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Analysis of Bernard Herrmann's filmscore
for Citizen Kane
During his life Kane had been collecting sculptures which he bought
in Europe. He had his own castle named Xanadu built on a man-made
mountain in the Florida Everglades, all of his collectables were
brought there. Leland, once his best friend and companion in business,
said that Kane was disappointed about the world, so he decided to
build one of his own.
Here, in the final sequence of the movie after his death, most of
Kane’s possessions seemed to be of no value and since there
is no family they are being sold or burned.
The meaning of Rosebud is revealed in the picture as a sled is thrown
in the fire by a laborer: "Throw that junk in too". The
word "Rosebud" appears on the sled as the flames start
to devour it. The violins and french horns play the Rosebud motive
espressivo in all it’s glory, introduced by a trill in the
cello’s (a paralel with the trill from the violins in the "snowpicture").
When smoke is coming from the chimney of the mighty Xanadu, the
brass play the powermotive one last time with a harmonically impressive
epilogue. Muted trumpets finish it off with the Rosebud motive.
There is a clear connection with the Prelude, where both motives
were introduced, here they are still, almost unchanged, both present.
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