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Analysis of Bernard Herrmann's filmscore
for Citizen Kane
Breakfastscene
The cleverest deployment of a motive is the theme and variations-form
used to enhance the comprehensibility of the breakfastscene.
It is given shape by a montage showing years passing by while Kane
and his first wife Emily are sitting at the breakfast table.
As the relationship of the Kanes gets worse, the Power motive appears
in the fifth variation to emphasize Kane choosing for his ambition.
As opposed to programmatic concertmusic or opera, in the movies,
the making of small cuts, sudden changes of scenes, is possible.
The eye of the spectator covers the transition which gives opportunities
for musical fragments of only a few seconds. Of course as the years
pass by, these fragments are getting shorter and shorter and the
different scenes are following eachother up in high speeds. Think
about today’s commercials, videoclips and the possibility to
zap between endless amounts of channels of contrasting characters,
not to mention the internet where the mind automatically makes transitions
between completely separated cuts of information.
In classical concertmusic or opera, changes of scenes must be bridged
by longer musical transitions. This is because only the ear of the
audience can be told the scene is shifting, and the ear needs more
time then the eye. Sudden appearances of Leitmotives can make a
change of scene go quicker though.
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