LEITMOTIV, lit'iner-ter (Ger., leading mo tive). A term made popular mainly by Wagner. and applied to the musical phrases which con stitute the basic material out of which lie con structed his musical dramas (q.v.). Previously Weber had used so-called typical phrases (q.v.), the object of which was to recall a similar situation. In the works of his second period (Dutchman, Tannhauser, Lohenarin). Wagner makes extensive use of the typical phrase. The phrase characterizing the Dutchman or Lohen grin's warning phrase are heard repeatedly, but they undergo no organic changes. i.e. they are always literal repetitions, even if the instru mentation is varied. It was in Florence that Wagner first conceived the idea of expressing the chief personages and situations of his dramas by means of typical phrases. Any changes of states of the persons were to be represented by corresponding changes of the fundamental typi cal phrase. The whole music was to be the matically developed from these simple motives, which he thus very happily characterized as leading motives. Whereas; the typical phrase re called only similar situations, the leitmotiv char acterizes, Le. represents, essential qualities of persons, things, and even abstract thoughts. Wagner's genius for musical characterization en abled him to invent pregnant motives. Thus he is enabled to give typical musical representations of individual persons (Siegfried, Handing, Kun dry), whole classes of persons (Mastersingers, giants, forces of nature (storm, fire, forest-sounds), mental states (Brfinnhilde's ec stasy, pleading. Mime's plotting, Kundry's long ing), general emotions (love, sympathy, compas sion). From these latter it is but a step to the representation of symbolism (love-potion, Tarn helmet, Ring). and general abstractions (\Val hall, fate, curse, grail). The leading motives do not occur as mere literal quotations; they under go vital changes. so as to adapt themselves to the
most exacting demands of the dramatic situation. To produce these changes Wagner has recourse to all the technical devices known to musical art: change of harmony, rhythm, melodic intervals, diminution, extension, inversion, contrapuntal combination of two or more themes. Another im portant means to vary the expression or emo tional character of the leitmotiv is the master's marvelous and unerring instinct for instrumental color. As an example the following motive of the young Siegfried may be taken (Ex. I). In Giitterdammerung, when Siegfried has become a mature man. his motive is as follows—a form clearly evolved from the motive in Siegfried (Ex. 2). Compare also the following variations of the Sword-mot ire (Ex. 3). The reader is also re ferred to the 'FalbaHa-motin as it first occurs at the opening of scene two in Rheingold and the form in which it appears in the closing bars of Gotterdiimmerung. Through this employment of the leitmotiv Wagner is enabled to attain perfect dramatic unity. Hence there are no closes or cadences within an act. The leitmotivs make their appearance one after another, are logically developed, run through every net until the cli max is reached at. the end of the drama. The final scene of Giitterdiimmerung, for instance, is absolutely unintelligible, unless the hearer has followed the development of the various motives from the beginning of Rheingold. Thus it is seen how the principle of the leitmotiv gives organic unity not only to a single drama, but even to a whole cycle of dramas. For a full exposition of this subject. consult: Finek, Wagner and His Works (New York, 1898) ; and Wagner, "Ceber die Anwendung der Musik auf das Drama," in Gessamelte Schriften and Dichtungen (10 vole., Leipzig, 1897).