| How to Train Your Dragon: Music from the Motion Picture | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | March 23, 2010 December 4, 2020 (Deluxe Edition) | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Length | 72:12 105 minutes (Deluxe Edition) | |||
| Label | Varèse Sarabande | |||
| Producer | John Powell | |||
| How to Train Your Dragon soundtracks chronology | ||||
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| John Powell chronology | ||||
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| Singles from How to Train Your Dragon: Music from the Motion Picture | ||||
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How to Train Your Dragon: Music from the Motion Picture is a soundtrack album composed byJohn Powell for thefilm of the same name and released byVarèse Sarabande on March 23, 2010. The score earned Powell his firstAcademy Award nomination and his thirdBAFTA nomination, which he lost toThe Social Network andThe King's Speech, respectively. The score also won theInternational Film Music Critics Association 2011 Awards for Best Original Score for an Animated Feature and Film Score of the Year, and was nominated twice for Film Music Composition of the Year for the tracks "Forbidden Friendship" and "Test Drive".[1][2] The soundtrack received wide acclaim from professional music critics.
The Japanese version uses a J-pop song called "Emerald" written byBecky.[3]
How to Train Your Dragon was composer John Powell's sixth collaboration withDreamWorks Animation.[4] Powell had scored many of DreamWorks' previous films, but this was the first of DreamWorks' films where Powell helmed the score on his own (on his previous efforts with DreamWorks, he had collaborated with other composers such asHarry Gregson-Williams andHans Zimmer). Zimmer had long praised Powell's abilities, and on many occasions, asserted that he was the superior composer between them, thus firmly supporting Powell's solo animation effort.[5]
Icelandic singerJónsi was brought on to write and record the song "Sticks & Stones", which plays during the end credits of the film. DirectorDean DeBlois had previously worked withJónsi before, directing a concert film for his bandSigur Rós entitledHeima, and a companion film for his albumGo entitledGo Quiet.
In an interview withThe Wrap's Steve Pond, Powell talked about his intent for the score:
"I was certainly trying to get a bit more epic. I just felt the animation and the visuals were giving me a broader palette to play with. As a kid I remember watchingThe Vikings withTony Curtis andKirk Douglas, and I always liked that score.
[The directors] were really very specific a lot of the time. They did want size and depth and emotion. They wanted a feeling of theNordic musical past. You could say the symphonic musical past wasNielsen, the Danish symphonist.Sibelius.Grieg to a certain extent, although I think he was a little bit moreGermanic than he was Nordic.
Sibelius was the key. I studied a lot of Sibelius as a kid, and I've always adored his music. So that, plus it was great to have Jónsi do a song at the end of the movie, because I've always liked Sigur Rós. They were an influence as well, even though that seems paradoxical. But there is that in a few cues—heavy, dark guitar textures going on at the same time as large orchestration.
We looked at all thefolk music from the Nordic areas. And I'm part Scottish and grew up with a lot ofScottish folk music, so that came into it a lot. AndCeltic music was something thatJeffrey [Katzenberg] felt had this very attractive quality to it, and a sweetness, that he thought would be wonderful for the film."[6]
All music is composed byJohn Powell.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Is Berk" | 4:10 |
| 2. | "Dragon Battle" | 1:54 |
| 3. | "The Downed Dragon" | 4:16 |
| 4. | "Dragon Training" | 3:10 |
| 5. | "Wounded" | 1:25 |
| 6. | "The Dragon Book" | 2:22 |
| 7. | "Focus, Hiccup!" | 2:05 |
| 8. | "Forbidden Friendship" | 4:10 |
| 9. | "New Tail" | 2:47 |
| 10. | "See You Tomorrow" | 3:53 |
| 11. | "Test Drive" | 2:36 |
| 12. | "Not So Fireproof" | 1:12 |
| 13. | "This Time for Sure" | 0:43 |
| 14. | "Astrid Goes for a Spin" | 0:43 |
| 15. | "Romantic Flight" | 1:56 |
| 16. | "Dragon's Den" | 2:29 |
| 17. | "The Cove" | 1:10 |
| 18. | "The Kill Ring" | 4:28 |
| 19. | "Ready the Ships" | 5:13 |
| 20. | "Battling the Green Death" | 6:18 |
| 21. | "Counter Attack" | 3:05 |
| 22. | "Where's Hiccup?" | 2:43 |
| 23. | "Coming Back Around" | 2:51 |
| 24. | "Sticks & Stones" (Written and Performed byJónsi) | 4:17 |
| 25. | "The Vikings Have Their Tea" | 2:03 |
| Total length: | 72:12 | |
The Deluxe Edition of the score was released on December 4, 2020, featuring additional tracks, demos, and alternate versions.[7]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This is Berk (Alternate Film Version) [1m2alt]" | 1:05 |
| 2. | "This Is Berk (with Original Opening Version) [1m2]" | 6:10 |
| 3. | "Anybody See That? [1m6]" | 1:24 |
| 4. | "War Room [1m7a]" | 0:44 |
| 5. | "Training Out There [1m7b-c]" | 4:23 |
| 6. | "Hiccup Comes Home [2m8]" | 0:23 |
| 7. | "Dragon Training [2m9]" | 3:09 |
| 8. | "Wounded [2m10]" | 1:27 |
| 9. | "The Dragon Book [2m11]" | 2:44 |
| 10. | "Hiccup Focus [2m12]" | 2:05 |
| 11. | "Offering [2m13]" | 0:53 |
| 12. | "Forbidden Friendship [2m14]" | 4:13 |
| 13. | "New Tail [2m15]" | 2:48 |
| 14. | "Teamwork [3m16]" | 0:44 |
| 15. | "Charming The Pziiffelback [3m17]" | 0:28 |
| 16. | "See You Tomorrow [3m18]" | 3:53 |
| 17. | "Test Drive [3m20]" | 2:35 |
| 18. | "Not So Fireproof [3m21]" | 1:13 |
| 19. | "This Time For Sure [3m22]" | 0:46 |
| 20. | "Astrid Finds Toothless [3m23]" | 0:39 |
| 21. | "Astrid Goes For A Spin [3m24]" | 0:47 |
| 22. | "Romantic Flight [3m25]" | 1:56 |
| 23. | "Dragon's Den [3m26b]" | 2:31 |
| 24. | "Let's Find Dad [3m26c]" | 1:12 |
| 25. | "Kill Ring/Stop The Fight [4m27-28]" | 4:31 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not A Viking [4m30]" | 1:34 |
| 2. | "Ready/Confront [4m31]" | 5:19 |
| 3. | "Relax/Stroke/Hell [4m33-34]" | 2:09 |
| 4. | "Over/Less Okay [4m35-37]" | 6:19 |
| 5. | "Wings [4m38]" | 1:19 |
| 6. | "Counter Attack [5m39]" | 1:52 |
| 7. | "Where's Hiccup? [5m40]" | 2:54 |
| 8. | "Coming Back Around [5m41]" | 2:50 |
| 9. | "Sticks & Stones" (Written and Performed byJónsi) | 4:17 |
| 10. | "The Vikings Have Their Tea [5m50]" | 2:06 |
| 11. | "The Vikings Have Their Tea (Alternate Version) [5m50alt]" | 2:02 |
| 12. | "This Is Berk (Demo) [1m2]" | 6:11 |
| 13. | "New Tail (Demo) [2m15]" | 2:54 |
| 14. | "See You Tomorrow (Demo) [3m18]" | 3:54 |
| 15. | "Test Drive (Demo) [3m20]" | 2:33 |
| 16. | "Romantic Flight (Demo) [3m25]" | 1:57 |
| 17. | "Coming Back Around (Demo) [5m41]" | 2:53 |
| Total length: | 105:46 | |
The score has traditional Scottish influences,[8] and uses instruments such as thefiddle,bagpipes,uilleann pipes,Great Irish warpipes andpennywhistle.[9] The soundtrack is 79 minutes long.[9]
The instrumentation of the score includes 3flutes, 3oboes, 3clarinets, 3bassoons, 12French horns, 4trumpets, 6trombones,tuba,timpani, 8percussionists, 2harps,piano doublingceleste,SATB choir, and a string section of 30violins, 12violas, 10celli and 8double basses. Woodwind players also double onpiccolo,english horn,bass andcontrabass clarinets, andcontrabassoon.[9] Other instruments used include thesopilka andIrish flute,hammered dulcimer,gadulka,esraj,yaylı tambur,hurdy-gurdy,accordion,harmonium,Hardanger fiddle,acoustic andelectric guitar, and the aforementioned fiddle, bagpipes, uilleann pipes, warpipes and pennywhistle.[9]
The score calls for over 30 percussion instruments. Drums include 5snare drums of various types, 4bass drums, 2goblet drums, 2surdos, a "small low drum",repinique, adhol, various brekete, and concerttom-toms; pitched instruments include aglockenspiel,vibraphone,chimes,crotales,marimba,bass marimba, 3slate marimbas, and 2glass marimbas. Other percussion used include variouscymbals, 4gongs, ananvil, 2sleigh bells,tambourine,mark tree,triangle, 2shakers, garbage cans, and a pot.[9]
Powell states that he "presents almost all his themes within the first five minutes of the film".[4] "Hiccup's Theme" is introduced immediately in the film version of "This is Berk", played by brass; this theme is often accompanied by an eighth note ostinato (Toothless's Theme), for example shortly into "Test Drive".[10] "The Vikings Theme" is introduced shortly thereafter, played by a solo bassoon, after which a second interpretation of Hiccup's theme is played by wind instruments.[11]
About one minute into the original opening version of "This is Berk", the music modulates via fast triplet arpeggios into the "warring Vikings" theme, which has Scottish influences.[12] At about 3:15, the "fun Vikings" theme is first introduced on solo clarinet backed by pizzicato strings.[11] Warpipes introduce the "dragon tune" around 4:15, which is played by low brass.[11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Film Music Magazine | A |
| Film Score Click Track | |
| Filmtracks | |
| MovieCues | Favorable |
| Movie Music UK | |
| Tracksounds | |
The score was exceptionally well-received, earning universal praise from professional film score critics and fans alike. Powell earned a BAFTA nomination for his work as well as his first Oscar nomination, losing both nominations toAlexandre Desplat for his score forThe King's Speech[13] and toTrent Reznor andAtticus Ross for their score forThe Social Network, respectively.[14] The music also won anAnnie Award for the Best Music in a Feature Production from the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood.[15]
Christian Clemmensen, founder ofFilmtracks.com and member of theIFMCA, praised the score, saying that "Powell has finally managed to create a well rounded and more easily digestible variation on his typical mannerisms forHow to Train Your Dragon." He however criticized the use of Scottish andIrish tones in a score meant forVikings, as well as the Jónsi song "Sticks & Stones", which he felt "[drained] all the enthusiasm out of the environment created by Powell." However, Clemmensen still awarded the score the highest rating of five stars,[5] and later listed the score as one of the Top Five of the year.[16]
Other reviewers expressed similar opinions about the score. Jonathan Broxton, founder ofMovie Music UK and another member of theIFMCA said: "It’s very rare that one can listen to an entire 70+ minute album and honestly say that all of them have musical merit, but that is genuinely the case here. Usually scores of this length have a fair amount of filler, […] but onHow to Train Your Dragon every cue has worth."[17] Archie Watt fromMovieCues said: "I sincerely hope that Powell’s work will be rewarded with an Oscar in 2011. It couldn’t be more deserved—the score is by far the best of the year to date, and I can’t foresee any other score taking that accolade from this masterpiece."[18] Both reviewers named it as the Best Score of the Year.[19][20]
British dressage riderCharlotte Dujardin prominently used music from the soundtrack for her Grand Prix Freestyle performances with her geldingValegro. They also set the Freestyle World Record using the music at theOlympia London International Horse Show 2014.[21]
| Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Category | Name | Outcome |
| Academy Awards | Academy Award for Best Original Score | John Powell | Nominated |
| Annie Awards | Annie Award for Best Music in an Animated Feature Production | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | BAFTA Award for Best Film Music | Nominated | |
| International Film Music Critics Association | Film Score of the Year | Won | |
| Best Original Score for an Animated Feature | |||
| Film Music Composition of the Year | John Powell - "Forbidden Friendship" | Nominated | |
| John Powell - "Test Drive" | |||
| Saturn Awards | Saturn Award for Best Music | John Powell | |
| World Soundtrack Academy | World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year | ||
| World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film | Jón Þór Birgisson | ||
Based on theHow to Train Your Dragon novel series byCressida Cowell | |||||
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