#Upward Movement leitmotif

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Even in Death

Album: Homestuck Vol. 7: At the Price of Oblivion Composer: Clark Powell Leitmotifs: Upward Movement, Even in Death Characters: Rose Lalonde, Roxy Lalonde, Derse

You may know this from:

[S] Roxy: Sleepwalk.

[S] Roxy: Defend (From MSPFA "No More Angst")

[S] Scourge Prophecy | Vriska vs Noir (Animation by Ichellor)

[glassmarcus]

Super Mario Bros 6

Naked and absolute disclosure here, Super Mario Bros 3 is my favorite side scrolling platformer and will always be my favorite side scrolling platformer. It is a load bearing game that my taste are built on top of. It's the first platformer that truly clicked with me. It is the gold standard for which I compare all games within the genre to. The jump arc, the momentum, the stage length, the density, the secrets, the art, the music. If a platformer doesn't land in the same ball park of quality in these areas, I'm going to want to play Super Mario Bros 3 again instead. Especially if it’s another Mario game. And it's not like I think it's a perfect game. OK, I actually do think that, but I understand that human beings are flawed and may not be able to comprehend its brilliance like I am able to. I know that there are theoretically things that it has been surpassed in, but in practice it has never felt that way. I’ve been playing 2D Mario games my whole life and never have I had the thought "Oh yea, this is better than Mario 3".

Super Mario World is not better than Mario 3. The movement is a bit too loose, the way power ups work is ass backwards, some of the more dull levels go on a bit too long, the spin jump being a separate button is an abject affront to nature, level motifs are sparse, and the game is kinda ugly looking. The game introduced a bunch of stuff I appreciate. The interconnected world map is brilliant and really pushes the exploration elements of the series with its use of secret exits. And it may seem like a small thing, but I adore being able to throw objects upwards. At the end of the day though, I'd rather just play Mario 3.

Super Mario Land 2 is not better than Mario 3. Again, the movement is too loose for me, Mario’s Sprite takes up a 5th of the screen real estate, and like all Game Boy Mario games, the OST pile drives its leitmotif into a cemetery of dead horses. Please Game Boy Mario games, I’m begging for you to have more than one song. It's a good song, but I'd rather there be 5 new songs than variants of the same thing Ad infinitum. The Non-linearity and the creative stage motifs are unparalleled among 2D Mario, but I'd still rather play Mario 3.

The New Super Mario Bros games are not better than Mario 3. Yes all of them. And it really just comes down to how bland those games are. They all have the same general look and vibe which I find to be the least interesting these games get aesthetically. I even prefer World visually over these games just because it's not milquetoast. The level design is solid in basically all of these games but they don't introduce much new ironically. I like the move set additions like the ground pound, wall jump, and mid air spin, but there's a reason I lump them all together. They could have called it Super Mario Bros 5 Episode 1-4 and the titles would make way more sense. Nothing stands out, so I'd rather just play Mario 3.

So recently I played Super Mario Bros Wonder. On a surface level, nothing seems amiss when playing this one. The visuals are different for the first time in 20 years. Every action has soulful flourish and the animations have weight and personality to them. There is a distinct color palette associated with this game and every level is brimming with visual ambition. Most importantly, you can play as Daisy which strongly distinguishes it from every existing Mario game. The game also controls exactly how a modern Mario game should. You have the same kit you had in New Super Mario Bros Wii, but you have the ability to move at a fast pace with minimal actions that decimate your momentum. Not once have I shamefully blamed the physics of this game for my shortcomings. It's that tight and fine tuned.

On a deeper level though, Wonder has a lot going on under the hood that solidifies it as one of the more impressive Mario titles. The level design is probably what stands out the most about Mario Wonder to me. Each stage is solidly design and slowly introduces its concepts and builds upon them throughout in fair and reasonable ways. This is what's expected of Mario games. Every Mario games since the first New Super Mario Bros has been like this. There's not much to take issue with, but also not much to sink your teeth into. That's to be expected when your levels are designed so carefully that they end up always playing it safe. I think what's been missing from Mario games for a while is flavor. Mario games are always nutritious, but they have no spice. I play them, and then shortly forget about them and don't desire to return, they are simply sustenance. I played New Super Mario Bros 2, liked it enough, and immediately wiped my brain of all data related to it. And I get why these games are made this way. I'm never frustrated by anything or dreading a specific part of these games, while there are some stages in others that I ignore if possible. But I still enjoy the more volatile titles because they take those wide swings and have more personality. I need my Mario games to have an unhinged idea every now and again.

From the soil that is the sturdy foundation of 2D Mario, sprouts the Wonder Flower, and with it, a garden of brilliant and deranged concepts for levels. Mario Wonder isn't about just completing levels, it's about collecting Wonder Seeds. It's more a kin to 3D Mario games where collectibles are used to unlock levels. Wonder Seeds are Power Stars, Shine Sprites, Moons, Cat shines etc. You find these seeds by completing objectives. This means not just beating the level or finding the secret exit, but also completing the Wonder Flower variation of the level. The Wonder Flower is a usually hidden object that distorts the current stage into a Salvador Dali Dreamscape. When this flower is in play, the framework the game is built within becomes far more malleable. The geography around you shifts and comes to life. The character you play as completely warps in how they function. Even the camera angle of this 2D sidescroller isn't safe from this floral menace. The Wonder Flower is a game changer and makes every level more interesting. And the fact that it's optional really leans into the replayability of the game. The Wonder Flower sort of turns the level into a B-side alternate version. Sometimes the Wonder Flower mechanic can be annoying or maybe get in the way of exploring a certain aspect of the level. So there are times where you won't want to activate it. I appreciate branching level structure being handled in this way. It feels more natural to come back to a level to see the Wonder version or Standard Version rather than just have hidden extra level planted inside.

Wonder is a game that gives you options in how you approach clearing a level and it extends beyond the decision to use the Wonder Flower or not. Far more options are available for how you move your character rather than how the level shifts. Throughout the game you will unlock and purchase badges that you can select before each level. This acts as a sort of load out you use per stage, similar to how you'd select a power from your inventory on Mario 3. Each badge modifies your movement in ways that can drastically change how you approach level design. There are badges that increase your speed that will aid you in clearing levels faster. Glides and double jumps to help in platforming. There are badges that are only really useful in certain situations like the one that gives you the ability to dash underwater. There are badges that aren't functionally super useful but are just fun to use like the grappling hook one. Baby badges that act as an easy mode; Unhinged badges that act as a hard mode. Badges spice up gameplay in a way that is unprecedented, and it's strange how it's unprecedented because this is not a complex or high concept idea. In fact I wish they went further with it. There are some difficult levels in the back half of the game that require expert badge use, but I would have liked to see more levels that were hard, but didn't require badge use. This makes the choice you have in badge selection feel like it matters more because your choice likely led to your victory rather than what it was in my play through: rigid challenge with no room for freedom, or easy levels where the badges were just a bonus.

Despite the level design being solid, it might be the one major mark I have against the game. They feel so meticulously designed that there's not a lot of freedom in what you do despite there being freedom in how you do it. Previously titles were linear for sure and had their fair share of secrets along the way, but those secrets were better spread out due there being more height. Linear only indicates the direction the level takes. It's doesn't have to be shaped like a thin line. Mario 3 and Mario World had more rectangular levels where you could explore high up areas at your leisure. Not just when the level allows it. This is because both of these games gave you ways to fly in some capacity. Mario 3 had the Raccoon power up while Mario World had the Super Cape. There's no power up like that in Wonder that needs accounting for its vertical mobility.

Don't get it twisted. All of these new power ups are winners. The elephant power is visually the most fun power up in the series and its utility leads to some fun puzzles. The bubble power up is offensively devastating and I can imagine bubble jumping being some high level skill within speed runs. The drill is the power up that takes full advantage of the more cramped level design and because if it, this game has hands down the best cave stages in the series. These are all welcome additions, but they don't replace the vertical exploration I found myself missing after I finished my playthrough.

I feel like if that vertical element was in place, this would likely be an all time favorite platformer for me. But it's missing that and a bit more. I feel like despite this being the most different Mario in years, there are some instances where it could have gone the extra mile. It's cool how secret exits and a roamable world are in play, but most of the exits don't lead to sequence breaking short cuts and the extra world being a measly 10 levels is super deflating. Another world of levels between piss easy and ball crushing difficulty would be more than welcome. But we never get that. The Wonder Flower modifications make levels more interesting, but the same motifs as always are being used here. The story being included is a nice change of pace, but it would be a nicer change if it was good. Wonder does a lot of things to impress, but doesn't really feel like its the best Mario game in any category. Except the final boss fight which elevates the franchise in that regard.

So in conclusion, it's pretty good. One of the best 2D Mario games overall. I'd rather play Mario 3 though.

[telaraneas]

the leitmotifs in homestuck frustrate me so much because of how ambiguous they are sometimes, which is kinda natural given the music was a massive collaborative effort with relatively little direction etc but jus sometimes. sometimes i think about how touhou music is one of the main melodies in heir of grief and i just get the tiniest bit sad. sometimes i just wish there had been a bit more consistency to what melodies are tied to what characters and themes, because when they hit as intended its The Best Musical Moments Of Homestuck

[simmonsized]

Really appreciated the other ask answered. Do you have any favorite pieces from the multiple Homestuck albums we’ve been graced with? Honestly, I’m still amazed how much music there is.

I'm afraid you've missed my in-person lecture about leitmotifs and the songs that relate to the striders specifically (insert a joke about sunsetter>sunslammer>moonsetter>moonsweater>stride etc etc not to mention beatdown/time on my side, the upward movement evolution etc etc here) but this is all to say that YES OF COURSE I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously I show favoritism towards Moonsetter is anyone surprised???? ha

The Unlabeled song from One Year Older

I was super into Flare (specifically the Cascade cut) when it first came out!

Hard to explain but i LOVE the Three in the Morning (RJ's I Can Barely Sleep In This Casino Remix) from vol. 4 (this is the song i listened to on literal repeat while i drew my Bro and Handmaid pic!!)

(back when dubstep was cool i loved coolkid a lot)

BUT I ALSO LOVE. GASP, WHEEZE. okay NOT official but SHOULD HAVE BEEN!!!!!!!!!!!! Alphamatic Replacement by Xauric is literally one of the best songs ever created for fucking homestuck and i stand by that AND speaking of this song!!!!!!!!!! The song on the official (cringes bc of content) "Beyond Canon" album SPLIT REALITY is also by the author and references it heavily and it FUCKS severely i could listen to this song all day because of the emotions it gives me in relation to my Opinions

AND we will say, lastly, Heir of Grief, for obviously, unnecessary to explain reasons :)

all this is to say, i'm a fan of the entire colours and mayhem albums and just like. all of it lol!!!! leitmotifs get me SO deeply i could talk about homestuck music all day it was hard to pick just a few!

[theinsanityofender]

Possible mind blow. Idfk

(Homestuck post) I find it hilarious how there are people who haven't noticed that the drum line in "Upward Movement" (and "Descend") matches the opening bars of "Sburban Jungle". I'm not even fucking joking.

[caelum-in-the-avatarverse]

Written for @azulaweek​. Prompt - Smile. (Thanks to @piandaoist​ for the screenshot!)

Summary: Azula doesn't know it, but when she smiles, the older members of her family see a ghost.

~~~

Y'know that smile Azula has? The one so scary it has its own leitmotif in the musical score? (Which might just be Azula's leitmotif but Azula and her smile are pretty intertwined so *shrug*) Yeah so here's my headcanon on that.

Title is 100% a Good Omens reference.

Enjoy!

~~~

It was easy to convince Zuko to play with her. All she had to do was sigh and say that it was fine if he didn’t want to, she understood, he couldn’t shoot his flames as high as she could anyway -

Zuko scowled and stomped towards the less-flammable part of the garden to warm up for what were sure to be some spectacularly average fire blasts. Azula smirked, pleased. Her brother didn’t see.

Lo and Li did.

Azula was only six, but she noticed the way people looked at her. She was learning how important opinions were in the Fire Palace, and how the simple act of observation was a necessary survival skill. She’d certainly had plenty of practice observing Father’s reactions to her firebending practice.

Azula’s smirk faltered, and she studied Lo and Li for a careful moment, wondering if they wouldn’t approve of her methods of acquiring a playmate. It might be trouble if they didn’t. Lo and Li had served the royal family for decades. They’d overseen the upbringing of most of Azula’s relatives, and they had the ear of Fire Lord Azulon. If Azula misbehaved, Father would hear of it.

Lo and Li didn’t look displeased, however. If anything, they looked briefly startled, and then oddly fond. Lo smiled, and Li shook her head.

“Best not to keep your brother waiting, Princess,” said Lo.

“Not after he so graciously agreed to play with you,” said Li.

Azula huffed and paid the old servants no more mind, dashing off to show Zuko how to do a proper fire blast.

“Up for some early morning practice, are we?”

Azula whirled around to find her grandfather had entered the training grounds. Fire Lord Azulon regarded her bemusedly, like he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with a seven-year-old. He probably wasn’t - Azula had noticed he didn’t seem terribly fond of children.

She pulled herself up straight and looked up at the old man. “Yes,” she said. “I’m practicing my tornado kicks.” She was practicing her tornado kicks because Father had taught her the move yesterday - Father had, not Master Kunyo. Father had taken it upon himself to give Azula a special lesson, as a reward for how quick she was learning. Azula had been so proud, Father never gave Zuko that kind of attention.

Except the tornado kick had proved tricky. She hadn’t gotten it right on the first try. Or the second. Or the tenth. Father’s frown had grown more and more pronounced with every failed kick, until he’d finally scowled and dismissed her with a scowl that had made Azula’s heart miss a beat. Father wasn’t patient, but she wasn’t weak. She knew she couldn’t leave it at that.

So here Azula was, drilling herself to perfection.

Grandfather raised an eyebrow. “Before sunrise?”

Dawn was a blur of pink light on the horizon. “I wanted to start early,” Azula said.

Grandfather hummed. “You have a better work ethic than some of my generals,” he said, and Azula couldn’t help but preen at the praise. She didn’t know Grandfather very well, but she knew he hated laziness. “Well then,” Grandfather said, taking a seat on a bench at the edge of the training ground. “Why don’t you show me what you’ve been working on?”

Azula froze. “But...Father isn’t here.” It was a stupid thing to say, really, but - she barely knew Grandfather. She only ever showed him her firebending when Father wanted to present her progress to the court. Grandfather had never seemed very impressed.

Grandfather huffed. “Can a man not wish to see his own granddaughter’s progress? I should like to see what you’re capable of without your father hovering in the background. Come now.” He waved his hand at her. “Show me what you’re working on.”

She didn’t want to show him her tornado kick. It was far too sloppy, she wasn’t getting the twist right, her landing was unbalanced, and she was so focused on getting the form right that she could barely put any power in the flames. It wasn’t perfect, and Azula knew she couldn’t show off anything less than perfect.

But Grandfather was the Fire Lord, and the Fire Lord wanted to see her tornado kick.

She faltered her way through three in succession before he said, “You aren’t shifting your weight properly on the first swing. Practice that part a few times before you try again. You want to make sure you’re steady on your right leg before you push up into the jump. And do it without fire for now.”

Master Kunyo said stuff like that a lot, usually when he was trying to get her to focus on technique rather than power. Azula’s instinctive reaction was to huff and roll her eyes, but she managed to stop herself from doing so, because this was not Master Kunyo. This was the Fire Lord.

And it was more advice than Father had bothered to give her yesterday.

She did a few weight shifts in quick succession, feeling how to properly lean into her right leg, and then she bent her knee and sprang upwards. The actual spinning part of the kick was still sloppy, the landing still unbalanced, but - but she’d managed the first part.

“Much better,” Grandfather said, and that was more praise than Father had bothered to give her yesterday, too.

They kept at it as the sky turned pinker and pinker, Azula going through the motions again and again until she felt the memory of them sinking into her muscles, Grandfather calling tips from the sidelines. He wasn’t much of a teacher - but not in the same way Master Kunyo, who often over-explained and made things boring, wasn’t much of a teacher. Grandfather simply wasn’t a teacher at all, and often had to re-explain himself.

But finally, when the sky had turned from pink to gold, Azula landed without stumbling, and Grandfather said, “Almost perfect.”

“Almost isn’t good enough,” Azula said immediately.

“Indeed, it isn’t,” Grandfather agreed, “but you’ve still made more progress in one morning than some other people I could name. Come now, my dear,” he said, standing up from his bench. “One more kick, and then we’ll go get breakfast.” He gave her a sly look. “Use fire this time. Aim at me.”

Azula only balked for a second before she grinned and did as her Fire Lord instructed. Shift, jump, spin, kick -

The flames were more powerful this time, now that she knew how the movement went. Grandfather parted them easily as Azula came down for her landing, but he looked pleased. Azula felt a thrill run through her at this success, and she turned back to face him with a smile.

The look on Grandfather’s face faltered. He blinked down at her for a long moment, gaze strangely blank. Azula felt her smile start to slip from her face - but then Grandfather suddenly smiled back. “Well done, little princess,” he said. “You bring honor to your ancestors.” A strange thing to say, but before she could wonder about it he was reaching towards her, gesturing her forward. “Come now, let’s go have some breakfast, hm?”

That was his mother’s smile.

Iroh had never noticed before. In his defense, he had never spent much time around his niece. When she had been a child, he had been Crown Prince, and he’d spent months at a time on campaign in the Earth Kingdom, bringing honor and glory to their nation. When that honor and glory had turned out to be shame and tragedy and he’d returned home a different man, Azula hadn’t seen fit to spend time with him. He’d reached out to both children at first, after the loss of their mother, the loss of his son. Had wondered if he could help them, had hoped they might help him. Zuko had been receptive. Azula had not, but Iroh had made the attempt anyway, for Lu Ten’s sake. His son had loved both his cousins, and Iroh owed it to him to try. But Azula had soon made it clear she was her father’s daughter, and Ozai and Iroh had never been close.

Were far less close than Iroh had ever realized, apparently. It rankled every time he bowed to his brother, seated upon his stolen throne.

It would have been well within his rights to challenge Ozai to an Agni Kai, but Iroh knew a potential political disaster when he saw one. The Fire Nation couldn’t afford a civil war, not when they still had the whole world to conquer. And Iroh was so very tired, and after the loss of his son, the idea of fighting to reclaim what was his just seemed...pointless. So he bowed and called his brother Fire Lord, and Ozai smiled.

Iroh had always thought Azula smiled like her father. And she did. Even as a small child, she had the same smirk Ozai would make while sparring, or plotting, or watching some hapless politician make a fool of themselves in court.

Iroh had last seen her smile like when she bid her newly-banished brother farewell. Now, three years later, he saw it again, just before she shattered a seashell.

“Hm, must be a family trait,” she smirked. “Both of you so quick to get to the point.”

Shell fragments tinkled as they hit the floor, and Iroh realized.

He’d forgotten, but there it was now, gracing the lips of the first princess to be born into the royal family since Fire Lord Sozin’s reign. She was older than when he’d last seen her, a young woman now, her lips painted red, and as they curved up into something sharper than any knife, Iroh felt a pang of bittersweet nostalgia.

It wasn’t Ozai’s smile. Not originally.

It was Fire Lady Ilah’s.

How had he never noticed that Ozai had their mother's smile?

His mother had smiled like that when she managed to put Azulon on the defensive in a sparring match, when she aimed her arrow at a tricky target, when she discussed battle strategy with advisors, when she’d outmaneuvered political opponents. She’d learned that smile from her mother, the Fire Nation’s most brilliant tactician in the early years of the war. Grandmother Bhanupriya had worn that smile at the Battle of Han Tui, at the Battle of Garsai, at every assassination she arranged to get Prince Azulon on the throne.

There'd been a time in Iroh's life when that smile had meant safety, and love, and that things were going to fall perfectly into place and everything would be alright.

It was a dangerous smile, the smile of a predator cornering her prey, of a woman who knew what she wanted, how to achieve it, and was already assured of her victory.

And now he and Zuko were on the receiving end.

Iroh hadn’t fully appreciated how terrifying his mother’s smile was until he saw it on his niece’s face.

~~~

Author’s Notes

Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated and will help me get through the ridiculousness that is bound to be my Monday this week. *headdesks*

Uh...notes? Let's see.

I'm operating on the assumption that Lo and Li were some sort of...idk indentured servant maids for Ilah and followed her into the royal family and stayed in their service after her death. They raised that whole family.

Azulon really DOES NOT know what to do with children and is probably trying to pull up 40-year-old memories on what raising Iroh was like. XD This is one of the very few times Azula spends personal time with her grandfather. It's not enough to make her care when he dies.

Here's what a tornado kick looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9gTVQWZDI I am by no means learned in martial arts so idk if the tips I had Azulon giving are viable or not.

While it's pretty awful that Iroh decides Azula "is crazy and needs to go down", I do think it was the only decision he could make. She was actively hunting them, had just shot him, and pretty obviously meant to do them harm. That's not the time to reach out to your antagonistic niece and try to get her to go on a life-changing field trip with you. And in my case, in their meeting scene in The Avatar State, I'm pretty sure Iroh, after giving her the benefit of the doubt, greeting her courteously, and getting rebuffed, is very quickly recalibrating everything he knows about Azula. They left her in the Fire Nation three years ago, she's obviously grown, gotten more skilled, has had no one but Ozai to influence her, and now she's here smiling and acting like the most dangerous woman Iroh ever knew. No wonder he suspected a trap from the start.

If you want to know more about my take on Ilah, please check out my fic Eye On Target, it's hilarious.

[heir-of-puns]

Double leitmotif tribute to Upward Movement and Moonsetter. So basically a theme for gay Striders.

Arrangement of:

I’m Not a Hero - Robyo

Upward Movement (Dave Owns) - Kalibration

Stride - Kalibration

Moonsetter - Toby Fox, featuring Samm Neiland on viola and Clark Powell on cello 

Songs belong to their artists and/or What Pumpkin. Upward Movement by Kalibration, Moonsetter by Toby Fox.

[discoverthevibe-blog]

The Role of Music in The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a musical film released on August 25, 1939. It was directed by Victor Fleming, and the musical score was composed by Herbert Stothart. The music for the songs was composed by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics were written by Yip Harburg. This musical film is ubiquitous in American culture for its songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” performed by Judy Garland, and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” However, the underscoring is vital to the cohesion of the entire film. One scene exemplifies the usage of underscoring to intensify the emotion of the scene: the Twister scene.

Overall, the role of music in this film is extremely important. This is because the songs add depth to the unknown environment and the characters. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” for example, explains the main character, Dorothy’s desires to travel somewhere other than her drab home of Kansas. The songs from each of the secondary characters, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, and The Cowardly Lion, each show their wants for a brain, a heart, and courage, respectively. 

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/97706/Wizard-of-Oz-The-Movie-Clip-We-re-Not-In-Kansas-Anymore.html

When the tornado scene begins, the lack of music intensifies the situation that Dorothy is in. She is stuck, trying to get into her house while in the midst of a cyclone. Almost a minute in, the sudden inclusion of the orchestra, along with cymbals, accentuates the fact that Dorothy was knocked unconscious by a window pane. The orchestra continues, sounding as if Dorothy is in a dream-like state. As the farmhouse flies up into the cyclone, glissandos from horns and strings indicate that the house is “falling” upwards. When Dorothy wakes up from her “nap,” the melody shifts to be more light-hearted. The protagonist looks out her window to see animals and people flying by, and the music highlights the humor in that either by playing a cute melody or having music that represents what is going past. As Almira Gulch enters the shot, flying on her bicycle,  the “Miss Gulch/ Wicked Witch of the West” theme is heard. This seven-note leitmotif plays every time the actress, Margaret Hamilton, is on screen. This theme is representative of the evil of the character since Hamilton plays the antagonist of the film. Suddenly, Miss Gulch transforms into the Wicked Witch of the West and the strings that once dominated the grim riff are also metamorphosed into horns. Then, the scene shifts to another shot of the tornado, and the music reflects the house falling down via the usage of glissandos. There is a sense of uneasiness in the music, since Dorothy doesn’t know where she will land, let alone whether or not she’ll survive the fall. 

When the house finally lands, the music suddenly stops. This is very effective because it shocks the audience, just like Dorothy is shocked when she is dropped, safe and sound in an unknown place. Dorothy finally leaves her room and enters the Technicolor land of Oz, and a grand orchestra begins to play with an emphasis on beautiful strings and bird sounds. These sounds show the audience that Oz is a gorgeous place filled with nature and wondrous things. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is heard as a flashback and as a leitmotif to Dorothy’s earlier ballad. This symbolizes that Dorothy has gone over the rainbow into a better place. As the camera pans over the set, a later song which occurs shortly after this scenic shot, “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead” is alluded to in the orchestra. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP_wx0qrKu0

As the scene continues, and Dorothy says, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is sung by a choir through a series of Ahhh’s. Violins play a high note in the background, adding more structure to the choir; an oboe then repeats the motif sung by the singers. Dissonance is then heard immediately from the orchestra, as a mysterious bubble approaches Dorothy and Toto. This adds tension to the scene, for Dorothy and for first time viewers, as neither know whether or not the bubble will hold something kind or malicious. To counteract this, as the bubble turns pink, the orchestra erupts into a crescendo of a soft and major-key sounding melody. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is heard once again, reinforcing the fact that Dorothy has arrived “over the rainbow” into a new and strange land. The music quickly fades as Glinda the Good Witch arrives; this is so the dialogue can be heard clearly, as this exposition is very important for the rest of the film. The music turns into a pianissimo, and climbs down a chromatic scale until music is not heard anymore. When the camera angle shifts to show the Wicked Witch of the East’s ruby slippers, the “Miss Gulch/ Wicked Witch of the West” leitmotif is heard to emphasize the fact that the witch is related to her evil Western counterpart. Flutes then bounce up and down to turn the conversation back to the light-hearted topic of whether or not Dorothy is a good witch or a bad witch. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOEq-ImGWJ0

There is then a transition which leads into the scene where Dorothy the Munchkins, and they congratulate her for killing the Witch of the East. At the beginning of the video, the violins hold a very high-pitched note, to show that the Munchkins are uneasy of meeting Dorothy, as she just dropped a house in their village. Diegetic then follows as Glinda sings to tell the Munchkins that everything is alright, and the Munchkins follow her lead by repeating what the witch says. The music is extremely light-hearted and expositional to continue to urge the Munchkins to trust the young girl. Billie Burke has very unique vocals, in my opinion, and they definitely bring a nice tone to the piece; she is very regal and bubbly, much like how Glinda actually acts in the film. 

The music then shifts very quickly, to something a little bit more aggressive and forte. This is so that Dorothy can tell how she was swept up into the tornado. There is more of an emphasis on horns in this portion, and they act in almost a march-like tempo. Judy Garland speak-sings in this portion, as she is telling a story. The flutes and other light wind instruments emulate the tornado sounds from the previous scene, which adds a nice touch! The Munchkins then repeat Dorothy’s words to each other. The music shifts to a higher octave, which was a smart choice as the Munchkins are rather small in stature! The majority of the orchestra follows the melody and remains a mezzo forte through this portion. 

Horns are then heard again as horses and a coach arrive for Dorothy, signaling their arrival. As the more higher class Munchkins thank Dorothy for her good deed, there is supposedly non-diegetic music that spotlights the string instruments and dies down a bit in tempo so that the Munchkins, who are only speaking, can be heard. There is an upward contour to this movement, which simulates the added compliments to Dorothy. There is then a sudden minor-key trill and minor, dissonant chord as Glinda proclaims that the Wicked Witch of the East is dead. 

The next transition is to “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” one of the most popular songs from the film. The song is in a major key, and includes the entire orchestra and the Munchkins singing in a very celebratory tone. The marching band marches towards the village’s center, which adds some interesting percussion to the piece. Horns are heard once again, signalling the arrival of the mayor, which starts of as an upward contour but then turns to a downward contour so the music can diminuendo for the mayor to be heard while speaking. The orchestra bounces along, with lots of low bass notes accentuating the rhythm as the mayor speaks in time with the music. The music goes upwards, chromatically, as the Munchkins add adverbs to verify that the witch is absolutely dead. The coroner then walks up the steps and sings that the witch is “most sincerely dead;” the melody of the orchestra follows the odd voice of the Munchkin, and there are some arpeggios to add texture to the movement. Finally, there is another low trill as the mayor declares independence from the evil’s witch’s rule, and “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” continues in a very jubilant and forte tone. The marching band marches over to the stairs of the village square and make room for Munchkins to thank Dorothy; this segment is marked by lots of percussion to sound like marching as well as lots of brass instruments. 

As the Lullaby League enters, the music transitions into something very airy and innocent. This is so that the dancers can dance on pointe as well as sing in a very high soprano voice, which also characterizes this group of Munchkin’s ballerina-like qualities. The Lollipop Guild then makes its way to the center of the village. Their entrance is in 3/4 time, which is different from the rest of the song, which is in 4/4 time. This absolutely differentiates their part from the rest for viewers, as it agitates listeners into focusing on their voices and more surly dancing and expressive faces. The instrumentation for this entrance also very different from the Lullaby League’s as the former was more focused on strings, and the latter focuses more on deeper brass instruments and percussion. The timing then transitions back into 4/4 as the Lollipop Guild sings, and the orchestra backs them. 

The final section for this piece is a grand finale, where the Munchkins formally invite Dorothy to Munchkinland. The full orchestra plays as well as the introduction of bells. This is absolutely the climax of this piece, as this section begins slowly and crescendos very quickly as the Munchkins sing “Fa-la-la.” It is also at a forte, and hangs in a major key at the end. However, something foreboding is about to occur.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leb83bRkXDg

As the Munchkins hold their second to last note for “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” which is also the dominant of the chord and should have been resolved into the tonic of the chord to end the song, the Wicked Witch of the West appears in a bang and a billowing cloud of red smoke. There is a sudden change to a minor key and nondiegetic music with lots of dissonant chords so that the audience can know that an evil presence is among the Munchkins, Glinda, and Dorothy. There is some musical reference to the tornado scene as well as the “Miss Gulch/ Wicked Witch of the West” leitmotif. The violins go slightly down a chromatic scale, which is very jarring as there is no transition into the violin solo. As the Witch of the West walks towards her sister’s final resting place, the strings trill as the brass instruments quickly fly down a chromatic scale downward. Dorothy speaks about the witch to Glinda, and the music dies down but remains present. Lots of dissonance as well as bass notes accent this portion of the scene. When the evil witch says, “I can cause accidents too!” a drum rumbles in the background. There is then some more allusion to the “Miss Gulch/ Wicked Witch of the West” leitmotif, however it differs some, as it is in a different key. When the camera moves over to the Witch of the East’s feet, a forte dissonant chord occurs as the feet shrivel up, and the ruby slippers teleport to Dorothy’s feet. Basses then do a skip-wise motion downward and end on a note which isn’t in the minor chord. When the camera shifts to the ruby slippers on, the music changes back to a major key shortly, with the strings acting reminiscent of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” When Glinda says, “Be gone before somebody drops a house on you!” a dissonant chord appears as The Wicked Witch of the West looks to the sky out of fear. The orchestra then trills while the Wicked Witch monologues for her final time; the trill is mezzo piano, but there is the occasional pulse of mezzo forte to accent the dire situation Dorothy is in. When the evil witch disappears in another cloud of red smoke and fire, the trill shifts up an octave, and the scene finishes, ending on a tense note without any resolution.

The underscoring in the whole portion of the film is necessary to make the famous sequence a true masterpiece. It’s so brilliant that most people can still hum along with the music! Herbert Stothart crafted the sounds of the orchestra beautifully to not only demonstrate how a tornado sounds, but how certain themes are played out for the rest of the film. Highlighting the music definitely lead to myself having a greater appreciation for the film, overall. I, actually, used to not like listening to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and other classic songs from the movie, but now, after examining how much effort into creating each song, I have a new-found love for them! The underscoring in the twister scene is and always will be my favorite part of the score, as so many famous leitmotifs appear and foreshadow the rest of the events of the film! In the future, I will try and apply these analytical techniques to some of my other favorite musical films! I thought about doing this post on Chicago, La La Land, and Hocus Pocus, so I will definitely try watching those next!

References

Kiesling, Natalee. "Film Guide to The Wizard of Oz." SUNY Fredonia. May 8, 2001. Accessed March 20, 2017. http://www.fredonia.edu/department/english/shokoff/Wizard.htm.

Rodman, Donald. ""There's No Place Like Home": Tonal Closure and Design in The Wizard of Oz ." Indiana Theory Review 19 (1998): 128-30. Accessed 2017. https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/3564/RodmanTheresNoPlaceV19.pdf.

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Homefree

Album: Homestuck Vol. 8 Composer: Hilary Troiano Leitmotifs: Homestuck, Sburban Jungle, Upward Movement Characters: N/A

[homestuck-music-tournament]

I - Overture

Album: Symphony Impossible to Play Composer: Clark Powell Leitmotifs: Endless Climb, Crystal, Atomyk Ebonpyre, Sburban Jungle, Doctor, Three in the Morning, Flare, Explore, Upward Movement, Even in Death, Overture Characters: N/A

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Terezi Owns

Album: Homestuck Vol. 7: At the Price of Oblivion Composer: Toby Fox Leitmotifs: Upward Movement, Crystal Characters: Terezi Pyrope, Pyralspite, Redglare, Mindfang

[S] Seer: Ascend.

[S] Seer: Ascend REANIMATED (Reanimation by Ichellor)

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Upward Movement (Dave Owns)

Album: Homestuck Vol. 2 Composer: Kalibration Leitmotifs: Upward Movement Characters: Dave Strider, Lil Cal

You may know this from:

[S] Dave: Ascend to the highest point of the building.

[homestuck-music-tournament]

White Host, Green Room

Album: Homestuck Vol. 7: At the Price of Oblivion Composer: Tensei Leitmotifs: Black Rose / Green Sun, Upward Movement, Cascade Characters: Doc Scratch

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Noirscape

Album: Homestuck Vol. 9 Composer: David Ellis Leitmotifs: Black, Crystal, Upward Movement, Sburban Jungle, Beatdown, Mutiny, Explore, Penumbra Phantasm, Descend Characters: Jack Noir

[homestuck-music-tournament]

Clockstopper

Album: coloUrs and mayhem: Universe B Composers: pixelseph and paradiddlesjosh Leitmotifs: Beatdown, Atomyk Ebonpyre, Upward Movement Characters: Dave Strider

[homestuck-music-tournament]

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