5/5 Hugely creative. The best of the Potter scores.
  by R S (USA)
The greatest thing about this soundtrack is the pure creativity that fuels the entire thing from start to finish. Williams did good work on the first two films, using all the expected instruments in the expected style for a fantasy film, and of course adding his magic touch to make it, well, magical. Here, he goes beyond what he did for the first two films.

The soundtrack starts off with Hedwig's Theme, which serves as the identity for the Harry Potter series. Anyone would have expected this. Then, in the second track, he does something different, and he writes a Tchaikovsky-esque comedy sequence that in the film, accompanies Aunt Marge's scene. This is a fun cue that for the most part is detached from the rest of the score, but it is hilarious and fits its part perfectly.

The next track, The Knight Bus, starts off with a bassoon solo that is a perfect fit for Stan Shunpike. Then suddenly, the track bursts into wild jazz, which is a perfect fit for the Knight Bus (sorry if I'm starting to sound like a broken record!). This track recalls a past Williams score, Catch Me If You Can.

The next major track, Double Trouble, contains the new major theme for Prisoner of Azakban, and again, it is something different: it takes Shakespeare lyrics and matches it with music that sounds almost Baroque. Thus, we have the first three major tracks that are Romantic, Jazz, and Baroque.

Then, we get into the heart of the soundtrack. Buckbeak's theme is soaring and gusty and wonderful, and rivals the music Williams wrote for E.T.'s flying scene oh so many years ago. Then, we are introduced to the other major theme of Prisoner of Azakban, a Window to the Past, which is played on some sort of flute or piccolo. It plainly speaks of solitude and love, and is one of the highlights of the score.

I could go on and on about every track, but that would make this review stupidly long. So, I'll just talk about one more track: Quidditch, Third Year. I can't even fathom how much inspiration must have been behind this track. The strings, winds, and brass are all in a flurry in this track. Basically, it is a fugue, with a main motif and a ton of highly complex music to go along with it. It's fun listening to it and trying to wrap your mind around everything that's happening. I'd be prepared to bet that Williams worked harder on the Quidditch scene, then the people in the Visual Effects department, and that's saying something.

Another highlight of the score is the little motif for Wormtail and Sirius Black. Simple but creepy, William employs it whenever Wormtail and/or Sirius are near.

Overall, Prisoner of Azakban is a highly effective score, and chock full of creativty, but also substance. If it has a weakness, it is that it doesn't use many of the great motifs that were used in the first two films, although I think this has much to do with the new director--I honestly can't imagine Voldemort's theme from the first film being used in Alfonso Cuaron's Harry Potter film. I wish this score had won the Oscar, but alas, Williams will have to win his sixth another time. Still, I can give this score a great recommendation.

5/5 The Best!
  by J. R. Thorup (Salt Lake City, UT USA)
Thsi movie was the best, the book is the best and the soundtrack of the movie is the best! I guess it's the power of 3 or something. I've grown up enjoying John Williams music, and now I really ejoy Harry Potter so to have Williams as the composer of some of the movies is one of the best possible combinations of awesomeness I've ever found!

5/5 The best Harry Potter soundtrack, so far
  by Peregrin (Belleville, MI United States)
This is the only HP soundtrack I can listen to over and over again without getting sick of it. It's got the familiar "Hedwig's Theme", plus the wickedly fun "Aunt Marge's Waltz" and the hold-on-to-your-hats "The Knight Bus" and "Buckbeak's Flight". My favorite track, though, is probably "Mischief Managed", which incorporates nearly all the previous tracks in reverse order. Love it!

5/5 Magic!
  by P. Bajetta (Italy)
This is a great Soundtrack! I think it's the most interesting from the whole Harry Potter series up to now.

The Great John Williams has done a really good work.

Starting from the main Hedwige's Theme, the listener can live an hour of full amazing entertainment. From Middle Age stiled music, to modern clustered chilling choir harmonies, to exciting rythms and romance... This is CD, trust me, is the real Magic! ;-)

5/5 Soundtrack Perfection?
  by Andrew Kutz (The Vast Desert Subtropolis of Gilbert, Arizona, USA)
After listening to this soundtrack again and again and again...I ask myself; How much better can it get?

Truth be told, there isn't much room between this and divinity. John Williams delivered a soundtrack that defies possibility (mysterious, emotional, dark, sweeping, epic, funny....)

He keeps some music from the first two, yet incorporates more themes and styles that add much more to the score. "Buckbeak's Flight" is beautiful, a perfect illustration of the scene in the film. "A Window to the Past" is a very good theme, and is incredibly effective when it is layered with the Patronus theme in "Finale."

And the underlying theme for me- the one that appears throughout the score, being played in different styles and by different instruments- is "Double Trouble." I don't know how many times I've found myself whistling or humming it because it's always in my head. Not because it's annoying (like "Its a Small World) but because it's so darn good.

So is it perfect? They say nothing is, so I'll suffice to say that this is about as close as it gets.