Publication

2015-05-14 - Cambridge University Press

Language

English

Word Count

89,000 words, Guess

Page Count

356 pages

Physical Format

Hardcover

Identifiers

  • ISBN-101107098394
  • ISBN-139781107098398
  • Library of Congress Control Number2014043069
  • OCLC Control Number894491924
  • Better World Books9781107098398
and 1 more

Classifications

  • LCCML1700 .B796 2015

Description

The musical leitmotif, having reached a point of particular forcefulness in the music of Richard Wagner, has remained a popular compositional device up to the present day. In this book, Matthew Bribitzer-Stull explores the background and development of the leitmotif, from Wagner to the Hollywood adaptations of The Lord of The Rings and the Harry Potter series. Analyzing both concert music and film music, Bribitzer-Stull explains what the leitmotif is and establishes it as the union of two aspects: the thematic and the associative. He goes on to show that Wagner's Ring cycle provides a leitmotivic paradigm, a model from which we can learn to better understand the leitmotif across style periods. Arguing for a renewed interest in the artistic merit of the leitmotif, Bribitzer-Stull reveals how uniting meaning, memory, and emotion in music can lead to a richer listening experience and a better understanding of dramatic music's enduring appeal.

Description

The musical leitmotif, having reached a point of particular forcefulness in the music of Richard Wagner, has remained a popular compositional device up to the present day. In this book, the author explores the background and development of the leitmotif, from Wagner to the Hollywood adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series. Analyzing both concert music and film music, he explains what the leitmotif is and establishes it as the union of two aspects: the thematic and the associative. He goes on to show that Wagner's Ring cycle provides a leitmotivic paradigm, a model from which we can learn to better understand the leitmotif across style periods. Arguing for a renewed interest in the artistic merit of the leitmotif, the author reveals how uniting meaning, memory, and emotion in music can lead to a richer listening experience and a better understanding of dramatic music's enduring appeal.--

Subjects

Other Editions

  • Understanding the LeitmotifHardcoverCambridge University Press2015-05-14

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