Batman WL

Instrumentation

• Both Batman + LoTR use choir to provide sense of mystery. LotR also orchestral, like Batman.  
   

• B25 Batman vs Circus allusion to murder scene from Psycho in violins (sinister atmosphere)  
   

• Edward Scissorhands orchestral + synth choir and harp (like Batman Returns) and celeste. The celeste provides sense of childlike innocence and wonder that Edward has despite his scissor hands. Plays to instruments’ conventional strengths, making audience feel ↑ at ease. 
   

• Chicken Run Escape to Paradise- Orchestral + kazoo and glockenspiel. Jolly feeling, contrasts Batman’s use of marimba= jerky and unnatural because syncopated rhythms. Brief use of guitar provides variation, + good transition to another victorious sounding section. Snare drum creates a military feel in both pieces. Both pieces use choir, but Elfman’s synth choir feels unsettling because of the dissonance it has, whilst Powell’s choir feels triumphant when it enters. 

Melody

• Bar 26-31 in BoaP p1 could be possible ref. to God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 
   

• Legato phrases, LotR motifs are mostly conjunct, with the largest leap being that of a perfect 5^th. LotR Choir melodies mainly comprise of singing repeated chords, as opposed to Batman’s falling 3^rd motif.  
   

• Edward Scissorhands Introduction, Titles: Apart from celeste, melodies are played legato and have clear 4/8 bar phrases. The melodies in this piece are more likely to be developed via countermelodies unlike Batman’s augmentation etc.  
   

• Chicken Run: sometimes played quite accented by brass, legato played by strings in other sections, and in one instance, the glockenspiel. Main melody augmented low brass, much like Batman’s use of augmentation + diminution to develop leitmotifs. Melody also developed, by passing between instruments.

Texture

• LotR mostly homophonic, providing clear sense of melody, unlike Batman’s “disorienting” polyphonic sections.
   

• Introduction, Titles of Edward Scissorhands= predominantly homophonic + polyphonic textures, with far simpler “magical, melancholy” melodies usually in the choir + upper strings, intertwine with each other. Lower strings playing “delicate” pizz crotchets. 
   

• Chicken Run Escape to Paradise mostly homophonic, with many instances of fragmented melody between instruments. Some places where texture could be described as polyphonic to create a chaotic feeling like Batman. Brass, woodwinds, piccolo take melody more often than strings + choir- makes the piece feel ↑ light-hearted in places. Texture sometimes monophonic (8ves) played by “menacing” lower range instruments like Batman. 

RMT

• LotR (WL for BoaP p1) Starts in 4 4 but at ff sectio has appearance of being in 2. Some “uneasy” tied notes across bar line as can’t hear the pulse as easily. Like start of BoaP pt 1, in 3 2 time. Clear slow and fast sections in LotR, tempo remains consistent throughout.  
   

• Edward Scissorhands Tempo mostly constant- moderato. 3 4 time throughout. Waltz like rhythms often used to accompany main melody, with note values mostly regular (eg quavers, crotchets) although some triplets are also used. “Stable, familiar” straight rhythms throughout.
  
  

• Chicken Run mostly 4 4 throughout, however half time (2 2) appearance towards the middle, with triumphant melody. Just before end of the piece, glockenspiel plays melody in 3 4- last few bars of piece in 12 8 (or triplet quavers in 4 4) Variation in time sig but generally to create light-hearted feel unlike Batman. Mostly allegro tempo, with some slow sections in middle. Smooth transitions between sections unlike Batman.

Harmony/Tonality

• Both Batman and LotR are in a minor key, however LotR changes key less erratically (often to keys a semitone above/below) than Batman, the chromatic harmony in LotR creates a smooth transition unlike Batman’s key changes which aims to shock the audience.  
   

• Rise and Fall from Grace WL: Edward Scissorhands's “Introduction, Titles” also written by Danny Elfman, is also in C Minor for most of the piece, but modulates to F minor, before ending on a Tierce de Picardie- a C major chord.  
  Unlike Batman Returns, which modulates through many different unrelated keys (they are far apart on the circle of 5ths) the key is a lot more stable here as Edward is a gentler character compared to the antihero Batman. 

 

• Edward Scissorhands stays relatively consonant throughout, creating a sense of peace and tranquillity. 
   

• Escape to Paradise= minor tonality which changes to a major tonality about halfway through the piece. Lot more consistent than Batman. Extended chords= sense of chaos at beginning of piece, in one instance an octave harmony played by the lower registers creates a menacing feeling like Batman. In the latter sections, a triumphant feeling is created by using lots of major and non-extended chords. Melody is harmonised in 3rds, a consonant interval, which creates a jolly feeling for the audience.