In music, a motif (/moʊˈtiːf/ ) or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition. The motif is the smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity.
History
The Encyclopédie de la Pléiade defines a motif as a "melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic cell", whereas the 1958 Encyclopédie Fasquelle maintains that it may contain one or more cells, though it remains the smallest analyzable element or phrase within a subject. It is commonly regarded as the shortest subdivision of a theme or phrase that still maintains its identity as a musical idea. "The smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity".Grove and Larousse also agree that the motif may have harmonic, melodic and/or rhythmic aspects, Grove adding that it "is most often thought of in melodic terms, and it is this aspect of the motif that is connoted by the term 'figure'."
A harmonic motif is a series of chords defined in the abstract, that is, without reference to melody or rhythm. A melodic motif is a melodic formula, established without reference to intervals. A rhythmic motif is the term designating a characteristic rhythmic formula, an abstraction drawn from the rhythmic values of a melody.
A motif thematically associated with a person, place, or idea is called a leitmotif or idée fixe. Occasionally such a motif is a musical cryptogram of the name involved. A head-motif (German: Kopfmotiv) is a musical idea at the opening of a set of movements which serves to unite those movements.
Scruton, however, suggests that a motif is distinguished from a figure in that a motif is foreground while a figure is background: "A figure resembles a moulding in architecture: it is 'open at both ends', so as to be endlessly repeatable. In hearing a phrase as a figure, rather than a motif, we are at the same time placing it in the background, even if it is...strong and melodious".
Any motif may be used to construct complete melodies, themes and pieces. Musical development uses a distinct musical figure that is subsequently altered, repeated, or sequenced throughout a piece or section of a piece of music, guaranteeing its unity.
Examples
Such motivic development has its roots in the keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and the sonata form of Haydn and Mozart's age. Arguably Beethoven achieved the highest elaboration of this technique; the famous "fate motif" —the pattern of three short notes followed by one long one—that opens his Fifth Symphony and reappears throughout the work in surprising and refreshing permutations is a classic example.
Motivic saturation is the "immersion of a musical motif in a composition", i.e., keeping motifs and themes below the surface or playing with their identity, and has been used by composers including Miriam Gideon, as in "Night is my Sister" (1952) and "Fantasy on a Javanese Motif" (1958), and Donald Erb. The use of motifs is discussed in Adolph Weiss' "The Lyceum of Schönberg".
Definitions
Hugo Riemann defines a motif as "the concrete content of a rhythmically basic time-unit."
Anton Webern defines a motif as, "the smallest independent particle in a musical idea", which are recognizable through their repetition.
Arnold Schoenberg defines a motif as, "a unit which contains one or more features of interval and rhythm [whose] presence is maintained in constant use throughout a piece".
Head-motif
Head-motif (German: Kopfmotiv) refers to an opening musical idea of a set of movements which serves to unite those movements. It may also be called a motto, and is a frequent device in cyclic masses.
See also
- Idée fixe (psychology)
- Motif (art)
- Motif (literature)
- Riff
References
Citations
- White 1976, pp. 26–27.
- White 1976, p. 30.
- Drabkin, William (2001). The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians. Vol. 17. Stanley Sadie, John Tyrrell (2nd ed.). New York: Grove. pp. 227–228. ISBN 1-56159-239-0. OCLC 44391762.
- Nattiez, Jean-Jacques (1990). Music and discourse : toward a semiology of music. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-09136-6. OCLC 21524730.
- Both cited in Nattiez, Jean-Jacques (1990). Music and Discourse: Toward a Semiology of Music (Musicologie générale et sémiologue, 1987). Translated by Carolyn Abbate. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691091366/ISBN 0691027145.
- 1957 Encyclopédie Larousse cited in Nattiez, Jean-Jacques (1990). Music and Discourse: Toward a Semiology of Music (Musicologie générale et sémiologue, 1987). Translated by Carolyn Abbate. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691091366/ISBN 0691027145.
- Gorlinski, Virginia (2012). "Idée fixe - music". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- Scruton 1997.
- White 1976, pp. 31–34.
- Hisama, Ellie M. (2001). Gendering musical modernism: the music of Ruth Crawford, Marion Bauer, and Miriam Gideon. Cambridge studies in music theory and analysis. Cambridge New York: Cambridge University press. pp. 146, 152. ISBN 978-0-521-64030-5.
- Jonas, Oswald (1982). Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker (1934: Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers), p. 12. Trans. John Rothgeb. ISBN 0-582-28227-6.
- Webern (1963), pp. 25–26. Cited in Campbell, Edward (2010). Boulez, music and philosophy. Music in the twentieth century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-521-86242-4.
- Neff (1999), p. 59. Cited in Campbell (2010), p. 157.
- Fallows, David (2001). "Head-motif". In Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.
Works cited
In music a motif m oʊ ˈ t iː f or motive is a short musical idea a salient recurring figure musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition The motif is the smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity In Beethoven s Fifth Symphony a four note figure becomes the most important motif of the work extended melodically and harmonically to provide the main theme of the first movement Two note opening motif from Jean Sibelius s Finlandia Motif from Machaut s Mass notable for its length of seven notes Motif from Ravel s String Quartet first movement HistoryThe Encyclopedie de la Pleiade defines a motif as a melodic rhythmic or harmonic cell whereas the 1958 Encyclopedie Fasquelle maintains that it may contain one or more cells though it remains the smallest analyzable element or phrase within a subject It is commonly regarded as the shortest subdivision of a theme or phrase that still maintains its identity as a musical idea The smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity Grove and Larousse also agree that the motif may have harmonic melodic and or rhythmic aspects Grove adding that it is most often thought of in melodic terms and it is this aspect of the motif that is connoted by the term figure A harmonic motif is a series of chords defined in the abstract that is without reference to melody or rhythm A melodic motif is a melodic formula established without reference to intervals A rhythmic motif is the term designating a characteristic rhythmic formula an abstraction drawn from the rhythmic values of a melody A motif thematically associated with a person place or idea is called a leitmotif or idee fixe Occasionally such a motif is a musical cryptogram of the name involved A head motif German Kopfmotiv is a musical idea at the opening of a set of movements which serves to unite those movements Scruton however suggests that a motif is distinguished from a figure in that a motif is foreground while a figure is background A figure resembles a moulding in architecture it is open at both ends so as to be endlessly repeatable In hearing a phrase as a figure rather than a motif we are at the same time placing it in the background even if it is strong and melodious Any motif may be used to construct complete melodies themes and pieces Musical development uses a distinct musical figure that is subsequently altered repeated or sequenced throughout a piece or section of a piece of music guaranteeing its unity ExamplesA phrase originally presented as a motif may become a figure which accompanies another melody as in the second movement of Claude Debussy s String Quartet 1893 White would classify the accompaniment as motivic material since it was derived from an important motive stated earlier Such motivic development has its roots in the keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and the sonata form of Haydn and Mozart s age Arguably Beethoven achieved the highest elaboration of this technique the famous fate motif the pattern of three short notes followed by one long one that opens his Fifth Symphony and reappears throughout the work in surprising and refreshing permutations is a classic example Motivic saturation is the immersion of a musical motif in a composition i e keeping motifs and themes below the surface or playing with their identity and has been used by composers including Miriam Gideon as in Night is my Sister 1952 and Fantasy on a Javanese Motif 1958 and Donald Erb The use of motifs is discussed in Adolph Weiss The Lyceum of Schonberg Definitions Curse motif from film scores associated with villains and ominous situations Hugo Riemann defines a motif as the concrete content of a rhythmically basic time unit Anton Webern defines a motif as the smallest independent particle in a musical idea which are recognizable through their repetition Arnold Schoenberg defines a motif as a unit which contains one or more features of interval and rhythm whose presence is maintained in constant use throughout a piece Head motifHead motif German Kopfmotiv refers to an opening musical idea of a set of movements which serves to unite those movements It may also be called a motto and is a frequent device in cyclic masses See alsoIdee fixe psychology Motif art Motif literature RiffReferencesCitations White 1976 pp 26 27 White 1976 p 30 Drabkin William 2001 The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians Vol 17 Stanley Sadie John Tyrrell 2nd ed New York Grove pp 227 228 ISBN 1 56159 239 0 OCLC 44391762 Nattiez Jean Jacques 1990 Music and discourse toward a semiology of music Princeton N J Princeton University Press ISBN 0 691 09136 6 OCLC 21524730 Both cited in Nattiez Jean Jacques 1990 Music and Discourse Toward a Semiology of Music Musicologie generale et semiologue 1987 Translated by Carolyn Abbate Princeton NJ Princeton University Press ISBN 0691091366 ISBN 0691027145 1957 Encyclopedie Larousse cited in Nattiez Jean Jacques 1990 Music and Discourse Toward a Semiology of Music Musicologie generale et semiologue 1987 Translated by Carolyn Abbate Princeton NJ Princeton University Press ISBN 0691091366 ISBN 0691027145 Gorlinski Virginia 2012 Idee fixe music Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 6 May 2023 Scruton 1997 White 1976 pp 31 34 Hisama Ellie M 2001 Gendering musical modernism the music of Ruth Crawford Marion Bauer and Miriam Gideon Cambridge studies in music theory and analysis Cambridge New York Cambridge University press pp 146 152 ISBN 978 0 521 64030 5 Jonas Oswald 1982 Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker 1934 Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks Eine Einfuhrung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers p 12 Trans John Rothgeb ISBN 0 582 28227 6 Webern 1963 pp 25 26 Cited in Campbell Edward 2010 Boulez music and philosophy Music in the twentieth century Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 157 ISBN 978 0 521 86242 4 Neff 1999 p 59 Cited in Campbell 2010 p 157 Fallows David 2001 Head motif In Sadie Stanley Tyrrell John eds The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed London Macmillan Publishers ISBN 978 1 56159 239 5 Works cited Scruton Roger 1997 The aesthetics of music Oxford Clarendon press ISBN 978 0 19 816638 2 White John David 1976 The analysis of music Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice Hall ISBN 978 0 13 033233 2
