Exploring Creating Musical Characters Leitmotifs: AND Using

RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES
RICHARD WAGNER
EXPLORING AND CREATING

MUSICAL CHARACTERS USING
LEITMOTIFS
WRITTEN BY RICHARD MAINWARING
Learning outcomes
Students should be able to:

 Understand the concept of a leitmotif
 Compose and perform contrasting (good vs evil) leitmotifs
 Arrange leitmotifs to vary emotional effect
 Perform their compositions
Curriculum checklist
The following aspects of the KS3 and 3rd Level music curriculum (for England, Scotland,
Wales and N. Ireland) are encountered in this project:
☒ Listen and evaluate/appraise

☒ Performing/playing/rehearsing and reviewing
☒ Composing/improvising
☐ Singing
☐ Technology (optional)
☒ How music is created (i.e. pitch, tempo, timbre etc.)
☒ Notation (staff or other relevant notations)
☒ Identifying musical devices and concepts
☒ Aural skills (imitating, understanding pitch)
Required kit/space
This project can work with or without music technology resources. However, if available,
digital audio workstations (DAW) would be of great use for recording and editing work.
Kit required if using technology:

 DAW (with headphones and splitters for paired working)
 Microphones to record voices
Kit required if non-technology based:

 Melodic instruments
In both instances, playback and speakers are required to play audio examples plus a
recording of John Williams’ Star Wars sound track.
Time needed
This project can be developed over a few lessons, although elements of it can be
separated and completed within one lesson.
1
EXPLORING AND CREATING MUSICAL CHARACTERS USING LEITMOTIFS
“If Wagner had lived in this century, he would have been the No.1 film composer.”
Max Steiner, film composer (King Kong and Gone with the Wind)
Listen and discuss
As a starting point, students should listen to Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and watch the clip from the Ten Pieces
film featuring Christopher Eccleston (.mp3 included in the Leitmotifs zip and film clip available at
bbc.co.uk/tenpieces).
Explain to students that a leitmotif is a short, recurring phrase associated with a person, place, emotion or idea (or
ask them to research the device themselves). It’s a musical device that’s commonly used in film music, and before
films existed, was invented for use in operas, particularly by Richard Wagner. John Williams in particular was
influenced by Wagner took inspiration from his operas.
Useful leitmotif comparisons from John Williams’ Star Wars music are:
– Luke’s theme
– Darth Vader’s theme
– Jedi theme
– Leia’s theme
Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, we cannot reproduce Williams’ notated themes but it would be
advantageous for students to listen to or learn to play some or all of these themes to enable them to compare with
Wagner’s theme which is reproduced below and in the hand-out.
Play Wagner’s leitmotif
Using melodic instruments, students should rehearse and perform Wagner’s Ride leitmotifs.
The following notated example is provided as an A4 hand-out and can be distributed to students, if using keyboards
or similar percussion instruments.
Discuss and compare
In groups or as a class, encourage pupils to discuss and compare both the Williams and Wagner leitmotifs. They
should be encouraged to consider the differences between the good and evil leitmotifs:
Melody - does it move by leaps or steps?

Rhythm – long and strong or short and nervous?
Instrumentation – bold brass, light woodwind?
2
EXPLORING AND CREATING MUSICAL CHARACTERS USING LEITMOTIFS
Compose and perform two contrasting leitmotifs
Using only the notes of 2 or 3 chosen triads encourage students to compose two melodies; one to represent ‘good’
and one to represent ‘evil’. Suggest major triads for ‘good’ characters and minor triads for ‘evil’.
As an alternative, students could create one of their motifs using a conjunct melodic line rather than triads.
Once students have two contrasting leitmotifs, they should perform them to the class, possibly asking the class to
guess which of their motifs represents good and which represents evils.
Compose and perform a new setting for both ‘good’ and ‘evil’ leitmotifs
Using the following musical devices, ask students to arrange their leitmotifs for an alternative emotional setting:
MUSICAL DEVICE POSSIBLE CHANGES

Tempo Speed up/slow down from the original
Instrumentation Choose a different instrument/sound for the melody
Dynamics Louder/softer/crescendo/diminuendo
Articulation Make the melody more staccato or more legato
Harmony Find other triads that fit with the melody
Combine leitmotifs into a ‘suite’
Students should now have 4 different leitmotifs which can be structured into a more extended ‘suite’ (probably
around 16 bars long). Ask students to combine their motifs into a piece without breaks. A possible structure could
be:
good – evil – alternative good – alternative evil
Once students have had the chance to rehearse their ‘suites’ there should be the opportunity for them to perform
either solo or in groups, to the rest of the groups.
Key vocabulary
Leitmotif A recurring musical theme used to represent a person, a place or an idea.

Triad A 3-note chord with a ‘root’ and the 3rd and 5th note about above it.
Instrumentation The combination of instruments used in a composition.
Articulation How notes should be played for example; smoothly (legato), short and sharp (staccato)
Applying the approach to other pieces
In this approach students have created music to represent good and evil but by using different music as inspiration,
students could be encouraged to create music to represent other objects and ideas. Here are a few suggestions:
Trains – Arthur Honegger Pacific 231

Weather – Britten Storm Interlude,
Seasons - Gershwin Summertime, Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Animals – Aaron Copland The Cat and The Mouse

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RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES

EXPLORING AND CREATING

Students should be able to:

☒ Listen and evaluate/appraise

Kit required if using technology:

Kit required if non-technology based:

Listen and discuss

Play Wagner’s leitmotif

Discuss and compare

Melody - does it move by leaps or steps?

Compose and perform two contrasting leitmotifs

MUSICAL DEVICE POSSIBLE CHANGES

Combine leitmotifs into a ‘suite’

good – evil – alternative good – alternative evil

Leitmotif A recurring musical theme used to represent a person, a place or an idea.

Applying the approach to other pieces

Trains – Arthur Honegger Pacific 231

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