Leitmotif
A leitmotif is a recurring musical theme associated with specific characters, places, events, or ideas within a work. Originating from the German term "leitmotiv," meaning "leading motif," this technique gained popularity in opera before spreading to musical theater, films, television, and video games. The use of leitmotifs allows composers to convey a character's emotional state or thematic development through variations of the original theme, altering its tempo or dynamics to reflect different situations. This concept was notably advanced by composer Richard Wagner in the 19th century, particularly in his opera cycle "Der Ring des Nibelungen." His innovative approach influenced many later composers, including those in early film, where live music accompanied silent movies and later evolved into dedicated film scores. Notable examples of modern composers who effectively use leitmotifs include John Williams and Danny Elfman, who have integrated this technique into iconic films and animated features. Beyond film, leitmotifs have also found a place in television and video games, enhancing storytelling and emotional engagement across various media.
On this Page
Leitmotif
A leitmotif is a piece of music that repeats throughout a work, and it is often associated with a particular person, entity, place, event, or idea. It comes from the German term leitmotiv, which translates to "leading motif." Leitmotifs were commonly used in opera before they were used in musical stage plays, films, television shows, and video games.
The exact use of leitmotifs can vary, depending on the work. They are often altered or modified when they are played at different times over the course of a work. For instance, if a character is experiencing tragedy, the leitmotif associated with him or her may be played softer and more slowly. Two characters meeting may result in a combination of their leitmotifs. It is important that the piece is recognizable each time, with the alterations reflecting different circumstances.
History
The earliest known leitmotifs came from seventeenth-century opera and orchestral music. Richard Wagner was a composer essential to the development of leitmotif. Wagner began composing opera in the mid-1800s. In 1851, he wrote an essay titled "Opera and Drama," which discussed how music could be used to tie a story together. His most influential work was Der Ring Des Nibelungen, often called Wagner's Ring in English. This is a collection of four operas surrounding a ring with magical powers. Wagner used many recurring pieces associated with the operas' many characters, settings, and themes. Many of these pieces were included in all four operas.
The technique was recognized by other musicians of his time. However, Wagner did not use the term leitmotif himself. That was made popular by other musicians influenced by his work. In 1877, Hans von Wolzogen completed the task of identifying each of the hundreds of pieces present throughout the Ring cycle, calling them leitmotifs and writing a guide to allow others to see the thematic connections throughout the operas. However, he did not have approval from Wagner to do this, and Wagner disputed some of his claims. This created controversy, as it became increasingly common for venues and musical theorists to try to break down works into their separate pieces, naming each one individually. Other musicians and critics were opposed to the idea, believing that an opera should be approached as a single work that takes on different forms.
Related to the leitmotif, Wagner often experimented with the idea of matching up movements and actions on stage to the music being played. This drew a mixed response from critics, with some saying that it helped tie the whole performance together, while others believed it was too literal and unnatural. The technique was influential though, and it remained in use long after Wagner's death.
Wagner's work had a strong influence on the composers that followed him, and leitmotifs became more common in early twentieth-century operas and symphonies. Some composers that employed them include Claude Debussy, Richard Strauss, and Rutland Boughton.
Impact
Opera and theater plays had a strong influence on early movies. Silent films were frequently accompanied by live music, often provided by classically trained musicians. As technology advanced and movies gained the ability to record and play sound along with visuals, filmmakers began seeking out composers to develop dedicated film scores. The earliest film composers typically came from orchestral or opera backgrounds, and many of their scores carried that influence. This was not only true of Hollywood—many German films of the early twentieth century used leitmotifs.
Director Fritz Lang was well-known for using leitmotifs and establishing them as an effective element of film. His 1931 film, M, featured a memorable form of leitmotif. The serial killer in the film frequently whistles a tune. The film's score also uses the tune to alert audiences of the killer's presence.
Around the same time, animated short films that used music were becoming more common. These included Disney's Silly Symphonies, Max Fleischer's shorts featuring Popeye and Betty Boop, and Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. In addition to leitmotifs, these cartoons frequently used Wagner's technique of syncing action to music. Since animators could manipulate everything on screen, including the scenery, the technique became more well known in cartoons than in live-action films. It gained the nickname "Mickey Mousing," in reference to Disney's mascot.
Composer Max Steiner rose to prominence in the 1930s. Wagner had inspired his musical career, and he was open about Wagner's influence on film. Steiner demonstrated that leitmotifs could be applied to a range of subjects, as he used them prominently in the monster film King Kong (1933) as well as the historical romance Gone with the Wind (1939).
By the late 1930s, animation studios were producing feature-length animated movies. While the short films were often too brief to use recurring pieces effectively, leitmotifs quickly became a common part of animated movies. Because the music and animation could be synced up precisely, leitmotifs were very effective. Disney's 1940 film Fantasia was built entirely upon the idea of music and animation working together to convey themes and draw emotions from the audience. It consists of several animated shorts set to classical music, telling a wide range of stories instead of the usual comedies seen in Silly Symphonies.
As the film industry continued to grow, some films led to sequels and entire series. These series employed leitmotifs to connect characters and ideas across multiple movies. Early examples of this can be found in 1960s films, such as the early entries in the James Bond or Godzilla movies.
Later in the twentieth century, leitmotifs became more common and more recognizable to audiences. Composer John Williams is one of the most well-known composers of this period to use leitmotifs, producing memorable pieces for films such as Jaws (1975), the Star Wars series (1977–), the Indiana Jones series (1981–2008), Superman (1978), Jurassic Park (1993), and the Harry Potter series (2001–2011). Others include Danny Elfman (Batman in 1989 and Spider-Man in 2002) and Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings series from 2001 to 2003).
Other media adopted movies' use of leitmotifs. They have been present since the earliest days of television, but a wider range of shows began using them in the late twentieth century as studios' budgets and resources increased. The younger medium of video games began using them even when their capacity to produce music was fairly limited.
Bibliography
Audissino, Emilio. "How One Man Changed the Landscape of Film Music." Conversation, 25 July 2014, theconversation.com/how-one-man-changed-the-landscape-of-film-music-29191. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.
Bribitzer-Stull, Matthew. Understanding the Leitmotif. Cambridge UP, 2015.
Burlingame, Jon. "Underscoring Richard Wagner." Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2010, articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/17/entertainment/la-et-wagner-movies-20100617. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.
Chihara, Paul. "From Scene to Shining Screen: A Short History of Film Music." American Composers Orchestra, www.americancomposers.org/hollywood‗chihara‗article.htm. Accessed 3 Feb. 2018.
Cote, Paul. "Max Steiner." IFMCA, filmmusiccritics.org/ifmca-legends/max-steiner/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.
"Film Music." BBC Bitesize, www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/popular‗music/film‗music1.shtml. Accessed 3 Feb. 2018.
Gabler, Jay. "'The Sorcerer's Apprentice': The Genesis of 'Fantasia.'" Classical MPR, 10 Nov. 2013, www.classicalmpr.org/story/2015/07/15/fantasia-sorcerers-apprentice. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.
"Richard Wagner (1813–1883)." Wagner Operas, www.wagneroperas.com/indexwagnerbioportal.html. Accessed 3 Feb. 2018.
Ross, Alex. "A Field Guide to the Musical Leitmotifs of 'Star Wars.'" New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2018, www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-field-guide-to-the-musical-leitmotifs-of-star-wars. Accessed 6 Feb. 2018.
Vass, Lachlan. "The Role of Music in Videogames." Artifice, 10 Nov. 2013, the-artifice.com/the-role-of-music-in-videogames/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.