What is a motive?
Wikipedia defines a musical motive (or motif, if you prefer the French term) this way.
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition: "The motive is the smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity".
• A harmonic motif is a series of chords defined in the abstract, that is, without reference to melody or rhythm.
• A melodic motif is a melodic formula, established without reference to intervals. Think of a melodic motif as a “riff”.
• A rhythmic motif is the term designating a characteristic rhythmic formula, an abstraction drawn from the rhythmic values of a melody.
• A motif thematically associated with a person, place, or idea is called a leitmotif.
All music is created from a foundational motive.
Step 1 in composing a melody is to create the motive that will inspire the entire piece.
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition: "The motive is the smallest structural unit possessing thematic identity".
• A harmonic motif is a series of chords defined in the abstract, that is, without reference to melody or rhythm.
• A melodic motif is a melodic formula, established without reference to intervals. Think of a melodic motif as a “riff”.
• A rhythmic motif is the term designating a characteristic rhythmic formula, an abstraction drawn from the rhythmic values of a melody.
• A motif thematically associated with a person, place, or idea is called a leitmotif.
All music is created from a foundational motive.
Step 1 in composing a melody is to create the motive that will inspire the entire piece.
Examples of motives
Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
Depending upon how the conductor interprets the score, Beethoven’s 5th Symphony will run between 32 and 34 minutes. All of that music is derived from the four notes of the famous motive.
X:1
T: Motive of Beethoven's 5th Symphony
K: Cmin
L: 1/8
M: 2/4
z GGG | E4 ||
Look at the PDFs and audio files in the handouts for these examples of motives and their origins
3. Motive from spoken words: Common Ground score
4. Motive from an idea or description: Storm
5. Motive from spoken words: Cluster Haven Cheese Ball