Commentary: Mickey Mouse

The opening statement of the piece serves as what would be title music of the
episode. Just like in Tom and Jerry, for example, this theme isn’t used anywhere
else. When the film opens, I take a very traditional approach to this clip, with my
music strongly resembling old cartoon music. The important themes for this section
include:
 The House’s motif – the first melodic material heard in 1st trumpet at
bar 13. This motif isn’t used extensively as most of the action happens
inside the house. However, it can also be heard at bar 19, when
Mickey spots the house.
 Mickey’s motif – this is introduced in bar 16 and can be heard several
times throughout the score, reharmonized in many different ways.
 “Mysterious motif” – this can be heard using klangfarbenmelodie in
bars 20-22. The following statement of this theme happens in bass
clarinet on bar 25. This motif is also used as a basis for the triplet
movement happening in bars 34 – 36 as the bats are flying all over the
house
Throughout the score I used augmented chords in many occasions. This is in
an attempt to emphasise the connection with old cartoon music. An example is how
in bars 67 – 69, Mickey’s theme can be heard harmonised with augmented chords
played by bassoons.
As for the dance section of the clip, I used mostly the same structure as the
original music for the clip. One important moment is between bars 112 and 127
where there are two percussion solos back to back. The first 8 bars are in
vibraphone resembling the metallic sound of the radiator and the following 8 bars are
in xylophone since the skeleton is now play on wood. The following 8 bars (128-135)
are meant to initially resemble folk music due to the suggested accordion playing on
screen. The latter 4 bars are back into swing due to the skeleton’s head movements
becoming more deliberate and double the tempo.
The final chase scene uses music that’s been based on the beginning section,
with Mickey’s theme being used extensively. In terms of synchronisation, the
moment where Mickey jumps out the window, is set to chromatic scales harmonised
in major thirds following his movements. The end of the music is synchronised with
the closing of the shed door with a second chord on the roof falling back down in
order to resemble the way, for example, Scott Bradley would have scored this scene.