Leitmotif (music)
A leitmotif is a motif that becomes associated with something: a character, an object, an idea, an event, a location.
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)