capsule lesson: leitmotif - bristol plays music · capsule lesson: leitmotif leitmotif: a melody...
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WallaceandGromit’sFilmMusicUnit
Capsu le Lesson : Le i tmot i f Leitmotif:Amelody(usuallyfairlyshort)thataccompaniesacharacterwhentheyappearonscreen.ThecomposerRichardWagnerpioneeredtheuseofleitmotif(pronouncedlight-moh-teef)inhisoperasinthelate19thcentury,andthetechniqueisstillusedtoday.TheAmericancomposer,JohnWilliamsiswell-knownforhisuseofleitmotifinhissoundtracks,includingthemainmelodiesfrom:StarWars–TheEmpireStrikesBack(DarthVader’sTheme)IndianaJones(TheRaidersMarch)HarryPotter(Hedwig’sTheme)Jaws(JawsTheme)–thedirector,StevenSpielberg,famouslyusedtheJawsleitmotifevenwhenthesharkwasnotonscreentocreateafeelingofmenaceanddread.Successfulleitmotifsshouldsuggestthepersonalityofthecharacteronscreen.TakeWallaceandGromit,forexample-thereisafamousthemesongforthetwoofthemtogether,butwhatmightathemeforeachofthemsoundlike?ChooseeitherWallaceorGromit,andwriteatwobarmelodytorepresentthecharacter.Pitch Yourchoicesofpitchwillplayabigpart
inconveyingthecharactersothinkcarefullybeforechoosingextremelyhighorextremelylowpitches.Amajorkeywillsuggestapositivecharacter,andaminorkeywillgenerallygiveamorecomplicatedfeel!
Rhythm Alively,bouncingrhythmwillsuggestanenergeticcharacter,whileamoreploddingorsteadyrhythmmaysuggesttheopposite
Tempo Whatdoesafasttemposuggestaboutacharacter?Andaveryslowtempo?
Timbre Sometimesthesoundoftheinstrumentmakesallthedifference.Howdoesyourleitmotifsoundonavarietyofinstruments?