How to Railroad train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Music score composed past John Powell

Conducted by Gavin Greenaway

Choir conducted past Eric Whitacre

Additional Music and Arrangements by Batu Sener, Anthony Willis, Paul Mounsey

Orchestrated by John Ashton Thomas, Tommy Laurence, Geoff Lawson, Andrew Kinney, Randy Kerber, Jon Kull,

Rick Giovinazzo

Music recorded at Abbey Road Studios

Soundtrack running time: 75 minutes

Available on Back Lot Records


The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy comes to a shut. Too the stunning visuals and terrific storytelling of the films, the music has been some of my favorite DreamWorks scores but also some of the finest by John Powell.

Powell adds a whole new batch of thematic material, and seamlessly incorporates fabric from the previous films. Tidbits of score from the second pic make returns, simply he saves the first moving-picture show's themes for big moments and emotional beats in the finale.

The album begins with Raiders Return to Busy, Busy Berk, setting upward a darker action rescue every bit we are reintroduced to the chief heroes. Among the swashbuckling mode, nosotros get a full introduction to the new hero theme and a brief musical mention of the calorie-free fury motif. Among the swirling orchestra we hear a return of Berk'southward theme. Dinner Talk/Grimmel's Introduction begins a bit subdued with the hamlet theme before Grimmel's theme is introduced with percussion and choir.

Fable Has It/Cliffside Playtime introduces a new lovely theme on flute, we hear several reprises of the hamlet theme and a return of the Hiccup/Toothless friendship theme (from HTTYD two) and Valka's theme on harp and strings. Solo flute gives the first introduction of the Hidden Globe theme, and love theme/Astrid's theme from (HTTYD 1). Toothless: Smitten hints more at the light fury motif and the outset introductions of the furies love theme with plenty of flute, harp and celeste which volition get expanded afterwards in the score.

Worst Pep Talk Ever continues the village theme passed around various instruments with Grimmel's theme reprised in the lower cellos and bassoons. His theme is fleshed out in Night Fury Killer. His musical identity is never over the top, but lurking quietly merely finally coming forwards with strings and brass at the cease of the cue. Exodus! is a corking big cue, full of the village theme replete with bagpipes, the light fury motif and a thou orchestral statement of the furies love theme.

Third Appointment is a fantastic sequence with some light comedic writing while bringing out the Celtic instrumentation and catastrophe with statements of the furies dear theme. Because of the dialogue-less dragons, much of this writing gets brought out more in the film. New 'New Tail' brings the furies theme with the friendship theme, Berk theme and the primary Dragons theme together. Furies in Beloved brings the furies love theme in the forefront for the cue - information technology's a dancing triple meter for choir, sweeping strings and punctuating contumely as the furies sprint around the skies before an ending statement of the Hidden Earth theme. Peachy highlight of the new score.

Killer Dragons is a mix of drama and activity using Grimmel'south theme, and the choir and brass really bring out some peachy moments. With Love Comes a Bully Waterfall begins with a simple flute solo of the friendship theme with the Hidden Globe theme bursting in with orchestra and choir. The Hidden Earth sparkles with ringing percussion, cascading flute lines, choir and vocal solos past Jonsi. The ethereal textures are really brought out, and after naturally features the big statement of the Hidden Globe theme. This marks another moment in the film where Powell's score gets front and center.

Armada Battle is a massive cue, like the Bewilderbeast sequence from the previous flick. Somewhen action picks up every bit Powell incorporates themes from all three films. Even with the decorated activeness music, Powell follows the activity on screen and weaves themes throughout. If the thematic callbacks weren't enough in the last track, As Long As He'due south Safe has ane secret weapon. Later on a bit of large action and choir, the flying theme makes its grand entrance - information technology'southward a not bad moment on screen. The emotional second half of the cue is built on the Hidden World theme and friendship theme.

In one case There Were Dragons begins with the village theme - this time hymn-like as performed past harp and choir. The music expands and adds percussion, bagpipes and swirling strings. This finale section brings up fifty-fifty more than emotion with a quick succession of thematic reprises. The addition of choir to these past themes is a complete joy, simply the reprise of Test Bulldoze (HTTYD 1) mixed with the furies love theme is the clear winner. A fantastic way to wrap up the trilogy, it'due south easily my favorite cue on the album.

As with all the films, the end credit song Together From Afar is performed/written past Jonsi. While information technology'south non the strongest vocal from the films, information technology works equally a prissy wrap up and the lyrics are poignant in this instance. On the digital release, you lot become The Hidden World Suite - a lovingly bundled suite of the new themes. Worth checking out even if you have the CD release.



 Overall, John Powell caps off his Dragons trilogy with a marvelous score.  He mixes the new themes well into his musical universe, and they all sound like they belong together.  Their malleability in big action sequences to the more than tender and quiet moments evidence yet again that Powell is a primary of musical storytelling. Thankfully his music has been able to be a major part of the franchise. This album and score rank nicely together with the others - this series is clearly something Powell enjoyed working on and is proud of.  This ended up beingness one of the best animated motion-picture show series - and luckily it has some of the best animated film music.