# Looking for certain leitmotif examples



## RandomComposer (Jun 6, 2018)

I'm looking for a variety of examples on how the following character types might be depicted in a children's setting (or any other setting just to see those too)

A young and innocent boy from a poor background
A big and scary monster that looms over

Any video examples would be great, but even just a description of how these leitmotifs might be orchestrated


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## dsblais (Jun 6, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> I'm looking for a variety of examples on how the following character types might be depicted in a children's setting (or any other setting just to see those too)
> 
> A young and innocent boy from a poor background
> A big and scary monster that looms over
> ...



Hmm... like a poor boy from a poor family, very, very frightening?



Young boy would be a bright clear sound, likely woodwinds, innocence a simple, happy and melodic theme, probably in a major pentatonic, spritely movement lifting and resting.

Big and scary is easy but probably going to be strongest as a more subtle menancing dissonance that grows rather than something bombastic. Brass is implied.

You’ll want to consider them solo, together, and with your backing arrangement to make sure they produce the feeling you’re seeking clearly and throughout. Prokofiev’s Opus 67 is a natural reference to what you’re talking about.


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## RandomComposer (Jun 6, 2018)

Yeah I think some sort of menacing undertone would be great for the monster rather than any direct melody. It would also make it easier to combine the leitmotifs (e.g. as the monster looms over the boy).

For the boy, I think he's supposed to have quite a shy/timid personality, so I'm not sure about having bright and cheerful woodwinds, although I could certainly write some sort of pentatonic folk tune.
Peter and the Wolf is a bit too light-hearted for what I'm after


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## dsblais (Jun 6, 2018)

RandomComposer said:


> Yeah I think some sort of menacing undertone would be great for the monster rather than any direct melody. It would also make it easier to combine the leitmotifs (e.g. as the monster looms over the boy).
> 
> For the boy, I think he's supposed to have quite a shy/timid personality, so I'm not sure about having bright and cheerful woodwinds, although I could certainly write some sort of pentatonic folk tune.
> Peter and the Wolf is a bit too light-hearted for what I'm after



Hmm.. shy and timid? Maybe something expressed more rhythmically and dynamically through halting and uncertain staccato phrases, etc? Alternatively, turn away the end of your bars from a nice tonic resolution, instead falling back into the comfortable uncertainty of the subdominant or similar.

Perhaps check out Ravel’s Piano Concert for the Left Hand. It’s been a few decades but there’s something in it similar to what you’ve described. Good luck!


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