What is the leitmotif? Lost souls and no hope

The term leitmotif has German roots(Leitmotiv) and is translated as “leading motive.” IN musical creativity it is a distinctive theme or phrase that describes a character in a ballet or opera. The leitmotif characterizes the characteristics of a character or a certain dramatic scene in different episodes of the work. It is repeated several times throughout the action.

Operatic meaning of the word leitmotif

Wikipedia reports that the first author who was able to implement this message inside his works, became Richard Wagner, famous German composer. Thanks to this discovery, his music acquired an all-consuming continuity of action.

The author himself never used the designation “leitmotif”. In 1871, musicologist and teacher from Germany F. Jens began to use this word for the first time. A. G. Wolzogen widely used the term to analyze Wagner's work.

In music, the leitmotif serves not only emotional function, but acts as a formative and unifying category. According to the degree of development of the mastery of opera music, the term began to play more and more significant roles. Its principle was already outlined in the very early work Monteverdi "Orpheus". In Scarlatti and Lully, the leitmotif is revealed in a rudimentary form, and slips through only in minor fragments. IN late XVIII this century musical image takes on great meaning in Mozart's later operas and in the works French composers revolutionary era.

The term is clearly established during the period development musical romanticism and becomes the main means of realizing the idea of a particular opera. In the works there is a clash of two opposing forces and the emergence of contrast to depict dramatic development.

Wagner develops operas based on complete leitmotifs. In his later works this musical image reflects the most important episodes and thoroughly permeates the polyphonic component.

Note! Since the oversaturation of the work with these musical categories could weaken the perception of the whole, in Wagner's time the authors reduced excessive complexity.

Term in choreography

The first beginnings of a leitmotif in ballet music were visible in “Giselle” by A. Adam (1841), and, three decades later, this principle was most successfully introduced in “Coppelia” by L. Delibes and the works of P. I. Tchaikovsky. The genre itself will soon gave rise to a specific problem- choreographic. To do this, ballet uses pas ballote - a very difficult technique to perform, requiring great strength. Choreographic and musical synthesis was successfully created in the works of Soviet authors (Khachaturian, Grigorovich, Prokofiev).

Leitmotif in instrumental music

The motive principle plays one of the roles here. critical roles. This technique originated back in the days of harpsichord playing, and was later significantly exalted by the authors Viennese classicism. For example, in Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique the leitmotif, changing, permeates all five movements. This musical image is stated as portrait characteristic the main character, but sometimes serves the construction, moving away from personification.

Over the two-century history of the leitmotif, the principle characterizes more suitable for playing instruments than for vocal parts, due to harmony and a wider spectrum of action.

What is a leitmotif in a literary context?

Here the word leitmotif means one of the main structural elements text. The principle of static repetition can be found already on the pages ancient epic in Homer. The leitmotif is most important factor, which plays the role of not only a reminder, but also becomes the main component of the work.

French symbolists, including Baudelaire and Mallarmé, made attempts to transfer musical techniques in the field of manuscripts. The authors sought to go beyond the usual rational meaning of words and discover more broad meaning, similar to how a melody does it.

The role of the leitmotif is automatically reduced or increased due to the stage expression of the dramaturgy itself. For a principle to truly become a key factor, it requires repeated repetition and variation in different formations, giving all new colors to one character. Because of this, the leitmotif is filled with associations and acquires a certain semblance of symbolism, which allows it to be isolated from the main presentation. The figurative embodiment of the work’s theme and problematics is ensured thanks to a system of main motives.

Term in a poem

To determine the basis of the work, you should look at one of the most important classifications: love, fate, death, beauty. However, only a specific topic in a poem is not enough; here a synthesis of many problems is more common.

The leitmotif in this type of literature has direct foundation and contains elements of the work. Having identified it, it will easily reveal the prerequisites. The basis of the entire poem is the first bursts, impulses responsible for the initial and subsequent impression. The forms that follow gradually enter awareness. Each phrase in poetic work has its own place, and its impact is predetermined even before reading begins.

German Leitmotiv, lit. - leading motive

Relatively short music. turnover (w.h. melody, sometimes a melody with harmonization, assigned specific instrument etc.; in some cases, dep. harmony or sequence of harmonies, rhythmic. figure, instr. timbre), repeated repeatedly throughout the music. prod. and serving as a designation and characteristic of a certain person, object, phenomenon, emotion or abstract concept (L., expressed by harmony, sometimes called leitharmony, expressed by timbre - leittimbre, etc.). L. is most often used in music theater. genres and software tools. music. He has become one of the most important expressions. funds back in the 1st half. 19th century The term itself came into use a little later. It is usually attributed to him. philologist G. Wolzogen, who wrote about Wagner’s operas (1876); in fact, even before Wolzogen, the term "L." applied by F. W. Jens in his work on K. M. Weber (1871). Despite the inaccuracy and convention of the term, it quickly spread and gained recognition not only in musicology, but also in everyday life, having become a common noun to designate dominant, constantly recurring moments in human activity, surrounding life phenomena, etc.

In music prod. Along with the expressive and semantic function, l. also performs a constructive (thematically unifying, form-building). Similar tasks until the 19th century. usually resolved separately in separate music genres: means of vivid characteristics typical. situations and emotional states were developed in opera of the 17th and 18th centuries, but the end-to-end implementation of a single muses. themes were used in ancient polyphonics. forms (see Cantus firmus). The principle of L. was already outlined in one of the most early operas("Orpheus" by Monteverdi, 1607), however, it was not developed in subsequent operatic works due to crystallization in opera music separate woks. forms conc. plan. Repetitions musical-thematic constructions separated by other thematic. material, were encountered only in isolated cases (certain operas by J. B. Lully, A. Scarlatti). Only at the end. 18th century L.'s technique gradually takes shape in the late operas of W. A. Mozart and in the operas of the French. composers of the era Great French. revolution - A. Grétry, J. Lesuera, E. Megulya, L. Cherubini. True story L. begins during the development of music. romanticism and is primarily associated with it. romantic opera (E. T. A. Hoffmann, K. M. Weber, G. Marschner). At the same time, L. becomes one of the means of implementing the basic. ideological content of the opera. So, the confrontation between the light and dark forces in Weber's opera "Free Shooter" (1821) was reflected in the development of cross-cutting themes and motifs, united in two contrasting groups. R. Wagner, developing Weber's principles, applied a series of lines in the opera The Flying Dutchman (1842); climaxes dramas are marked by the appearance and interaction of the leitmotifs of the Dutchman and Senta, symbolizing at the same time. "curse" and "redemption".

The Dutchman's leitmotif.

Senta's leitmotif.

Wagner's most important achievement was the creation and development of music. dramaturgy, main on the L system. It received its most complete expression in his later music. dramas, especially in the tetralogy “The Ring of the Nibelung”, where the muses are not continuous. images are almost completely absent, and L. not only reflect the key moments of the dramas. actions, but also permeate the entire musical, especially. orchestral, fabric made. They announce the appearance of heroes on stage, “reinforce” verbal mention of them, reveal their feelings and thoughts, and anticipate further events; sometimes polyphonic a connection or sequence of L. reflects the cause-and-effect relationships of events; in pictorial depiction. episodes (the woods of the Rhine, the element of fire, the rustle of the forest) they turn into background figurations. Such a system, however, was fraught with a contradiction: the oversaturation of L.'s music weakened the impact of each of them and complicated the perception of the whole. Modern According to Wagner, composers and his followers avoided the excessive complexity of the L system. At the same time, the dramaturgist. The importance of l. was recognized by most composers of the 19th century, who often came to the use of l. independently of Wagner. In France from the 20-30s. 19th century every new stage in the development of the opera shows a gradual but steady increase in dramaturgy. roles of L. (J. Meyerbeer - C. Gounod - J. Wiese - J. Massenet - C. Debussy). In Italy they are independent. G. Verdi took a position regarding L.: he preferred to express only the center with the help of L. the idea of opera and refused to use the L. system (with the exception of Aida, 1871). Greater value acquired L. in the operas of the verists and G. Puccini. Russia has its own musical-thematic principles. repetitions back in the 30s. developed by M. I. Glinka (opera "Ivan Susanin"). L. came to relatively widespread use in the 2nd half. 19th century P. I. Tchaikovsky, M. P. Mussorgsky, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Some of the latter's operas are noted for their creativity. the implementation of Wagnerian principles (especially Mlada, 1890); at the same time, he introduces a lot of new things into the interpretation of L. - into their formation and development. Russian classics generally reject the extremes of the Wagnerian system.

An attempt to use the principle of linearity in ballet music was already made by A. Adam in “Giselle” (1841), but the system of linearization was used especially fruitfully by L. Delibes in “Coppelia” (1870). L.'s role is also significant in Tchaikovsky's ballets. The specifics of the genre have brought forward another problem of cross-cutting dramaturgy - choreographic. L. In the ballet “Giselle” (ballet by J. Coralli and J. Perrot), a similar function is performed by the so-called. pas ballot. The problem of close interaction between choreographic and musical performances was successfully solved in the Soviet Union. ballet ("Spartacus" by A. I. Khachaturian - L. V. Yakobson, Yu. N. Grigorovich, "Cinderella" by S. S. Prokofiev - K. M. Sergeev, etc.).

In instr. L. music also began to be widely used in the 19th century. The influence of music. t-ra played an important role in this, but will not exclude it. role. Technique for carrying out the whole play by k.-l. A characteristic motif was developed by the French. 18th century harpsichordists ("Cuckoo" by K. Daken and others) and was raised to a higher level by the Viennese classics (1st movement of Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony). Developing these traditions in relation to more focused and clearly expressed ideological concepts, L. Beethoven came close to the principle of L. (Appassionata sonata, part 1, Egmont overture, and especially the 5th symphony).

Of fundamental importance for the establishment of L. in the program symphony was G. Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique (1830), in which a melodious melody runs through all 5 parts, sometimes changing, designated in the author’s program as the “beloved theme”:

L., used in a similar way in the symphony “Harold in Italy” (1834) by Berlioz, is supplemented by the timbre characteristics of the hero (solo viola). As a conventional “portrait” of the main character, L. firmly established himself in the symphony. prod. program-plot type ("Tamara" by Balakirev, "Manfred" by Tchaikovsky, "Till Eulenspiegel" by R. Strauss, etc.). In the suite “Scheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov (1888), the formidable Shahriar and the gentle Sheherazade are depicted through contrasting colors, but in a number of cases, as the composer himself points out, these thematic themes. elements serve purely constructive purposes, losing their “personalized” character.

Shahriar's leitmotif.

Leitmotif of Scheherazade.

Main part of Part I (“Sea”).

Side game of Part I.

Anti-Wagnerian and anti-romanticism, which intensified after the First World War of 1914-18. trends have noticeably reduced the fundamental dramaturgy. the role of L. At the same time, he retained the importance of one of the means of cross-cutting music. development. Examples include many outstanding production decomposition genres: the operas “Wozzeck” by Berg and “War and Peace” by Prokofiev, the oratorio “Joan of Arc at the stake” by Honegger, the ballets “Petrushka” by Stravinsky, “Romeo and Juliet” by Prokofiev, Shostakovich’s 11th symphony, etc.

The wealth of experience accumulated in the field of application of lasers over almost two centuries allows us to characterize its most important features. L. is predominant. instr. means, although it can also sound in a wok. parts of operas and oratorios. In the latter case, L. is only a wok. melody, whereas in instr. (orchestral) form, the degree of its concreteness and figurative specificity increases due to harmony, polyphony, wider register and dynamic. range, as well as specific. instr. timbre. Orc. L., complementing and explaining what is said in words or not expressed at all, becomes especially effective. This is the appearance of L. Siegfried in the finale of "Valkyrie" (when the hero has not yet been born and is not named) or the sound of L. Ivan the Terrible in that scene of the opera "Pskovian Woman", where we are talking about Olga's unknown father. The significance of such L. in depicting the psychology of the hero is very great, for example. in the 4th scene of the opera" Queen of Spades", where L. Countess, interrupted by pauses,

reflects at the same time. Herman's desire to immediately learn the fatal secret and his hesitation.

For the sake of the necessary correspondence between music and action, L. is often carried out in conditions of a completely clear stage scenario. situations. A reasonable combination of through and non-through images contributes to a more prominent selection of L.

The functions of L., in principle, can be performed by various. elements of music language, taken separately (leithharmonies, leittimbres, leittonality, leithrhythms), but their interaction is most typical with the dominance of melodic. beginning (cross-cutting theme, phrase, motive). Relates. brevity - natural. condition for convenient involvement of L. in general music. development. There are often cases when a poem, expressed initially as a complete theme, is later divided into sections. elements that independently perform the functions of a cross-cutting characteristic (this is typical of Wagner’s leitmotif technique); similar fragmentation of L. is found in instruments. music - in symphonies, in which the main theme of the 1st movement, in a shortened form, plays the role of L. in further parts of the cycle (Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique and Dvorak's 9th Symphony). There is also a reverse process, when a bright cross-cutting theme is gradually formed from the department. precursor elements (typical of the methods of Verdi and Rimsky-Korsakov). As a rule, L. requires particularly concentrated expressiveness and sharpened characterization, which ensures easy recognition throughout the production. The last condition limits the modifications of lighting, as opposed to monothematic techniques. transformations in F. Liszt and his followers.

To the music theater prod. Each L., as a rule, is introduced at the moment when its meaning immediately becomes clear thanks to the corresponding text of the wok. parties, the characteristics of the situation and the behavior of the characters. In the symphony music, the explanation of the meaning of L. is served by the author’s program or department. author's instructions regarding the main plan. The lack of visual and verbal guidelines during the development of music greatly limits the use of the L system here.

L.'s brevity and vivid character usually determine its special position in tradition. music forms where it rarely plays the role of one of the indispensable components of the form (the refrain of the rondo, the main themes of the sonata Allegro), but more often it unexpectedly invades the various. its sections. At the same time, in free compositions, recitative scenes and large productions. theater. plan, taken as a whole, L. can play an important formative role, providing them with musical thematic. unity.

Literature: Rimsky-Korsakov N.A., "The Snow Maiden" - a spring fairy tale (1905), "RMG", 1908, No. 39/40; by him, Wagner and Dargomyzhsky (1892), in his book: Musical articles and notes, 1869-1907, St. Petersburg, 1911 ( full text both articles, Complete. collection soch., vol. 2 and 4, M., 1960-63); Asafiev B.V., Musical form as a process, M., 1930, (together with book 2), L., 1963; Druskin M. S., Questions of musical dramaturgy of opera, Leningrad, 1952; Yarustovsky B. M., Dramaturgy of Russian opera classics, M., 1952, 1953; Sokolov O., Leitmotifs of the opera "Pskovian Woman", in: Proceedings of the Department of Music Theory Moscow. conservatory, vol. 1, M., 1960; Protopopov Vl., “Ivan Susanin” Glinka, M., 1961, p. 242-83; Bogdanov-Berezovsky V.M., Articles about ballet, L., 1962, p. 48, 73-74; Wagner R., Oper und Drama, Lpz., 1852; the same, Sämtliche Schriften und Dichtung (Volksausgabe), Bd 3-4, Lpz., (o. j.) (Russian translation - Opera and Drama, M., 1906); his, Eine Mitteilung an meine Freunde (1851), ibid., Bd 4, Lpz., (o. j.); his, ьber die Anwendung der Musik auf das Drama, in the same place, Bd 10, Lpz., (o. j.) (in Russian translation - On the application of music to drama, in his collection: Selected articles, M., 1935 ); Federlein G., Ber "Rheingold" von R. Wagner. Versuch einer musikalischen Interpretation, "Musikalisches Wochenblatt", 1871, (Bd) 2; Jähns Fr. W., S. M. Weber in seinen Werken, V., 1871; Wolzogen H. von, Motive in R. Wagners "Siegfried", "Musikalisches Wochenblatt", 1876, (Bd) 7; same, Thematischer Leitfaden durch die Musik zu R. Wagners Festspiel "Der Ring der Nibelungen", Lpz., 1876; his, Motive in Wagners "Götterdämmerung", "Musikalisches Wochenblatt", 1877-1879, (Bd) 8-10; Haraszti E., Le probleme du Leitmotiv, "RM", 1923, (v.) 4; Abraham G., The Leitmotiv since Wagner, "ML", 1925, (v.) 6; Bernet-Kempers K. Th., Herinneringsmotieven leitmotieven, grondthemas, Amst. - P., 1929; Wörner K., Beiträge zur Geschichte des Leitmotivs in der Oper, "ZfMw", 1931, Jahrg. 14, H. 3; Engländer R., Zur Geschichte des Leitmotivs, "ZfMw", 1932, Jahrg. 14, H. 7; Matter J., La fonction psychologique du leitmotiv wagnerien, "SMz", 1961, (Jahrg.) 101; Mainka J., Sonatenform, Leitmotiv und Charakterbegleitung, "Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft", 1963, Jahrg. 5, H. 1.

G. V. Krauklis

Leitmotif

LEITMOTIVA (German: Leitmotiv - “leading motive”) is a term introduced into music theory by Richard Wagner (q.v.) and sometimes used in literary criticism, mainly by representatives of the psychological and formal schools. The meaning of the term “leitmotif” in literary criticism is extremely vague and uncertain. The term "L." is used, firstly, to designate the dominant (see), a work or even the creativity of the writer as a whole: in this meaning one can say, for example: “The idea of the unjustified and irredeemable evil of the world order runs through the entire work of A. de Vigny”; or: “Pessimistic and the one who is worse wins, becomes L. of all Romanzero Heine.” The term "L." used, secondly, to designate a group of thematic elements or expressive means, permanent, “canonical” for certain genre and style; in this meaning it says, for example. about a kidnapping, an attack by sea robbers, the separation of lovers, their wanderings and final union, the loss of children and their recognition by their parents as the L. of a Greek novel or about a gloomy, dull landscape - a cemetery, ruins, a fire - as one of the L. of English “cemetery poetry” XVIII V. Finally, the term "L." denotes that complex of thematic and expressive means that is constantly repeated throughout a given artistic whole - literary work; in this usage the term "L." is approaching its original musical significance. So, German romantics in their search syncretic art willingly introduced into prose work a number of lyrical poems that are not thematically related to it, but form the emotional poem of the entire work (lyric insertion by Eichendorff and others). The rhetorical pathos of Hugo’s novels is reflected in the introduction and choice of symbolic L., in the clarity of its ideological significance often approaching allegory (L. towers and guillotines in “93”). In a realistic novel XIX V. meets the so-called portrait L. (cf. L. in Dickens and L. Tolstoy), thanks to which the corresponding details become integral parts of the image (the upturned sponge of Princess Bolkonskaya with a mustache, the radiant eyes and heavy feet of Princess Marya, the iron hook and the hard waxed hat of Captain Kuttle , Mr. Carker's bared teeth, etc.).
As is clear from the examples given, which can be multiplied endlessly, the main disadvantage of the concept “L.” as a literary category - in addition to its vagueness and uncertainty - is its metaphysics; introduction of the concept "L." presupposes an essentially idealistic and formalistic concept of a literary work as a self-sufficient structure, subject to description in its parts by methods and terms borrowed from other areas of art (the principle of mutual illumination of the arts, separating art from its social base). For Marxist literary criticism, which studies specific historical class art in all the diversity of its aspects, contradictions, and leading trends, the category of leitmotif as a formalist category is unsuitable, and the term “leitmotif” can only be used in the sense symbol leading trend, etc. (see Motive).

Literary encyclopedia. - At 11 t.; M.: Publishing House of the Communist Academy, Soviet encyclopedia, Fiction. Edited by V. M. Fritsche, A. V. Lunacharsky. 1929-1939 .

Leitmotif

(German Leitmotiv - leading motive), a semantic motive regularly reproduced in a separate work, in a cycle of works or in the author’s work. A recurring element of the structure of a work can be represented by a verbal detail (“Nice…” in Turkin’s speech from the story by A.P. Chekhov“Ionych”), portrait (“golden” details in the portraits of rich characters in “The Gentleman from San Francisco” by I.A. Bunina) or landscape (azure sky and clouds in the lyrics of M. Yu. Lermontov). The leitmotif in various works of one author can be a plot twist that is standard for him (rendezvous and duels in the prose of I.S. Turgenev), the special point of view of the narrator in its “spatial” expression (“supramundane” angle of view lyrical hero in some poems by V.V. Mayakovsky), a typical plot function of the character (“demonic” figures in the novels and stories of M.A. Bulgakov). Any semantic motive can undergo changes in cases where it is reproduced by the author in combination with new motives.

Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. Gorkina A.P. 2006 .

Synonyms:

See what “Leitmotif” is in other dictionaries:

Leitmotif... Spelling dictionary-reference book

- (German). 1) music A guiding motive in an orchestra, in an opera, serving to characterize famous person or mood and constantly accompanying it. 2) guiding thought. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

leitmotif- Leitmotif, this is borrowed from German language(leitmotiv) word means (in figuratively) the main idea of the work, an idea that the author repeatedly repeats and emphasizes. Let us also emphasize: the leitmotif is the main idea! But… … Dictionary of Russian language errors

LEITMOTIVA, leitmotif, husband. (German Leitmotiv, lit. guiding motive) (book). 1. Harmonic or melodic turn, a constant sound image (mainly in opera), used. composer to characterize some hero or some... ... Dictionary Ushakova

Idea, thought, theme, motive, main motive Dictionary of Russian synonyms. leitmotif main motive Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova. 2011… Dictionary of synonyms

- (German leitmotiv lit. leading motive), a musical phrase repeated in piece of music as a characteristic or symbol of a character, object, phenomenon, idea, emotion. Used with con. 18th century in opera, from the 19th century. in ballet... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

LEITMOTHIO, ah, husband. 1. The main motif repeated in a piece of music. 2. transfer Repeated in what n. the main idea of the work. 3. transfer The main idea is what goes through what n. red thread. L. presentation of the report. |… … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Leitmotif- (German Leitmotiv, literally leading motive), a musical phrase repeated in a musical work as a characteristic or symbol of a character, object, phenomenon, idea, emotion. Used since the end of the 18th century. at the opera, from 19 to ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

leitmotif- a, m. 1) A musical turn, the main motive, repeated in a musical work as a characteristic or symbol of a character, object, phenomenon, idea, emotion. Leitmotif of the opera. 2) transfer The main point, repeatedly... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language

- (German Leitmotiv, lit. leading motive) relatively short music. revolution (basic melody, sometimes a melody with harmonization, assigned to a specific instrument, etc.; in some cases, a separate harmony or a sequence of harmonies, rhythmic... ... Music Encyclopedia

Books

The story of Catherine II. Part one (The path to the throne). Part two (Internal turmoil), Alexander Gustavovich Brickner. Leitmotif historical works Professor of the University of Dorpat A. Brickner the process of Europeanization of Russia, the penetration of Western European concepts and interests into it. This approach is...

Richard Wagner himself never used such a designation as leitmotif. The term was coined in 1871 by the German musicologist and vocal teacher Friedrich Wilhelm Jens in relation to Weber's operas. It was widely used by Hans von Wolzogen (German) Russian , who applied it in all works related to Wagner's work.

In literature

Term leitmotif, borrowed from music, is also used in literary criticism and can denote the prevailing mood, main topic, the main ideological and emotional tone of a literary and artistic work, the writer’s creativity, literary direction; specific image or phrase artistic speech, persistently repeated in a work as a constant characteristic of a hero, experience or situation (for example, the leitmotif in A.P. Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” becomes the distant sound of a broken string), a repeatedly mentioned individual detail or word that serves as a key to revealing the writer’s intention (“ Noise, noise, obedient sail” - in the poem “The daylight has gone out...”, “I... a tradesman” - in the poem “My Pedigree” by A. S. Pushkin). In the process of repetition or variation, the leitmotif evokes certain associations, acquiring special ideological, symbolic and psychological depths. In poetry, along with figurative ones, sound, rhythmic and intonation leitmotifs stand out. Here it denotes both the dominant theme of a work or the writer’s creativity as a whole, and a set of groups of thematic elements or expressive means that are constant, “canonical” for a certain genre and style. Also, a leitmotif sometimes means a complex of thematic and expressive means that is constantly repeated throughout a given artistic whole - a literary work; in this usage the concept of leitmotif approaches its original musical meaning.

Notes

Opera terms

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Synonyms:

See what “Leitmotif” is in other dictionaries:

Leitmotif... Spelling dictionary-reference book

- (German Leitmotiv “leading motive”) a term introduced into music theory by Richard Wagner (q.v.) and sometimes used in literary criticism, mainly by representatives of the psychological and formal schools. The meaning of the term “leitmotif” in... ... Literary encyclopedia

- (German). 1) music A guiding motive in an orchestra, in an opera, serving to characterize a famous person or mood and constantly accompanying it. 2) guiding thought. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

leitmotif- Leitmotif, this word borrowed from the German language (leitmotiv) means (in a figurative sense) the main idea of the work, an idea that the author repeatedly repeats and emphasizes. Let us also emphasize: the leitmotif is the main idea! But… … Dictionary of Russian language errors

- (German leitmotiv lit. leading motive), a musical phrase repeated in a musical work as a characteristic or symbol of a character, object, phenomenon, idea, emotion. Used with con. 18th century in opera, from the 19th century. in ballet... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

The story of Catherine II. Part one (The path to the throne). Part two (Internal turmoil), Alexander Gustavovich Brickner. The leitmotif of the historical works of Dorpat University professor A. Brickner is the process of Europeanization of Russia, the penetration of Western European concepts and interests into it. This approach is...