A prominent composer who used this device quite frequently was Bernard Herrmann. However, today I want to focus on an instance where Williams uses this device. The excerpt is from Harry Potter 3. Here's the sequence in the movie (starting at 0:29) and here's the music on its own.

The scene is set when the castle is secured and the big doors are being closed. It is a moment in the movie that is supposed to create a feel of threat and danger.

Now, Williams doesn't use the entire orchestra on this unison line, he rather focusses on the low strings and trombones, later joined in by the trumpets:

There is a little bit of a textural shift in bar 6 where the Violas drop out but the trumpets and tubular bells enter which creates a bit of a build up towards bar 7, also supported by the timpani roll. Also it adds even more menacing quality to this buildup with "fateful" bells and the more gnarly trumpet texture compared to the violas.

The composition itself is also quite remarkable in a way that it is a "non melody". Up to bar 7, we have line that is based on one octatonic scale but barely has a traditional melodic quality. It consists of long static notes that move in unpredictable directions (favoring minor seconds) and unexpectantly landing on the D in bar 7 (which is not part of the octatonic scale used before). The orchestration in unison in the low register creates a lot of weight for this line which perfectly matches these seemingly gigantic doors that are locking and the disorienting octatonic melody supports the threat that overarches this scene.

In a way, stripping the orchestra down to a unison line creates a very archaic quality and always creates a lot of gravitas. As a device it very quickly becomes annoying but when placed strategically, it can add enormous weight to a phrase or a line. So it really helps to remind oneself once in a while that this device also exists and used at the right moment can create a spectacular effect. But just to put that into perspective: this is the only instance in Williams' body of work that I can currently think of where he used this device. There might of course be more and maybe you remember another one but in any case, it is a very rare device. So it might not be the best idea to use a unison passage in every of your piece.