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Important techniques

Mickey-Mousing and leitmotif

Mickey-Mousing and leitmotif are two techniques that are very often used by the creators of music for films to serve specific functions. There are many others, but you will come across these often so it's good to know what they are. 

Mickey-Mousing is when the music reflects what is happening on screen very precisely. For example, when somebody falls on the floor you can hear cymbals crashing. It's often used in cartoons but nowadays it's not used in modern films so much, as it is considered obvious and often quite comical. 

Watch this video which explains this technique and has two good examples, one from a cartoon and one from a recent Hollywood film: 

Dr Matt Lawson Mickey-Mousing technique Licencia YouTube

And leitmotif is the use of a short musical phrase or melody associated with a carácter (or a place or an object), so that when a certain character appears the music we associate with him or her will sound out. In fact, you already know what this is: think of the music that sounds out whenever the shark is getting close in Jaws ! That's a leitmotif. Watch this video to find out more about the technique:

Dr Matt Lawson Leitmotif Licencia YouTube

Read the text of the video about Mickey-Mousing

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READ the text to make sure you understand it. 

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Mickey-Mousing is when the music or sound literally and explicitly represents the visual. In terms of feature films, it was most prominantly used in Hollywood cinema in the 1930s and 1940s, with Max Steiner being a particular advocate of the technique. However, due to the exaggerated, sometimes humourous and usually clichéd nature of the technique, it fell out of favour in so-called "serious" cinema, and found itself primarily in the realm of cartoons and comedy. Here is an example from Skeleton Dance, one of Disney's "Silly Symphonies" from 1929....

There are isolated cases of Mickey-Mousing in modern Hollywood cinema. As Peter Parker learns he can climb as Spiderman from 2002, we hear the Mickey-Mousing technique as his hands touch the wall when he begins to ascend….

In 1958, Austrian composer Hans Eisler delivered a scathing view on Mickey-Mousing in feature films. He explained "This awful Wagnerian illustration technique: when they speak about a dog, someone in the orchestra barks; for love, we have violins in E Major. This is unbearable". It's fair to say that Eisler would agree that Mickey-Mousing belongs firmly where its namesake belongs: in cartoons. 

[From the video "Sixty Second Guide to Mickey-Mousing" by Dr Matt Lawson]

EXTRA ACTIVITY 

Now try reading this text out loud to your partner to practice your English. 

Read the text of the video about leitmotif

After you have watched the second video, 

READ the text to make sure you understand it. 

If you get stuck, press the "Show Feedback" button for some help. 

The leifmotif (from the German "leading motif") is a short musical theme which represents a character, object or location. The primary role of the leitmotif is to help the audience understand, remember or empathise. The technique was championed by German Romantic composer Richard Wagner, who used well over a hundred of them in his epic Ring cycle, a series of four operas or music dramas. These included the Rhinemaidens ……., the Giants ………, and the hero, Siegfried….  

Film composers latched on to the idea in the twentieth century, with John Williams and Howard Shore providing excellent examples of how they can be used effectively to represent an evil character. Williams uses the imperial march to represent Darth Vader …….., while Shore uses intimidating music to represent the Dark Lord Sauron in The Lord of the Rings .....

Many films contain leitmotifs in their scores so listen out for them next time you're watching. 

[From the video "Sixty Second Guide to Leitmotifs" by Dr Matt Lawson]

EXTRA ACTIVITY

Now try reading this text out loud to your partner to practice your English.