Leitmotif facts for kids
A leitmotif (say it: LITE-moh-teef) is a German word. It means "leading idea" or "leading theme." It's a short musical tune or idea that you hear many times in a piece of music. Leitmotifs are often used in operas, which are plays where the story is sung.
This special musical theme is connected to something specific in the story. It could be a person, an object, or even an idea. A leitmotif might be a short melody, a special rhythm, or even just a chord (a group of notes played together).
Sometimes, the word "leitmotif" is used for other things too. In a book, it could be an idea that keeps coming up throughout the story. You can also find leitmotifs in movies or video games. They help make the story more exciting and easier to follow.
Contents
What is a Leitmotif?
A leitmotif is like a musical tag for characters or ideas. When you hear a certain tune, you know who or what it represents. This helps the audience understand the story better.
Leitmotifs in Opera
The idea of leitmotifs is strongly linked to the operas of Richard Wagner. He was a famous German composer. Wagner used leitmotifs to make his stories dramatic and to connect different parts of the music.
- Recognizing characters: A leitmotif might play just before a character walks onto the stage. This way, the audience knows who is coming before they even see the actor!
- Showing change: Sometimes, a leitmotif can change during an opera. This happens if the character it represents changes or grows.
- Adding drama: Leitmotifs can create many exciting effects.
For example, in Wagner's huge opera series called Ring Cycle, there are many leitmotifs.
- One leitmotif is for the chief god, Wotan (a person).
- Another is for the Tarnhelm, which is a magical helmet that makes you invisible (a thing).
- There's even a leitmotif for the idea of "Renunciation of Love."
Leitmotifs in Movies and Games
Leitmotifs are also very popular in movies and video games. They help build the atmosphere and tell the story.
- Jaws theme: A famous example is the music from the movie Jaws. The simple, repeating tune for the shark is a perfect leitmotif. When you hear it, you know the shark is near!
- Star Wars: In Star Wars, different characters like Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker have their own musical themes. These themes are leitmotifs.
History of Leitmotifs
The idea of using a repeated musical theme wasn't totally new in the 19th century. Composers had used similar ideas before.
- Beethoven's Fifth Symphony: For example, the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony are used many times. They act like a leitmotif throughout the whole symphony.
- Carl Maria von Weber: It was Carl Maria von Weber who first used leitmotifs a lot in his operas. A music critic named F. W. Jähns used the word "leitmotif" to describe Weber's music.
- Hector Berlioz: Hector Berlioz wrote a symphony called Symphonie Fantastique. It has a tune he called an idée fixe (say it: ee-DAY feeks). This means "fixed idea." This tune represents the love between two characters in the story.
Wagner's View
Interestingly, Richard Wagner himself didn't actually use the word "leitmotif." He preferred to call these themes "Grundthema" (basic idea) or simply "Motiv" (motive).
Some people, like Eduard Hanslick, didn't like Wagner's music. They thought his use of leitmotifs made the music too simple. Another composer, Claude Debussy, joked that using leitmotifs in operas was like people always using "visiting cards" to introduce themselves and then singing their names.
Other Composers
Many other composers used leitmotifs after Wagner. They used them in similar ways in their own music.
- Richard Strauss used them in his operas.
- Elgar used them in his oratorios (large musical works for choir and orchestra) like The Kingdom and The Apostles.
- Alban Berg used them in his opera Lulu.
Images for kids
-
The leitmotif for Salome in Richard Strauss's opera Salome
See also
In Spanish: Leitmotiv para niños
