In folklore and mythology, witches have been depicted as mysterious and supernatural beings with the ability to practice magic and cast spells. Throughout history, people have developed various methods to identify and distinguish witches from regular individuals within their communities. One such method was the use of melodies or tunes believed to have a unique effect on witches. The belief in the power of certain melodies to expose witches dates back centuries and has been prevalent in different cultures around the world. These melodies were often thought to possess a spell-like quality that could reveal a person's true nature and intentions. The use of specific tunes to identify witches was especially common during the witch-hunting craze of the late medieval and early modern periods.
As the song works through its second half, the strings appear to gradually disintegrate. The cellos and basses cling tightly onto that chorus chord progression, but above them is comparative chaos. As the Wicker Man-style pyre is lit at the end of the video, the violins become deathly, Herrmann-esque and quite horrid, a neat counterpoint to the comparative conventionality of the song’s structure and melodies.
When Thom Yorke sings abandon all reason , there s a nagging cello mirroring his melody exactly, seemingly divorced from the rest of the string pack. I put vampire in quotes, because even though this creature sucks blood, both Nutini and Roberts, as well as sources on early Mexican folk belief all the way back to the sixteenth century, refer to it her mostly as a witch brujo a.
The use of specific tunes to identify witches was especially common during the witch-hunting craze of the late medieval and early modern periods. The idea behind this belief was that witches, being in league with malevolent supernatural forces, would react differently to certain melodies than ordinary people. It was believed that when exposed to the right tune, a witch would be unable to resist dancing or exhibiting strange behavior.
A music theory breakdown of Radiohead’s ‘Burn The Witch’
We’ve put the surprise new Radiohead song under the music theory microscope, and it’s looking rather good.
Radiohead are back! *tumbleweed drifts across the world of classical music* OK, fine, aside from arty collaborations with Steve Reich and Jonny Greenwood’s own respected compositional career, the classical music world does not much intersect with the acceptable face of experimental indie rock. But now, there’s this:
If you can, ignore the Trumpton/Camberwick Green/Chigley/Wicker Man video to Radiohead’s surprise new song, ‘Burn The Witch’. Cast the creepy model village rituals and witch-dunking/innocent-burning aside. It is not relevant here. Focus instead on what an incredible little piece of music it is.
First of all, and how often do we get to say this, Jonny Greenwood has elected to use col legno strings from the off. Grab your cheapest bows, everyone, because they’re going to get battered. Seriously, it’s a genius move. If you want to stretch the interpretation, using col legno (bashing the strings with the back of the bow) produces a sound recognisable as strings, but played in a strange, icky and disturbing way. And what could fit the song better?
Here’s what we mean:
And you can also hear it in the opening of Holst’s ‘Mars’ from The Planets:
Once the col legno has settled itself, however, Jonny Greenwood’s string arrangements (we’re assuming it’s him that’s done the arranging) spreads out and becomes slightly more traditional, dare we say predictable, as it mushes itself among the song’s F#, E, B chorus structure. But then, to ratchet the tension further, that col legno (how many times can we write col legno in this article?) returns far higher up the neck of the upper strings.
The more conventional areas of the string arrangement (i.e. the bowed bits) are not without their intricacies too, however. When Thom Yorke sings “abandon all reason”, there’s a nagging cello mirroring his melody exactly, seemingly divorced from the rest of the string pack. Little details like this show just what an adept and deliberately weird composer Jonny Greenwood is.
As the song works through its second half, the strings appear to gradually disintegrate. The cellos and basses cling tightly onto that chorus chord progression, but above them is comparative chaos. As the Wicker Man-style pyre is lit at the end of the video, the violins become deathly, Herrmann-esque and quite horrid, a neat counterpoint to the comparative conventionality of the song’s structure and melodies.
So while Radiohead are often held up as denizens of doing it differently (for better or worse, eh Spotify?), ‘Burn The Witch’ is them working smart rather than working hard. They’ve set up simple confines, but within them they’ve experimented heavily and made something exceptionally strange, tonally speaking, and inventive to boot. Approved.
Witch vs. sorcerer also seems to imply a potential difference in a practitioner’s ethical leanings. A sorcerer can choose to practice either good (white) magic, or evil (black) magic, although from what I’ve read, it’s generally believed that both magics emanate from the same source; it’s what you do with it that makes a difference. Witches are generally believed to be evil, and use their power for harm.
The melodies associated with revealing a witch's true nature were often described as captivating or irresistible, drawing out the witch's hidden powers and making her vulnerable to detection. One such melody that was widely associated with exposing witches was the "Witch's Dance." This haunting and mesmerizing tune was believed to have the power to force a witch to reveal herself by compelling her to dance uncontrollably. The melody was said to be so enticing that witches would be unable to resist its pull, often leading to their identification and subsequent persecution. However, it is important to note that the belief in melodies to distinguish witches was not based on any scientific evidence or logical reasoning. Rather, it stemmed from a deep-rooted fear and paranoia surrounding witches and their alleged association with dark forces. The use of melodies to identify witches was part of a larger framework of witch-hunting and persecution, which often relied on superstition and unverified beliefs. In conclusion, the belief in melodies to distinguish witches was a common practice throughout history. These melodies were thought to possess a unique power that could expose a witch's true nature. However, it is crucial to recognize that this belief was not rational or scientifically proven. Instead, it was steeped in fear and prejudice, contributing to the widespread persecution of individuals accused of being witches..
Reviews for "Melodies of Evil: Dissecting the Soundtrack of a Witch"
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to see "The Melody to Distinguish Between Witches" because I heard great things about it. However, I was quite disappointed with the film. The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and the pacing was slow. I also found the characters to be underdeveloped and uninteresting. Overall, I just didn't enjoy this film as much as I wanted to.
- John - 1 star - I honestly don't understand the hype around "The Melody to Distinguish Between Witches". In my opinion, it was a complete mess. The plot was all over the place and didn't make much sense. The acting was subpar, and the dialogue felt forced. I found myself getting bored and waiting for the movie to end. I don't recommend it at all.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Melody to Distinguish Between Witches", but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The story lacked depth, and the characters were shallow. The pacing was off, and many scenes felt unnecessary and dragged on. I can appreciate the unique concept, but overall, it just didn't captivate me. I was left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed.