How Leitmotifs Shaped the Top Gun: Maverick Score
Film Scores frequently make use of a musical device called a leitmotif - a recurring musical 'building block' that is associated with a particular aspect within a film, such as a character, place or emotion.
Last Friday, I was extremely fortunate to attend the first ever performance of the score to Top Gun: Maverick, played live to picture by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and conducted by Lorne Balfe at London's Royal Albert Hall.
Watching the film while the score was played in front me, I became acutely aware of how leitmotifs are weaved extensively throughout the film.
Even more so as the leitmotifs originated from a selection of the Songs that are attached to the film, including 'Danger Zone', 'Hold My Hand' along with the original Top Gun Anthem, composed by Harold Faltermeyer.
Here's a quick analysis of these leitmotifs and how composers Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe morphed and weaved them into the various key moments within the score:
Danger Zone
(Written by Giorgio Moroder and performed by Kenny Loggins)
The Chorus of 'Danger Zone' features a simple descending line in half notes/minims, with the lyrics of 'Highway to the Danger Zone':
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Within the soundtrack to Top Gun: Maverick, this descending leitmotif is used in various action and adrenaline-fuelled moments of the film, such as during aerial action sequences.
In the Soundtrack Album Cue 'You're Where You Belong', at 2:55 we hear the Celli playing 16th notes/semiquavers, outlining the same descending shape of the 'Danger Zone' Chorus:
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Using the Danger Zone leitmotif helps to act as a nostalgic call-back to the original Top Gun Score, while also providing the rhythm and momentum that the music needs to achieve while accompanying the on-screen action.
The original melodic figure in Danger Zone is also re-harmonised, such as in the soundtrack album cue 'Tally Two/What's The Plan/F-14'.
From around 2:39 the low brass have the melodic pattern, joined by the high strings two bars later. In the key of Dm, the accompanying chords are Dm - Bb - F - C or i - VI - III - VII
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'Hold My Hand'
(Written by Lady Gaga and 'BloodPop')
The powerful anthem 'Hold My Hand', is not only the lead single to the Soundtrack, but serves as the underscore during some of the more emotionally charged moments of the film, such as during the romantic scenes involving the characters Penny (Jennifer Connelly) and Maverick (Tom Cruise).
Here's a quote from a red carpet interview that Tom Cruise gave regarding the song:
"Gaga came in with this song ... It became our score. It became the heartbeat of the film, what she did ... Emotionally, I was so concerned until I heard that piece. And I knew that that piece, what it does, how it married our story emotionally ... So that was a moment. That was a real moment for all of us."
The main chord progression (in the key of G major) for the Verse of the song are based around G - D - C - G - D or I - V - IV - I - V:
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In the cue 'Penny Returns', starting at around 0:30, the same progression is played at a much more slower tempo, with a reverb drenched Piano and soft synths swirling in the background, creating a much more ambient vibe:
Here's the Melody and Chords from the Chorus of Lady Gaga's version: G - D - Em - C (I - V - vi - IV)
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Below in the Cue 'Now You're In The Navy', the melody and progression from the chorus is now arranged for Strings and Brass, transposed up to the key of A major. The music accompanies a scene with Penny and Maverick on a sailboat together.
'Top Gun Anthem'
(Written by Harold Faltermeyer)
The iconic original 'Top Gun Anthem', written for Top Gun (1986), is also of course weaved into the fabric of Top Gun: Maverick's score.
As well as playing in all its glory during the opening Titles and End Credits of the movie, there are numerous references to the iconic theme peppered throughout the score.
Firstly here is the original melody, played on the electric guitar:
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In the soundtrack Album cue 'Dagger One Is Hit / Time To Let Go', at around 4:20, an outline of the original melody appears, this time with a much slower tempo, played by a solo horn, with a sustained string pedal note underneath:
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Another example, the cue 'The Man, The Legend / Touchdown' features the first interval of a perfect 5th from the beginning of the Theme. The Instrumentation and the interval of the 5th, instantly help to portray a heroic feel. (I'm trying to be careful with spoiler alerts here!)
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