MovieScore Media bring us a little holiday joy with the festive underscoring of Anne-Kathrin Dern's music for Lilly’s Bewitched Christmas, based on the book of popular German children’s author Knister. Following the success of Lilly the Witch: The Dragon and the Magic Book (2009) and Lilly the Witch: The Journey to Mandolan (2011), this new installment finds the young witch and her pet dragon Hector in a new, yuletide adventure as they must save Christmas for all the children of the world...

Lilly's Bewitched Christmas has a mix of John Williams's score for the Harry Potter movies, with a sprinkling of Danny Elfman's music for Edward Scissorhands. This makes it accessible on a first play through. However, this will either be the album's appeal or distraction depending on your point of view.

While some may feel that it "borrows" a little too heavily from other sources, personally I loved the direction the score treads. For the movie it's perfect, a sweet and uplifting collection of themes. And as a stand alone listening experience the music works its charm to deliver a dose of festive magic.

The album contains 15 tracks (41 min, 11 sec) and while there's nothing groundbreaking here, I still enjoyed it as a nostalgic, feel good experience. Who doesn't get a tingle down their spine, and gaze up to the sky, whenever they hear sleigh bells?

7

Darren Rea