8.29 Film Score Vocabulary from Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz

Vocabulary flashcards covering leitmotifs, themes, and key musical concepts from Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Leitmotif

A recurring musical theme associated with a particular character or idea in a film score.

Tara's theme

The plantation/land motif in Gone with the Wind; opens with a large octave interval to symbolize the vastness of Tara.

Octave interval

A wide leap of eight diatonic steps used to convey grandeur or vastness (as in Tara's theme).

Gerald O'Hara's theme

Theme for Scarlett’s father; reflects his Irish heritage and status, often linked to his Irish identity in the score.

Irish Jig

A traditional Irish dance tune used in the score to signal Gerald O'Hara's Irishness.

Mammy's theme

Theme for Mammy, the household servant; incorporates ragtime to reflect African American cultural signifiers.

Ragtime

An African American musical movement known for syncopated rhythms; associated with Mammy's music in the film.

Syncopation

Rhythmic emphasis on offbeats; a hallmark of ragtime and its rhythmic vitality.

Red Butler's march

Leitmotif for Red Butler; a military-style march signaling his Southern/heroic background, variably used to fit the scene.

Melanie's theme

Leitmotif for Melanie representing innocence, beauty, and goodness; used during key emotional moments, including her death.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Iconic Wizard of Oz song (music by Harold Arlen; lyrics by Yip Harburg) expressing Dorothy's longing for adventure beyond Kansas.

No Place Like Home

Popular song featured in The Wizard of Oz; lyrically embodies Dorothy's desire to return home.

Color transition (Wizard of Oz)

The shift from black-and-white to color when Dorothy enters the land of Oz, a groundbreaking cinematic effect for its time.

Borrowed melodies (Wizard of Oz)

Using existing melodies within the underscoring (e.g., Home Sweet Home, Brahms' Lullaby, Schumann's Happy Farmer, Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain).

Underscoring

Non-diegetic music that accompanies scenes to enhance mood; a substantial part of The Wizard of Oz's score.

Herbert Stauffart (Stothart)

Composer responsible for The Wizard of Oz's underscoring; often used borrowed melodies; won Academy recognition for the score.

Harold Arlen

Composer of The Wizard of Oz songs, including Somewhere Over the Rainbow; created the melodies for the film’s songs.

Yip Harburg

Lyricist for The Wizard of Oz songs, collaborating with Harold Arlen on the film’s songs.