11.1: Motive
A motive (or motif) is the smallest identifiable melodic idea in music. However, we will find times when it will be necessary to discuss a smaller fragment (called a “germ” by some authors) from a motive.
In the following example from the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, we find four motives within the first four measures of the primary theme.
Later in the movement we find Beethoven extracting motives from this four-measure phrase in order to develop them through sequences (see Definition 9.1.11 ).
Here is development of motive 1.
Here is development of motive 2
Here is development of motives 2 and 3 together.
The previous excerpt leads directly into the next, which features development of motive 4.