Lesson details
Key learning points
- Developing a leitmotif to reflect changes in the story is called motivic transformation.
- Composers do this in many different ways, including extending or combining leitmotifs.
- Reharmonising leitmotifs by changing the harmony but keeping the melody the same is an effective technique.
- Changing features of the leitmotif such as rhythm, dynamics, articulation and tonality is also common.
- Key to motivic transformation is keeping the leitmotif recognisable and matching the mood of the moment in the story.
Keywords
Leitmotif - a musical idea that represents a specific character, place or idea
Motivic transformation - when a motif is changed to represent a change in a story or character
Reharmonisation - when a composer keeps a melody the same but changes the harmony
Common misconception
To create a contrasting version of a leitmotif, you should change lots of features of it.
You must be careful to not change it too much. If you do, it becomes unrecognisable and will just sound like a different leitmotif. A leitmotif represents a character, place, or idea, so we need to be able to recognise it to link it to that thing.
Equipment
DAW, keyboard or other suitable instrument as a composition tool.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is melodic shape?
Q2.An interval is the __________.
Q3.Which word describes a melody that moves by large leaps?
Q4.Which melodic shape could create a sad or depressing feeling?
Q5.Which mood is often created by an ascending melodic shape?
Q6.A melody that keeps returning to the tonic can create a feeling of .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A leitmotif is a musical idea that represents a character, place, or __________
Q2.Motivic is when a leitmotif is developed.
Q3.In films and opera, motivic transformation should __________.
Q4.Which of these is not a method of motivic transformation?
Q5.Match each technique with its description.
changing the harmony while keeping the melody
making the motif longer
blending two motifs together
changing rhythm, tonality, or articulation