Harry Potter’s ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ score soars thanks to a symphony orchestra

An album featuring John Williams conducting the Boston Pops changed Justin Freer’s life.

The gift from Freer’s grandfather moved the pre-pubescent to become a lifelong fan of the movie scores conducted by the iconic Williams.

“I learned from an early age what a film score can add to a movie,” Freer said while calling from Franklin, Tennessee. “John Williams has been behind many of those great scores. He’s had a huge impact on me. There is no one like John Williams, who is incredible at what he does.”

Williams, 91, is unparalleled. The 25-time Grammy winner and five-time Oscar winner is to composing and conducting what Meryl Streep is to acting. “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” and “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial” are some of Williams’ most famous works.

The first three Harry Potter films, which Williams scored, are as critically acclaimed as any of his projects. Freer will conduct Williams’ score from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” Friday and Saturday at the First Interstate Center. The celebrated film will be played in high definition on a 40-foot screen.

“The sheer grandness of what we’re presenting will impress any fan of the ‘Harry Potter’ series,” Freer said. “What we’re doing is perfect for the larger than life storytelling from the Potter films. This is a great challenge for musicians, but we’re up to it. You can never go wrong with a John Williams score. Williams pulls you into the scene.”

“The Sorcerer’s Stone” is one of Freer’s favorite Williams soundtracks. “What separates this score from some of his other scores is all of the skill and technique involved in this film,” Freer said. “Williams has some of his most robust melodies and then there are the rhythmic changes. The emotion is constantly up and down. It’s exhilarating.”

According to Freer, 43, the experience of catching “The Sorcerer’s Stone” with a live symphony blows away watching the film in a conventional manner at home or in a theater.

“There’s no comparison,” Freer said. “The symphony will take you on an unforgettable ride. You’ll feel that much closer to what you see on the screen.”

The score would never be possible without the books written by J.K. Rowling.

“When you look at great films or scores, many of them come from an incredible novel,” Freer said. “The ‘Harry Potter’ books are extraordinary. There’s a reason that franchise is so popular. The details from the books, so many of those nuances are in the films and the scores take the movies to another level.”

Freer is a huge fan of “Sorcerer’s Stone” but he favors another from Rowling’s canon. “My number one Potter book is ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,’ ” Freer said. “What blows me away in that novel is how we are eloquently introduced to the idea of a child dying. That was a big moment in the Potter franchise. But I’ve enjoyed all of the Potter books and I’m a huge fan of ‘Sorcerer’s Stone.’ It’s the first in a magical series. We’re introduced to this new world and we’re still enjoying it. It’s one thing to read the novel and another to see the movie. But to see the movie with a symphony is something every ‘Harry Potter’ fan should experience.”