Joseph Trapanese returns with another exceptional hit album for The Witcher Season 3 Part 1’s original score. Like the season, the music is better than before, setting the stage for epic battles, quiet moments, and big revelations. Trapanese’s original scores are often recognizable, but there’s perhaps nothing as gripping as the work he does for The Witcher.
All it takes is the first few notes from “I Importune You” (featuring Percival Schuttenbach) to hit, and listeners know precisely what they’re in for. Those early beats make the show’s opening scenes with Geralt of Rivia feel like a homecoming of sorts. It sparks adrenaline as much as it thrusts us straight toward a winning battle. Still, it’s not just the familiar beats but some of the newer sounds weaving in and out that make this third run its best.
Moreover, the music crafted strictly for The Witcher Season 3 Part 1 finale is what this writer cannot get enough of. The episode alone is a tremendous accomplishment in storytelling, resulting in one of the show’s strongest spectacles, but the music fuels the emotions in an utterly dazzling manner. As it starts with “Alone at Last” to celebrate Geralt and Yennefer’s time together, it pushes hard on the emotions before diving into “All Is Not As It Seems” (featuring Percival Schuttenbach, Nathan Armarkwei Laryea, GLORIA, and Josh Wellerman).
As The Witcher Season 3 Part 1 original score crescendos from “The Melange (A Witcher Tango)” toward “Serious Accusations,” it delivers a thrilling type of climax that’s agonizing and enamoring all at once. These numbers contribute brilliantly to the emotions within the season, making it the most romantic one yet.
Much of the romance comes in “The Melange,” and it sets the stage for whatever could be approaching in Part 2. The heightened emotions intermingling with Geralt and Yennefer trying to find proof for their culprit is so deliciously enticing, proving why they belong together. The melody expertly reiterates to viewers how their movements draw strength and understanding. It makes for a scene as intoxicating as a Regency-era first dance—exciting, intimate, and everything in between.
Joseph Trapanese doesn’t miss with his original scores. In 2023 alone, he brings to our ears the Shadow and Bone Season 2 original score, alongside The Witcher’s, and recently even Skull Island’s. The tracks are distinct enough to catch onto while the episodes air, which isn’t always the case for original scores, making these albums much more memorable in the long run.
Listen to The Witcher Season 3 Part 1’s original score below, and let us know which tracks are your favorites.