# Leitmotivs of you life



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Just to remind those who don't remember:



> A leitmotif (pronounced /ˌlaɪtmoʊˈtiːf/), sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term (though occasionally used in theatre or literature), referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe. The term itself comes from the German Leitmotiv, literally meaning "leading motif", or, perhaps more accurately, "guiding motif."


Now, what do I mean by "leitmotivs of you life"? In musical works leitmotive's role can often differ, but it can be brought to general, and enough for this thread, definition: motive which appear in particular circumstances ralated to particular idea. And leitmotive of you life is something that appear not in musical work but in your own mind when you are dealing with idea. Or place. Or person. Or virtually anything.

So, do you sometimes happen to adopt music as "your" leitmotives? A certain pieces of music that naturally come to you when you are in some situation, when experience particular feelings, with no connection with the music per se?

Here are some of mine:

Theme from Beethoven's 14th String Quartet, opening of last movement: leitmotive of struggle, it rings in my head (performed by Aramis Brain String Quartet, good ensamble) when I know I shoud but I don't want, but I do.

Very ending of Mahler 5th, NOT including the chorale: leitmotive of sudden inspiration, bliss and awe.

Theme from 1st movement of Chopin 2nd sonata: leitmotive of bitter anger. It's both inside and outside because I use to play it myself when it comes to me.

Chorale from last movement of symphony by Karłowicz: leitmotive of thinking of goals

Siegmund's song from last scene of first act of Die Walkure: leitmotive of passionate longing and burning desire, Jon Vickers managed to get to my brain somehow and he performs it inside of it when these feelings are tearing me apart.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN, JOHN.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Finished. 


gloogopoklo +10char


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## Boccherini (Mar 29, 2010)

My leit-motif while encountering threads like this one is suspiciously pondering. The motif is taken from Cage.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Boccherini said:


> My leit-motif while encountering threads like this one is suspiciously pondering. The motif is taken from Cage.


So, you still have one? Get rid of it, they have too much to do with creations of Wagner which you hate, he's taking control over you by implying leitmotives into your mind. Ai-wai!


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Aramis said:


> ... certain pieces of music that naturally come to you when you are in *some situation *...


Yes, I do. When I suffer from irritable bowel syndrome leading to diarrhea, the pieces of music that naturally come to me are often those composed by Stockhausen, for example, _Gesang der Jünglinge _ (1955 - 1956) often comes to my mind. The screaming voices in this piece remind me of pain and the bubble sound effects remind me of water.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I have some in particular...

The 2 movement from Brahms Second Symphony. I've been followed by the main melody of that movement for a long time, it magically pops up on the radio when I happen to be listening to it. I once heard it 3 times in 2 days. What it means, I don't know. Maybe... love?

Also, the ending of Prokofiev's Cinderella. That's personally the theme of my whole life, because my life is a fairytale.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

I think it's a teenager thing.

Mine was "Trampled Under Foot" by Led Zeppelin or something.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis is my romantic leitmotif. The opening of Beethoven's string Quartet No. 11 "Serioso" for when I'm miffed. There are others, and none of these are always playing in my head, only part of the time.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

The flute/clarinet dialogue from Dvorak's 8th symphony (first appearing m. 11-14 of the second movement) is a leitmotif for a quiet desert afternoon/evening in the summer for me, or sometimes anywhere exotic, esp. when reading a fantasy novel such as Robert Jordan's _Wheel of Time_ series.

Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra also contains a lot of leitmotifs for me, but I don't feel like going through the whole thing with sheet music to find and list them all. All I will say is that the "nature" motif as presented in "Sonnenaufgang" (the first movement) is *not* one of them. Later presentations may be, though, esp. towards the end of "Das Nachtwanderlied" (the final movement).


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Not sure about Leitmotivs coming to me, but hearing something can often invoke immense nostalgia and memories towards a specific moment.

Prokofiev Piano Concerto 3 - I return to driving through the Namibian Desert and bushveld.
Fibich Scherzo from Symphony 3 - cycling through amsterdam in the freezing cold.

Itsbecause I was listening to that music alot in those situations.


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## Wicked_one (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm always singing the Ode to Joy when I'm taking a bath (the final shower). And lately I've been humming the Habanera, from Carmen.

The Isle of the Dead (Rach) and Mahler's 5th (1st movement, the 2nd theme) comes to mind when I'm rather sad and depressed.

And there's a rather awkward silence while I sleep.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

ah, you mean a riff of my life.

smells like teens spirit, when I am happy.
beethoven symp. no5, when I m in trouble
bach toccata and fugue organ, when I rose my eyebrow.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*My leitmotiv*

is the opera Werther, by Massenet- Goethe. Personal reasons.

Martin


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I have lots of those. 

The first movement from Mahler's 6th is my leitmotif, when I have to go to work or do something Im not necessarily in the current mood to do. It gives me inspiration to move forward. 

My leitmotif when something really intrigues me, or I feel a sense of hidden mystery would be the (introduction only) to Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture:Romeo and Juliet. 

When I feel optimistic that there are forces of good working together in the world to triumph over evil my leitmotif would be the first movement of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances. 

When I feel very tired, and stretched to my limits but still keeping the faith Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. 

When I feel very tired and stretched to my limits, and downright angry Rodrigo's Passacaglia (2nd movement) for solo guitar from his 3 Spanish Pieces. 

When I have a sinister eureka moment- the first movement of Mahler's 3rd.

When I have a non-sinister eureka moment - a certain part of the adagio from Ravel's Piano concerto in G (on my recording it goes from around 5:30-6 min mark. )


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*This*






Nobody will listen to it anyways.

Martin


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Er... I don't think so... although I have heard the Rondo from Schubert's 20th Piano Sonata each time I've been recovering from a general anaesthetic!


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

When I'm in the city, with the crowds of people going about their everyday lives in the hustle and bustle - Walton's finale from the _Sting Quartet in A minor_:






On a cloudy and gloomy day, the opening bars of Britten's _Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge_:






Funny how they're both British pieces tending towards the atonal. Shows how I just love this type of music...


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Martin


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