Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
melodic theme

melodic theme

1 5.8
A main tune that returns and shapes a musical piece
  • noun
  • /məˈloʊdɪk θim/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tema melódico
  • In her analysis, she focused on the melodic theme that captures the essence of the entire composition.

Examples

  • In further exploration of how composers vary a melodic theme to create interest, students might listen to a piece by the Blue Man Group or to the finale of Stravinsky's Firebird.

    Academic text (2009)

  • He and John Randall came up with "Draw Me a Map," with its seductive dobro-thick melodic theme and its longing lyrics.

    Blog text (12)

  • His style has a very James Brown feel to it here, bringing a strong rhythmic groove to the melodic theme, but he also ventures into his own idiosyncrasies in the solo passages.

    Blog text (27)

  • The composer introduced a melodic theme that resonated throughout the entire symphony.

  • A catchy melodic theme often serves as the foundation for variations in classical music.

Synonyms

theme
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
173 3.4

A melody that repeats and becomes the main musical idea

is the principal tune used as the basis for variation and development
melody
vsmelodic theme
146 1.8

A series of musical notes that form the main tune of a song

is specifically the principal tune that is varied and developed
idea
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
88 7.5

A short melody that returns and changes in a musical piece

is the main tune used specifically as basis for development
motive
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
6 7.4

A short musical idea that repeats or changes through a piece

serves as the larger principal idea rather than a brief fragment
motif
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
3 6.7

A short musical idea that repeats and is changed in a piece

is longer and acts as the principal idea for broader variation
musical theme
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
1 3.4

The main tune that represents a person or idea in a piece of music

is the principal tune that forms the basis for variation
melodic line
vsmelodic theme
  • Specialized
1 4.5

A line of musical notes that forms the main tune

focuses more on being the lead idea used for development

How Central

melody
146 1.8
melodic theme
  • Specialized
1 5.8
melodic phrase
  • Specialized
1 4.9
motif
  • Specialized
3 6.7

Surface Forms

melodic theme singular
melodic themes plural

Morphology

melodic + theme

The meaning is directly compositional: 'melodic' (having a melody) modifies 'theme' (a recurring musical idea), so the phrase literally denotes a principal melodic idea. This is a standard, cross-linguistic musicological construction and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Melodic theme names the main tune in a musical piece, where melodic means 'a tune' and theme means 'the main idea'. Imagine a short melody that keeps coming back and is changed in different parts, so a melodic theme is the idea musicians use to build and connect the whole piece.