CASABLANCA
THE MUSIC
A Musical Analysis
Melody
Melody is an organised group of tones.
It is a lineal succession of pitched sounds.
Melody involves: direction (ascending & descending), range, phrases, tonality and
ornamentation (embellishment).
When writing about a melody, other elements such as rhythm, harmony and
instrumentation can also be included in the discussion.
A melody can also be called a ‘tune’, ‘theme’, ‘subject’, ‘statement’, ‘motif’ or a ‘focus
line’.
The 2 themes
“As Time Goes By”
By Herman Hupfeld
The French National Anthem
(La Marseillaise)
The first time we hear the French National
Anthem is in the introduction of the film. It is
quite forceful and insistent.
Musically, instrumentation, dynamics (volume)
and tempo (speed) are key to creating this
emotion.
To create this sense of pride, the brass play at
a forte dynamic and moderate tempo. Each
note is accented, and emphasis is given to the
dotted rhythmic pattern throughout the
theme.
This song is first presented in the Saloon. In the Saloon we hear Jazz
music. The emotion achieved from this style of music is often
relaxed, resigned, alluding to a loss of love.
Musically this emotion is achieved through the quite dynamics, a
moderate tempo and a swung rhythmic feature. The tone of these
songs are often minor, creating the sad feeling of loss and being
alone. The use of brass instruments give us a sense of wistful
distraction.
The use of musical improvisation in Jazz supports the emotional
and moral climate of the city at that time. Casablanca was a
place where you could be freely rebellious, free from religious
conformity, where you could have risqué and unconventional
relationships .
As for the theme, “As Time Goes BY”, I believe it acts like a
‘leitmotif’ (a recurring theme or leading motif) connecting the
Lovers. It musically transforms to reflect their changing mood.
Mimicking
the evolution of their relationship, just as the key lyric in the song
suggests: “a fight for love or glory”.
A Selection of Scenes
Describe the basic character of
the melody. What emotion does
it suggest?
#1 “As Time Goes By”
angry
calm
melodic
scary
insistent
nostalgic
melancholy
voice
Does is change throughout the
excerpt?
woodwind
rushed
questioning nervous
personal
Instrument / Voice
Tonality
lyrical
humorous war-like chaotic
tense
rough
proud
First and Second
appearances
percussion
sombre
dreamy
sad
happy
wistful
intimate
piano
thin
airy
gentle
rich
clear
strings
brass
growling
deep
fierce
What is the tonality of the melody?
Major
minor
slow
non-Western
Rhythm
Fast
moderate
Describe the rhythmic features of
the melody.
Straight
Pitch Range
Narrow
Dynamics and Articulation
Describe the dynamics:
Loud
soft
moderate
swung
simple note durations
slows down
medium
atonal (no tonal centre/no scale)
wide
complex note durations
speeds up
high
low
gradually getting louder / softer
Describe the articulation:
Smooth
short and detached
accented
“As Time Goes By” First and Second
appearances
“As Time Goes By” is first played as a request from Ilsa. Sam sings for her in his
rich tone and accompanies himself on the piano. The melody is lyrical and melodic,
sung with a legato articulation. Its personal touch is achieved by the use of a minor
tonality, a moderate speed and swung rhythm, evoking the feeling of wistful nostalgia.
The mood transforms when Rick enters, telling Sam “I thought I told you never to play
it again”. This time the theme is played by the Woodwind and String sections. It has a
thin, airy tone, suggesting to the listener feelings of sadness and melancholy. The
actor’s dreamy and questioning gaze is enhanced by the slow, descending pattern
which is a higher pitch and played at a quieter dynamic than the previous show-tune
like rendition.
When the lovers discuss the Germans marching into Paris the brass section interject
the theme. The presence of these low-pitched, slow and accented notes conveys a
tense and scary atmosphere.
A Selection of Scenes
Describe the basic character of
the melody. What emotion does
it suggest?
#2 The Souk (The Market Place)
angry
calm
melodic
scary
insistent
nostalgic
melancholy
voice
Does is change throughout the
excerpt?
woodwind
rushed
questioning nervous
personal
Instrument / Voice
Tonality
lyrical
humorous war-like chaotic
tense
rough
proud
percussion
thin
airy
sombre
dreamy
energetic
strings
brass
rich
clear
growling
sad
happy
wistful
intimate
piano
gentle
deep
fierce
What is the tonality of the melody?
Major
minor
slow
non-Western
Rhythm
Fast
moderate
Describe the rhythmic features of
the melody.
Straight
Pitch Range
Narrow
Dynamics and Articulation
Describe the dynamics:
Loud
soft
moderate
swung
simple note durations
slows down
medium
atonal (no tonal centre/no scale)
wide
complex note durations
speeds up
high
low
gradually getting louder / softer
Describe the articulation:
Smooth
short and detached
accented
The Souk
•
•
•
•
•
•
The music in the souk is based
on a non-Western scale type.
The music of the souk evokes an
energetic and humorous
atmosphere.
The basic character of the
melody in the souk is:
_______________
The instruments used are:
_______________
The clear, thin timbre of the
instruments heightens the
emotion of humour in this
scene.
The fast tempo of the music aids
in the creation of the rushed
and chaotic feel.
The Souk
The music in the Souk is distinctly
different from the music we hear at Rick’s
Saloon. It has a non-Western tonality.
Predominantly we hear strings, percussion
and woodwind instruments, in particular a
non-Western instrument sounding like an
oboe. This nasally sounding instrument,
evokes a feeling of energetic humour. It’s
thin and nasally timbre, along with the
repetitive and insistent percussion hints at
an underlying chaos. The use of moderate
to high pitched tones, ornamented and
complex note durations leaves the listener
with a sense of rushed, nervous energy.
A Selection of Scenes
Describe the basic character of
the melody. What emotion does
it suggest?
#3 The Duel
angry
calm
melodic
scary
insistent
nostalgic
melancholy
voice
Does is change throughout the
excerpt?
woodwind
rushed
questioning nervous
personal
Instrument / Voice
Tonality
lyrical
humorous war-like chaotic
tense
rough
proud
percussion
thin
airy
sombre
dreamy
energetic
strings
brass
rich
clear
growling
sad
happy
wistful
intimate
piano
gentle
deep
fierce
What is the tonality of the melody?
Major
minor
slow
non-Western
Rhythm
Fast
moderate
Describe the rhythmic features of
the melody.
Straight
Pitch Range
Narrow
Dynamics and Articulation
Describe the dynamics:
Loud
soft
moderate
swung
simple note durations
slows down
medium
atonal (no tonal centre/no scale)
wide
complex note durations
speeds up
high
low
gradually getting louder / softer
Describe the articulation:
Smooth
short and detached
accented
The Duel
•
•
•
•
•
•
In the beginning we hear the
Deutschland theme.
The Deutschland theme creates
a __________ atmosphere.
The French National Anthem
creates a __________
atmosphere.
The instruments used are:
_______________
The rough, growling, deep
timbre of the instruments
heightens the emotion of anger
in this scene.
The rich and fierce timbre of the
instruments heightens the proud
emotion this scene evokes.
The Duel
The Deutschland theme and the
French National Anthem
To begin with, we hear the Deutschland theme. It is sung by a group of male
soldier at a low pitch, with a course, guttural tone. This creates an angry,
antagonistic quality.
The duel begins. Laszlo instructs Rick’s musicians to play the French National
Anthem. He goes on to conduct them in a measured and determined style.
Notably the French National Anthem makes use of a wider range of instruments.
We hear bubbling percussion, brass instruments and both male and female
vocalists. The predominantly swung rhythm leaves the listener with a sense of
patriotic pride.
A Selection of Scenes
Describe the basic character of
the melody. What emotion does
it suggest?
#4 The Final Scene
angry
calm
melodic
scary
insistent
nostalgic
melancholy
voice
Does is change throughout the
excerpt?
woodwind
rushed
questioning nervous
personal
Instrument / Voice
Tonality
lyrical
humorous war-like chaotic
tense
rough
proud
percussion
thin
airy
sombre
dreamy
energetic
strings
brass
rich
clear
growling
sad
happy
wistful
intimate
piano
gentle
dignified
deep
fierce
What is the tonality of the melody?
Major
minor
slow
non-Western
Rhythm
Fast
moderate
Describe the rhythmic features of
the melody.
Straight
Pitch Range
Narrow
Dynamics and Articulation
Describe the dynamics:
Loud
soft
moderate
swung
simple note durations
slows down
medium
atonal (no tonal centre/no scale)
wide
complex note durations
speeds up
high
low
gradually getting louder / softer
Describe the articulation:
Smooth
short and detached
accented
The Final Scene
A transformation of the French
National Anthem
After Rick has shot the German leader dead, Louis, the French policeman opens a
Bottle of water. As Louis and Rick converse we hear the French National
Anthem in the background. The brass play with a minor tonality, suggesting a
sombre mood. The dynamic is quiet and the tempo gradually slowing, which enhances
the sense of tension when the bottle is dropped. At this point the volume suddenly
increases as the two men watch the plane fly away.
The final time we hear the French National Anthem in this film is when the friends
are planning to leave Casablanca. The theme is presented firstly in a major tonality by
the high pitched strings. It has a thin and airy tone, and the swung rhythmic
feature we have come to associate with this lyrical tune has returned. As the pair
walk off into the star-lit sky the orchestra builds in dynamics by adding in the
percussion and accented brass section. This culminates to leave the listener with a
full, powerful rendition of the tune, leaving the viewer with a sense of elation.