Leitmotif

A leitmotif is a motif that becomes associated with something: a character, an object, an idea, an event, a location.¹

Many leitmotifs utilize a dramatic contour for recognizability.

Examples

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Darkness

Here's the leitmotif. It's a leap down of a M3 followed by a leap up of a M7. (Small leap down, large leap up.)

Here's its usage, followed by another usage but transposed:

Here's another usage. This time it's not simply transposed: instead, its contour remains the same but the intervals are slightly different: leap down of P4, leap up of P8.

Another usage, transformed to fit the harmony better. It's a leap down of a m3 followed by leap up of a m6.

Time

Here's the leitmotif: it alternates between these two motifs. In each case, the intervals are solely 2nds and P5s, which is unusual for a melody so it helps it be recognizable.

Others

• "Imperial March" from Star Wars (for Darth Vader)