Why are there two different composers for the Practical Magic score?
Well, I don’t know the exact story, but it goes something like this (of anyone knows better, please let me know) – Michael Nyman wrote the first score (background) for the movie Practical Magic. Two of the tracks, Maria Owens and Convening the Coven, are available on advance and early copies of the Practical Magic soundtrack. For whatever reason, the powers that be were not happy with the score (though judging from the two songs it was excellent), and they asked Alan Silvestri to step in. Mr. Silvestri then composed the score (with little time to spare) that is found in the movie today. Two of these tracks, Practical Magic and Amas Veritas, can be found on the newer copies of the soundtrack. The differences? I haven’t heard the full Nyman score (don’t I wish I could get my hands on a copy of that!), but it seems to me that Nyman’s score was more modern and interpretive, while Silvestri’s is lighter, haunting, and beautiful. I like them both! I think that the Nyman score would have had
