This thread has indeed taken a spectacularly rude and arrogant turn for the worse. As stated above, some people appreciate the score, some don't. That's okay. Statements about who is definitively 'right' and 'wrong' are.. well... I don't have the sense of humor to bother responding to that.

I do think that, just as the books develop and span a range of moods and ideas between the first and seventh, so too should the films develop with new ideas. The bright, hummable, instrumentally fancy Williams melodies of the first few scores were great, but I feel the final installments of the Harry Potter story are a good fit with far subtler, more emotional and introspective music.

It might not be full of melodic treats written expressly to echo through all of film history with cute, attention-hungry themes, but I'm not looking for that. In the end, the Harry Potter scores might not form a seven-disc opera of Williams ideas. And they might not support the wants of an expert critic who likes film music to dominate above all other elements with feats of musical showmanship. But I'm not looking for that. I go to see Harry Potter for a cinematic experience, for the story, as it's written in the books, and I feel the two Hooper scores fit their respective films. In my opinion, Hooper's music has been a great accompaniment to these chapters of the story, and the majority of his cues I've enjoyed and deeply appreciated over many, many repeated listens.

This may not be of any particular interest, but a few of my favorites from Half Blood Prince-
"Dumbledore"
"Farewell"
"The Drink of Despair"
"When Ginny Kissed Harry" (I thought this one was just fantastic in the film!)
"Ron's Victory"
"Harry & Hermione"

> People like you are the death of polite and intelligent debate and
> conversation. Some people like this score and others don't. We all have
> our opinions, and I personally find it rather pigheaded and arrogant of
> you to make rude comments because of someone's tastes.

> I believe that Hooper's score is very different and inventive and fitting
> for the film. Everyone seems so bent on complaining about it, but I think
> if a score makes you feel the right emotion for the scene, it's doing its
> job, regardless of theme or motifs or the use of former material from say
> Williams or Doyle. Hooper's score, for me, is a delight. I wouldn't change
> a thing.